Take Your Pick ACC Edition

devils1854 · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 14399 Location: The Beach

Lets get some discussion going on. Spring Practices are complete, and we are less that four months from the start of the season.

I am going to go through all of the major conferences, and post some questions for the upcoming season. We are going to start off with the ACC Conference.

Question 1:Who is the favorite in the Coastal Division?
Last Year was an awful year in the division with three teams being tied at the top with 5-3 records, and 6-6 Georgia Tech being declared champion because both Miami and North Carolina were ineligible for the ACC Championship.

There is no clear favorite this year.
-Miami brings back their top QB, RB, top 3 receivers, and their big LT Seantrel Henderson. Their defense is young, but Al Golden has brought in tons of talent, and DE Anthony Chickillo is a serious All-American Candidate.

-North Carolina did lose some top talent in Bernard, Cooper, Highsmith, Riddick, and Williams, but they are still led by QB Bryn Renner, and still has quality guys at the skill positions. DE Kareem Martin and S Tre Boston will lead a defense that brings back just 4 of their top 10 tacklers from 2012.

-Virginia Tech has their worst season in years last year, but its safe to say that coach Frank Beamer will have this team ready in 2013. The team will go on the success of QB Logan Thomas, a guy that was thought of as a potential #1 pick last year, but struggled for most of 2012. The team should have back 7 starters on both sides of the ball.

-The reigning champs, Georgia Tech, might have their most experienced team under Paul Johnson. 16 total starters are back. On offense, QB Vad Lee is the key. He did not start a game last year, but he did play signifigant time, and scored 9 rushing TDs. He could develop into a major weapon. The defense is led by All Conference end, Jeremiah Attaochu.

Question 2:Which coach is on the biggest hot seat?
I believe that there are a number of coaches that could have their jobs taken away from them this year, if they do not have their teams performing up to supposed standards, but which one do you think is the most likely to be fired?

-Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson might be highest on the list. He burst onto the ACC scene with a offense that could not be stopped. He won 20 games in his first two years, won a ACC Championship, and led his Tech team to the Orange Bowl. The past three years have been a different story. During that time, he has compiled a 21-19 record, and he has lost four straight times to rival Georgia. He also has been ridiculed for his recruiting in the talent rich state of Georgia. According to 247, he has only had one top 50 recruiting class in the past three years. His 2011 class ranked #49.

-Al Golden is thought of as one of the best coaching minds in all of college football, and he knew that he would have a tough time rebuilding a once great program at Miami, although, he might not have known that it would be as hard as it has been the past two years with NCAA sanctions hanging over his head. He has done a great job of bringing in talent, and the 2013 season might be the year that is shows on the field, and he might need a very good year if the boosters and administrators want results now. I personally believe he is safe, but a 13-11(8- Cool

record wont be tolerated much longer, no matter what sanctions that program has.

-The Virginia program was thought to be on the upswing after the 2011 season. The team finished 8-5, and just missed the division title after falling to in state rivals, Virginia Tech, but the program took a big step back last year when they finished last in the division, and only accumulated 4 total wins. Mike London does seem like he is a good coach despite his 16-21 record over the past three years, and it does seem like he has brought the talent level to a point that hasnt been seen since the Herman Moore days, but the results have to be seen on the field. The number of team wins will be important this year, but recruiting might be even more important since this might be the best year ever for top prospects in the state of Virginia. IF he can get a couple of the top prospects to come to Charlottesville, he should be able to get another year or two despite a losing record.

-Jim Grobe might be the greatest coach in the history of the Wake Forest football program, but could he be a victim of his own success? The previous 11 Demon Deacon head coaches have a combined record of 179-344-11, and combined for one conference championship in 1970. Grobe has one ACC Championship, five bowl appearances, and three bowl wins in his twelve years at Wake. The team has fallen on hard times of late. Since the 2008 season when the team won eight games and won the Eaglebank Bowl, he has a combined record of 19-30, is only 12-20 in conference games, and only has one bowl appearance. Expectations are never high for the football program at Wake Forest, but if Jim Grobe doesnt give a respectable season, then he might be fired because of his own success during the last decade.

and now for some quick questions

Who is the third best team in the ACC Atlantic?
Clemson and Florida State seem to be the class of the division, but who will end up third? Maryland with breakout star Stephon Diggs? North Carolina State and their first year coach Dave Doern? Conference newcomer Syracuse? BC and Steve Addazio? or Wake Forest and their talented trio of Tanner Price, Michael Campanaro, and Orville Reynolds?

If Tajh Boyd doesnt win ACC Offensive POY, then who does?
Stephen Morris, Bryn Renner, and Vlad Lee are some of the potential candidates.

Who is going Bowling this year?
In Order
Orange Bowl(or BCS Champ)
Chic Fil A
Russell Athletic
Sun
Belk
Music City
AdvoCare V100
Military
*Kraft Fight Hunger(if BYU or Pac does not fill spot)
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Peppers90 on the sig
Evan Gattis is just better than you. Deal with it.

TheGoldenChild · Joined: 27 Nov 2009 Posts: 2075

Virginia Tech
Jim Grobe
NCSU
Sammy Watkins
Meh

Jeezy Fanatic · Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 4:24 pm Post subject:

Miami will win the coastal. 20 returning starters, a schedule that doesn't have us leave Florida once until November, and our game against VT at home.

I expect a double digit win season.
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Sig By Mike23md

devils1854 · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 14399 Location: The Beach

Here are my answers:

1.I think that Miami is the favorite right now, but I would bump Va Tech up to the spot, depending on Thomas. If he plays up to half of his potential, then I could see them winning the division. North Carolina might have the best offense in the division, but I think their defense is going to need a little work. Georgia Tech is definitely 4th. They have returning starters, and a gimmick scheme, but they just dont have much talent.

2.I think Paul Johnson is on the biggest hot seat. He is getting run over by rival Georgia, and he cannot even recruit his own state. Teams have figured out his offense enough to beat Tech. The team has already fired multiple defensive coordinators, so Johnson is next on the chopping block. Another 6-6 season in 2013 gets him fired.

3.For some reason I think that Maryland will turn the corner in Edsall's third season. They lost 4 games by 7 points or less, and they were killed by injuries all year long. Stephon Diggs is going to come out in a big way after getting over 1700 yards last year.

4.Im going with Stephen Morris. If Miami is going to win their division and maybe even the conference then Morris is going to have to take a huge step forward. He has a great back behind him, and a couple good receivers, so I think he could surprise some people.

5.
Orange-Miami
Chic Fil A-Florida State
Russell Athletic-Clemson
Sun-Virginia Tech
Belk-North Carolina
Music City-Maryland
AdvoCare V100-Virginia
Military-Wake Forest
Kraft Fight Hunger-Georgia Tech
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Peppers90 on the sig
Evan Gattis is just better than you. Deal with it.

devils1854 · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 14399 Location: The Beach

JMG · Joined: 23 Dec 2012 Posts: 1872 Location: Me on the sig !

Jeezy Fanatic · Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 4:54 pm Post subject:

LuckIsGOAT · Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 914 Location: San Francisco

Virginia Tech will coast through the coastal
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Giants
Stanford
Colts
Trailblazers
Canucks
Luck & RG3 fan

Mich_fan20 · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 16751

1. Miami
2. Virginia Tech
3. North Carolina
4. Pittsburgh
5. Virginia
6. Georgia Tech
7. Duke

1. Clemson
2. Florida State
3. Syracuse
4. NC State
5. Maryland
6. Boston College
7. Wake Forest

POY: Tajh Boyd (Runner up: Duke Johnson)
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mack.

ICE13 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3000 Location: PA

1 - Miami, and I don't think it will be that close either. Bookend tackles in Bunche on the left and Henderson on the right will be hard to get pressure on. They only have 1 tough road game @ FSU too.

VTech could be there..... if Logan Thomas could learn how to throw a forward pass.

Outside of those 2, I don't see any other teams being too much of a challenge.

2 - Paul Chryst. I get he's coaching arguably the 3rd best program in the state of PA, but apparently the team hates him (See: Shell leaving), and outside of Dorian Johnson decomitting from PSU due to the sanctions he's hasn't recruited and kept much of anyone of note. Now Pitt players are getting arrested by SWAT teams too, Chryst has lost all control of that program. At least for Chryst there aren't any FCS teams to lose by 2 scores to this year.

3 - Yeah, I agree with Maryland being here. Couple Diggs with Deon Long (Who, IMO, will be the NFL by this time next year) and UMD has one of, if not the top starting WR corps in the ACC. Plus this year they won't have a LB starting at QB either.

4 - Maybe Duke Johnson. Sammy Watkins? Diggs? I dunno, I just feel like if Boyd doesn't win it then one of the conferences high profile skill guys will.

Orange-Miami
Chic Fil A-Florida State
Russell Athletic-Clemson
Sun-Virginia Tech
Belk-UVA
Music City-UNC
AdvoCare V100-UMD
Military-GT
Kraft Fight Hunger-BC
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I'm a closet Vanderbilt fan.

"As always, criminal justice proceedings, if any, take precedence over any NCAA actions" - Mark Emmert, 1982

cp0k2 · Joined: 06 Aug 2012 Posts: 2899

ICE13 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3000 Location: PA

devils1854 · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 14399 Location: The Beach

ark23 · Joined: 04 Dec 2012 Posts: 1401 Location: Columbus, Ohio

cp0k2 · Joined: 06 Aug 2012 Posts: 2899