ACC spring practice preview

Spring game: TBD

Season opener: Aug. 30 at Massachusetts

Spring skinny: The Eagles improved from 2-10 in 2012 to 7-6 last season under first-year coach Steve Addazio, but they also lost one of the greatest players in school history — running back Andre Williams, winner of the Doak Walker Award. Boston College will have four backs in its incoming class, but none enrolled early, so returnees Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis will get first crack at the job.

Clemson

Spring practice: Wednesday

Pro Day: Thursday

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 at Georgia

Spring skinny: The likely successor to wide receiver Sammy Watkins probably won't participate fully in spring practice as he'll be recovering from an ACL tear. That would be Charone Peake, who suffered the injury in practice in September. Mike Williams (20 catches for 316 yards in 2013) is another candidate. At the quarterback spot, Cole Stoudt, Chad Kelly and early-enrollee Deshaun Watson are in the hunt to replace Tajh Boyd.

Duke

Spring practice: Began Feb. 7

Pro Day: TBD

Spring game: was Saturday

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. Elon

Spring skinny: Duke was to hold its spring game Saturday and finish up spring practice Wednesday, before at least seven ACC teams are to even start. The Blue Devils bring back 14 returning starters, but coach David Cutcliffe said his team will need to fill leadership roles left behind by the 2013 team's seniors, the group that turned the program around and took it to its first ACC title game.

Florida State

Spring practice: March 19

Pro Day: March 18

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. Okla. State (Arlington, Texas)

Spring skinny: Former Georgia Tech secondary coach and interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly will have his first spring practice as defensive coordinator, having replaced Jeremy Pruitt, hired away by Georgia after the Seminoles' BCS championship. Quarterback Jameis Winston, like Tech wide receiver DeAndre Smelter, will pitch for the baseball team.

Louisville

Spring practice: March 18

Pro Day: March 17

Spring game: April 11

Season opener: Sept. 1 vs. Miami

Spring skinny: The Cardinals will have the mere task of adjusting to a new/old coach, Bobby Petrino and finding a replacement for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, a likely first-round draft pick. There's a slew of candidates, starting with Will Gardner, who was Bridgewater's backup.

Miami

Spring practice: began Saturday

Pro Day: TBD

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Sept. 1 at Louisville

Spring skinny: With quarterback and NFL prospect Stephen Morris gone, the reins likely will be handed to Ryan Williams, a rising senior who has thrown 52 career passes for the Hurricanes. Coach Al Golden did not replace any defensive coaches, though their unit finished 89th in the country in total defense. They're fortunate that linebacker Denzel Perryman decided to return.

North Carolina

Spring practice: Wednesday

Pro Day: March 25

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. Liberty

Spring skinny: New associate head coach for offense Seth Littrell replaces former offensive coordinator Blake Anderson, now head coach at Arkansas State. Littrell, former offensive coordinator at Indiana, will add his influence to coach Larry Fedora's up-tempo spread scheme. Quarterback Marquise Williams started five games last season after Bryn Renner's season-ending shoulder injury.

N.C. State

Spring practice: Tuesday

Pro Day: March 24

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. Georgia Southern

Spring skinny: After going winless in the ACC for the first time since 1959, second-year coach Dave Doeren looks to quarterback Jacoby Brissett to improve the No. 70 offense in the country. Brissett sat out last season after transferring from Florida.

Pittsburgh

Spring practice: March 16

Pro Day: March 3

Spring game: None

Season opener: Aug. 30, vs. Delaware

Spring skinny: The Panthers are another team with a new quarterback, for the second year in a row. Chad Voytik is the likely successor to Tom Savage. Pittsburgh also has to replace two other significant pieces — Outland Trophy-winning defensive tackle Aaron Donald and wide receiver Devin Street, the school's all-time leading pass receiver.

Syracuse

Spring practice: March 18

Pro Day: March 26

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. Villanova

Spring skinny: Coach Scott Shafer will need to address an offense that ranked No. 85 in total offense and lost running back Jerome Smith, who averaged 70.3 yards per game last season. Defensive tackle Jay Bromley, who had 10 sacks last season and helped the Orange finish No. 24 in run defense, also will be a big loss.

Virginia

Spring practice: began Saturday

Pro Day: March 17

Spring game: April 12

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. UCLA

Spring skinny: Despite constant speculation about his job security, coach Mike London signed high school national player of the year Andrew Brown, a defensive tackle. He enrolled early and could help fix a defense that was tied for 98th in scoring defense. At quarterback, David Watford is the incumbent, but will get competition from Greyson Lambert.

Virginia Tech

Spring practice: March 27

Pro Day: March 19

Spring game: April 26

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. William & Mary

Spring skinny: The Hokies will conduct a three-quarterback competition to replace three-year starter Logan Thomas. Senior Mark Leal, who played sparingly as Thomas' backup, will start out as the No. 1. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster will have to replace five of the front seven, including three defensive linemen who accounted for 30.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks.

Wake Forest

Spring practice: March 25

Pro Day: March 17

Spring game: April 26

Season opener: Aug. 28 at Louisiana-Monroe

Spring skinny: The Demon Deacons are in the same boat as Louisville, sort of. Four-year starting quarterback Tanner Price is gone, as is coach Jim Grobe, who resigned after 13 seasons at the top of the program. Rising sophomore Tyler Cameron is the heir apparent at quarterback. New coach Dave Clawson, hired from Bowling Green, will install a 4-2-5 defense.