Thoughts on the ACC

Today the spotlight is on the ACC.....here are Stiles Points predictions for this conference.....
Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech (10-2)- the Hokies are loaded on defense with Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi at linebacker and Brandon Flowers in the secondary....Va Tech also has the conference's best running back in Branden Ore...their chance at a national title will be alive and kicking if they can go down to Baton Rouge and beat LSU in a September game...Florida State comes to Blacksburg in mid-November...those two teams will meet up again in the conference title game...

2. Miami (Fla) (8-4)- interesting fact - Randy Shannon is the first U graduate to be head football coach...Miami always has talent, it's just a matter what they do with that talent...Larry Coker's demise began when he choked against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl...Shannon should bring more energy to the Canes...I don't see them doing real well this season especially with non-conference games against Oklahoma and Texas A&M....

3. Virginia (8-4)- the Cavs took their lumps last season with a freshman QB in Jameel Sewell...if he matured during the off-season, the Cavs will have a good quarterback for the next 3 years and will pull off some upsets this year...it all comes down to the QB position...

4. Georgia Tech (6-6) - the Jackets lost Calvin Johnson and a veteran quarterback in Ball....Chan Gailey needs to re-establish the program with a new group of players....but never overlook Georgia Tech...they are capable of stunning anyone in this conference....

5. North Carolina (4-8) - Butch Davis already had some impact on the Tar Heels recruiting this past winter....it will take Carolina a year or two before Davis gets this team among the conference elite....

6. Duke (2-10)- what can we say about the Dukies...Wake Forest's Cinderella season of a year ago could give Duke some hope -- of at least winning a game this year....

Atlantic
1. Florida State (10-2)- the Seminoles played 18 freshmen last season....just like a few years ago when people where questioning JoePa, the same has now happened to Bobby Bowden....the Seminoles will rebound after a 7-6 season and get back in the BCS....

2. Boston College (8-4)- the new coach at Chestnut Hill, Jeff Jagodzinski, was the former QB coach at Green Bay...he has a good QB to work with in Matt Ryan, but the new coaches inexperience will show at times this year...

3. Clemson (8-4)- For some reason Young Bowden could never take Clemson to that next level despite having some quality players....James Davis & CJ Spiller are the 2nd best running back combo in the country (behind Arkansas' twosome)....they do have to replace all-ACC DE Gaines Adams....

4. N.C. State (7-5)- Wolfpack fans should be happy - Chuck Amato is gone...the man who wore skin tight shirts and sunglasses at night was good for one thing - he always beat Florida State....with former BC head coach Tom O'Brien at the helm, the Pack should be a better ballclub...O'Brien overachieved while at BC and should do better with the talent that NC State has...the Pack do have a real weapon in kick returner Darrell Blackmun....

5. Wake Forest (7-5)- God Bless Wake Forest for their Cinderella season of a year ago...I don't see them wearing the glass slipper again this year, but they won't turn into a pumpkin either...the Deacons went 7-1 in close games last year...they will win their share of those games again, but not 7...

6. Maryland (6-6)- it was tough picking the Terps this low...some publications have them in the upper echelon of the ACC - and that very well may happen...Ralph Friedgen is stuck in the tougher Atlantic Division...

ACC Title Game - Virginia Tech over Florida State

Upset Alert
September 20 - Texas A&M @ Miami - it’s a Thursday night game down at The U, but A&M has played in hostile areas before....
September 15 - Virginia @ N. Carolina - a loss to Carolina could throw the Cavs season into a tailspin....this is one of those games they must win.....but Butch Davis is now the coach in Tar Heel country....
November 10 - Virginia @ Miami - the Canes could be looking at their next two opponents: @ Va. Tech and @ B.C....
November 24 - Virginia Tech @ Virginia - Tech is 10-4 against the Cavs since 1993, but if Virginia has the talent to stymie their in-state rival for 1 game....

Best Players
Virginia Tech - Brandon Ore, rb; Chris Ellis, de; Xavier Adibi, ilb; Vince Hall, ilb; Victor Harris, db
Miami- Kenny Phillips, s; Lance Leggett, wr; Calais Campbell, de; Andrew Bain, og
Virginia - Chris Long, de; Jon Copper, ilb
Georgia Tech - Phil Wheeler, ilb
North Carolina - Kentwan Balmer, dt
Duke - Vince Oghobaase, dt
Florida State - Myron Rolle, s; De Cody Fagg, wr; Greg Carr, wr; Paul Griffin, dt
Boston College - Matt Ryan, qb; DeJuan Tribble, db; Brian Toal. lb
Clemson - James Davis, rb; CJ Spiller, rb; Barry Richardson, ot; Michael Hamlin, db
N.C. State - DeMario Pressley, de; Darrell Blackman, kr
Wake Forest - Riley Skinner, qb; Sam Swank, k; Durant Brooks, p
Maryland - Jared Gaither, ot; Andrew Crummey, og; Erin Henderson, olb

Best coach - Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech - he has turned Virginia Tech into one of the best programs in the country....the Hokies are due for another big season...
Best quarterback - Matt Ryan, Boston College - when people mention the top quarterbacks in the country, Ryan's name is hardly mentioned....
Best offensive player - Brandon Ore - Virginia Tech - the Clemson twosome of Spiller and Davis are mighty darn good too, but Ore is a chain mover.....
Best defensive player - Kenny Phillips - Miami - this kid is the next stud from a rich history of Hurricanes who played in the secondary....

Overview - look for the two traditional football powers - Florida State and Virginia Tech - to take control this season....however, there will be a change in power in the next few years.....N.C. State has a better head coach and should start showing improvement over the next two years.....think about how many players from the Wolfpack clubs who went high in the NFL Draft....but somehow Chuck Amato would always finish either 7-4 or 6-5.....the future is bright for Virginia if their young quarterback (Sewell) matures this season.....Clemson always has the talent to become a conference power, but has never come through on a consistent basis....The U has new blood with Randy Shannon and things should be on the rise at North Carolina with Butch Davis.....we cannot forget what Wake Forest did last season either....but for now, the Seminoles and Hokies will hold the fort down while the "youngens" mature....