WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - For the first time all season, Wake Forest should have its best offensive players available and at 100 percent this weekend against Duke. <br>
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Tarence Williams, who suffered a broken bone in his foot during the offseason, rushed for 99 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown and a two-point conversion in Wake Forest's 24-21 win over Georgia Tech. <br>
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Now Jim Grobe, who already had the top rushing team in the ACC, is certain he can use Williams where he's most needed. <br>
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``He's a kid that football is very important to,'' Grobe said Tuesday. ``He was a 1,000-yard rusher last year and I know he had his sights set on having a better year this year in his senior year. And he got derailed a little bit, but he's back on track and it's fun to see a kid that has as much fun as he does playing.'' <br>
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While Williams slowly worked his way back from the offseason injury, several of the younger running backs - Chris Barclay, Nick Burney and Cornelius Birgs - saw plenty of game action. <br>
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Williams said he knew the younger players would have to perform in his absence, and he was happy to see them pick up the slack. <br>
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``I'm happy for them and they are all tough runners,'' Williams said. ``Especially those young guys because they needed that experience. I'm the veteran of the group and I just have to show that experience that I have.'' <br>
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Williams said he sensed that some people had probably given up on him, so it was important to finally have a breakout game. <br>
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``Yes, I was tired of the pity, tired of the questions and everything,'' Williams said. ``I was just ready to go out there and prove to everybody that I was back and I hope I did a good job of doing that.'' <br>
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The Demon Deacons use a ball-control offense that eats up plenty of the clock. They lead the league in rushing, averaging 246.7 yards a game, and in time of possession (32:58 a game). <br>
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Grobe will still use all of his running backs, and said the ones that produce will get the most carries. <br>
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But now that he has Williams, who rushed for 1,018 yards last season, at 100 percent the team is in much better shape. ``There's a sense of confidence now about the stretch run,'' Grobe said, ``because you have got a guy like Tarence lining up for you.'' <br>
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NOTES: The Demon Deacons will have a chance to win their first ACC home game under Grobe on Saturday against Duke. In Grobe's two seasons the Demon Deacons are 0-5 at home in the league. ... Twelve of Wake Forest's last 13 games have been decided by seven points or less.... The Demon Deacons do a great job of sustaining drives. Against Georgia Tech, they ran 92 offensive plays and Georgia Tech ran just 51 plays.
