Wake Forest Spring Camp Draws Some Comparisons

Anyone closely following the Wake Forest Spring camp this year can clearly see significant differences compared to last year. The defense has some veteran leadership voids, as some key players are out with injuries. The offense is working to blend new pieces together. Some of it is working well. Some of it needs much more work.

Wake Forest Spring Camp Draws Some Comparisons

The Demon Deacons spent some of Thursday’s practice in actual scrimmage mode. The assessment on how they looked at the halfway point of camp will come after watching the films. But first impressions were pretty clear. There are some elements where the Deacs are ahead of the same time frame as last season.

The Biggest Difference

The most obvious upgrade from year to year is at quarterback. That’s not to say Gio Lopez is going to top anyone’s list of top transfer portal quarterbacks for the 2026 season. But at the times of self-reflection, it is a step up from the 2025 Spring camp. There were days when Robby Ashford was the best in the room, and that was sometimes by default. There were times when it was Deshaun Purdie. And there were more times when it was neither.

Fast forward to today, and Lopez is “the guy.” He has some hits and some misses. But he is QB1. And Steele Pizzella, a guy who head coach Jake Dickert says is one of the smartest players he has ever worked with, is having a solid camp at QB2.

The Film Always Tells the Story

After the scrimmage on Thursday, Dickert met with the media. “I think I get caught in the same trap as some of the other coaches comparing where we are now to where we finished last year,” Dickert said. “I’ve just got to remind myself. Last year, after scrimmage one, it was raining. I watched it this morning. We couldn’t move the ball. We couldn’t throw a vertical pass. And we busted everywhere on defense.” Yes, you read that correctly. Dickert spent Thursday morning going back and looking at the film of last year’s first scrimmage in order to help get some context for Thursday’s work.

“You know, just like remind ourselves that building a team takes time. And we can’t keep comparing to last year and where this team is at. But I think we’re in a good place.”

That’s not to say there is not significant work to do in the remaining three weeks of camp. ”We’ve got to firm up the pocket [offensive line pass protection]. That’s our number one thing on offense. And we’ve got to get better at it.”

Ezell Gives His Take On His Offense

Offensive coordinator Rob Ezell met with the media for the first time this Spring. He was Lopez’s offensive coordinator at South Alabama in 2024. So even though Lopez may be new to Wake Forest, he is not new to Ezell’s schemes. “he’s done a really good job of elevating the players around him and bringing the confidence into them,” Ezell said after the scrimmage.

Beyond the headlines that come with having a new quarterback, Ezell said he has been pleased with the development at the wide receiver position. Carlos Hernandez was the returning receiver with the most game experience. But others have made it a competition at the position. Tyler Chase and Jack Foley have had big moments throughout the first three weeks of camp. And even with being slight of build, Kam Shanks has made a real claim to be the every down slot receiver, all 5’-8”, 170 pounds of him.

“Obviously, at wide receiver, you’re competing against the DBs every day,” Ezell said. “But you’re also competing against one another. It’s been awesome to see the competition in that room.” He added that there have been many moments when the players get out of their competitive silos and have been working to lift each other up in order to build depth in the position room. “I like the direction that room is headed in.”

Dickert continues to focus on building the team’s identity, saying it must change from year to year and season to season. The Deacs ran a 90-play scrimmage that lasted more than two hours. There will be a couple more practices like this in addition to the Fan Fest on Saturday, April 15^th.