Wake Forest Demon Deacons football

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the sport of American football. The Demon Deacons compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field.

Wake Forest struggled in football for much of the second half of the 20th century. This is largely because it is the third-smallest school in FBS in terms of undergraduate enrollment (behind only Rice and Tulsa). It is also by far the smallest school playing in a BCS conference. However, since the start of the 21st century, the Deacons have been mostly competitive.

Wake Forest was ranked in the Top 25 in the nation by the AP Poll during most of the 2006 season. Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC Atlantic Division Title and the 2006 ACC Conference Championship by defeating Georgia Tech 9-6 on December 2 in the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville, Florida. The win sent Wake Forest to the Orange Bowl to play Big East champion Louisville, where they lost to the Cardinals. This made Wake Forest the smallest school to ever compete in the Bowl Championship Series.

For his part in the record-setting season, coach Jim Grobe was unanimously selected ACC Coach of the Year, and handily won the AP Coach of the Year award several weeks later.

All-time bowl record
Wake Forest has played in ten bowls in its history and owns a 6–4 record in those games. For the 2006–2007 season, the school earned a bid to its first ever BCS game, with an Orange Bowl match-up against Louisville. Wake also had played in the 1982 Mirage Bowl in Tokyo, Japan against Clemson. However the NCAA does not recognize that game as an official bowl game. Wake has also competed in the 1951, 1953, 1954 Tobacco Bowl in Richmond, Virginia. According to the NCAA, it doesn't count as an official bowl game since this game isn't a postseason bowl.

Rivalries
Wake Forest is referred to as being a part of "Tobacco Road" or the Big Four, terms that refer to the four North Carolina schools that compete heatedly against each other within the ACC. Wake's all-time records against the members of Tobacco Road are 34-68-2 against UNC, 37-62-6 against NC State, and 37-53-2 against Duke. Wake Forest defeated North Carolina 6-4 on October 18, 1888 during the first intercollegiate football game played in the state of North Carolina. Wake Forest swept the series with its Tobacco Road rivals in 1924, 1951, 1970, 1984, 1987, 2006, and 2007. Wake Forest has a contract through 2014 to play Vanderbilt during the final "rivalry week" of the regular season.

Wake Forest head football coaches
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Conference championships
Conference affiliations
 * 1888–1931 Independent
 * 1932–1936 Big Five Conference
 * 1936–1952 Southern Conference
 * 1953–present Atlantic Coast Conference

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Retired jerseys

 * #16 - Norm Snead
 * #19 - Bill Armstrong
 * #31 - Brian Piccolo
 * #33 - Billy Ray Barnes

Player

 * ACC 25th Anniversary Football Team
 * Billy Ray Barnes
 * Bill Armstrong


 * ACC 50th Anniversary Football Team
 * Bill Armstrong
 * Brian Piccolo
 * Norm Snead


 * ACC All Decade Football Teams
 * (2000-2009) Chris Barclay, Steve Justice, Ryan Plackemeier, Aaron Curry, Alphonso Smith


 * All SoCon selections
 * 1936 - Raleigh Daniel
 * 1938 - Louis Trunzo, Marshall Edwards
 * 1939 - Rupert Pate, John Polanski
 * 1940 - Tony Gallovich
 * 1941 - Carl Givler
 * 1942 - Pat Preston, Red Cochran, Buck Jones
 * 1943 - Nick Sacrinty, Elmer Barbour, Bill Starford
 * 1944 - Nick Sacrinty, Elmer Barbour, Dick Foreman, John Kerns, George Owens, Dave Harris
 * 1945 - Nick Sacrinty, Dave Harris, Dick Foreman, Buck Garrison, Rock Brinkley, Pride Ratterree
 * 1946 - Nick Sacrinty, Bob Leonetti, Nick Ognovich
 * 1947 - Jim Duncan, Tom Fetzer, Harry Clark, Ed Royston,
 * 1948 - Jim Duncan, Tom Fetzer, Bill George, Red O'Quinn, Bill Gregus
 * 1949 - Jim Duncan, Bill Miller, Bill George, Red O'Quinn, Bill Gregus, Ray Cicia, Carroll Blackerby
 * 1950 - Jack Lewis, Bill Miller, Guido Scarton, Jim Staton, Bob Auffarth, Ed Listopad
 * 1951 - Jack Lewis, Bill Finnance, Dickie Davis, Bill Link, Bill George, Jim Zarkas, Guido Scarton
 * 1952 - Jack Lewis, Bill Finnance, Joe Koch, Sonny George, Ken Bridges, Bob Gaona


 * All ACC selections
 * 1953 - Bob Bartholomew, Gerald Huth
 * 1954 - Bob Bartholomew, Ed Stowers, Gerald Huth
 * 1955 - Bob Bartholomew, Billy Ray Barnes
 * 1956 - Billy Ray Barnes, Eddie Moore
 * 1958 - Norm Snead, Pte Manning
 * 1959 - Norm Snead, Pete Manning, Nick Patella
 * 1960 - Norm Snead, Wayne Wolff
 * 1961 - Alan White, Bill Hull, Bill Ruby
 * 1964 - Brian Piccolo, John Mackovic
 * 1965 - Joe Carazo
 * 1966 - Bob Oplinger, Robert Grant
 * 1967 - Rick Decker, Freddie Summers
 * 1968 - Digit Laughride
 * 1969 - Joe Dobner, John Mazalewski
 * 1970 - Bill Bobbora, Larry Hopkins, Larry Russel, Ed Stetz, Tracy Lounsbury, Win Headley
 * 1971 - Bill Bobbora, Larry Hopkins, Larry Russel, Ed Stetz, Steve Bowden
 * 1972 - Chuck Ramsey, Nick Arcaro
 * 1973 - Chuck Ramsey
 * 1975 - Bill Armstrong, Clark Gaines
 * 1976 - Bill Armstrong, Steve Young (TE), James McDougald, Don Cervi
 * 1977 - Steve Young (TE), Larry Tearry, James McDougald
 * 1979 - Wayne Baumgardner, Jay Venuto, James McDougald, James Parker
 * 1980 - Bill Ard, Jay Venuto, Carlos Bradley
 * 1981 - Phil Denfeld
 * 1982 - Phil Denfeld, Tim Ryan, Harry Newsome
 * 1983 - Harry Newsome
 * 1984 - Gary Baldinger, Ronnie Burgess
 * 1985 - Gary Baldinger, James Brim
 * 1986 - James Brim, Tim Morrison, Paul Kiser
 * 1987 - Mark Young, Jimmie Simmons, A.J. Green (DB)
 * 1988 - A.J. Green (DB), Martin Bailey
 * 1989 - Ricky Proehl
 * 1990 - John Henry Mills
 * 1991 - John Henry Mills, George Coghill
 * 1992 - John Henry Mills, George Coghill, Todd Dixon, Ben Coleman
 * 1993 - Dred Booe
 * 1995 - Tucker Grace
 * 1998 - Desmond Clark
 * 1999 - Dustin Lyman, Morgan Kane, Bryan Ray, Fred Robbins
 * 2001 - Michael Collins, Tarence Williams, Nate Bolling, Calvin Pace, John Stone, Vince Azzolina
 * 2002 - Blake Henry, Calvin Pace, Fabian Davis, Tarence Williams, Mark Moroz, Tyson Clabo, Eric King, Quintin Williams, Montique Sharpe
 * 2003 - Tyson Clabo, Eric King, Ryan Packemeier, Chris Barclay, Mark Moroz
 * 2004 - Chris Barclay, Ryan Plackemeier, Steve Vallos, Eric King, Jon Abbate
 * 2005 - Chris Barclay, Ryan Plackemeier, Josh Gattis, Steve Vallos, Jon Abbate
 * 2006 - Steve Justice, Steve Vallos, Jon Abbate, Josh Gattis, Sam Swank, Riley Skinner, Jyles Tucker, Patrick Ghee, Sam Swank, Chip Vaughn
 * 2007 - Steve Justice, Kenneth Moore, Alphonso Smith, Josh Adams, Aaron Curry, Sam Swank, Kevin Marrion, Chip Vaughn
 * 2008 - D.J. Boldin, Aaron Curry, Alphonso Smith, Boo Robinson, Riley Skinner
 * 2009 - John Russell, Riley Skinner, Marshall Williams, Chris DeGeare, Kenny Okoro
 * 2011 - Chris Givens, Josh Bush, Joe Looney, Nikita Whitlock, Merrill Noel

The ACC and SoCon All Decade, and the all-conference lists aren't complete. The all-conference lists include selections for 1st team, 2nd team, and honorable mention.


 * ACC Male Athlete of the Year
 * Brian Piccolo - 1965


 * ACC Player of the Year
 * Billy Ray Barnes - 1956
 * Brian Piccolo - 1964
 * Jay Venuto - 1979
 * Chris Barclay - 2005


 * Acc Offensive Player of the Year
 * Chris Barclay - 2005


 * Ray Guy Award
 * Ryan Plackemeier - 2005


 * ACC Rookie of the Year
 * James McDougald - 1976
 * Michael Ramseur - 1982
 * Riley Skinner - 2006
 * Josh Adams - 2007


 * ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year
 * Josh Adams - 2007


 * ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year
 * Merrill Noel - 2011


 * ACC Brian Piccolo Award
 * Kenny Duckett - 1982
 * John Piedmonte - 1983
 * John Lewis - 1996
 * Matt Robinson - 2007


 * Butkus Award
 * Aaron Curry - 2008


 * Jacobs Blocking Award
 * James Ringgold (SoCon) - 1939
 * Elmer Barbour (SoCon) - 1943
 * Nick Ognovich (SoCon) - 1945, 1946, 1947
 * Paul Kiser (ACC) - 1986
 * Ben Coleman (ACC) - 1992
 * Steve Justice (ACC) - 2007

Coaches

 * ACC Coach of the Year
 * Paul Amen - 1956
 * Paul Amen - 1959
 * Bill Tate - 1964
 * Cal Stoll - 1970
 * John Mackovic - 1979
 * Bill Dooley - 1987
 * Bill Dooley - 1992
 * Jim Grobe - 2006


 * Walter Camp Coach of the Year
 * John Mackovic - 1979


 * Associated Press Coach of the Year
 * Jim Grobe - 2006


 * Bobby Dodd Award
 * Jim Grobe - 2006

Current NFL players

 * Josh Bush - Safety, New York Jets
 * Tyson Clabo - Offensive lineman, Atlanta Falcons
 * Desmond Clark - Tight end, Free agent
 * Aaron Curry - Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
 * Chris DeGeare - Offensive guard, Minnesota Vikings
 * Brandon Ghee - Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals
 * Chris Givens - Wide receiver, St. Louis Rams
 * Joe Looney - Offensive guard, San Francisco 49ers
 * Ovie Mughelli - Fullback, Atlanta Falcons
 * Calvin Pace - Linebacker, New York Jets
 * Fred Robbins - Defensive tackle, St. Louis Rams
 * Alphonso Smith - Cornerback, Detroit Lions
 * Steve Vallos - Offensive lineman, Cleveland Browns
 * Kyle Wilber - Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
 * Marshall Williams - Wide receiver, Indianapolis Colts
 * Joe Zelenka - Tight end, Atlanta Falcons

Other notable players

 * Jon Abbate – Former NFL linebacker; the central figure in The 5th Quarter, a 2011 feature film on Wake's 2006 season.
 * Richard Burr - Current Republican Senator of North Carolina
 * Jim Clack - Former NFL center who won Super Bowl rings with Pittsburgh and played for New York Giants
 * George Coghill - Former NFL defensive back who won back-to-back Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos in 1998 and 1999.
 * Charlie Crist - Former Republican Governor of Florida
 * Clark Gaines - Former NFL running back, holds NFL record for most receptions in a game by a running back (3rd most receptions in a game among all players), and was the first undrafted rookie to rush for over 500 yards in a rookie season; currently serves as Assistant Executive Director of the NFL Players Association.
 * Gerald Huth - Former NFL offensive guard who won 2 NFL championships (1 with the NY Giants in 1956, and the other with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1960)
 * Brian Kuklick - Former NFL quarterback
 * Rusty LaRue - Still owns several NCAA passing records
 * Brian Piccolo - Former NFL running back, basis for the movie Brian's Song
 * Ricky Proehl - Former NFL wide receiver who won Super Bowl rings with St. Louis and Indianapolis
 * Norm Snead - Four time Pro Bowl quarterback.