On Wednesday, we started our discussion on the ACC and that discussion continues today and tomorrow. TSS Associate Editors Bart Doan and Terry Johnson join staff writer Kevin Causey and special rotating guests in our weekly roundtable discussing all things college football.
On Wednesday we talked about players to watch in the ACC. Today we talk more ACC football with Matthew of the ACC-centric All Sports Discussion and The ACC Weekly Podcast and Mike Ferguson of the Florida State based site Noled Out.
Question: Which team will be the most improved in the ACC?
Matthew
On Twitter @HokiesSmash:
Much of this depends now how you define most improved – is it two more wins? Is it three more wins? I do think that Virginia Tech will be the most improved team in the ACC this year for three reasons. First, the Hokies will have a stout defense. Second, the Hokies will have an improved offense. Third, the Hokies have a very favorable schedule.
First, the Hokies will have a stout defense (this might be the best defense I’ve seen in a decade in Blacksburg) – one that might be the best in the country. Virginia Tech has the best:
- Defensive coordinator in the country in Bud Foster;
- Tandem of defensive backs in the country in Kendall Fuller (who will be a sure fire first team all-American) and Brandon Facyson;
- Defensive line I’ve seen in many years. Dadi Nicolas, Ken Ekanem, Luther Maddy, and Corey Marshall are going to wreak havoc in the ACC – you just can’t account for them all. Someone is going to get free on 99.999% of plays in an opponent’s backfield. The defensive line is that good and rivals any group in the country. By season’s end, I think these players all have a legit shot to be on the All-ACC teams (and maybe one of them might make an All-American team).
Second, the Hokies offense will be improved. To be clear, the Hokies will never have an Oregon style offense, but this is quarterback Michael Brewer’s second year with Scot Loeffler (he hasn’t had a QB in his system for two years yet) – and it is reported that Brewer is cutting down on his mistakes. Additionally, the Hokies are as talented as the other skill positions as they’ve been in four years. The Hokies will have best tight end in the conference in Bucky Hodges (who is going to cause some major matchup problems), have decent running backs in JC Coleman and Trey Edmunds, have a very talented wide receiver in Isaiah Ford, and have a serviceable offensive line (not as experienced as last year – but I think these guys might actually be tougher). You’ll see an offense that wants to have long, sustaining drives – whether that happens or not is another story – but I do think there will be improvement over last year (if not so much that it can’t get worse).
Third, let’s face it – the Hokies have a very favorable schedule. Virginia Tech does not play Clemson or Florida State – has some very winnable road games vs. Purdue, East Carolina, Miami, Boston College, Georgia Tech, and Virginia (I think the Hokies will win four of those six). With games vs. Ohio State, Furman, Pittsburgh, NC State, Duke, and North Carolina at home, I think the Hokies will win four or five of those games. That’s going to get Virginia Tech eight or nine wins – and right now now, I’m actually leaning toward nine wins (mark that game with Georgia Tech on your calendar – that’s going to decide who represents the Coastal Division in the ACC Championship Game – it’s a huge game in the conference). Is that improved? Yes, ending the 2015 season at 9-3 (vs. 6-6 from the prior year) and a potential appearance in the ACC Championship Game would get Frank Beamer in the picture (at least some votes) for ACC Coach of the Year.
Mike Ferguson
On Twitter: @MikeWFerguson
One team I really think will turn some heads in 2015 comes on the Coastal side of the division and that’s Pittsburgh. The Panthers went just 6-7 last season, but return James Conner, who rushed for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. Speedster receiver Tyler Boyd is one of the nation’s most underrated skill players and quarterback Chad Voytik will only get better. Pittsburgh wasn’t that far away last year as five of Pitt’s seven losses came by five points or less. The Panthers did struggle on defense and could again, but don’t be surprised if Pittsburgh is the biggest challenger to Georgia Tech in the Coastal division.
Bart Doan:
On Twitter @TheCoachBart
North Carolina. They’re the Kramerica Industries of the college football world. You look at their team, returning starter count, quarterback play, and coaching staff changes and they look the part. Sort of like a oil bladder system, ketchup and mustard in the same bottle, or place where you make your own pizza pie sound in theory like good ideas, but it just never seems to work out.
And don’t bang on the pizza idea. People spend hideous amounts of money at fondue joints to cook their own food.
Marquise Williams is back at quarterback, and he’s one of 10 returning starters. Toss in that two of his favorite pass catchers (Mack Hollins, Ryan Switzer) are back, and you should at least expect them to score a ton of the points. Your real issue is that the defense was gawd awful last year. Which is why they went out and hired Gene Chizik, who always struck more as the type of guy who was best suited to be a coordinator. Since that’s what he’s doing, he should be helping to cut into that nearly 500 yards per game they gave up last season.
The schedule really isn’t nice, especially the end, with trips to Virginia Tech and North Carolina State closing things out, but to be honest, UNC is as good a bet as any to be the team we think they’re supposed to be every year.
Kevin Causey:
On Twitter @CFBZ
As far as mid-tier ACC teams, I like NC State and Boston College but I just don’t see upward mobility in the Atlantic Division with FSU, Clemson and Louisville as the top three teams. So that leaves the Coastal Division and five teams that had records between 5-7 and 7-6 last season.
I’m going to piggyback on what Mike said and take Pitt. The main reason I like Pitt is because I’m not crazy about the other teams. I don’t believe in Al Golden at Miami or Larry Fedora at UNC. I’m not convinced that Scot Loeffler can turn around the Virginia Tech offense. And Mike London just doesn’t have the track record at Virginia that makes me think he can get it done.
That leaves Pitt. Mike mentioned three offensive stars that will be reasons that Pitt will improve. He also mentioned that their defense wasn’t very good in 2014. What he didn’t mention was Pat Narduzzi. Year in year out at Michigan State, Narduzzi put a consistently good (and sometimes great) defense on the field for the Spartans. In year one, the Panthers won’t be the best defense in the ACC but my guess is that they will be much improved.
Pitt has offense stars and now they add a proven commodity as a defensive coach into the mix. The Panthers also don’t have to play Clemson or FSU. Will they win the conference? I doubt it but I would be very surprised if they aren’t fighting for a chance to go to the ACC Championship Game towards the end of the season.
Terry Johnson:
On Twitter @SectionTPJ
Once again, Matthew hit the nail on the head. Virginia Tech will be the biggest surprise in the ACC.
Make no mistake about it: the Hokies were a much better team than last year’s 7-6 record would indicate. Sure, Tech lost to Wake Forest, but it also defeated eventual national champion Ohio State. And, while the Hokies lost five conference games last season, it’s worth noting that four of them were by a touchdown or less. With a break here or there, Tech could have finished with a 7-1 mark in league play.
Things will be much different this season. I’ll provide a number of reasons why in my Virginia Tech preview.
