2021 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team explained
The 2021 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by eighth-year head coach Dave Clawson, and played their home games at Truist Field at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Demon Deacons clinched the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2006 and appeared in the ACC Championship game against Pittsburgh.
Preseason
ACC poll
The ACC media days were held on July 26, 2021. In the conference preseason polls, the Demon Deacons were predicted to finish in fifth place in the Atlantic Division.[1]
Atlantic| 1 | Clemson | 1,028 (146) |
| 2 | NC State | 804 (1) |
| 3 | Boston College | 638 |
| 4 | Florida State | 510 |
| 5 | Wake Forest | 472 |
| 6 | Louisville | 462 |
| 7 | Syracuse | 202 | |
Schedule
Source:[2]
The game against North Carolina, a fellow member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, was played as a non-conference game and did not count in the league standings.[3] This was done because the two rivals otherwise only play once every six years due to conference divisional alignment.
Coaching staff
| Head coach | Dave Clawson | 2014 |
| Asst head coach / Receivers | Kevin Higgins | 2014 |
| AHC Defense/defensive line | Dave Cohen | 2014 |
| Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks | Warren Ruggiero | 2014 |
| Defensive coordinator / Safeties | Lyle Hemphill | 2017 |
| Special teams coordinator / tight ends | Wayne Lineburg | 2017 |
| Assistant special teams coordinator / Nickelbacks | Ryan Crawford | 2018 |
| Running backs | John Hunter | 2014 |
| Offensive Line | Nick Tabacca | 2014 |
| Cornerbacks | Paul Williams | 2020 |
| Linebackers | Greg Jones | 2016 |
| Special teams analyst | LaTroy Lewis | 2021 |
| Source:[4] | |
Game summaries
Old Dominion
See also: 2021 Old Dominion Monarchs football team. Statistics
| Statistics | ODU | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 17 | 20 |
| Total yards | 272 | 352 |
| Rushing yards | 145 | 164 |
| Passing yards | 127 | 188 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:19 | 27:41 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Old Dominion | Passing | | 11/17, 88 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Elijah Davis | 12 rushes, 69 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 26 yards |
| Wake Forest | Passing | | 18/27, 188 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Christian Beal-Smith | 11 rushes, 74 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | | 4 receptions, 81 yards, TD | |
Norfolk State
See also: 2021 Norfolk State Spartans football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NORF | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 19 | 22 |
| Total yards | 336 | 413 |
| Rushing yards | 141 | 161 |
| Passing yards | 195 | 252 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 38:39 | 21:21 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Norfolk State | Passing | Juwan Carter | 19/31, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | J. J. Davis | 6 rushes, 42 yards |
| Receiving | Justin Smith | 5 receptions, 66 yards |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 17/25, 244 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Christian Beal-Smith | 9 rushes, 60 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Jaquarii Roberson | 4 receptions, 97 yards, TD | |
Florida State
See also: 2021 Florida State Seminoles football team. Statistics
| Statistics | FSU | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 16 | 27 |
| Total yards | 317 | 484 |
| Rushing yards | 91 | 225 |
| Passing yards | 226 | 259 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 20:47 | 39:13 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Florida State | Passing | | 11/16, 119 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Treshaun Ward | 6 rushes, 48 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 91 yards, TD |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 22/31, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Christian Beal-Smith | 19 rushes, 95 yards, TD |
| Receiving | A. T. Perry | 7 receptions, 155 yards, TD | |
At Virginia
See also: 2021 Virginia Cavaliers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | UVA |
|---|
| First downs | 24 | 31 |
| Total yards | 473 | 506 |
| Rushing yards | 203 | 99 |
| Passing yards | 270 | 407 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 29:27 | 30:33 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 17/29, 270 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | | 13 rushes, 86 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Jaquarii Roberson | 4 receptions, 91 yards |
| Virginia | Passing | | 33/59, 407 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 6 rushes, 36 yards |
| Receiving | | 8 receptions, 114 yards, TD | |
Louisville
See also: 2021 Louisville Cardinals football team. Statistics
| Statistics | LOU | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 25 | 26 |
| Total yards | 517 | 501 |
| Rushing yards | 208 | 177 |
| Passing yards | 309 | 324 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 34:36 | 25:24 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Louisville | Passing | | 19/26, 309 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Jalen Mitchell | 17 rushes, 89 yards |
| Receiving | | 1 reception, 75 yards, TD |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 23/40, 324 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Justice Ellison | 15 rushes, 67 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Jaquarii Roberson | 6 receptions, 135 yards | |
At Syracuse
See also: 2021 Syracuse Orange football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | SYR |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 33 |
| Total yards | 426 | 514 |
| Rushing yards | 96 | 354 |
| Passing yards | 330 | 160 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:10 | 33:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 19/32, 330 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Christian Beal-Smith | 17 rushes, 63 yards, TD |
| Receiving | A. T. Perry | 3 receptions, 137 yards, 3 TD |
| Syracuse | Passing | | 15/27, 160 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Garret Shrader | 29 rushes, 178 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Courtney Jackson | 5 receptions, 64 yards | |
At Army
See also: 2021 Army Black Knights football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | ARMY |
|---|
| First downs | 22 | 31 |
| Total yards | 638 | 595 |
| Rushing yards | 180 | 416 |
| Passing yards | 458 | 179 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 17:17 | 42:43 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 23/29, 458 yards, 5 TD |
| Rushing | Christian Beal-Smith | 8 rushes, 71 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Jaquarii Roberson | 8 receptions, 157 yards, 3 TD |
| Army | Passing | Jabari Laws | 9/11, 140 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Tyhier Tyler | 15 rushes, 104 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Isaiah Alston | 6 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TD | |
Duke
See also: 2021 Duke Blue Devils football team. Statistics
| Statistics | DUKE | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 12 | 29 |
| Total yards | 315 | 677 |
| Rushing yards | 160 | 266 |
| Passing yards | 155 | 411 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 23:55 | 36:05 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Duke | Passing | Gunnar Holmberg | 10/18, 110 yards |
| Rushing | | 20 rushes, 103 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 50 yards |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 24/37, 402 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Christian Turner | 10 rushes, 75 yards |
| Receiving | A.T. Perry | 7 receptions, 116 yards | |
At North Carolina
See also: 2021 North Carolina Tar Heels football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | UNC |
|---|
| First downs | 35 | 31 |
| Total yards | 615 | 546 |
| Rushing yards | 217 | 330 |
| Passing yards | 398 | 216 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:27 | 33:33 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 25/51, 398 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Justice Ellison | 13 carries, 81 yards |
| Receiving | Jaquarii Roberson | 7 receptions, 111 yards, 2 TD |
| North Carolina | Passing | | 16/26, 216 yards, TD |
| Rushing | | 22 carries, 213 yards, 4 TD |
| Receiving | | 6 receptions, 83 yards, TD | |
No. 16 NC State
See also: 2021 NC State Wolfpack football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NCST | WAKE |
|---|
| First downs | 25 | 27 |
| Total yards | 482 | 406 |
| Rushing yards | 74 | 116 |
| Passing yards | 408 | 290 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 28:20 | 31:40 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| NC State | Passing | | 37/59, 408 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | | 8 rushes, 40 yards |
| Receiving | Emeka Emezie | 10 receptions, 133 yards, 2 TD |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 20/47, 290 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Justice Ellison | 17 rushes, 57 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | A. T. Perry | 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD | |
At Clemson
See also: 2021 Clemson Tigers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | CLEM |
|---|
| First downs | 24 | 25 |
| Total yards | 406 | 543 |
| Rushing yards | 36 | 333 |
| Passing yards | 370 | 210 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 26:08 | 33:52 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 27/43, 312 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 8 rushes, 41 yards, TD |
| Receiving | A. T. Perry | 5 reception, 113 yards |
| Clemson | Passing | | 11/19, 208 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Kobe Pace | 24 rushes, 191 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | | 4 reception, 137 yards, TD | |
At Boston College
See also: 2021 Boston College Eagles football team. Statistics
| Statistics | WAKE | BC |
|---|
| First downs | 25 | 9 |
| Total yards | 413 | 182 |
| Rushing yards | 177 | 163 |
| Passing yards | 236 | 19 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 36:13 | 23:47 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 20/32, 236 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Christian Turner | 18 rushes, 54 yards, TD |
| Receiving | A. T. Perry | 4 receptions, 81 yards, 2 TD |
| Boston College | Passing | | 3/11, 19 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Phil Jurkovec | 11 rushes, 85 yards |
| Receiving | Trae Berry | 1 reception, 15 yards, TD | |
Players drafted into the NFL
See also: 2022 NFL draft.
Source:[5]
Notes and References
- Web site: Atlantic Coast Conference. Preseason Forecast: Clemson Favored to Continue ACC Football Title Run. July 26, 2021. October 23, 2021.
- Web site: 2021 Wake Forest Football Schedule . FBSchedules.com . January 30, 2021.
- Web site: ACC teams Wake Forest and North Carolina schedule non-conference matchups. Dan. Wolken. USA Today. January 26, 2015.
- Web site: Greg Jones - Football Coach. 2021-10-22. Wake Forest University Athletics. en.
- Web site: 2022 NFL Draft Listing . 2024-11-11 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
