This will be the first in a series of very early looks at the BCS Conferences and what they may have to offer this season: In alphabetical order, so we lead off with the ACC.
Atlantic:
1. Florida State. A no brainer here. With 17 returning starters, all the 'Noles need do is develop a good QB and Florida State should cruise in this division. Many think the E.J. Manuel is that QB. A schedule with no Va. Tech or North Carolina on it, and N.C. State and Maryland at home make Florida State the easy pick here. The toughest game they may have could be against Oklahoma. Loook for N.C. asperations here.
2. North Carolina State. The Wolfpack finally got ontrack last season, and finished the year with 9 wins. To repeat that success, N.C. State's QB Wilson will have to depend on some new WR's as the pack loses 3. The defense must find replacements on the line. Still, with a schedule that is very user frinedly, look for the possibility of 10 wins for the Pack this season.
3. Maryland. New H.C. Randy Edsel inherits a team that shocked everyone last season with 9 wins. This year promises to be more difficult, with the loss of RB Scott, two WR's and two LB's. The schedule promises to be a lot tougher also, with games at Florida State, North Carolina State, and Georgia Tech, plus a game in Landover with Notre Dame. Maryland should be bowl bound, but 9 wins is a lot to ask this season.
4. Wake Forest. The Deacons had a very poor 2010, but return 9 starters on offense, and 8 on defense. H.C. Grobe has done very well with teams like this, who fly under the radar. The schedule is difficult, but look for Wake to surprise a few teams.
5. Boston College. This team needs to find some scoring punch, now that the defense is losing 5 starters. The offense must replace 3 on the line. The schedule is very tough, with games at Notre Dame, Va. Tech, and Miami, plus the Atlantic rivals. Perhaps their opener against Northwestern will tell us a lot.
6. Clemson. This may be a very tough year for H.C. Swinney, whose team finished a disappointing 6-7 last season. With QB parker and three others gone on offense, and 6 gone on defense incoudling most of the LB and secondary corps, Clemson has a lot of holes to fill in. Add on a killer schedule that includes games against Auburn and at South Carolina, N.C. State and Virginia Tech, and it could be a very long year for Dabo.
word on the street down here in North Carolina State is that Wilson will not be back. Irving made our whole defense. We could regress back to our 08 form.
I think a lot of the hype on FSU is a bit unwarranted. They are returning a lot of starters, but like you said Manuel is the question mark. I'm not saying they won't win the Atlantic, but NC may be a bit much.
I continue with the ACC. A look at the Coastal Division, which promises to be a lot closer than last year's race.
Coastal:
1. Virginia Tech. Why? Because they get the most back on defense. They take major hits on the offense, losing QB Taylor and RB Williams, but so does everyone else in the Coastal. They do have experience on the the offensive line. They also get a very cozy conference schedule, avoiding Florida State, and North Carolina State.
2. North Carolina. They also lose QB Yates, and a lot of seniors, but they were racked by suspensions last season and lots of players got plenty of playing time because of this. They also avoid Florida State, and have a favorable non-con schedule. The fact that so many players got quality playing time is an advantage for UNC.
3. Miami. New HC Muschamp has a QB controversy on his hands. Jacory Harris has proven ineffective in crunch time. A lot of skill players on offense graduate. The loss of LB Brandon Harris does not help. The schedule is very tough with a non-con game against Ohio State minus 5 starters, and away games at Florida State, UNC, and Va. Tech. Still, if the QB situation can resolve itself, Miami could well be a contender in this wide open division.
4. Georgia Tech. Josh Nesbitt and Anthony Allen are gone. So are 6 out of the 7 starters in the defensive LB corps and secondary. Tech's problem is that they are too one dementional on offense. Johnson has to open up his passing game. The schedule is doable. Tech's success will rest solely on the shoulders of their new QB's arm, and legs.
5. Virginia. This team had it's moments last season, and does not get hit real hard by graduation. They still lose QB Verica, but litle else on offense. DE Parr left early, but the defense still returns 8 starters. The big question is consistancy. Virginia defeated Miami last season, but lost every other conference game. Virginia still has a lot of growing up to do. They will improve, but not enough to challenge in the ACC Coastal.
6. Duke. Duke returns their starting QB and 6 others on the offense. The problem is that their offense did not play very well most of the time last season. The defense loses 5 of their front 7. Duke managed only three wins last season. Their is room for improvment, but anything over 4 wins will be a major accomplishment.
I've learned over the year's never to underestimate Virginia Tech. Beamer and his staff are as good as anyone for getting the most out of their players. He recruits to his system and it has paid off for a long time.
Defense should be back to Tech's standard in 2011. Last season they were young and went through some growing pains.
Someone name me a better defensive coordinator than is at Virginia Tech. Alabama, Georgia and others have tried to hire the man and he remains loyal to Beamer and Virginia Tech.
I love this guy...great work, great loyality to his school.
It should be Va. Tech and Florida State in the Championship game. Florida State should be a one loss team going into that game. I can't say the same about Va. Tech, who just cannot get fired up at the beginning of the season. The good news is that Va. Tech plays a cream puff non-con schedule.
They have a killer schedule, are coming off a disappointing season, and lose a lot of key players. It is not easy picking teams like Wake over Clemson, but a bad start may ruin the season for Clemson.
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Very Early Looks: ACC Atlantic.
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