(Andrew Melnick is the lead blogger over at Howard the Dunk, an Orlando Magic blog. He’s also a rabid college football fan who will be heading up an ACC Football Preview Series here on Fan Addict. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)
The ACC has been down over the past few years, but I’m not so sure down is the right word. There is no dominating top 5 team. When Boston College along with superpowers, Florida State and Miami joined the conference, it was suppose to challenge the SEC, but with the recent struggles of those two teams, it hasn’t. According to the last few NFL Drafts, there is more talent in the conference than any other conference in the country. The ACC had four of the first nine picks in the NFL Draft and 9 of the first 45. The SEC had more total picks than the ACC (37 to 33) but the quality favored the ACC. The ACC has had 158 draft picked over the last four years, one less than the SEC. The talent in the ACC is very spread out. The worst team in the league is Duke and they have one of the leagues two or three best Quarterbacks and placed five players on my first or second team. In the ACC, anyone can beat anyone in any given week.
1st Team
QB Russell Wilson, NC State, Sophomore
Wilson took over the starting QB job on September 13 in a loss at Clemson and never looked back. Russell may have completed just 54.5% for 1,955 yards, but all of his other numbers were off of the charts. He had an incredible 133.93 QB rating and threw 17 TDs. The most impressive part? He had only ONE interception! Wilson lead the pack to four straight wins to end the season, moving them to 6-6 and getting them into a Bowl game. Wilson also added394 yards rushing and 4 TDs even though he was sacked seven times. Now that Tom O’Brien is in his third years as the Wolfpack Head Coach, except even more improvement for Wilson and his team.
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech, Junior
Dwyer was the best offensive player in the ACC last season and the media showed him the love voting him ACC Player of the Year. He had 1,395 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 107.3 yards per game. He averaged 7 yards per carry! And remember, it was his first year in Paul Johnson’s new offense. He also had 209 yards and a TD receiving. He has 1,831 career rushing yards and 21 career rushing TDs and this is in just two seasons. He exploded in the last 2 games, torching Miami and arch rival Georgia, allowing the Dogs to win both games. He was shut down in losses to Virginia and Virginia Tech but those are the only two games that he did not rush over 100 yards outside of their blowout loss in the Chick-Fil-A bowl to LSU where he only had 10 carries.
RB Da’Rel Scott, Maryland, Junior
Scott made the All ACC first team last year. He had 1,133 yards rushing,third in the conference. He only got 14 carries during his freshman year, but still gained 135 yards. Scott also scored 8 TDs in 2008. He did have some very bad games. He had a combined 122 yards in November losses @ Virginia Tech, Florida State, and @ Boston College. He bounced back with 174 yards on just 14 carries in a bowl win over Nevada.
Util CJ Spiller, Clemson, Senior
Jonathan Dwyer may be the league’s best pure runner, but CJ Spiller is far and away the best athlete that plays the position in the conference. Not only is Spiller a very good RB, he has better skills returning kicks and catching the ball than any other back in the ACC. He has 4,908 all-purpose yards at Clemson which is already a school record. He’s even scored a touchdown in four different ways (receiving, rushing, kick return, and one pass).There are a few questions about Spiller. His rushing yardage totals have gone down each season from 938 to 768 to just 629 last season, but he did have 436 yards receiving last season, easily his best total in that category. The “thunder and lightning backfield” is gone now that James Davis has moved on to the NFL. With Jamie Harper’s struggles as a freshman struggles, Spiller should get over 200 carries in 2009 (his previous career high was 145 in ’07) and should top 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career. He has a good shot to go over 2,000 all purpose yards in his senior season.
WR Jacoby Ford, Clemson, Senior
Ford is another Clemson player who can do it all. He had 1,181 all purpose yards last season. Ford had just 32 receptions for 497 yards in his first two college seasons, but crushed those numbers in 2008, catching 55 passes for 710 yards and four TDs. Plus Ford had 96 yards rushing and was a very good return man. Now that the all time leader in receiving, Aaron Kelly, has graduated, Ford should be the main man.
WR Rich Gunnell, Boston College, Senior
Gunnell put up huge numbers during his sophomore season, catching 64passes for 931 yards and seven TDs. His numbers came down in 2008 when he caught 49 passes for 551 yards and 4 TDs. This was to be expected after the loss of the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Matt Ryan. Gunnell had to play with new QBs but still excelled. He had four carries as BC tried to get him the ball any way they could. Expect a big finale to Gunnell’s Eagle career in 2009.
TE Greg Boone, Virginia Tech, Senior
Boon was not much of a receiver during his first two seasons in 2006 and 2007. H caught just 16 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown. In 2008, he bettered both of those numbers. He had 22 catches for 278 yards and two TDs. Boone is known for his blocking ability and that is the main reason that he is on this list, but his reception, yardage, and TD totals should go up because he is a very good all around TE.
OT Jason Fox, Miami, Senior
Fox is a monster. He is 6-7 and weighs 314lbs. Miami’s starting Left Tackle is about to become a four year starter. He started all 24 games over his first two seasons. Fox even scored a touchdown on a five yard run against FSU last year to cut the lead to two in the fourth quarter. Fox had an ankle injury that held him back a bit in 2008 but is said to be 100% healthy now.
OG Rodney Hudson, FSU, Junior
When Rick Trickett took over the OL at FSU, he said he wanted to bring in his own guys. The first of his “own guys” to start was Rodney Hudson. He started 10 out of 13 games during his freshman season and started all 13 games in 2008. He has improved in every game and has been called for just one penalty in his entire career. Hudson has taken snaps at C and was slated to be the starting LT in the 2008 preseason before being moved back to LG for the first game. At 6-2 and 285 lbs, Hudson is strong but very quick on his feet, perfect for FSU’s new improved run blocking scheme. Hudson was 1st team All ACC in 2008.
OC Ryan McMahon, FSU, Junior
McMahon redshirted during his first year in Tallahassee and was playing DT before Rick Trickett found him and moved him to offense. It was the right move as McMahon has started all 26 games over the past two seasons. He took every snap of his career until he was replaced during a blowout win early in 2008 against Western Carolina. Like Hudson, he is very athletic. McMahon is going to help anchor an offensive line that is returning all five starters and was the best group that FSU has put on the field in quite some time.
OG Thomas Austin, Clemson, Senior
Austin is a beast and is a lot bigger than the rest of the interior of the 1st team. He’s 6-3 and 315 lbs. He has played for the majority of his three-year career. He tied with Rodney Hudson in 2008, winning ACC Lineman of the week three times.
OT Anthony Constanzo, Boston College, Junior
Constanzo started every game at RT in 2007 and then shifted to LT after the season where he started every game in 2008. He has improved in each season at Boston College. He was 2nd team all ACC in 2008. He’s huge at 6-7 and 287 lbs . Many think that he could be the best Offensive Lineman that has ever played at BC.
DE Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech, Junior
Worilds is 6-4, 254 lbs and is an absolute monster off of the edge. With the graduation of Everette Brown and Michael Johnson, he is the league’s best pass rusher. He had 18.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks last season. Worilds injured his shoulder last season, missed the Orange Bowl and missed all of the Hokie’s spring practice after shoulder surgery, but he should be ready to go in the fall. If he can stay healthy, expect double digit sack numbers.
DT Boo Robinson, Wake Forest, Senior
Robinson played in all 14 games, including one start in 2006. He started every game in 2007 and in 12 o 13 in 2008. He had 101 career tackles, on forced fumble, 10 sacks and even two interceptions in his three-year Demon Deacon career. His junior season was his best – he had 40 tackles, 4 sacks and a pick. He registered nine tackles against Duke last season. These are great numbers for an interior lineman.
DT Vince Oghobaase, Duke, Senior
Oghobaase is huge at 6-6 and 300 lbs. Oghobaase is another player that has improved each season. He had 26 tackles and one sack as a freshman, 49 tackles and four sacks as a sophomore and then 51 tackles and six sacks last season. Oghobaase finished very strong with 18 tackles and 4.5 sacks over his final three games. He has started all three season that he has been at Duke and has 29.5 career tackles for loss.
DE Willie Young, NC State, Senior
Ex Head Wolfpack Coach and current FSU LBs Coach Chuck Amato went down to Florida and stole the 6-4, 250 lb rush end from the “big three.” Young has 141 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 picks and 12.5 sacks over his career. He has more tackles for loss and sacks than any other current ACC player. Young is a fifth senior and has taken more snaps than any other player on the improving Wolfpack roster. Young probably could have been a 1st day draft pick last season, but he decided to return instead.
LB Alex Wujciak, Maryland, Junior
Wujciak is simply a tackling machine.Wujciak is a beast at 6-3 and 255 lbs. He is bigger than the DEs on our 1st team. Wujciak had a lot of trouble getting onto the field during his first couple of years. He redshirted in 2006 and then blew out his knee in the 2007 preseason. He finally got on the field in 2008 and proved that he was worth the wait. He earned 2nd team all ACC after making 133 tackles, averaging 10.2 per game. He had 16 tackles in a win at Clemson and posted 15 in their victory against NC State. He may have had his best game in the bowl when he had 8 solo tackles (12 totals) and a sack.
LB Quan Sturdivant UNC Junior
The 6-2, 235 lb LB was the 2nd leading tackler in the conference last season. He finished 2nd to Alex Wujciak with 122 tackles. He had 47 during his freshman year in 2007. He has 3 career sacks and 3 career interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD against Notre Dame, giving UNC a 17-16 lead in a tight game that the Heels won 29-24. Quan will play MLB in 2009.
LB Dekoda Watson, FSU, Senior
Watson is an athletic freak. He’s what you’d call a workout warrior with a 26-inch waste, a sub 4.5 40 and a huge vertical leap. Watson was suspended for the first three games in 2008 but had a great return. He had 10 tackles and a punt block for a safety in his first game back against Colorado. He was then injured in the very next game against Miami and missed the NC State game before returning for very limited action against Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. The 6-2, 232 lb senior had 46 tackles, an interception and a fumble returned for a TD in FSU’s 42-13 blowout win over Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. He has 119 career tackles, 2 career INTs and 2 TDs. He sat out spring ball to fix his elbow and he should be healthy by Labor day when the ‘Canes come to Tallahassee.
CB Patrick Robinson, FSU, Senior
Robinson followed up a fantastic sophomore season with a very disappointed junior campaign. The 5-11, 192 lb CB registered just 11 tackles in his freshman season before exploding in 2007 with 27 tackles, one forced fumble and six interception. He tied a record by picking off a pass in five straight games. He’s even with former FSU & NFL CB and current assistant coach Terrell Buckley. Robinson missed the first three games due to suspension and then injured himself in game four returning a kick. He missed the next game before returning against NC State. FSU coaches think Robinson’s senior year will rank among the best that an FSU DB has ever had.
CB Chris Chancellor, Clemson, Senior
Chancellor has played in all 39 games of his career and has a current starting streak of 28. He’s skinny at 5-10 and 165 lbs but he has avoided injury. He has 31 career passes defended. He has eight career interceptions, including four in each of the last two seasons. He had two picks against rival South Carolina in 2008 and one in 2007, endearing him to Clemson fans everywhere. Chancellor should keep a very good Clemson defense among the best in the nation.
SS Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech, Junior
The 6-1, 198 lb junior can be considered not only one of the best defensive backs in the ACC but one of the best in all of college football. He can hit like a LB but has speed to burn like a CB. Burnett has 150 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and 10 interceptions in his two seasons in Atlanta. In 2008, Burnett had 93 tackles and seven picks, including one for a TD against rival Georgia, a game in which the Jackets won 45-42 in Athens. Burnet should be able to keep improving in what will probably be his final season with Georgia Tech.
FS Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech, Senior
The first thing most people noticed about Virginia Tech senior Kam Chancellor is that he is huge. He is 6-4 and weighs 224 lbs. After moving around for most of his career, he finally found his position in 2008 – Free Safety. He has 139 tackles, two forced fumbles and four interceptions over his career in Blacksburg. Chancellor will be counted on for veteran leadership. He has two ACC championship rings and was a starter on both the 2007 and 2008 Championship teams.
K Matt Bosher, Miami, Sophomore
Bosher was great as a freshman last season. He hit 90% of his kicks, going 18-20 and he made all 40 of his extra points. For a team that has a lot of games come down to FGs, he is a huge weapon.
P Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech, Junior
Bowden has been a very good punter thus far in his career, averaging 42.4 yards per punt in his freshman season and 40.4 last year. He has a very good net average, helping to keep dangerous ACC return men at bay.
R Torrey Smith, Maryland, Sophomore
Smith broke the record for ACC return yardage with 1,089 yards including a 99 yard return in Maryalnd’s Bowl game. He also had 24 catches for 336 yards and two TDs.
R Travis Benjamin, Miami, Sophomore
He averaged 11.3 yards per punt return and 22.5 yards per kick return. He should play a lot more on offense this season.
2nd Team
QB Thaddeus Lewis, Duke, Senior
Four year starter. Went 224-316 with 2,171 yards, 15 TDs and 6 INTs, with 2 rushing TDs in ’08. Has 6,735 yards and 47 TDs in his career.
RB Darren Evans, Virginia Tech, Sophomore
1,265 yards and 11 TDs on 287 carries in his freshman season.
RB Montel Harris, Boston College, Sophomore
Harris had 179 carries, 900 yards and five TDs in ’08.
WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech, Junior
Thomas has 74 catches, 1,185 yards and six TDs in two seasons. He’s 6-3 and 229 lbs.
WR Bert Reed, FSU, Sophomore
The speedster had 23 catches for 295 yards and three TDs in a year that he missed three games.
TE George Bryan, NC State, Sophomore
He had 18 catches for 201 yards and four TDs in a fantastic freshman season.
OT Ed Wang Virginia Tech Senior
He started in 2008 and was very good. He’s 6-5 and 312 lbs.
OG Sergio Render, Virginia Tech, Senior
The 6-3, 308 lb Guard will become a four year starter.
OC Matt Tennant, Boston College, Senior
He’s 6-4 and 294 lbs. He has started for the past two seasons (28 games in a row).
OG Cord Howard, Georgia Tech, Senior
He’s 6-5 and 300 lbs. He was 2nd team all ACC last season.
OT Will Barker, Virginia, Senior
He’s 6-7 and 315 lbs and will become a four year starter.
DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech, Junior
The junior had 51 tackles and six sacks in ’08.
DT Marvin Austin, UNC, Junior
The once highly sought after recruit has 61 tackles and five sacks, along with an interception in his career.
DT Marcus Forston, Miami, Sophomore
The homegrown product is 6-3 and 310 lbs.
DE Ricky Sapp, Clemson, Senior
He had 85 tackles and 11 sacks over three seasons.
LB Sean Spence Miami Sophomore
Spence had a great freshman season, getting 62 tackles. He had a sack on Tim Tebow and a pick-6 against FSU, saving his best for Miami’s best rivals.
LB Nigel Bradham, FSU, Sophomore
Bradham was the #1 LB recruit in the country in 2008 and recently ran a sub 4.5 40. He had 29 tackles in his freshman season.
LB Vincent Rey, Duke, Senior
He has had an incredible career – 232 tackles, four forced fumbles, four sacks and two picks. He’s a bowling ball at 6-0 and 240 lbs.
CB Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech, Senior
He has six career interceptions and all six came in 2008.
CB Kendric Burney, UNC, Junior
He’s a big part of UNC’s revival. He has 77 tackles and 3 picks in ’08.
FS Deunta Williams, UNC, Junior
He has 91 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and six picks in his career.
SS Catron Gainey, Duke, Senior
Gainey has started over the past two years. He had a great junior season – 66 tackles, one sack, and one pick.
K Josh Czajkowski, NC State, Junior
His 16 of 19 FGs in 2008 and made 33 of his 34 extra point attempts.
P Travis Baltz, Maryland, Junior
Baltz had an average of 41.1 yards per punt in 2008.
R Vic Hall, Virginia, Senior
The CB has three career picks and he may not be a return man this year after working at QB in the spring.
Who’s going bowling? Who will surprise? Who will win the ACC and can the champion finally compete for a National title? Keep checking back for a team by team ACC preview and conference predictions.