A Prince of a sack for Shembo

A couple of quick post-game notes off Wake Forest's 24-17 loss to Notre Dame.

-- The pass-rush the Fighting Irish applied to Deacons quarterback Tanner Price was a big factor in Wake going scoreless in the second half. Prince Shembo, a sophomore linebacker from Charlotte's Ardrey Kell High, had one of three sacks on Price.

-- The media grilled Wake coach Jim Grobe pretty thoroughly about his decision to play true freshman Orville Reynolds in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame. That sacrificed the option of redshirting Reynolds, as Grobe typically prefers.

Obviously burning a red-shirt nine games into a season is less than ideal. Grobe had hinted Tuesday that he might have no other choice but to play Reynolds if tailback Josh Harris continues to struggle with a strained hamstring. Grobe consulted with Reynolds during the week, and he wanted to play.

Once the trainers shut down Harris for the second half, with Wake down seven points in the fourth quarter, Grobe felt he had little choice but to use Reynolds as a backup to Brandon Pendergrass.

Grobe was emphatic post-game that Reynolds will be used a lot in the Deacons' last three regular-season games. Reynolds is a little guy (5-8 and 175 pounds). He didn't do much against Notre Dame (two carries for five yards and a reception that lost four), but he might be Wake's fastest player.

They'll work him into the offense, and Grobe indicated Tuesday that Reynolds might be a big asset on special teams.

-- Saturday's Wake-Clemson game probably features the ACC's best two wide receivers in the Deacons' Chris Givens and the Tigers' sensational freshman, Sammy Watkins. Both are big-time long ball threats. Watkins is more in-line speed and power. Givens is smaller, but he has great ability to make tacklers miss in the open field.

I plan to write more about these two in this week's Observer, probably on Saturday.

-- Rick Bonnell