2013 ACC campaign was one of the more nationally relevant in a couple of seasons. The conference produced the National Champion and the winner of the Orange bowl with both Florida State and Clemson being among the best teams in the country. The middle and bottom were weak though once again but that did produce one of the biggest surprises of the season in the form of a ten win Duke team. Coming into 2014 questions surround the quarterback situations of many programs and the big question of repeated success for both Clemson and Florida State.
2013 ACC campaign was one of the more nationally relevant in a couple of seasons. The conference produced the National Champion and the winner of the Orange bowl with both Florida State and Clemson being among the best teams in the country. The middle and bottom were weak though once again but that did produce one of the biggest surprises of the season in the form of a ten win Duke team. Coming into 2014 questions surround the quarterback situations of many programs and the big question of repeated success for both Clemson and Florida State.
Subtractions/Additions
After adding a couple of teams from the former Big East in 2013 the ACC saw a couple more changes in 2014. Louisville, the AAC champion comes over and adds to the depth of a stacked Atlantic division. Louisville replaces the departing Maryland Terrapins who dealt with injuries and dropped in form from the feisty teams under Ralph Friedgen from a few years before. Overall it’s an improvement for the league but yet to see how consistent Louisville can be year in and year out.
After adding a couple of teams from the former Big East in 2013 the ACC saw a couple more changes in 2014. Louisville, the AAC champion comes over and adds to the depth of a stacked Atlantic division. Louisville replaces the departing Maryland Terrapins who dealt with injuries and dropped in form from the feisty teams under Ralph Friedgen from a few years before. Overall it’s an improvement for the league but yet to see how consistent Louisville can be year in and year out.
Recent History
2013 was dominated by Florida State and no one really came all that close to putting a scare into them. Boston College was the closest but even that was a win by more than two touchdowns. 2012 Florida State won the conference but saw its national title hopes dashed by NC State and then got the gift of Georgia Tech in the championship game. Clemson won the league in 2011, but with losses to Georgia Tech, NC State and South Carolina they were a good but not great team. Since the addition of the Big East teams in 2004 Virginia Tech and Florida State have won all but three of the titles in the ACC.
2013 was dominated by Florida State and no one really came all that close to putting a scare into them. Boston College was the closest but even that was a win by more than two touchdowns. 2012 Florida State won the conference but saw its national title hopes dashed by NC State and then got the gift of Georgia Tech in the championship game. Clemson won the league in 2011, but with losses to Georgia Tech, NC State and South Carolina they were a good but not great team. Since the addition of the Big East teams in 2004 Virginia Tech and Florida State have won all but three of the titles in the ACC.
Coaching Changes
There were only two coaching changes in the ACC this offseason and only one of those was a firing. The highest profile change was at Louisville where head coach, Charlie Strong, left for the Texas job. Strong led the Cardinals to a 23-3 record the last two seasons but disappointed a bit in 2013 after a Sugar Bowl victory in 2012 over Florida. Strong is replaced by Bobby Petrino who previously coached at Louisville from ’03-’06 before bolting for the NFL. Petrino ended up back at Louisville after a one year stint at WKU after being ousted from Arkansas after a extra-marital scandal and subsequent lying to the administration. The other change came at Wake Forest where Jim Grobe was fired after five straight losing seasons. The Demon Deacons went back to the MAC for their replacement of Grobe and brought in Dave Clawson of Bowling Green. Clawson led the Falcons to a MAC championship over favorite Northern Illinois. Clawson did a solid job of revitalizing a Bowling Green team that had grown stagnant under Gregg Brandon. Clawson was a solid hire for a Wake Forest program that doesn’t have the pedigree to attract current big time head coaches and Petrino was a high upside hire but not without risks for Louisville.
There were only two coaching changes in the ACC this offseason and only one of those was a firing. The highest profile change was at Louisville where head coach, Charlie Strong, left for the Texas job. Strong led the Cardinals to a 23-3 record the last two seasons but disappointed a bit in 2013 after a Sugar Bowl victory in 2012 over Florida. Strong is replaced by Bobby Petrino who previously coached at Louisville from ’03-’06 before bolting for the NFL. Petrino ended up back at Louisville after a one year stint at WKU after being ousted from Arkansas after a extra-marital scandal and subsequent lying to the administration. The other change came at Wake Forest where Jim Grobe was fired after five straight losing seasons. The Demon Deacons went back to the MAC for their replacement of Grobe and brought in Dave Clawson of Bowling Green. Clawson led the Falcons to a MAC championship over favorite Northern Illinois. Clawson did a solid job of revitalizing a Bowling Green team that had grown stagnant under Gregg Brandon. Clawson was a solid hire for a Wake Forest program that doesn’t have the pedigree to attract current big time head coaches and Petrino was a high upside hire but not without risks for Louisville.
Team Write-ups (Division, 2013 W-L, Total Returning Starters, Returning Off (Starters (QB), % yards), Returning Def (Starters, % yards)) *coach records are career numbers
Florida State Seminoles (Atlantic, 14-0, 13, 7 (Y), 46.9%, 6, 55%) Florida State is the returning National Champion with the returning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback and a head coach that has won 82% of his games. Florida State does need to replace a good amount on both sides of the ball. On offense that means Kelvin Benjamin and Devonta Freeman and on defense that means Lemarcus Joyner and Timmy Jernigan. That leaves some worry but Florida State has recruited at the third best rate the last four years and 84% above the average FBS team. The replacements on offense are one five and one four star RBs, the best receiver from and a four star TE and high three star WR. This is a veteran laden offense that shouldn’t have much of a drop off with new talent stepping up. The line will have two five and two four star players stepping in with a myriad of four stars even deeper on the chart and the DBs should be a five, two fours and two high threes with experience. All in all this should still be one of the four best teams in the country and even with a bit of regression the best team in the ACC. Coach: Jimbo Fisher (45-10) Since 2010
Clemson Tigers (Atlantic, 11-2, 12, 5 (N), 35.9%, 7, 89.8%) Many have said that Clemson didn’t Clemson last season but the butt whipping by Florida State at home was a disappointment at best and a Clemsoning at worst. Dabo has done a very good job in his time at Clemson but he hasn’t been able to clear that South Carolina hurdle and Jimbo has beaten him four of six and each of the last two. All things considered Clemson has reached new heights and another BCS bowl win in 2013 was just another milestone for the program. 2014, however, will bring a new challenge and a different type of Clemson team; one led by the defense. The Tigers lose a lot on offense, with Boyd, Watkins and Bryant departing along with leading rusher McDowell and three offensive linemen (RT, RG & LT). That’s a hefty amount of turnover for any squad but there is some hope, the WR replacements are both four stars and with Adam Humphries returning there is some talent there and at running back (4* & a high 3*), but at QB there is either senior Stoudt and 5 star freshman Deshaun Watson. The real key to the season will be the continued improvement of a veteran laden defense that brings back 90% of its tackles from last season. Every single defensive lineman returns, which is ridiculous, and is filled with former four star and high three star recruits. The line should be one of the best in the country. Both outside linebackers are gone but there are a four and five star players waiting to fill in and the secondary needs to fill a couple holes but with the defensive line that the Tigers will have should take all the pressure off those replacements. Clemson needs to lean on the defense early in the season while new parts fit into the offense but this should be a top fifteen team once again in 2014. Head Coach: Dabo Swinney (51-23) Since 2008
Miami Hurricanes (Coastal, 9-4, 13, 6 (N), 62.3%, 7, 62.5%) Miami was an interesting team in 2013 and showed hints of being much better than average until Duke Johnson got hurt during the Florida State game. After that Miami’s offense lost explosiveness and Miami performed much more like an average FBS team. Looking forward to 2014 the Hurricanes biggest concern is replacing Stephen Morris who wasn’t great but did a perfectly fine job in his much maligned time in Miami. There are options, yes even Jake Heaps, but the competition is between a Fr, RSFr and Sophomore, all of whom have clean slates. The good news is that Duke Johnson is back and is one of the best running backs in the country and is joined by a capable backup and a four star freshman. The receiving corps loses its best receiver and the on field results are pretty meh for the rest but there is talent here that could be useful as the offense progresses. The line has experience on the left hand side but needs to replace the entire right hand side and brought in two four star freshmen that should compete to replace them in camp. The defensive line returns two of their top six tackle producers, but their top three sack producers who will need to be even more productive as they move into increased roles. The linebacking corps needs to replace two players but there is talent and experience to replace and play alongside Denzel Perryman who recorded 88.5 tackles in 2013. They will be backed by a talented and deep defensive secondary that returns both starting safeties and its top four receivers and adds two four star freshman to the mix. The defense looks like it should be stout enough in back to hold down the fort while a new quarterback acclimates and Duke Johnson will continue to be a beast, so this should be Al Golden’s best team in Corral Gables. Head Coach: Al Golden (49-49) Since 2011
Duke Blue Devils (Coastal, 10-4, 14, 8 (Y), 70.2%, 6, 75%) Duke was one of the biggest surprises in 2013 and for once in a good way. The program best known for its basketball, and atrocious football play saw a resurgence under David Cutcliffe. Duke made their first ACC Championship Game appearance, although they were the ACC’s sacrificial offering to the football gods at the feat of Florida State. Looking forward for Duke the loss of OC Kurt Roper is a worry as he and Cutcliffe have worked together since 1999, but, his replacement just moves up the ladder in former WR coach Scottie Montgomery. The offense returns much from last year’s very good squad, most importantly, quarterback Aaron Boone. Boone got better as the year went on but was inconsistent at times but showed off what he could be in the Chick-fil-A Bowl where he threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns (2 INTs). If Boone continues to improve this offense should be more explosive in 2013. The running backs should be good with senior Josh Snead who ran for 6.1 yds/car last year and four star junior Shaquille Powell who ran for 5.5 yds/car. At receiver Jamison Crowder is back, which is great for college football fans, along with three of the next four receivers from 2013. The defensive line lost its two starting Des but their replacements have game experience and the help of the top two nose guards from last season. The linebacking corps returns everybody from last year including two LBs with greater than 85 tackles last year. The secondary brings back playmakers (12 INTs and 4 FF) but lost their two top CBs from last season. The linebacking should be above average and there is enough returning in the front three and back five that should make this unit at worst serviceable this season. Duke has a chance to repeat but they need to continue to improve in 2014 to give a healthy Miami a run for its money in the Coastal and to stave off Virginia Tech. Head Coach: David Cutcliffe (75-73) Since 2008
Virginia Tech Hookies (Coastal, 8-5, 12, 7 (N), 81.1%, 5, 57.5%) Virginia Tech was one of the most consistent teams of this centuries first decade but the last couple years have seen an offense that has slipped and a defense that can’t pick up all the slack left by them. Logan Thomas is gone and every college fan is sad, well maybe not Hokies fans but Thomas was a fun and big target to mock. With loss of Thomas, however, two holes open up, the obvious QB job and the running game which was stagnant outside of him. The QB job was Texas Tech transfer Brewster’s but he got hurt in spring and now finds himself behind Brandon Motley and in competition with two true freshman. The entire core of RBs is back but unless someone can show some explosiveness they will be an average conglomerate and little help to a passing attack that has potential. Willie Bryna, Demitri Knowles and Joshua Stanford combined for 1800 yards with an inaccurate Thomas throwing to them so competence at QB would be trending up with a solid receiving corps. The line returns everyone but the RG and the two deep has four former four star recruits to its name. As always the defense was very good in 2013 even great at times but injuries hampered some of the upside last season. 2014 should bring another very good squad for Beamer and company. The D-line loses a couple starters but the DTs are deep and the DEs have talent but lack the history to be sure things. The linebacking corps is raw but should there is talent here and good coaching should bring them up to speed quickly with 2 SRs, JRs and SOs at the head of the ranks. The elder Fuller was the first round pick of the Bears and Antone Exum departed for the NFL as well but the rest of the Secondary returns including 15 INTs from last year, as well as two four star freshmen to the ridiculous level of talent already on the roster. Virginia Tech is going to be defense dependent again this year which is alright as a ridiculously talented and deep secondary should be well equipped to carry the load and lead the team. If the offense can utilize a very solid receiving corps this should be a very dangerous team in the Coastal and a nice challenge for either of the top Atlantic teams. Head Coach: Frank Beamer (266-132-4) Since 1987
Louisville Cardinals (Atlantic, 12-1, 13, 8 (N), 65.3%, 5, 44%) Louisville got back together with the divorced adulterer that it dated when he was still married but wanted to hire you to work for his company but no need to interview with HR. That joke is way too close to the reality of how Petrino came back but Louisville believes he has changed and he wants to be together for a very long time. On the field there are holes that need to be filled but Charlie Strong left the program in much better shape than Petrino or any of his successors. Bridgewater is gone for the NFL but the offense returns eight starters from last season. The replacement for Bridgewater appears to be Will Gardner but he has company from four other high three star recruits if he slips up in fall camp. The good news for Gardner is that the running backs should be very good, Dominique Brown ran for 825 yards and 8 TDs last year and Michael Dyer the former standout from Auburn is a heck of a talent. Five of the top six receivers return and four are former four stars which means that whoever plays under center for the Cardinals they have plenty of skill talent around them. The line returns three all-AAC performers and a starter from last year and replaces the only loss with a senior who has some experience under his belt. All in all the offense has upside and Petrino has shown an ability to do well with talent at hand. The defense on the other hand is, well, depleted. Five of the top seven linemen are gone which leaves two DEs and five players who have never taken a snap in college. Linebacker looks a little more stable as three of four LB positions have returning contributors with four, four stars lurking on the two deep. The secondary both safeties, one of which was Calvin Pryor, but returns all staring CBs and both backup safeties who saw action in 2013. The defense needs young and inexperienced players to step up in 2014 but the offense should be good. If Gardner does an adequate job of replacing Teddy and Petrino continues to show his ability to quickly assimilate to the talent at hand Louisville should be an above average ACC team in 2014. Head Coach: Bobby Petrino (83-30) Since New Hire
Note: The next three teams all share a common thread, 15 returning starters, no lower than 65% returning production on both sides of the ball and returning quarterbacks. They should form a surprisingly strong middle tier in the conference.
Syracuse Orangemen (Atlantic, 7-6, 15, 8 (Y), 71.7%, 7, 71%) The first year under Schafer and in the ACC was a bit of an uphill battle for the Orangemen but 7-6 was respectable enough. ‘Cuse returns Terrel Hunt returns at quarterback in 2014, a dual-threat from behind center Hunt was more effective with his feet than his arm last season. For this team to succeed he will need to better his 61% completion percentage and 5.4 yards per attempt. The running game should be good in 2014, Hunt was very good on the ground at 6.2 Y/C and senior speedster Prince-Tyson Gulley was explosive but just needs to be a bit more consistent at hitting the holes. The receiving corps doesn’t impress at first blush but some of that is due to the sub-par QB play last season but Ashton Broyld and Brisly Estime bring back 70%+ catch rates which should help Hunt develop. The Orangemen also bring in four star WR K.J. Williams which can’t hurt passing production. The defensive line brings back three starters and 11.5 sacks from last year. Behind that stout front four the LBs need to replace MLB Marquise Spruill but both replacements have experience from last season. The secondary brings back safety depth and three of the top five corners to round out a very experienced defensive depth chart. This is an experienced team that should scare the top of the conference but more consistent QB play and pressure from the front seven could mean a surprise season for the Orange. Head Coach: Scott Schafer (7-6) Since 2013
Virginia Cavaliers (Coastal, 2-10, 15, 6 (Y), 82.2%, 9, 87%) Mike London’s time in Charlottesville has been filled with the promise of top level recruiting and the disappointment unmet expectations. Virginia has recruited at the fifth best level of any ACC team tied with North Carolina but London has gone 18-30 with only one winning season. That makes 2014 a must improve and improve a bunch to keep London at Virginia. David Watford wasn’t good in 2013 with a 57% completion rate and 4.6 Y/A. Not that the receiving corps helped him out much, of the top five receivers no one had a catch rate over 60%. Now some of that is due to poor quarterbacking but much of it is on the receivers. The running backs on the other hand were very good, Kevin Parks rushed for over 1000 yards and 4.5 Y/C and Khalek Shepherd rushed for 6 yards a carry on limited rushes. Parks and then freshman Taquan Mizzell were the best receivers on the team and Mizzell a former five star recruit should be primed for a greater role and a breakout. The good news for this squad is that the top forty defense brings back all but two starters and 90% of the tackles from last year. The line loses two starters but bring back an injured starter from 2012. The replacements at end are two four star juniors and the line as a whole has a pretty experienced two deep and some freshman talent coming in to bolster it. Every linebacker from last season is back and are led by Daquan Romero and Henry Coley who combined for 132.5 tackles, 17.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks. Better play at SLB should make this one of the better linebacker groups in the conference. The secondary brings back all starters and loses just one player from the two deep. The top six DBs have three different four stars and ten interceptions. This is a defense with wonderful upside and the ability ot be one of the better units in the conference and the country but the offense needs a drastic upturn in the play of the offense, starting with Quarterback/Wide Receiver play. It will be interesting to see if Mike London and Co. can make enough happen to keep their jobs. Head Coach: Mike London (42-36) Since 2010
North Carolina Tar Heels (Coastal, 7-6, 15, 8 (Y), 68.7%, 7, 65.7%) Our next ACC buster is North Carolina which has appeared on the brink of breaking into the top tier of the conference but can never put everything together in season. On offense Brynn Renner is gone, but Marquise Williams, a former four star, showed flashes of promise in his snaps from 2013. If Williams can improve his completion percentage above 60% and continue to produce a yards per attempt above seven this could be the best passing game that North Carolina has seen in a few years. To help take the pressure off Williams, is starting tailback T.J. Logan who in 2013 rushed for almost six yards a carry and him and Williams present a duo that should exploit any weaknesses on the edges of the defense. The receiving corps loses TE Eric Ebron, who went for 973 yards last season. What’s left is a combination of four and three star talents who have a great opportunity to step up. Quinshad Davis is the best of the bunch and was the best of the bunch in 2013. At 10.6 yards per target and a 70% reception rate Davis should be a stable target for Williams in 2013. The next three returning wide receivers all produced under 350 yards but there are signs of upside for Ryan Switzer and T.J. Thorpe who averaged 8 yards per catch on 74.4% and 72.7% catch rate respectively. The third member of that group, Bug Howard, was respectable per catch but only caught 59.5% of the passes directed towards him. The Tar Heels lose DE Kareem Martin and DT Tim Jackson from their starting front four. They do bring back their “Bandit” (a hybrid DE/OLB role) Norkeithus Otis and NT Ethan Farmer. There are experienced replacements for Martin and Jackson with game experience and UNC brought in three high three stars and a four star to further help bolster the line. All the linebackers are back for this 4-2-5 defense. The incumbents Jeff Schoettmer and Travis Hughes were set to return this season after combining for 123.5 tackles last year but Hughes was suspended for an altercation this offseason. Hughes’ replacement will probably be Jack Tabb who had 9 tackles in 11 games last season, but whose senior leadership may be more important than just his pure tackles output. The two best DBs are gone from the squad but there is talented depth to fill in but it may have to lean on the experience of the front seven early in the year. The offense looks like it could take a leap this season with the introduction of dual-threat Williams at QB and a top forty defense has a lot of talent returning but like the last couple of years in Chapel Hill a tempered optimism is probably the best recourse for a team that just hasn’t put it all together yet. Head Coach: Larry Fedora (49-29) Since 2012
North Carolina State Wolfpack (Atlantic, 3-9, 15, 7 (N), 60.9%, 8, 57.2%) The weakest of the challenging three, NC State has work to do off a 3-9 season in which they need to replace their QB and a good portion of their defensive production. Based on comments made by Doeren in December, Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett is the quarterback for next year and that is a mixed bag. Brissett is a former four star quarterback who started for Florida in 2012 and completed 65% of his passes, he isn’t very mobile but he has talent. The downside is he wasn’t good enough to cut it at Florida and needed a change. If he has matured in his year off from the game like the staff has intimated this could be a very good pickup. To help ease his transition Brissett gets a very nice stable of running backs. Shadrach Thornton rushed for 768 yards at a 4.7 Y/C rate and Matt Dayes at 4 Y/C rate which means with good line play this should be a heck of a running game. The receivers are a big group of meh, as a unit they lose two of their top three pass catchers and the remaining group has catch rates of 68%, 51% and 57%. A step up in QB play may help but the returning corps is going to need to see a great improvement to just become solid in 2014. There is experience returning on the defensive line but it wasn’t a very good unit against the run in 2013 the highest returning tackles is 28 which means too many backs are getting to the second level. The good news for the line is that Doeren and staff brought in two four star DEs, a high three end and two high three star DTs to supplement mediocre returning talent in the front four. The linebackers bring back starting WLB Brandon Pittman and that is about it, the remaining four linebackers are two RS freshmen and two players that were second on the depth chart last year as a JR and a SR. The good news is the secondary should be pretty good. There is a lot of talent returning to star especially at CB and an infusion of Four star and high three star talent coming in as freshmen that gives this unit competition and enough talent to neutralize some of the poor play of the front seven early in the year. If Brissett makes the impact the staff seems to think he can and the defense fills holes with young talent this could be a surprise team in the ACC if not it might be another rough year before this ship is completely righted under Doeren. Head Coach: Dave Doeren (26-13) Since 2013
Pittsburgh Panthers (Coastal, 7-6, 14, 8 (N), 80%, 6, 63.6%) Paul Christ brings back a lot of experience but based last season the question is what kind of talent level those units have. Tom Savage is gone and he was alright for Pittsburgh last season, completing 61% of his passes but at a paltry 6 yards per attempt. To replace Savage the Panthers have four star sophomore Chad Voytik who has a whole 11 attempts to his name but if he can develop into an average option early for Chryst then that should keep them above water early in the year. The top two returning running backs combined for just shy of 1800 yards last season at a 4.7 and 5.5 yards per carry clip and 15 touchdowns. The biggest positive for Voytik is Tyler Boyd coming back. Boyd went for 1174 yards on 85 catches, caught 71% of the passes thrown his way, for 10 yards a target. Devin Street is gone but two returning tight ends should give the sophomore QB two nice check down options on the roster. Some young receivers may need to step up into second, third and fourth option roles but Pitt brought in some nice talent to supplement this year. The right side of the line should be good and four star LT replacement is a nice thing to have as well as the two four star freshmen that could help fill depth and talent levels along the front in fall camp. Aaron Donald is gone and with him the disruption of 28.5 TFL and 11 sacks. The bad news is there isn’t much to replace that disruption even a little and that could lead to more pressure on the back seven. A good set of outside linebackers should help set the edge against the run and sophomore middle linebacker Matt Galambos needs to fill in early but he played in 3 games last year and put up a respectable 28.5 tackles in limited time during 2013. There are only three cornerbacks on the roster, and yeah that’s as bad as it sounds. The FS returns after a 68.5 tackle, 3 INT, 2 FF season but the SS replacement doesn’t appear to be the strongest replacement this could be a very iffy secondary behind a solid set of LBs and a very shaky non-explosive line. This team could actually be pretty good on offense and possibly explosive if the quarterback play evolves and the line utilizes the talent at hand. The defense is a work in progress and weak in front and in back which is scary. Head Coach: Paul Chryst (13-13) Since 2012
Boston College Golden Eagles (Atlantic, 7-6, 10, 4 (N), 20.3%, 6, 63.8%) Andre Williams is gone and that means the offense starts over in 2014. Williams rushed for 2177 yards in 2013 at an amazing 6.1 yards per carry and that will be tough to replicate. In steps Myles Willis a sophomore who got 60 rushes last season at a 5.8 yards per carry. If he can extrapolate that over a great sample size he takes care of the Williams replacement with the same workload and at worst he probably is a poor man’s Williams substitute. Much like NC State Boston College most likely will be starting a Florida transfer at QB. Tyler Murphy was very meh in his time with the Gators but he showed some flashes before the bottom fell out, if he can complete 60% of his passes and keep the turnovers to a minimum then he could be stable enough to keep this offense above average. The receiving corps is thin at best. 1000 yard receiver Alex Amidon is gone and that leaves no one with a catch rate over 60% and yards per catch over seven yards to catch Murphy’s throws. Which may lead to a cadre of three star receivers to catch the ball; which is obviously less than ideal. The front seven loses five starters and has some talent returning but the production isn’t an optimistic indicator for the season. The good news is some freshmen four stars could step up and play meaningful roles on a roster that needs a talent infusion. The secondary should be the stabilizing force for the Golden Eagles. Both safeties and both starting cornerbacks return and they like to attack the line of scrimmage which should be some help for an inexperienced front seven. If the secondary can be the rock of the defense it should help a developing pass rush early in the season. The running game should be good and maybe great once again but holes on defense and a dearth of respectable receiving threats means there may be a ceiling on this team before the season even starts. Head Coach: Steve Addazio (20-17) Since 2013
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Coastal, 7-6, 11, 6 (N), 51.2%, 5, 54.7%) Vad Lee transferred out because he didn’t mesh well with the triple option, so 2014 will see a new QB in 2014. If the QB can take deep shots with accuracy they will fit in just fine in this offense, last season saw about 200 pass attempts. There is reasonable amount of talent for the back four at least as far as the triple option is concerned. Julian Thomas who looks like the next man up at QB average almost 9 yards a carry last year, and most of the backs on the roster average between 6 and 9. The offense will need to replace two starters in the backfield but his has been a pretty consistent product under Paul Johnson. The receivers should be alright, but they don’t have the best catch rates, although that could be a product of the take a shot nature of the passing game the Yellow Jackets apply. Both lines have very little experience returning, the O-line replaces four of five players and the D-line loses six of the top seven tacklers from 2013. There is recruited talent in here but very little experience to go around. The back eight loses three starters but brings back the majority of players from a slightly above average defense. The defense needs young players to step up on both lines and the back eight on defense to support the line for this team to improve in 2014 and if not this could be one of the more disappointing years of the Paul Johnson era in Atlanta. Head Coach: Paul Johnson (154-71) Since 2008
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Atlantic, 4-8, 10, 5 (N), 34%, 5, 58.9%) Dave Clawson has done a good job turning around programs at his last two stops but the Demon Deacons are considerably behind the rest of the conference when it comes to the level of talent on the roster. Wake has six QBs on the roster which signals that there really isn’t anything to get excited about there. The top returning running back for the squad average 2.6 yards per attempt and the next back on the team has nine carries. The receivers are led by a pair of players with 55% catch rate, a Virginia transfer with three catches and a senior receiver with four. The offense is going to be horrible, there isn’t anything that excites me, and this could be one of the worst offenses in FBS not just of the big five conference teams. The line loses its best player and returns a total of 27.5 tackles between the three players that saw the field last season. Two high three star freshman should step in right away and play meaningful time but that comes with the consistency of freshman. ILB Brandon Chubb should be the one of the bright spots on this team, the junior linebacker returns off a 72 tackle season and should be the anchor of a defense that needs help and fast if it’s going to put up any resistance. The secondary is the lone bright spot of a unit, the top six corners from last year return and the returning second string FS played in eight games last season. 2014 is a year 0 situation for Dave Clawson but he has rebuilt well at his previous stops along the way and he should prove to be a solid hire a few years down the road, just don’t expect much this season. Head Coach: Dave Clawson (90-80) Since New Hire
Florida State Seminoles (Atlantic, 14-0, 13, 7 (Y), 46.9%, 6, 55%) Florida State is the returning National Champion with the returning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback and a head coach that has won 82% of his games. Florida State does need to replace a good amount on both sides of the ball. On offense that means Kelvin Benjamin and Devonta Freeman and on defense that means Lemarcus Joyner and Timmy Jernigan. That leaves some worry but Florida State has recruited at the third best rate the last four years and 84% above the average FBS team. The replacements on offense are one five and one four star RBs, the best receiver from and a four star TE and high three star WR. This is a veteran laden offense that shouldn’t have much of a drop off with new talent stepping up. The line will have two five and two four star players stepping in with a myriad of four stars even deeper on the chart and the DBs should be a five, two fours and two high threes with experience. All in all this should still be one of the four best teams in the country and even with a bit of regression the best team in the ACC. Coach: Jimbo Fisher (45-10) Since 2010
Clemson Tigers (Atlantic, 11-2, 12, 5 (N), 35.9%, 7, 89.8%) Many have said that Clemson didn’t Clemson last season but the butt whipping by Florida State at home was a disappointment at best and a Clemsoning at worst. Dabo has done a very good job in his time at Clemson but he hasn’t been able to clear that South Carolina hurdle and Jimbo has beaten him four of six and each of the last two. All things considered Clemson has reached new heights and another BCS bowl win in 2013 was just another milestone for the program. 2014, however, will bring a new challenge and a different type of Clemson team; one led by the defense. The Tigers lose a lot on offense, with Boyd, Watkins and Bryant departing along with leading rusher McDowell and three offensive linemen (RT, RG & LT). That’s a hefty amount of turnover for any squad but there is some hope, the WR replacements are both four stars and with Adam Humphries returning there is some talent there and at running back (4* & a high 3*), but at QB there is either senior Stoudt and 5 star freshman Deshaun Watson. The real key to the season will be the continued improvement of a veteran laden defense that brings back 90% of its tackles from last season. Every single defensive lineman returns, which is ridiculous, and is filled with former four star and high three star recruits. The line should be one of the best in the country. Both outside linebackers are gone but there are a four and five star players waiting to fill in and the secondary needs to fill a couple holes but with the defensive line that the Tigers will have should take all the pressure off those replacements. Clemson needs to lean on the defense early in the season while new parts fit into the offense but this should be a top fifteen team once again in 2014. Head Coach: Dabo Swinney (51-23) Since 2008
Miami Hurricanes (Coastal, 9-4, 13, 6 (N), 62.3%, 7, 62.5%) Miami was an interesting team in 2013 and showed hints of being much better than average until Duke Johnson got hurt during the Florida State game. After that Miami’s offense lost explosiveness and Miami performed much more like an average FBS team. Looking forward to 2014 the Hurricanes biggest concern is replacing Stephen Morris who wasn’t great but did a perfectly fine job in his much maligned time in Miami. There are options, yes even Jake Heaps, but the competition is between a Fr, RSFr and Sophomore, all of whom have clean slates. The good news is that Duke Johnson is back and is one of the best running backs in the country and is joined by a capable backup and a four star freshman. The receiving corps loses its best receiver and the on field results are pretty meh for the rest but there is talent here that could be useful as the offense progresses. The line has experience on the left hand side but needs to replace the entire right hand side and brought in two four star freshmen that should compete to replace them in camp. The defensive line returns two of their top six tackle producers, but their top three sack producers who will need to be even more productive as they move into increased roles. The linebacking corps needs to replace two players but there is talent and experience to replace and play alongside Denzel Perryman who recorded 88.5 tackles in 2013. They will be backed by a talented and deep defensive secondary that returns both starting safeties and its top four receivers and adds two four star freshman to the mix. The defense looks like it should be stout enough in back to hold down the fort while a new quarterback acclimates and Duke Johnson will continue to be a beast, so this should be Al Golden’s best team in Corral Gables. Head Coach: Al Golden (49-49) Since 2011
Duke Blue Devils (Coastal, 10-4, 14, 8 (Y), 70.2%, 6, 75%) Duke was one of the biggest surprises in 2013 and for once in a good way. The program best known for its basketball, and atrocious football play saw a resurgence under David Cutcliffe. Duke made their first ACC Championship Game appearance, although they were the ACC’s sacrificial offering to the football gods at the feat of Florida State. Looking forward for Duke the loss of OC Kurt Roper is a worry as he and Cutcliffe have worked together since 1999, but, his replacement just moves up the ladder in former WR coach Scottie Montgomery. The offense returns much from last year’s very good squad, most importantly, quarterback Aaron Boone. Boone got better as the year went on but was inconsistent at times but showed off what he could be in the Chick-fil-A Bowl where he threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns (2 INTs). If Boone continues to improve this offense should be more explosive in 2013. The running backs should be good with senior Josh Snead who ran for 6.1 yds/car last year and four star junior Shaquille Powell who ran for 5.5 yds/car. At receiver Jamison Crowder is back, which is great for college football fans, along with three of the next four receivers from 2013. The defensive line lost its two starting Des but their replacements have game experience and the help of the top two nose guards from last season. The linebacking corps returns everybody from last year including two LBs with greater than 85 tackles last year. The secondary brings back playmakers (12 INTs and 4 FF) but lost their two top CBs from last season. The linebacking should be above average and there is enough returning in the front three and back five that should make this unit at worst serviceable this season. Duke has a chance to repeat but they need to continue to improve in 2014 to give a healthy Miami a run for its money in the Coastal and to stave off Virginia Tech. Head Coach: David Cutcliffe (75-73) Since 2008
Virginia Tech Hookies (Coastal, 8-5, 12, 7 (N), 81.1%, 5, 57.5%) Virginia Tech was one of the most consistent teams of this centuries first decade but the last couple years have seen an offense that has slipped and a defense that can’t pick up all the slack left by them. Logan Thomas is gone and every college fan is sad, well maybe not Hokies fans but Thomas was a fun and big target to mock. With loss of Thomas, however, two holes open up, the obvious QB job and the running game which was stagnant outside of him. The QB job was Texas Tech transfer Brewster’s but he got hurt in spring and now finds himself behind Brandon Motley and in competition with two true freshman. The entire core of RBs is back but unless someone can show some explosiveness they will be an average conglomerate and little help to a passing attack that has potential. Willie Bryna, Demitri Knowles and Joshua Stanford combined for 1800 yards with an inaccurate Thomas throwing to them so competence at QB would be trending up with a solid receiving corps. The line returns everyone but the RG and the two deep has four former four star recruits to its name. As always the defense was very good in 2013 even great at times but injuries hampered some of the upside last season. 2014 should bring another very good squad for Beamer and company. The D-line loses a couple starters but the DTs are deep and the DEs have talent but lack the history to be sure things. The linebacking corps is raw but should there is talent here and good coaching should bring them up to speed quickly with 2 SRs, JRs and SOs at the head of the ranks. The elder Fuller was the first round pick of the Bears and Antone Exum departed for the NFL as well but the rest of the Secondary returns including 15 INTs from last year, as well as two four star freshmen to the ridiculous level of talent already on the roster. Virginia Tech is going to be defense dependent again this year which is alright as a ridiculously talented and deep secondary should be well equipped to carry the load and lead the team. If the offense can utilize a very solid receiving corps this should be a very dangerous team in the Coastal and a nice challenge for either of the top Atlantic teams. Head Coach: Frank Beamer (266-132-4) Since 1987
Louisville Cardinals (Atlantic, 12-1, 13, 8 (N), 65.3%, 5, 44%) Louisville got back together with the divorced adulterer that it dated when he was still married but wanted to hire you to work for his company but no need to interview with HR. That joke is way too close to the reality of how Petrino came back but Louisville believes he has changed and he wants to be together for a very long time. On the field there are holes that need to be filled but Charlie Strong left the program in much better shape than Petrino or any of his successors. Bridgewater is gone for the NFL but the offense returns eight starters from last season. The replacement for Bridgewater appears to be Will Gardner but he has company from four other high three star recruits if he slips up in fall camp. The good news for Gardner is that the running backs should be very good, Dominique Brown ran for 825 yards and 8 TDs last year and Michael Dyer the former standout from Auburn is a heck of a talent. Five of the top six receivers return and four are former four stars which means that whoever plays under center for the Cardinals they have plenty of skill talent around them. The line returns three all-AAC performers and a starter from last year and replaces the only loss with a senior who has some experience under his belt. All in all the offense has upside and Petrino has shown an ability to do well with talent at hand. The defense on the other hand is, well, depleted. Five of the top seven linemen are gone which leaves two DEs and five players who have never taken a snap in college. Linebacker looks a little more stable as three of four LB positions have returning contributors with four, four stars lurking on the two deep. The secondary both safeties, one of which was Calvin Pryor, but returns all staring CBs and both backup safeties who saw action in 2013. The defense needs young and inexperienced players to step up in 2014 but the offense should be good. If Gardner does an adequate job of replacing Teddy and Petrino continues to show his ability to quickly assimilate to the talent at hand Louisville should be an above average ACC team in 2014. Head Coach: Bobby Petrino (83-30) Since New Hire
Note: The next three teams all share a common thread, 15 returning starters, no lower than 65% returning production on both sides of the ball and returning quarterbacks. They should form a surprisingly strong middle tier in the conference.
Syracuse Orangemen (Atlantic, 7-6, 15, 8 (Y), 71.7%, 7, 71%) The first year under Schafer and in the ACC was a bit of an uphill battle for the Orangemen but 7-6 was respectable enough. ‘Cuse returns Terrel Hunt returns at quarterback in 2014, a dual-threat from behind center Hunt was more effective with his feet than his arm last season. For this team to succeed he will need to better his 61% completion percentage and 5.4 yards per attempt. The running game should be good in 2014, Hunt was very good on the ground at 6.2 Y/C and senior speedster Prince-Tyson Gulley was explosive but just needs to be a bit more consistent at hitting the holes. The receiving corps doesn’t impress at first blush but some of that is due to the sub-par QB play last season but Ashton Broyld and Brisly Estime bring back 70%+ catch rates which should help Hunt develop. The Orangemen also bring in four star WR K.J. Williams which can’t hurt passing production. The defensive line brings back three starters and 11.5 sacks from last year. Behind that stout front four the LBs need to replace MLB Marquise Spruill but both replacements have experience from last season. The secondary brings back safety depth and three of the top five corners to round out a very experienced defensive depth chart. This is an experienced team that should scare the top of the conference but more consistent QB play and pressure from the front seven could mean a surprise season for the Orange. Head Coach: Scott Schafer (7-6) Since 2013
Virginia Cavaliers (Coastal, 2-10, 15, 6 (Y), 82.2%, 9, 87%) Mike London’s time in Charlottesville has been filled with the promise of top level recruiting and the disappointment unmet expectations. Virginia has recruited at the fifth best level of any ACC team tied with North Carolina but London has gone 18-30 with only one winning season. That makes 2014 a must improve and improve a bunch to keep London at Virginia. David Watford wasn’t good in 2013 with a 57% completion rate and 4.6 Y/A. Not that the receiving corps helped him out much, of the top five receivers no one had a catch rate over 60%. Now some of that is due to poor quarterbacking but much of it is on the receivers. The running backs on the other hand were very good, Kevin Parks rushed for over 1000 yards and 4.5 Y/C and Khalek Shepherd rushed for 6 yards a carry on limited rushes. Parks and then freshman Taquan Mizzell were the best receivers on the team and Mizzell a former five star recruit should be primed for a greater role and a breakout. The good news for this squad is that the top forty defense brings back all but two starters and 90% of the tackles from last year. The line loses two starters but bring back an injured starter from 2012. The replacements at end are two four star juniors and the line as a whole has a pretty experienced two deep and some freshman talent coming in to bolster it. Every linebacker from last season is back and are led by Daquan Romero and Henry Coley who combined for 132.5 tackles, 17.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks. Better play at SLB should make this one of the better linebacker groups in the conference. The secondary brings back all starters and loses just one player from the two deep. The top six DBs have three different four stars and ten interceptions. This is a defense with wonderful upside and the ability ot be one of the better units in the conference and the country but the offense needs a drastic upturn in the play of the offense, starting with Quarterback/Wide Receiver play. It will be interesting to see if Mike London and Co. can make enough happen to keep their jobs. Head Coach: Mike London (42-36) Since 2010
North Carolina Tar Heels (Coastal, 7-6, 15, 8 (Y), 68.7%, 7, 65.7%) Our next ACC buster is North Carolina which has appeared on the brink of breaking into the top tier of the conference but can never put everything together in season. On offense Brynn Renner is gone, but Marquise Williams, a former four star, showed flashes of promise in his snaps from 2013. If Williams can improve his completion percentage above 60% and continue to produce a yards per attempt above seven this could be the best passing game that North Carolina has seen in a few years. To help take the pressure off Williams, is starting tailback T.J. Logan who in 2013 rushed for almost six yards a carry and him and Williams present a duo that should exploit any weaknesses on the edges of the defense. The receiving corps loses TE Eric Ebron, who went for 973 yards last season. What’s left is a combination of four and three star talents who have a great opportunity to step up. Quinshad Davis is the best of the bunch and was the best of the bunch in 2013. At 10.6 yards per target and a 70% reception rate Davis should be a stable target for Williams in 2013. The next three returning wide receivers all produced under 350 yards but there are signs of upside for Ryan Switzer and T.J. Thorpe who averaged 8 yards per catch on 74.4% and 72.7% catch rate respectively. The third member of that group, Bug Howard, was respectable per catch but only caught 59.5% of the passes directed towards him. The Tar Heels lose DE Kareem Martin and DT Tim Jackson from their starting front four. They do bring back their “Bandit” (a hybrid DE/OLB role) Norkeithus Otis and NT Ethan Farmer. There are experienced replacements for Martin and Jackson with game experience and UNC brought in three high three stars and a four star to further help bolster the line. All the linebackers are back for this 4-2-5 defense. The incumbents Jeff Schoettmer and Travis Hughes were set to return this season after combining for 123.5 tackles last year but Hughes was suspended for an altercation this offseason. Hughes’ replacement will probably be Jack Tabb who had 9 tackles in 11 games last season, but whose senior leadership may be more important than just his pure tackles output. The two best DBs are gone from the squad but there is talented depth to fill in but it may have to lean on the experience of the front seven early in the year. The offense looks like it could take a leap this season with the introduction of dual-threat Williams at QB and a top forty defense has a lot of talent returning but like the last couple of years in Chapel Hill a tempered optimism is probably the best recourse for a team that just hasn’t put it all together yet. Head Coach: Larry Fedora (49-29) Since 2012
North Carolina State Wolfpack (Atlantic, 3-9, 15, 7 (N), 60.9%, 8, 57.2%) The weakest of the challenging three, NC State has work to do off a 3-9 season in which they need to replace their QB and a good portion of their defensive production. Based on comments made by Doeren in December, Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett is the quarterback for next year and that is a mixed bag. Brissett is a former four star quarterback who started for Florida in 2012 and completed 65% of his passes, he isn’t very mobile but he has talent. The downside is he wasn’t good enough to cut it at Florida and needed a change. If he has matured in his year off from the game like the staff has intimated this could be a very good pickup. To help ease his transition Brissett gets a very nice stable of running backs. Shadrach Thornton rushed for 768 yards at a 4.7 Y/C rate and Matt Dayes at 4 Y/C rate which means with good line play this should be a heck of a running game. The receivers are a big group of meh, as a unit they lose two of their top three pass catchers and the remaining group has catch rates of 68%, 51% and 57%. A step up in QB play may help but the returning corps is going to need to see a great improvement to just become solid in 2014. There is experience returning on the defensive line but it wasn’t a very good unit against the run in 2013 the highest returning tackles is 28 which means too many backs are getting to the second level. The good news for the line is that Doeren and staff brought in two four star DEs, a high three end and two high three star DTs to supplement mediocre returning talent in the front four. The linebackers bring back starting WLB Brandon Pittman and that is about it, the remaining four linebackers are two RS freshmen and two players that were second on the depth chart last year as a JR and a SR. The good news is the secondary should be pretty good. There is a lot of talent returning to star especially at CB and an infusion of Four star and high three star talent coming in as freshmen that gives this unit competition and enough talent to neutralize some of the poor play of the front seven early in the year. If Brissett makes the impact the staff seems to think he can and the defense fills holes with young talent this could be a surprise team in the ACC if not it might be another rough year before this ship is completely righted under Doeren. Head Coach: Dave Doeren (26-13) Since 2013
Pittsburgh Panthers (Coastal, 7-6, 14, 8 (N), 80%, 6, 63.6%) Paul Christ brings back a lot of experience but based last season the question is what kind of talent level those units have. Tom Savage is gone and he was alright for Pittsburgh last season, completing 61% of his passes but at a paltry 6 yards per attempt. To replace Savage the Panthers have four star sophomore Chad Voytik who has a whole 11 attempts to his name but if he can develop into an average option early for Chryst then that should keep them above water early in the year. The top two returning running backs combined for just shy of 1800 yards last season at a 4.7 and 5.5 yards per carry clip and 15 touchdowns. The biggest positive for Voytik is Tyler Boyd coming back. Boyd went for 1174 yards on 85 catches, caught 71% of the passes thrown his way, for 10 yards a target. Devin Street is gone but two returning tight ends should give the sophomore QB two nice check down options on the roster. Some young receivers may need to step up into second, third and fourth option roles but Pitt brought in some nice talent to supplement this year. The right side of the line should be good and four star LT replacement is a nice thing to have as well as the two four star freshmen that could help fill depth and talent levels along the front in fall camp. Aaron Donald is gone and with him the disruption of 28.5 TFL and 11 sacks. The bad news is there isn’t much to replace that disruption even a little and that could lead to more pressure on the back seven. A good set of outside linebackers should help set the edge against the run and sophomore middle linebacker Matt Galambos needs to fill in early but he played in 3 games last year and put up a respectable 28.5 tackles in limited time during 2013. There are only three cornerbacks on the roster, and yeah that’s as bad as it sounds. The FS returns after a 68.5 tackle, 3 INT, 2 FF season but the SS replacement doesn’t appear to be the strongest replacement this could be a very iffy secondary behind a solid set of LBs and a very shaky non-explosive line. This team could actually be pretty good on offense and possibly explosive if the quarterback play evolves and the line utilizes the talent at hand. The defense is a work in progress and weak in front and in back which is scary. Head Coach: Paul Chryst (13-13) Since 2012
Boston College Golden Eagles (Atlantic, 7-6, 10, 4 (N), 20.3%, 6, 63.8%) Andre Williams is gone and that means the offense starts over in 2014. Williams rushed for 2177 yards in 2013 at an amazing 6.1 yards per carry and that will be tough to replicate. In steps Myles Willis a sophomore who got 60 rushes last season at a 5.8 yards per carry. If he can extrapolate that over a great sample size he takes care of the Williams replacement with the same workload and at worst he probably is a poor man’s Williams substitute. Much like NC State Boston College most likely will be starting a Florida transfer at QB. Tyler Murphy was very meh in his time with the Gators but he showed some flashes before the bottom fell out, if he can complete 60% of his passes and keep the turnovers to a minimum then he could be stable enough to keep this offense above average. The receiving corps is thin at best. 1000 yard receiver Alex Amidon is gone and that leaves no one with a catch rate over 60% and yards per catch over seven yards to catch Murphy’s throws. Which may lead to a cadre of three star receivers to catch the ball; which is obviously less than ideal. The front seven loses five starters and has some talent returning but the production isn’t an optimistic indicator for the season. The good news is some freshmen four stars could step up and play meaningful roles on a roster that needs a talent infusion. The secondary should be the stabilizing force for the Golden Eagles. Both safeties and both starting cornerbacks return and they like to attack the line of scrimmage which should be some help for an inexperienced front seven. If the secondary can be the rock of the defense it should help a developing pass rush early in the season. The running game should be good and maybe great once again but holes on defense and a dearth of respectable receiving threats means there may be a ceiling on this team before the season even starts. Head Coach: Steve Addazio (20-17) Since 2013
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Coastal, 7-6, 11, 6 (N), 51.2%, 5, 54.7%) Vad Lee transferred out because he didn’t mesh well with the triple option, so 2014 will see a new QB in 2014. If the QB can take deep shots with accuracy they will fit in just fine in this offense, last season saw about 200 pass attempts. There is reasonable amount of talent for the back four at least as far as the triple option is concerned. Julian Thomas who looks like the next man up at QB average almost 9 yards a carry last year, and most of the backs on the roster average between 6 and 9. The offense will need to replace two starters in the backfield but his has been a pretty consistent product under Paul Johnson. The receivers should be alright, but they don’t have the best catch rates, although that could be a product of the take a shot nature of the passing game the Yellow Jackets apply. Both lines have very little experience returning, the O-line replaces four of five players and the D-line loses six of the top seven tacklers from 2013. There is recruited talent in here but very little experience to go around. The back eight loses three starters but brings back the majority of players from a slightly above average defense. The defense needs young players to step up on both lines and the back eight on defense to support the line for this team to improve in 2014 and if not this could be one of the more disappointing years of the Paul Johnson era in Atlanta. Head Coach: Paul Johnson (154-71) Since 2008
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Atlantic, 4-8, 10, 5 (N), 34%, 5, 58.9%) Dave Clawson has done a good job turning around programs at his last two stops but the Demon Deacons are considerably behind the rest of the conference when it comes to the level of talent on the roster. Wake has six QBs on the roster which signals that there really isn’t anything to get excited about there. The top returning running back for the squad average 2.6 yards per attempt and the next back on the team has nine carries. The receivers are led by a pair of players with 55% catch rate, a Virginia transfer with three catches and a senior receiver with four. The offense is going to be horrible, there isn’t anything that excites me, and this could be one of the worst offenses in FBS not just of the big five conference teams. The line loses its best player and returns a total of 27.5 tackles between the three players that saw the field last season. Two high three star freshman should step in right away and play meaningful time but that comes with the consistency of freshman. ILB Brandon Chubb should be the one of the bright spots on this team, the junior linebacker returns off a 72 tackle season and should be the anchor of a defense that needs help and fast if it’s going to put up any resistance. The secondary is the lone bright spot of a unit, the top six corners from last year return and the returning second string FS played in eight games last season. 2014 is a year 0 situation for Dave Clawson but he has rebuilt well at his previous stops along the way and he should prove to be a solid hire a few years down the road, just don’t expect much this season. Head Coach: Dave Clawson (90-80) Since New Hire
2014 Predicted Standings
Atlantic: 1) Florida State 2) Clemson 3) Syracuse 4) Louisville 5) NC State 6) Boston College 7) Wake Forest
Coastal: 1) Miami 2) Duke 3) Virginia 4) North Carolina 5) Virginia Tech 6) Pittsburgh 7) Georgia Tech
Florida State should run away with the conference once again but the middle is surprisingly feisty with some talent returning and coaching staffs that need wins. The bottom is going to be bad again especially Wake Forest but overall this should be an entertaining conference come fall, especially the fight for second through fifth in the Coastal.
Atlantic: 1) Florida State 2) Clemson 3) Syracuse 4) Louisville 5) NC State 6) Boston College 7) Wake Forest
Coastal: 1) Miami 2) Duke 3) Virginia 4) North Carolina 5) Virginia Tech 6) Pittsburgh 7) Georgia Tech
Florida State should run away with the conference once again but the middle is surprisingly feisty with some talent returning and coaching staffs that need wins. The bottom is going to be bad again especially Wake Forest but overall this should be an entertaining conference come fall, especially the fight for second through fifth in the Coastal.
No comments:
Post a Comment