Atlantic
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Boston College |
Clemson |
Florida
State |
Maryland |
NC
State |
Wake
Forest
Coastal
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Duke
|
Georgia
Tech |
Miami
|
North
Carolina |
Virginia |
Virginia Tech
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2009 CFN ACC Preview
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2009 CFN All-ACC Team & Top 30 Players
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2009 CFN ACC Team Capsules
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2009 ACC Schedules & CFN Picks
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2009 ACC Unit Rankings
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2008 CFN ACC Preview
By
Richard Cirminiello
Now that Virginia Tech
has conquered the Atlantic Coast Conference in back-to-back
years, it’s setting its sights on a loftier goal in
2009—wire-to-wire contention for a national title.
The Hokies are the class
of the ACC for now, a fact that most expect to continue this
fall. Heck, they wore the league crown last year, which was
supposed to be a quasi-rebuilding period. However, like the
local bully looking for new challenges, they’re pining for more
respect outside of the neighborhood. Tech needs that kind of
season that keeps them in the BCS championship right through
November. And so does the ACC.
Like it not, the ACC is
still trying to shake the label of being a
basketball conference. It hasn’t
been easy. None of the 12 members have been serious contenders
for national supremacy in years, and the offenses are a
collective mess. Sure, there’s next-level talent within the
borders, but not one at quarterback, which has been a public
relations disaster. Tech’s Orange Bowl win over Cincinnati in
January was the league’s first BCS bowl victory in a decade,
which is Exhibit A why the league suffers from an identity
crisis and a lack of national respect.
While Virginia Tech will
be holding the league banner in 2009, it is far from alone. Most
of the conference is heading north, which should keep both
divisions tight until the final weekend of the regular season.
In the Coastal, the competitors are lining up. Georgia Tech will
be better now that Paul Johnson and the triple-option have had a
full season to marinate in Atlanta. North Carolina and Butch
Davis have recruited well enough in recent years to overcome
losses at wide receiver, while leaning on a defense that could
be the league’s best. Miami continues to build with young
talent, and is going to be very dangerous. Only Virginia and
Duke won’t be in the hunt, but the Blue Devils will push closer
to their first bowl game since 1994.
The Atlantic Division
will be even more up for grabs. Florida State rates a slight
edge if QB Christian Ponder turns the corner, but not by much.
Peering over the Seminoles’ shoulder are Clemson, NC State, and
Wake Forest. The Tigers return Heisman-contending RB C.J.
Spiller, looking to show that last year’s strong finish under
Dabo Swinney was no fluke. The Pack is ready to take flight now
that third-year coach Tom O’Brien has found a quarterback,
sophomore Russell Wilson. The Deacons will again be competitive,
even after the graduations of LB Aaron Curry and CB Alphonso
Smith. Although Maryland and Boston College should never be
overlooked, both have a lot of holes to fill before the opener.
Virginia Tech is the
front-runner to three-peat, but as long as the rest of the
league keeps getting better, the Hokies will have to scratch and
claw for all 12 games in order to defend their title.
Team
That'll Surprise
Miami – The ‘Canes are
probably a year away from being really good again. Or maybe not,
depending on how quickly sophomore Jacory Harris develops at
quarterback. As you’d expect, there are gobs of talented young
players everywhere, much of whom were forced into action in
2008. That experience should start to pay dividends for a Miami
program that isn’t that far from contending in the ACC. There’s
no shortage of skill position talent, like backs Graig Cooper
and Javarris James, and receivers Aldarius Johnson, Travis
Benjamin, and LaRon Byrd, for Harris to employ. If he and new
coordinator Mark Whipple can get this offense moving, look out.
Miami is liable to get hot and start channeling its former self.
Team That'll Disappoint
Wake Forest – Have we
reached a point where the Deacons are
expected to compete
for an ACC title? Probably, which is a testament to the job
being done by Jim Grobe and his staff. For a program that’s
typically short on star power, you have to figure there’ll be
some regression the first year after stars Aaron Curry and
Alphonso Smith have graduated. Wake relied so heavily on a
defense that created havoc, but with so many starters gone,
it’ll struggle to create pressure and turnovers. Bowl
eligibility will be harder than normal, especially with a
schedule that starts with tougher-than-it-looks Baylor and
Stanford.
Game
of the Year … Virginia Tech vs.
Alabama (Atlanta), Sept. 5. This opener isn’t just about the
Hokies. The reputation of an entire conference will hang on the
outcome. If Virginia Tech wins in the Georgia Dome, the ACC can
boast a genuine top 5 team and national championship contender
until proven otherwise. If, however, it gets exposed the way
Clemson and Georgia Tech did in this building last year, the
other 11 members will suffer from guilt by association. The ACC,
even more than the Hokies, desperately needs a high-profile win
over a quality SEC opponent.
5 Big-Time Players Who Deserve a Bigger
Spotlight ...
1. DE Jason Worilds, Jr.
Virginia Tech
2.
OG Rodney Hudson, Jr. Florida State
3. NG Boo Robinson, Sr. Wake Forest
4. LB Quan Sturdivant, Jr. North Carolina
5. OT Anthony Castonzo, Jr. Boston College
Coach on the Hot Seat
Al Groh, Virginia – Groh can coach, which the administration
realizes, but how much longer will it tolerate mediocrity? As
the rest of the conference moves forward and the in-state Hokies
win back-to-back championships, the Cavaliers remain stuck in
neutral. Since Groh arrived in 2001, Virginia has never lost
fewer than four games in a season, and two of the last three
ended below .500. The cranky coach got a reprieve with a 9-4
mark in 2007, and it could take another surprise year to ward
off the turk.
5
Non-Conference Games the ACC had better take very, very
seriously
1.
South Florida at Miami, Sept. 28
2. TCU at Clemson, Sept. 26
3. Virginia Tech at East Carolina, Nov.
5
4. Florida State at BYU,
Sept. 19
5. Baylor at Wake Forest, Sept. 5
Bold Prediction
… Provided he has enough attempts to qualify, Georgia Tech’s
Josh Nesbitt will lead the ACC in passing efficiency. Yup,
that’s the same Nesbitt, who pilots the Jackets’ triple-option
attack. Admittedly, there’s not much competition in a league
that failed to produce a quarterback ranking higher than 41st
nationally in 2008. Still, Paul Johnson believes there are
opportunities to exploit defenses that stack the box, and
Nesbitt has made progress as a passer. Don’t be shocked to see
stat lines that read 7-of-9 for 147 yards and two long scores to
Demaryius Thomas.
5
Best Pro Prospects
1. RB C.J. Spiller, Sr. Clemson
2. RB Jonathan Dwyer, Jr. Georgia Tech
3. DB Morgan
Burnett, Jr. Georgia Tech
4. CB Patrick Robinson, Sr. Florida
State
5. DT Vince
Oghobaase, Sr. Duke
5 Biggest Shoes to Fill
1. LB Dominick LeGrande for Mark Herzlich, Boston College
2. LB Jonathan Jones for Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
3. DE Markus White for Everette Brown, Florida State
4. WR Dwight Jones for Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina
5. PK Dustin Hopkins for Graham Gano, Florida State
-
2009 CFN ACC Preview
-
2009 CFN All-ACC Team & Top 30 Players
-
2009 CFN ACC Team Capsules
-
2009 ACC Schedules & CFN Picks
-
2009 ACC Unit Rankings
-
2008 CFN ACC Preview