Wake Forest is finally catching a break after a miserable start to its basketball season. Freshman point guard  Tony Chennault will make his return from a broken left foot on Wednesday at Georgia Tech, the school announced Wednesday afternoon.

Chennault broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot in the Demon Deacons’ season opener against Stetson on Nov. 12. He is the only true point guard on the Wake roster and the Deacons have struggled the first half of this season.

Chennault missed much of the preseason with a stress reaction in the foot. After the season-opening injury, Chennault had surgery Nov. 15.

“To his credit, here is a young man who is not in optimum shape who hasn’t even gone through a full week of practice, who hasn’t even run some of the plays we’re running, has gotten zero reps with certain things,” Wake Forest head coach Jeff Bzdelik said in a statement. “But he is so unselfish and so team-oriented that he knows he can just help us in spot minutes as he continues to get in shape and continues to learn.

“He’s put his pride aside for the well-being of this team. And that is a great testimony to his leadership and what he’s going to bring to the future of this program in a huge way.”

Chennault, from Philadelphia, had six points and three assists in 13 minutes in the season opener against Stetson.

Wake Forest is at Georgia Tech Wednesday at 7 p.m.  The Deacons are 0-3 in ACC play and 7-11 overall.

Ron Rivera, the new coach of Charlotte’s Panthers, is confusing to me. I’ve heard that he doesn’t interview well for jobs and that’s why he hasn’t gotten a head coaching job until now. By all accounts, he did well at his press conference and by all accounts, former players like him and see him as a great motivator.

He supposedly didn’t get along with Bears coach Lovie Smith. In fact, there were reports that the two had to be separated from a physical altercation. Rivera, despite many Bears fans preferring him over Smith, got the ax in Chicago a few years ago.

Rivera is certainly a solid defensive coach but, as Redskins fans know, Jim Zorn was a solid offensive coach too. It doesn’t always translate to being a good head coach.

Rivera may turn out to be a solid pick but many Panther fans (after four straight defensive-minded coaches hired as the head man) understandably would have liked a higher-profile, offensive-minded guy like Harbaugh (who wasn’t considered).

Perhaps Rivera can put together a good staff to get the offense moving again. (Names floating around for offensive coordinator are Rob Chudzinski, Marc Trestman and Ron Turner.)

While I would like to see Russ Grimm get a head coaching job somewhere, insiders speak highly of Rivera and he’ll have a young team to mold. It doesn’t take as long to turn NFL teams around anymore so anything is possible. And, remember, the Panthers have the first pick.

Ron Rivera won the press conference Tuesday. He spoke of how his Panthers players have to conduct themselves appropriately off the field, how his Latino heritage was a source of pride, and how his life in a military family – his father served for 32 years – helped shape him with a sense of determination and disciplline.

Perhaps most significantly, though, he spoke of bringing a tough level of play to the Panthers. Carolina has sought that from the beginning, from Dom Capers to George Seifert to John Fox and now Rivera. It’s no accident every Panthers coach has come up on the defensive side.

“I’d like to be an aggressive, physical football team,” Rivera said, his voice rising. He expressed disdain for players who want to hit with their helmets and be otherwise fundamentally unsound. “I want to get back to tackling. I want to have a physical, no nonsense, get the job done identity.

“I think that’s important. I saw tape of the [Panthers] guys trying to give their best. I was pleasantly surprised.”

Still, Carolina was far from being a dominant team last season. The defense just doesn’t have many great players, and an offense that once could grind it out with the running game just floundered.

Rivera spoke highly of his new players. He described the offensive line as “solid,” praised Steve Smith’s abilities, said he was impressed by the young receivers and of course liked the talent and depth at running back. He also said Jimmy Clausen would get the early nod as the starter, although the new offensive coordinator and new quarterbacks coach would have input.

For a man who had been passed over for multiple jobs in the past, Rivera showed a sense of command and assurance. The toughness angle was significant – the Panthers aren’t going to turn into the NFL’s version of the Oregon Ducks.

But don’t make a mistake about this – Ron Rivera has a tough job with a franchise long on hope and short on talent.

N.C. State finished 25th in the final AP poll, which came on Tuesday morning. That finish completes what was a turnaround year for the Wolfpack, which finished 9-4 and won its bowl game.

Finishing in the rankings will help for next year. Voters tend to remember who got votes and who did not, and if Russell Wilson returns, the Pack could be formidable. State plays South Alabama, Central Michigan and Liberty at home, with a road game at Cincinnati. The Pack should win three, and possibly four, of those.

The ACC, after a poor year overall, still finished the 2010 season with four teams in the rankings. The highest was just No. 15 Virginia Tech (which finished 11-3),  followed by No. 17 Florida State (10-4) and No. 23 Maryland (9-4).

By the way, isn’t it ridiculous to see Oregon lose on the last play of the game in the national title game and fall to third in the rankings? Does anyone really think No. 2 TCU, which played a weak schedule and squeezed by Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, would beat Oregon?

Of course not. Oregon clearly is the second-best team in the country.