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.

–

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

UVA Spring Game Preview: Q&A with the Sabre

The Virginia Cavaliers’ second spring game under Mike London is this Saturday at 2 p.m. Last year, the game was basically another practice session in Scott Stadium. This time around, London says there will be an actual full-scale scrimmage.

The Cavaliers hope to improve on a four-win season in 2010, but there are several questions that need to be answered for that to take place. Blair Capps of The Sabre and a friend of mine from our fall 2010 internship with the ACC was kind enough to answer several questions I had leading up to the game on Saturday. Here is what she had to say.

ACC MANIA — Obviously the focus of spring practice has been the battle to replace Marc Verica as starting quarterback. Tell me a little about each candidate and who you think should ultimately win the job.

BLAIR — There’s a four-way battle going on right now at the quarterback spot, and no one man has really separated himself from the others. Sophomores Mike Rocco and Ross Metheny have the edge as far as experience; both of them saw (limited) time last season behind Verica. However, both made rookie mistakes and the Hoos never had a clear-cut 2nd string guy. Redshirt freshman Michael Strauss enrolled early last January and has had a year to learn the system and adjust to college ball. Strauss has a huge arm, but needs to get comfortable running the offense from under center. True freshman David Watford, an early enrollee this January, is getting a lot of fan buzz, but I would be surprised if he doesn’t redshirt this year. He’s has been working hard this spring, but is still getting up to speed. The race will probably come down to Rocco and Metheny, but Mike London is in no hurry to anoint a starter just yet.

AM — With Keith Payne and his 14 touchdowns gone, can Perry Jones pick up the slack? Who else could contend for significant carries this fall?

BC — The situation at running back is pretty interesting, too. Payne and Jones had different running styles and complemented each other well; the Payne Train was a big, short yardage back who was hard to take down, while Jones is a quick cutter with a nice burst of speed. Jones is back for his junior year, and fifth-year backs Max Milien and Terence Fells-Danzer are both competing for a roster spot. Milien is getting looks at tailback this spring and could fill the role of a big, bruising runner.

I’m really excited to see redshirt freshman Kevin Parks in action. Parks was the 2009 Player of the Year in North Carolina, and he just looks like a running back. He’s built solid, has a low center of gravity, and moves with quick, low steps that keep him balanced. On top of all that, Parks is blindingly fast. It will be great for him to split time with Jones and learn the ropes.

AM — Mike London and Defensive Coordinator Jim Reid spent last year transitioning the Wahoos back to a 4-3 defense. What sort of improvement has the defense made in year two this spring?

BC — The defense has had a year to adjust to the new system, and one thing that has been a key focus this spring is playing intelligently. Virginia had a lot of silly penalties last season, and there has been a clear effort to clean up our act on the field. Safeties coach Anthony Poindexter has been working with the safeties and linebackers on making clean, aggressive plays, and the defensive line is focused on breaking down to contain runners rather than running full-tilt and letting players slip by.

A lack of communication in the secondary really hurt us last season, and Coach Reid has been working with the unit as a whole on their movement and communication. This spring, the staff isn’t hesitating to stop a drill mid-sequence if they don’t like what they see.

AM — London’s impact on the recruiting trail in Virginia has been noticeable to say the least. What difference has he made in terms of energy/support for the program since the bottom fell out in 2009?

BC — Mike London would make an excellent politician. He has done an awesome job reaching out to fans, students, alumni, and boosters this past year. London has made appearances at fraternity philanthropy events, the dining hall, basketball games, and has ingrained himself with the student body. Everyone loves this guy.

It was a genius move to hold two open practices outside of Charlottesville this spring. I attended the practice in Hampton, Va, and there were a ton of fans, high school players, and football alumni in attendance. London is not only spreading the word among recruits, but getting people across the state excited about UVa football again. His energy is simply contagious.

Despite the overwhelming love for Coach London, fans are still hesitant to go all in. Most people believe London will turn this thing around, but are waiting for tangible evidence. Four wins just won’t cut it. If London can win a few more games this year, I can’t wait to see the reaction.

AM — There’s virtually no experience at receiver this spring, especially with Kris Burd out. What seems to be the feelings on Miles Gooch at that spot now, and who else could we expect to have a big day Saturday?

BC — The WR landscape is wide open, and Miles Gooch is just one of the options offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has to work with. It’s hard to say how much time Gooch will see this season, since he’s still raw and getting used to his new position. However, he’s got good size and athleticism (two things you can’t coach) and should make an impact as the WR battle shakes out.

Senior Matt Snyder, a former walk-on, is the most experienced WR who is at full strength this spring. He’s been really busting it out there in practice, and seems to be relishing his role as a go-to guy. Kris Burd should be back to full strength by the fall, and sophomore Tim Smith is seeing limited time this spring as he recovers from injury.

Keep an eye out for senior Ray Keys; he’s been getting reps with the first team offense and might be poised for a breakout year a la Dontrelle Inman in 2010.

Weekend Forecast – October 9

1. Florida State at Miami

This game is nearly always a classic. Who could forget last year’s ending, when Christian Ponder thought he’d thrown the game-winning touchdown pass on the final play, only to see the official waving his arms signaling an incompletion?

The Seminoles looked strong last week at Virginia, especially on defense. Their secondary is extremely young but also very talented. Jacory Harris continues to struggle with his decision-making, but thankfully the Miami defense has played lights-out (leads the ACC allowing just 15 ppg).

Miami has the better combination of talent and experience, but Florida State has a more reliable signal-caller. It’s a tough call, but I think Miami’s defense does just enough to lead the ‘Canes to victory.

Miami 31, FSU 28

2. Boston College at North Carolina State

The Eagles will start a banged-up true freshman at quarterback in Chase Rettig, who looked good in limited action last week against Notre Dame. North Carolina State, meanwhile, is still licking its wounds after a monumental collapse against Virginia Tech.

The Wolfpack’s woeful run defense was exposed last week, allowing 306 yards on the ground to the Hokies. Boston College has a great running back in Montel Harris, except he’s struggled to get the ball rolling in 2010. So far, he’s averaging just 84 yards per game and has scored only one touchdown, and hasn’t exactly come against a who’s who of good defenses.

The Eagles’ secondary is average at best. They have allowed 230 passing yards per game, including 277 in the season opener to Weber State. While the group as a whole has matured over the past month, they’ve seen nothing like the passing attack that State will bring with Russell Wilson.

NC State will put up big numbers through the air and rebound from last week’s stunner.

NC State 35, Boston College 17

3. Central Michigan at Virginia Tech

The Hokies return home for a full month of games inside Lane Stadium, the first of which against the downtrodden Chippewas. The Hokies have yet to lead by more than seven points at halftime in any of their five games, but they’d love to do just that on Saturday.

CMU leads the MAC in scoring defense, giving up just 17.6 points per game. However, the most explosive offense they’ve faced belonged to Northwestern.

Ryan Williams is out for the third straight week for Tech, but it shouldn’t matter, as Darren Evans is back to his 2008 form after a 160-yard, two-touchdown showing last week.

The Hokies learned from the James Madison debacle not to overlook anyone, so expect a big win for the home crowd.

Virginia Tech 49, Central Michigan 14

4. Virginia at Georgia Tech

The Groh Bowl, as fans are putting it, pits former Cavaliers’ coach and current Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh up against his old team in a must-win game for both sides.

Virginia was embarrassed last week in a home loss to Florida State, while Georgia Tech has looked nothing like the team everyone expected to contend for the ACC title.

UVA coach Mike London is former assistant of Groh’s and has spent countless hours studying his style of defense. If you want to know whether or not that matters, look no further than Steve Sarkisian’s success at Washington against USC the past two seasons.

The Wahoos have a severe lack of playmakers offensively, but right now the Yellow Jackets can’t stop much of anything. Groh should throw some new wrinkles in the gameplan this week to try and rejuvenate his bunch.

Meanwhile, London may have trouble scheming against Paul Johnson’s triple option in his first try. It may not be pretty, but the Yellow Jackets move to 3-1 in the conference.

Georgia Tech 24, Virginia 20

5. Clemson at North Carolina

The Tar Heels get back another of their star defenders this week, safety Kendric Burney. Linebacker Quan Sturdivant is listed as questionable heading into the game.

Clemson looked as ugly as could be last week against Miami, yet the Tigers were a fourth-down conversion away from possibly winning that game. North Carolina has played so remarkably well in the absence of a multitude of starters that it’s starting to get hard to pick against them.

The play of Tar Heel quarterback T.J. Yates has been outstanding. The senior has completed 68 percent of his passes this season while throwing seven touchdowns and just one interception.

Kyle Parker threw three interceptions last week in what coach Dabo Swinney called the worst game of his young career.

I can’t help but to think that North Carolina will keep Clemson’s offense at bay again this week. The Heels are giving up just 2.8 yards per carry in the past two games.

At home, the Heels pull off another improbable win and nab their first conference win.

North Carolina 20, Clemson 13

6. Navy at Wake Forest

The Midshipmen are in a world of hurt right now after losing their first game to another service academy in seven years. Wake Forest lost in demoralizing fashion last week to Georgia Tech, when Joshua Nesbitt’s touchdown pass with 15 seconds left sealed the Deacons’ fate.

Tanner Price will start at quarterback for Wake Forest, after injuries to Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross have depleted the Deacs’ supply of healthy arms.

Price has appeared in four games this season as a true freshman while completing 48 percent of his passes. He did not play in the loss to Georgia Tech last week, but Jim Grobe has confirmed Price will get a majority of the snaps on Saturday.

Wake’s opponents this year average 4.85 yards per carry, but they did hold Georgia Tech to just 4.3 yards per rush last week.

Facing the triple option after just playing against it the week before is a huge benefit that most teams never have. Navy is reeling right now, and despite the fashion of last week’s loss, Wake Forest took comfort in the fact that their young team hung with the defending ACC champions.

Wake holds on at home in a nail-biter.

Wake Forest 17, Navy 14

Doomsday

Whoever this guy Murphy is has some competition for the naming rights to his law.

Anything that could go wrong for the ACC did, and at the worst possible moment.

On a day when the two most prominent match-ups featured the most storied programs in the conference clamoring to reach the top of college football once more, both were annihilated.

Also, the conference favorite lost – to an FCS school, the second time a ranked team has lost such a game in the history of the sport.

So did the defending league champion – to school which failed to produce a touchdown in a loss to another FCS school the week before.

A season full of hope suddenly became one on the verge of disaster.

Five teams were ranked in the preseason AP top 25 poll, the most in six years. Only one remains, and not a single one has a winning record.

Look at it this way. Miami failed to score an offensive touchdown until the fourth quarter and threw four interceptions in a 36-24 loss at Ohio State, and they had the best day of the perceived “contenders” in the ACC.

Meanwhile, Florida State was getting beaten like a drum in Norman, Okla. by the Sooners.

Bob Stoops made mince meat of his brother’s defense at FSU, putting up 487 yards of total offense and 47 points on the Seminoles.

Entering the year, for Miami and Florida State to take the “next step” in rebuilding their respective programs, it was clear where they had to improve. Clearly neither has.

Miami is still undisciplined on offense. Head coach Randy Shannon admitted to several communication errors between the receivers and quarterback Jacory Harris on Saturday. That shouldn’t happen with an experienced group of pass-catchers and a seasoned veteran under center. That falls on not only the players, but the coaching staff as well. There is more than a simple problem down in Coral Gables.

Florida State had to revamp a defense that ranked at or near the bottom of the ACC in every category last season. A scheme that worked for three decades under Mickey Andrews suddenly failed for one year. Sounds like a personnel problem, rather than a coaching problem to me.

Mark Stoops clearly hasn’t made the impact head coach Jimbo Fisher thought he would as the new coordinator. Landry Jones torched the Seminole secondary for 380 yards and four touchdowns, succinctly shredding the supposed vaunted zone defense Stoops brought with him to Tallahassee.

Even Christian Ponder, the face of Florida State (and for that matter, ACC) football struggled mightily against a Sooner defense that is nothing remarkable. Ponder had perhaps the worst game of his career, completing just 11 of 28 passes and throwing two interceptions. It’s not going to be a fun week in Florida, that’s for sure.

Georgia Tech thought it could survive without the likes of Derrick Morgan, Morgan Burnett, Jonathan Dwyer, and Demaryius Thomas – all key components of last year’s ACC Championship team currently in the NFL. The Jacket’s can’t.

Joshua Nesbitt is still the same run-first quarterback with no ability to throw the football. He was bailed out time after time last year by Thomas catching deep balls like he was the world champion of “500″.

There is no such deep threat this year, rendering the Jackets so one-dimensional its criminal.

Kansas loaded the box and demolished the Jackets’ running game. When they had to play catch-up late in the game, Nesbitt was inept. He finished the game with five completions on fifteen attempts.

The Jackets’ did run for 291 yards, but most of that came between the 20-yard lines. They couldn’t cash in when it mattered most, in the red zone.

Georgia Tech is going to have a hard time winning games this year if they can’t grind it out near the end zone, or have some semblance of a passing game.

The most embarrassing loss of all came in Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech shockingly lost its first non-conference home game in its last 33 tries to FCS foe James Madison.

The Hokies struggled to tackle on a wet field, and the offensive line failed to open holes for its star running backs or protect Tyrod Taylor.

The Hokies succumbed to the hangover of the Boise State loss just five days earlier, and a drowsy environment inside Lane Stadium doomed the preseason sixth-ranked team in the coaches’ poll.

The most impressive game of the day came in the still of the night, when Virginia played inspired football in a 17-14 loss to USC. The Cavaliers were missing star cornerback Ras-I Dowling, yet still managed to keep the Trojans’ talented offense in check all night.

Mike London is doing wonders as Virginia’s new head coach. The spirit surrounding that program is at a level not felt in more than a decade. The Cavaliers have inferior talent to just about anyone in the ACC, yet they are playing better and more confidently than most of the league.

When the perennial cellar-dweller of your league carries the conference banner for the weekend, 99 percent of the time it’s a terrible thing. That’s the case this week, when the ACC didn’t just come to a standstill, but was launched backward in its climb to gain national respect.

ESPN’s Bruce Feldman Talks ACC Football

The landscape of sports journalism is littered with, more or less, nerds and geeks who have a lifelong passion for whatever sport they cover.

Not so for one distinguished character in the college football sector. Bruce Feldman was an art major in college, before a part-time job covering high school sports at the Miami Herald turned him onto journalism.

Fast-forward to 2010, and Feldman is a senior college football writer for ESPN the magazine and also has a daily blog on ESPN.com Insider.

He’s the author of two books, Cane Mutiny and Meat Market: Inside the Smashmouth World of College Football Recruiting. Over the course a week earlier this summer, I read Meat Market, which Feldman wrote after spending one year with all-inclusive access to the Ole Miss coaching staff in 2006 under recruiting guru Ed Orgeron.

Feldman basically took the Hubble Telescope and pointed it at the Rebels’ program, specifically the aspect of recruiting. What it showed was a coach who gave up an addiction to alcohol for an addiction to recruiting (and Red Bull Energy Drink), while also depicting just how time-consuming, complicated, and out-of-this-world stressful recruiting in the Deep South can be.

Feldman was kind enough to speak with ACC Mania one evening last week, and he had plenty to opine about the current environment within the conference.

ACC Maniac: Between Jacory Harris, Ryan Williams, Christian Ponder and Joshua Nesbitt, who has the best shot at the Heisman Trophy?

Feldman: I’d say it’s probably Ponder over Harris. I think Ponder is more consistent. Quarterbacks always have the best shot, especially when they can put up good passing numbers. I think Nesbitt is as tough a guy as there is in college football, but I’m not a guy on that bandwagon.

I’ve seen Miami this spring, and I was really impressed by how they look. I think Ponder has been more consistent, but at this point I’d say him, but it wouldn’t shock me if Harris were in the Heisman hunt.

ACC: Do you place any value in Heisman campaigns at places like Florida State?

Feldman: Those programs are so big. I think it would help if you were the Maryland quarterback, or another school that feels like more of a mid-major level.

I’ll use Carson Palmer as an example. Palmer had been a pretty inconsistent quarterback for most of his career. People knew his name, but until his senior year, he really didn’t get cranked up. He really didn’t get mentioned as a Heisman guy until really about Halloween (in 2002). It helped that guys said he had NFL size and an NFL arm. Having the NFL Draft guru approval certainly doesn’t hurt.

I have a feeling if Boise State beats Virginia Tech and Oregon State, people may talk about Kellen Moore. But there is going to be another side that’s going to ask “how good can this guy be?” He’ll be a free agent in the NFL one day, and whatever. I don’t think that helps a Heisman candidacy, but you can spend all the money you want on posters and pins and whatever, but if your guy doesn’t win big games it’s not going to matter.

If Ponder’s team wins the ACC and plays for the BCS title, people are going to find out about his story; they’ll know. He’ll be in enough big games where he’ll be talked about on College Gameday all the time and featured in magazines. People will constantly be talking about him, and why FSU – a program that had dropped – all of a sudden is back up and look who is the reason why.

There is no elaborate Heisman campaign that got everyone fired up about Mark Ingram. It was just about playing well in big games on national TV that does it.

You don’t beat out a guy because your Heisman campaign was better orchestrated than his. It might help you win a Butkus…it’s too scrutinized

ACC: You wrote a book on recruiting; who do you think is the best recruiter in the ACC?

Feldman: I’m tempted to say Eddie Gran, The running back coach at Florida State. He pulled a lot of kids out of south Florida when he was at Auburn and Tennessee and definitely did the same when he got to FSU. I think he is a really, really good recruiter. He’s a fairly low-key guy.

(UNC defensive line coach) John Blake has a big reputation as a recruiter, too, but I just don’t know. I think Graham might be a bit of an upset, but I’ll say him.

ACC: Virginia Tech just lost two huge recruits to UNC in Landon Turner and Marquise Williams. Tech needed Williams a lot more than UNC. Also, with Mike London raising UVA’s profile in-state, Tech is losing some ground in the state quickly. Williams was from North Carolina, but Turner was from Harrisonburg. Butch Davis is doing a good job.

Feldman: He’s a good evaluator. Let’s see how this NCAA probe may impact them. One of the little side cushions of the USC hit is that I wonder how much recruits will be gunshy when they hear “NCAA probe” than they were a while back.

ACC: What is the best stadium you’ve been to in the conference?

Feldman: I’m going to sound like I’m pandering, but I’m going to say Lane Stadium. I‘ve been there for a lot of games. I don’t like heavy metal or anything like that, but even when you just start hearing Enter Sandman that whole place rocks.

Every year, ESPN has a preseason seminar where everyone that works with college football comes in. One year they were playing the open to Virginia Tech-Miami in 2005. I remember just sitting there getting goosebumps. I remember being at that game. There is something there that is great.

It’s a really scenic part of the country. I’m kind of partial to that place. I have not been to Clemson for a game and I’ve heard great things about there. Otherwise I’ve been to pretty much every place in the ACC.

There is just something at Virginia Tech that I am in to.

ACC: Are you surprised that Tom O’Brien has not had more success at NC State?

Feldman: A little, given his track record. For as much as people take shots at the league, it’s not that easy to all of a sudden (improve). He has a good quarterback. Chuck Amato recruited pretty well, and he didn’t really win either. I’m not saying NC State is as tough as Duke to win at.

In a way, at Boston College you’re little more on an island and it has its charms to it. NC State is a little trickier spot. I’m not saying you can’t win there. I didn’t go in thinking oh he’s going to turn that place into the next Virginia Tech seasons. I expected 7-5 and the occasional 8-4 season. But I thought he’d be more along the lines of what Al Groh was able to do at Virginia.

I think people underestimate BC a little bit. They always have good offensive linemen. They also recruit New Jersey very well. New Jersey football is actually very good, and that is the Eagles’ lifeblood. As long as you have a really good line and mix in some other good players, you’re going to be good. It’s always been a well-coached program. They’ve never been bad. I don’t think you all of a sudden go to a different league and just fall apart.

ACC: Who is the best coach in the ACC?

Feldman: I think a lot of people would say Jim Grobe (at Wake Forest). Paul Johnson has done a lot at Georgia Tech. Beamer has obviously elevated Virginia Tech to an unthinkable level. I’d say it’s one of those three. I feel like Grobe probably gets the most out of the least, and Beamer takes it to another level. He’s had guys on his staff for a long time, there’s a lot of loyalty there.

ACC: Not a lot of people expected Paul Johnson’s offense to succeed in the ACC. I think a lot of his success predicates on how unique it is and how different it is to prepare for. When facing it, you have to completely change everything. Do you think Tech can maintain this, and do you think the triple option could show up at more schools in the future?

Feldman: I think they can maintain it. I don’t think it’s going to show up at so many other places, because coaches coach what they know. That is such a radical departure from places like the Big 12 where there are all these variations of the spread, but are pass-happy offenses.

Johnson is a good coach. Whatever system you run, it’s about how well you execute it. I just don’t think you’re all of a sudden going to see Norm Chow say, “I’m going to become an option guy,” or Mark Whipple or Jimbo Fisher either.

I think watching what Navy has done over the few years, what they’ve done is good. I just don’t think it’s going to be widespread, it’s not a part of other coaches’ DNA right now, offensively.

ACC: Who wins the ACC this year?

Feldman: There are four schools in the mix: Virginia Tech, Miami, North Carolina and Florida State. The more this investigation talk starts to bubble up, it doesn’t help UNC. You worry about chemistry.

I think Virginia Tech is a proven commodity, which definitely helps them.

FSU and Miami are both similar to me. Both programs have been really good, and now are trying to get rebuilt under new leadership. They have a lot of firepower. I think Miami has more talent on defense.

I feel like it comes down to Virginia Tech having to go to Miami this year. I think that game is going to determine the best team in the league.

Talkin’ ACC football with Sports Illustrated’s Stewart Mandel

It’s been 11 years since Stewart Mandel started covering college football for Sports Illustrated.

Nearly fresh out of college himself (Northwestern ’98) at that time, Mandel has been one of the most prominent writers in the sport over the last decade. His book, Bowls Polls and Tattered Souls, was published in 2007 (later updated in 2008), covered everything from the chaos of the Bowl Championship Series to the crapshoot that is the NFL combine.

It is a great book for both the avid college football die-hard and the casual fan that only follows his or her alma mater. It’s informative and precise, but written simply enough that just about anyone can follow.

I was scheduled to talk to Mandel on Wednesday afternoon – in the middle of what was expected to be a “slow week.” Turns out, Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson surprisingly retired, and our conversation was pushed back until Thursday.

We talked about his career as a journalist, which I humbly admire, and also much about his book.

At the end of the conversation, we started talking ACC football, and he had some very interesting thoughts on the upcoming season.

That conversation went as follows:

ACC Maniac: Who’s closer to being “back”, Florida State or Miami?

Mandel: Miami. They got a head start…both programs kind of went in the tank at the same time, (but) the difference was that Miami made a coaching change and brought in Randy Shannon, who’s had three years to install his system and recruit his players. Even though Jimbo Fisher was there on the staff, it really wasn’t his program until Bobby (Bowden) retired – or was forced to retire.

I may be wrong, but I don’t agree with these prognostications that say they are going to be a top 15 or 20 team. Their defense was just so bad last year. I think it will take them a couple years to get the talent level back up to where they need it to be, where as Miami seems to be right on the brink.

ACC: So you’re not on the (Newly hired FSU defensive coordinator) Mark Stoops bandwagon I guess?

Mandel: No I mean, I’m sure it will help, but Mickey Andrews was the old defensive coordinator, and they were great on defense every year until last year. I don’t think that can be attributed entirely to coaching.

ACC: Between Jacory Harris, Ryan Wiliams, Christian Ponder, and I’ll throw Joshua Nesbitt in the mix…who has the best chance at winning the Heisman?

Mandel: The Heisman is based as much on how your team does. If Miami competes for the national title, Harris will be in the mix. If Virginia Tech competes for the title, Ryan Williams will be in the mix. I do think Ponder will get a lot of acclaim because he’s considered a top NFL prospect, too.

So…I would go with Ryan Williams, with my only concern that with (Darren) Evans back maybe it will cut into Williams’ yardage. If he can put up another season like last year or better, and if Virginia Tech turns out another great season, he’s got the best chance.

ACC: I wrote a story last week about how Christian Ponder didn’t need his Heisman campaign website…

Mandel: People know how good he is. How you distinguish him from Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), Jake Locker (Washington)…any number of quarterbacks who will compete for it this year will depend on how their team does.

ACC: What do you think Mike London will do at Virginia over the long haul?

Mandel: It’s hard to say; I don’t know that much about him. I know he did very well when he got to Richmond. Having not really dealt with him, I don’t know what to predict, other than it seems like on paper he has great credentials. And Virginia is a sleeping giant. They should have done better under Al Groh and there is some history there. So there is no reason London can’t get them eventually competing for ACC titles.

ACC: London seems more likable than Groh, but looking at London’s first real recruiting class and Groh’s early classes…they are similar. But Groh couldn’t win, and the great recruiting classes stopped.

Mandel: In the recruiting chapter in my book, my theory about first-year coaches and their second recruiting class being their first full class is…almost always at a major school the class is highly ranked. That’s when the excitement is at its highest, because they haven’t played a game yet. New coach, full of energy…I’ve seen that story over and over again…you’ve got to start winning. Minnesota had a great class a few years ago (when Tim Brewster took over as head coach in 2007), but that’s not happening anymore.

ACC: Who is the best coach in the ACC?

Mandel: I’m going to go with Paul Johnson…no…Frank Beamer deserves it.

Johnson is the more recent guy. He might be the next best coach, but Beamer has done more overall over time. Beamer is probably under respected in that he’s not obviously talked about like Bob Stoops, Mack Brown or Urban Meyer because they’ve all won national titles.

Beamer has never done that, and obviously it’s been…gosh, 11 years since they played for one. But in time, he’s not at a school that’s expected to do that. Those guys are at programs with great history, where as Tech’s history started with Frank Beamer. The consistency he’s shown over the years…is a remarkable accomplishment.

ACC: What happens to Virginia Tech when he leaves? Can they sustain this success?

Mandel: It’s hard to say. One thing Tech has benefited from since they joined the ACC is the fact that FSU and Miami have been down. If those programs get back to what they were, it becomes a lot harder for Tech to stay at that level, with or without Beamer.

I think the ACC is becoming more competitive. It was kind of a laughing stock during the first few years of the 12-team league. You can see each year that Georgia Tech is now a factor, and UNC with Butch Davis is a factor.

Because of that, it’s going to be hard for Virginia Tech to sustain this level, and if you lose your coach it depends on who the next guy –whether it’s Bud Foster or somebody else – has the CEO skills. Tech has X’s and O’s down and they’ve kind of patented the defense/special teams mantra.

But can Foster, or whoever else, run a program? We’ll have to see.

ACC: I’ve seen first-hand what Foster has done, and he has as much respect from the fans, players, boosters, and fellow coaches as Beamer. I don’t know any other program where you see that.

Mandel: Yeah, it’s stunning that he hasn’t gotten a head-coaching job to this point. He might not have been appreciated as much outside Virginia Tech, but they are going to be a top 10 team this year despite losing so many big players on defense, now people just expect that they’ll reload and put out another great defense. But that’s what Bud Foster does.

ACC: What is your favorite stadium to visit in the ACC?

Mandel: I’ve never been to Clemson’s stadium, which I’ve heard is great. But of the ones I’ve been to, it’s Lane Stadium. It’s so loud. I just happened to see the other day that the capacity is 66,000 (Actually 66,203)?

It’s just as loud as an 80,000-seat stadium somewhere else. It’s a little hard to get to, but once you’re there it’s a great stadium.

ACC: I talked to Tom O’Brien when he was at Boston College, and he said that Lane Stadium blew Penn State’s Beaver Stadium (Capacity: 107,282) out of the water.

Mandel: It’s loud. I can name louder ones, like LSU, Florida and Oregon actually, but it’s up there. The Penn State thing is not entirely surprising to me. Penn State’s stadium looks cool. I went to a game where they did “White Out,” and it looked really cool. Then the game started, and it wasn’t that interesting to me.

ACC: Who wins the ACC this year?

Mandel: This is the most competitive that it has been. There are four teams in the same division (Coastal) that could win it. I like Virginia Tech. It’s not because of the defense for once, but the offense. It’s finally, after years of having to watch those struggles to move the ball; I think it’s going to be exciting this year.

I mentioned Ryan Williams (as a Heisman candidate), but I wonder if Tyrod Taylor will get himself in the mix, because people love those dual-threat quarterbacks, and he could put up big numbers this year.

I give Tech the slight edge over North Carolina, who I think will rise up this year and contend for the title, because they could have an epic season.

I’m confident to pick them to win the ACC, but I have no idea to pick the Boise State game. I’ll probably not know until the day of the game.

ACC: Were you at the game against USC (at FedEx Field) in 2004? Virginia Tech was in that game until the very end. I don’t think Boise State is 2004 USC and I think this Tech team is better than in 2004. I know it’s apples and oranges, but…

Mandel: The ’04 Tech team was a surprise. They weren’t picked to do much, and I was really surprised when they hung with USC. I don’t know if the crowd will be a factor; Boise State has won at places like Oregon and big bowl games. It’s more a question of how Boise handles the expectations of a 9-month build-up and how big this is for them.

Virginia Tech comes into the game knowing they can still win the ACC and even contend for the national title with a loss, but this is Boise’s season.

ACC: Both teams have a lot of pressure, though. Boise’s season is riding on this game, but Tech faces the pressure of finally winning an early season game against a big-time opponent. They’ve got to win one of these games.

Mandel: Tech will definitely feel some backlash, because they have gone out and lost these big opening games. The 2007 team, when all hell broke lose and they actually finished third in the BCS standings, I said there was no way they were the third best team in the country, I watched them get humiliated by LSU. They need to step up and win one of these big non-conference games.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tell it like it is, Stewart. So there you have it, he thinks Virginia Tech will win the ACC, and he loves coming to Lane Stadium (though he’s never been to Death Valley).

It sounds like he’s high on the Hokies this season, and he’ll be in Landover on Labor Day to watch the Boise State showdown.

It was a pleasure to talk to Mandel, and if the ACC eventually gets back to the forefront of college football like he thinks it might, fans all along the coast will surely be reading much more from one of the sport’s most distinguished journalists.

1st chapter in Mike London era at Virginia same as Groh’s

We all saw it coming.

When Virginia hired Mike London last December as its new head football coach, he instantly rejuvenated energy into a program that was on life support in recent years.

Ex-head coach Al Groh did everything wrong in the time leading up to his exit. He severed the connection between the team and its fan base, he lost a giant step in recruiting, and most of all he lost a lot of football games.

It wasn’t always quite that way during Groh’s tenure, which lasted from 2001 until 2009. When he began his stint with the Cavaliers, Groh was a man on fire on the recruiting trail, wooing blue-chip 17-year-old men better than the school’s co-eds ever could.

London’s start with the Cavaliers is already taking a similar path. His first true recruiting class, the class of 2011, already has a whopping 19 commitments, the third most in the country. It’s fair to say London has already lived up to his billing as a top-notch recruiter. You don’t land two four-star prospects and 11 more three-star guys within six months of a 3-9 season without having an uncanny knack for persuasion.

Believe it or not, the widely perceived old-and-grouchy Groh was viewed in much similar fashion to London a decade ago. Fresh off a 9-7 season leading the New York Jets, Groh as a hot-shot NFL coach equipped with all the tools to make UVA a perennial winner.

In Groh’s first three years, Virginia’s record was a pedestrian 22-17, though that did include consecutive bowl wins in 2002 and 2003. Nevertheless, Cavalier fans and recruiting analysts were dripping at the mouth talking about the future of Groh’s program.

There was some star power on the Virginia teams in the middle of the decade. They just couldn’t put everything together as a group. Names like Ahmad Brooks, Darryl Blackstock, Chris Long, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Tom Santi, and Philip Brown were all heralded recruits supposed to bring ACC titles to Charlottesville.

Nay.

While Groh had little problem sending a plethora of players to the NFL, he only went 20-16 in his next three seasons. And you thought John Calipari was the posterchild of underachieving with so much professional talent.

As recruits began to notice Groh’s knack for producing half-dollar teams with full-dollar talent, the best prospects stopped coming altogether. Five-star freshmen turned into four and three-stars at Virginia, and four-star recruits gave way to plenty of two-star prospects.

The message to Mike London is clear: reap the benefits of a flashy smile and a excitable personality while you can, because before long, you’re going to have to win some football games.

The school that is most worried about London’s tear through the recruiting trail is Virginia Tech, and rightfully so. The Hokies have owned in-state recruiting for the better part of the last six years, thanks in large part to joining the ACC, a selling point Virginia could no longer offer over the Hokies, as well as the Cavaliers’ unquestionable struggles.

Now, London has taken the state by storm, particularly in the Tidewater area, where 90% of the Division I talent in the state hails from. It’s an equation not much different than what Groh used to scare the Hokies with a string of more highly regarded classes.

How’d that turn out for Groh? In nine tries against the Hokies, he won just a single time.

London is a much more candid personality than Groh, but quite frankly, his track record isn’t any better than Groh’s was upon taking the job. Groh had that NFL experience as a head man, and that was his biggest selling point. London’s is a sense of confidence that could easily be mistaken for swagger, which plays well on the minds of the “757″ preps.

Fact of the matter is, like Groh at the time (who went 26-40 in six seasons with Wake Forest in the late 1980s), London had never proven he could win as a Division I head coach. That means for the time being, there’s little to distinguish between him and his predecessor.

Until he wins, and wins a lot, the rest of the ACC needn’t be too worried about a Cavalier program that’s partying a little too much like it’s 2001.

Final Verdict on Virginia: Ugly year in Charlottesville

Schedule Analysis/Final Verdict

Projected wins/losses (* denotes swing game)

Sept. 4 Richmond*

Sept. 11 at USC – L

Sept. 25 VMI – W

Oct. 2 Florida State – L

Oct. 9 at Ga. Tech – L

Oct. 16 UNC – L

Oct. 23 Eastern Mich. – W

Oct. 30 Miami – L

Nov. 6 at Duke*

Nov. 13 Maryland*

Nov. 20 at Boston College – L

Nov. 27 at Virginia Tech – L

Record: 2-7-3. Best case: 5-7 (2-6). Worst Case: 2-10 (0-8). Prediction: 4-8 (1-7)

Analysis

The Cavaliers have nothing to boast about on offense. A mistake-prone quarterback, and unproven set of skill players around him will make scoring points harder than streaking the lawn on the Charlottesville campus in broad daylight.

The defense, should it adjust to the revamped schemes London has brought with him from Richmond, could be above average in the ACC. If Virginia wins games this year, they will be low-scoring affairs.

The schedule doesn’t cut the Wahoos any deals either. Richmond is a scary opening game; London didn’t leave the cupboard bare at one of the premier FCS programs in the country. The Spiders are going to leave everything on the field in that game, trying to beat their old coach and an ACC school. Virginia will have to earn that win; it won’t simply be handed to them.

The Cavs drew Florida State, Maryland and Boston College (on the road) from the Atlantic Division. Only the Terrapins are beatable. They also hit the road for Duke, which seems to be a trap for visiting teams anymore. Now that the Devils have some talent there, the graveyard that is Wallace Wade Stadium can zap opponents into a trance for 60 minutes of game time.

Virginia might have more talent than teams like Maryland and Duke, but both of those teams have better chances to win more games in 2010.

Coach London has the program headed in the right direction – and quickly – but before the program can reap the benefits of their new coach’s efforts, they will suffer threw one more Groh-tesque season.

#11 Virginia has depth, lacks experience at running back

Running backs

Projected depth chart (Returning starters in bold):

RB – #21 Dominique Wallace, #5 Torrey Mack, #33 Perry Jones

FB – #34 Terence Fells-Danzer

Torrey Mack had more carries in 2009 than any other returning back, with 23.

Who will earn a bulk of the carries as the Cavalier running back is anyone’s guess. With Mikell Simpson and Rashawn Jackson gone, there are a number of candidates to replace him. The three above listed players should share the wealth fairly evenly, at least until someone emerges.

Not a single player on the Virginia roster has a rushing touchdown in their respective collegiate careers.

All three backs have different running styles. Jones is the shifty back, while Wallace and Mack have a better balance of speed and power. The wild card in the group is Keith Payne, a 255-lb. behemoth who will be the short yardage back. He was reportedly close to transferring for his senior season, but coach Mike London convinced him to stay. He will be paramount in keeping the Cavalier offense on the field.

No matter who earns the job, it will be a virtual rookie. Mack is the leader among returning players in carries with 23 in 2009.

This is another group that showed very little promise in the spring game. The longest run of the game was 14 yards, and very few runs went for more than three of four yards.

A realistic expectation for this group would be 1,500 yards as a unit. Anything beyond that would be shocking, given the lack of proven talent.

If one of the four players were to emerge as the clear leader, it would most likely be Wallace, who missed the final nine games of 2009 with a broken leg. How he returns from that will make a big difference in the distribution of the carries.

#11 Virginia – Cavs try to establish receiving corps for first time in a decade

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Projected Starters/Reserves(Returning Starters in bold):

WR – #20 Tim Smith, So./#2 Jared Green, Jr.

WR – #18 Kris Burd, Jr./#81 Dontrelle Inman, Sr.

TE – #83 Joe Torschia, Sr./#89 Colter Phillips, So.

It’s an unproven group of receivers at arguably the weakest position in the program over the past decade. The 2009 edition of receivers caught only eight touchdown passes all season long.

Smith has game-breaker potential, and the former Oscar Smith High star might be the fastest player on the team. Much was expected of him when he committed to Virginia, and it’s time for him to live up to the hype.

Burd led the Cavaliers last season with 31 receptions for 413 yards, but only one touchdown. His experience will be appreciated, but don’t expect to see him breaking off too many big plays.

The tight end position, typically an area of strength for Virginia, saw its production drop dramatically last season when Groh switched to the spread offense. London has re-implemented a more traditional offense under coordinator Bill Lazor, and the position should become productive again.

Torschia had a couple strong games a year ago, and the coaches have high hopes for Colt Phillips as a complete prospect at the position.

Overall, the receivers are young and mediocre. Lazor won’t be able to be very aggressive in the passing game, and he can only hope somebody emerges from the group as a go-to target, because right now he has no one.