Each week we ask someone who covers Cal's next football opponent to answer five questions about that opponent. Since Cal (3-3, 2-1 ACC) is hosting Wake Forest (5-1, 3-1 ACC) on Saturday night, we asked the five questions to Justin Kontul of Wake Forest Demon Deacons on SI.
We provide excepts from Kontul's answers, but to get the entire response you need to view the videos.
---1. Wake Forest was picked to finish 13th in the ACC in the preseason poll. Are you surprised by the Demon Deacons’ success this season, and why have they been so good?
---1. answer: Kontul said he was somewhat surprised by Wake Forest’s success, and attributes much of that success to improved quarterback play, which Gio Lopez has provided.
Kontul notes that Lopez has been significantly more effective this season than he was last year at North Carolina. Kontul believes a lot of that improvement has to do with the fact that Rob Ezell, who was Lopez’s offensive coordinator two years ago when Lopez was at South Alabama, is Wake Forest’s offensive coordinator this year.
“I am surprised with where they’re at,” Kontul said. “I expected the offensive to be better, [but] I didn’t expect it to take as much of a jump as it did, though.”
--2 Wake Forest has a chance to win at least nine games in consecutive seasons for just the second time in school history. What has second-year coach Jake Dickert done to create a successful program at Wake Forest, and do you think he will remain at Wake Forest long term?
---2. answer: Kontul says Dickert brought a lot of energy to the program right away.
“His big phrase that he has coined and has made the center piece of the program is ‘build in the dark.’”
It’s Dickert’s way of saying the team will continue with its process whatever is being said by the media or on social media.
Dickert also did a good job in his first season at Wake Forest in 2025 of retaining key players instead of losing them to the transfer portal. Dickert has also brought in transfers who were not highly rated but have been productive for Wake Forest.
“He’s just been consistently able to get the best out of the players he brings in,” said Kontul.
He has built depth at many positions, and uses a lot of players on game day.
Kontul said it’s hard to say whether Dickert will stay at Wake Forest long term.
“It’s no secret that Wake Forest, in terms of NIL resources, is near the bottom of the ACC,” said Kontul, who wouldn’t be shocked if Dickert would accept an offer from a big-time football program.
---3. Quarterback Gio Lopez is playing for his third college program. What has made him so successful at Wake Forest this season?
---3. answer: Kontul noted how successful Lopez and South Alabama were when Ezell was the offensive coordinator there, and being reunited with him at Wake Forest has made a big difference. You could see the difference even last spring.
“One big piece of his game that is very relevant at Wake that wasn’t relevant at UNC is his ability to use his legs and run more, being a dual-threat quarterback,” Kontul said.
Lopez’s ability to gain ground on designed runs or scrambling to extend plays have been a big part of Wake Forest’s offense, which wasn’t the case last year at North Carolina.
---4. Wide receiver Carlos Hernandez leads the nation in receptions, but he is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game. Why has he been so productive, and what impact would it have if he can’t play Saturday?
---4. answer: Kontul notes that when Hernandez came over from Washington State with Dickert he did not play well early in 2025 and even got benched for a while. But he played well late in the 2025 season and has continued that in 2026.
“The big thing is yards after the catch with Hernandez,” Kontul said. “He’s been able to make plays with the ball. The first several weeks it was hard for anyone to tackle him; his elusiveness; his speed.”
If Hernandez can’t play Saturday, Wake Forest will have to go to other players, such as Jack Foley, who had a big game against North Carolina State last week, with eight receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown . The Deacons will have to rely more on the running game.
“You’ll see a lot less of an explosive Wake offense, I think, if Hernandez is out,” Kontul said.
---5. Wake Forest defensive end has Langston Hardy has 9.5 tackles for loss this season, but he is also listed as questionable for Saturday. What impact will it have if he can’t play?
---5. answer: “This season all the success Wake has had defensively has really started with the defensive line,” Kontul said.
Hardy had perhaps his best game as a Wake Forest player last week against North Carolina State, according to Dickert. Hardy benefits from the fact that the other defensive end, Gabe Kirschke, is an effective player with 5.5 tackles for loss this season.
“He’s just a hard guy to guard off the edge,” Kontul said of Hardy. “He’s really quick. He gets off with a head of steam and he is just really able to make big plays in the backfield. . . . If he can’t play it would be really damaging for the defense.”
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