It's time to usher in a new era at Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons seemed to take a step forward a few seasons ago with Rick Rembielak in charge. But the last two seasons ended in disappointment and the Deacons decided to make a change this past summer.

That decision led them to former New Orleans coach Tom Walter.

Walter experienced some success at George Washington before turning New Orleans into a winner and guiding them to a pair of NCAA regional appearances.

Walter is known as an excellent teacher and has guided some programs in challenging areas to the postseason. That should count for something.

The Demon Deacons have much work to do to become a consistent player for the ACC crown, but Walter definitely has the credentials to get the job done.

How soon is the question.

Wake Forest's five fall keys

1. Learn the Walter way -- The new Wake Forest coach has experienced a wealth of success with every program he has been a part of. We expect the same to hold true in Winston-Salem, N.C. There's no question the Demon Deacons have a plethora of holes to fill before they can consistently compete for NCAA regional appearances. But there's also a chance that gap is narrower than expected. Walter is one of the nation's best teachers and it will be important for his new players to learn and listen this fall. The quicker they grasp his system the quicker the program can get back on its feet.

2. Fix the pitching staff -- The Demon Deacons are in trouble if Zach White and Austin Stadler don't continue this fall where they left off last season. White and Stadler compiled respectable numbers, but the rest of the pitching staff struggled to say the least. The Demon Deacons finished last season with a dismal 7.30 ERA. Wake Forest will have a tough time winning more than 22 contests in 2010 with those numbers.

3. Build a more productive offense -- The Demon Deacons finished last season with a .284 batting average and would love to improve their production this fall. The Deacons will miss leading hitter Weldon Woodall, but welcome back Steven Brooks, Mike Murray, Austin Stadler and Carlos Lopez. Brooks hit .313 with five homers and 30 RBIs last season, Murray hit .306 with six homers and 37 RBIs, Stadler hit .279 with two homers and 24 RBIs and Lopez hit .268 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs. The offense may need to have a huge '10 campaign for the Demon Deacons to make any strides.

4. Improve team defense -- Wake Forest finished last season with unimpressive numbers at the plate and especially on the mound. But the Demon Deacons also mightily struggled in the field. They finished last season with a .951 fielding percentage. You can bet new coach Tom Walter noticed that number right off the bat this past summer. I'd look for the Demon Deacons to make huge strides in the defensive department this fall.

5. Find a true ace pitcher -- The pitching staff won't fix their woes from last season in just one campaign, but the Demon Deacons can take some pressure off the situation with the development of a true staff ace. Austin Stadler and Zach White both have the ability to fill that role, but are far from being considered legitimate ACC ace pitchers. That needs to change between now and the spring if Wake wants to make a quick statement.