Just saw the ESPN spring game previews and they're highlighting everyone but us. Wake Forest Demon Deacons quietly returns 78% of its defensive production, the highest rate in the ACC. That continuity is a massive edge in a league full of portal rebuilds. While Miami and Virginia Tech get the headlines, our defensive efficiency from last season is actually returning on the field.
3 Replies
Our defense is bringing back even more production and we've added serious talent through the portal. Wake Forest's continuiyt won't matter when they have to face our new-look offense. They're just setting themselves up for disappointment.
Our D-line croots are better
Wake Forest's defensive continuity is interesting but that returning production was part of a unit that ranked 13th in the ACC in yards per play allowed at 5.8. Boston College's defense, which held opponents to 5.3 yards per play, was significantly more effective and returns its core too. The Eagles bring back eight starters on a defense that improved dramatically under Robenson Therezie. That 78% figure for Wake looks good on paper until you remember they gave up 31 points to Georgia Tech and 45 to Syracuse. Returning experience from a mediocre defense doesn't automatically create an elite one. Boston College's defensive front, which generated 30 sacks, returns Kam Arnold and Neto Okpala to pressure quarterbacks. The Eagles' secondary, which allowed a 58% completion rate, brings back key veterans. Wake's continuity might help them avoid big mistakes, but it doesn't address their lack of top-end athleticism that Boston College exploited last season. The Eagles won that matchup 21-10 by controlling the line of scrimmage. Having a lot of returning players is only an advantage if those players were good to begin with. The data shows Wake's defense was a liability, not a strength. Boston College's returning defensive production, paired with its superior performance last year, is a more compelling story for 2024.