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WINSTON-SALEM — Want to get an offensive lineman's undivided attention?

Call him soft.

These are guys whose job description includes getting hit on every single play.

These are guys who get surly when their toughness is called into question.

These are guys who shouldered the blame for Wake Forest's hit-and-miss offense last season.

No more.

"The perception most people got of us last year was of being soft," junior center Russell Nenon said. "I kind of took it personally, hearing the (media) and the coaches saying we had such a great defense last year and our offense kind of sputtered. It's very frustrating to know you're the reason some of the games went the wrong way. So we made it our mission to turn it around and become the strength of our team."

It should be. With the return of senior left tackle Chris DeGeare, Wake Forest has six starters back to fill five positions. Four of them — DeGeare, Jeff Griffin, Joe Birdsong and Barrett McMillin — are seniors.

"That isn't the same group of guys people were talking about last year," said senior defensive tackle John Russell, who has squared off against the offensive line every day in practice. "They're the same people, but they're different players. They're tough and physical and even a little bit mean. And that's a good thing."

Better offensive line play means more holes for the Demon Deacons' running backs. And DeGeare's return means better protection for senior quarterback Riley Skinner's blind side.

"I'll be cleaner," Skinner joked. "My jersey will definitely stay cleaner. He's a big force. It's hard to deny what 340 pounds can do at the left tackle position. He's in great shape and he's just really excited to be back."

Skinner, in his fourth year as the starter, remains the focal point of Wake Forest's offense. He's already won more games (26) than any quarterback in school history, and his .673 completion percentage is the best in ACC history.

But last year, there was too much of a good thing.

"I kind of lost my way last year," Wake coach Jim Grobe said. "You get enamored with Riley's arm. ... If you're not careful, you try to design a whole offense around him. That's not a dumb thing to do, but it can backfire on you. If the rest of the guys around him don't fit that scheme, then it puts too much pressure on him."

Injured running backs and the dink-and-dunk passing game led to Wake's struggles on offense — and led to the Deacons' linemen getting labeled as soft.

"There are two types of toughness," Grobe said. "There's the toughness of playing with bumps and bruises and ... you can't be too hard on guys who get banged up and just can't go. The other side (of toughness), I just didn't think we played very aggressively up front. We didn't play with a hard-nosed demeanor. ... From that perspective, we were a soft offensive line.

"Part of that is my fault. We went into the season with Riley throwing the ball a bunch. We were doing a lot of backing up and pass protecting. It's hard to be a real tough, aggressive offensive lineman if you're spending all your time backing up."

By the end of the season, Wake got back to its roots, scrapping the finesse stuff and running the football. The Deacs won four of their last six games, finishing with a 29-19 victory over Navy in the EagleBank Bowl.

It was Wake's second consecutive bowl victory.

With the offensive line picture settled and a mature and confident Skinner back for "my ninth season here," a third straight bowl victory could depend on a no-name defense that lost seven starters — four to the NFL.

"I think this may be our best defense since I've been here based on pure talent. We just lack the experience right now," senior cornerback Brandon Ghee said. "We lost great players from last year. ... But you never know. When they got here, nobody knew who Aaron Curry or Alphonso Smith or Stan (Arnoux) or Chip (Vaughn) were, either. It's the same opportunity for these players."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com