Among those great players that Miami (2-0, 1-0 ACC) will have to contend with is quarterback Gio Lopez, a redshirt junior who joined the Demon Deacons after playing at South Alabama and North Carolina, where last season he threw for 1,747 yards and 10 touchdowns as a starter.
Through Wake’s first two games of the season – wins over Akron and a double-overtime victory over Purdue – Lopez has accounted for six touchdowns, including two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown against the Boilermakers. He also scored on the game-winning two-point conversion for the Demon Deacons (2-0, 0-0 ACC).
Lopez has thrown for 575 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for another 98 yards and two scores and the Hurricanes expect his experience and mobility will make him a challenge to defend.
“Watching him, he’s a very intense, explosive guy,” defensive lineman Armondo Blount said of Lopez. “We just have to be very detailed in our work, very detailed in our steps, things like that. He’s a shifty guy in the open field. He’ll take gaps. He can scramble from any window and throw from any window. That’s what I noticed about him.”
Said defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, “The quarterback makes a lot happen. Going all the way back, we’ve been watching South Alabama stuff, we’re watching the North Carolina stuff and obviously, we’re watching the first two games this year. He extends plays. He makes guys miss. He makes a lot of things happen in the run game. He gets the ball up in the perimeter fast. … I think he’s a very dynamic player and I think he makes them very good on offense.”
Joining Lopez in making plays for the Demon Deacons offense is wide receiver Carlos Hernandez, who has totaled more than 700 receiving yards in his last five games dating back to last season, and running back Ty Clark III, who is averaging 7.4 yards per carry through Wake’s first two games.
Defensively, the Demon Deacons are allowing an average of 380.0 yards per game and have totaled 15 tackles for loss and five sacks in their wins over Akron and Purdue.
And Miami offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez made it clear that protecting quarterback Darian Mensah against Wake Forest’s veteran defensive front will be a priority.
“Their front seven is very experienced,” Rodriguez said. “Their starting four d-linemen are all seniors. They’ve all played last year. They’re returning. Their linebackers are veterans. They’ve been there and they’re all experienced and they know what to do. They play hard, they play physical and it’s going to be a great challenge.”