Graduating high school early and getting a head start on a collegiate football career is a major step, and shows a combined commitment both from the program and the player.
Wake had three of its four January 2015 enrollees contribute mightily during the season, with the only exception being tight end Bowman Archibald, who injured his leg and transferred out of the program.
Garrett Wilson came in and successfully navigated the long snapping duties for the Deacs, playing in more than 100 snaps on the season.
Slot receiver Tabari Hines wowed fans and recruits alike in the spring, and became a part of a young and talented receiving corps in 2015 for the Deacs. He caught 32 passes on the season for 366 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Kendall Hinton didn’t just push returning starter John Wolford in spring and fall camp, he pushed him all season long, creating a quarterback controversy of sorts that will linger into the start of the 2016 campaign. Hinton was an integral part of the Deacon offense, and was the player coach Dave Clawson considered the most explosive on the entire squad. Hinto passed for more than 900 yards and rushed for over 500 while contributing 11 touchdowns.
More than likely, players that enroll in January will heavily contribute in the fall. That’s why Deacons Illustrated is going to take a long look at the six guys slated to enroll at Wake in January of 2016, finishing with Davidson, N.C. running back Cade Carney.
Football has been a part of Carney’s life from the start, with his father Carl having been a defensive lineman for East Carolina in the late 80s. Carney began playing “Mighty Mite” football at the age of 7. He wasn’t quite the star running back from the start.
“I was 7 and everybody else was 10. they stuck me on the line . I messed around in there and understood what football meant,” Carney said. “I started off playing offensive line. Younger, smaller. That’s where they stuck you when you didn’t have a position.”
But the family ties continue for Carney, as his 12-year old brother, Tate Carney, is also a up-and-coming football player.
“Oh yeah. No doubt,” Carney said when asked if Tate was going to be as good as he is on the football field. “He’s a freak.”
Academics, relationships with the coaching staff and vastly improving facilities all had an impact on Carney’s decision to commit to Wake Forest. But so did the bond to his family and having the opportunity to play close to home.
“I was a little undecided at first, but when I started looking at the logistics of going to college — I’ve got a brother who’s also a football player. We’re very close. Being 25 minutes away from home, he’ll be able to come see me when he wants to and be able to come to every home game and most away game,” Carney said. “When I look at that, it’s a huge plus. It’s also close enough to home, that I know a lot of people at Wake Forest. To me, it’s very home-like. I figure the acclimation process will be relatively easy, with the relationships I already have.”
Even during the post-graduation Christmas break, Carney was focused on making himself better. His interview with Deacons Illustrated was early-morning, before he made his way to the gym.
“I’m looking to be in the best shape I can be when I get there, so no time is wasted,” Carney said. “That way I can go ahead and start working into the offense.”
Carney is off-the-charts excited about things many football players dread.
“Training with a bunch of serious college players,” Carney said when asked what excites him the most. “I love the off-season grind, and that’s exactly what I’ll be walking into when I get there. It’ll be at the highest level. To be able to train at the highest level possible and try to compete with these guys right away is what I’m most excited about.”
Trepidations?
“I feel confident with the school work,” Carney said. “I know it’s going to be an adjustment, but I’m very confident that I’ll be able to handle whatever is thrown at me.”
Carney rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns at 12-0 state champ Davidson Day high school as a senior, after rushing for nearly 4,000 yards in his first three high school seasons at Davie County.
Carney credits the move to helping him better prepare for collegiate life.
I”t was the perfect stepping stone to college. It’s a college prep school, and it felt very college-prep from a football perspective. It prepared me to take on college. We had a fun offense,” he said. “Coach (Chad) Grier did a great job of using us where we were needed and was very creative with the offense. It was a great time.
“I couldn’t be more happy that I did (make the transfer). The academic stepping stone to college, and being under coach Grier, with such an intricate offense. The attention to detail at Davidson Day has given me what I needed to be at Wake.”
Though Carney played defense situationally at times, his first love is at running back, where the Wake coaches have promised to give him a shot.
“That’s one of the things I really appreciated from these coaches — they said that I have every chance to play running back that I’d want, but if it’s not working and I’m going to be more valuable somewhere else down the road that’s an option they want me to have,” Carney said. “They’re going to give me every chance to play running back.”
He’s known as a physical back, and admits he likes that style.
“I love the hit people, as a downhill back. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fast back too. I can make people miss. I would have to call my run style very physical,” Carney said. “Adding finesse moves to my game has been something I’ve been working on — it’s a process. It’s mental for me — either put my shoulders down on this guy, or make my move. I finally did start to make those moves to preserve myself.
“I’m going to work to where I am the physical advantage. Maybe in the ACC early on I will have to reach in my pocket and use other moves.”
Here's stories from Deacons Illustrated on the other five that have also enrolled early at Wake Forest:
