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In case you want to take in any homecoming festivities while you are down in Winston, here's the lowdown from the student fishwrap at Wake:
Homecoming goes retro, '80's style
By Kristen Guth
Staff writer
September 28, 2006
The theme for this year’s Homecoming, organized by Student Union and in part by the administration, is a throwback to the 1980’s. Beginning Sept. 25, a week of events will culminate with the homecoming football game against Liberty University at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 30.
At 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, this week was kicked off with a showing of the film Breakfast Club on the Mag Quad. Popcorn, cookies and drinks were provided.Award-winning speaker Barry Drake presented a multimedia presentation with slides, video clips, recorded music and interviews on ’80’s rock at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 26 in Pugh Auditorium. Entitled “Music in the Video Age,” Drake’s presentation touched on music produced by Michael Jackson, U2, Madonna, Prince and Bruce Springsteen in addition to a slew of other artists. There was an informal discussion afterward.
A slip-and-slide, water balloon fight, hot dog eating contest and pie eating contest were just a few of the activities offered at Field Day, between 3 and 6 p.m. on Sept. 27 located on the Mag Quad. A SLAM! poetry reading followed at 9 p.m. in Shorty’s, and co-sponsor Unified Rhythms dance team offered coffee, food and prizes at the event.
The “Hit the Bricks” relay for the Brian Piccolo cancer research fund was an ongoing event between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday. Food and entertainment were offered at the 6 p.m. Block Party on the Mag Quad, followed by a showing of Grease at 9 p.m. on the Mag Quad lawn at 9 p.m.
Events on Sept. 29 will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a talk by Ed Hendricks, professor of history, entitled “Why Wake Forest Moved to Winston-Salem.” It will be followed by a literary discussion with New York Times best-selling author Emily Giffin at 3:30 p.m. in Reynolda Hall.
The Quad will host an alumni celebration featuring a swing band from 4 to 7 p.m. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the university’s move to Winston-Salem, at 5:30 p.m. Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of United States President Harry Truman who attended the university’s ground-breaking ceremony, will be giving a speech, along with Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines and university President Nathan O. Hatch.
From 2:30 to 5 p.m. historical pictures of the university will be displayed on the sixth floor of the Z. Smith Reynolds library.
There will be an ARAMARK catered barbeque followed by the annual Homecoming bonfire at 7 p.m. on Davis Field. The cover band Absolute ’80’s will be performing during the lighting of the bonfire at 8 p.m. The Homecoming court will be presented at 9 p.m., followed by performances by Unified Rhythms, the dance team, and cheerleaders. There will also be a talk to the football players and students by football Head Coach Jim Grobe. Absolute ’80’s will continue into the night with music until 11 p.m.
On Sept. 30, a 1956 black and gold tie-dyed truck will lead the Homecoming parade. It will start at 10:30 a.m. in between Winston and Salem Halls. An alumni festival with food, games, and live music will start at 9:30 a.m. on the Main Quad. The football game will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
Here is some more from Chris as we get ready for kickoff tomorrow:
Undefeated Deacons not looking past Flames
Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
September 28, 2006
For just the third time in Jim Grobe's five-plus years at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons will play a I-AA school when they host Liberty Saturday.
Grobe is 2-0 against I-AAs. The Deacs beat Applachian State 20-10 in 2001 and downed North Carolina A&T 42-3 in 2004.
App State, a perennial I-AA power, has had success against Wake in the past, though, beating the Deacons in Winston-Salem in 1995, 1998 and 2000.
None of those Wake teams were very good, though. The Deacons were 1-10 in 1995, 3-8 in 1998 and 2-9 in 2000.
The 2006 Deacons are off to their first 4-0 start since 1987. With Clemson on tap next week, there's a natural inkling to speculate Wake will look past the Flames.
No way, Grobe says.
"Our guys are pretty smart kids and they've seen a lot of I-A teams lose to I-AA teams this year," Grobe said. "In Liberty, we have the top I-AA team in the country in scoring defense and we've got a team with the fifth leading rusher in I-AA. So we've got a team coming in here that's pretty good so we've got to be ready to play."
Been there
Brandon Streeter only threw one pass in 1997 when Clemson played at Wake Forest, but the current Liberty quarterbacks coach can share the experience of playing at Groves Stadium with LU quarterbacks Brock Smith and Zach Terrell.
Streeter had one of his best games as a Tiger in 1998 when Wake visited Death Valley, completing 18 of 32 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown.
With homecoming on Saturday when Liberty visits Wake Forest, Streeter said his QBs will be thrilled to be part of the festive atmosphere.
"How many chances do you get in I-AA football to play in that type of setting?," Streeter said. "We're going to have great excitement. It's such a great opportunity for our kids."
More kicking woes
Since replacing Zac Kolegue as Liberty's place kicker, Ben Beasley had been a perfect 4 of 4 before missing a 25-yard chip shot last week at Savannah State.
Tuesday, Liberty coach Danny Rocco said he still has confidence in the senior kicker.
"It's been very inconsistent," Rocco said. "We went through a stretch here the last two weeks were I felt much better about it. Obviously, we do a lot of it in practice and do a lot of evaluation and live work there. I still have confidence in Beasley and his ability. He's a mature young man.
"I've just got a feeling that when we need him, he'll be there for us."
Injury updates
Liberty lost starting left guard Britt Stone to an MCL injury in his right knee at practice this week. Freshman Bryan Mosier will start in his place. Rocco said he expects DE Steve Ackley (shoulder) and S Pat Dickerson (knee) to play, but he's not sure if they'll start or not. LB Nick Hursky (appendectomy) is out.
From the Op/Ed page of the Winston-Salem fishwrap:
Saturday, September 30, 2006 Bits and Pieces Give Me Liberty or...
Winston-Salem Journal
This is a big weekend for Wake Forest University. It's homecoming, and also the official celebration of the 50th anniversary of Wake Forest's move from the town of Wake Forest in Wake County 100 miles west to Winston-Salem. That propitious move has opened up all sorts of opportunities for Wake Forest to grow and prosper, and it also has helped to shape the face, culture and economy of Winston-Salem.
The folks who make up Wake Forest University's football schedule must have - understandably - really wanted to make sure that the Demon Deacons win on this joyful day. They invited Liberty University, a Division 1-AA team that's not exactly a football powerhouse, for the game this afternoon. Turns out the schedulers probably didn't need to be so careful: Wake Forest heads into the game today on a roll, with a 4-0 record.
Not, of course, that a victory over Liberty is a sure thing. John Delong, a Journal sports reporter, wrote last week that Wake Forest's game against Liberty "is a sure win unless Jerry Falwell talks the Lord into a miracle that should be saved for better purposes." The editorial-page staff, fearful of jinxing the home team, will not be so bold. We'll just say that if the Deacs somehow manage to fall behind, Coach Jim Grobe will probably be muttering some version of the immortal words of Patrick Henry.
Liberty trying to be the sixth I-AA to upset a I-A
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
September 30, 2006
Liberty coach Danny Rocco has studied the box scores from all five upsets, looking for trends, anything for his Flames to latch on to before today's game at Wake Forest.
Division I-AA schools have five victories this year against I-A teams (though some wouldn't classify Richmond's season-opening win at Duke as a shocker), and Liberty is a longshot to make it six against the Demon Deacons.
In all five cases, the home I-A team has turned the ball over more than the visiting I-AA club. In four of the five wins, the I-AA team has either outgained the I-A team or was outgained by less than 50 yards. Portland State was the exception. New Mexico outgained the Vikings 339-233 but lost when PSU rallied for 17 unanswered points in the second half.
And in all five cases, the I-A team didn't bring an impressive resume into the game. Colorado, which lost to Montana State, is 0-4 under new coach Dan Hawkins. Indiana, which lost to Southern Illinois, has been irrelevant in football since the early 1990s.
Duke and New Mexico are basketball schools. Northwestern is still reeling from the summer death of head coach Randy Walker, and the Wildcats were facing the top ranked team in I-AA.
In short, none of the upsets were complete shockers.
So what does this all mean for Liberty? Well, the intangibles don't play into the Flames' favor today at Groves Stadium.
Wake Forest (4-0) isn't a Division I-A weakling that has fattened up on Sun Belt or MAC lambs. All four Deacon victories have come against schools from BCS conferences, two on the road.
Rocco, a former Virginia assistant and Wake defensive captain, won't call a victory impossible, but he's emphasized all week that winning would be extremely difficult.
Those chances slip from slim to none if the Flames can't get their passing game together.
Liberty is averaging 109.5 yards per game through the air and though the run game has been strong, that won't be enough today.
"For as much as you'd love to just go down and run the ball at these guys, they're too good," Rocco said. "Nobody's been able to do that. That formula won't work. You're going to have to have balance to get first downs and control the clock, get first downs and score some points."
Rocco said Thursday he hadn't decided who will start at quarterback. Zach Terrell and Brock Smith split reps in practice this week and both will play at Wake.
"We'll just ride whoever we have to ride with the style that they give us," Rocco said.
Liberty is ranked No. 1 in scoring defense in I-AA, but putting a lot of stock in that statistic is dangerous. The victories came against two Division II teams and the worst program in Division I (Savannah State).
The Flames' defense does look to be legit, though, judging by the results of last Saturday's Towson-Hofstra game.
A week after struggling for 10 points at home against the Flames, Towson beat Hofstra 33-30 and quarterback Sean Schaefer threw for 458 yards and three touchdowns.
Wake Forest will provide a much stiffer test. Though the Deacons are without injured quarterback Benjamin Mauk and running back Micah Andrews, Wake was able to run for 240 yards and score a season-high 27 points in a win at Ole Miss last Saturday.
Wake's experienced defense is similar to Towson in its size and quickness and Towson gave the Flames fits, holding running back Rashad Jennings to a season-low 27 yards on 18 carries.
"We've got to make big plays, that's the bottom line," Rocco said.
"If you can get off to a decent start, let their crowd sit down a little bit, gain some confidence and gain momentum and get that feeling that 'we feel like we can play with these guys and that we belong out here,' that's what you want to do."
we actually got some run on a regional sports radio show in charlotte and is syndicated over the carolinas and georgia and on the net in "primetime with the packman". this show is hosted by mark packer, son of billy packer and is a pretty good show. he basically said liberty has improved with their new coach and it is a growing school that will give wake a good game.
- By LU Armchair coach
- By ballah09