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Grobe to mix it up at spring scrimmage
Scrimmage will give public a chance to see new faces
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Published: April 17, 2009
Wake Forest's depth chart this spring has depended on what day it is and how deep the Deacons are into that day's practice.
It has been in a constant state of flux.
"I think we might have put one out pre-spring, but I'm not big on depth charts right now," Coach Jim Grobe said yesterday. "We're moving kids around all the time. It's almost a day-to-day thing. You might be first team today, you might be second team tomorrow.
"What I've encouraged our (coaches) to do is make guys earn their job every day. Don't wait until game day to figure out who the starter is. Every day make it competitive."
The Deacons wrapped up their final practice yesterday leading into Saturday's spring scrimmage at the Doc Martin practice complex on campus. Concessions will be available at 11 a.m. The Deacons will engage in warm-ups and agility drills starting at 11:30 and the scrimmage will begin at noon.
Admission will be free.
And those who attend should not be surprised to see some fresh faces playing prominent roles.
"I've talked to the staff about it, how some of the older players who think they earned the job tend to get a little bit complacent," Grobe said. "They tend to think that they're going to play just because it's their turn.
"I've encouraged our coaches to not play favorites, to play guys that are playing the best and, more importantly, if you've got an old guy who's not hands down outplaying the young guy, then play the young guy because you're going to have him longer.
"And if we've got a couple of guys who are about even, ability-wise, play the enthusiastic guy. Play the guy who is having fun, the guy who is looking forward to practice."
Players who will be sidelined by injuries Saturday are defensive tackle Boo Robinson (back), wide receiver Marshall Williams (shoulder), fullback Mike Rinfrette (concussion), running back Lovell Jackson (ankle) and kicker Shane Popham (knee). Popham, who is expected to handle both punting and kicking duties next season, said he subluxed his kneecap on Tuesday and is done for the spring.
Grobe said that all should be recovered well in time for August practices, but he did say he was concerned what effect missing all of spring will have on Robinson, expected to be one of the Deacons' defensive leaders this season.
Rinfrette was ruled out of the rest of spring when he sustained his second concussion of the year last week in a scrimmage. Grobe said he thought it was linebacker Matt Woodlief who administered the hit, when it was actually linebacker Hunter Haynes.
"As hard as Hunter hit him, he's lucky to have his head on his shoulders," Grobe said.
Grobe said the player who moved into Rinfrette's position, Tommy Bohanon, has really opened some eyes this spring. Bohanon is a 6-2, 245-pound freshman from Fort Myers, Fla., who enrolled in January.
"Tommy Bohanon has probably been the surprise of spring practice," Grobe said. "He's a guy who came in in January, and we didn't have any idea he would be in the mix like he is.
"Now we've had some guys come in the spring, guys like Joe Looney, who ended up starting. But we've never had anybody in their first spring stand out like he has, running the football and blocking.
"I hate to have Mike Rinfrette out, but the good news is it's given Bohannon all those extra reps, and he has really developed into a guy we're going to look forward to playing next year."
Grobe said the receiving corps, which lost starters Demir Boldin and Chip Brinkman to graduation, has been impressive this spring, even with Marshall Williams sidelined. Devon Brown, who caught 10 passes last season as a redshirt freshman, has emerged as a leader of the group and Jordan Williams has showed signs of bouncing back from a lost sophomore season.
More speed is provided by two freshmen who redshirted last season, Terence Davis and Chris Givens.
"A guy who has looked really impressive has been Chris Givens," Grobe said. "He might be the fastest guy on the football team. And the thing I've liked about him is he's caught some balls down in the middle, around the linebackers.
"He hasn't been scared. He hasn't played. He missed both his junior and senior years of high school with knee injuries, and last year we redshirted him. So I hate to say too much about him until I see more, but he has been really impressive."
■ Dan Collins can be reached at 727-7323 or at dcollins@wsjournal.com.
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