Q&A With the Winston-Salem Journal’s Conor O’Neill on FSU-Wake Forest

When Florida State travels to Wake Forest on Saturday, it will be a match-up of winless against undefeated. Only this time, the Seminoles are the ones without a single victory. The Demon Deacons have given FSU fits in the past, so the Seminoles must be on their “A” game come Saturday afternoon.

Joining The Daily Nole is Conor O’Neill of the Winston-Salem Journal. Below, we talk about all things Wake Forest, dissect the Demon Deacons’ undefeated, 4-0 start, and give some predictions for Saturday’s ACC match-up.

Wake Forest is undefeated, with blowout wins over Utah State and Boston College. What were your expectations for the Demon Deacons this year?

O’Neill: My expectations were that Wake Forest would be better than it was last year, but that its record might not reflect that because of the schedule. Which, at 4-0 and the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the country (according to ESPN’s Football Power Index), is still a possibility. But this is obviously the best-case scenario through four games, especially how explosive the Deacons’ offense has been.

Wake has given FSU fits in the past and gave a great defensive showing in 2016’s match-up. That said, the offense has struggled in past seasons. What must the Wake Forest offense do in order to have success against FSU’s defense?

O’Neill: First and foremost, Wake Forest would benefit from having a healthy Phil Haynes (left guard) against FSU. He’s one of four redshirt juniors who starts on the O-line, one of three who’s a three-year starter, and he didn’t play last week because of an ankle injury. The other thing Wake Forest’s offense will have to do is related to that: Protect John Wolford. The Deacons have talent and speed at receiver they haven’t had before in Dave Clawson’s tenure, and if Wolford is given time, they’re dangerous enough to create plays.

Who are some lesser-known players that fans should watch out for on Saturday? Which players do you think will have the most success, whether it be on offense or defense?

O’Neill: I’ll start on defense here, and the lesser-known players to watch for are the backup defensive linemen. Wake Forest has developed a rotation that goes eight-deep along its front. Senior end Duke Ejiofor is the best player on the line, but Carlos “Boogie” Basham spells him and the Deacons don’t lose much production when he enters. Offensively, I’d assume running back Arkeem Byrd is still relatively unknown outside of Wake Forest fans. He’s a redshirt freshman with breakaway speed, a different gear than Cade Carney and Matt Colburn.

(FSU quarterback) James Blackman looked good in his first career start, but FSU’s offense sputtered. His main target, Auden Tate, looks unlikely to play. How will Wake’s defense attack the FSU offense?

O’Neill: Wake Forest’s defense will probably attack the Seminoles in the same that Florida State’s defense has attacked the Deacons in years past – lots and lots of pressure. The strength of Wake Forest’s defense is on its defensive line, and the Deacons have had success bringing extra pressure or with 3- and 4-man rushes. New defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel will bring pressure when needed, but leaving ball-hawking safeties Jessie Bates III and Cameron Glenn in the secondary to make plays has Wake Forest tied for the ACC lead in turnover margin (+5).

Which match-ups do you like for Wake’s defense against the Seminole offense, and vice versa? Which ones concern you?

O’Neill: Those two safeties, Bates and Glenn, should match up well with covering Ryan Izzo and any FSU running backs. And I obviously think highly of Wake Forest’s defensive line, so they should create penetration into the backfield. Florida State’s advantage will be against the Deacons’ defensive backs – sophomore cornerbacks Essang Bassey and Amari Henderson have been decent at times and not decent at others. Clawson said after the Boston College that there had been communication breakdowns on about eight plays, and there have been several signs of that continuing in the two games since. Even if Tate can’t play, FSU has the firepower to break loose downfield.

I’ll say it again for those in the back: Wake is unbeaten and the Seminoles have yet to win a game. What is different about the Demon Deacons this year from years past, and how will that play into its advantage when facing an FSU team that hasn’t lived up to expectations?

O’Neill: The biggest difference in Wake Forest is that there are playmakers on offense. Instead of pounding Carney and Colburn into the line and hoping to keep its QB alive, Wake Forest’s offense can spread the field. Redshirt freshman receiver Greg Dortch has a touchdown catch in every game; he’s quickly established himself as a deadly slot receiver. And the health of Wolford can’t be overstated – he took a beating early in his career, but has an 8-0 touchdown-interception ratio and is the Deacons’ leading rusher (269 yards, three touchdowns).

Finally, give us a prediction. FSU is currently a 7-point favorite, but the line is shifting in Wake’s favor. Who wins on Saturday and why?

O’Neill: Oof, I hate predictions on games I’m covering. This led to a discussion in our office about how much I dislike it. But, I’ll say Florida State wins, 13-10. I think it’ll be a defensive struggle, and I think FSU’s defense is several levels ahead of anything Wake Forest has seen this season.

Special thanks to Conor O’Neill for taking the time to speak with us. For all things Wake Forest, be sure to follow him on Twitter @ConorONeillWSJ and catch his work at the Winston-Salem Journal.

Josh Mixon covers Florida State athletics for The Daily Nole and co-hosts the Giving ‘Em The Business Podcast on Soundcloud. You can find him on Twitter @joshmixon10.