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

Duke looks to make strides in upcoming spring game

David Cutcliffe came to Duke with the goal of turning it into a winner.

It’s a goal that is well within his grasp now.

In three seasons at Duke, Cutcliffe has led the Blue Devils to 12 victories, far surpassing any three-year stretch in the past two decades.

Although he would never admit it, Cutcliffe is an offensive mastermind and has crafted an offense that has the potential to be one of the best in the ACC this coming season.

The Blue Devils’ annual spring game is this Saturday at 3 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium, where Cutcliffe will showcase his explosive offense for the last time until August.

The excitement begins in the passing game, where Sean Renfree returns firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback. After throwing 15 interceptions in Duke’s first seven games last season, he threw just two over the final five contests.

He also threw for 278.8 yards per game during that span.

His development was a crucial element to Duke’s potential this season, as the Devils return to superstar wide receivers in Donovan Varner and Connor Vernon. The pair combined to account for 52.6 percent of all Duke’s receiving yards last season. They is no question they form one of, if not the best receiving tandem in the league.

Duke lost Austin Kelly, who caught 47 passes for 486 yards last season, but has high hopes for rising sophomore Brandon Braxton. He will be a key player to watch on Saturday. Expect Cutcliffe to give him plenty of action.

There were high hopes for Duke’s offense last season, but Cutcliffe knew the offensive line was not ready to compete a high level quite yet. After three years of recruiting and working hard to develop depth on the offensive line, he finally has it. Cutcliffe says that unit now has the look of an ACC offensive line, which means Duke shouldn’t allow 25 sacks like it did last year.

Regardless of any offensive flaws, it is the defense that has befallen Duke in recent years. Last season’s unit ranked 108^th in total defense.

For the third straight season, the Blue Devils have a new defensive coordinator. After Marion Hobby left to take a job at Clemson in January, Cutcliffe promoted defensive line coach Jim Knowles to fill the void.  At the very least, Knowles provides a sense of continuity for the personnel.

Duke should stick with a 3-4 scheme, but it remains to be seen the variety of packages Knowles plans on using. With six starters returning, there is potential for Duke to be relatively adequate defensively. Cutcliffe said following last week’s intrasquad scrimmage that he was pleased with his team’s effort against the run.

Not allowing the big plays will be critical on Saturday and next Fall. Duke allowed 64 plays of 20 yards or more last season.

The kicking game is set with redshirt senior Will Snyderwine, who converted 87.5 percent of his field goals last season. He was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2009 and 2010, and could very well make the step up to the first team in his final go-around.

There is reason for optimism in Durham this year, but there’s plenty of work to be done still to live up to the expectations. The Blue Devils are one of the more intriguing teams in the ACC this spring because of that.

On the Docket – Week One Preview

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

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Wake Forest 41, Presbyterian 0

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Miami 45, Florida A&M 10

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Florida State 52, Samford 7

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

Why it matters: See player to watch

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Boston College 35, Weber State 6

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Georgia Tech 49, South Carolina State 17

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Clemson 31, North Texas 6

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

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

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

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

Prediction: Virginia 23, Richmond 20

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: NC State 48, Western Carolina 14

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: Duke 34, Elon 13

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

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

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

Who has the edge?

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

Prediction: LSU 34, UNC 10

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.

David Cutcliffe raising the profile of Duke Football

Get a load of this.

This guy is the head football coach at a school that has little to no tradition, is barely relevant on its own campus, and hasn’t had a winning season in more than two decades.

He could have taken over a program where he was an assistant during a national championship season 11 years before, and now desperately needs someone to return it to glory.

Instead of bolting for the what seemed to be a dream job, this David Cutcliffe fellow stayed put. He said no to Tennessee to stay at… Duke?

Crazy right? Maybe not.

Maybe it is because Duke, a program that had won a combined ten games in the eight years prior to his arrival, has won nine games over the last two years since he became coach.

The dramatic improvement is a true testament to Cutcliffe and his staff, which has worked tirelessly to not only to alter their team’s play, but it’s mentality was well.

That mentality is centered around toughness, and it starts at quarterback. Not only does redshirt sophomore Sean Renfree have to replace the school’s all-time passing leader Thaddeus Lewis, but he also has yet to take a snap since tearing his ACL late last season.

“The first thing a quarterback has to be able to do to play for us is to be tough, mentally and physically,” Cutcliffe said, “I’m really pleased with Sean Renfree and his ability and leadership. He comes in clearly number one.”

Cutcliffe’s confidence in Renfree, coupled with what the coach described as on outstanding and experienced offensive line, are two big reasons why the media hoarded around the Duke coach’s table at Media Day. That would never have been the case three years ago.

If there’s one measurable difference between the pre-Cutcliffe era and today, it’s in recruiting. The Blue Devils already have 20 commitments in what is shaping up to be an outstanding recruiting class in 2011.

“Honest to goodness it didn’t hurt my feelings when I used to tell the early guys we’d recruit ‘when you say you’re going to Duke, they are going to say ‘What? Duke? Have you lost your mind?’” Cutcliffe said, “Now I think those kids can turn it back and they aren’t getting hit with that. Now it’s ‘Wow, you committed to Duke, that’s great.’ It’s daylight and dark already, that’s great. It’s significantly different.”

While more than half the coaches at the ACC Media Kickoff were very reserved with their answers to the variety of questions they received, Cutcliffe was very open about everything from the problems with recruiting to the football program’s place in the pecking order at Duke.

When asked to rate his team’s impact on the Duke campus on a scale of 1-10, he had no qualms by responding “one.”

“Duke, first of all, you think of an academic institution…then absolutely basketball…the rest of it has got to fall behind that. We’ve got other good sports, but that’s not our identity. Our identity is academics and basketball. And I’m a Cameron Crazy, I love it.”

He may have accepted the fact that a four-time national champion basketball program has more interest than his team. After all, this marks the first time since 1999 that Duke has not been picked to finish last in the ACC by the media. In two years he has already dispelled the notion of being the conference doormat.

Now his mind is set on to bigger and better things, and he wants to do them right nowhere but at Duke.

#9 Blue Devils knocking on the door of postseason

Schedule Breakdown/Final Analysis

Sept. 4 Elon – W

Sept. 11 at Wake Forest – W

Sept. 18 Alabama – L

Sept. 25 Army – W

Oc. 2 at Maryland – W

Oct. 16 Miami – L

Oct. 23 at Virginia Tech – L

Oct. 30 at Navy – L

Nov. 6 Virginia – W

Nov. 13 Boston College – L

Nov. 20 at Georgia Tech – L

Nov. 27 North Carolina – L

Projected record: 5-7 (2-6 ACC)

Duke’s close. They are really close. Bowl game appearances are well within sight, but an unproven defense and a less than stellar turnover margin (+0.17 per game in 2009) makes it hard to give them the benefit of the doubt this year.

Renfree has a bright future, but his ability to return from a torn ACL is crucial. He’s just a sophomore, and he has the look of the guy who leads the program’s breakthrough to relevancy.

If he shows no ill effects of the injury, Duke will score plenty of points. The only problem is the defense will give up a bunch too. The secondary has been entirely re-tooled, so there’s no telling how good the defensive backs will be at their new positions.

It’ll also be interesting to see if Donovan Varner can duplicate his magnificent sophomore season. He’s being touted as the ACC’s best receivers, but it’s going to be hard to reproduce such gaudy numbers when every defense he faces will be keying their coverages on him.

David Cutcliffe has slowly boosted the talent pool at Duke, he just hasn’t had enough time to build depth at every position. Besides wide receiver, every other position has a very weak throng of reserves.

I think the game against North Carolina could be very winnable. There’s a chance that the Heels will have already been eliminated from the ACC title race, or they could even have already locked up the Coastal Division. Anything can happen in that game, just look at UNC’s flop in last season’s finale against NC State.

Cutcliffe has done well on the recruiting trail, and he’ll have to choose between talent and experience at several positions this year. My guess is he’ll play plenty of his younger guys and build for what looks like a bright future in Durham.

The Sean Renfree era begins at Duke

Quarterbacks

Projected depth chart

#19 Sean Renfree, So., #12 Sean Schroeder, Fr., #18 Brandon Connette

Sean Renfree will have his hands full managing Duke's fast-paced attack.

Renfree is my sleeper pick for an All-ACC team this year. He probably won’t get such honors – the competition is way too stiff – but make no mistake about it, Renfree is a future poster boy for ACC quarterbacks.

He was a master of the high school scene, earning PARADE All-American honors his senior year. Scout.com rated him the 10th best quarterback recruit in the country in 2008.

Much of the talk from outside the Duke program is focused on Thaddeus Lewis’ departure. While Lewis’ 3,330 yards and 20 touchdowns will surely be missed, people forget that Renfree nearly beat him out for the starting job last year, and did start in Duke’s 44-16 loss to Kansas.

He completed 68 percent of his passes last year for 330 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. That was only a glimpse of what he can do.

There will of course be growing pains like any other fresh meat signal caller, but Renfree has two very big assets: David Cutcliffe and Donovan Varner.

Cutcliffe is in my opinion the most underappreciated developer of quarterbacks in the college game. Look no further than how he turned Lewis from a no-name oversized passer to the big man on campus. Renfree will blossom under his tutelage.

Varner needs to prove that 2009 was no fluke, but if it wasn’t, it helps Renfree to have the ACC’s premier receiver sharing your jersey and helmet.

There is one gigantic concern with Renfree, and that’s the health of his knee. Renfree tore his ACL in November of last season against Georgia Tech, and the coaches kept him out of any contact drills this spring. Fall camp will be the first time the knee will be put to the test, and we’ve all seen the variety of ramifications such an injury has on a quarterback’s career.

All signs point to Renfree being good to go, but if he’s a little tentative in the early goings, that’s why.

With absolutely no threat in the running game, defenses will pin their ears back and blitz Renfree from all angles. He’ll take his fair share of hard licks this season, but he’ll adjust, and 2010 will be just a glimpse of the next big thing in this conference. Seriously.

Varner looks for a strong follow-up, leads veteran group of Duke receivers

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Projected Depth Chart (Returning starters in bold):

WR – #83 Austin Kelly, Sr., #17 Tyree Watkins, Fr.

WR – #26 Donovan Varner, Jr., #86 Josh Trezvant, Jr.

WR – #2 Conner Vernon, So., #80 Tony Foster, So.

TE – #87 Brent Huffman, Sr., #22 Brandon King, Sr.

Most people think Donovan Varner is the best wideout in the ACC

In 2008, Donovan Varner was your average mop-up time wide receiver that caught more balls from the manager on any given day after practice than he did all season.

2009 brought a different tune for Varner, who burst onto the scene with 65 catches, 1,047 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s being touted as possibly the league’s best receiver entering 2010. With such praise and expectations comes the attention of every defensive coordinator on the schedule.

Varner will be working against double and blanket coverage on any given play. That should open up passing windows for Vernon and Kelly, who with more than 1,200 combined receiving yards and seven touchdowns a year ago, are no slouches themselves.

Cutcliffe loves to throw the ball often, and even without Thaddeus Lewis, new quarterback Sean Renfree will connect with this group plenty of times throughout the game. Duke threw the ball 501 times, an average of 42 times per game in 2009.

That won’t change just because the standout Lewis is gone. Varner is a prime talent leading a cast of experienced receivers that will spread a defense thin like butter.

Huffman didn’t get much action in the passing game a season ago. He averaged 9.3 yards per catch…and 13.9 yards per game. He clearly wasn’t a top target in the spread offense, but he could play a more prevalent role this time around.

If you want a guy who could come from nowhere to make a big impact, it’s Tyree Watkins. The redshirt freshman has sub-4.5 speed and good size at 6’2’’. Depth is not a concern here, unlike much of the rest of Duke’s lineup.

Quarterback issues dominate spring practices

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

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

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

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

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

Two-sport stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling starters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Injury concerns

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

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

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