news-record.com

SPORTS

Record-setting Skinner propels Wake Forest

Sunday, October 11, 2009
(Updated 7:11 am)

WINSTON-SALEM -- Another week, another record for Riley Skinner.

Wake Forest's senior quarterback completed 24 of 33 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Demon Deacons to a 42-32 victory over Maryland before a homecoming crowd of 32,780 Saturday night at BB&T Field.

Along the way, Skinner -- who already holds Wake Forest's records for victories, completions, completion percentage, touchdown passes and passing efficiency -- broke Brian Kuklick's 11-year-old school record for career passing yards.

Skinner has passed for 8,296 yards with six -- and possibly eight, depending on the postseason -- games left in his college career.

"The records and that stuff's pretty neat," Skinner said, "but if it had come in a loss it wouldn't matter at all. As long as we can keep winning games, that'll keep me happy."

Wake Forest (4-2, 2-1 ACC) won this game early.

The Demon Deacons scored touchdowns on their first five possessions in a near-perfect first half to take a 35-10 halftime lead.

"That's probably as good a first half of football as we've ever played," Wake coach Jim Grobe said.

How good?

Skinner was 14-for-17 for 243 yards and three touchdowns in the half. And the three incompletions? Two were intentionally thrown away as Skinner avoided Maryland's pass rush, and the third hit Marshall Williams -- the ACC's leading receiver -- in the hands in the end zone but was dropped.

On its first five drives, Wake went 6-for-6 on third-down conversions. Skinner threw scoring passes to wide receivers Williams and Chris Givens and tight end Andrew Parker.

"We were finding a rhythm," Skinner said, "and I think our receivers are starting to get comfortable, especially the young guys. It's good to know you've got that many different guys you can look to who can make plays. In the past we were focused on one or maybe two receivers. Now we're spreading it around, and that helps."

In all, seven different receivers caught passes. Williams caught six, and Givens finished with five for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

It wasn't just an air show.

Wake, which rushed for just 30 yards in last week's victory over N.C. State, had five carries for 67 yards on its first drive against Maryland (2-4, 1-1). Josh Adams finished the all-on-the-ground drive with a 48-yard touchdown run, sprung by fullback Mike Rinfrette's lead block.

Adams finished with 13 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.

"We have the ability to run the football," Grobe said. "We've been hanging our hat on throwing the ball. Going forward, if we can run the football a little bit better it makes our offense better and it makes it easier on Riley."

Givens' 27-yard catch-and-run touchdown put Wake ahead 42-17 in the third quarter. Maryland scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut into the lead, but the Deacons' victory was never in jeopardy.

"We didn't turn the ball over," Grobe said. "but trying to stay aggressive with a big lead is hard. It's something we didn't do a very good job of."

Truth is, after the flawless first half, the Deacons really didn't need to.

NOTES: Skinner's 360 passing yards was one yard shy of his personal best, set last week against N.C. State. Skinner had broken his personal best each of the last three games leading up to Maryland. &ellipses; This was Skinner's third consecutive 300-yard game, and the third of his career. &ellipses; Skinner has 20 200-yard games. &ellipses; Wake is 21-3 when Skinner does not throw an interception. &ellipses; Golf legend Arnold Palmer, a Wake Forest alumnus who won the first ACC championship in 1953, took part in the opening ceremonies when the Demon Deacons took the field. Palmer, 80, didn't ride on the back of the custom motorcycle with the mascot. Instead, Palmer rode to midfield on -- what else? -- a golf cart.

 

Maryland 7 3 7 15 -- 32

Wake Forest 21 14 7 0 -- 42

Wake--Adams 48 run (Newman kick)

Md--Meggett 1 run (Ferrara kick)

Wake--Brown 4 run (Newman kick)

Wake--Ma.Williams 10 pass from Skinner (Newman kick), :00.

Wake--Givens 32 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)

Md--FG Ferrara 50

Wake--Parker 20 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)

Md--Cannon 2 pass from Turner (Ferrara kick)

Wake--Givens 27 pass from Skinner (Newman kick)

Md--Cannon 15 pass from Turner (Meggett pass from Turner)

Md--Smith 4 pass from Turner (Ferrara kick)

A--32,780.

Md Wake

First downs 20 24

Rushes-yards 30-62 39-156

Passing 307 360

Comp-Att-Int 24-44-1 24-33-0

Return Yards (-4) 0

Punts-Avg. 4-38.8 4-40.3

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 5-45 8-79

Time of Possession 24:11 35:49

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Maryland, Turner 16-27, Meggett 6-21, Douglas 3-11, Smith 1-3, Jackson 1-2, Porzel 3-(minus 2). Wake Forest, Adams 13-94, Pendergrass 12-47, Brown 3-12, Rinfrette 3-9, Bohanon 1-3, Givens 1-(minus 1), Team 1-(minus 2), Skinner 5-(minus 6).

PASSING--Maryland, Turner 24-44-1-307. Wake Forest, Skinner 24-33-0-360.

RECEIVING--Maryland, Smith 10-70, Cannon 4-48, Douglas 3-70, Tyler 3-62, Boykins 2-31, T.Galt 1-21, Williams 1-5. Wake Forest, Ma.Williams 6-71, Givens 5-116, Parker 4-42, Adams 3-40, Rinfrette 3-26, Brown 2-59, J.Williams 1-6.

Accompanying Photos

Nell Redmond (Associated Press)

Photo Caption: Wake Forest wide receiver Marshall Williams tries to make a catch in the first half of Saturday's game against Maryland. 

eMail Updates

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Local Tickets

View All

Featured Ads

Search

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

News & Record Network Sites

User Tools

  • Social Networking
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Sign in to MyNR

Search