Wake Forest's football media guide touts John Stone as "the fastest man in the ACC." While many players claim blazing speed, Stone can back his school's assertion. He won the ACC 100- and 200-meter sprints in 1999 and was a member of the Deacons' record-setting all-football 4x100 relay team.
In addition to his exploits on the track, Stone brings his speed to the Deacon football team as a wide receiver. The junior from Somers Point, N.J., has contributed this season both as receiver and as a dangerous kick returner.
Stone came to Wake Forest with intentions of making an impact on the football and track teams. So far, he hasn't disappointed.
"Wake's track team is predominantly known for distance" runners, Stone said. "When they offered me a scholarship for football, they told me I could be a main sprinter, so that was an influence. Coach [Jim] Caldwell also doesn't mind football players running track."
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Before this season, Stone had made his athletic mark mostly on the track. He holds the Wake Forest indoor records in the 200-meter run (21.52 seconds) and the long jump (23 feet, 11.75 inches).
Stone's track success isn't bad for someone who only picked up the sport in high school because of his football coach.
"I just started running track in high school because our football coach was the track coach," Stone said. "I had heard if you wanted to play football, you had to run track."
While track speed doesn't always translate to the football field, Stone retains his quickness in pads, crediting it to his hard work on the field, on the track and in the weight room.
"In track, your main focus is getting faster," Stone said. "One of the things I try to do is try to translate track speed onto the football field. There is a difference between track speed and football speed: running in your pads."
This season, Stone has made a large impact for the Deacons on the kickoff return team. He has returned 10 kickoffs for 305 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown against Appalachian State in the season opener. The touchdown was the second of his career on a kickoff return, the first coming last season on a 99-yard return against Duke. He also scored on a 15-yard reverse last season against Army.
Stone's sprinter's speed may be best utilized on the football field on kickoff returns, where a player gets a chance to get up to full speed and, if he finds a seam, outrun the defense.
"Basically, we have three or four set plays," Stone said. "I just trust the guys in front of me blocking and find the hole. The coaches give me the freedom to run to daylight, pick and choose the best way to go."
Stone also has five catches for 58 yards this season. However, this week he has to adjust to a new quarterback, true freshman Anthony Young, who will be making his first career start Saturday against Virginia. Sophomore starter C.J. Leak suffered ligament damage to his left knee in the Deacons' game against Clemson and is out for the season.
"We haven't done a whole lot of passing and we really tried to trim some things down when C.J. was in," Caldwell said. "He was young and with Anthony we're now starting over again."
Stone said he is confident that Young can replace Leak's production.
"He's a real good athlete," Stone said. "Obviously he's a freshman and he has a lot to learn, but he has a good arm and he's learning the system well. He's picking up where C.J. left off"
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