Countdown Q&A - Week 9, Wake Forest

Welcome back to all those who remain deeply interested in the state of the 2018 Louisville Football team. You’re passion is noted. This week on the ole’ Q&A I got to have a brief chat with ‘Blogger So Dear’ ,the Wake Forest SB Nation blog, about the game this weekend and a few other extracurriculars. I spoke with Cameron Lemons Debro, and while that may be a mouthful for most all his friends just call him Cam, and his minor acquaintances call him ‘Big Lemons’ (I just made that up). He has some thoughts about things, I listened, and then I had some thoughts about things…it’s WAKE FOREST WEEK Y’ALL!!!! (This is as exciting as it will get)

WAKE FOREST (ACC; 3-4, 0-3)

CS: So……do you REALLY want to talk about Louisville and Wake Forest football right now? I mean, I love college football, and I love Louisville athletics, but there are literally twenty other things I’d much rather have a discussion about than the product we’re currently seeing from these two squads right now. Louisville fans, who feel as if they have been put through the ringer two or three times this year, we will likely get little sympathy from the Wake faithful. Wake started 2018 with a “convincing” overtime win against Tulane and have picked up a ‘W’ from Towson and Rice as well along the way…but they have also lost 4 out 5, and like the Cards are likely staring a losing season in the face seven weeks in. The good news? Somebody is getting an ACC win this week! What’s the season synopsis thus far for the Deacs? Did the fans/staff expect to field a quality team? Why hasn’t that worked out?

Cam: What do you mean? This is one of the most storied rivals right between Auburn-Alabama and how do you like your steak (I swear if you don’t say medium rare you’re just wrong and uncultured). And you’re darn right if you think I’m going to have some sympathy on the Cards. DO you know how many years Wake has had this many wins at this stage of the season? My freshman and sophomore year Wake won 6 games combined. The season has been a disappointment to say the least. We understood there would be growing pains with a frosh QB, but as an understatement, he has not been good in games against mediocre teams and above. We lost our best pass blocker and I’d say lineman in general to an ACL tear. Greg Dortch has a nagging ankle injury that limited him last game, we are down to 1, I repeat, UNO, scholarship linebacker because of injuries, and a bunch of people have missed time throughout the season because of injury.

Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images

We were on the fortunate side of injury variance last year but boy have we regressed. While a national championship wasn’t a realistic thing, having only 3 wins at this point and them only being against trash teams wasn’t exactly on the radar.

CS: In 2015 a Brian VanGorder Notre Dame (10-3) defense held the Wake Forest (3-9) offense to only seven points. So obviously he knows Wake inside and out and you have zero chance of winning. Thoughts?

Being from Atlanta Brian VanGorder rings a large bell in my head. He was the DC at UGA for a bit and the DC for the Falcons. His Falcons tenure was not good. The UGA one was, but I still don’t think he is a good coach. Deacs will put up 45, easy money

CS: Losing a four year starter in QB John Wolford was never going to be easy (we know a few things about rough QB transitions) but replacing him with a true freshman, Sam Hartman, has likely added some challenges on that side of the ball. What can you tell me about the youngblood at QB?

What would you know about good QBs? It’s not like you guys had the #WolfOfWallStreet playing for you guys, come on now? Sam Hartman has better hair than Trevor Lawrence so of course I think he’s better than Jar Jar Binks over there. In all reality, kid has gotten RATTLED at times. Coach has admitted it but hey who wasn’t rattled at 19? Kid can throw an absolute dime.

(Editors Note: I not sure either, just let him go, he’s rollin’)

CS: While the QB position has been consistently inconsistent the running game has been a tad more productive with a few guys sharing the load. Cards fans are familiar with Matt Colburn (greyshirt fiasco) but Cade Carney has been the more productive option of the two helping give Wake a Top 30 rushing offense nationally. What kind of attack is Coach Doren bringing with these two guys? Thunder/Lighting situation or similar running styles with split carries?

See normal people have thunder and lighting, smash and dash, etc. Dave Clawson has implemented, smash, smash even harder, and then goodbye. Colburn, who has a good vendetta against Louisville will run fast but run you over. Cade Carney can and will run you over. Christian Beal-Smith…you blink and he’s in the end zone. Wake by 60.

CS: Speaking of Coburn, I know last year he had a few choice words for the Cards after he dropped 130yds+ on them last year, and with the whole ‘Wakeyleaks’ situation a couple years back…I assume Wake fans in general don’t have an amazing opinion of ‘The University of Louisville’. Speaking for most people I know, we have no ill will towards Wake Forest, but those feelings may not be mutual. Whats your take on the two schools? You all got beef with us?

Papa John’s sucks, Bobby Petrino sucks, Lexington is a better college town.

Thanks ‘Big Lemons’ for your openness and horrible college town takes, in a time of need us bottom of the barrel ACC teams should all band together and realize that….basketball starts in only a few more weeks. Speaking of basketball. The Cards and Wake may have split the last two meetings but Danny Manning has had a rough go of it since he arrived back in 2014. How do the roundball Deacs look this year?

Jaylen Hoard is going to win freshman of the year, Wake doesn’t play on Tuesday of the tournament and Wake finally beats one of Duke/UNC/NC State HANDILY. And with this I leave you with a picture of the Joel filled with students and fans alike after beating Louisville 2 years ago. I like to think my belligerent insults being right next to Pitino single handedly swung the game in our favor.

(Editor’s Note: He didn’t leave a picture…and I ain’t going to look for it)

You may not realize that former Wake coach Dino Gaudio is now on the Cards staff under new coach Chris Mack. He had a decent run with Wake back in the late 2000’s including a couple NCAA tournament appearances. Actually, since you brought up NCAA tournament appearances how do you sleep at night knowing that Tim Duncan walked and got a ridiculous continuation call back in 1996? Maybe you weren’t a fan then, maybe you weren’t even alive, but I still want answers.

I wasn’t even 1 year old, smh. I stand firmly behind the opinion that Tim Duncan has never committed a foul, goes to church on Wednesdays and Sundays, feeds the homeless on Tuesday and is the best person you’ll ever meet, but he’ll never say a word.

Maybe you should explain Chris Jones flopping like a fish out of water against Kentucky and somehow not even drawing a foul AT HOME! Explain Good sir!

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Can’t say I predicted two Kentucky references in the Wake Forest football Q&A, but hey, didn’t have Jar Jar Binks on my bingo board either…

Thanks again to CLD for his time and enthusiasm. Cards and Deacs kickoff at noon on Saturday and no matter your opinion in regards to the current state of the football program hopefully we’ll get to see the Cards notch their first Power 5 win and ACC win of the year this week, as the opportunities to do so appear to be getting smaller and smaller as the season wears on. My take is that the Cards do in fact pick up a ‘W’ this week and build momentum heading into…[checks schedule]…Clem…son. Dammit.

Speaking of Clemson, come on back next week as I talk with ‘Shakin The Southland’ about what I’ll presume to be Clemson football, maybe some Memphis State chatter, and if we’re shooting for a trend I’m guessing an assortment of inconsequential Star Wars characters. This is where we are now people.