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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Where five ACC teams need to get better
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are five ACC teams and the areas where they need to improve this spring:
1. Clemson: With the departure of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones at Arkansas, Clemson now has the best running back tandem in the country in James Davis and C.J. Spiller. But the Tigers also have to replace four starters on the offensive line who combined for 87 career starts. Left tackle Barry Richardson started 45 games for Clemson. The Tigers also have to find two new starting linebackers to replace Tremaine Billie (29 starts) and Nick Watkins (37 start).
2. Virginia Tech: There was not a better pair of linebackers in the country last season than Vince Hall (48 career starts) and Xavier Adibi (40 starts). They are both gone along with five other starters on a Hokie defense that ranked No. 4 in the nation (296.9 ypg) last season. We like brothers Orion (DE) and Cam (LB) Harris, but DC Bud Foster has to find some guys this spring who are ready to play.
3. N.C. State: The Wolfpack must find a quarterback who doesn’t throw it to the other guy. N.C. State was second to Boston College in passing offense (245.7 ypg) last season but the Wolfpack had only 14 touchdown passes against 23 interceptions, more than any team in the ACC. The problem is that N.C. State’s best quarterback is going to be true freshman Mike Glennon, and he won’t arrive until August. If the running game improves (ranked No. 110 nationally at 89.2 ypg) because Toney Baker and Jamelle Eugene are finally healthy again, that will take some pressure off last year’s starter, Daniel Evans (13 int, 12 TD in 2007.)
4. Florida State: While everybody is talking about the offense, DC Mickey Andrews must find a few good men to supplement his defense this spring. Losing juniors Gene Hayes (LB) and Letroy Guiton (DT) to the NFL hurts. Florida State will also be without seven players on defense for the first three games because of academic suspension. Bottom line, some guys are going to have to step up and this spring and show they are ready to play at a high level.
5. Miami: There is absolutely no reason that Miami should be 10th in the ACC in scoring defense (26.0 ppg). Six starters return on that defense but DE Calais Campbell (24 career starts) and safety Kenny Phillips (32 career starts) are not among them. In fact, three of the defensive front four are gone. Head coach Randy Shannon brought in Bill Young from Kansas as the new defensive coordinator in an effort to shore up that unit.
