Pete
Fiutak
Q: Rebound or Dead
… which teams will rebound and which ones are duds?
A:
Clemson -
Rebound. The Alabama fiasco was an aberration that playing Citadel,
NC State, and South Carolina State over the next three weeks will cure.
This is a talented team that needs to get the energy up and start
playing up to its talent level, and it will. The Tigers will win the ACC
title.
Pitt - Rebound. Against Bowling Green, Pitt looked like a team in
desperate need of a tune-up. It was fine early, but couldn't turn it
back on when the Falcons started rolling. The talent is there, but it's
well past put up or shut up time.
Virginia Tech - Dud. The Hokies will have their moments when the
defense wins games and the offense does just enough to win, but there's
little margin for error with the way this team plays. There isn't
anything offensively to rely on.
Texas A&M - Dud. The team is better than it showed in the opening
day loss to Arkansas State, but the Big 12 is so nasty, and the South so
tough, that it'll be a long year if the offense isn't more creative than
it was against the Red Wolves.
Michigan - Rebound. Utah is really, really good. The big concern
is the way the Wolverines struggled to run the ball. When all else
failed, Michigan was supposed to be able to pound away with its good O
line and great running backs, and it didn't happen. It might take half
the season, but the Wolverines will rebound.
Richard
Cirminiello
Q: Rebound or Dead
… which teams will rebound and which ones are duds?
A:
Clemson – Rebound. Yeah, the Tigers were horrific versus Alabama, but by
ACC standards, they’ll be fine in time. There’s still too much talented
for this program not to have a real good shot of regrouping and playing
in a BCS bowl game.
Pitt – Dead. Considering the circumstances, the loss to Bowling Green
was so bad that this team might not recover in 2008. Who in the world
was voting this Panther team into the preseason Top 25?
Virginia Tech – Rebound. Anyone who peeled the onion on the Hokies in
August would have seen that this was not a vintage Frank Beamer squad.
Still, it’s Tech, and there’s enough talent and speed on defense to turn
this into a respectable season.
Texas A&M – Dead. Could Mike Sherman’s tenure in College Station have
started any worse? Losing to Arkansas State at home is inexcusable. And
this was supposed to be one of the gimmes on a tough schedule.
Michigan – Dead. It was obvious in the Utah game that the talent just
isn’t there for Michigan to run Rich Rodriguez’s spread-option. Throw in
a defense that got abused in the first half, and you’re staring at
seven-win season. Maybe.
Matthew
Zemek
Q: Rebound or
Dead … which teams will rebound and which ones are duds?
A: Clemson
– Rebound. Too much talent... and too much mediocrity in the rest of
the ACC.
Pitt – Dud, until
conclusively proven otherwise. Panthers--like leopards--don't change
their spots.
Virginia Tech -
Dud. This is a team in trouble; paging Tyrod Taylor, your redshirt
is about to end.
Texas A&M - Dud.
Losing to Arky State on the road would be one thing. At home???!!!
Michigan - Dud this year. Not next year, but definitely this year. A
pop-gun offense in a year of turmoil and transition.
Steve Silverman
Q: Rebound or Dead
… which teams will rebound and which ones are duds?
A:
Clemson – As bad as it was -- and it was awful -- Alabama may just
be a pretty good team. Tommy Bowden can point to the quality of the
opponent and the Tigers will not fall apart. The ACC does not appear
to be much, so Clemson will survive.
Pitt – Even though they have the anchor that is Dave Wannstedt, the
Panthers are not dead. They will probably be one of the most
inconsistent teams in the nation, beating good teams and losing to
average teams. No doubt about the talent; plenty of questions about the
leadership.
Virginia Tech - Losing on a blocked punt will reverberate throughout the
season. After all special teams play has been this team's calling card
forever. Frank Beamer won't be able to forget the loss to East Carolina
and neither will his players. However, when all is said and done, the
Hokies will be in a good bowl game and will have a solid year. They just
won't enjoy any of it. Break out the Mylanta.
Texas A&M - Dead, embalmed and about to be buried. Mike Sherman didn't
have much of an idea of what he was doing in the NFL and he will get
buried in the Big 12. College football is a much more creative game than
it is at the pro level and Sherman is not exactly an idea man. Hope he's
renting in College Station.
Michigan - That really was awful against Utah. A couple of late breaks
got the Wolverines back in the game and they were a 2-point conversion
away from tying the score late in the fourth. However, they were
terrible and didn't have much of a clue as to running the spread
offense. Rich Rodriguez will not let the year get away. There will be
missteps and mistakes, but there will be growth and this season will
turn out to be a positive one for Michigan