Huge, breaking news on a Monday afternoon!

Here's the story on Dave Clawson resigning.

There will be much more to come. I'll try to have a coaching candidates story up sometime tonight. A My Take is probably in order -- though, I'd point you in the direction of the My Take from a month ago in the meantime.

Preview for tomorrow's game at Clemson can be found here.

Programming note: I'll have remote coverage of this one.

Predictions:

- Wake's offense isn't quite as good as it was Tuesday night, but still better than its average for the season.

- Clemson wins the rebounding battle by at least 8.

Firing this up now so that I'm not caught off guard when portal announcements start flying after Saturday's finale.

This is where we'll track everybody leaving Wake's football team -- aside from the ones running out of eligibility -- and then the newcomers WF will bring in. Given the timing of how the portal works, we'll obviously have a lot more departures to track in the first week or two, then it'll calm down, and then we'll have additions to talk about.

I'm not speculating on anybody here but I will pass along whatever info comes my way. I do think WF is likely going to have quite a bit of roster churn, given it'll be the second straight losing season and there are going to be some position groups -- D-line, for one -- that need a lot of help.

Going to pin this thread to (attempt to) keep track of all developments -- visits, offers, pending commits -- on the basketball recruiting front.

To start things off:

Wake Forest doesn't a commit in the 2023 class yet and that should be alarming to absolutely nobody. If you read the State of the Program breakdown of recruiting (linked here), you know the changing landscape of recruiting and Steve Forbes' thoughts on the situation.

Forbes isn't going to panic and take players just to take players. That is, bluntly, one of the reasons he's coaching at Wake Forest and Danny Manning isn't. Forbes looks for who fits in his system, at the school, and who can play in the ACC ... and he's not lowering the basket to squeeze players into that criteria. If he can't get recruits that fit, he's going to scour the portal -- which has proved quite fruitful (invest in Andrew Carr, Ty Appleby and Jao Ituka stock now).

You've also got to note that Wake Forest -- at least right now -- doesn't line up to be in need of a large recruiting class entering next season. Daivien Williamson and Appleby are the only players who are out of eligibility after this season, and there's an open scholarship. So that's 3 current vacancies to account for in the 2023-24 season. Will that number stay at 3? Unlikely. Can Forbes go out and oversign? Well, yes, but only if he plans on running off current members of the team.

Frankly, I don't see that last part happening, though.

Kind of the same deal as the Detroit Mercy game ...

I was planning on writing, well, a lot more of a preview than this. But time got away from me last week and then time *really* got away from me yesterday.

So, I've got nuts and bolts preview content below for tonight's game. Programming note: I'll be there with full coverage. And, as noted on Twitter -- if you're there at the first media timeout, Dave Clawson and his family will be recognized on the court. Would imagine that'll be another emotional moment for today.

Preview nuts and bolts:

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Joel Coliseum.

TV: ACC Network Extra.

Announcers: Evan Lepler (play-by-play), Stan Lewter (analyst) and Matison Little (sidelines).

Series; last meeting: Wake Forest leads 1-0; Wake Forest won 91-82 in Nov. 2006, when Kyle Visser scored 23 points on 10-for-10 shooting, which is still the program record for most made shots without a miss in program history.

Records: James Madison 6-4; Wake Forest 8-3.

Stat to watch: 47.2%.

That’s Wake Forest’s effective field goal percentage, which is 286th in the country (per KenPom and entering Monday’s games).

Now we’ll see how improved Wake’s offense can be after a 10-day break.

Matchup to watch: Wake Forest vs. its shooting woes.

It’s only kind of tongue-in-cheek here.

The 3-point line was introduced to college basketball in the 1986-87 season. Wake Forest has never finished a season shooting under 30% on 3-pointers.

The Deacons enter tonight’s game shooting 26.4% on 3s.

Duke to watch: Guard Xavier Brown (No. 0).

After a 32-win season and its coach (Mark Byington) departing for Vanderbilt, JMU was bound to lose just about everybody who played a significant role in last season’s success.

*Just about everybody*

Brown was in the starting lineup for the second half of last season and scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, with 10 rebounds, in the Sun Belt tournament championship.

New coach Preston Spradlin was able to keep Brown aboard and has been rewarded with steady guard play from the 6-2, 183-pound junior, as Brown is averaging 13.9 points and 3.4 assists per game.

Deacon to watch: Guard Ty-Laur Johnson (No. 8).

How much of whatever Wake Forest has changed or adjusted within its offensive approach involves more of Johnson?

We’ll soon find out.

The Louisville transfer has had three DNPs and another game (Texas A&M) with 2 minutes. But in Wake’s last game, an ACC-opening win over Boston College, he was a sparkplug off the bench with four points and four assists, and only committed one turnover.

If he builds on that performance, then Wake’s offense can reap the rewards.

What’s on deck: It’s all in the ACC from this point to the end of the ACC tournament for Wake Forest.

The Deacons go to Clemson on Saturday with a chance to score an early Quad-1 win. There aren’t likely to be a whole lot of Quad-1 chances, given the league’s non-conference performance, so winning at Clemson — against a team that has a top-10 defense on KenPom and handed Kentucky a loss at Littlejohn Coliseum — would be huge win for Wake’s résumé.

It’s almost all going to be about the Sun Belt for the rest of JMU’s season. The Dukes head to South Alabama on Saturday for the conference opener and have a non-conference game against a non-D1 team (Midway) on the other side of Christmas.

KenPom prediction: Wake Forest wins 71-65.

What a Wake Forest loss looks like: JMU scores more points than Wake Forest.

What a Wake Forest win looks like: Wake Forest scores more points than JMU.

On a serious note, this winds up being a crucial game for the Deacons. And it really might be best boiled down to whether Wake Forest (finally) starts making 3-pointers at the clip we figured they’d be able to hit.

Not sure what else to headline this thread as.

Basically, this can be the catch-all for whatever news/notes/nuggets/etc. about Wake Forest football over the next month or so. This won't be roster movement or signing day, we'll do separate stuff for those. Staff moves? All-ACC? Whatever falls under the umbrella. Starting with:

Full disclosure on my All-ACC ballot, filed Sunday afternoon.

I guess the good news is that the season will end this week?

There are 77 bowl-eligible teams for 82 spots right now. There are two games this week of 5-6 teams playing each other, which leaves 12 other teams vying for 3 spots in bowls. If those 3 spots aren't filled *and* Wake Forest wins this game, Wake's academic progress rate might put the Deacons into a bowl game at 5-7.

Seems highly unlikely. But if Wake Forest had won last year's regular-season finale at Syracuse, they would've wound up in a bowl game. So ... just making sure the possibility is covered.

With how this team has played ... yeesh. Most unlikely. I don't know, it's tough to be critical of a team that loses to a 10-win team. But this Wake Forest has been so disjointed, unable to play complementary or disciplined football for the past 3 games. Doesn't inspire much confidence that WF will throw a wrench into Duke's strong season (though Duke's best win was against a 6-5 UNC team).

Programming note: I'll be there with full coverage. Obviously a busy day for yours truly; as most of you know, I run the Duke site as well.

ICYMI links:

Remote story on Wake's loss at Miami.

My Take on the uncertain future of Wake's program.

Preview for Saturday's game against BC can be found here.

Programming: I'll be there with full coverage.

Predictions:

- I'm not predicting a thing about Wake's 3-point shooting.

- Hunter Sallis scores at least 15 points.

- Wake Forest wins the rebounding battle by at least 8.

Something new this season.

Because it's inevitable this comes up, I'll post and pin this thread to track how Wake's transfers are playing this season. It's going to be heavily focused on guys who were on Wake's roster last season because, well, do you really think of Carter Whitt as a former WF player? (before you ask, yes, he's still playing college basketball)

So, here's the list of the transfers out of WF from last season's roster and where they're playing this season:

Andrew Carr - Kentucky
**********
Kevin Miller - SMU
**********
Zach Keller - Utah
**********
Damari Monsanto - UTSA
**********
Matthew Marsh - Oregon State
**********
Abramo Canka - Stetson
**********
Aaron Clark - Pepperdine

We'll start this thread with Wake's first commit of the class:

Locklan Hewlett, a QB from St. Augustine, Fla.

Running down some quick takeaways:

- Always good to get the first commit of a class going into their junior season.
- This *should* do it for QBs in the class but there's always the chance Wake adds another.
- It's an extensive offer list that includes Miami, Texas A&M, Rutgers and many others.

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Starting this off with a commitment in the same week as signing day for the previous class.

Wake's first commit for 2026 is Rhett Morris, an offensive lineman from New Jersey. Good size, he's an interior OL. Assume Rivals will get a ranking on him over the next few months as we transition from class of '25 to '26.

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Getting set for tomorrow night's game in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

Here's the preview for tomorrow night's game.

Programming: I'll have remote coverage from the home office.

Predictions:

- I'm going to die on this hill: Wake Forest makes at least 10 3-pointers and does so while shooting at least 35%.

- Hunter Sallis and Wade Taylor IV both score at least 20.

- Texas A&M outrebounds Wake Forest by at least 10.

Preview for Thursday afternoon's game against Florida can be found here.

Programming note: I'll be watching from home with remote coverage -- and hoping this game starts on time and goes quick, since I'd like to have a Thanksgiving dinner!

Predictions:

- One of Florida's guards goes for 20-plus points.

- Cameron Hildreth scores at least 15 points.

- Davin Cosby Jr. hits at least three 3s.

And there goes whatever momentum Wake Forest had.

The Deacons are 4-6 and barring a couple of upset wins -- or one of them and some APR-based help -- they're not going to a bowl game for the second straight season.

I'm not sure what else to say here. If I can get to it, I want to get a My Take done this week on the future of Wake's program. The hiccup that was last season could've been turned into a blip on the radar of a successful program; doing a lot of the same things wrong this season is obviously a sign that the issues go much deeper than the QB position.

As for this week's game ... yeesh. If Miami were still undefeated, I'd actually feel better about Wake's chances of catching Miami sleepwalking. Maybe that still happens. But I think it's more likely that Cam Ward throws for 400ish yards and 4 touchdowns and the competitive portion of this game is over by the midway point of the 3rd quarter.

Programming: I'm not going to Miami, will have remote coverage of the game.

ICYMI: Story from Saturday night's loss at Miami.

Going to throw some preview nuts and bolts in here, as I've run out of time to cobble together a legit preview.

Programming note out of the way: I'll have remote coverage -- crazy Saturday means watching WF football, tracking WF basketball, going to Duke for a night football game.

Here’s what to know ahead of Saturday's game against Detroit Mercy:

Time: 4 p.m.

Location: Joel Coliseum.

TV: ACC Network Extra.

Announcers: Chris Lea (play-by-play) and Stan Lewter (analyst).

Series; last meeting: First meeting.

Records: Detroit Mercy 3-2; Wake Forest 5-1.

Stat to watch: 33-for-123 (26.8%) | 12-for-31 (38.7%).

The first one is Wake's 3-point shooting through the first five games; the second is what the Deacons shot against Western Carolina on Tuesday night.

Titan to watch: Guard Orlando Lovejoy (No. 5).

This is the hot-hand pick; Lovejoy had 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Detroit Mercy's win at Ball State on Wednesday night.

Deacon to watch: Center Efton Reid III (No. 4).

Coach Steve Forbes said Reid is typically OK after a day or two of suffering from a migraine, which is why he didn't play after about six minutes on Tuesday night. Still, Reid will be worth keeping an eye on -- both from a health perspective and to see if the Deacons look to him in the low post, as they have early in the last few games.

What’s on deck: Wake Forest plays its third power-conference opponent of the season next, with a Thanksgiving game against Florida in Orlando as part of the ESPN Events Invitational, and then will play either Minnesota or Wichita State on Friday. Detroit Mercy is also headed to Florida to play some neutral-court games; the Titans play Tulsa in the Jacksonville Classic on Tuesday and Rhode Island on Wednesday.

KenPom prediction: Wake Forest wins 79-61.

Preview for Tuesday night's game can be found here.

Programming: I'll be there with full coverage.

Predictions:

- WF commits fewer than 12 turnovers.

- WF makes at least eight 3-pointers (I'm just going to die on this hill, I think).

- Cameron Hildreth leads WF with at least 20 points.

As the November wheel spins on for Wake Forest.

I don't have all that much to add for this one. The Deacons are 4-5 with what I think is a guaranteed loss, at Miami, next weekend. So if they're going to make a bowl game, in all likelihood Wake Forest needs to win at UNC this week and beat Duke in the regular-season finale (or win one of those games and scrape into a bowl game at 5-7 if there aren't enough bowl-eligible teams).

UNC has been better of late, too, so this one is going to need a strong game for the Deacons to pull it out.

Here was the story on Wake's loss to Cal.

Preview for Saturday's game at Xavier can be found here.

Programming: I'll be monitoring remotely as best I can -- Duke has a home game at the same time.

Predictions:

- This is the game WF breaks free of the shooting slump, makes at least 10 3-pointers and does so while shooting at least 35%.

- Hunter Sallis has another 20-point game.

- Xavier scores its lowest point total of the season (previous is 78).

I like the way that's written out, Week 11 ... 8 p.m. ... on 11/8.

Freaky Friday type stuff.

Wake Forest comes out of its second off week with a game against Cal on Friday night. The petition to move this game to Berkeley must have fallen flat because the Deacons are playing at home, where they've lost 4 straight.

Cal was also off this past weekend and might have the worst luck of any team this season, at least in the ACC. All four losses have come by a combined 9 points, including a blown 25-point lead at home against Miami and FG woes that cost them wins against FSU and N.C. State.

As I've alluded a couple of times -- and wanted to write about this past week when I thought I'd have enough time -- this month sets up as a crucial one for the future of Wake's program. Not to heap too much importance on four games. Winning 2 of 4 and making a bowl game would, IMO, accomplish the main goal of this season, which was reestablishing positive trajectory for this program and setting it back on an upward trajectory. Questions have been answered about Wake's offense, the QB play is decent, they like their future with Jeremy Hecklinski after Hank Bachmeier and Michael Kern depart. Wake's defense has to improve but, in the last two games, it has survived for road wins. That is ... something that can be a building block to take into this month.

Going 2-2 or better in this month would be a great turnaround after a 1-3 first month, and it'd be a wave worth riding into December. Going 1-3 or 0-4 this month would, IMO, bring about some discussions about the future of this program with Dave Clawson as its coach.

Programming note: I'll be there with full coverage.

ICYMI links:

Pre-November grades for Wake's offense.

Pre-November grades for Wake's defense.

Preview for tomorrow night's game can be found here.

Programming is ... up in the air. I'm in Atlanta tonight for Duke's game, staying overnight. If I can make it out of Atlanta in the morning, get home relatively early in the afternoon tomorrow, I'm going to make it to the Joel. But if I get bogged down in traffic, I'm going to be watching from home.

Predictions:

- Maybe I'm a sucker, but I think this team gets hot from 3s at some point, so give me one of two things: They either make 12 of them or shoot 40% (or better).

- Parker Friedrichsen hits two 3s.

- WF scores 90 points for the first time this season.

Realize how late this is but here's the thread for today's game against Michigan.

Between dealing with a bug that's had me sidelined most of the last 3-4 days and going to a wedding yesterday, I wasn't able to complete the preview. But I got a chunk of it done and will throw it into this thread.

Preview for Wake's second game can be found here.

Programming note: I'll be there with full coverage.

Predictions:

- Wake Forest makes double-digit 3-pointers and its percentage is at least 12 points higher than Monday night (which was 24.5%).

- Parker Friedrichsen makes at least three 3s.

- Tre'Von Spillers has a double-double.

Thank God, IT'S BASKETBALL SEASON.

Preview for tomorrow night's game -- including a My Take to start things off.

Programming note: I'll have remote coverage of this one as best I can.

Predictions:

- Hunter Sallis scores at least 18 points on fewer than 10 shots.

- WF outrebounds Coppin State by at least 12.

- Deacons make at least 10 3-pointers.

Wake Forest arrives at its second off week 4-4 and 2-2 in the ACC.

As go things in moderation, a couple of ways to look at that. One, given the narrow losses to UVA and Louisiana, the Deacons could be 6-2 and already bowl eligible with remote chances of really throwing a wrench into the top of the ACC standings. Even if they had won one of those, they're 5-3 and with a decent November, would have one of the better seasons in program history.

But on the other side, WF has had some true escapist moments in the last couple of weeks and this could also be a 2-6 team with little hope for the future.

At risk of repeating myself: This season has always been about getting the program back on track. There were no illusions of competing for an ACC championship after last year's debacle. The goal was simple: Win 6 or 7 games, get back in a bowl game, reset the trajectory, move forward into 2025. After this week, I kind of think that goal will either be achieved or it'll fall flat.

As a programming note for off week coverage: I'll have PFF game grades up sometime tomorrow (hopefully morning but my Mondays get bogged down in a hurry). I think I'll write something along the lines of a My Take about resetting the board entering November for this team. I missed doing mid-term PFF grades in between the Clemson and UConn games and with basketball season fast approaching (here already, really), I'm going to knock out a PFF season grades check-in this week. It'll be wonky, having quarter-season PFF grades and then two-third PFF grades ... but it's just kind of what I'll have to do, given the schedule.

Here's the story on Wake's win over Stanford.

And here's one note from Twitter on WF in one-score games:

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I know you said there wouldn't be much baseball until Jan or Feb.

But after watching all the fall schedule I have a couple of questions you may be able to shed some light on.

Jimmy Keenan caught today against WV but did not hit. As best as I can tell, he didn't take an at bat all fall. Is there some injury there?

Also Chris Levonas, unless I missed it, he didn't pitch any this fall. He ran through PFP yesterday and he was doing long toss during pitcher warmups (where he looked AMAZING), but no pitches. What's the situation with him?

Winnay didn't run today. Lewis didn't play all weekend.

I assume all of this is health related. Is it possible to get a health update on the team at large going into winter offseason?