Wake Forest pulled off a major upset on the road last Saturday. Marching into enemy territory against a top team in the ACC, the Demon Deacons needed to play some of the best football thus far to have a chance. Wake Forest did just that. Here is a detailed breakdown of Gio Lopez, the general of the Wake Forest team, and how he played in this matchup.
Quarterback Grade After Miami Loss
For the first time all season, the Demon Deacons established the run game early. This created multiple opportunities to take deep shots throughout the game. With Louisville primarily running Cover 3, Gio read through his progressions seamlessly. Because the Demon Deacons did so well running the ball, the safeties would bite down.
Lopez and the Wake Forest offense were not afraid to take what the Cardinals gave them. While the Deacs did take shots, most plays were dedicated to throwing dumps in the flats and running the ball up the gut. While the Demon Deacons’ scheme may have seemed boring, this opened up great opportunities down the line.
Gio Lopez and the Demon Deacons lulled the Cardinals to sleep. At just the right moment, Carlos Hernandez attacked the deep seam of the Cover 3. Because of the route concept Hernandez ran, it was up to the deep safety to guard Hernandez. Lopez, standing confidently in the middle of a clean pocket, threw a spectacular ball right into the breadbasket of the speedy receiver.
While Gio Lopez had his lowest completions all season, the stats don’t tell the full story. Gio Lopez moved up in the pocket, made time for his deep concepts to develop, and placed balls into tight windows with extreme pressure. Needless to say, Gio Lopez is even more dangerous than before with extended time in the pocket and an established run game.
With all that being said, here is the updated report card for Gio Lopez this season.
Extra Credit Opportunity
Wake Forest has an incredible opportunity to continue their impressive ACC play. After playing the two best ACC teams, the Demon Deacons are back in Allegacy Stadium to play the Stanford Cardinal. Winning this matchup would make Wake Forest a strong ACC contender. To keep the ball rolling, Gio Lopez will need to continue his masterful play. All signs point to another show from the Wake Forest gunslinger. All eyes will be on Gio Lopez on Saturday.
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