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 over his career. He has played at South Carolina, Auburn and Oregon, and the 2025 season marks his final year of eligibility.
He is a notable 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 in explaining his reasoning for joining Wake Forest. "And the opportunity to come in and be the guy."
Ashford has started 11 games over his career, including South Carolina's win over Akron on Sept. 21 and 10 games at Auburn. He came to South Carolina to compete for the starting job in 2024 but was 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."