NC State looks to sustain success under O’Brien

Tom O’Brien’s career has been defined by a tremendous level of consistency.

In 10 seasons at Boston College, O’Brien won at least eight games seven times.

Naturally, when NC State plucked him away in 2007, it expected O’Brien to produce a winning team year in and year out.

Entering 2010, that had yet to happen once. In three seasons, O’Brien was 16-21 with the Wolfpack and was starting to feel the heat. A change of athletic directors didn’t help matters, with former Maryland AD Debbie Yow coming aboard.

But last season brought hope to the program. Thanks to a much-improved defense, the ‘Pack finished 9-4, including a Champs Sports Bowl victory over West Virginia.

Drama ensued when quarterback Russell Wilson played minor league baseball this spring and waffled on whether or not he would return to football this fall.

To his credit, O’Brien wasn’t going to let Wilson leave the program on the edge of its seat waiting for his decision. The veteran coach cut ties with the three-year starter, releasing him from his scholarship with a year of eligibility remaining.

It was a gutsy move, but a respectable one. Just as O’Brien seems to have built some momentum within the program, he has to rely on an untested quarterback to keep the ball rolling.

Of course, it’s not just any backup quarterback. Mike Glennon is a former high school All-American who was brought to NC State to be the quarterback of the future until Wilson played too well to be benched in 2008.

Glennon is a tremendous talent whose drawn comparisons to Matt Ryan, who played for O’Brien at Boston College.

While Glennon provides a different skill set than the more mobile, free-wheeling Wilson, he’s more than ready to take control of the team.

The outlook for 2011 is a positive one. Running back Mustafa Greene looks to build on a 600-yard, four-touchdown freshman season. Senior receiver TJ Graham is one of the fastest players in all of college football, and he’s got one last chance to make good on his big potential.

There’s not a tremendous wealth of offensive playmakers, but there’s enough to make a push in the Atlantic Division.

With seven starters back on defense, it shouldn’t be as big of a liability as it was from 2007-09. The Wolfpack were sixth in the ACC, allowing 21.3 points per game in 2010.

After stringing together a few respectable recruiting classes, the bottom fell out this past winter. The ‘Pack’s class of 2011 was ranked dead last in the ACC by Rivals.com. That means Duke and Wake Forest were ranked higher.

With the turmoil in Chapel Hill, the Wolfpack should be the number one benefactor in the Tar Heel state. The upcoming recruiting season is pivotal.

There’s enough young talent in the program today to keep it afloat for the next couple of years, but the recruiting efforts have to kick up a notch to sustain long-term success.

They have the momentum of 2010 behind them now, but it can vanish in an instant with a drop back in 2011. This is a make-or-break season, all things considered, for the long-term health of the Wolfpack under Tom O’Brien.

Ranking the ACC’s Backup QB’s

You’re always just one play away.

Backup quarterbacks hear that phrase on a daily basis. It’s so commonplace now that it could be difficult to truly grasp its magnitude.

Just ask Stephen Morris, or EJ Manuel how quickly your responsibility goes from signaling in the play-call to having to dissect a cover-2 defense up close and personal.

The starting quarterback is the most important player on a football team, but the backup is not far behind. There are plenty of teams over the years that have had their seasons derailed after losing their top gunner.

The ACC is breaking in seven new full-time starting quarterbacks in 2011. In the world of college football today, where the best recruits go where they can play as soon as possible, it’s difficult to build quality depth at quarterback. It’s hard enough bring in one big-time prospect every three or four years. Which makes developing depth at the position an art at the collegiate level.

Let’s take a look at who’s in good shape with their backup quarterback situation, and who will be crossing their fingers this season.

1.     Miami

Morris and incumbent starter Jacory Harris are neck-and-neck for the starting spot this fall. While both have their flaws, either one will be a tremendous backup to the other. They figure to split time early in the season, but Miami is definitely in better shape than most of the country if its signal caller goes down.

2.     Boston College

David Shinskie was a major flop in his year and a half as the starter, but any time you have a guy with that much starting experience standing on the sideline, you can breathe a little easier. Shinskie completed only 48 percent of his passes in 2011, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. With Montel Harris capable of shouldering a heavy load at running back, Shinskie would be perfectly capable of managing the game in Chase Rettig’s absence.

3.     North Carolina

The Tar Heels have three guys fighting for the right to back up Bryn Renner. Braden Hanson is a former Under Armour All-American, and he may have the inside track to the spot. Blue, a sophomore, and Williams, a freshman, make up in athleticism what they lack in experience. It’s often beneficial to throw a young quarterback in the fire when he’s able to make big plays out of seemingly nothing. That gives Blue or Wiliams a leg up on Hanson. Either way, the Heels will have a backup quarterback who can handle the pressure.

4.     Duke

Brandon Connette has game experience, which is more than can be said for the rest of the teams on this list. He’s a significant running threat whom David Cutcliffe used in red zone situations in a Tim Tebow-esque role. While Connette only attempted 22 passes last season, he ran for eight touchdowns on 78 carries, second-most on the team. The Blue Devils will have to shift around their playing style if Connette has to take the reins for an extended amount of time, but he won’t be fazed by the opportunity.

5.     Georgia Tech

Tevin Washington, who took over after Joshua Nesbitt’s season-ending broken arm last season, is trying to fend off freshman Synjyn Days for the starting job. Washington was solid, not spectacular last year. He averaged 4.43 yards per carry (Nesbitt averaged 4.44) and ran for four touchdowns. He does not have a very strong arm, which is important for the Jackets who rely on the occasional vertical passing threat to keep defenses from loading the box to stop the run. Days is pushing hard for the job and is a more natural fit for the job. It’s likely Days will take over at some point this season. For now, Days has a lot of potential as the second-string guy.

6.     Virginia 

After a four-way battle ensued all spring, it seems like Mike London has settled on either Ross Metheny or Michael Strauss as his starting quarterback. Neither are going to take the Cavaliers to the Orange Bowl, but again, at least you know there’s not a big drop-off from the No. 1 to No. 2 guy.

7.     Florida State

Unfortunately for Jimbo Fisher, he doesn’t have a future high draft pick waiting in the wings any more. The EJ Manuel era has begun, and backing him up will be redshirt freshman Clint Trickett. According to Tomahawk Nation, Trickett is “competent, knows the scheme, grew up around Jimbo and the program.” Trickett’s father Rick is the team’s offensive line coach. He’s a former three-star recruit who can handle a large chunk of the playbook if called upon. He’s got plenty of weapons to work with, that’s for sure.

8.     Wake Forest

The Deacs are actually in pretty decent shape at quarterback, which is more than can be said for the rest of the roster. Ted Stachitas missed the second half of last season with a back injury, but returned with a strong effort this spring. He won’t beat out Tanner Price for the starting spot, but he’s definitely good enough to keep Price working to hold onto the job. Stachitas originally won the starting job last year before giving way to Price early on.

9.     Virginia Tech

Ju-Ju Clayton seemed firmly entrenched as Logan Thomas’ back-up, until redshirt freshman Mark Leal closed out spring practice very strong. Leal looked like a very…very poor man’s Tyrod Taylor during public scrimmages, but he already seems to be a better decision maker and clearly a better natural athlete than Clayton. If Leal can add some strength and further grasp the playbook, he’ll beat out Clayton in fall camp, that much seems clear. That said, Leal is not ready to hold down the ship in Thomas’ absence. It’ll be interesting to see how the coaching staff balances Thomas and Leal’s playing time in potential early-season blowouts against Appalachian State, Marshall and Arkansas State.

10.  Maryland

C.J. Brown broke his collarbone in week two last season, costing him precious practice time as a redshirt freshman. With the recent transfer of Tyler Smith, Brown is all of a sudden the unquestioned backup for Danny O’Brien. He was a three-star dual-threat recruit out of Pennsylvania in 2009, and has a good frame at 6-foot-3. Still, there’s quite a drop-off from O’Brien to Brown, and that’s something Maryland fans hope this is the most they read about Brown all year.

11.  NC State

Tyler Brosius is an intriguing prospect who could’ve easily used another year as the third-string quarterback behind Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon. With Wilson out of the fold, Brosius has to be ready to play now if need be. He seems competent, as evidenced by an 11-of-17 effort for 95 yards in the spring game. O’Brien likely will add someone in the upcoming recruiting class to compete with Brosius in two years when Glennon has departed, but Brosius seems to have starting-QB potential down the line.

12.  Clemson

Behind Tajh Boyd, it’s basically a mess for the Tigers. True freshman Cole Stoudt was in for spring practice and should be the back-up come September. He’s an extremely raw product who was just 6-of-22 passing in the spring game (of course, Boyd was only 8-of-24). Boyd has plenty of room for progress in his own right, but there’s no question he’s got to be on the field for Clemson to have any hope of competing for an ACC championship.

Post-Spring Power Rankings

1. Florida State

The Seminoles return 18 starters off a team that looked very, very good the last time we saw them. They beat the SEC East Champs South Carolina 26-17 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. I’m as high as anyone on EJ Manuel’s potential. The MVP of the ‘Noles past two bowl wins is a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback. He’s got weapons like Bert Reed, Taiwan Easterling, and Chris Thompson to give the offense plenty of firepower. Brandon Jenkins anchors a defensive that should remind people of Seminole defenses of old.

2.     Virginia Tech

The Hokies’ biggest concern – literally – was answered this spring when 6-6, 250-pound quarterback Logan Thomas looked ready to assume the starting job. He has the most experienced receiving corps in the conference to help him out, including Marcus Davis, who looks like the next breakout star for the league. Bud Foster won’t allow another mediocre season defensively like 2010. The Hokies are deeper on that side of the ball, led by a dynamic secondary.

3.     Boston College

I have Boston College higher than most anywhere else I’ve seen. The Eagles are my pick to surprise everyone this year with a nine or so-win season. Chase Rettig got a big help when Frank Spaziani hired Kevin Rogers, whose former pupils include Brett Favre, Bryan Randall and Donovan McNabb, to coach the quarterbacks. He’ll be much more prepared to succeed as a sophomore. Luke Kuechly is still a tackling machine, and he’s going to be the leader of a young defense with a lot of potential. The Eagles aren’t going to be truly tested until an Oct. 8 trip to Clemson, meaning they should have five important wins under their belt out of the gate.

4.     North Carolina

The Tar Heels lost nine players to the NFL, yet somehow still seem chock full of future pros this upcoming season. Donte Paige-Moss is another prodigy at defensive end, as is Quinton Coples. The defense will be the fastest in the league. The question for Carolina is how long it takes Bryn Renner to be comfortable as a passer with a load of receiving talent. Thankfully, he has the conference’s best offensive line to protect him. There’s hardly any depth at running back, so it could be up to the Carolina defense to carry the burden, especially early in the season.

5.     Miami

Al Golden was successful this spring with integrating his philosophy into the program. He’s a gritty Midwesterner who instantly garnered the respect of his players. He’s got more talent now than he ever dreamed of dealing with at Temple, but there’s just one problem: he can’t pick a quarterback. Should it be the veteran but turnover-prone Jacory Harris, or the younger, less experienced Stephen Morris? Morris regressed during Miami’s embarrassing loss to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl, and the battle this spring ended in a dead heat. Most think Harris will get the nod, but an inevitable game of musical chairs at QB will hold the Hurricanes back in Golden’s first season.

6.     Clemson

The Tigers will look completely new on offense this fall with Chad Morris calling the offense. Morris, the former Tulsa offensive coordinator comes from the Gus Malzahn school of spread offense, and will have the Tigers operating at a breakneck pace. Can new starting quarterback Tajh Boyd keep up? He was 8-of-24 in the Tigers’ spring game, which is not encouraging. The learning curve is steep in this offense, and Boyd must come back to fall camp with a better grasp of the playbook, or everything else won’t matter. The middle stretch of the Tigers’ schedule is absolutely brutal, despite four home games.

7.     Maryland

Danny O’Brien connected a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the Terps’ spring game. I’d say that’s picking up where the 2010 ACC Freshman of the Year left off. Maryland lost a helluva lot of talent on both sides of the ball, most notably RB Da’Rel Scott, WR Torrey Smith and LB Alex Wujciak. Kenny Tate was moved from safety to linebacker this spring in hopes that he can be even more of a playmaker. It’s working so far; he made 11 tackles in the spring game. The Terps won’t be an easy opponent for anyone, but there are just too many questions in important areas to rank them any higher right now.

8.     North Carolina State

I’m going to try to make it through this without mentioning Russell Wilson. Crap. Anyway, if Mike Glennon wasn’t ready for the big show, there’s no way Tom O’Brien would’ve been so comfortable shoving one of the most accomplished passers in ACC history out the door. Mustafa Greene showed a lot of potential as a freshman running back last year, and he must build on that in 2011. T.J. Graham is one of the fastest players in America at receiver. The passing defense was atrocious towards the end of last season, and lost its star in linebacker Nate Irving, who as a tremendous pass rusher. The ‘Pack are deeper across the board, but will still have to outscore teams again this season to win too many games.

9.     Duke

Nobody wants to admit it, but Duke is getting better. Last year its offense was one of the more powerful in the conference. Most every key part is back as well, including quarterback Sean Renfree and receivers Connor Vernon and Donovan Varner. The defense is what kept Duke at the bottom of the standings last year, but it showed improvement this spring and the Blue Devils are a capable foe for anyone – yes, anyone – they will face this season.

10.  Georgia Tech

A combination of issues derailed Georgia Tech’s season last year. Injuries of course, but also a lack of any threat to pass, and worst of all – the league is starting to figure out the triple option. Still, if executed at a high level, Paul Johnson’s offense can be successful. Tevin Washingon needs to make significant strides under center or he may lose the job to freshman Synjyn Days. Receiver Stephen Hill has to be more a downfield threat. The key to the Jackets’ 2009 ACC Title run was Demaryius Thomas’ big-play ability. Hill needs to fill that void. The defense is still adjusting to Al Groh’s 3-4 philosophy. It’s going to take another year or two to assemble the right personnel to have success.

11.  Wake Forest

The Deacons are still very young, but there is some reason to hope they’ll be better than the 3-9 outfit we saw in 2010. Tanner Price looks like the guy at quarterback, and he’ll look to have a more consistent sophomore season. Josh Harris is a track star who has 1,000-yard potential at running back if he can stay healthy. All four starters return in the secondary, and Kyle Wilber is back at defensive end after a six-sack campaign last season. The Deacons are still a year away from being in the mix for bowl eligibility again.

12.  Virginia

Plain and simple, it doesn’t matter what improvements the Wahoos make across the board if they don’t have a quarterback they’re confident in. Four players battled it out this spring for the starting job and no one stood out from the group. Ross Metheny or Michael Strauss will earn the starting job by all accounts, but it was clear during the Cavs’ spring game that it’s going to be difficult to move the ball. Mike London will have to put together a couple more 17^th-ranked recruiting classes before he pulls Virginia out of this mess.

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Disagree? Of course you do! Please leave a comment, or let me know on Twitter — @JoshParcell

On the Docket – Week One Preview

Two games on Monday: Boise St. – Va. Tech and Navy-Maryland, will be previewed later in the week.

Presbyterian at Wake Forest, Thursday 6:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: It really doesn’t. The Deacs will need a miracle to even dare competing for the ACC this year, and Presbyterian might need a bigger miracle to win this game. Presbyterian went winless in 2009 without playing a single FBS team. Wake Forest begins a year where they simply need an identity post-Riley Skinner.

Player to watch: Ted Stachitas, the redshirt sophomore dubbed Skinner’s replacement at quarterback. Stachitas won a four-way battle in August for the job. He’s a dual-threat option who led Nease High School from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. to three straight state championship appearances as a starter. The Deacs figure to operate mostly out of the shotgun in a spread option look. Expect to see Skylar Jones line up in the Wild Deacon formation some, too. This game is a good introductory level course in replacing a legend for Stachitas.

Who has the edge?

To call this a scrimmage might be insulting. The Deacs starters could play a game against the backups and third-stringers and it might be more competitive. This is simply a chance to give Stachitas as many reps as they can in a live situation and try and work out the kinks across the board.

Prediction: Wake Forest 41, Presbyterian 0

Florida A&M at No. 13 Miami, Thursday 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Once again, this won’t be much of a contest. Like many of these creampuff season openers, this is a great chance for Miami to unleash some of its younger, unproven talent and see if anyone emerges. The Hurricanes are very deep across the board, and they can get those young backups some important reps in this game.

Player to watch: Sean Spence and Graig Cooper are two prominent players from who are recovering from injuries. Cooper’s is of a more serious nature (torn ACL), while Spence dealt with nagging injuries last season before missing three entire games late in the year. Cooper figures to get some carries at running back, but it will be interesting to see how much action he gets in a backfield loaded with talented ballcarriers.  Spence needs to be healthy this season and return to his stellar 2008 form at linebacker.

Who has the edge?

Miami will name the score in this game. ‘Nuff said.

Prediction: Miami 45, Florida A&M 10

Samford at No. 20 Florida State, Saturday 12:00 (ESPNU)

Why it matters: This will be the first time in 35 years that somebody not named Bobby Bowden will coach the Florida State football team. The Jimbo Fisher Era begins, and he hopes to bring a new energy to Doak Campbell Stadium. I’m looking to see what the environment is like for Fisher’s first game. If the fans come out hard for the Samford game, it will speak volumes for the support Fisher has from the fan base.

Player to watch: This could be a great way to pad the stats early for FSU quarterback Christian Ponder in his trek for the Heisman Trophy. He figures to play the first half, and maybe some of the third quarter, but that’s still enough time for close to 300 yards and three or four scores.

Who has the edge?

This won’t remind people of last year, when Florida State escaped a scare Jacksonville State at home. The ‘Noles will cruise as they try and smooth the wrinkles before traveling to Norman next week to face the Sooners.

Prediction: Florida State 52, Samford 7

Weber State at Boston College, Saturday 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: See player to watch

Player to watch: Mark Herzlich will play, and that’s the story in and of itself this week. Herzlich, whose story as the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year-turned-cancer survivor is well-read by now, was hobbled by a broken foot during August. Head coach Frank Spaziani said he wants to get Herzlich on the field this Saturday, and when he does trot between the white lines, I can’t wait to see what the reaction from the crowd is. A true miracle.

Who has the edge?

Boston College needs a crisp performance from David Shinskie, who battled inconsistency last year but managed to win the starting quarterback job again this past month. I expect to see him play most of this game no matter the score, unless he struggles. In that case, I’d be interested to see if Spaziani plugs in Marc Mascovetra to run the show.

Prediction: Boston College 35, Weber State 6

South Carolina State at No. 16 Georgia Tech, Saturday 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: The Yellow Jackets begin their defense of the ACC title with a cakewalk. However, they must do it without several key defensive stars from a year ago, most notably Derrick Morgan, now with the Tennessee Titans. I expect the offense to keep on chuggin’, despite the loss of former All-ACC performer Jonathan Dwyer.

Player to watch: Anthony Allen fills in for Dwyer at A-back, and I for one think Allen could have a big year. He’s a physical runner with breakaway speed (see: the first Clemson game last year). With Joshua Nesbitt under center, he will put the ball in the belly of the right runners, and I think Allen could have a sensational year because of that. He might touch 200 yards in this game.

Who has the edge?

Georgia Tech needs to sharpen its defense, which switched to a 3-4 this off-season under new coordinator Al Groh. The Jackets hit the road for the next two weeks after this Saturday to face Kansas and North Carolina. Both games will favor the Jackets, but they need the defense to be on top of its game heading into those contests. This is just a tune-up.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 49, South Carolina State 17

North Texas at Clemson, Saturday 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Why it matters: Clemson fans get to see Kyle Parker in a football jersey again, which at one point this summer seemed unlikely. Parker will quarterback the Tigers for this season and likely no more, but his return at least gives Clemson hope it can make another run at a division title in 2010.

Player to watch: Andre Ellington replaces C.J. Spiller at running back. Spiller was a legend, perhaps the greatest player to ever wear the Tigers’ uniform. However, Ellington is not too shabby himself. In 68 carries last year, Ellington averaged more than seven yards every time he had the ball. He won’t produce like Spiller, but I think he’ll be better than people expect.

Who has the edge?

At one point earlier in the decade, North Texas was a strong mid-major program (Name-drop: Patrick Cobbs). Now, they are one of the worst FBS programs in the country. Clemson cruises in this one.

Prediction: Clemson 31, North Texas 6

Richmond at Virginia, Saturday 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Virginia breaks in new coach Mike London, against the team they pillaged for him – and also the one he led to an FCS national title two years ago. London built the foundation strong program in two years at Richmond, and it’s feasible that the Spiders are more talented at several positions than the Cavaliers. Virginia can not afford a second consecutive season-opening loss to an FCS opponent.

Player to watch: All eyes are on Marc Verica, who must cut down on his interceptions this season. He has thrown twice as many interceptions (17) as he has touchdowns (eight) in his career. He has a strong grip on the starting quarterback job, but if he struggles against an FCS team in week one, nobody’s job is safe.

Who has the edge? Virginia, but not by much. I’d say the Wahoos are maybe a three-point favorite. Richmond has a former USC Trojan under center in Aaron Corp, and Virginia really has in my opinion the least talented roster in the ACC. This will be the most competitive game of the day in the ACC.

Prediction: Virginia 23, Richmond 20

Western Carolina at NC State, Saturday 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Not much does. The ‘Pack figure to be a non-factor in the ACC chase, and this game should be a snoozer. We’ll probably get a chance to see Mike Glennon, the backup quarterback for State who could probably start for 80% of college football teams.

Player to watch: Nate Irving, like Herzlich, also makes a miraculous comeback after nearly losing his life in a car accident last summer. Irving missed all of 2009 but will be in the starting lineup at middle linebacker for the Wolfpack on Saturday. Another example of a heroic human being. His return should severely help a defense that was downright awful in 2009.

Who has the edge?

The Wolfpack will score at will in this game. Russell Wilson could throw for a career-high number of yards. No chance of an upset here.

Prediction: NC State 48, Western Carolina 14

Elon at Duke, Saturday 7:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Why it matters: Duke needs to make sure it wins the easy ones as it tries to make its first bowl game in a decade in a half. The Blue Devils are repairing a defense that was terrible last season. Holding Elon under 10 points would be a promising start. They need a dominating performance to build confidence heading into a key week two matchup with Wake Forest.

Player to watch: Sean Renfree has to overcome a repaired ACL and the legend of Thaddeus Lewis. Lewis set every major passing record at Duke, and Renfree tore his left ACL last November, prompting him to miss all of spring practice. Duke has plenty of options on offense, particularly at wide receiver, where Donovan Varner was the leading receiver in the ACC last year as a sophomore. Renfree was a highly touted recruit who has the potential to flourish under head coach/quarterback guru David Cutcliffe.

Who has the edge?

Duke should win handily, but a suspect defense could let in some scores early and make it closer than it should be early.

Prediction: Duke 34, Elon 13

LSU vs. North Carolina (in Atlanta), 8:00 p.m. (ABC)

Why it matters: This was supposed to be the breakthrough game for Butch Davis’ program at UNC. Now, this might be a measuring stick of just how fall the Tar Heels have fallen thanks to the infamous NCAA investigation into improper agent contact and academic fraud. LSU is in a state of flux as well, with questions at quarterback and a coach in hot water. Still, it’s likely that several key players for UNC will sit out the game. If they do, the Heels have no shot.

Player to watch: T.J. Yates enters his senior season as the maligned starting quarterback trying fend off redshirt freshman Bryn Renner. Renner is the more dynamic player, while Yates is the calmer and obviously more experienced prospect. Don’t be surprised to see Renner get some snaps if Yates struggles and/or the game gets out of hand. The coaches are waiting to give Renner his chance.

Who has the edge?

LSU. Even if North Carolina is at full strength, the distractions from the past month and a half must have taken a toll on the team’s focus and preparation. LSU feels the pressure to win this game and contend in the SEC. Speaking of the SEC, it has dominated the ACC in recent years. It won’t stop Saturday.

Prediction: LSU 34, UNC 10

ACC goes deep in 3 key places

One thing every team faces questions about in the pre-season is depth. There are always battles in fall camp to try and solidify the rotation at a variety of positions, whether it be in the starting group or fostering younger players in backup roles.

If you formed an All-ACC roster, the depth would be tremendous. It came to my attention after the All-ACC selections were made of just how many bona fide star players did not make the cut. There are several positions that are loaded with talent across the board in the league this year, here’s a few in reverse order:

3. Offensive Line

The ACC is tied with the SEC for the most players on the Outland Trophy watch list with 11 each. Eight of those are on the offensive line. Anthony Castonzo, a four-year starter at left tackle for Boston College, leads the way and figures to be a front-runner for the award. The 2009 first team all-conference selection allowed just one sack in 650 snaps last season, which came against Robert Quinn of North Carolina.

Florida State could have had their entire line named all-conference it seems. Highly praised coach Rick Trickett has built a spectacular core on the line as he enters his fourth year with the Seminoles. Senior guard Rodney Hudson is ready to become the first player in conference history to be earn first-team honors four times. He is a consensus preseason All-American and might be Castonzo’s toughest competition for the Outland Trophy.

The ‘Noles starting center is Ryan McMahon, a redshirt senior who’s started every game in his college career. He graded out as a blocker last season at 80.6 percent, second on the team only to Hudson.

Both Hudson and McMahon are four-year starters, but the experience drop-off is slim among the three other linemen. Andrew Datko (LT), David Spurlock (RG) and Zebrie Sanders (RT) are all entering their third year as starters. There are entire conferences that don’t have the combination of talent and experience on the line like Florida State.

Georgia Tech center Sean Bedford returns after earning first-team honors as a junior. He anchors a Georgia Tech line that must replace three starters. If the Yellow Jackets want to dominate the point of attack like they have the past two seasons, it starts with Redford leading the way.

Even Wake Forest, picked to finish near the bottom of the league, has a few studs up front. Despite serious question marks at both tackles, left guard Joe Looney and center Russell Nenon have All-ACC potential.

Best unit: Florida State

Best player: Anthony Castonzo, Boston College

2. Linebacker

There are more than a handful of teams with a premium duo of linebackers. North Carolina has Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter, two of the most athletic players you’ll find at that position in the country. Sturdivant was a Butkus Award semi-finalist last season, and has led the Tar Heels in tackles the past two years. Despite a late summer arrest on drug charges, coach Butch Davis said Sturdivant will not face any suspension from game action. Bruce Carter has 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash, a number only the most elite outside linebackers in the NFL can even think of.

Up north in Boston, the Eagles hope that Mark Herzlich can regain some or all of the form that made him the most feared linebacker in all of college football two years ago. In his absence, all Luke Kuechly did was come out of nowhere as a freshman to lead the ACC in tackles by a mile. He’s added close to 20 pounds of bulk since the end of last season as well. If he can avoid the sophomore slump and Herzlich’s leg (and mind) holds up, they will be quite a force.

Miami’s Sean Spence and Colin McCarthy are another pair of slobber-knockers that have the experts picking Miami to do big things this year. McCarthy returned in 2009 from a season-ending shoulder injury the year before to make second-team all-conference with 95 tackles. Spence didn’t live up to lofty expectations in 2009 after being one of Randy Shannon’s most consistent defenders as a true freshman in 2008. He missed three games last in the season with injury, but his 36 tackles were fifth-most on the team. If he’s healthy, he’s another speedy outside ‘backer that is a big play machine.

As much grief as Maryland’s received over last season’s abysmal 2-10 season, the Terps sure have a solid group of linebackers. Alex Wujciak is a wild child in the middle. He is one of just two players nationally to have at least 130 tackles in each of the past two seasons. Adrian Moten lines up on the outside, and he led the team with nine tackles for a loss and six sacks last year. Demetrius Hartsfield might have gotten more recognition for an outstanding freshman campaign in 2009 if it weren’t for his team’s record or Kuechly’s huge year. Hartsfield missed two games, but still made 64 tackles. Also, the three top reserves for Maryland at linebacker return, making this the deepest unit of any team in the league.

One other notable player in the league include FSU’s Nigel Bradham, a former super blue-chip recruit who led the team with 93 tackles last season as a sophomore in 2009.

Best unit: North Carolina

Best player: Alex Wujciak, Maryland

1. Quarterback

The buzz during ACC Media Days was all about the volume of talented and experienced quarterbacks throughout the league. There were three players not named to the all-conference preseason team that would likely be among the first 20 players mentioned as Heisman Trophy candidates.

The man who did manage to earn all-conference was Florida State’s Christian Ponder, who is the best quarterback to come through that program since Chris Weinke a decade ago. Ponder suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in game ten last year versus Clemson, but still was the only ACC quarterback to average 300 yards passing per game.

His replacement after the injury was E.J. Manuel, a former five-star recruit who turned in the MVP performance in the Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia. If Ponder goes down, the Seminoles are more than comfortable with Manuel.

As the season draws nearer, however, Ponder is gaining more and more acclaim as a cream of the crop quarterback and elite NFL Draft prospect. If Florida State returns to glory this season, he’ll get as much attention as his rookie head coach, Jimbo Fisher.

Just down the road at Miami, Jacory Harris is oozing potential. After a red-hot start to the 2009 season put him in the immediate discussion for the Heisman, Harris struggled down the stretch and finished with 24 touchdowns to go with 17 interceptions.

“Most everybody thinks when a quarterback has turnovers, it’s him not reading his keys,” coach Randy Shannon said, “It could be the receiver running routes too short…it could be Jacory forcing the ball…or it could be pressure. We’ve just got to calm him down in the pocket.”

Whatever the problem was, Harris showed flashes of brilliance last season, including a gutsy fourth-quarter performance in the season opener against Florida State, which the Hurricanes won 38-34. His receivers are a year older, his line is expected to be tremendously improved, and according to Shannon, his poise and understanding of the offense is markedly improved.

At Virginia Tech, the Hokies believe they have what could be their best offense ever. A big reason for that is the return of Tyrod Taylor, who has been starting since his freshman season and has a 23-5 career record under center. Taylor led the ACC in passing efficiency last season in a breakout season. In his first two years, his career touchdowns-to-interceptions numbers were 7-10 and had just 1,963 career passing yards. In 2009 he eclipsed that mark with 2,311 yards and 14 touchdowns with just five picks. He has his entire receiving corps back for the third straight year, not to mention a pair of former 1,000-yard rushers behind him in Darren Evans and Ryan Williams.

If it’s not enough to have one of the most talented quarterbacks in the ACC, NC State has two. Russell Wilson is consistent, accurate and mobile. Wilson’s streak of 379 consecutive passes without an interception is an NCAA record. His 31 touchdown passes were the fourth most in the country last season. There aren’t many times a player posts numbers like that and still has to fight off competition in fall practice. After missing spring ball to play baseball, Wilson’s absence allowed Mike Glennon to shine. Glennon threw for nearly 500 yards in the spring game. He was recruited to be the quarterback of the future for Tom O’Brien, but Wilson’s emergence has kept Glennon on the sideline. There are 80 schools in America that would love to have Glennon under center.

The guy who has arguably been the most successful yet gets little attention is Joshua Nesbitt at Georgia Tech. The reigning first-team all-conference quarterback got rave reviews by teammates and coach Paul Johnson about his competitiveness and work ethic. Pound for pound, he may be the strongest player on the Yellow Jackets’ roster. He also enters his third year running the triple option offense for Johnson. Every offense relies heavily on execution, but the Tech offense requires a quarterback who is adept with the timing and execution of the option. He needs 703 yards to top Woodrow Dantzler’s mark for career rushing yards for an ACC quarterback. Odds are Nesbitt reaches that after gaining 1,037 yards on the ground in 2009.

Best unit: Florida State

Best player: Christian Ponder, Florida State

NC State has more top-notch QB’s than it can handle

Quarterbacks

Projected depth chart (returning starter in bold):

QB – #16 Russell Wilson, Jr., #8 Mike Glennon, So.

Wolfpack fans should be more concerned about an earthquake destroying the city than not having a great passer under center this year.

Russell Wilson is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in ACC history, and last year he led the league with 31 touchdown passes.

His backup is Mike Glennon, whose older brother Sean endured a tumultuous career at Virginia Tech. All signs point to the younger brother as the better of the two.

While Wilson missed spring practice to play baseball, Glennon shined, throwing for nearly 500 yards in the spring game.

Coach O’Brien noted during fall practice last season he wasn’t going to keep Glennon off the field, and promised to rotate his two star quarterbacks early in the season at the very least. O’Brien didn’t come through on his pledge, and Glennon only attempted 39 passes last season.

Meanwhile, Wilson followed up a stunning freshman campaign with an even better sophomore season. He set an NCAA record with 379 consecutive passes without an interception. He’s mobile – something Glennon is not – which will be pivotal behind a suspect offensive line.

Wilson is the playmaker on the offense. With no running game to speak of, the pressure of scoring falls squarely on Wilson’s shoulders.

Unlike most teams that rely heavily on their quarterback for production, the Wolfpack could survive a significant injury to their main man. Glennon is more than capable of picking up the slack. It’s a wonder that he hasn’t decided to transfer, because he would start for more than half the teams across the country the minute he set foot on campus.

Quarterback issues dominate spring practices

There’s a fine line between holding the reins to the offense and holding a clipboard.

During spring practices across the ACC, the starting quarterback job, backup job, or both were up for grabs.

In reality, only three teams could guarantee before spring practice “(Player X) will be our guy next year.”

Injury concerns, the draw of another sport, or simply lack of production had some coaches worried entering the spring.

Three projected starters missed some or all of spring practice altogether.

Two-sport stars

The most prominent storylines concerning the guys under center revolved around the baseball field. North Carolina State’s Russell Wilson and Clemson’s Kyle Parker both have promising careers on the diamond.

While Wilson maintained his focus entirely on baseball, Parker did double duty.

It’s unknown whether Clemson coach Dabo Swinney spent more time in the office watching film or in Parker’a apartment begging him to not give up football.

Tajh Boyd is simply not close to ready to be the starter. He completed 8 of 25 passes in the spring game, and all the talk out of Clemson this spring was his lack of progress. Parker has NFL-caliber skills that the Tigers desperately need.

In Wilson’s absence at NC State, Mike Glennon got a chance to shine. He wrapped up an extremely productive spring with 423 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Glennon is a more prototypical Tom O’Brien quarterback – he’s drawn comparisons to Matt Ryan, whom O’Brien coached in Ryan’s early years at Boston College – but Wilson is an extremely accurate quarterback who puts up impressive numbers.

Though it’s not Wilson’s fault directly, it’s hard to avoid the fact that he has a losing record as a starter. O’Brien hasn’t been on the hot seat, but with a new athletic director entering the fold soon, you’d have to think the pressure on O’Brien to win more games just got a little higher.

Struggling starters

At Virginia, Marc Verica did little to prove that he can be a steady performer this season. In 2008, Verica completed nearly 64 percent of his passes, but also threw twice as many interceptions (16) as touchdowns (8). In the spring game, which barely lasted an hour in front of a crowd no larger than 3,000, Verica completed only 8 of 23 passes. Several of his incompletions were very poorly thrown balls. There were several miscommunication mistakes between him and the receivers, but it’s impossible to tell who to blame in those situations.

Meanwhile, Verica’s backups, freshmen Ross Metheny and Michael Strauss each threw a touchdown pass and moved the offense better than Verica.

The Cavaliers are already going to be putrid on offense this year, why shouldn’t Mike London start off his regime with a young quarterback and let him grow in the system?

There is a serious quarterback controversy in Chapel Hill. T.J. Yates continued his inconsistent performance of the last two years this spring, while redshirt freshman Bryn Renner did nothing but look like the best quarterback in Tar Heel blue. Renner has much more mobility than Yates and a stronger arm.

Renner also was a part-time baseball player, but his football workouts were so impressive that the coaches convinced him to give up the diamond. If that’s not a sign the coaches are seriously considering supplanting Yates as the starter with Renner, who knows what is.

Yates has a leg up experience-wise, which is crucial because North Carolina’s defense is going to be downright nasty this year. They may not need to take a risk on a young quarterback that has never seen game action before. That being said, Yates has not exactly played like the seasoned veteran he is.

It doesn’t seem to be a matter of who will earn the starting job by the season opener (against LSU in Atlanta), but how long Yates will hold off before giving way to the budding star.

In Maryland, Jamarr Robinson started a few games down the stretch for the Terps, and was in large part a glorified running back. He was a good one, though. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry, but also threw two touchdowns with no interceptions. He entered the spring as the consensus choice to be the starter.

Danny O’Brien made the decision a little harder, though. He showed he is a very intelligent and safe player, something something coach Ralph Friedgen loves,

but he might not have enough physical tools to take over for Robinson just yet. There were a few other competitors for the job including C.J. Brown, but it looks like Robinson has done just enough to earn the job.

Up north, David Shinskie had to convince the Boston College coaching staff that he can make huge strides in his second year as the Eagles’ quarterback. Shinskie was downright awful against the toughest opponents last year, but down the stretch of the season was playing fairly well.

The Raycom Sports BC blog had this to say about Shinskie and his competition in the spring game — After Shinskie, (Mike) Marscovetra came on and put on a show. I had my doubts about the sophomore from Oakland, NJ and his ability to lead this team, but all doubts flew out the window after a few drives he was able to produce. Most of his throws were on target and his pocket presence was near immaculate. Marscovetra could have vaulted himself into a great position to be the starter for the Eagles this fall.

Shinskie is a former minor league baseball player that showed his rust a year ago. Marscovetra is a sophomore who has done nothing but play well in limited action.

He has the look of a three-year starter in the garnet and gold.

Injury concerns

Injuries plagued Florida State, Duke and Miami. Christian Ponder admits he is still not 100 percent following spring practice. However, Ponder was good enough to put the rest the notion that backup E.J. Manuel is a threat to the starting job.

Sean Renfree missed all of spring practice while recovering from a torn ACL for Duke. Meanwhile, the guys behind him on the depth chart looked, well…awful. It was an unproductive spring in Durham while coach David Cutcliffe can only hope for a full recovery from Renfree.

Jacory Harris also missed spring practice with a thumb injury that was surgically repaired after the season. There is nothing unsafe about his job, but it was another example of an ACC quarterback missing practice.

Post-spring football wrap-up disguised as power rankings

1. Virginia Tech

The Hokies’ biggest issue coming out of spring is an injury-plagued offensive line. Two projected starters missed a majority of the spring with injury, and several others missed practices.

With an offense loaded with experience and talent at the skill positions, all Tech needs is an adequate offensive line and it should score points in bunches.

Most of the starting positions on a revamped defense have been solidified, with a few lingering question marks at free safety and defensive end. It was a productive spring for a defense replacing seven starters.

2.Miami

Quarterback Jacory Harris sat out spring practice while recovering from a thumb injury, which hurts Miami because of the lackluster fashion in which he finished last season. He will be completely healthy by the fall, but he could have used three weeks of practice to work out the kinks from the end of 2009.

The offensive line struggled in the first couple scrimmages before having its strongest performance of the spring in the spring game. Much of the talk surround the Hurricanes is their speed on the outside. Some people say this is the fastest Miami team in nearly a decade.

Miami fans might worry about their team’s defense after the final score of the spring games was 58-53. That’s a bunch of points for a shortened game. However, most people around the program aren’t putting much stock into that number, and the defense should be one of the best in the conference.

3. Georgia Tech

I refuse to put Georgia Tech any lower than this; no matter how much NFL talent it lost. Paul Johnson proved the past few years that his teams can beat anyone.

Roddy Jones and Anthony Allen will be a force in the backfield despite the loss of Jonathan Dwyer.

Josh Nesbitt will be back for his third year in Johnson’s offense, which just means he will operate it even better than before. There’s much to learn about this offense that there is always room for improvement, and having a third-year starting quarterback running the show will make Tech very tough.

4. North Carolina

The story of the spring in Chapel Hill was the uncertainty at quarterback. Incumbent starter T.J. Yates has seemingly regressed since a promising freshman season, and this might be the year he loses his job.

Bryn Renner made a favorable impression on both the coaching staff and the fan base with an exceptional spring. Renner was the talk of the spring game, completing 15 of 21 passes with a touchdown and two interceptions. His mobility inside and outside of the pocket is a huge advantage over Yates.

If the Tar Heels can settle on one quarterback – preferably the right one – and solidify the running game, the defense will win them most of their games.

The UNC defense is loaded with first-round NFL talent. No less than five players are expected to go very, very early in next year’s draft. It’s hard to imagine any team running the football with any semblance of success. The UNC-Virginia Tech game will be quite the clash.

5. Florida State

The biggest concern in Tallahassee is rebuilding a defense that ranked among the worst in the country in 2009. Mark Stoops has been brought in to fix that, and it sounds like the group made decent strides this spring.

The best news for the Seminoles is Christian Ponder looks great after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last year. He entered spring practice facing questions about his job security, with E.J. Manuel performing well in replacement duty in 2009. It sounds like Ponder put those questions to rest and the ‘Noles expect a huge year from the senior field general.

There is a lot of unproven talent around Ponder. Two receivers had a big impact in the spring game, Rodney Smith and Bert Reed. Both had long receptions and seem ready to break out as playmakers this fall.

The uncertainty around Ponder and the work needed on defense makes me uncomfortable rating the ‘Noles any higher than this. Although if you notice, the four teams ahead of them are all from the other division. A weak Atlantic Division this year will definitely aid the Seminoles.

6. Clemson

The will-he-or-won’t-he play college football question surround quarterback Kyle Parker intensified this spring, as Parker is in the midst of a spectacular baseball season. Coach Dabo Swinney made it clear he believes Parker’s best opportunity to make millions is in the NFL, but MLB scouts surely think otherwise.

Parker completed 7-of-15 passes for 79 yards in the spring game.

It’s no secret why Swinney has been so public about his optimistic future for Parker. Parker’s backup, Tajh Boyd, disappointed most of the spring, and finished the spring game 8-of-25 passing for 132 yards.

The defense is solid, especially up front with DaQuan Bowers, who might be the best defensive end in the country in the Mario Williams mold. The secondary also had a good spring (of course that might be overstated thanks to the lack of good quarterback play), but Clemson simply has more questions than answers at this point, none more pivotal than the pending decision by Parker.

7. Boston College

Mark Herzlich’s return to the field overshadowed a spring session that was very focused on developing a lackluster offense. Last year’s starting quarterback David Shinskie entered under extreme pressure to keep his job. He battled sophomore Michael Marscovetra and freshman Chase Rettig to retain the starting spot, and by all accounts it sounds like he did just that.

Marscovetra put up more impressive numbers (13-16, 156 yards, TD) than Shinskie (6-12, 50 yards) in the spring game, but the coaching staff insists that Shinskie has a firm grip on his job right now.

The Eagles also have no running back behind starter Montel Harris that they have any confidence in. this is a problem, because the diminutive Harris will never be a 25 carry per-game guy.

The offensive line returns four starters, including Anthony Castonzo, who many people believe is the best left tackle in America.

The defense will be stout as always, despite losing several key starters. Word around Chesnut Hill is virtually 100 percent focused on the offense.

8. NC State

Just like Clemson, the Wolfpack have a huge concern surrounding their star quarterback and the baseball diamond. Russell Wilson is in the midst of a solid baseball season, but coach Tom O’Bren has insisted Wilson will return to the football field this fall. Wilson did not practice at all with the football team in the spring.

Backup quarterback and once highly touted recruit Mike Glennon had a very good spring, however. In the spring game, he completed 21 of 38 passes for 423 yards with three touchdowns and only one interception.

Before Wilson’s emergence two years ago, Glennon was supposed to be to Tom O’Brien what Philip Rivers was to Chuck Amato. Instead, Glennon is still on the bench, but with a performance like this spring’s, O’Brien might not beg Wilson to return to the team a la Dabo Swinney.

Redshirt freshman running back Travis Leggett looked very good this spring. He finished with 129 yards and 21 carries in the spring game.

Middle linebacker Nate Irving returned from a devastating car accident this spring and seems good to go for next year.

Less than half of the team’s scholarship players participated in the spring game, however, which means they are behind the pack (no pun intended…ok pun intended) in terms of grooming their young talent.

9. Maryland

The offensive line will be the strength of a unit that has very little else to boast offensively. Jamarr Robinson is as fleet-footed as they come at the quarterback position, and he’s going to have to accumulate much of the yards himself in 2010.

D.J. Adams might have taken a lead in the race for starting running back, but none of the kids at that position are very dangerous.

Defensive coordinator Don Brown said the Terps ran mostly basic schemes this spring, and with a young defense that is still trying to learn second-year coach Brown’s system, it might take a while for it to get up to speed.

10. Duke

The Blue Devils left a winter early spring practice still in search of answers at quarterback. Sean Schroeder sucked struggled in the spring game, completing only 4 of 20 passes for 23 yards. Brandon Connette was a little better; completing 8 of 19 passes for 67 yards and carrying the ball 13 times for 91 yards.

The loss of Thaddeus Lewis hurts big time, and even with coach David Cutcliffe’s prowess at developing quarterbacks, this year will be a step back for a steadily improving program.

11. Wake Forest

Skylar Jones looks like he will replace Demon Deacons’ legend Riley Skinner at quarterback. Besides Jones, there was little else to talk about from spring practice out of Winston-Salem. This will be a serious rebuilding year for coach Jim Grobe.

12. Virginia

It’s hard to figure out where to begin about how awful the Cavaliers’ spring game was. Marc Verica completed less than half of his passes, and lost all accuracy inside the red zone. He was probably outplayed by both backups, Michael Strauss and Ross Metheny. The running backs popped a run or two of more than ten yards, but there is hardly any firepower on offense.

New coach Mike London and his offensive staff have changed the scheme from last year’s spread under Gregg Brandon, but Verica simply never looked comfortable.

The defense doesn’t look very impressive either, outside of Ras-I Dowling, who may be the nation’s best cornerback. The front seven is undersized but doesn’t’ blow anyone away with its speed either. London should be able to get the defense to play over its head this year, however.

Virginia will have a very hard time scoring points, and the defense isn’t good enough to keep them in a lot of low-scoring affairs.

Mike London has the program on the right track, but he’s going to start at rock bottom.