Deacons ready for revived Clemson

By Pete Iacobelli - The Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- Riley Skinner and Wake Forest are on top of the ACC's Atlantic Division and heading to play a Clemson team in turmoil. Sounds like a Demon Deacon runaway, right?

Not so fast, says Skinner, Wake's senior quarterback.

“We know they're a lot better team than what their record says,” Skinner said. “That's just the way football is sometimes.”

Wake Forest (4-2, 2-1 ACC) can take a huge step toward the league's championship game with its first victory at Death Valley in 11 years. Then again, a win today by the Tigers (2-3, 1-2) would tighten up an already puzzling, unpredictable and mediocre-looking division.

“All our goals are still on the table if we beat Wake,” Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker said.

Still, it appears Wake Forest couldn't have found a better time to play the Tigers, whose off week was filled with rumors of player disagreements and arguments between coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Billy Napier after their last game, a 24-21 loss to underdog Maryland.

Skinner, the ACC's leader in pass efficiency, knows it would be a mistake for his team to buy into Clemson's problems.

“There's never been any question of that in the locker room,” he said. “There's nobody that feels like, ‘Oh, they're 2-3, we should roll over this team.' We all know, our coaches know, and they let us know, what kind of team we're rolling into town to.”

Swinney hopes its a more polished, efficient and prepared group of Tigers.

Clemson held a players-only meeting to make sure everyone was on the same page and ready to achieve. And what of those practice field arguments between Swinney and Napier?

“It was just one of those practice days where nobody was in a good humor,” Swinney said. “And I'm glad nobody was in a good humor because there's nothing to be happy about when you lost a tough game like we lost.”

A lot of the reason is because of something few expected when the season began — Clemson's problems on offense.

The Tigers have scored 11 touchdowns this season, none in the fourth quarter of their five games. Against Maryland, Clemson advanced to the Terps' 30 three times in the final period but came away with two missed field goals and a final-play fumble by Parker.

Speedy playmakers tailback C.J. Spiller and receiver Jacoby Ford have combined for nine of the Tigers' TDs. Four of those, though, are on special teams.

“Everybody knows this isn't a 2-3 team,” Ford said. “Everybody knows we can go out there and play better than we have.”

Wake Forest's defense is prepared for a handful in Spiller. “Need 11 (players), sometimes 12. And a ref, add a ref in there,” said Demon Deacon linebacker Dominique Midgette said. “You're going to need a lot for that guy. Lot of speed. But we feel like, as a defense, we can't wait to meet this guy.”

Clemson used to dominate this series, going 37-3-1 from 1950 to 1991. Home defeats to the Demon Deacons don't sit very well with Death Valley fans, the school changing head coaches after the past three Wake Forest wins (1976, 1993, 1998) at Memorial Stadium.

No one's suggesting such a fate is pending for first-year coach Swinney if the Tigers stumble today.

“We just need to go out there and work hard and we can still turn this thing around,” said Parker, Clemson's freshman quarterback.

Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe thinks his team better be prepared for some angry Tigers tired of being caged-up on offense. “We'll take their best shot, there's no question,” he said.

The Demon Deacons remember what happened their last trip to Death Valley, where Wake Forest fell behind 24-7 on the way to a 44-10 Clemson blowout.

Midgette, the Wake Forest linebacker, remembers watching Spiller's 90-yard kickoff return TD in that game and the Tigers dominate throughout. “It's tremendous motivation,” he said. “Just trying to translate it to my defense. We're going to be ready to play.”

Skinner, the Deacons quarterback, also thinks his team will be prepared to cement its place atop the Atlantic Division. “Just excited to get down there and hopefully play a little bit better than we did two years ago,” he said.