Clemson, Boston College hope new offensive coordinators pan out

Dabo Swinney and Frank Spaziani both hired new offensive coordinators this off-season in hopes it would spark a run at the ACC championship.

At Clemson, Swinney plucked Chad Morris away from Tulsa to run the spread offense that is the flavor of the month in college football.

Kevin Rogers comes to Boston College by way of the Minnesota Vikings

Spaziani hired longtime coaching veteran and quarterback guru Kevin Rogers to replace Gary Tranquill at Boston College.

Both moves were made with high and immediate expectations. Ironically, the pair couldn’t be much less alike.

Morris is a full-bred Texan with a fiery personality. The 42-year-old chugs a Red Bull Energy Drink before every practice (he refrains during games), and has only one year of coaching experience at the collegiate level. His lightning quick rise from high school to the AQ-BCS ranks draws many comparisons to 2010 Broyles Award winner Gus Malzahn.

Rogers, meanwhile, is a proven commodity at both the college and professional level. His most recent stint was in Minnesota, where he took credit for revitalizing the ageless Brett Favre’s career. His most notable tutelage collegiately came in the mid-90’s at Syracuse, where he turned Donovan McNabb into the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He also spent time at Notre Dame and Virginia Tech in the past decade as their respective quarterbacks’ coach.

Despite their vastly different backgrounds, both come to their new jobs with enough pieces in place to succeed immediately.

Both have future NFL running backs. Andre Ellington (Clemson) and Montel Harris (Boston College) are workhorse backs who would make any coordinator’s job easier.

Rogers has the more experienced quarterback, however. Chase Rettig started the last eight games of the 2010 season, completing 100 of 195 passes (51.3 percent) with six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Pedestrian numbers, even for a freshman, but he played behind a disappointing offensive line and a terrible collection of receivers.

With Rogers’ experience grooming young quarterbacks, and the hopeful growth of the receiving unit, Rettig’s numbers should be much prettier in 2011. If Rettig progresses as the Eagles hope he will, it will make the Eagles’ offense that much more potent, because it won’t allow opponents to crowd the line of scrimmage to swallow up Harris.

Meanwhile, Morris has to bring redshirt sophomore Tajh Boyd up to speed in his complex, fast-paced scheme. Boyd has most of the tools to run the system effectively: a strong arm, a physical frame, and decent speed. However, it was apparent this spring that his footwork left much to be desired, as did his accuracy. Morris cannot afford to be too patient with Boyd entering fall camp. Without a quarterback in total control of the offense, the Tigers are more likely to sputter than skyrocket.

Chad Morris was 169-38 with three state championships in 16 seasons in as a high school head coach in Texas.

Most of the preseason analysis so far this summer has rated Clemson ahead of Boston College. While the Morris/Malzahn comparisons are entirely fair, nobody should expect Morris to have that level of an impact at Clemson, especially that quickly.

So, who will prove to be the better hire? Will it be the proven commodity Rogers? Or the rising star Morris?

The safer bet is that Rogers. He’s got a talented protégé in Rettig and is on a more stable coaching staff. Dabo Swinney’s seat is warming up at Clemson, and some people think Morris could be next in line.

If Clemson struggles early – not a far-fetched assumption with games against Auburn and Florida State in September – it could create some internal strife if not a lack of faith in the new schemes. The Eagles’ opening stretch of Northwestern, UCF, Duke and UMass is much less daunting, and could create a lot momentum heading into the thick of the ACC schedule.

Both Rogers and Morris were welcomed with open arms by their respective fan bases. While I give the slight edge to Rogers, both are in a position to thrive in their new jobs.

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

Football weekend wrap-up: November 20

One division title was decided on Saturday, while the other saw its race whittled down to two teams.

Virginia Tech overcame a slow start to dominate Miami in the second half, winning 31-17 on the road. It was the Hokies’ ninth straight win; their longest streak since 1999.

With the Coastal Division in hand, they will face Virginia next Saturday for a chance to become the first team to run the table in the ACC since 2000.

Ryan Williams said his hamstring wouldn’t be 100 percent until he could rest it after the season. Whatever percent it is now, it’s still better than just about anyone else. Williams showed the explosiveness that made him a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate with a 142-yard, two-touchdown output.

The day kicked off with a thrilling rivalry game between North Carolina and NC State. The Wolfpack trailed 19-10 in the third quarter, but came back to win 29-25. They had to hold on late when North Carolina scored to come within two points, but a failed two-point conversion try left NC State standing.

The win moved the Wolfpack to 5-2 in ACC play, tied with Florida State for the time being.

The Seminoles edged Maryland in a tough environment, 30-16. The Terps were knocking on the door in the final minute down a touchdown, but Nick Moody intercepted a Danny O’Brien pass and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.

Banged-up FSU quarterback Christian Ponder completed 16-of-26 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown. It was the Seminoles’ defense, however, that won the game. Mark Stoops’ unit forced four turnovers despite giving up 432 yards of total offense.

Maryland’s hopes for an improbable ACC title run were shattered with the loss, while Florida State now must hope the Terrapins can play spoiler next week against the Wolfpack. If NC State beats Maryland, the ‘Pack will play in their first ever conference championship game. If not, the Seminoles will face the Hokies on Dec. 4 in Charlotte.

Granted, there’s still a week left, but you’ve got to hand it to the Tar Heels. Despite all the turmoil, not to mention severe attrition of key players, they’ve been competitive every week. Of their five losses, three have come by six points or less. It’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, but Butch Davis was pretty darn good at keeping his team afloat despite the chaos surrounding his team.

The ACC Player of the Year appeared to be locked up a few weeks ago; and it would belong to Tyrod Taylor. Over the past three weeks, Taylor has cooled off significantly. In that span, he’s completed 35-of-67 passes (52%) with four touchdowns. He’s also only rushed for 62 yards in that time. He’s still the front-runner because of the plays he makes that don’t show up in the stat book.

Headed in the opposite direction, however, is Boston College’s Montel Harris, who continued his streak of 100-yard rushing games in the Eagles’ 17-13 win over Virginia.

Through five games, Harris averaged just 77 yards per game. Since then, he’s gained 142.6 yards per game and scored seven touchdowns. He’s the reason Boston College has won four straight games and is bowl eligible for the 13^th straight season. Linebacker Luke Kuechly may bring home more hardware this winter, but if it weren’t for Harris, the Eagles would never have been 6-5 today.

Weekend Preview: Boston College at Florida State

Boston College at No. 16 Florida State, 12:00 p.m.

Jimbo Fisher has Florida State back on track to greatness. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Florida State is coming off the program’s biggest win in arguably close to a decade, a 45-17 beatdown at Miami in prime time.

Jimbo Fisher has already put his mark on the program in his first season, and at the halfway point, the ACC race appears to be Florida State’s to lose.

Boston College, meanwhile, has been outscored 94-30 in its past three games. The Eagles have struggled in every facet of the game offensively.

They are 10^th in the ACC with 14 sacks allowed, and dead last with just 89.6 rushing yards per game. All of this coming with an offensive line that was supposed to be among the league’s elite.

Florida State, meanwhile, has been extremely productive on the ground, churning out 223.5 yards per game behind a dominant offensive line.

The ‘Noles offense is extremely balanced. They have 1,341 rushing yards and 1,296 passing yards this year.

Christian Ponder’s Heisman Trophy hopes may have been dashed following the debacle at Oklahoma, but he has been very efficient this season.

He is completing 60 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, two of which came against the Sooners.

This is a matchup of two progams headed in polar opposite directions. Boston College in no way resembles the ultra-consistent team it once was. Meanwhile, Florida State appears to be on the brink of being a perennial top-10 team again.

In the Seminoles’ five wins, their average margin of victory is 31 points per game. That should continue again this week.

PREDICTION – Florida State 38, Boston College 7

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

The Crystal Ball – How the ACC will fare in 2010

After all the waiting, the season is upon us. This Thursday, the college football season will officially begin. And it begins with Wake Forest hosting Presbyterian at 6:30, the first game to kick off the 2010 season.

That also means it’s about time to make an idiot out of myself by trying to predict what will happen this year. Here is my comprehensive breakdown of the upcoming season for the ACC, otherwise known is idiocy at its finest.

Championship Game: Virginia Tech over Boston College

This was my story a month ago, and I’m sticking to it. The Eagles have a strong defense and a workhorse running back. David Shinskie is back under center, and he can only improve on his freshman season – his first year of football in half a decade.

I’ve lost faith in Florida State’s chances enough to take the Eagles as the Atlantic champs. BC faces an easier conference schedule, where I think they can sneak six conference wins in.

The Hokies, meanwhile, figure to be either 7-1 or 8-0 when the calendar hits November. Their three-game stretch of Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Miami is treacherous, but with the uncertainty around the Tar Heels’ season, that stretch is a little calmer now, it seems.

When it comes to the Eagles-Hokies matchup, it really doesn’t do justice to call it a match up, because it hardly resembles one. The gap between the two divisions this year is immense. Whoever wins the Coastal Division wins the championship.

Player of the Year: Christian Ponder, FSU

Ponder, if healthy, could put up ridiculous numbers in his senior season with the ‘Noles. It figures to be more of the same with Florida State in terms of the offense loading up the scoreboard, while the defense struggles to do its job.

Ponder has the athletes around him to make big plays. He has a shot to become the first Heisman winner from the ACC in nine years, and he could also shoot up NFL Draft projections with a strong year.

Biggest upset of the year: Duke over Miami, Oct. 16

Before you stop reading, hear me out.

Miami will either be coming off a huge win over Florida State, or a devastating loss the week before. The ‘Canes have a history of sleepwalking through road trips to Duke.

In 2008, they trailed the Blue Devils 24-14 in the third quarter before coming back to win 49-31.

In 2006, the Hurricanes needed a last-second interception on the goal line to avoid falling to the winless Blue Devils, winning 20-15.

If Duke came that close when they had significantly inferior talent, the Blue Devils have a much better chance this time around when the talent pool is much better.

Duke has a strong offense capable of scoring on anyone. Donovan Varner is the most productive receiver in the league, and Sean Renfree was a highly recruited quarterback two years ago and the coaches have high hopes for him.

If Miami doesn’t watch its step coming off a potentially mammoth rivalry game the week before, it’s not absurd to think Duke could win that game.

Best newcomer: Jeff Luc, LB Florida State

Luc, the most prized recruit in the ACC in the class of 2010, saw his chances for playing time rise when projected starter Nigel Carr was booted off the team in July.

Luc is slotted to back up Kendall Smith at middle linebacker, but he could move around if need be as a backup. Everything I’ve heard is the Luc is the next great linebacker at FSU, following in the footsteps of Peter Boulware, Ernie Sims and Dekoda Watson.  Expect him to make an immediate impact on a defense desperate for that type of player.

Biggest disappointment: Clemson

The return of Kyle Parker was supposed to salvage the Tigers’ season. It will make nary a difference with a lack of supporting cast. Andre Ellington has 1,000-yard potential at running back, but there is no semblance of a receiving corps.

Clemson’s early-season schedule is too tough to overcome. The Tigers face Auburn, Miami and Georgia Tech in a four-week span. I don’t think Clemson wins any of those games.

A 7-5 season would impress me. A 6-6 year would be just about right.

Best offense: Virginia Tech

There are more proven weapons for the Hokies than anyone else. Florida State has Ponder, Miami has an abundance of former blue-chip recruits who should emerge this year, but the Hokies have by far the best combination of talent and experience.

David Wilson may emerge as the backup running back instead of Darren Evans, meaning the Hokies might have a former 1,000-yard rusher at third string.

Senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor has his entire receiving corps back intact for the third consecutive year. Also, new starting tight end Andre Smith will be an improvement in the passing game over Greg Boone.

Ryan Williams should put up gaudy numbers again after breaking a number of school and conference rushing records as a freshman.

Best defense: Miami

I’m sorry, but until I know who will or won’t play for North Carolina, I’m not touching that team when it comes to predictions. So Miami earns this recognition with studs like Allen Bailey, who could be a top 10 pick next spring, and Colin McCarthy and Sean Spence at linebacker.

Brandon Harris anchors a secondary that is closing the talent gap between recent years and the early part of the decade.

Miami will have the fastest and fiercest defense this year, and Randy Shannon finally has the pieces in place again to wreak havoc on opponents like the ‘Canes used to do when Shannon was defensive coordinator.

Game of the year: Virginia Tech at Miami, November 20

This is the de facto ACC Championship game, if everything unfolds as planned. These are the two best teams of the year facing off in the next to last week of the season. Both teams have some road bumps before this date, but it’s possible both could be ranked in the top 10 come game time, maybe even the top five.

The winner of this game will likely punch their ticket to the ACC Championship Game two weeks later.

It’s going to be a great year for the ACC. Virginia Tech and Miami should carry the torch at the forefront of the national rankings most of the season.  Still, nine teams should reach the postseason, showing the true depth of a league that has taken it’s fair share of criticism in recent years.

Five ACC players who could contend for Heisman

There is a lot of hope surrounding the ACC this season. Miami and Florida State are relevant again (we think), Virginia Tech has a chance to be a national title favorite with a win in week one, and there is a laundry list of players with a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy.

The last Heisman winner from the ACC was Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke in 2000. There is a breadth of talent at several positions that could produce the next winner from right here in the ACC.

Here is the list, in order.

1. Christian Ponder, Florida State QB

Ponder is not just the symbol of hope for the ACC. He’s carrying the pressure of resurrecting the Seminole program. If he’s able to return FSU to glory, there’s no doubt he’ll be on the short list for the award. If he stays healthy, there’s little doubt he’ll put up close to 4,000 passing yards and approach 40 touchdowns.

2. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech RB

Williams would likely get more attention for this award if people weren’t skeptical that Darren Evans will steal too many of Williams’ carries. It’s not going to be an issue. Williams will touch the ball between 20-25 times per game at least, which is plenty to put up Heisman-worthy numbers. The coaching staff knows Williams is a game-breaker, while Evans is much more suited to be a supplemental back. If the Hokies make a run at the national title, Williams will be the biggest reason why.

3. Jacory Harris, Miami QB

Harris knows something that nobody else in the ACC does. He knows what it’s like to be the Heisman favorite, albeit very briefly. Harris was the center of attention last September thanks to two prime-time performances against Florida State and Georgia Tech. This year, he’ll need to string together more than just two great games if he wants to finish the year in the mix for the award. Wins over Ohio State and Pittsburgh would be a good start. He needs to cut down on his turnovers, improve his decision-making and hope his offensive line protects him better than it did at the end of last year.

4. Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech QB

Nesbitt is the darkhorse of the national Heisman race. He’s been largely discounted for the award because of the option he operates in. Do people forget what Eric Crouch did nine years ago? If the Yellow Jackets are in the national title hunt, or at least in the top 10 when the season ends, and Nesbitt dominates like many expect him to, there’s no reason his name shouldn’t be mentioned for the Heisman. He’s one of the best college football players in the country.

5. Montel Harris, Boston College RB

Harris is the best running back nobody has ever heard about (apologies to Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas). Harrs carried the Eagles last season when no quarterback could. He might have to do the same this year, but he’s up to the task. He was handed the ball 308 times last year, and that might touch 350 this year. He has no backup, and the receiving corps is thin. Basically, Harris could put up unavoidably impressive numbers. The Eagles aren’t going to be a national contender, and Harris isn’t going to be a future NFL star, but he’s going to get so much action that he just might make some noise in the Heisman race (see: Larry Johnson).

The ACC’s most irreplaceable players

The theme this week on ESPN.com and ESPN’s College Football Live is irreplaceable players for the upcoming season.

This spurred me to think of several guys in the ACC whose teams could fall apart without them.

There are as many as seven teams with legitimate belief they could win the conference title. But as history has shown, things rarely go according to planned as the season unfolds.

Injuries happen, as do suspensions. Both are tough to swallow for the throngs of fans who scour message boards in their cubicles during the week; that thrive on the “what if?” discussions that make the off-season survivable.

Those same fans hold their breath every Saturday that certain players don’t roll over a heap of players the wrong way, or take an opposing helmet in exactly the wrong spot on their body.

Last year’s national title game was exhibit A of the importance of preparing backup players for unsuspecting moments. Garrett Gilbert had no idea, nor intention for that matter, to play all but six plays against Alabama after Colt McCoy’s shoulder left him hopelessly on the sideline.

There are plenty of guys in the ACC who fans will be equally as apprehensive about a potential sidelining this fall.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Virginia Tech

There’s no way Virginia Tech can compete for the ACC title, let alone the national championship without its senior quarterback. Taylor enters his fourth season as the starting quarterback for the Hokies, third in a full-time role. His numbers as a passer took a substantial leap in his junior season, but more important than his stats were his complete grasp of the team.

There are other offensive stars – Ryan Williams and Darren Evans specifically – but the entire team looks up to Taylor as its face. He earned the complete respect of his teammates when he led an 88-yard drive to beat Nebraska last season.

The expectations in Blacksburg are as high as they’ve ever been, and it all hinges on Taylor being under center. His backups are Logan Thomas and JuJu Clayton, listed as co-no. 2’s on the depth chart. Neither is ready to be handed the reins to a Division I offense yet. Thomas is a freak athlete who reminds many people physically of Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor. Clayton is an undersized product who has neither the arm strength nor the grasp of the offense to keep the Hokies afloat in Taylor’s absence.

Montel Harris, RB, Boston College

There’s been a long line of great running backs in the Eagles’ program this past deacde, going back to William Green, Derrick Knight, Andre Callender and more. Harris is a special back who carried the ball 308 times last season for 1,457 yards. Besides Harris, the rest of the team combined to rush for 323 yards on 164 carries, less than a two yard-per carry average.

Harris is a diminutive back – he’s listed at a trim 5’10’’, 190 lbs. – but that doesn’t mean he’s not a between-the-tackles runner. Harris will put his facemask in the teeth of any front seven, and a single defender rarely tackles him. He is shifty in the open-field, but not so much that he can rely on his agility on most carries.

With the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback spot for the Eagles, as well as an inexperienced group of wide receivers, Harris will be the focal point of the offense. He should enter fall camp with a chunk of meat added to his frame, because teams aren’t going to pull any punches on him this time around.

There is nobody behind him with any experience, and if Harris goes down, it’s hard to fathom just how this offense can generate points. The Eagles seem to be a sleeper in the ACC, but even with a very good defense, they’ll need Harris to duplicate his 2009 performance – and maybe even improve on it, if that’s possible – to challenge Clemson and Florida State for the Atlantic Division title.

Torrey Smith, KR, Maryland

Most places, kick returners are as hard to replace as wastebaskets. There are exceptions to the rule of course; C.J. Spiller and Devin Hester come to mind. It won’t be long until the country knows the name Torrey Smith. There hasn’t been much attention paid to Smith so far in his career, but he is a crucial component for Maryland.

The Terrapins offense will sputter in first gear more than it will be on cruise control this year. One of the best ways they can reach scoring opportunities is for Smith to hand the offense tremendous field position.

In 2009, Smith averaged more than 25 yards per kick return, and returned two kicks for touchdowns. He is clearly the most dangerous return man in the ACC, and he could emerge as the best in the country as the season unfolds. Maryland will have a hard time winning many ballgames, but without Smith, the number of times the Terps will even cross midfield could be limited.

Kyle Parker, QB, Clemson

Prior to spring practice, Clemson fans knew Parker could very well never return to the football field in pursuit of a professional baseball career. As the college baseball season draws nearer to a close, Parker is still undecided whether he’ll come back to play quarterback for coach Dabo Swinney.
The only thing that could have happened this spring more discouraging to Tiger fans would have been if Steve Spurrier broke into Memorial Stadium and stole Howard’s Rock. Parker destroyed pitchers on a daily basis en route to an All-ACC season, while the search for his potential replacement at quarterback was a disaster.

Tajh Boyd handled the Lion’s – errr, Tiger’s – share of snaps under center in Parker’s absence, and the coaching staff hoped he could progress enough so he’d be ready if Parker does not return. Boyd did nothing in the spring game to prove that notion, completing just eight of 25 passes.

The Tigers’ running game will be strong, with Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper pairing up in the backfield. Clemson has the chance to be a dangerous team if it has an experienced elite-level signal caller.

Boyd was highly recruited out of high school, and has plenty of potential, but if Clemson wants a shot at 10 wins – a feat it has not accomplished since 1990 – it needs Parker, not Boyd, calling the shots.

Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia

The Cavaliers’ road back to the top of the ACC is longer than from Charlottesville to Portland. The offense is putrid, and the defense is retooling under its new coaching staff. Dowling has garnered plenty of preseason hype as one of the best defensive backs in America.

Like 99 percent of football teams, the defense is going to be better prepared than the offense when the season begins. That gap is usually even greater when a team is under a new coaching staff.

Virginia will need its defense to not only stop its opponents from scoring, but also be opportunistic as well. If there is one game-changer on that defense, it’s Dowling. His three interceptions in 2009 were returned for an average of 23.3 yards. That’s the definition of a momentum swing.

Without its lockdown corner, Virginia will find it hard to contain the offenses of the ACC in a year in which the league is full of good ones.

Joshua Nesbitt, QB, Georgia Tech

This goes against my philosophy that Paul Johnson is better at plugging in new faces to his offense than Kenny Chesney is at writing summertime hits. Nesbitt is the essence of irreplaceable, though. In his third year operating the triple option, Nesbitt’s experience will turn this offense from a cheap liquor to a smooth-drinking vodka.

It’s probably unfair to refer to the last two editions of the Tech offense as not smooth, but wait until this fall and observe the fluidity and confidence Nesbitt will exude under center.

Tevin Washington firmly staked his claim as Nesbitt’s backup, and word out of Tech camp is that Washington could be as good as the current starter by the end of his career. Still, in an offense that relies so heavily on timing and feel by the quarterback, you cannot replace a third-year starter without a significant drop-off.