Three things to know as Wake Forest opens football season on Thursday night against VMI

The Demon Deacons are no longer one of those feel-good stories in college football. They want to be a consistent force in the ACC and nationally.

The Demon Deacons will open Thursday night against FCS opponent VMI at Truist Field at 7:30 p.m. and are 32-point favorites against the Southern Conference team that went 6-5 last season. Wake Forest is 16-0 against FCS opponents since 2000, so with the experience and a much higher scholarship allotment the Demon Deacons should handle business.

Expectations are so high that Thursday night’s crowd could be the largest in an opening home game Clawson’s nine seasons at Wake Forest.

“Openers are all about focusing on your team and not turning the ball over and having false starts and trying not beat yourself,” Clawson said.

Here are three things to watch for:

Mitch Griffis’ first start

With Sam Hartman out indefinitely, it’s Griffis’ time to show what he can do as he makes his first career start. There’s no timetable for Hartman’s return so it’s Griffis’ team and the redshirt freshman appears to be ready.

Griffis is in his third season in the program, the Demon Deacons’ offensive line is strong, and the set of receivers and tight ends might be the best since Clawson arrived.

“In our offense, like most offenses, our quarterback has to play well,” Clawson said. “It’s really hard to ever win a football game without good quarterback play. Now because of the skill we have I don’t care who we play but you have to execute and be on the same page.”

Griffis has elected not to talk with journalists during the preseason, but Clawson offered his take on Griffis.

“He’s a baller,” Clawson said. “He loves football and the great thing about Mitch is even when he wasn’t (the starter), he prepared like one. He’s always had that maturity.”

VMI has had recent success

Tight end Blake Whiteheart, a former Mount Tabor star, gave a general scouting report on the VMI defense.

“It’s not complex,” he said. “They play hard and are competitive.”

VMI coach Scott Wachenheim’s teams are 23-52 in seven seasons, but in the last two seasons they’ve gone 6-2, winning the Southern Conference, and 6-5.

Keydets quarterback Seth Morgan has started the previous two seasons and has thrown for 2,175 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

One of the Keydets’ mysteries is at running back. Korey Bridy ran for 654 yards with eight touchdowns last season, but he’s not listed at the position on the two-deep chart released this week. Rashad Raymond and Hunter Rice are listed as the backs, and Bridy is on the chart as a kick returner.

A VMI official told the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch that Bridy is expected to play but that he is still recovering from an injury.

“That’s a little gamesmanship going on so we’re not sure what’s going on with their running game,” Clawson said.

Bridy suffered a torn Lisfranc ligament during the 2021 season, and although he entered the transfer portal, he has returned and plans to graduate from VMI in December.

Trying to impress Brad Lambert

The only major coaching change in the offseason was Clawson bringing in Brad Lambert as defensive coordinator, so it’s a good bet players will be showing Lambert what they can do. This is Lambert’s second stint at Wake Forest; he was on Jim Grobe’s staff for 10 years.

The Demon Deacons will need to prove play at linebacker. Jones will be without fellow starter Ryan Smenda, who is sitting out Thursday night because of a targeting penalty incurred in last year’s bowl game against Rutgers.

“We’ve just talked about playing harder as a defense as a whole and trying to execute better,” Jones said. “That’s something that’s been talked about as a team more than anything.”

Jones, a junior, is poised to have a breakout season.

“Obviously I’ve played behind some really good players,” said Jones, who played behind Las Vegas Raiders rookie Luke Masterson last season. “I’m definitely excited to pass the torch along and carry it this year.”