Sports > August 28, 2008

By Matt Six and Martin Rickman | Staff writers

When the ACC expanded to 12 teams, it was assumed that the top dogs would be Miami, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Clemson. But in the three years since the ACC Championship has been instituted, Florida State won the Atlantic in the first year, and Wake and Boston College have won the other two years, defying expectations.

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Atlantic

When the ACC expanded to 12 teams, it was assumed that the top dogs would be Miami, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Clemson.

But in the three years since the ACC Championship has been instituted, Florida State won the Atlantic in the first year, and Wake and Boston College have won the other two years, defying expectations.

Pundits attribute the parity to an overall drop in quality in the conference, but a more accurate assessment would be that although teams like Miami and Florida State have been down, other teams — BC, Wake, and even at times Maryland and last year’s Virginia Cavaliers — have merely risen their recruiting and their level of play.

This echoes significantly in this year’s Atlantic division, which is wide open.

Although Clemson is the heavy and popular favorite to start the season with their returning starters and offensive firepower, this division is up for grabs, with Wake Forest and Maryland, as well as Florida State, all vying for a title run.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Predicted Finish: First

Call it bias, but the Deacons have the best opportunity to win the very strong Atlantic division.

They will have a hard time replacing long-time anchor and team leader Steve Justice on the offensive line, but this is what Head Coach Jim Grobe plans for when he redshirts his freshmen.

The offensive line is a bit thin, but the first stringers are as talented as any Grobe has ever had.

Replacing Kenny Moore and his ACC-record 98 receptions last year will also be tough, but the Deacs have a strong receiving core in Jordan Williams, DJ Boldin, Marshall Williams and Chip Brinkman.

The defense is where the Deacs truly shine behind superstars Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith.

They lead a defense with depth and stars on the line, and in the secondary.

The Deacons, much like the Tigers, control their own destiny this season as their schedule is a bit weak, but the showdown on Oct. 9 against Clemson is easily the most important game of the season. The Deacons will also be tested at Florida State on Sept. 20, against Navy Sept. 27 and at Maryland Oct. 18.

The ACC title is in their sights, but they cannot allow the added hype and the expectations to force them into overlooking any opponent this season.

Clemson Tigers

Predicted Finish: Second

Everyone expects Clemson to win the ACC handily.

This is the same story every year — Clemson has the tools, the power and the playmakers, but they have blown their opportunities the past few times.

Last year their destiny was in their hands.

They hosted Boston College late in the season in a game broadcast on national television.

Clemson’s ACC Championship hopes were alive and well, but then the Tigers saw their Orange Bowl chances slip away.

Clemson’s year comes down to three huge games — a home game against Alabama to start the year, another home game to end the year against South Carolina and an Oct. 9 showdown at Wake Forest that will probably determine the division.

The Tigers’ ACC schedule outside of the game at BB&T Field in October is very manageable and the Tigers will be at least a 10 win team this year.

If they fail to win the ACC this season Tiger fans will be very unhappy.

Maryland Terrapins

Predicted Finish: Third

Ralph Friedgen saw his job in jeopardy after finishing under .500 again last season, but he quickly addressed this by completely overhauling his team — giving offensive coordinator duties to James Franklin and implementing a 3-3-5 defense.

All of this could fail miserably, but Maryland has the size, depth and talent to prove otherwise.

Running backs Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball along with linebacker Erin Henderson were key losses for the Terps.

September 13 is an important showdown with California, and then the Terps go to Death Valley, host Wake Forest and travel to Virgina Tech. That is a difficult schedule.

Look for wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and tight end Dan Gronkowski to be the main offensive targets.

Friedgen is motivated for success this season and if the defense can improve and Franklin can pick the right quarterback between Jordan Steffy and Chris Turner, the Terps will be the surprise story of the Atlantic Division.

Florida State Seminoles

Predicted Finish: Fourth

Florida State has a tough road this year.

A huge academic scandal last year leaves a boatload of players suspended for the first three games and many other players have either transferred, were ruled academically ineligible or have had trouble with the law.

Quarterback Xavier Lee was asked to switch positions and simply left the team (Lee has since signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a TE).

Florida State never has a lack of athletic ability; it is harnessing that skill and keeping it out of trouble that has caused headaches for the Seminole faithful. Still, don’t sleep on Florida State.

Their schedule includes Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Florida.

Wide receiver Greg Carr will lead the offense while safety Myron Rolle, linebacker Dekoda Watson and defensive lineman Markus White anchor the defense. Despite numerous key losses, this is a dangerous team.

Boston College Eagles

Predicted Finish: Fifth

Despite losing the incredibly gifted quarterback Matt Ryan to the NFL, Boston College has the chance to be sneaky-good this year.

One thing former head coach Tom O’Brien left Jeff Jagodzinski with last season was depth, and Jagodzinski parlayed that depth into 11 wins.

The biggest question is how to fill the holes at quarterback and running back after the departure of Andre Callender and L.V. Whitworth.

Chris Crane will take over at quarterback and Josh Haden earned the running back spot.

Tight end Ryan Purvis and defensive ends B.J. Raji and Alex Albright are also key components to the Eagles’ success.

The Eagles’ defensive front and the wide reciever position are definite strengths.

Jagodzinski has his hands full, but Boston College could potentially play the roll of spoiler.

The Eagles play their annual game against Notre Dame, hosting them Nov. 8.

NC State Wolfpack

Predicted Finish: Sixth

Head Coach Tom O’Brien won a lot of games in his tenure at Boston College, but he ran into a maelstrom of injuries and turnovers in his first season at the helm of the Wolfpack.

This season, if State can stay healthy and solve the questions at the quarterback position and in the offensive line, the team should have enough weapons offensively and defensively to have a solid season.

Look for running backs Jamelle Eugene and Andre Brown to have good seasons splitting time.

Wide receiver Donald Bowens and defensive end Willie Young are also key players for the Wolfpack.

Losing linebackers LaRue Rumph, Ernest Jones and James Martin II will be difficult.

Unfortunately for N.C. State, the Atlantic division is a lot tougher than the Coastal division this season.

O’Brien’s squad has a shot at six wins and a bowl invitation.

Coastal

The ACC Coastal Division is filled with uncertainties entering the 2008 season.

Will the Hokies continue with a two quarterback system, rotating between veteran Sean Glennon and speedster Tyrod Taylor?

For Miami, how will redshirt freshmen quarterback Robert Marve perform against ACC competition?

Will the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets effectively execute the innovative triple-option offense that former Navy coach Paul Johnson implemented this season?

How will Virginia respond after losing star Defensive End Chris Long to the draft and Quarterback Jameel Sewell to academic issues?

Can David Cutcliffe breathe new life into the downtrodden Duke Blue Devils?

Will UNC-Chapel Hill compete for an ACC Title with 19 returning starters?

It is time to take an in-depth look at the ACC Coastal Division.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Predicted Finish: First

Let’s begin the preview with the perennial champion, Virginia Tech. The defending ACC Champs only have 10 returning starters, losing all four starting wide receivers and starting running back Branden Ore.

Cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris is one of the top corners in the nation, and the coaching staff plans to utilize him on the offensive side of the ball this season.

Harris will play without star corner Brandon Flowers, so opposing quarterbacks will likely look away from Harris and pick on inexperienced corner Rashad Carmichael.

In addition to losing Flowers, the Hokie defense loses playmakers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi.

The defensive line losses three starters from a unit that ranked fifth in rush defense.

Despite these loses, many feel Virginia Tech can overcome them on their way to their second consecutive Coastal Division title.

Look for Kenny Lewis and Darren Evans to gather substantial yardage at the running back position behind a veteran offensive line.

It will be interesting to see which wide receiver will step up and become a leading target for Glennon and Taylor. Tight End Greg Boone had an impressive spring.

On the defensive side, look for Macho Harris, Safety Kam Chancellor, Linebacker Cam Martin and Defensive End Orion Martin to lead a talented but inexperienced unit.

Combine a talented, well-coached team with an opportunistic schedule (avoiding Clemson and Wake Forest in the Atlantic Division) and you have a formula for a second consecutive Coastal Division Crown.

Miami Hurricanes

Predicted Finish: Second

Miami features one of the top running backs in the conference in Javarris James.

James suffered a neck injury last season, but now he returns healthy and ready to lead his team and prove himself.

During his freshmen year, James rushed for an impressive 802 yards.

He also accumulated 200 receiving yards.

His cousin, Edgerrin James, is the starting running back for the Arizona Cardinals.

James looks to have a breakout season, especially considering the volatile situation at quarterback.

Robert Marve was named the starting quarterback against Charleston Southern; however, he was arrested and will be suspended for the season opener. Jacory Harris will start in his place, and he impressed in spring practice.

Miami will field a good defensive unit this season, led by linebackers Glenn Cook and Colin McCarthy. The defensive line is anchored by Eric Moncur, who led the Canes in sacks last season.

In his second season, Head Coach Randy Shannon has the talent in place to make a run in the Coastal Division, especially on the defense.

Miami should look to Wake Forest’s 2006 season as a recipe to success. Miami parallels the 2006 Wake team in that they will adopt a run-first mentality with a redshirt freshman at the helm, and ultimately the low-scoring games will be won by the defense.

Look for Miami to succeed if they adopt a run-first mentality, taking pressure off the inexperienced quarterbacks and allowing their experienced defense to win them games.

UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels

Predicted Finish: Third

Many national sports reporters have predicted UNC to compete for – and even win – the ACC Championship game in Tampa, Fla. However, the Tar Heels finished a lowly 4-8 last season.

However, they return this year with19 starters. The offense looks to improve on an unimpressive season with returning starter TJ Yates at quarterback. Yates’ favorite target is wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, one of the best wide receivers in the conference. Nicks reeled in 74 passes last season.

The offensive line looks solid with four returning starters.

Like the offense, the defense returns after an unimpressive season but returns with nearly all of its starters. The linebacker corps should be much-improved.

Free safety Deunta Williams is the star of the defense, as he was named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

However, the Tar Heels have too many question marks to make a run at the ACC Championship title.

Will TJ Yates improve after tossing 18 interceptions? Also, who will replace starting kicker Connor Barth?

Barth had a great leg for the Tar Heels, and a good kicker is pivotal in a tight game.

Look for UNC-Chapel Hill to have a 5-3 record in the Coastal Division, tying Miami for second but falling to third in the division after a loss at Miami.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Predicted Finish: Fourth

The Yellow Jackets are the wild card team of the Coastal Division, and they should be very entertaining to watch on offense.

They bring in one of the best offensive minds in Paul Johnson, former head coach at Navy. Even the best defenses have trouble defending Johnson’s signature triple-option attack.

Will Georgia Tech learn the new offensive scheme in the first year of implementation?

QB Josh Nesbitt is a perfect fit for the new scheme with his exceptional speed and running ability. Running back Jonathan Dwyer is ready to fill the shoes of Tashard Choice.

The receiving corps is a question mark, but the new triple-option scheme does not rely on having star receivers.

The Yellow Jackets return a capable defensive line, but the rest of the defense is inexperienced.

Combine that inexperience on the defensive side with a difficult schedule (playing Clemson, FSU and BC in the Atlantic Division) and a run at a Coastal Division Title is not foreseeable.

Virginia Cavaliers

Predicted Finish: Fifth

The loss of Jameel Sewell and Chris Long will be difficult for the Cavaliers to overcome.

However, the Cavaliers will field a solid running back in Cedric Peerman, who was sidelined midway through last season with an injury. Peerman led the conference in rushing before he was sidelined.

Another key player returning from an injury will be wide receiver Kevin Ogletree. He will be the main target for quarterback Pete Lalich, who will assume the leadership role in the Cavalier offense.

Defensively, the team loses 21 sacks with the departure of Chris Long and Jeff Fitzgerald. Undoubtedly the strength of the defense is the linebackers, led by Jon Copper and Clint Sintim.

The line will need to step up and generate a strong pass rush for the secondary, or else it will be a long season for the University of Virginia football team.

The Cavs need to handle Duke in their ACC opener, or else they may plummet to doormat status in the Coastal Division.

Duke Blue Devils

Predicted Finish: Sixth

Ah, the resurgence of Duke football. Comparing the ACC Coastal contest to the Democratic Nomination contest, Duke is equivalent to Alaska senator Mike Gravel.

Both are making a lot of noise in the offseason, but they clearly have no shot at winning their respective competition.

David Cutcliffe drew a lot of attention during the offseason. He was seen at Cameron Indoor Stadium with the Manning brothers, reminding spectators that he coached Eli at Mississippi.

Cutcliffe’s no-huddle offensive scheme should be entertaining, but Eli will not be leading the team to victories.

Duke does return arguably the best receiver in the conference with Eron Riley, who accumulated nine touchdowns last season. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis returns after an encouraging season.

The defense returns 10 starters, including Michael Tauiliili. However, their secondary ranked 101st in the nation in pass efficiency defense and yielded a 64 percent completion rate to opposing quarterbacks.

Furthering the woes of the Duke football team is the kicking game. Joe Surgan and Nick Maggio combined for 3-10 on field goals. This duo will not help Duke in close games.