Dave Clawson has quietly put something together at Wake Forest that rivals what Jim Grobe did, and that’s saying something.

Prior to Grobe’s hiring following the 2000 season, Wake had limited success in football, but Grobe changed that, eventually winning an ACC title and leading the Demon Deacons to the Orange Bowl. His legendary status in Winston-Salem is etched in stone.

Clawson, however, has managed to keep Wake relevant in the ACC despite getting little fanfare. The Deacs have played in bowl games each of the last five seasons and this fall return the most experienced team of the Clawson era.

Even with recent news that returning offensive starters wide receiver Donovan Green and right tackle Je’Vionte’ Nash are out for the season, Wake has experienced players everywhere on both sides of the ball.

This will be the third consecutive season North Carolina and Wake have met on the football field, though this year’s game won’t count in the ACC standings. Like the battle in Winston two years ago, this is the other part of a home-and-home series the schools scheduled outside the ACC since they rarely meet anymore in league matchups due to them being in different divisions.

Last year’s game was originally supposed to be the other game in the series, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a reshuffling of ACC schedules and the Deacs ended up visiting Chapel Hill for a game that counted in the league standings.

Here is a quick looking at Wake Forest for the upcoming season:

Note: We are rolling out the schdule look in three parts: Four nonconference foes; four home ACC opponents; and four road ACC opponents.

Game Date: Nov. 6 in Chapel Hill

2020 Record: 4-5 overall, 3-4 ACC

2021 Offense: No. 28 overall (444.4 ypg); No. 63 rushing (163 ypg); No. 19 scoring (36.0 ppg)

2021 Defense: No. 90 overall (435.7 ypg); No. 87 rushing (183.3 ypg); No. 91 scoring (32.8 ppg).

Starters Returning: Offense 9, Defense 10.

Offensive Note Number One: “I think the things that we need to get better at are just -- it not always about numbers and stats and points, right? Part of it is situational football. So there were three times last year that we had double-digit leads in games that we weren't able to hold onto.

“I think our ability to adjust our offense within the course of the game, to do what we need to do to win games, is more important to me than if we score seven more points or have 50 more yards, right? We had leads at Carolina, we had leads in the bowl game, we had I think three leads last year of 14 points or more that we didn't hold onto.

“Sometimes the ability to slow it down and run the football, protect a lead, keep your defense off the field, that's the sign of a great offense. It's not just points and yards, but the ability to do what's required to do to win the football game.” – Wake Head Coach Dave Clawson

Offensive Note Number Two: (Prolific QB Sam Hartman on his relationship with OC Warren Ruggiero) “Coach R, he's the best. He's got quite the schemes. What we run is a little bit unique compared to the rest of the country. Coach believes in me. He believes in me as a freshman and every year since then. It's been an honor to play for him and run his offense. I just try and do what the system tells me to do, and it works.

“That's the best part bit. I've learned from freshman year when you try to kind of make plays, make things happen on your own, it usually doesn't pay out that well. There comes a point where you have to make plays, help him be right. Most of the time it works. We kind of feed off each other. We work as a unit and have learned from ins-and-outs of the game. I've enjoyed playing for him. Hopefully he's enjoyed coaching me.” – Wake QB Sam Hartman

Defensive Note Number One: “I think at Wake Forest the past five years that I've been here, every single year the offense has been really good and the defense has been really good, but we haven't been really good together. I think that's what our goal is this year, ties make our offense an elaborate offense, a very explosive offense, but also have a defense that can back them up, get them out of tough situations.

“That's the challenge, trying to find that season where we can put them both together and play at one complete unit.” – Wake LB Luke Masterson

Defensive Note Number Two: “I think the one area that we really struggled last year is we got thin in the secondary. That was kind of, from game one, a patchwork deal. We went into the Clemson game, and we moved Nasir Greer two days before to play corner. We were down to our seventh corner for COVID, other reasons, game one.

“The secondary all year became patchwork. We've wanted to move Luke Masterson to linebacker for two years. We just never had the numbers to do it. If you say, Hey, where is an area you really think you can make a major step forward? I think for us it's going to be the defensive secondary.

“Again, not that we're not good in other position, but that's an area clearly from a year ago that you would say has to get better. Between who's back, the development, guys getting healthy, and some transfers, that's a position that if we can make a step forward, our team has a chance to get a lot better.” – Wake Head Coach Dave Clawson

Overall Outlook: “I think we've made a lot of progress. We're certainly proud of the fact that we've been to five straight bowls for the first time in the history of the program.

“But we want more. There's a whole 'nother level that we want to get to. I think it's really good that I think our program is now one that expects to be in a bowl. But taking that next step in our league is difficult. But we think we have a group this year that's capable of doing that.

“Whether it's New Year's Day bowls or being in contention to win the ACC Atlantic, obviously that's a very high standard in the ACC, but that has to be our goal. We'd love to get to that second to last game in November against Clemson with it meaning a lot for both football teams.” – Wake Head Coach Dave Clawson