Former Auburn and South Carolina quarterback takes over as Demon Deacons’ leader
Wake Forest has its quarterback. After a tightly contested fall camp battle, Robby Ashford has been named the Demon Deacons’ starter, Deacons Illustrated’s Conor O’Neill first reported Sunday. The move gives Wake Forest a proven dual-threat signal caller with experience across the SEC, now stepping into the ACC spotlight.
Ashford’s career has been anything but ordinary.
First, he arrived at Oregon as a four-star recruit in 2020, but never saw the field before transferring. Then came Auburn, where he made nine starts in 2022 and was named the Tigers’ Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 1,613 yards and rushing for 710 more. He flashed game-breaking ability but struggled with consistency, throwing seven interceptions that season.
Next stop: South Carolina. Ashford played a backup role in 2024, but quietly improved. He completed 23 of 32 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 227 yards and two more scores. Importantly, he avoided turnovers, a sign of growth.
Now, he lands at Wake Forest with a chance to stabilize a program searching for a steadying force at signal-caller. His debut comes Friday night against Kennesaw State on the ACC Network, where fans will get their first glimpse at whether his experience and resilience can finally translate into long-term success.
Ashford has traveled a winding road. Now, he has the keys.
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