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WINSTON-SALEM — The Jake Dickert era in Wake Forest football will start with a clean slate under center. Four quarterbacks — two veterans and two freshmen — are vying for the starting job in one of the most open battles the Demon Deacons have seen in years.
Dickert, hired in December after leading Washington State, wasted no time reshaping the offense. His biggest move was bringing in offensive coordinator Rob Ezell, who scrapped the slow mesh system that defined the Deacs for nearly a decade. In its place is a power-spread scheme built for tempo and vertical shots.
“They’ve taken to the new system, bought into what we’re doing, and you can see the growth,” Ezell said during spring drills (Bloggers So Dear). “We want to push the tempo and make defenses defend every blade of grass.”
Robby Ashford
The redshirt senior has taken a long road to Winston-Salem, with stops at Oregon, Auburn and South Carolina. Ashford has played in 26 career FBS games, known for his ability to extend plays with his legs — averaging nearly five yards per carry and scoring 14 rushing touchdowns in his career.
“You got a small taste of that today… just excited,” Dickert said after a spring scrimmage (Winston-Salem Journal). “He’s got experience and a calm presence in the huddle.”
Deshawn Purdie
At 6-foot-4, 228 pounds, Purdie is hard to miss. The sophomore transferred from Charlotte, where he started six games as a true freshman, throwing for more than 1,800 yards. He has the arm strength to stretch the field but will need to refine his decision-making to win the job outright.
“I’ve always believed in my arm,” Purdie told The Charlotte Observer last season. “It’s about making smart throws and knowing when to take shots” (The Charlotte Observer).
Elijiah Oehlke
A true freshman from Georgia, Oehlke is 6-foot-2, 223 pounds with a smooth delivery and good pocket awareness. While he’s unlikely to start this season, he could develop quickly in Ezell’s system.
Steele Pizzella
A freshman walk-on, Pizzella is undersized at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds but makes up for it with a quick release and accuracy on short to intermediate throws.
Three-Game Test
Wake opens with three straight home games — Aug. 29 vs. Kennesaw State, Sept. 6 vs. Western Carolina, and Sept. 11 against NC State. Whoever takes the first snap will have little time to settle in before ACC play.
“We want a quarterback who can operate fast, make smart decisions and be a leader in the huddle,” Dickert said at ACC Kickoff (Sports Illustrated). “The system will work if we have the right guy running it.”
Ashford’s experience, Purdie’s upside, and the promise of the freshmen make this one of camp’s most intriguing battles.
QB Battle at a Glance
| Player | Class | Ht/Wt | Previous School | 2024 Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robby Ashford | R-Sr. | 6-2 / 220 | South Carolina | 295 pass yds, 2 TD; 223 rush yds, 3 TD |
| Deshawn Purdie | So. | 6-4 / 228 | Charlotte | 1,834 pass yds, 10 TD, 6 INT |
| Elijiah Oehlke | Fr. | 6-2 / 223 | Carrollton HS (GA) | HS Senior: 2,300 pass yds, 21 TD |
| Steele Pizzella | Fr. | 5-11 / 180 | Heritage HS (NC) | HS Senior: 1,850 pass yds, 18 TD |
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