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Pete Thamel, Senior College Sports Insider
Former South Carolina quarterback Robby Ashford told ESPN that he has committed to Wake Forest, giving first-year coach Jake Dickert a veteran signal-caller for his first season there.
Ashford is a former ESPN 300 recruit from the Class of 2020 who has thrown for 2,082 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career. He’s played at South Carolina, Auburn and Oregon over his career, and this season marks his final year of eligibility.
Ashford is a notable new addition for Dickert, who is replacing longtime coach Dave Clawson and came from Washington State with a track record of helping quarterbacks be productive.
“Just what Coach Dickert is building, and his vision for the program and wanting to win now,” Ashford told ESPN. “And the opportunity to come in and be the guy.”
Ashford has started 11 games over his career, including the Akron game for South Carolina this year and 10 games in his career at Auburn. He came to South Carolina to compete for the starting job in 2024 but got beat out by LaNorris Sellers.
Ashford is a dynamic dual-threat player who has rushed for 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. Ashford told ESPN he saw Dickert’s work at Washington State, where both Cam Ward and John Mateer thrived and produced in a significant way.
“You see that, how could you not want to come to play for a coach like that?” he said.
Ashford also said he clicked with the system that will be run by new offensive coordinator Rob Ezell, who came from South Alabama. He called his fit in the system “a match made in heaven.”