CharIotte, NC- Entering the 2018 season the ACC Conference has been well represented in college football postseason. With an unprecedented 10 bowl teams in 2017 the ACC Conference looks to continue its post season success as powerhouse Clemson, seems to be the consensus conference favorite. The Clemson Tigers advanced to the college football playoff last year and in addition the ACC had four teams that finished the season ranked in the top 25.
While the Clemson Tigers are the favorite in the Atlantic Division the Coastal Division seems wide open. The Duke Blue Devils and their quarterback Daniel Jones have been very competitive but still haven’t been able to elevate themselves into the upper echelon of programs in the conference. While finishing 7-6 the Blue Devils won only three conferences games. Quarterback Daniel Jones, who has battled injuries his entire career is healthy and eager to led what promises to be an explosive offense. Under the leadership of head coach David Cutcliffe, Duke is once again vying to make some noise in the ACC. Jones spoke about the Blue Devil offense and added some comments about his role as a running quarterback. “Being able to scramble and run is a huge role in our offense. We have a multitude of weapons all over the field and it’s certainly exciting as an offense.” The Blue Devils finished the year with three straight wins. Jones commented on the impact that momentum would have going forward, “As a team it was important for us to finish the year strong and right the ship. I think that will be big for us heading into this year.” The offensive line lost three starters but coach Cutcliffe remains confident in his team’s ability to rush the football. Leading the charge on the ground will be running back Brittain Brown who averaged over five yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns last year. “Having a strong running game is going to be big for us,” added Jones. Duke has playmakers and will be able to move the football but can their defense hold up? Meanwhile their crosstown rival the North Carolina Tar heels are coming off a horrible season winning only one conference game. The Heels however won two of their last three to finish with an overall record of 3-9. In those nine losses the Tar Heels were ahead or tied in seven of those games in the second half. Head coach Larry Fedora offered these thoughts when asked about those losses, “We ran out of energy and personnel. I believe it’s all about a mindset. It’s been a point of emphasis when we talk to our team.” On the offensive line the Heels only return one starter. “We may not have the returning starters on the offensive line but every one of those guys that we do have are experienced. I feel more comfortable knowing that these guys have been out there in the heat of the battle.” The Heels have a huge mountain to climb and I don’t think the offseason cures a mindset of the constant letdowns of last year. The defending Coastal Division Champion Miami Hurricanes still have many questions under center but the Canes still remain a consistently top 20 defense in the country year in and year out. The Canes were fourth in the nation in sacks tallying 44 while creating 31 turnovers in 2017. The vaunted “Turnover Chain” their 10-0 start last year and #2 national ranking are a thing of the past as head coach Mark Richt knows with a new year comes new challenges. The Canes went undefeated at home (7-0) last year but down the stretch they faded losing their last three games. The Canes end their 2018 season with four of their final six games on the road. Quarterback Malik Rosier finished the season completing only 54% of his passes but in the final three games that percentage dropped to 44.9%, a number he must improve on if the Canes will repeat as Coastal Division Champions. The Canes must rely on their ground game because their offensive line is strong as they return three starters. Despite losing six of their last seven games the Virginia Cavaliers enter the season with new optimism because they have 17 returning starters. Led by head coach Bronco Mendenhall the Cavaliers finished last year 6-7. “I’m lucky to be at Virginia. I like the chance to make a difference and I like the challenge and expectations our team has,” commented Mendenhall. Coach Mendenhall enters his third season at Virginia and with it he will have the services of a new quarterback in Bryce Perkins. The University of Arizona transfer has quickly made a positive impression with his new coach. “He’s humble and he’s driven,” remarked Mendenhall about his new signal caller. Second team All-ACC running back Olamide Zaccheaus offered these thoughts when talking about his role as a playmaker, “This year I have to be more vocal. It’s important for me because I’ve been in the system for two years and I have a lot of my shoulders and I’m ready to take on that roll. Unquestionably Zaccheaus will have to carry the load if the Cavaliers will make any noise in the Coastal Division. The Cavaliers don’t have enough to get over the hump and are a middle of the road team in the division. Meanwhile in Blacksburg Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente and his Hokies need more consistency from quarterback Josh Jackson who at times last year seemed overwhelmed while hanging onto the ball to long. Jackson was behind an offensive line that yielded 23 sacks. The 6’1 220-pound sophomore offered these thoughts when he was asked about his leadership role this year, “Being a leader means being a guy who some of the younger guys look up to. It’s great to have the experience from last year but with a new year comes new challenges.” I asked Josh Jackson what facets of his game he concentrated on in the offseason so he could improve in his second season,” Just continuing to grow and make my reads faster. Also improving on the mental aspects of my game and throwing on the run.” Head coach Justin Fuente talked about his team’s opening night game in Tallahassee against the Florida State Seminoles. “Taking the field for a first time on the road is a tremendous challenge. I think our players will embrace it and we are looking forward to that challenge. I’d like to see us become a more efficient and explosive offense,” he added. Bud Foster continues to shine in Blacksburg, the highly coveted defensive coordinator gets the most out of his defense. There was only one team in the country that yielded fewer points than the Hokies last year and that was Alabama. The Hokies have so much upside with Josh Jackson under center and I think he will develop into an excellent quarterback. In Atlanta the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets return 17 starters including an established option quarterback in TaQuon Marshall. The Yellow Jackets averaged over 300 yards rushing while Marshall scored 17 touchdowns. “We have a lot of guys that are returning and a lot of playmakers,” commented Marshall. “This offseason I’ve really been working on the passing game. That’s one of the main focuses heading into this season.” The Yellow Jackets had three loses decided by a total of six points, can they turn the corner and turn those losses into wins this season? Head coach Paul Johnson is enthused about his returning starters that include three of the five starting offensive lineman. “It’s great to have experience,” commented Johnson. “If guys work hard and we stay healthy I think we have a chance to be a very productive offense.” Can Marshall make the right reads running the triple option against the upper tier defenses in the ACC, time will tell? The Pitt Panthers could be a dark horse in the division. Pitt only returns two starters on an offensive line who gave up a whopping 31 sacks last season so clearly protecting the quarterback will be issue. “We really didn’t take the same kind of pride we did the year before (in protecting the quarterback),” commented senior offensive tackle Alex Booker. Under head coach Pat Narduzzi’s leadership, the Panthers have pulled of two major upsets in the past two years. They finished the 2017 season with a 24-14 win over then #2 Miami and in 2016 they also beat the Clemson Tigers who were also ranked #2. Against the Canes quarterback Kenny Pickett made his first start for the Panthers and man did he make it count! In three previous appearances Pickett took a total of 71 snaps before getting his chance as the starter in Miami. So needless to say the Pittsburg program has the most buzz around it in the conference. Entering his fourth season Narduzzi offered these thoughts on Kenny Pickett, “We knew he was talented and that’s why we slowly developed him.” The Panthers have had their issues on defense ranking 106th against the pass. When asked about his defense coach Narduzzi offered these thoughts, ”Obviously you can’t give up the big play. As you recruit for the talent you need on your football team you expect to get better. We have another year of player development and you just have to develop your recruits.” The Panthers have a lot of buzz surrounding Pickett but I think their defense still has to many holes and will remain inconsistent to compete for a division championship. Analysis: Defense travels, in whatever venue and in any conditions having a great defense is paramount to making it into the postseason. I believe in Bud Foster and the development of Josh Jackson at quarterback, I like it that he is embracing more of a leadership role. I particularly liked it when he mentioned working on being more accurate out of the pocket. I think the Hokies will win opening night in Tallahassee enroot to winning the division. They are unbeatable at home and I think improve on last year’s 9-4 record. The Hokies will appear in the ACC Championship game in Charlotte in December. Are you ready for some FOOTBALL??!! - Euan McCreath
2 Comments
John K
8/23/2018 04:21:03 pm
While Clemson has been stocking the cupboard with top talent the past few years, the other ACC teams have not been lazy. A resurgent FSU and Miami can only help draw more attention to this best or second best football conference. Can’t wait to see things play out as we head into another exciting and competitive yeat!
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