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DEL.ICIO.USBreaking down the ACC Coastal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s take a moment to break down the ACC Coastal as spring ball cranks up. The SEC East will be on Thursday and the SEC West on Friday.
DUKE
Last season: 1-11.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 10.
Top story lines: The David Cutcliffe era begins at Duke and inquiring minds want to know: Can Cutcliffe, who had five winning seasons at Ole Miss, make an immediate impact? The former OC at Tennessee has already put his offensive linemen on a diet. He wants his first team to be quicker; Thaddeus Lewis has thrown for 4,564 yards in first two years at quarterback. Now Lewis will learn how to really play the position from the man who groomed the last two Super Bowl MVPs.
GEORGIA TECH
Last season: 7-6; lost to Fresno State (40-28) in the Humanitarian Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 6, defense 4.
Top story lines: First-year head coach Paul Johnson adapts his option offense, which led the nation in rushing last season at Navy, to ACC talent; the first order of business is finding a quarterback. Josh Nesbitt and Calvin Booker are the likely candidates; The offense will have growing pains but will be fine. The real concern is on defense, where the Jackets will be without DC Jon Tenuta, who has gone on to Notre Dame. New DC Dave Wommack will begin with only four returning starters.
MIAMI
Last season: 5-7.
Starters returning: Offense 4, defense 6.
Top story lines: The Hurricanes hit rock bottom last season under first-year coach Randy Shannon, but there is reason for optimism. Shannon has put together two great recruiting classes and those players will begin making an impact sooner rather than later; Miami has to find a quarterback. Redshirt freshman Robert Marve will finally get his chance; there us much work to do on defense, where DE Calais Campbell and S Kenny Phillips are gone.
NORTH CAROLINA
Last season: 4-8.
Starters returning: Offense 10, defense 8.
Top story lines: Quarterback T.J. Yates of Marietta, who had a huge season (2,655 yards passing) as a redshirt freshman in 2007, will sit out spring practice as he recovers from shoulder surgery; new defensive coordinator Everett Withers will be working with a young defense (five returning sophomore starters) that needs to get better in the spring; there is reason for optimism in Chapel Hill. With an extremely young team, North Carolina lost six games by seven points or fewer in 2007.
VIRGINIA
Last season: 9-4; lost to Texas Tech 31-28 in the Gator Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 6, defense 5.
Top story lines: It has not been a good off-season for head coach Al Groh. Starting quarterback Jameel Sewell is not enrolled in school this semester, reportedly due to academic problems, and is not expected to play this fall. That leaves the door open for sophomore Peter Lalich, who completed 57.4 percent of his passes as a backup last season; Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who was supposed to take over at DE for All-America Chris Long, dropped out of school. Mike London, Virginia’s defensive coordinator, left to become the head coach at Richmond. On the positive front Virginia welcomes back WR Kevin Ogletree, a big time player who miss all of 2007 with an injury.
VIRGINIA TECH
Last season: 11-3; beat Boston College (30-16) in ACC championship game; lost to Kansas (24-21) in Orange Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 6.
Top story lines: With the departures of linebackers Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall along with five other defensive starters, DC Bud Foster is going to have a busy spring; Virginia Tech must also replace three of four starters on the defensive line; Virginia Tech will continue to tinker with the two-quarterback system of Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor that worked at the end of the 2007 season. The good news is that the offensive line, which was a weakness last season, should be a strength in 2008. That can only be good news for senior RB Brandon Ore, who should have a big year.
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Comments
By ACC for real?
March 5, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
I’m guessing that Miami had best win 9 or Randy and company are TOAST!
Tech will emerge from their weekly tickle pile just long enough to beat Duke but nobody else in their conference. Get used to it!
By YouGeeAay
March 5, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
I doubt if Fulmer himself could ressurect Duke.
By D-MAN
March 5, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Yeah, TECH babies…looks like its going to be yet another crap shoot for the Jackets. A new offense, a new defense, a new head coach. Guess we’ll make it 8 in a row this year when the DAWGS play ya. Perhaps you guys will be competitive again in a couple of years or so…until then…SEE YA!
By blazer
March 5, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
I THINK THE DEFENSE WILL BE ALRIGHT SINCE WE PLAYED A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE LAST YEAR.I THINK WOMACK SAYS HE RUNS A DEFENSE SIMILAR ANYWAY.DEFENSIVE BACKS???
By Jasper Dawg
March 5, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
I think Cutcliffe is a great fit for Duke, but much like Croom at MSU (for different reasons), patience will be needed for a few years to get his system in place. What Duke lacks in athleticism they can make up for in intelligence, and become a lower-tier bowl team with an occasional breakout year (like Cut had at Ole Miss with Eli, and Grobe at WF).
By Roswell Ed
March 5, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
Can Cut win at Duke?
NO
Can anyone out there tell me the members of the 2 divisions in the ACC?
NO
Atlantic and Coastal?
It sounds like the old NHL divisions.
Adams Smythe Norris and Campbell.
By reebok
March 5, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
Did you deliberately list the teams from worst to first, in terms of expectations this year? Because I think you nailed it. Tech will be very good in 2 years, but this year will be brutal.
By King of Sandy Springs
March 5, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
I am a little worried about Tech’s defense. I think our offense will be very productive. I looked at some of Navy’s past recruiting classes under CPJ, and only one out the last five were ranked higher than 100, and that class was between 90-100. Talk about getting the most out of what you got. Tech has some of the best players in the ACC, just look at the 1st and 2nd all-ACC teams this past year. And by the way, Mr. SEC College Football, Booker is too slow to run Tech’s offense.
By Tech
March 5, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
It doesn’t look good this year for Tech trying to break in a new offensive and defensive system but we have players. Not that it matters, but aren’t we returning 7 defensive starters Johnson, Walker, Richard, Word-Daniels, Bowen, Barnes, and Burnett.
By kluttz13
March 5, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
reebok,
I’m going out on a strong limb and guessing Tony listed the teams in alphabetical order and not expectations in 2008. Though, I guess there’s always the possibility that I’m wrong.
By Ramblin Wrecker
March 5, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
Tech,
Your question about how many starters GT is returning:
Burnett was the nickel corner or nickel safety, which depending on what formation their opponent ran on the first play of the game, Burnett could have been on the field, technically making him a starter.
Michael Johnson was the rush end specialist, so was in when GT knew the other team was dropping back to pass.
Bowen and Barnes both had starts last year, but not at the same time.
Walker, Richard and Word-Daniels were defnitely starters.
But the point should be made that all these 7 players saw the field a lot last season, so saying they only return 4 starters is misleading. But their depth may be an issue, particularly at LB and DB. I think they are pretty well set up front returning the two starting DT’s and having Johnson and Derrik Morgan stepping in at DE.
Offensively, I think people will be surprised. This offense is going to hum. GT won’t contend for the ACC title, but by the time Nov rolls around, UGA will be nervous (regardless of what their fans say) to face a triple option with a national title season possibly on the line.
By U Know
March 5, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
The Canes will be fine. Larry Coker’s Jokers are finally leaving our beloved program and Miami is back in the football business. I expect 9 wins this year and a conference title in 2009. This year is about leeting the young talent takeover for a team that became too complacent. Randy Shannon knows what it takes to win at UM. He will get it done. QB is not that big a deal. It can;t get any worse than the last three years. This year’s QB needs to make the easy completions and not throw dumb interceptions. Then the winning will commence. UUUUUUUUUUUU Know!
By SEC
March 5, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
VT will be very good offensively..down a little on defense Clemson good offensively as well..lost some on Defense.. FSU better..and miami better..but how could they be any worse?? GT has too many changes to be good..but will improve as the year goes..defense for the jackets not nearly as good next year Look for a surprise..North Carolina to be in the mix and you may have a 8-4 team or 9-3 team win the ACC easily..The SEC and Big Ten(Ohio State) should represent the National Title game again next year
By BLACKEDOUT
March 5, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
Thanks for breaking it down Tony. You have helped me trully understand how terrible this division is. If I was a Tech fan I would be embarassed to claim this as my division. There are high school regions in south Georgia with more talent than this piece.
By mcdawg
March 5, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
i would think that UNC is the team to watch out for in ‘08 but anyone who fields a team in baby blue just can’t be that intimidating
By CMR for President
March 5, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
I wish I could read one blog without our well intentioned but mislead fans critizing every other college in the nation. Stop it makes the rest of us look dumb and petty.
By shane #1
March 5, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this
mcdawg,i presume you mean if football,that basketball team is pretty intimidating in”baby blue”.carolina has picked up a few good recruits,we’ll see.boston college shouldn’t win too many games,except they get more out of players nobody has heard of than any other team.have they ever made the top twenty in recruiting?miami should begin the road back this year,shannon needs to at least show major progress.virginia tech will be strong,see boston college.virginia is having major problems,they have made the top ten in the fulmer cup standings.i thought uv was a”smart”school!so duke returns 17 starters,is that a good thing?if cutliff can win at duke he will be coaching a powerhouse soon.saving the best for last,tech.if tech can avoid injurys and other losses of players johnson can make 2008 intresting,but he will be shorthanded,just like gailey.johnson will have no wiggle room due to his lack of depth.will he have enough running backs to run the option effectively?can the o line stay healthy?can the team pick up the new offense quickly?how will the defense play in the post tenuta era?tech faces many questions,does johnson have the answers?
By TURTLEMAN
March 5, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
THE ACC WILL BE ON THE SEC’S LEVEL MAYBE BETTER IN THREE YEARS. EVERY TEAM IS ON THE RISE WITH QUALITY COACHES IN PLACE AT THE LOWER TIER TEAMS (DUKE,UNC) WITH FSU AND MIAMI RETURNING TO POWERHOUSES.
By GT45
March 5, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this
Tech might not win ‘em all this year, but I bet we will come ready to play EVERY quarter, and Johnson will make it fun, again!
By Navigator
March 5, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
I’m a Tech fan, but expect a losing season this year and probably next year to. Who said the ACC have solid coaches; what are you smoking? North Carolina got Butch Davis, VTech and Wake have the only winning and experience coaches in the whole league. BC second year, Duke first year, Miami second year, GTech first year, FSU senile, Clemson well he is what he is (choker). Maryland has experienced coach who has steadily gone down hill after first two years, although last year .500. Overall the ACC is weak as a conference, and only time will tell whether these new guys can get it going.
By GT Fan Jeff
March 5, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this
Nobody has won at Duke since Spurrier left, and I do not see Cutcliffe doing it now. He did a good job at Ole Miss and is a great QB coach, but even the Rebels have more talent than the Blue Devils. As for GT, I am not expecting any better than 6-6 in 2008, but I think you will see a more creative offense under Paul Johnson and a team with more overall intensity and desire to win.
By btown big boy
March 5, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this
once again, i love how the georgia fans are always ready to comment whenever something is said about tech. im so glad you care about whats going on at the Flats.
By m
March 5, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this
The most positive change at Ga. Tech is the fact that the worst coach in the history of the NCAA…is history himself. That’s right…Chandler Gailey is gone. Hallleeeeedamlooooyah!! Thank God and Greyhound he is gone. Paul Johnson will do just fine.
By BuzzfanŽ
March 5, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
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By BuzzfanŽ
March 5, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this
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By LongBeachJacket
March 5, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
The Coastal is going to be very unpredictable this year. I suspect VT is the odds on favorite. They have the stability and depth. Miami may be better but is not back…yet. FSU is an enigma. Continue to recruit well but are losing 4 to 5 per year routinely last 5 years…Go figure. Opinions on Tech are going to be all over the map. We’ll only know when the season starts. I expect some wins and some quality wins. I also expect some possible executional lapses as the team adjusts to the new offense (=turnovers). Athletically, we should be able to hang with anyone, but turnovers may bite us against the better teams. We’ll see.
I’m pulling for David Cutcliffe at Duke. Duke needs to at least attain respectability. Cutcliffe has the experience “been there/done that” pedigree (like a Spurrier) that Duke needs. Ted Roof had a lot of passion but it was a tough assignment for a guy who was in his first run as a Head Coach.
GO JACKETS!
By Hoopie1
March 5, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
I really don’t understand why the UGA fans think this is a UGA blog site. The AJC is a regional paper andTony discusses regional CFB. I guess UGA doesn’t have other blog sites?
By Mr. Memory
March 6, 2008 2:35 AM | Link to this
Hey, let’s not forget our trips to BOISE in winter. Is it too early to make reservations? We’re gonna continue to suc*, just with another offense.
By surfrider
March 6, 2008 3:16 AM | Link to this
Tech will be able to run the ball most likely and stop the run. The keys will be can Tech pass the ball effectively and stop the pass somewhat on defense when it counts. If it can do those latter two things effectively Tech could have pretty good year considering it’s a first year of a coaching change. Fans are going to see how big it is to have a mobile Qb that can also pass adequately.