ACC Football Preview #5: Wake Forest

I am an idiot. I know I am. Every year everyone, including me, picks Wake Forest to have an average year, finish about 4th or 5th in the division and maybe make a bowl game. Every year Wake Forest has good to great years and threatens to make the ACC Championship game. So this pick for them to be fifth in the Atlantic division and maybe make a bowl game is probably ridiculous.

OFFENSE

QBs: There is really nothing to write about here. Riley Skinner seems like he has been the QB at Wake for about a decade, as if this were an NFL franchise. He is extremely consistent, rarely makes the big mistake, and occasionally can win you a game as well. In his senior year I predict another good year for him, especially with Josh Adams back and fully healthy this year at the running back position to take some of the pressure off Skinner. Skinner does lose both of his top wide receiver targets from a year ago which could be a concern butalmost everyone else is back and Skinner simply usually finds a way in Grobe's system and I see no reason for that to be any different this season.

RBs: Wake has had some really good backs recently. Chris Barclay left as the all time leading rusher at Wake in 2006. Josh Adams had a great rookie year in 2007, nearly rushing for 1000 yards. Wake's running game was expected to be really good last year as Adams was back and considered one of the top backs in the ACC. Unfortunately he was injured for much of the year and could only play in spurts. Brandon Pendergrass filled in as the lead back last year after all of Adams' injuries and did a respectable job, leading the team with 528 and 5 TDs. This year should be a better year for the Deacons running game. Adams is back and fully healthy and had a great spring and fall camp. Pendergrass will provide a great 1-2 punch and the entire offensive line returns for them to run behind. A look for a potentially very big step up for the Wake Forest running game in 2o09.

WRs: Wake Forest had a very experienced receiving corps in 2008 and it was consistent. Some of the big play potential had graduated the year before (Kenny Moore) but the receivers still were consistent targets for Riley Skinner. The receivers are also used to run the ball in Grobe's offense and usually are successful when doing that. This year they lose their two starting receivers from a year ago (DJ Boldin and Chip Brinkman). This group will be less experienced but has some younger talent because Grobe does such a great job recruiting and redshirting players. Wake never seems to be very young at any position. This group probably will be slightly down from the year before, but not very much.

OL: Grobe usually does a good job of building solid offensive lines with which to run the ball in all of the creative ways that they do. Last year was a bit of an abberation from Wake as the offensive line was at times inconsistent, mostly due to their lack of experience. They had to replace four guys who had started multiple years and moved on in 2007. This year will be much different. The entire starting offensive line returns from last year and will be much more experienced. If they stay healthy this could be one of, if not the, best offensive line of the Grobe era which is saying something.

DEFENSE

DL: Grobe has played multiple defenses during his tenure at Wake, always trying to put a set on the field that plays to his defense personnel strengths of a given year. This year they might play five DL as this will be the strongest unit of their defense, which has lost a ton due to gradation this year. Three of the four starters from a year ago return and two of them will be seniors. DT Boo Robinson will get some votes for all-ACC. This will Wake's most experienced defensive front in quite a while and will have to carry the load if Wake is going to stop anybody becuase the rest of the defensive units will be replacing some serious talent.

LBs: uh-oh. Wake Forest, under Grobe, has been great at redshirting players and always having experience at every position. Not this year at linebacker. Gone are all three starters from a year ago (which just happened to be their top 3 tacklers as well). The major loss is LB Aaron Curry. He was simply a beast which is why he was a top 5 NFL pick in last April's NFL draft. He led the team in tackles with 105 with 13.5 of those being for loss. He made it very easy and covered a ton of field for the Deacons. They also lose number two tackler from last year in Stanley Arnoux who was a fourth round draft choice. The new linebackers will be upperclasmen (two juniors and a senior) and that may help some but this unit will obviously be much weaker than last year.

DBs: This unit will also be hurt this year by the departure of their top corner, maybe in school history, in Alphonso Smith. He left Wake last fall as the ACC's all-time interception leader and really shut down half the field for the Deacons most Saturdays. He was a second round draft choice in the NFL draft. They return one starter (CB Brandon Ghee) but other than that they will be breaking in three new starters this fall. They will, unlike the LBs, be young as well. The probable new starters will be two sophomores and one redshirt freshman. This unit will obviously be down a notch or two (like the LBs) with the loss of their top guy and two other starters.

OVERALL

Wake Forest, like I said earlier, always seems to surpass expectations under Grobe. This year will be tough to do that, especially defensively. They lose seven starters from a year ago, two of which that were the best in school history at their positions. They have the talent and experience on offense to score some more points this year and they will need to as the defense could be much worse. Wake will probably make a bowl game winning six or seven games but I do not see them getting past that mark this year.

ACC Football Preview #4: Boston College

Boston College has been solid if not spectacular every year for about the last decade. Tom O'Brien (now at NCSU) did a great job building a program with remarkable consistency. When he left, Jeff Jagodzinski took over and people predicted a drop-off. It did not happen however as they made the ACC Championship game both years under "Jags". He was forced out this offseason when he interviewed for an NFL job and told if he did that he would be fired. He is now the OC for the Tampa Bay Bucs and their new staff. Their great OC Steve Logan resigned after Jags left. Now Frank Sapziani takes over who has been the BC defensive coordinator the last 13 seasons.

OFFENSE

QBs: Everyone now knows the name Matt Ryan. He graduated two years ago as the school's third all-time passer and lit it up last year as a rookie for the Atlanta Falcons. Last year a huge dropoff was predicted in this position (obviously). While there was a dropoff, it was not as big as expected because Chris Crane came in, along with Dominique Davis, did a decent enough job to at least lead their team back to the ACC Championship game. Their numbers were way down but they managed the games well enough. This year Crane is gone and Davis returns. He can only improve with another years' experience but he will be in a new system with a new OC and have to learn a new set of plays. I predict a small increase in production.

RBs: Boston College has had a decent running game almost every year because they usually have quality o-line play. However, they have not had a 1000 yard rusher since 2003. That is mainly due to the fact that they had a couple of decent backs who split carries fairly easily. Last year looked to be a loss in the backfield as they lost their top 2 guys from the year before and did not have a lot returning. However, they got great production out of true frosh Montel Harris who finished with 900 yds. and 5 TDs. This year he returns for his sophomore year along with sophomore Josh Haden, who was highly touted out of high school. I predict for them to have more production running the football and for Harris to break the 1000 yard barrier for the Eagles.

WRs: Last year was a tough year for the receivers at BC because of inconsistent QB play at times. The leading receiver was Brandon Robinson with only 646 yds. and 3 TDs. This year he is gone but they do return two guys with starting experience in Justin Jarvis and Rich Gunnell. They are both seniors and should have decent years but there is usually a reason they haven't seen a ton of significant time before their senior years and that is because they usually don't have elite level talent. Losing Robinson hurts and I predict a slight dropoff in production this year from the receivers especially with the less than ideal situation at QB.

OL: BC was known for producing great OLs throughout O'Brien's tenure and most of those guys continued to play well under Jags. This should be another good year along the offensive front barring injuries as four starters return from the year before. This unit not only has experience but also has talent. Some people think Anthony Castonzo could be an all-time great by the time he is done. This should be a very bright spot for the Eagles this fall and should be their best overall offensive line in the past few years.

DEFENSE

DL: The Eagles DL last year was one of, if not the best DL in the ACC a year ago. Raji and Brace formed a formidable duo at both stopping the run and rushing the passer. This year they lose both of these guys (Raji a first round draft choice and Brace a second rounder). They do have three guys coming back that have had starting experience but will have a dip in production from last year losing those two top guys.

LBs: It was thought that this year would be a great year for the BC linebacking corps. They were returning Mark Herzlich who most think is the best LB in the ACC. They also were getting back Mike McLaughin, who had to sit out last year with an injury. Unfortuantely they received horrible news in the offseason that Herzlich had developed a rare cancer in his knees and his football career may be over (probably the least of his worries however). While football doesn't matter and his health is the first priority, it does seriously hurt the BC linebackers this fall. Losing a guy of his caliber is impossible to replace and they will probably use a couple of guys to try and fill some of the gap. McLaughin will be back and is a good player but BC will no longer have one of the best LB corps in the ACC as most thought.

DBs: BC looked as if it should have taken a dropoff in pass defense last year as they lost their first team All-American safety from the year before as well as one other starter but surprisingly had a better year than the year before. They allowed only 9 TD passes compared to 26 INTs. This was probably, at least partly, due to the great DL that provided a consistent pass rush and run stop that allowed a lot of long down and distances. Having a great D coordinator also helps. This year they have three starters returning from the year before and this should be another good secondary. However, they will have to do a better job of covering as they will not have near as much help from the front 7 as last year.

OVERALL

BC made a good hire in retaining Frank Spaziani and promoting him to head coach. This at least allows for some continuity within the program as he will now be the third head coach in the last four years. He has brought in his own staffof Gary Tranquill as OC (lots of experience) and Bill McGovern as DC (LB coach at BC the past 9 years). They have 14 starters returning which is nice but I don't see this as the same team of the past few years. They will win enough games to make a bowl but while Spaziani may be a slight upgrade at HC, I think both coordinators from last year were better. BC will probably win 7 or 8 games but will not be a major player in the ACC race this year.

ACC Football Preview #3: NC State

NC State is in their third year under Tom O'Brien and are starting to see the fruits of their patience under O'Brien. This certainly looks to be their best team during this three year tenure and one that could compete, with a couple of breaks, for the ACC Atlantic division title.

OFFENSE

QBs: Since Philip Rivers, NCSU has been plagued by mediocre quarterback play. It appeared that was going to be the case last year as well as Russell Wilson was not impressive in the opener, got knocked out of the game, and missed parts of the next few with injuries. At mid season however, Wilson started to light it up and finished the year as the best quarterback in the ACC. He won Offensive rookie of the year as a redshirt freshman with an amazing 17-1 TD/INT ratio. He threw for 1955 yards and ran for 388 more. The most impressive thing about Wilson, besides his amazing arm strength, are his great intelligence and instincts. He never throws interceptions forcing passes (many times throwing the ball out of bounds if nothing is there) and can make plays and keep plays alive with his legs. If he stays healthy he will be my pick for ACC POY and should have a great sophomore season. His athleticism and intelligence are a dangerous combination. Mike Glennon will back Wilson up and was a top 3 QB recruit coming out of high school 2 years ago. If Wilson does get banged up (which is likely with the style he plays) NCSU fans should feel much more confident with Glennon in the back-up role, especially if he lives up to his high school hype.

RBs: NC State is looking to build a solid running game year in and year out as O'Brien is known for developing great offensive lines which allow you to run the ball. Last year the running game showed promise at times but was hampered by injuries (as it seemed every unit was last year). Andre Brown led with 767 yds. and 7 TDs and he is now in the NFL. Jamelle Eugene returns and was #2 last year with 442. Adding improvement to the backfield will be rFr Brandon Barnes, a top 10 high school recruit a year ago. He boasts great speed. Curtis Underwood also has impressed. Toney Baker also returns as a sixth year senior who has battled injuries much of his career after being a decorated high school recruit. If he can produce at a relatively high level to go with Eugene and Barnes, NCSU could have a very good year running the football.

WR: NC State had a speedy receiving corps a year ago but a very young one that was plagued with drop passes. Owen Spencer returns and is a great deep threat (22.3 yds. per catch last year) but he struggled the most with dropped passes a year ago. If this is corrected he could be primed for a big year. Jarvis Williams also returns and was the #2 receiver a year ago with 432 and 4 TDs. TJ Graham is another speedster that, with improved route running skills, could be a great third option. George Bryan is a wonderful TE prospect entering his sophomore season and gives Wilson another solid, reliable option to distribute the ball to. This unit should be much better this season with another year of experience for them as well as Russell Wilson.

OL: This is what O'Brien has always been known for. He almost always has a very good OL that produces NFL talent. He has done a lot of mix and match and position switching to get the right personnel along the OL in his first 2 years and this year looks like it could be the year where the OL breaks out. They return 3 starters from last years unit and the two new guys will both most likely be seniors. This unit should continue to improve under O'Brien from a year ago and they will have another year of experience. This will be an "old" offensive line with four seniors and one junior most likely starting.

DEFENSE:

DL: NC State has had some great defensive linemen come through the program recently (Mario Williams, Manny Lawson, Tank Tyler, DeMario Pressley). All of those guys now play on Sundays. Last years DL was inconsistent at times and pretty good at others. This unit was banged up for much of the year as well which did not help. This year they return three starters in Willie Young, Alan-Michael Cash, and Shea McKeen. Young is explosive and a great playmaker while DT Cash is their most consistent DL and a solid down to down guy. This will undoubtedly be the best DL since O'Brien's arrival and if Young has a consistent year he could be a first or second round pick next NFL draft.

LB: This was a concern last year for the Wolfpack but ended up being a strength. Nate Irving had a great year and was spectacular at times, setting the school record for INTS for an LB with four. Ray Michel led the team in tackles with 85. This year all three starters would have been returning (basically with Dwayne Maddox playing a big role last year and starting this year) but unfortunately Irving was hurt in a car accident over the summer and probably won't play this season. However, NC State will get help from Terrell Manning, a top 15 LB recruit from last year that redshirted due to injury. If he lives up to his billing NC State should have a very good LB corps but the probable loss of Irving is huge.

CB: When O'Brien took over the defensive backfield switched from a predominately man scheme to more zone. This obviously led to some difficulty with adjustments and NC State struggled at times against the pass last year. This unit also had injury issues last year. This year should be a better year for the secondary as five guys who started games last year return and all have another year of experience. I look for at least some improvement over a year ago.

OVERALL

NC State should be a much improved team on the field and record wise this coming season. O'Brien is a great head coach that gets the most out of his teams and his teams rarely beat themselves. Wilson is a potential star and should provide consistent point production. The defense will miss Irving but still should be better overall than a year ago where some games sputtered at times.

NC State has a tough schedule, both in conference and out, but I see this team at least getting 7 wins, possibly 8, with a bowl game to come. If Wilson is healthy all season and the OL and RBs stay healthy this team could definitely get to nine wins. I really like Wilson's game management skills and think he is the best QB in the ACC. Any time you have the best QB in your conference you are going to have a chance to win a lot of games. Like I said, with a couple of breaks and an upset somewhere along the way, I can see NC State being a prime contender in the Atlantic division race.

ACC Football Preview #2: Clemson

To be completely honest, I really am torn in this division. Clemson, Boston College, and North Carolina State all could have been picked second for different reasons. I chose Clemson because, of the three, they have the most returning starters.

OFFENSE:

QBs: Clemson, at least recently, has a good history of solid quarterback play. Charlie Whitehurst, Will Proctor, and most recently Cullen Harper all had great seasons while at Clemson (Whitehurst had a few). Last year, however, with the coaching change and turmoil within the team the QB play was not nearly as good. Harper started the year (obviously, as he was the preseason ACC POY) but was hurt. Willy Korn, a highly decorated recruit, entered and played well at times but he was also injured. Harper and Korn kind of flip-flopped the rest of the year with marginal success at best. This year the clear starter should be Korn. He will have all the first team reps and if he lives up to his high billing Clemson should have improved numbers from their QB this year.

RBs: The Tigers have had maybe their best backfield tandem in school history running the ball the past few years with James Davis and speedster C.J. Spiller. These guys together create a nightmare attack for defenses. Last year, injuries and the coaching shake-ups caused their numbers to dip from 2007 but they still combined for 1380 yards and 18 TDs. Spiller also had 436 receiving with 3 TDs. This year they do lose Davis, who has been a great back the past four years. However, with Spiller back and Jamie Harper returning for his second year (showed great promise in year one) the Tigers will probably improve upon last years' injury riddled numbers.

WRs: Great things were expected from Clemson receivers in '08 but they did not deliver as expected. Kelly, Ford, and Grisham had OK years but nothing eye-popping by any means. This year they lose Kelly (all-time REC leader) and Grisham. They do add the #13 WR from last years high school class, Bryce McNeal. Even though last years numbers were down from expected, they will still probably be better than this years. The Clemson receivers, while talented, are very young in 2009 and will need some time to mature.

OL: Last year everyone looked at Clemson's skill guys and figured a great year was in store. Everyone forgot how young their o-line was going to be as they lost four starters from the previous year. Their talent and experience obviously slipped and it showed in the rushing numbers (esp. with 2 great RBs) and sack totals. This year, however, they return all five starters from last year making this a much more experienced and older OL. They go from one of the youngest lines in the conference to one of the most seasoned. This unit should be MUCH better than last years. This unit is also littered with highly rated recruits from the previous few years.

DEFENSE:

DL: With the way Clemson recruits athletes year in and year out, their DL is always explosive, talented, and usually very good. This year should be no different. They return three starters from their 2008 unit that was solid, but not spectacular. Da'Quan Bowers will be a year older and should live up to his #1 DE recruit ranking from 2008. The only loss this year along the DL is Dorell Scott, and while he was talented, Clemson has recruited well enough to make him at least somewhat replaceable. They add #5 ranked DE Malliciah Goodman in recruiting this year. This unit should be much better against the run and overall a better DL than a year ago.

LBs: Clemson struggled against the run last year more than expected and that was probably primarily due to their lack of experience at LB. They lost their top 2 LBs from 2007 and it showed at times last year. This unit was also hit by the injury bug multiple times last year. This years' LB corps should be much better. They lose no one from last year so this unit should be much better and more experienced.

DBs: 2008 was a good year for the Tiger secondary. They were very experienced and had two guys (Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons) who were drafted and will now be playing on Sundays. While Clemson will undoubtedly miss those two guys, this secondary should be almost as good (maybe down just a little bit). They return both corners and get safety DeAndre McDaniel back from playing LB a year ago due to injuries there. Clemson will have another solid secondary because they always seem to have speed in the defensive backfield.

OVERALL

Clemson will be entering their first year as Dabo Swinney being the head coach. He finished 2008 after the firing of Tommy Bowden and did a decent job, going 4-3. Some Clemson fans wanted the Tigers to do a national coaching search and bring in a bigger name to get them to that next level they always seem to be so close to. The AD loved Swinney however and named him the head guy. Swinney no doubt brings energy, charisma, and passion to the sidelines and seems to be someone that will do a great job with motivation. The question remains as to what kind of head coach he will be. Those things can only take you so far. Clemson has a lot of talent for Swinney and his staff to work with. If Swinney proves to be a good HC then Clemson could have a big year. I could easily see them in the ACC championship game but I have a hard time picking a first year HC to make it there, especially when FSU should be much improved this year. Nevertheless, this will be a great barometer for Swinney and Clemson fans as they do have quite a bit of returning and young talent and should be very competitive this fall.