Texas A&M Out of 2021 Gator Bowl vs. Wake Forest amid COVID-19 Outbreak
Dec 22, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 2: A general view of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl logo at mid-field before the North Carolina State Wolfpack plays against the University of Kentucky Wildcats at the 76th annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field on January 2, 2021 in Jacksonvile, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Texas A&M has droppede out of the Gator Bowl due to an outbreak of COVID-19.
TEXAS A&M WITHDRAWS PARTICIPATION IN TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL DUE TO COVID-19 ISSUES
Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated first reported the news.
The Aggies were scheduled to face Wake Forest on Dec. 31 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
"We are disappointed that Texas A&M University and the Aggie fans will be unable to represent the Southeastern Conference in Jacksonville at this year’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game. However, the health and safety of the student-athletes, coaches and staff remains our primary concern" TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Chairman John Duce said in a statement.
The Gator Bowl is seeking a replacement, but Dellenger reported this would only happen if another bowl game was affected by COVID-19, leaving a second team without an opponent.
Dellenger noted teams do not receive a payout if a bowl game isn't played; the Gator Bowl's payout would be $5.35 million.
Texas A&M reportedly hadn't practiced in about a week because of COVID-19 concerns, with several athletes testing positive on Sunday and Monday, per Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports. The team met virtually on Tuesday.
Gator Bowl president Greg McGarity said on Tuesday that "everything is still a go for the game."
"We've been made aware of those concerns," he said of Texas A&M. "If there are any issues, we'll find out as soon as possible."
If it can't play, Texas A&M will finish its season 8-4 without the chance to win its fourth straight bowl game.
At 10-3, Wake Forest has already clinched its first double-digit win season since 2006.
Kenny Pickett, No. 15 Pittsburgh Rout No. 16 Wake Forest to Win 2021 ACC Championship
Dec 5, 2021
Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett runs for a touchdown during the first half of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game against Wake Forest Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
For the first time since 2014, there is a new ACC champion. While Clemson has dominated the conference as of late, the No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers defeated the No. 18 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 45-21 on Saturday to win their first ACC title.
The Panthers had appeared in the ACC title game just once before Saturday's contest, falling to Clemson in 2018. Pittsburgh also had only faced the Demon Deacons just once before, with the Panthers coming out on top in a 34-13 win in 2018.
Notable Player Stats
Kenny Pickett, QB, PITT: 20/33 for 253 YDS, 2 TD and 6 CAR for 20 YDS, 1 TD
Sam Hartman, QB, WAKE: 21/46 for 213 YDS, 2 TD, 4 INT and 11 CAR for 1 TD
Jordan Addison, WR, PITT: 8 REC for 126 YDS
Taylor Morin, WR, WAKE: 4 REC for 83 YDS, 1 TD
Israel Abanikanda, RB, PITT: 9 CAR for 55 YDS, 2 TD
Kenny Pickett Impressive for Panthers in Win
Fifth-year quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is viewed as one of the top QB prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, had an impressive performance in Saturday's win.
The 23-year-old led the Panthers on two consecutive touchdown drives to open the game, and his fake slide on a 58-yard score might have been the highlight of the night.
Pickett also set a record on his first touchdown pass of the game, a 22-yard strike to Rodney Hammond Jr. He passed legendary NFL quarterback Dan Marino for the most touchdown passes in Pitt history.
Pickett continued his tremendous evening in the second quarter, hitting Jared Wayne with a four-yard score to set the ACC record for the most touchdown passes in a single season, passing Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Sam Howell and Trevor Lawrence.
Pickett continued his incredible night in the second half, leading the Panthers on two more touchdown drives. His performance had many NFL fans clamoring for their teams to draft him this spring:
I really like Kenny Pickett. I will not hate it if he ends up in Orange & Blue in April. #BroncosCountry
ESPN projected Pickett to be taken in the first round of the 2022 Draft. However, he was projected to be the second quarterback off the board behind Matt Corral of Ole Miss.
Regardless, Pickett's performance on Saturday night certainly improved his draft stock, so we'll just have to wait and see where he falls in the latest mock drafts following the College Football Playoff.
It should also be noted that sophomore running back Israel Abanikanda and sophomore wide receiver Jordan Addison had impressive performances against the Demon Deacons.
Sam Hartman's Turnovers Cost Wake Forest
While Hartman tossed four interceptions in Saturday's loss to Pittsburgh, the sophomore quarterback has a bright future ahead. He led the Demon Deacons on three consecutive touchdown drives to keep Wake Forest even with the Panthers for much of the first half.
Hartman's issues didn't begin until just before halftime. After leading his third touchdown drive of the game, the North Carolina native tossed an interception before being forced to punt on two consecutive drives before halftime.
Wake Forest started with the ball after halftime, but Hartman and the Demon Deacons offense weren't able to muster much as they were forced to punt on three straight drives.
Hartman then tossed his second interception of the night on the team's fourth drive of the half. It was costly, as the Panthers converted the turnover into a touchdown to take a 31-21 lead with 47 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Hartman followed that up with his second consecutive interception with 13:26 remaining in the fourth quarter. The turnover was once again turned into a Pitt touchdown.
Hartman's third straight interception -- a pick-six -- gave the Panthers a 45-21 lead with 11:42 remaining in the game. That score put things out of reach for the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest's last 11 drives...
INT Punt Punt Punt Punt Punt Punt INT INT INT Downs
Hartman was eventually replaced by freshman quarterback Mitch Griffis.
Despite Hartman's struggles, he could easily have Wake Forest back in the ACC title game next season. He entered Saturday's game completing 60.3 percent of his passes for 3,711 yards, 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 343 yards and 10 scores.
Seeing as how Hartman is a sophomore and has plenty of college football ahead of him, there's no reason to believe he won't keep improving as the years go on. He'll also have the opportunity to bounce back in the team's bowl game.
All things considered, keep Hartman on your radar for the 2022 season and beyond.
What's Next?
Both teams won't make the College Football Playoff, but what a day it was for the two schools. Wake Forest now awaits its bowl game.
Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Agree to New Contract After Highest Ranking in Team History
Nov 27, 2021
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Dave Clawson of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons looks on against the Clemson Tigers during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Demon Deacons head football coach Dave Clawson has agreed to a long-term contract extension with Wake Forest, the school announced Friday.
The news comes just before Wake Forest's regular-season finale against Boston College on Saturday.
Director of athletics John Currie has high praise and hopes for Clawson:
Dave Clawson is an elite coach, leader and program builder and we are excited to announce this reaffirmation of his long-term commitment to Wake Forest University. Our desire is for him to finish his coaching career as Wake Forest's all-time winningest coach. Coach Clawson and his staff have brought an unprecedented amount of success to Demon Deacon football and he is truly one of the elite coaches in the country. Thanks to his leadership, our football student-athletes have experienced a school-record six-straight bowl games while continuing to raise the standard of excellence in the classroom and community.
Details of the contract were not disclosed.
Wake Forest could clinch a berth in the ACC Championship Game with a win over the Eagles on Saturday. The team is first in the ACC Atlantic with a 9-2 record (6-1 in conference).
Clawson, 54, has been head coach of the Demon Deacons since 2014. He is 49-47 in his eight years at the helm and has taken Wake Forest to five straight bowl games. He also helped Wake Forest reach its highest ranking in the AP Top 25 poll this year, pulling off a No. 9 ranking two weeks ago, per ESPN's David M. Hale.
The Demon Deacons have not had a 10-plus win season since 2006, when they finished 11-3 and lost to Louisville in the Orange Bowl. If they defeat the Eagles, it will mark just their second 10-win season in program history.
Clawson previously coached at Bowling Green State from 2009 to 2013, going 32-32 with three bowl game losses.
No. 9 Wake Forest Upset by UNC, Suffers Blow to CFP Hopes with 1st Loss of Season
Nov 6, 2021
Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry (9) scores a touchdown as North Carolina defensive back Cam'Ron Kelly (9) misses the tackle during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Wake Forest's dreams of reaching the College Football Playoff turned into a nightmare after Saturday's 58-55 upset loss to unranked North Carolina.
The Demon Deacons entered this game undefeated (8-0) and ranked ninth in the first playoff rankings released this week. They responded by allowing 546yards, including 330 on the ground, to suffer their first loss of the season.
North Carolina running back Ty Chandler ran for a career-high 213 yards and four touchdowns in the win. His 50-yard score with 1:12 remaining sealed the win for his team.
In addition to severely damaging their playoff hopes, the Demon Deacons have left the door wide open in the ACC Atlantic division. NC State could end the day with a 4-1 conference record if it beats Florida State.
Wake Forest is currently 5-1 in ACC play and will host NC State next week.
This is a particularly crushing loss because Wake looked to be in control midway through the third quarter. A.T. Perry caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hartman to help put the Demon Deacons up 45-27 with 7:38 remaining in the period.
North Carolina put up 31 points over the final 22:38 in regulation to get its biggest win of the season.
The 8-0 start was the best in Wake Forest history. The eight wins tied the most in a single season under head coach Dave Clawson, who was hired in 2014.
Clawson said coming into this game that he wanted his team to get more credit and attention on the national stage.
"We're a good football team, why are people surprised?" Clawson told ESPN's David M. Hale. "This hasn't come out of nowhere. We've been good. We've been building. It doesn't upset me, but I just think our players deserve more credit."
The offense did put up 615 total yards and dropped 55 points in a game. Hartman wasn't razor-sharp with his accuracy, completing just 25 of 51 attempts for 398 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
But the defense continues to be an issue for the Demon Deacons. They have allowed at least 34 points in four of their past five games.
Wake Forest is still a good team that is capable of doing big things, but its path looks a lot more difficult now.
On the other side, this was a huge win for a North Carolina team that's been a disappointment so far this season. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 after going 8-4 in 2020.
Quarterback Sam Howell, who was a preseason Heisman favorite and possible No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, had a terrible start to 2021. He went 17-of-32 for 208 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in a 17-10 loss to Virginia Tech on Sept. 3.
Howell and the Tar Heels have been inconsistent thus far, resulting in their 4-4 record coming into Saturday. They still have a chance to win the Coastal division. Their 4-3 mark in ACC play ranks third in the division, behind Pittsburgh (4-1) and Virginia (4-2).
North Carolina already has a head-to-head win over Virginia. It will travel to Heinz Field for a showdown with Pitt on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt Opts out of CFB Season; Potential 1st-Round Pick
Aug 19, 2020
FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2019, file photo, Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt (14) runs a pass route during an NCAA football game in Houston. The North Carolina-Wake Forest game will put brothers Sage and Chazz Surratt on opposite sides for the first time. Sage is a top receiver for the Demon Deacons, while Chazz has moved from quarterback to linebacker for the Tar Heels -- raising the odds that the two meet in a collision at some point Friday night. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)
Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt announced Wednesday that he is opting out of the 2020 college football season to focus on preparing for the 2021 NFL draft:
While the Big Ten and Pac-12 have both postponed their 2020 fall sports seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic, the ACC, SEC and Big 12 are still planning to play college football in the fall.
Despite the fact that Surratt plays for an ACC team in Wake Forest, he will not play in 2020, citing "uncertainties and risks" tied to COVID-19.
Bleacher Report NFL draft expert Matt Miller referred to Surratt as a "first-round talent" after news of Surratt opting out broke and ranked him as the No. 14 overall prospect on his way-too-early big board for the 2021 draft.
The 6'3", 215-pound Surratt took a big leap forward last season. After finishing with 41 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2018, Surratt improved to 66 grabs for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019.
Surratt would have been a top contender to win the Biletnikoff Award in 2020 as the most outstanding wide receiver in college football, but he has instead set his sights on the NFL.
Based on his way-too-early draft board, Miller views Surratt as the fourth-best draft-eligible wide receiver in 2021 behind LSU's Ja'Marr Chase and Alabama's Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith.
Chase, Waddle and Smith all play in the SEC, meaning they will have a chance to boost their draft stock during the fall season provided they don't opt out.
Surratt is one of the many Power Five players who have opted out of the 2020 college football season, with many of them not wanting to put their draft stock in jeopardy.
Among the other big names toopt outare Michigan offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, LSU defensive back Kary Vincent Jr., Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks, Maryland quarterback Josh Jackson, Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore and Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
Wake Forest Football HC Dave Clawson to Self-Isolate from Wife Amid COVID-19
Jun 26, 2020
Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson watches his team against Louisville in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Louisville won 62-59. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Wake Forest head football coach Dave Clawson said Thursday he's going to self-isolate from his wife, cancer survivor Catherine Clawson, for the entire 2020 season beginning with training camp July 12.
Clawson explained his wife is at a higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19 because of her reduced white blood cell count, and it could prove difficult for him to avoid the coronavirus while working alongside the nearly 200 people involved in the Demon Deacons program, per ESPN's David M. Hale.
"When I'm working on a daily basis, coaching 110 to 120 players and having a staff of 50, I don't know how I could go home at night and honestly tell my wife I couldn't have come in contact with [the coronavirus]," he said. "I love coaching, but I love my wife more. There's no way I'm going to do anything that would put her at risk."
Clawson said the staff has informed all players that activities will be voluntary throughout the 2020 season and that their scholarship won't be rescinded if they decide to sit out for health or safety reasons related to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Hale.
"We've told our players that to play college football has always required dedication and sacrifice, and if we want to play football this year, they're going to have to sacrifice more than they ever have before in terms of curtailing social life and not being around large groups of people, and the staff is no different," he said.
Penn State head coach James Franklin confirmed Tuesday he's also planning to spend the upcoming campaign away from his family.
In 2014, Franklin revealed his daughter Addison had beendiagnosedwith sickle cell anemia, a disease related to the body's red blood cells.
He said on HBO'sReal Sports with Bryant Gumbel(viaPhillip Buppof The Comeback) they decided it was best if his wife and kids remain in Florida while he coaches the Nittany Lions.
"I have two daughters," Franklin said. "My one youngest daughter has sickle cell disease, so it's changed dynamics in our family. My wife and kids are going to stay in Florida for the season. And I'm going to be in Happy Valley just because we think that's the right thing to do for my daughter with sickle cell."
He added: "There was a lot of tears. There was a lot of emotion having this conversation with my daughters. So a lot of heartache over it."
People who are immunocompromised face ahigher riskof serious complications from COVID-19.
For now, the NCAA hasn't announced plans to shorten or cancel the 2020 season because of the coronavirus despite arecent surgein cases, including asingle-day recordThursday.
Week 1 is scheduled to kick off Aug. 29. Wake Forest opens the season Sept. 4 against Old Dominion, while Penn State starts with a Sept. 5 matchup against Kent State.
Bleacher Report's David Gardner interviews athletes and other sports figures for the podcast How to Survive Without Sports.
Ex-Wake Forest WR Matt James Named 1st Black Lead on ABC's 'The Bachelor'
Jun 12, 2020
WINSTON SALEM, NC - SEPTEMBER 17: Matt James #87 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons braces for a hit from Kamar Morrison #13 of the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs at BB&T Field on September 17, 2011 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The Demon Deacons defeated the Runnin' Bulldogs 48-5. (Photo by Brian A. Westerholt/Getty Images)
Former Wake Forest wide receiver Matt James was announced Friday as the first black star of ABC's dating show The Bachelor.
James played for the Demon Deacons from 2011 through 2014.
Rachel Lindsay, the first black star of The Bachelorette, told AfterBuzz TV last week she was prepared to cut ties with the ABC franchise if it didn't choose a black star for The Bachelor.
Her comments came amid worldwide protests against racial injustice after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed while in Minneapolis police custody May 25.
ABC executive Rob Mills told Elizabeth Wagmeister of Variety that James' selection wasn't made because of Lindsay's comments or the country's current equality movement:
"It wasn't a response to that. We could have made this announcement earlier or later. Certainly no one is blind to what is happening in the world, so hopefully this announcement serves as a bit of optimism during a time that we can really use this. But I don't want this to look like we're patting ourselves on the back or taking a victory lap. We don't want this, in any way, to seem like a cure-all and seem like, 'Hey! Look what we did here!' We know this is a few grains of sand in a very big hourglass. It's taken a while to get where we are and we will continue to go further, and I acknowledge it may not be enough. In the last few years, I believe it's gotten better and with the announcement of Matt, I hope it keeps getting better. We are very excited about Matt."
The 28-year-old discussed being selected on Good Morning America:
He'll headline the 25th season of The Bachelor, which debuted in 2002. Producers are hoping the season can debut in January.
James, a 6'5", 220-pound North Carolina native, made 48 catches for 458 yards in four seasons at Wake.
Wake Forest Suspends Starting QB Kendall Hinton, TE Thomas Cole for 3 Games
Jun 14, 2018
WINSTON SALEM, NC - OCTOBER 03: Kendall Hinton #2 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in action against the Florida State Seminoles during their game at BB&T Field on October 3, 2015 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Florida State won 24-16. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
When the Wake Forest Demon Deacons open the 2018 college football season, they will do so without a couple of their players, including their starting quarterback.
Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawsonannounced on Thursday that quarterback Kendall Hinton and tight end Thomas Cole have been suspended for three games after violating team rules.
Clawson did not specify the violation, but he did issue a statement on the matter, via Conor O'Neill of the Winston-Salem Journal: "Kendall and Thomas made poor decisions and they take responsibility for their actions. There are consequences to those decisions and we hope that they will each learn from this and continue to grow and mature."
Hinton, a redshirt junior, has four career starts, although he has appeared in 17 games over the past three seasons. Last year the 6'0", 195-pound signal caller completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 399 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. The North Carolina native added 190 yards and a score on the ground.
Cole is entering his redshirt sophomore season. The 6'5", 250-pound tight end was a 2-star recruit coming out of high school in West Virginia, according to247Sports.
Hinton was expected to replace four-year starter John Wolford. With Hinton out for three games, redshirt sophomore Jamie Newman (2-of-4, eight yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in his career) and freshman Sam Hartman—a 3-star recruit, per247Sports—are in the mix to open the season under center for the Deacons.
Wake opens the season with a game at Tulane followed by a pair of home games against Towson and Boston College.
Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Agree on New Contract: Latest Details, Reaction
Jan 3, 2017
WINSTON SALEM, NC - NOVEMBER 19: Head coach Dave Clawson of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons watches his team plkay against the Clemson Tigers during the game at BB&T Field on November 19, 2016 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons announced Tuesday they signed head coach Dave Clawson to an eight-year extension that will carry through the 2024 season.
Clawson helped lead Wake Forest to a 34-26 victory over the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl—the Demon Deacons' first bowl win since 2008.
Clawson provided a statement in the team's press release:
I am honored to be offered this long-term contract. I greatly appreciate the support that our president, Dr. Nathan Hatch, and athletic director Ron Wellman have given to our program, our staff and myself since arriving at Wake Forest three years ago. The future of Wake Forest football is bright and we plan to build on the success of our 2016 season.
The length of the extension illustrates Wake Forest's confidence in Clawson, as well as the school's desire to act quickly to ensure the 49-year-old isn't going anywhere.
Still, an eight-year deal is risky. Adam Gold of 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, North Carolina, was surprised to see the length of Clawson's extension:
Wait, an 8-YEAR EXTENSION for Dave Clawson at Wake? Why not just make him coach for life and be done with it.
The Demon Deacons were 3-9 in each of his first two seasons before going 7-6 in 2016. According to Football Outsiders, they ranked 60th in S&P+ rating and had 5.8 second-order wins, so they relied on a little luck to get to seven victories.
Wake Forest returns leading passer John Wolford, leading rusher Matt Colburn and its top two leading receivers, Tabari Hines and Cortez Lewis, on offense. On defense, leading tackler Marquel Lee graduates, but Jessie Bates, who led the team in interceptions, and Duke Ejiofor, the Demon Deacons' sack leader, will be back in 2017.
In terms of personnel, Wake Forest should be positioned to build on its bowl success. However, the team has two difficult nonconference games—away to Appalachian State and Notre Dame—as well ACC clashes with Clemson, Florida State and Louisville.
An underwhelming 2017 campaign won't put Clawson on the hot seat, but it may make the higher-ups at the school question whether signing him through 2024 off the back of one good year was a sensible decision.
In February 2007—a month after Wake lost to Louisville in the Orange Bowl—the school signed then-head coach Jim Grobe to a 10-year extension. The Demon Deacons went 40-47 in the seven years after the deal.
Wake painted itself into a corner with Grobe's extension, since firing the coach would've meant eating a lot of money. Grobe eventually resigned in 2013.
Should the program stagnate under Clawson—as it did under Grobe after the Orange Bowl—the Demon Deacons will be either looking at a costly buyout or hoping he can turn things around if afforded more time.
Dave Clawson Comments on Leaked Information Prior to Wake Forest vs. Louisville
Dec 16, 2016
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 15: Head Coach Dave Clawson of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State defeated Wake Forest 17 to 6. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
In the wake of an investigation that determined a former Wake Forest football radio personality and coach provided other teams with inside information, Demon Deacons head coach Dave Clawson commented Friday on how that impacted the team's game plan against Louisville this season.
According to ESPN.com, Clawson said on ESPN's Mike & Mike that the staff had to make significant adjustments prior to the 44-12 loss, which irked his players:
We knew we had been compromised, and as a result, a lot of those things that we had prepared we couldn't run because we knew they had it.
[...]
They wanted to know, 'Why did we work on all these things? ... Why did we practice these things all week and then not use them?.' They were upset that they felt we did not give them the best opportunity to win the game, and we had a team meeting and said, 'Hey, listen guys, something was compromised. We're not sure how,' and at that point it triggered an investigation.
Per ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson, the investigation concluded that Tommy Elrod had provided multiple opponents with game-plan information since 2014.
Elrod had been covering Wake games for IMG Radio Network after previously playing for the Demon Deacons and serving as an assistant on former head coach Jim Grobe's staff. He was fired from his radio job Tuesday.
According to Adelson, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich admitted in a statement Wednesday that offensive coordinator Lonnie Galloway was provided with some information ahead of the Cardinals game against Wake Forest:
Lonnie received a call from Elrod during the week of the Wake Forest game, and some information was shared with him that week. Among the communication were a few plays that were sent and then shared with our defensive staff. None of the special plays were run during the course of the game. Our defense regularly prepares for similar formations every week in their normal game plan.
Any other information that may have been discussed was nothing that our staff had not already seen while studying Wake Forest in their preparations for the game and the material was not given any further attention. I'm disappointed that this issue has brought undue attention to our football staff as we prepare for our upcoming bowl game.
At 8-1, the Cardinals were heavily favored entering the Wake Forest game regardless of any leaks they received.
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson was limited to just one passing touchdown, but he racked up 153 yards on the ground in the victorious effort.
Although the Demon Deacons had to battle adverse circumstances this season in the form of Elrod's transgressions, they managed to post a 6-6 record, and they will play in their first bowl game since 2011 when they meet No. 23 Temple in the Military Bowl.
