August 2009 Archives

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

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Rutgers - Under Greg Schiano, the Scarlet Knights have turned from a perennial cellar-dweller to a contender for the Big East crown. Can they continue the success with huge losses from the last two years?

Key Players Leaving - Kenny Britt, WR - Britt posted his second straight 1,000 yard season in 2008 and left for the NFL Draft a year early. Britt was picked in the first round by the Titans. Courtney Greene, DB - As a four year starter at Rutgers, Greene had 386 tackles and seven interceptions, and was drafted in the seventh round by the Seahawks. Mike Teel, QB - Teel had a very good senior season for the Scarlet Knights, passing for 3,418 yards with 25 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, and was drafted in the sixth round by the Seahawks. Kevin Malast, LB - Malast had 101 tackles in his senior year, his second as a starter. Peter Tverdov, DL - Tverdov had 17 tackles for a loss and 5 sacks in 2008. Tiquan Underwood, WR - Underwood had 1,100 yards and 7 touchdowns his junior year, but only 494 yards and 5 touchdowns his senior year. He was drafted in the seventh round by the Jaguars. Jason McCourty, DB - McCourty (sixth round, Titans) intercepted two passes and was 27th in the country by averaging over 25 yards per kickoff return.

Schiano's School - Greg Schiano was hired as Rutgers' head coach before the 2001 season. In those first two years, the Scarlet Knights went 3-20. The next two years, they went a combined 9-14 and actually won some Big East games. Since then, Rutgers has made four straight bowl games, won three of them, and finished the 2006 season ranked 12th. There is no question that Schiano has transformed the Scarlet Knights from perennially one of the worst teams in college football to a school that is nationally ranked on a regular basis. Schiano has been able to get top recruiting classes to Piscataway, and NFL-quality players like Brian Leonard, Ray Rice and Britt have passed through. Rutgers has lost a lot from last year and the year before, but Schiano always seems to have something up his sleeve.

It Starts Up Front - Rutgers has the top offensive line in the Big East, and that will go a long way in their pursuit for their first-ever conference title. The Scarlet Knights are anchored by left tackle Anthony Davis, who should be a first round pick if he decides to go pro after his junior year. Davis, one of the most celebrated recruits in Rutgers history, was demoted to second team today after showing up to practice overweight. Davis has been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, and should help true sophomore running backs Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek carry the Rutgers' offense.

The Bottom Line - Last year, the Scarlet Knights did not have a strong rushing game. They depended on Teel, Britt, Underwood and a strong defense, and finished the year 8-5. This year, all three of those offensive players are gone, as well as many who contributed to that defense. All that is left two running backs who split time last year and a very strong offensive line. The Scarlet Knights are aided by a weak schedule, but this is not the year that they will win their first Big East crown.

Prediction - 7-5 (3-4), 5th in Big East. After an opening week loss to Cincinnati, the Scarlet Knights beat Howard and Florida International before losing a non-conference game to Maryland. They then beat Texas Southern and lose to Pitt before beating Army. Rutgers finishes out the season with losses to Connecticut and South Florida and wins against Syracuse, Louisville, and West Virginia.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from post-gazette.com

Pittsburgh - The Panthers made a bowl in every year from 2000-2004, but did not make another one until 2008.

Key Players Leaving - LeSean McCoy, RB - "Shady" McCoy ran for 1,488 yards and 21 touchdowns in his sophomore year before bolting to the NFL and getting selected in the second round by the Eagles. Scott McKillop, LB - The conference leader in tackles and the Panthers' leader on defense, McKillop had 288 tackles over his final two seasons and was drafted in the fifth round by the 49ers. Austin Ransom, LB - Ransom racked up 89 tackles, including 11 for a loss, in his senior year. LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB - The backup to McCoy, Stephens-Howling had 312 yards and five touchdowns and was picked in the seventh round by the Cardinals. Eric Thatcher, DB - Thatcher had 64 tackles and one interception in his last year as a Pitt Panther.

Stepping It Up Behind Center - Bill Stull is entering his second season as Pitt's starting quarterback, and if the Panthers are to compete in the Big East, he has to play much better. Stull passed for 2,356 yards with 9 touchdowns against 10 interceptions last year, and only had one multiple touchdown game. Against teams like Cincinnati and Connecticut who thrive on takeaways on defense, Stull needs to have better control of the ball. With the losses of McCoy and Stephens-Howling to the NFL, Stull is thrust into the spotlight a little too quick for Dave Wannstedt and the Panthers' liking, and now is his time to perform.

Filling Holes - The departures of McKillop and Ransom leave big gaps in Pitt's defense. One of the Panthers' biggest strengths last year was their ability to stop the run, ranking 29th by allowing just under 125 rushing yards per game. McKillop and Ransom were two of the top linebackers in college football last year, and showed a particular fondness for hitting a running back coming up the middle. When facing top running teams like Navy and West Virginia this year, the Panthers will need to muster up some form of what they had last year in the front seven to compete.

The Bottom Line - Dave Wannstedt is entering his fifth season as Pitt's head coach, and things are not looking good for the Pittsburgh native. Wannstedt is 25-23 with the Panthers, and many Pitt fans are asking for his firing. If the season goes as it looks like it will for Pitt, Wannstedt may soon be looking for a new job.

Prediction - 4-8 (2-5), 6th in Big East. After wins over Youngstown State and Buffalo, the Panthers suffer back to back losses to Navy and North Carolina State. They then beat Louisville before losing to Connecticut and beating Rutgers. The Panthers finish out the season with five straight losses, falling to South Florida, Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Cincinnati.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from cstv.com

Louisville - Since joining the Big East in 2004, the Cardinals are 32-17, but only 11-13 under Steve Kragthorpe.

Key Players Leaving - Hunter Cantwell, QB - Cantwell had big expectations coming in to his senior year, but passed for only 2,493 yards with just as many interceptions as touchdowns (16). Eric Wood, C - Wood, one of the top centers in college football for a long time, was drafted in the first round by the Bills. Brock Bolen, RB - Bolen ran for 505 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season, including an 104 yard game against Kansas State. Adrian Grady, DT - Grady had 41 tackles, including 11 for a loss.

No D - What happens when you take a below average defense and remove five of its best players? The result, as we will find out this year with the Louisville Cardinals, is not good. The Cardinals allowed almost 30 points per game last season, including 41 to Pittsburgh and 63 to Rutgers, and lose defensive linemen Grady, Earl Heyman and L.D Scott, as well as defensive backs Woodny Turenne and Bobby Buchanan to graduation. 29 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, and five interceptions from last year are leaving with them. If Louisville wants to make an unlikely run at the Big East crown, then guys like senior linebacker Jon Dempsey need to help the defense get to the next level.

Offensive Transformation - For the past decade, the Louisville Cardinals have been a high-flying passing attack on offense. With quarterbacks like Brian Brohm and Chris Redman, it was hard for them not to be. This year, however, they don't have a quarterback who is ready to come in and take the job. NC State transfer Jusin Burke, ju-co transfer Adam Froman, and redshirt freshman Zack Stoudt will be competing for the starting gig, and the Louisville faithful aren't exactly excited about any of them. In the meantime, running back Vic Anderson has to shoulder the load for the Cardinals. Anderson ran for 1,047 yards and 8 touchdowns last year, and it will be up to him to make sure they have any type of offense whatsoever.

The Bottom Line - The Louisville Cardinals and Steve Kragthorpe are in trouble. The Cardinals have barely anything resembling an offense and absolutely no defense, and Kragthorpe is on the hot seat entering his third season as head coach. Since Bobby Petrino left for his coaching tour around the country, the Cardinals have sunk into mediocrity in the Big East. This year, it looks like they will sink even further and perhaps end up in last place, with Kragthorpe looking for a job.

Prediction - 3-9 (1-6), 7th in Big East. After a win over walkover Indiana State, the Cardinals lose to Kentucky, Utah, Pittsburgh, Southern Miss, Connecticut and Cincinnati before beating Arkansas State. Louisville finishes up the year with a loss to West Virginia, a win over Syracuse, and losses to South Florida and Rutgers.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Lutrus looks to lead the Huskies' defense to a conference title. Image from athlonsports.com

Connecticut - The Huskies are entering their 10th year in Division 1-A, and are looking for their third straight winning season.

Key Players Leaving - Donald Brown, RB - Brown ran for an incredible 2,083 yards and 18 touchdowns in his junior year, including 261 yards in the bowl game against Buffalo, before declaring for the draft and being picked in the first round by the Colts. Darius Butler, DB - Butler, who was drafted in the second round by Patriots, played wide receiver, kick returner, cornerback, and took handoffs in his senior year with the Huskies. Cody Brown, DL - Brown had 18 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks his senior year, and was drafted in the second round by the Cardinals. Dahna Deleston, DB - Deleston had 60 tackles and two interceptions, including an 100-yard return for a touchdown in the bowl gamer. Tyler Lorenzen, QB - In about a year and a half as the Huskies' starter, Lorenzen passed for 3,236 yards and 16 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Julius Williams, DL - Williams had 41 tackles, including 14 for a loss, and 7 sacks in his senior year.

What Can You Do Without Brown? Donald Brown was Connecticut's offense last year. Brown led the nation in rushing yards, and put together about 50% of the Huskies' total offense. Jordan Todman, Connecticut's next leading rusher last year, had 296 yards and three touchdowns. The losses of Butler and Lorenzen will hurt, as well, and the Huskies face some major offensive questions coming in to 2009. Zach Fraser and Cody Endres are competing at the quarterback spot, but both of them have under 100 career pass attempts and have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in their career.

Top D - The Huskies, even with the losses of Butler, Brown, Deleston and Williams, will still have one of the top defenses in the country. Scott Lutrus is entering his third year as a starter at linebacker, and has more than 200 tackles in his career with the Huskies. Robert Vaughn is one of the best defensive backs in the country, and after intercepting seven passes in 2007, quarterbacks in the Big East have decided to throw away from him. Jasper Howard, one of Vaughn's fellow secondary players, intercepted four passes last year and returned a punt for a touchdown. Like many teams that struggle on offense, the Huskies count on their strong defense to keep them in games. Don't be surprised if they have a top-10 defense for the second straight year.

The Bottom Line - Luckily for the Connecticut Huskies, they play in the seventh best conference in football (yes, I said it. The Mountain West is better than the Big East). In any other power conference, a team with no quarterback and no running back could never compete. However, the Huskies can survive and possibly thrive on only a strong defense and the will to make a bowl game for the third straight year.

Prediction - 6-6 (4-3), 4th in Big East. After a win against Ohio, the Huskies lose to North Carolina and Baylor before racking up wins against Rhode Island, Pittsburgh, and Louisville. After a loss against West Virginia, Connecticut beats Rutgers before losing to Cincinnati and Notre Dame. A win against South Florida secures a bowl berth, but a loss against South Florida finishes the season.

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Cincinnati - After a bad loss to Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, Tony Pike and Cincinnati are looking to prove that they and their conference are for real.

Key Players Leaving - Connor Barwin, DE - Drafted in the second round by the Texans, Barwin had 12 sacks in his senior year. Kevin Huber, P - One of the only punters drafted this year (5th round, Bengals), Huber was seventh in the country with almost 45 yards per punt. Mike Mickens, DB - Mickens had four interceptions and 71 tackles in his senior year, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round. Dominick Goodman, WR - Goodman had 84 catches for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior year.

Secondary Losses - The Bearcats finished the regular season with an 11-2 record (teams who play Hawaii get to play a 13th game), largely because of their pass defense. With quarterbacks like Pat White, Mike Teel, and Hunter Cantwell (all who have graduated), you could not compete in the Big East without a good pass defense, and the Bearcats' 6-1 conference record proved that they had just that last year. With the losses of Barwin, Mickens, defensive lineman Terrill Byrd, linebacker Corey Smith, and defensive backs Brandon Underwood and DeAngelo Smith, Cincinnati will need some fresh blood to play well and match up to what was one of the top 30 defenses in college football last season.

Unknown Under Center - Most casual college football fans have never heard of Tony Pike. Pike comes in to the year as a fifth-year senior, and is entering his second season as a starter. Last year, Pike played in 12 games and threw for 2,407 yards with 19 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Until a tough outing where he threw four interceptions against Virginia Tech, one of the best defenses in the game, Pike showed consistent improvement through out the second half of the year. His best game was a 309 yard, 3 touchdown performance against Pittsburgh to lead the Bearcats to a 28-21 win. It will help Pike that Mardy Gilyard, who had 81 catches for 1,276 yards and 11 touchdowns, will be returning this year. Look for Pike to get in to the national spotlight as he tears up the Big East.

The Bottom Line - Brian Kelly has transformed the Bearcats from a newcomer in the Big East to a perennial contender. Cincinnati joined the Big East from Conference-USA in 2005, and went 4-7 that year, including 2-5 in conference. Kelly was named head coach before the 2006 International Bowl, and has gone 21-6, including 10-4 in conference, in his two years under the helm. Kelly has finished both of his full seasons ranked in both the AP and Coaches polls, and looks to continue that in a weak Big East this season. His emphasis on efficiency offense and takeaways on defense has worked at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, and now Cincinnati.

Prediction - 9-3 (6-1), 2nd in Big East. After wins against Rutgers and Southeast Missouri State to start off the season, the Bearcats lose a tough non-conference matchup against Oregon State. They then beat Fresno State and Miami of Ohio before losing to South Florida. Cincinnati finishes off the season with wins against Louisville, Syracuse, Connecticut and West Virginia, a loss against Illinois, and a win against Pittsburgh.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from athlonsports.com

Virginia Tech - The Hokies are the favorite to win the ACC, but can Tyrod Taylor put it together and lead the Hokies to the Orange Bowl?

Key Players Leaving - Victor Harris, DB - The only Hokie drafted last year (fifth round, Eagles), Harris was a leader on the Hokie defense for the past three years, putting together 15 interceptions and 128 tackles in his career. Orion Martin, DL - Martin had 56 tackles and 8 sacks in his senior season. Sean Glennon, QB - Glennon, the on-again off-again starter for the Hokies for the past three years, had 4,867 yards and 28 touchdowns against 21 interceptions in his career. Purnell Sturdivant, LB - Last year, his only one as a starter, Sturdivant had 99 tackles, including 10 for a loss.

All D, No O? The Hokies ranked in the top 30 in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense, scoring defense, and pass defense, but were out of the top 30 in rushing offense, passing offense, total offense, scoring offense, and passing efficiency. Virginia Tech has been able to consistently win around 10 games a year on defense alone since Michael Vick left, but their offense needs to play better if they want to win more than that. As a true freshman, Darren Evans stepped in to the role of starting running back perfectly, running for 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a 253 yard effort against Maryland. If Evans continues with that production, the Hokies will have an easy time with most of their ACC competition.

Beamer Ball - The Hokies, under Frank Beamer, have a reputation for being extremely proficient at scoring on defense and special teams, and deservingly so. A player at every single defensive position has scored a touchdown for Virginia Tech since Beamer took ever. Touchdowns that come from non-offensive player are the biggest momentum shifters of them all - Virginia Tech's offense realizes that they don't have to score all of the points, and the opponent's defense knows that even if they do their job, the Hokies can still score. The system works: since Beamer got the job as Virginia Tech's head coach in 1987, the Hokies are 176-89-2 and have made a bowl game every year since 1993.

The Bottom Line - Evans may have the biggest role in the Hokie offense, but it will all come down to the arm of the Tyrod Taylor. Taylor has always relied on his legs, a la Vick, but has never shown that he can pass consistently on the collegiate level. Last season, he threw seven interceptions against two touchdowns. Taylor has to limit his turnovers to give Virginia Tech a good shot at the ACC crown.

Prediction - 9-3 (6-2), 2nd in ACC Coastal. After a loss to Alabama in their first game, the Hokies beat Marshall and Nebraska before getting upset by Miami. Virginia Tech beats Duke and Boston College before losing to Georgia Tech, and finish off the year by beating North Carolina, East Carolina, Maryland, NC State, and Virginia.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from http://cavdaily.webfactional.com.

Virginia - Until George Welsh arrived in 1982, the Virginia Cavaliers were one of the worst football teams in the nation. Welsh turned them around, and the Virginia faithful are looking for Al Groh, who is 56-43 in his eight years as head coach, to take the next step towards being an ACC contender.

Key Players Leaving - Eugene Monroe, OL - The hulking tackle was picked 8th overall by the Jaguars. Cedric Peerman, RB - Peerman had 774 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior year, and was picked in the sixth round by the Ravens. Kevin Ogletree, WR - The Cavaliers' leading receiver (58 catches, 723 yards, 5 touchdowns) left for the NFL after his junior year and went undrafted. Jon Copper, LB - Copper had 101 tackles his senior year, his third straight with at least 80. John Phillips, TE - Phillips caught 48 passes for 385 yards his senior year, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the sixth round. Clint Sintim, LB - Sintim put together a good career for the Cavaliers as a four-year starter, recording 245 tackles and 29 sacks. He was drafted in the second round by the Giants.

Big Losses - The loss of Monroe on the line and offensive weapons like Peerman, Ogletree and Phillips will certainly hurt the Cavaliers this year, but they might even be more affected by the players leaving on defense. Along with Copper and Sintim, linebacker Antonio Appleby, defensive lineman Alex Field, and defensive back Byron Glaspy all had great senior seasons and all will be sorely missed on Virginia's defense. Virginia ranked 26th in pass defense last year and 38th in scoring defense, which made up for their sordid offense (114th in scoring offense) and allowed the Cavaliers to go 5-7 instead of something worse. Without a solid defensive effort this year, it will be hard for Virginia to win a single game in the ACC.

QB Question - The Cavaliers are one of those few teams that still don't have a definite answer as to who is their starting quarterback. On one hand is Marc Verica, a junior who struggled last year (8 touchdowns, 16 interceptions) but got the most time under center for the Cavaliers. On the other is Jameel Sewell, Virginia's former starting quarterback who is rejoining the team after being academically ineligible last year. Finally, there is Vic Hall, a defensive back who ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns running in a Wildcat-style formation in Virginia's final game of the season. Whoever it is, it doesn't help that the Cavaliers' top five receivers (Ogletree, Peerman, Phillips, Maurice Covington, and Cary Koch) and the monster that is Eugene Monroe have left.

The Bottom Line - Virginia has been an up-and-down program under Al Groh. The Cavaliers have appeared in bowl games in 5 out of his 8 seasons as the head coach, but have also looked dreadful at times. This is not a season that the Cavaliers should expect to contend, with the continuity and great experience at quarterback for most of the other teams in the ACC and with their own quarterback and defensive struggles. Virginia should see this as a rebuilding year, and maybe they can surprise a few teams with a win here and there.

Prediction - 3-9 (0-8), 6th in ACC Coastal. After a win over William & Mary, the Cavaliers are easily defeated by TCU before beating Southern Miss and losing to North Carolina. Virginia gets their last win of the season against Indiana, and lose their last seven match-ups, all in-conference.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

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North Carolina - Heading into their third year under head coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels are looking to build off an 8-5 2008.

Key Players Leaving - Hakeem Nicks, WR - After an incredible bowl game against West Virginia in which he caught 8 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, Nicks bolted for the NFL and was drafted in the first round by the Giants. Richard Quinn, TE - An excellent blocking tight end who didn't get many opportunities as a receiver in the Tar Heels' offense, Quinn was picked in the second round by Broncos. Brandon Tate, WR - Tate (3rd round to the Patriots) missed the rest of the season after an injury in the sixth game of the season against Notre Dame, but had together 994 yards of total yardage and five touchdowns up to that point. Brooks Foster, WR - In three years of significant playing time, Foster caught 97 passes for 1,237 yards and 6 touchdowns and was drafted in the fifth round by the Rams. Trimane Goodard, DB - Goddard finished on top of the conference with seven interceptions last year, and returned one for a touchdown.

Missing Targets - T.J. Yates is the presumed starter for the Tar Heels, and has had a rocky career so far. He started as a true freshman, leading the team to a 4-8 record while passing for 2,655 yards and 14 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. Yates was injured last season and only started six games, finishing with1,168 yards with 11 touchdowns against 4 interceptions. Under Davis's tutelage, Yates will continue to show much improvement, but the loss of three NFL-quality wide receivers and one NFL-quality tight end will certainly hurt him. Running backs Greg Little and Shaun Draughn are good pass-catchers, and should provide some relief for Yates out of the backfield. The only returning wide receiver with a single reception last year is senior Kenton Thronton. Without anyone to throw to, Yates will struggle. Hope remains, however, in sophomores Dwight Jones and Rashad Mason. Jones, a former five-star prospect, and Mason, a former four-star prospect, will get a big role in this year's offense.

Ground Attack - The combination of Little and Draughn had 1,205 yards and 6 touchdowns for the Tar Heels last year. Yates has not proved that he can be an above-average starting quarterback in a power conference, and Little and Draughn can help with his transition by giving North Carolina a credible rushing threat that the opposing defense constantly has to worry about. If this two-headed combo can allow Yates to throw less than 25 passes a game while he gets back into his groove, the Tar Heels should do well.

The Bottom Line - Like Duke and Connecticut, North Carolina is trying to transform themselves from a basketball school to a balanced one. North Carolina, however, has the advantage of having Butch Davis, one of the best coaches in college football, under the helm. Davis has been able to bring in top-10 recruiting classes since his hiring in 2007, and is a great game caller and locker room presence for the Tar Heels. Whether it be this year or next, UNC will start competing for the ACC Crown again.

Prediction - 6-6 (2-6), 5th in ACC Coastal. The losses of Nicks, Tate, and Foster really hurt the Tar Heels' passing game, who start out the year with wins over The Citadel, Connecticut, and East Carolina before losing to Georgia Tech. They then easily defeat Virginia and Georgia Southern before losing five of their last six, beating only Boston College and losing to Florida State, Virginia Tech, Duke, Miami, and North Carolina State.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from nytimes.com

Miami - One of the better teams in the country from the early 80's to the mid 2000's, the Hurricanes are trying to rise back to national prominence.

Key Players Leaving - Spencer Adkins, LB - The only Miami player drafted last year(third round to the Falcons), Adkins had 20 tackles with 7 tackles for a loss. Glenn Cook, LB - Cook had 76 tackles, best of any Hurricane player. Anthony Reddick, DB - Reddick put together 67 tackles last year, his only one as a starter.

Stopping the Pass - In a division with as many returning quarterbacks as the ACC, you have to be able to stop the pass to compete. The Hurricanes did just that last year, ranking 7th in the nation in pass defense and 44th in pass efficiency defense, but finished with a 7-5 record. The loss of Reddick and guys like Carlos Armour will hurt the Miami defense, but they should still be one of the stronger defenses against the pass in the ACC. When facing the Christian Ponders, Riley Skinners, and Thaddeus Lewises of the league, you can't even think about winning unless you can limit the star quarterback's affect on the game.

New Quarterback, New Success? True sophomore Jacory Harris will have the job of starting quarterback for Miami full time this year, and is looking to continue the flashes of greatness he showed last year. Two games in particular stand out: October 18th at Duke and the bowl game against California. Against Duke, Harris was 18-28 with 185 yards and four touchdowns through the air and ran for 53 yards and one touchdown. In the bowl game, Harris was 25-41 with 194 yards and two touchdowns. Every good football team needs a good quarterback (except for Virginia Tech, apparently). If the Hurricanes want to go back to their days of being "The U", they have to get a guy who will play like Vinny Testaverde or Ken Dorsey, not Kyle Wright or Kirby Freeman.

The Bottom Line - Like Florida State, Miami is a team that enjoyed a very successful run over a long period of time, only to slump in the latter part of this decade. Also like Florida State, Miami is still able to get the top recruits in the country. Coach Randy Shannon seems to have things in control with the Hurricanes, and they could be a sleeper at the ACC crown.

Prediction - 7-5 (4-4), 3rd in ACC Coastal. After back-to-back losses to Florida State and Georgia Tech to open the season, Miami shocks Virginia Tech before losing to Oklahoma. The Hurricanes then beat Florida A&M and UCF easily before losing to Clemson and Wake Forest. Miami is able to salvage the season, however, with wins over Virginia, North Carolina, Duke and South Florida to end the year.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from tigerrag.com.

Georgia Tech - The Yellow Jackets hope to prove that the triple-option can not only work in a Big Six conference, but can get you a conference title.

Key Players Leaving - Michael Johnson, DL - The 6'7", 266 pound "freak of nature" recorded 10 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss in his senior season, and was picked in the third round by the Bengals. Andrew Gardner, OL - The four year starter was drafted in the sixth round by the Dolphins. Darryl Richard, DL - The big defensive lineman was picked in the seventh round by the Patriots after a 34 tackle, 4 sack senior season. Vance Walker, DL - After a great junior year (45 tackles, 10 sacks), Walker slipped in his senior year and was picked in the seventh round by the Falcons. Jahi Word-Daniels, DB - After 56 tackles in his junior year, Word-Daniels had a bad senior campaign, eliminating his draft stock.

The System Works - Coach Paul Johnson is heading into his second year at Georgia Tech, and has brought his triple-option offense with him. In his first year, without any of his own recruits, Johnson put together a 9-3 regular season, silencing the critics who said his offense could not work in a Big Six conference. Johnson has proved this system can work anywhere, going 62-10 at Division 1-AA Georgia Southern with two national championships, 45-29 at Navy with five bowl appearances, and now 9-4 at Georgia Tech with a win over rival Georgia. As Johnson continues to coach at Georgia Tech, he will get recruits that are better suited to his offense, and recruits that have more talent than those he could get at Navy. Look for the Yellow Jackets to take hold of the ACC this year and keep that reign going for years to come.

Without the Monsters - Georgia Tech lost three 300+ pounders and superstar Michael Johnson from their lines to the NFL Draft. Tech's strong rushing defense (24th in the nation) was one of the reasons they were able to succeed in coach Johnson's first year. The Yellow Jackets need to find some guys to replace their departed space fillers, and players like junior offensive lineman Cord Howard and junior defensive linemen Robert Hall and Derrick Morgan need to help pick up the slack. The key to running a successful triple-option lies in the defense's ability to give the offense the ball, and if Georgia Tech can do that, they will be hard to beat.

The Bottom Line - The triple option is one of the hardest offenses in the game to defend. You can't exactly get your practice offense to run it like the opponent will, and there's only so much you can learn from studying film. Paul Johnson's players have had more than a year to study under this offense now, and superstars like quarterback Josh Nesbitt (1,933 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns) and Jonathan Dwyer (1,395 yards and 12 touchdowns) should carry the Yellow Jackets to an ACC title.

Prediction - 12-0 (8-0), first in ACC Coastal. The Yellow Jackets will be the only ACC team to win double digit games and do it in undefeated fashion. The only games that will be any kind of challenge for Georgia Tech will be October 10th at Florida State, October 17th at home against Virginia Tech, November 7th at home against Wake Forest, and November 28th at home against Georgia.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from http://images.athlonsports.com.

Duke - The Blue Devils have long been a joke in the ACC, but second-year coach David Cutcliffe looks to turn the team around.

Key Players Leaving - Eron Riley, WR - The Blue Devils' top receiver had 61 catches for 693 yards and 8 touchdowns his senior year. Michael Tauiliili, LB - Tauiliili had a great senior year with four interceptions and a conference-best 140 tackles. Clifford Harris, RB - Duke's top rusher had only 345 yards with three touchdowns on the ground. Greg Akinbiyi, DL - Akinbiyi had 55 tackles, including 19 for a loss, and 7 sacks his senior year. Adrian Aye-Darko, DB - Aye-Darko had 3 interceptions and 58 tackles last season. Glenn Williams, DB - Williams had 60 tackles last year, his third as a starter.

Getting Into His Groove - Cutcliffe is entering his second season as head coach of the Blue Devils, and the quarterback guru's influence has already showed. Thaddeus Lewis has transformed into a top-of-the-line ACC quarterback, and the Blue Devils actually kept their losses close last year, something new and welcome for Duke football. In six years as a head coach at Ole Miss, Cutcliffe was 44-29 and is best known for coaching both of the Manning brothers (he was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee before his head coaching gig at Ole Miss) in college. Ted Roof, the previous coach at Duke, was 6-45 over a little more than four years as the head coach. In his first year, Cutcliffe won four games, and looks to bring Duke to a bowl game soon.

Experience Counts - Like Riley Skinner and so many other of his ACC counterparts, Thaddeus Lewis has been the starting quarterback for his school since his freshman year. Entering his senior season, Lewis has 47 career touchdowns and 6,735 passing yards while proving to be a leader on the field for the Blue Devils. If Lewis can combine the good number totals of his sophomore year (2,430 yards, 21 touchdowns) with the efficiency of his junior year (15 touchdowns against 6 interceptions), Duke can get their first bowl game berth since 1995.

The Bottom Line - For a long, long time, Duke has been little more than a pushover in the competitive ACC. While they are still in the bottom half, coach Cutcliffe certainly has the Blue Devils headed in the right direction. Duke will definitely suffer from the loss of six linemen (combined offensive and defensive) and their leading rusher and receiver. Recruiting and excitement are up for Duke, and soon their record will be as well.

Prediction - 5-7 (2-6), 4th in ACC Coastal. After wins against Richmond and Army start out the season, Duke is crushed by Todd Reesing and Kansas before defeating North Carolina Central. Three straight ACC losses to Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, and Maryland put them in a bad place, but the Blue Devils rebound with wins against Virginia and North Carolina before losses against Georgia Tech, Miami, and Wake end the season.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Image from 123people.com.

Wake Forest -The Demon Deacons are trying to continue their recent success with a fourth straight winning season.

Key Players Leaving - Aaron Curry, LB - Picked fourth overall by the Seahawks in this year's NFL Draft, Curry had 105 tackles, including 19 for a loss. Alphonso Smith, DB - Smith (second round, Broncos) had a great senior year, intercepting seven passes, bringing his career total to 21. Sam Swank, K - In the same class as Florida State's Graham Gano in terms of kicker/punters, Swank made 71 field goals in his college career and averaged over 40 yards a punt. D.J. Boldin, WR - The younger brother of Anquan had 81 receptions for 848 yards and three touchdowns his senior year. Stanley Arnoux, LB - Arnoux quietly had 89 next to Curry last year, and was drafted in the fourth round by the Saints. Chip Vaughn, DB - The safety had 87 tackles last year and two interceptions, and was also drafted in the fourth round by the Saints.

Winston-Salem's on his Shoulders - Wake Forest's athletic website on Riley Skinner: "Already owns school records for completion percentage (.673) and passing efficiency (132.33) in a career ... Is the winningest quarterback in school history with 26 wins as a starter ... Is the ACC's career leader in completion percentage... Is within reach of school career records for pass attempts, pass completions, passing touchdowns, passing yards and total offense yards." I think it's safe to say that they expect quite a bit from this young man entering his senior season. Skinner has started since his freshman season, and has done very well, passing for over 6,600 yards with 34 touchdowns. However, he's thrown 25 interceptions, which is an all-too-common problem among quarterbacks who start from that young of an age. If Skinner can just make sure to throw it to his guys more often, Wake Forest will be a hard team to beat.

Where is the Recruiting Boom? In 2006, Wake Forest went 10-2, won the ACC, and lost in the Orange Bowl. Usually, a season like that will get you some bigger name recruits. Wake has even carried that success over in to the past two years, posting nice records in 2007 and 2008. However, the Demon Deacons have not been able to land a single four-star recruit in that time period. It doesn't help that they have the third-smallest enrollment of any FBS school. Jim Grobe has been a godsend in his time at Winston-Salem, but to compete with the big boys in the ACC, they have to start to recruit better.

The Bottom Line - Jim Grobe has been able to take a team without the opportunities recruiting-wise of a Miami or a Florida State and consistently competed for the ACC crown over the past three years, something those other two schools have not done. They lose four of their top defenders to the NFL this year, and if the defense can play up to their usual standard and Riley Skinner plays to the level the Demon Deacons hope he can, they will be hard to stop.

Prediction - 9-3 (6-2), 1st in ACC Atlantic. After a disappointing opening week loss to Robert Griffin III and Baylor, Wake easily handles Stanford, Elon, Boston College, NC State, and Maryland before falling to C.J. Spiller and Clemson. They then beat Navy and Miami before losing to Georgia Tech and beating Florida State and Duke in the last two games of the season.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

The two-sport athlete will look to take the ACC by storm behind center. Image courtesy of roadtotampabay.blogspot.com

NC State - In 2002, the North Carolina State Wolfpack finished 11-3, won a New Year's Day bowl game against Notre Dame, and was ranked 12th in the final AP Poll. Since then, the Wolfpack are 34-39.

Key Players Leaving - Andre Brown, RB - Brown ran for 101 yards in an opening week loss to South Carolina, and finished the year with 767 yards and seven touchdowns. He was drafted in the fourth round by the Giants. Anthony Hill, TE - One of Russell Wilson's favorite targets at the end of the year, Hill finished up with four receiving touchdowns and was selected in the fourth round by the Texans. Jeremy Gray, DB - Finished up with 72 tackles and three interceptions his senior year. Robbie Leonard, DB - Had 83 tackles in a breakout senior year. J.C. Neal, DB - Had 80 tackles and a kickoff return for a touchdown in his final year.

Freshman Sensation, Sophomore Superstar? - It's no secret that the Wolfpack expect a lot from sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson. As a freshman, he threw for almost 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns in only ten games of significant playing time, all while playing second base for the NC State baseball team. Wilson also ran for almost 400 yards (remember, in college, a sack detracts from a QB's rushing total) and scored four touchdowns on the ground. None was more impressive than his November 22 game against North Carolina, when he passed for 279 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 50 yards to lead NC State to a 41-10 upset victory. If Wilson plays like the superstar he looks like he can be, the Wolfpack can go places.

Can't Stop It - As a team that ranked 96th in pass defense last year, losing three of their top defensive backs will hurt the Wolfpack harder than most. 10 of the 12 teams in the ACC have a strong returning presence at starting QB, and NC State plays six of those teams. Look for the likes of Riley Skinner and Christian Ponder to tear through the Wolfpack D. Picking up some of the slack, however, will be sophomore Justin Byers and junior DeAndre Morgan, who combined for 104 tackles and four interceptions last year.

The Bottom Line - After an October 25th loss to Maryland, the Wolfpack were sitting at 2-6 and looking very unlikely for a bowl spot. They rallied around Wilson, however, and won their last four games to gain a berth in the Papajohns.com bowl. This was a team that was able to get some upsets last year, but will they be able to perform without Brown?

Prediction - 5-7 (2-6), sixth in ACC Atlantic. The Wolfpack are a lot of analysts' sleeper team, but I don't buy it with that defense. After a loss to South Carolina, the Wolfpack easily handle Murray State and Gardner-Webb before beating Pittsburgh. They then lose to Wake Forest, beat Duke, and lose to Boston College, Florida State, Maryland, Clemson and Virginia Tech before finishing the season with a surprising win over North Carolina.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

Scott, quite literally, broke through the 'Pack and gave the Terps a bowl victory. Image from baltimoresun.com.

Maryland - The Terps haven't had a ten win season since 2003, and haven't played in a BCS Bowl since a thrashing at the hands of Florida in the 2001 Orange Bowl.

Key Players Leaving - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR - One of the more surprising picks of the NFL Draft (1st round to the Raiders, although I say their second round pick of Mike Mitchell is even worse), Heyward-Bey had 42 catches for 609 yards and five touchdowns last year. Moise Fokou, LB - Fokou (seventh round, Eagles), had a great senior year, recording 77 tackles and 13 for a loss. Jamie Thomas, OL - Part of an offensive line that is losing four of five starters from last year, Thomas was drafted in the seventh round by the Colts. Kevin Barnes, DB - Barnes, who had a much better junior season than his senior one (64 tackles, 4 interceptions versus 20 tackles, 2 interceptions), was drafted in the third round by the Redskins. Dan Gronkowski, TE - A good blocker with a great NFL body, Gronkowski was picked in the seventh round by the Lions.

Changing Perceptions - For almost the past 30 years, the Terps have been the laughingstock of the ACC. For 10 straight years (1991-2000), they didn't even make a single bowl game. The tide has turned a little under Ralph Friedgen, who led them to three straight ten win seasons in his first three years, but have them settled back down in mediocrity now. As a result, the more highly acclaimed and better established teams tend to treat the Terps as a second-rate ACC team, and sometimes overlook them. Last season, Maryland took advantage of this, going 4-1 against ranked opponents. However, in the two games that they themselves were ranked, the Terps were 0-2. If Maryland wants to compete in the ACC, they have to continue winning those tough games, but also beat the Middle Tennessee States and Virginias of the world.

Scott-Free - Last year, the Terps made the Humanitarian Bowl, and played against Nevada. Seven players, including leading rusher Da'Rel Scott, violated the curfew and were put on partial-game suspension. Maryland led 28-14 at the halftime, and Scott was brought in at the start of the second half. Scott ran for 174 yards (a new Maryland bowl game record) and two touchdowns. Scott also became the seventh Terp ever to break the 1,000 yard rushing mark in a single season. After ending the season on such a high note, there are lofty expectations for Scott this year. If he produces like Terp Nation knows he can, it will be a good year for Maryland.

The Bottom Line - The Terps have a lot of issues. Four of their top five offensive linemen are gone, they have a quarterback (Chris Turner) who's known more for his hairstyle than his passing abilities, and their top wide receiver bolted for the NFL Draft. If Maryland is looking to surprise some people this year, they have to get better production from Turner, but more importantly, they have to stay consistent. When you beat Delaware by one touchdown and lose to bad, bad teams, your wins against top teams are naturally going to be seen as flukes. If the Terps can put it together against those schools that they are favored against while still playing well against the bigger and badder ACC teams, they can finished the season ranked.

Prediction - 8-4 (5-3), 4th in ACC Atlantic. After a blowout loss to California in the first week, the Terps fire off four straight wins, including a big one at home against Clemson. Three straight wins against Virginia, Duke, and NC State before two losses to Virginia Tech and Florida State and a win against Boston College end the season.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a preview of every college football team in the Big Six Conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC) for the upcoming season. This continues with:

"What other wins can I convince the NCAA to include?"
Image from http://internetservices.readingeagle.com

Florida State - One of the more dominant teams of the past 20 years, Florida State has had some trouble since a loss in the Orange Bowl after the 2005 season, going 23-16 over the past three years.

Key Players Leaving - Drew Weatherford, QB - Weatherford barely played last year, but still passed for over 7,500 yards and 39 touchdowns in his career. Everette Brown, DE - The only Seminole drafted in 2009 (second round to the Panthers), Brown racked up 14 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss in 2008. Antone Smith, RB - Smith ran for nearly 800 yards with 15 touchdowns last year, including four against Miami. Graham Gano, K - One of the best kicker/punters in the nation last year, Gano was 24-26 in field goals and averaged over 42 yards a punt. Greg Carr, WR - A poor man's Plaxico Burress, the 6'6" Carr scored 29 touchdowns in his career.

An Academic Scandal in College Sports? No Way! - In the Spring of 2007, as many as 36 football players received answers to an exam in music history class (Music history? Not even something that sounds difficult?). Needless to say, the media attention around this "shocking" scandal has been nonstop. The first time that Florida State loses a game this year, the talking heads on College Football Live and every other college football-covering press association will be talking about how this scandal was a "distraction" to the team. It's more likely, however, that the distraction talk itself will become a distraction. Anyway, academic and recruiting incidents in college sports are as ingrained into their culture as free T-Shirt giveaways to students. It's unfortunate, but it's something that's unlikely to change.

Stubborn Old Man, Part One - In case you haven't heard, Bobby Bowden (382 wins) and Joe Paterno (383) have both won a lot of games in their careers as head coaches. These guys also kind of care about who gets the record. Bowden even convinced the NCAA to allow his 31 wins from Samford to count towards his total. Samford. A school that FSU president T.K. Wetherell called a "dip**** school". Bowden is also trying to get his wins counted from South Georgia College. Yes, a community college. The point being, Bowden really wants to win more games than Paterno - this year, every year, and for the rest of time. Will that motivation get the school a few extra wins, or is Bowden burned out after 43 years as a head coach?

The Bottom Line - Even though they've been stumbling in mediocrity these past three years, Florida State still manages to pull together a top 10 recruiting class every year. Just this past year, the Seminoles signed two five-star recruits and ten four-star recruits. Eventually, these top recruits will pan out and hand the Seminole faithful a 10 win season. Is that season this year? For that we go to:

Prediction - 8-4 (5-3), 3rd in ACC Atlantic. Not this year, but they're on their way. After five straight wins to start out the year, including big victories over Miami, BYU, and South Florida, the Seminoles lose to Georgia Tech before beating North Carolina and NC State. They then lose three of their last four games, beating only Maryland while losing to Clemson, Wake Forest, and Florida.