Head Coach Jim Grobe is in his second season at Wake Forest with a record of 7-7. Prior to coaching WF Grobe was the Head Coach at Ohio University (MAC) and compiled a 33-33-1 record over six season. Coach Grobe is 1-4 against the Big Ten, defeating Minnesota 23-17 September 9, 2000 at Minneapolis. Coach Grobe was Linebacker Coach at Air Force (WAC) when Coach Tiller was Head Coach at Wyoming (WAC). They met four times, 1991-94, Wyoming won three games and Air Force won once. Wyoming outscored Air Force by 145 to 104 in the four games. Wake Forest Defensive Line Coach Ray McCartney's coaching experience includes 5 seasons, 1989-94, at Ball State. Purdue defeated Ball State in 1994 41-29.

Offensively, WF has totaled 674 yards rushing and 475 yards passing for the first three games of 2002. They uses a no-huddle offense with one, two, or three backs. No WF back has rushed for 100 yards in a game this season. Wide Receiver Fabian Davis was the leading rusher in North Carolina State game with 55 yards on three carries. Davis also returns kickoffs and punts. He is currently 24th in the nation for All-Purpose Running: 159 yards rushing; 139 yards receiving; 129 yards punt returns; 39 yards kickoff returns; averaging 155.33 yards per game; averaging 15.03 yards per play. Short yardage back Ovie Mughelli weighs 248 pounds (body fat percentage unknown) and has 5 touchdowns this season. Senior QB James MacPherson has appeared in 22 games and has 14 career starts. MacPherson's career passing are: 258-477 (54 percent); 3,306 yards; 10 touchdowns; 17 interceptions.

Wake Forest usually uses a 3-3-5 defensive scheme. All of the linemen weigh around 270 pounds. Senior DE Calvin Pace is the most experienced with 24 career starts. For his career Pace has 22 sacks and 37.5 tackles for loss for a total of 321 yards. Of the nine players listed on the depth chart as linebacker, only three weigh more than 218 pounds. Linebacker Dion Williams was the leading tackler against North Carolina State with 7 solos, 1 assist, and 1 tackle for loss.