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WFU's running game struggles in scrimmage
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Published: August 15, 2008
Brandon Pendergrass showed early in yesterday's scrimmage at Wake Forest that when he has a hole, he knows what to do with it.
Darting and dashing, Pendergrass ripped off an 11-yard gain against the Deacons' second-team defense before being pulled to the turf of BB&T Field.
It was fun while it lasted.
"It was real nice when I saw it," Pendergrass said. "I said, ‘I've got to get through this.'
"It can happen once early in a game and not happen any more. So when it comes, when you have to take it."
The problem for Pendergrass specifically and the Wake Forest offense in general is that the holes haven't been opened nearly enough in the first two scrimmages of preseason. Yesterday Pendergrass, a redshirt freshman from Royal Palm Beach, Fla., carried on three other plays for a total of 8 yards.
Subtract the 28 yards lost by quarterback Brett Hodges on 11 carries (sacks count against the rushing totals in college football and Wake Forest's defense piled up 11 sacks yesterday) and the Deacons gained 60 yards on 30 carries. Josh Adams, a sophomore who was last season's ACC Rookie of the Year, gained 15 yards on six carries and quarterback Riley Skinner, the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2006, gained 13 on four carries.
Coach Jim Grobe said that much work remains on the running game before the Deacons open at Baylor on Aug. 28.
"I'm seeing about the same stuff out of Brandon that I'm seeing out of Josh," Grobe said. "We're not getting as much out of our running backs because we're not getting much out of that front right now.
"I'm standing behind those guys and a couple of times I thought there were some good seams to run the football in. But a couple of times we ran the ball we might as well had cones up front as offensive linemen."
Grobe said that overall, the starting offensive line of Trey Bailey at center, Russell Nenon and Barrett McMillin at guards and Jeff Griffin and Joe Birdsong at tackles, is making some progress.
"The problem with the offensive line right now is if you have one guy who isn't pulling his weight, it ruins an entire football play," Grobe said. "So we've got to get five guys working together.
"We're somewhat in that direction with the first unit, but with the second unit we're not even in the ballpark."
And don't expect Pendergrass, in his first season playing college football, to find fault with those charged with keeping him alive.
"The running game, as far as the running back, the quarterback and the line, everything is still building," Pendergrass said.
But Grobe didn't lay all the blame on the offensive line, which is revamped this season after losing four starters to spent eligibility or academic shortcomings.
"We've got two running backs that we know can play," Grobe said. "I do think that our running backs need to be a little bit more aggressive.
"There were a couple of times today where I thought they were kind of floating around and not really looking for a way to get north with the football. And part of that may have been that they didn't see a lot of push out of the line.
"I'm guessing it's a little bit of a combination."
The second-team line may be reshuffled because of an injury suffered late in yesterday's practice. Ryan Britt, a redshirt freshman center, sustained a knee injury and was helped off the field.
He will be evaluated by the Wake Forest medical staff today, but it appeared he will at the least miss some practice time.
Britt was running second team behind Bailey.
"I think Chance Raines has got to help us a little," Grobe said, referring to a freshman who enrolled in January and thus had the advantage of spring practices. "We've got a little flexibility in that we recruited Russ Nenon as a center.
"But hopefully we'll get the same thing out of Trey Bailey that we got out of Steve Justice and we won't have to take him off the field. If he becomes as durable as Steve was, we'll be fine."
Although a number of Deacons missed yesterday's scrimmage because of injuries, most appear to be well on the mend. Head trainer Don Steelman said that receiver Chip Brinkman, linebacker Chantz McClinic, receiver Jordan Williams, fullback Anthony Williams and tight end Cameron Ford all might practice at least on a limited basis today.
McClinic, Brinkman and Anthony Williams are recovering from pulled hamstrings, Jordan Williams from a pulled groin and Ford from a sprained ankle.
■ Dan Collins can be reached at 727-7323 or at dcollins@wsjournal.com
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