Quarterbacks the big story for Duke-Wake game

Yes, Wake Forest has beaten Duke 10 straight times and are at home but in order to beat the Devils again, they'll have to get good production out of the quarterback position.

With four-year starter Riley Skinner gone, Ted Stachitas, a sophomore, is expected to get most of the snaps this year but he has had two surgeries on his right shoulder. Therefore, freshman lefty Tanner Price, who had been a redshirt candidate, saw action last week against Presbyterian.

"We feel like Ted Stachitas can win a bunch of football games for us," Wake coach Jim Grobe said this week. "I think as he plays more, he's going to be better. But his injuries have been an issue for us. You just have to have Plan B ready, basically because of his history injury wise."

Grobe seems a little ambivalent about Stachitas. "I like a lot of the things that Ted did (in the opener). He misfired on a couple of pretty easy open throws which was disappointing. And he fumbled the football at one time, and that's something we can't do."

Grobe went on to decisively say, "I think he was somewhat indecisive at times, but at times he was very decisive."

Unless he's playing possum, you'd have to give the quarterback matchup edge in Saturday's game to Duke's Sean Renfree.

"A couple of people that are from Arizona that knew about the kid when he was in high school told me when Duke first signed him that they had signed a great quarterback," Grobe said of Renfree. "Of course he got some snaps early last year. And with Thad Lewis being as good as he is, I knew that Coach Cutcliffe wasn't going to put that kid on the field and take reps away from Thad Lewis unless he thought he could help them win. So I knew with him being on the field last year he had to be pretty special."

Renfree completed 80 percent of his passes against Elon last week. "It's hard for a kid to hit 80 percent if there's no defense on the other side if you're just out there throwing on air. On one hand I was probably a little surprised and disappointed that he played so well last week. Watching the video was pretty special."

While Wake Forest is favored to continue its streak against Duke, Renfree could be the difference maker.