Clemson Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	Alabama (in Atlanta, GA)
Sept. 6	THE CITADEL
Sept. 13	N.C. STATE
Sept. 20	SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Sept. 27	MARYLAND
Oct. 9	@Wake Forest
Oct. 18	GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 1	@Boston College
Nov. 8	@Florida State
Nov. 15	DUKE
Nov. 22	@Virginia
Nov. 29	SOUTH CAROLINA

2007 Results: 9-4 overall, 5-3 ACC (T-2nd Atlantic Division); lost to Auburn 23-20 (OT) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl

Offense: Despite fielding many a talented offense over the last several years, this is the first time the Tigers return so much proven experience at the skill positions at the same time, as quarterback Cullen Harper, RBs James Davis and CJ Spiller, and wideouts Aaron Kelly and Jacoby Ford can each make a case at being the best player(s) at their respective position in the league. Think about that for a second; now consider that not even once during Florida State's domination of the ACC in the 1990s could they have said that. Now you see why folks are so high on the Tigers this year despite their complete failure to make any real dent on the national or conference scale in any of Tommy Bowden's nine seasons at the helm. The one possible crack in the offensive foundation in 2008 is the offensive line, as four starters must be replaced. The positive spin is that last year's OL was a major disappointment, as they allowed 35 sacks and didn't open enough holes and lanes for Davis and Spiller to work their magic, so new blood may be just what is needed. The troubling aspect to the prolific Clemson attacks these last few years has been the propensity to completely buckle against a good pass rush, as four opponents last season held the Tigers to less than 2 yards per carry, and one of them was Furman. That's poor OL technique and development, and shoddy gameplan adjustment. In fact, for all the gushing about the Tigers' talent on this side of the ball, they finished just 50th nationally in total, 46th nationally in passing, and 52nd nationally in rushing offense in 2007. Rob Spence, you got some 'splainin to do.

Defense: Lost in all the commotion surrounding Harper, Spiller, Davis and crew is the Clemson defense - the one that finished ninth nationally in total defense and was the far more reliable and consistent aspect of the Clemson Tigers in 2007. And the good news for the Clemson faithful is that eight starters are back this season, led by the best defensive line and easily the best secondary in the conference. The linebackers are solid if unspectacular. But that line - freakin' wow. On top of returning starters Ricky Sapp, Dorrell Scott and Rashaad Jackson, the Tigers add true freshman Da'Quan Bowers - their top recruit in the winter - at DE and JUCO All-American transfer Jarrett Crittenton as Sapp's backup. The secondary is anchored by safeties Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons (191 tackles combined in '07) while the weak link (relatively speaking) is corner Crezdon Butler and he'll probably get an Honorable Mention on the all-ACC team in '08. Not too shabby.

Special Teams: A catastrophe is probably the way to describe this unit's performance in the 2007. Special teams weren't exactly stellar in the three-point losses to Boston College and Auburn, but they directly caused the Tigers' two other losses last year (Virginia Tech had two returns for TDs and had another called back, while four missed field goals, a punt blocked deep in their territory and a fumbled kickoff resulted in a 13-3 loss to Georgia Tech). So it's with dampened enthusiasm that I say that kicker Mark Buchholz and punter Jimmy Maners return. But it is with unbridled fervor that I say that returners CJ Spiller and Jacoby Ford are back, although they could buck up a bit on the punt return average (just 8.8yds per return last year).

Coaching: Tommy Bowden is quite the enigma. He can go 12-0 at Tulane, but can't get the Tigers to finish better than third in the ACC in any of his nine seasons at Clemson, nor can he seem to break the 10-win mark. You'd think just once - even by accident - a 10-win campaign would have been achieved sometime since 1999, but you'd be mistaken. Since Bowden took the reins, the following ACC progams have won 10 or more games in a season: Maryland (three times), FSU (three times), NC State (once), Wake (once), BC (twice in the last three years), and Virginia Tech (every year since joining the league). For all the grief Mack Brown used to get about never winning a league title (pre-2005), he at least delivered a number of 10-win seasons and Top 10 finishes, something Bowden hasn't come close to doing (his best finish in terms of record and ranking was the 9-3, #16 campaign in 2000). He's managed to finish out of the rankings more often than not (5 of his 9 years) and has finished either 5-3 or 4-4 in the ACC in 8 of his 9 seasons. My friends, there is a word for that type of performance and that word is mediocre. In it's purest form. And that's a back-handed compliment as well, because not once in Bowden's nine seasons has Clemson finished with a losing record, something every other pre-expansion ACC program not named Florida State or Georgia Tech has done at least twice since 1999. But that's lowering the bar in terms of expectations and achievement pretty significantly for a place like Clemson, which is all the more reason why I'm mystified at Bowden's fat raise and 5-year contract extension this past December. Maybe the fact that Bowden has cleaned up on the recruiting trail lately and stabilized his coaching staff (both OC Rob Spence and DC Vic Koenning are entering their fourth seasons in Tigertown) has convinced the Tiger admins and fatcats that the nine-year odyssey of mediocrity has come to an end and things have finally been figured out. Because if Bowden got that raise based on what they saw on the field and in the standings these past nine seasons, or based solely on the fear that he might be poached by another program, there's little hope that Clemson will ever get back to being the national power and ACC overlord they were so many years ago.

Odds & Ends: Clemson and Bowden are 0-3 against Atlantic Division rival Boston College since expansion, but two of the losses came in overtime and the other came in the final two minutes of regulation.....the Tigers are 32-1 under Bowden when they rush for 200+ yards.....for all the tradition and rabid expectations surrounding the program, Clemson hasn't finished in the Top 10 since 1990 and that was also the last time they broke the 10-win barrier

Schedule Analysis: I'm not a fan of the opener in Atlanta with Alabama (the Tigers are just 1-5 against non-Gamecock SEC teams under Bowden) as things will get incredibly sour incredibly early for Clemson and the ACC with a loss, whereas a win won't garner the equivalent amount of hype (unless we're talking 35-0 or so). The Tigers then get a relatively easy September, and then a bye week in early October before the Thursday night showdown at Wake. They get another off week before back-to-back trips to BC and FSU. A jaunt to Virginia (upset alert) comes just before the finale with arch-rival South Carolina. That BC-FSU stretch is the biggest pothole on the slate, but the rest of the schedule is very manageable and is set up for an division title and perhaps even a national championship run if Spiller/Davis/Harper morph together to become Tommy Bowden's Vince Young.
Projected Wins: The Citadel, N.C. State, South Carolina State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, @Boston College, Duke, South Carolina
Projected Losses: none
Toss-Ups: vs. Alabama, @Wake Forest, @Florida State, @Virginia
Primo Tiger Blogs: Sporting Gnomes, Danny Ford is God

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Would you believe Clemson lost nine games in the last two years with these guys? I wouldn't either except, well...they did.

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Virginia Tech Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	East Carolina (in Charlotte, NC)
Sept. 6	FURMAN
Sept. 13	GEORGIA TECH
Sept. 20	@North Carolina
Sept. 27	@Nebraska
Oct. 4	WESTERN KENTUCKY
Oct. 18	@Boston College
Oct. 25	@Florida State
Nov. 6	MARYLAND
Nov. 13	@Miami
Nov. 22	DUKE
Nov. 29	VIRGINIA

2007 Results: 11-3 overall, 7-1 ACC (ACC Champions); lost to Kansas 24-21 in the Orange Bowl

Offense: Sometimes it pays to procrastinate. In doing so, this Hokie preview of mine just became very timely and hopefully a lot more accurate. Tech coaches announced today that backup QB Tyrod Taylor will be redshirted this fall, leaving the offense in the experienced but uninspired hands of senior Sean Glennon. Lord knows why the Hokies made this move. Securing Taylor for three years as starting QB starting in '09 seems like a reasonable idea, but that means Glennon will basically have free-reign and a very long leash this season. Now if Glennon goes down to injury early, they'll likely scrap Taylor's redshirt and play him, but in terms of general performance, the Hokies have loaded up on the Glennon train for the long haul. And that concerns me because Branden Ore - last year's leading rusher - was booted from the team in the spring, and 2007's top four receivers have departed as well. As of this posting, junior Kenny Lewis (57 carries in 2007) will be the starting tailback, and two freshmen are the first-team receivers. There is some relief when it comes to the OL; they're experienced (they lose just one starter, and all of the second-teamers return), but they were pretty sketchy last year (54 sacks allowed). TE Greg Boone is heck of a talent and may lead the team in receptions early on. Last year's offense had it's moments, but struggled far too much given the talent they had. With last season's top five skill players gone - and with Glennon returning - I see little reason to expect improvement in 2008.

Defense: And the hits just keep on coming. The losses: LBs Xavier Abidi and Vince Hall, three of the starting linemen (chief among them DE Chris Ellis), and two starters in the secondary. The good news is that most of their replacements have some decent game experience, but depth will be a major issue all year as most of this year's second-teamers have scant if any experience . As for the starters that do return, they're among the best in the league, including Macho Harris (5 picks, 11 pass breaks-ups last year) at corner and Kam Chancellor at safety. It's been a long time since the Hokies were hit this hard by the graduation bug, but Bud Foster has a pretty damn good track record in developing carnivorous defenses with whatever talent he has at his disposal. Tech won't finish #5 overall in total defense as they did last year, but top-half in the ACC is a safe bet and since that usually equates to Top 30 or so in the country, this is not the portion of the team that should concern Hokie fans.

Special Teams: Look for more punt blocks and a few return TDs this season, as the Hokies are a broken record in this category. As far as personnel goes, the returners and placekicker will be new this season, but punter Brent Bowden and 42.5 yards per boot are back. What Frank Beamer has done with this unit over the last 20 years speaks for itself and there's no point in really trying to analyze how Tech will do this year. They'll be good, opposing punters will soil themselves, water is wet and the sky is blue.

Coaching: One day in the very near future, Frank Beamer will be the grand old man of active college football coaches. He's currently the third-winningest active coach behind Death Race participants Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno, and his 209 wins are 46 more than fourth-place Steve Spurrier, so Beamer will hold the "winningest active coach" title for the remainder of his career once Bowden and Paterno are nudged out by their schools or by the Almighty. At 61 years old, it appears to be a longshot for Beamer to reach 300 victories, as he'd need nine straight ten win seasons to hit that mark by age 70. Regardless, Beamer - faults and all - has left a huge mark on the college football landscape already and he still has time to deliver that elusive national title to Blacksburg. A big reason for Beamer's success has been his stalwart defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is quite simply the best assistance coach in college football today. I have no idea why Foster hasn't been snatched up as the head man elsewhere, but each year he spends in Blacksburg means it's another season the Hokies stay in the national discussion. The same cannot be said for offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring; after six years as the OC, the best finish the Hokies have managed nationally in total offense is 38th in 2003. The last two seasons saw finishes of 99 and 100. Tech is at a level where those results warrant a pink slip. Can you imagine where the Hokies would be today - and what type of hardware they might own - had they simply halved their total offense placements the last six years?

Odds & Ends: For all my gushing about Beamer, he has a few albatrosses hanging 'round his neck and a big one is his 5-24 record against Top 10 competition since 1987.....Beamerballed: the Hokies led Clemson 31-8 at the half last year despite gaining just 88 yards of total offense, thanks to two special teams touchdowns (along with a defensive score).....last year's 40-21 victory over Florida State was the Hokies' first win over the Seminoles in their last 15 meetings, dating back to 1975

Schedule Analysis: The Hokies draw the short end of the stick on the road, but get lucky in terms of the ACC scheduling rotation. Clemson and Wake Forest (along with NC State) are absent from the schedule, but none of the five road games are easy, highlighted by their first trip to Florida State since 1989 along with a non-conference matchup at Nebraska. And that pesky little stop in Chapel Hill in week four will probably settle the Coastal Division title early on. The two bye weeks are helpfully placed, before the trip to BC and before the Thursday-nighter with Maryland. This is a terrible slate for the Lane Stadium faithful, as they get just three home games before November and those are Furman, Georgia Tech and Western Kentucky. And lest I forget, that opener in Charlotte with East Carolina is becoming everybody's favorite week one upset pick.
Projected Wins: Furman, Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky, Maryland, @Miami, Duke, Virginia
Projected Losses: @Nebraska, @Florida State
Toss-Ups: @East Carolina, @North Carolina, @Boston College

Primo Hokie Blogs: Gobbler Country, Tech Superfans, Wild Turkey College Football Report

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3rd & 31

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Virginia Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	USC
Sept. 6	RICHMOND
Sept. 13	@Connecticut
Sept. 27	@Duke
Oct. 4	MARYLAND
Oct. 11	EAST CAROLINA
Oct. 18	NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 25	@Georgia Tech
Nov. 1	MIAMI
Nov. 8	@Wake Forest
Nov. 22	CLEMSON
Nov. 29	@Virginia Tech

2007 Results: 9-4 overall, 6-2 ACC (2nd Coastal Division); lost to Texas Tech 31-28 in nauseating fashion in the Gator Bowl

Offense: What was a major bone of contention among Cavalier faithful in 2007 may now turn out to have been a blessing in disguise. The burning of heralded freshman QB Pete Lalich's redshirt in the middle of last year's drubbing in Wyoming set Hoo message boards ablaze in angst and disgust. And that anger didn't subside very much as the season played out, since Jameel Sewell remained as the starting quarterback while Lalich played sparingly. Flash forward to the summer of 2008 - Sewell is out for the season as an academic casualty and Lalich inherits the throne (although he hasn't officially been given the job), and his seemingly wasted '07 season now looks like valuable experience. Perhaps that QB job is still technically up for grabs because the offensive line is one of the least experienced in the country (4 starters are gone from '07), and some shiftier feet than Lalich's may be necessary in the early going. Thankfully for the Cavs, the rushing attack is in good hands as both Cedric Peerman and the clutch Mikell Simpson provide an excellent one-two punch to opposing defenses. The receiving corps is somewhat of a mystery - the top 3 players in actual receptions last year were two tight ends (both have since departed) and Simpson. 2006's top wideout, Kevin Ogletree, returns after missing last season to a blown ACL. Maurice Covington has excellent size but was injury-plagued last year.

Defense: That giant sucking sound you hear is the vacuum left in Charlottesville from the departure of last year's starting line, which was one of the best in the nation and probably the best in school history. The most gigantic loss is of course DE Chris Long (14 sacks in '07), picked #2 overall in this spring's NFL draft. The new first-team DL has exactly 1 previous start combined. The polar opposite case exists with the linebackers, as three three-year starters are back, led by OLB Clint Sintim (77 tackles, 9 sacks last year). The secondary is a mix of old and new - safety Byron Glaspy and corner Vic Hall are seasoned vets, but the rest of this unit is green. Look for the Cavaliers to focus heavily on stopping the run early in the season, as the DL will be getting it's feet wet. That puts a lot of pressure on the secondary to maintain coverage and it could be a field day in September for pass-happy Cavalier opponents. Like, say, USC.

Special Teams: Punt returner Vic Hall is back, although he was a bit mediocre in that spot last year. And that's about it for known quantities on special teams. The kick returner(s), the punter and the placekicker are all going to be making their debuts in 2008. The biggest loss from last year is Chris Gould, who surprisingly was money in field goal attempts of 40+ yards (5 for 5) but struggled a bit from the shorter distances (11 for 15). As of this posting, none of the replacements appear to be set so by default this looks to be the worst special teams unit in the ACC heading into the season.

Coaching: Allow me to depart from my usual overall coaching report to go off on a diatribe. When you have no division or league championships (let alone the national titles promised upon his hire), when your seven-year record is worse than the program's seven-year mark prior to your arrival, the arrogant, brusque and generally secretive demeanor exhibited by coach Al Groh point to a guy who made the wrong career decision seven years ago. It's not as if he's reinvented the game and is protecting his secret formula for winning national titles. While none of the qualities mentioned above are admirable, they'd at least be understandable if championship banners were fluttering in the breeze around Scott Stadium. Groh did, and would again, make a solid NFL coach. He's good at developing talent for the professional ranks. He sure as hell manages games like an NFL contest. And that's the problem - the NFL is about playing close to the vest and not taking many chances. It's about surviving the grind from week to week, but not necessarily winning every week. 9-7 in the NFL can still win your division and get you a shot at the Super Bowl. And the NFL is where Groh should've remained. College football is about taking chances, having fun, playing loose, and playing to win instead of playing not to lose. Does Al Groh do that? Not in my eyes. Al Groh will get you anywhere from 4-8 to 9-4 in a given year. He's good enough in that the bottom will never fall out. But his style makes UVA incapable of bringing home championships (division, league, national) and he's always going to be in some type of rebuilding mode. I know a lot of Wahoo faithful disagree, but I'm also aware that plenty are ready for a new direction. Virginia football can be so much more. It's about change! It's about hope! Thank you ladies and gentlemen, God bless America and God bless ACC football.

Odds & Ends: That seven year record of which I speak under Al Groh: 51-37; Virginia's seven year mark pre-Groh: 54-30.....Groh's NFL approach has produced one extremely impressive stat: the Cavaliers have finished on the plus side in turnover margin in every one of his seven seasons (+37 total over those seven years).....unless you've been living in a coal mine for the last year, you probably know that the Hoos' five wins by two points or less in 2007 is an NCAA record

Schedule Analysis: It's got the bookends from hell (opening with USC, closing with Clemson and Virginia Tech), but the meat of the schedule doesn't instill a ton of fear. I must confess that UVA is the team I have the least handle on this season. I have a decent-to-solid idea on how everyone else in the league is likely to finish, but I can see 8-4 out of the Hoos just as easily as 4-8. That makes it difficult to classify an opponent like East Carolina; are they a breather or a make-or-break game in terms of bowl contention? Nonetheless, after the certain loss to the Trojans in the opener, the next eight games can all be won without raising many eyebrows (just as they could all be lost, aside from the Richmond meeting I would hope). The problem is the final three matchups - the aforementioned clashes with the Tigers and Hokies, along with a trip to Wake Forest just prior. The Cavaliers almost certainly need to enter that final stretch at 6-3 for any real shot at a bowl bid, and I'm having a tough time seeing how they pull that off. But that's why the play the games. Of note, Boston College, Florida State and N.C. State are off the slate in this year's scheduling rotation.
Projected Wins: Richmond, @Duke, East Carolina
Projected Losses: USC, Maryland, @Wake Forest, @Virginia Tech
Toss-Ups: @Connecticut, North Carolina, @Georgia Tech, Miami, Clemson

Primo Cavalier Blogs: The Good Ol' Blog, From Old Virginia

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The Hoos' loss is the St. Louis Rams' gain

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Florida State Preview

2008 Schedule

Sept. 6	WESTERN CAROLINA
Sept. 13	CHATTANOOGA
Sept. 20	WAKE FOREST
Sept. 27	Colorado (in Jacksonville)
Oct. 4	@Miami
Oct. 16	@N.C. State
Oct. 25	VIRGINIA TECH
Nov. 1	@Georgia Tech
Nov. 8	CLEMSON
Nov. 15	BOSTON COLLEGE
Nov. 22	@Maryland
Nov. 29	FLORIDA

2007 Results: 7-6 overall, 4-4 ACC (4th Atlantic Division); lost to Kentucky 35-28 in the Music City Bowl

Offense: Just as it has over the last three seasons, it begins and ends with the offensive line. Drew Weatherford may really be just a mediocre quarterback, but when he has less than a few seconds every snap to make reads and deliver the ball before he gets clotheslined, it's tough to accurately gauge what he might do with simply adequate protection. Ditto for the running backs, chiefly Antone Smith. When he gets so few holes to hit, and when he consistently has to break tackles in the backfield, it's difficult to tell how he'd perform with a simply average line. And so it goes with the receivers....very few times lately have you see a Seminole wideout take a beautiful toss in stride down the sideline or on a pretty post pattern; there's never been enough time for the QB to deliver those kinds of passes. Last year's line was the worst of the Bobby Bowden era, with poorly developed players learning a new scheme, mixed with inexperienced young talent. And it certainly didn't help that injuries depleted the OL depth chart to just seven roster players at one point last season. The 2008 line is still a work in progress, but the best players from last year's unit are back and have bought into OL coach Rick Trickett's proven style. Regardless of the line, one player is sure to sparkle this season and that is Preston Parker, a poor-man's Percy Harvin. Whether at wideout, running back (304 yards last season in place of the injured Smith) or punt returner, he can score every time. And lest I forget...Weatherford by no means has secured the QB position. Sophomores Christian Ponder and D'Vontrey Richardson both stepped up in the spring while Weatherford was recuperating from knee problems. Ponder has a better arm and Richardson has excellent scrambling ability. It's now a question of whether Weatherford's experience is too much of an asset (33 starts and a number of big wins) or a liability (just 20-13 as a starter, and he's conditioned to the awful protection and will scramble early or hurry throws unnecessarily). OC Jimbo Fisher's first big personnel decision since the succession plan announcement (see "Coaching" below) will be scrutinized aplenty.

Defense: By FSU standards, last year's defense was an abomination, ranking 42nd nationally in total and a stunning 85th in pass defense (against the generally lame ACC offenses to boot). Part of the reason for that was a dip in overall talent, but much of it had to do with the lack of depth the Noles have so often used to their advantage over the years. The good news is that some of the weak links have departed, but more importantly a horde of talent returns from the injury bug which should resolve some of the depth concerns. The line should be back to usual Seminole standards as DE Everette Brown is killing people in practice and earning comparisons to some of the best ever linemen in Tallahassee. The LB corps loses mouthy Geno Hayes but returns a deep pool of talent and brought in the nation's best linebacker recruit in Nigel Bradham. The secondary looks to have returned to the usual standards as corners Patrick Robinson (6 picks in just 5 starts last year) and Tony Carter return, along with junior rover Myron Rolle, who after a stellar freshman year in 2006 was unfocused last season due to - and this may be the only time you'll ever read this in a major football preview - an overemphasis on academics (he's already earned his degree and is a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship). His talent is undeniable, he's stepped up his offseason conditioning and has shined in practice.

Special Teams: What looked solid and stable just two days ago now appears very murky. Punter Graham Gano (43.4 yds per boot in '07) was injured the other day in practice and will miss the first month of the season. And to add salt to the wound, he was also slated for kickoffs and as Gary Cismesia's replacement at placekicker. I have no idea who takes over now. The return game is set with Parker back for another year on punts and Micheal Ray Garvin handling kickoffs for the third straight season.

Coaching: Last December's announcement of the "Head Coach in Waiting" plan has at least given Seminole faithful a timetable as to when the purgatory of the final Bobby Bowden years will end (2010 at the latest). Whether offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is the right man for the job remains to be seen, although several schools over the last few years sure seemed willing to give him a shot (most recently West Virginia last December). Fisher's offense was less than impressive last season, but with what he inherited from the failed Jeff Bowden experiment, it wasn't much of a surprise. From a recruiting standpoint, the coaching plan has sparked a renaissance of sorts; the Noles had a great class this winter and have stockpiled a lot of talent so far in the early-commit stage this summer. On paper, the succession plan looks like a winner; in practice, who the hell knows?

Odds & Ends: Guess who led the nation in "pass-interception avoidance" (yes, that's a real stat) in 2007? That would be Weatherford, with just three picks in 318 attempts.....Over the last five seasons the Seminoles have been underdogs just twelve times, but four of those came in the final five contests last year.....Bowden has gone 38-36-1 against Top 10 opposition in his 32 years at FSU; Joe Paterno's record against Top 10 opposition in his career is 31-40

Schedule Analysis: About as generous as the Noles could hope for. FSU smartly set up the first two games with 1-AA opponents in order to minimize the damage from the dozen-plus three-game suspensions levied by the school over last year's academic fraud case. The problem is that the ACC designated the third opponent as Wake Forest and the Deacons have been able to defeat full-strength FSU squads two years running. The season could easily hinge on that game, as an FSU upset could lead to a possible 6-0 start (and perhaps 8-0 if Virginia Tech has the off year I think they'll have). On a more general note, the two bye-weeks don't offer much help (the first is opening weekend, the second before a Thursday-nighter with N.C. State), but the four road games are spread out nicely and all four are winnable. November is the toughest part of the slate, with Clemson, BC and Florida coming to Tallahassee while a trip to Maryland (the Noles have lost two straight in College Park) looms before the showdown with the Gators. Duke, North Carolina and Virginia are off the schedule in this year's rotation.
Projected Wins: Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Colorado, @N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Boston College
Projected Losses: Wake Forest, Florida
Toss-Ups: @Miami, @Georgia Tech, Clemson, @Maryland

Primo Seminole Blogs: Chant Rant, Scalp 'Em, Tomahawk Nation

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"Don't know what ya got, 'til it's gone..."

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North Carolina Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	McNEESE STATE
Sept. 11	@Rutgers
Sept. 20	VIRGINIA TECH
Sept. 27	@Miami
Oct. 4	CONNECTICUT
Oct. 11	NOTRE DAME
Oct. 18	@Virginia
Oct. 25	BOSTON COLLEGE
Nov. 8	GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 15	@Maryland
Nov. 22	N.C. STATE
Nov. 29	@Duke

2007 Results: 4-8 overall, 3-5 ACC (4th Coastal Division)

Offense: It's not a stretch to say that this unit may develop into the most potent attack in the ACC after Clemson, which probably says more about the general mediocrity of offensive football in the league than it does about Carolina. Nonetheless, the skill positions are set heading into the season, with sophomore quarterback T.J. Yates returning from a solid freshman campaign in which he was thrown to the wolves with scant assistance from the running game. He was impressive early in the year but his performance slipped as the season wore on, when defenses started dropping back more and his shoulder started disintegrating (he had successful offseason surgery but missed spring ball). Much needed help in the run game was found last year, albeit late (week 11) and his name is Greg Little, who moved over from receiver and rushed for 247 yards in the last two games of the 2007 season. And Little was able to permanently move over to running back because the Heels are stocked with talent at receiver, led by junior Hakeem Nicks (958 yards, 5 TDs last year). The entire receiving corps from last season is back, aside from converted QB Joe Dailey (and his whopping two catches in '07). The offensive line looks to be better in 2008, as all but one from last year's two-deep returns and they now have a year of experience with the Butch Davis/John Shoop system.

Defense: A mixed bag, starting with the new defensive coordinator (see "Coaching" below). The Heels lose some good individual players from last year's defensive unit, but as a whole the further away they get from all remnants of John Bunting's awful defenses, the better. The defensive line should be the best UNC has seen since the Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims days earlier this decade. Five players with starting experience are back, led by behemoth tackle Marvin Austin. Four of UNC's top five recruits this winter were D-linemen, so expect a few of them to see playing time as well. The linebacking unit still has a ways to go, and the loss of Durrell Mapp and his team leading 132 tackles from last year does not help (the second leading tackler on UNC's defense last year had 59) . The LB starting rotation last year was a turnstile and probably will be again early this year, and depth is still a concern. The secondary is in much better shape, as both corners and both safeties from last year's 27th-ranked pass defense return. Sophomore safety Deunta Williams is a star in the making as he led the team in picks in 2007 and was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Special Teams: The graduation of Connor Barth (19 for 22 on FGs last year) is a huge loss and his replacement has yet to be named as of this posting. The good news is that return specialist Brandon Tate is back (9.4yds and 24.1yds on punt and KO returns respectively in '07) along with punter Terrence Brown and his 41.4 yards per boot from last season.

Coaching: For the better part of the last 20 years, North Carolina has been labeled a sleeping giant in college football circles and except for the glorious run in 1996-1997 (21-3 record, two Top 10 finishes), the Heels have almost purposely refused to awaken. How in the world did John Bunting get as long as he did? Ditto Carl Torbush? Hell, how did those two even get hired? But that's in the past, and the Heels now have a bonafide builder and winner in Butch Davis. If he decides to settle in Chapel Hill (and that's no guarantee), that proverbial giant is likely to jump the hell out of bed and roust about for a long, long time. That certainly has a lot to do with Davis' ability as a college coach and administrator, but in the short-term it also has plenty to do with the current jumbled mess that is the Coastal Division. That said, the first potential kink in Davis' construction project appears to be his whiskey-tango-foxtrot hire of Everett Withers as defensive coordinator, replacing last year's DC Chuck Pagano who bolted for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. That's the Everett Withers who was Minnesota's DC last year. The Minnesota that ranked 119th in total defense. Yes, there's more to the Withers/Minnesota story than simple stats (the Tim Brewster hire was a debacle, and Withers had a nice six year run as DB coach with the Tennessee Titans prior), but jeez-a-loo this is a massive leap of faith on Davis' part.

Odds & Ends: Six of UNC's eight losses last year were by 7 points or less; the other two defeats were twin 37-10 drubbings by Wake Forest and USF.....the Heels' victory over James Madison in last season's opener was just their third opening day win since 1997.....Carolina hasn't finished on the positive side in turnover margin since the 1999 season

Schedule Analysis: It ain't a cakewalk, but it's not exactly grueling either. Every game on the schedule is winnable. The most glaring aspect of the slate is the fortuitous absence of Clemson, Wake Forest and Florida State from the Atlantic Division rotation. The Tar Heels substitute last year's 0-3 mark against non-conference foes East Carolina, USF and South Carolina with UConn, Rutgers and Notre Dame this fall; 2-1 should be the worst Carolina goes against that trio. The home and away games are nicely spaced out, with no back-to-back road trips. In short, this is a schedule that can get the Heels to the ACC Championship Game if Davis and crew have this team ready from week one.
Projected Wins: McNeese State, Connecticut, Notre Dame, Boston College, Georgia Tech, @Duke
Projected Losses: @Rutgers, @Maryland
Toss-Ups: Virginia Tech, @Miami, @Virginia, N.C. State

Primo Tar Heel Blogs: Carolina March, Tar Heel Fan, Heels Blog

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N.C. State Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 28	@South Carolina
Sept. 6	WILLIAM & MARY
Sept. 13	@Clemson
Sept. 20	EAST CAROLINA
Sept. 27	USF
Oct. 4	BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 16	FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 25	@Maryland
Nov. 8	@Duke
Nov. 15	WAKE FOREST
Nov. 22	@North Carolina
Nov. 29	MIAMI

2007 Results: 5-7 overall, 3-5 ACC (T-5th Atlantic Division)

Offense: Ugh. That was the collective grunt uttered by Pack fans after the punch-in-the-gut news that stud wideout Donald Bowens was recently lost for the season with a fractured back. That means that the four top receivers from last year's team will not be back for the '08 campaign, leaving this sector of the offense the thinnest and least experienced in the league (depending on how well TE Anthony Hill returns from missing '07 due to a blown ACL). The running game is a mystery as uber-talented backs Toney Baker and Andre Brown are still recovering from injuries sustained last season (sense a pattern here?), although junior Jamelle Eugene filled in admirably (667 yards, 5 TDs rushing in '07) and will probably be the starter in the opener. The huge offensive line is decent with several players having starting experience, although (aside from guard Curtis Crouch) there doesn't appear to be much all-ACC caliber talent in the bunch. And quarterback...it looks like another year with highly inconsistent senior Daniel Evans, who is capable of almost single-handedly winning games himself (see: BC and FSU '06, UVA '07), but also has the habit of turning the ball over in voluminous quantities at the worst times. Freshmen Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon will likely see time under center as well, although expect O'Brien to try and save one of them for the long-term future while the other gets battered about this season.

Defense: Another ugh. Five of the top six tacklers are gone, and projected starting FS Clem Johnson was just lost for the year due to...yes, injury. As for the line, the dropoff from the 2005 level of Mario Williams, Manny Lawson and John McCargo is staggering - but not unexpected. This year's DL has decent size and bits of starting experience here and there, but certainly no stars yet. The linebacking corps is a major question mark, as all three starters from last year's squad have gone to the private sector, and projected starting WLB Audie Cole is a converted QB. The secondary is the strong suit of this unit, even with the loss of Johnson to injury and the departure of stud safety DaJuan Morgan. All the starters have significant game experience and will anchor the defense for most of the year. Still, as a whole, the Wolfpack defense is very much a work in progress and is probably middle-of-the road at best in the ACC.

Special Teams: Ugh again. Punt and kickoff return specialist Darrell Blackman (56 combined returns last year) has departed, and now with the injury to Bowens (20 KO returns in '07), the return game is a complete mystery. The very underrated Steven Hauschka (perfect in PATs, 16 of 18 FGs in 2007) is also gone after just one season. The reliable if unspectacular Bradley Pierson is back for punting duties and he might very well be the offensive MVP early in the season.

Coaching: Tom O'Brien probably did not envision this big of a rebuilding job when he departed Boston for Raleigh 20 months ago, nor did he likely figure on the bad luck (injury epidemic) that's befallen the program since his arrival. It appears that things will likely get worse before they get better and it helps that O'Brien has some reliable old standbys with him, chief among them being OC Dana Bible. They may appear boring to you and me, but let's not forget that they were responsible for bringing in the talent you saw at Boston College last year (Matt Ryan, Andre Callender, Ryan Purvis to name a few). State will prove easier to sell to recruits than Chestnut Hill if O'Brien gets the ship righted and then talk of competing for ACC titles can commence. But for now, in 2008, it's about staying out of the league basement and finding the right players for 2009 and beyond.

Odds & Ends: Last year's 37-0 defeat to Maryland in the season finale was the Pack's first shutout loss since a 14-0 setback to Baylor in 1995.....State ranked 116th nationally last year in turnover margin (-17); it was the third time in the last four seasons that they ranked below 110 in that category.....the Wolfpack went 3-0 vs. Coastal Division opponents in 2007, but 0-5 against their Atlantic Division rivals

Schedule Analysis: Aside from the week two meeting with William & Mary, this slate is completely devoid of any breathers, with the two bye weeks being relatively unhelpful (a shortened one before a Thursday-nighter with FSU, and the second one pre-Duke). This is the wrong year to open up with a toughie on the road, and the wrong year to face the conference favorite in week three - also on the road. The only bright spot is a four-game homestand in late September-early October. This schedule, combined with the ongoing rehab job in Raleigh, spells another losing season. If O'Brien can somehow get this team to six wins, ACC Coach of the Year honors should (but probably won't) follow. Georgia Tech, Virginia, and Virginia Tech are off the rotation on this year's slate.
Projected Wins: William & Mary, Miami
Projected Losses: @South Carolina, @Clemson, USF, Florida State, @Maryland, @Wake Forest
Toss-Ups: East Carolina, Boston College, @Duke, @North Carolina

Primo Wolfpack Blogs: State Fans Nation, Section Six

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Duke Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	JAMES MADISON
Sept. 6	NORTHWESTERN
Sept. 13	NAVY
Sept. 27	VIRGINIA
Oct. 4	@Georgia Tech
Oct. 18	MIAMI
Oct. 25	@Vanderbilt
Nov. 1	@Wake Forest
Nov. 8	N.C. STATE
Nov. 15	@Clemson
Nov. 22	@Virginia Tech
Nov. 29	NORTH CAROLINA

2007 Results: 1-11 overall, 0-8 ACC (6th Coastal Division)

Offense: One thing is certain - the Devils will finish higher than their 2007 rank of 117th in total offense. The hiring of David Cutcliffe as head coach all but assures that, but the returns of QB Thaddeus Lewis, top rusher Re'quan Boyette, and top receiver Eron Riley make that a sure-fire lock. Cutcliffe has compared Lewis to his Tennessee pupil Tee Martin, but without a solid offensive line to block for him, Lewis might be closer to Steve Martin in terms of production and efficiency. Last year's line was sucktacular, allowing 45 sacks and just 2 yards per rush - and that was with a seasoned group. This year's OL is coming off an arduous conditioning program instituted by Cutcliffe in the spring and they should improve upon last year's numbers even by accident. As far as the running attack is concerned, Boyette averaged 4 yards per carry on his 104 rushes last season and the senior could be a darkhorse all-ACC candidate if the new Devil OL meshes quickly and if he doesn't lose playing time to any of Cutcliffe's RB recruits. The receiving corps is pretty green after Riley, but should be better as a whole given the assumed improvements on the OL and another year of seasoning (along with some better coaching this offseason) under Lewis' belt.

Defense: Good news - 10 starters are back. Bad news - those starters finished 92nd in total defense last year, against the anemic offenses of the ACC and the likes of Notre Dame. Sure, a lot the yardage and points were due to depth issues, but that's still a problem for 2008. Nonetheless, an extra year of experience for the starters and returning back-ups, combined with better offseason conditioning and coaching should yield much better results this season. The only loss among the full-time starters is safety Chris Davis (70 tackles, 1 pick last year). The front seven are as good as I've ever seen at Duke, led by LBs Vincent Rey and Michael Tauiliili, and DT Vince Oghobaase. With 15 of the top 17 tacklers from back, look for this unit to climb a few dozen spots in the national rankings this season.

Special Teams: This is one of those instances when returning much of last year's cogs may not be such a good thing. The Blue Devils attempted just 10 field goals last year, made only three of them, and that was with two kickers (Nick Maggio and Joe Surgan). Heralded (for Duke) recruit Paul Asack is likely to handle FG and extra point duties from game one. The Devils return punter Kevin Jones as well, along with his paltry 33.6yds per punt average; that's unacceptable given the enormous number of times he was called upon last season (75 if you're keeping score). The return game is just OK, but struggled as the '07 season wound down.

Coaching: David Cutcliffe (44-29 as head coach at Ole Miss from 1999-2004, along with being a heralded two-term OC at Tennessee) takes the reins in Durham and has reunited much of his Rebel staff. His co-offensive coordinators (Kurt Roper and Matt Luke) follow him from his second stint in Knoxville while his co-defensive coordinators (Mike MacIntyre and Marion Hobby) were position coaches in the NFL for the last few years. For a program like Duke, this is a home-run staff. I'm not wild about the "co-" OC and DC setups (too many chefs in the kitchen), but that will likely shake itself out over the season and beyond - if it works, someone will get hired away and if it doesn't work, someone will get demoted or canned. Recruiting will always be a challenge at Duke and while Cutcliffe is not exactly a walking recruit magnet, the last two Super Bowl MVPs have credited him with much of their development. That alone will get Duke coaches in the door with kids that wouldn't have picked up the phone for the Blue Devils in the past. The NFL seasoning among some of the coaching staff is also an obvious plus. If Cutcliffe and Co. can't get things turned around at Duke, then it likely won't ever happen for the Blue Devils in the current ACC & Division 1-A/FBS setup. And by "turned around", I merely mean about .500 overall over several seasons. Duke will never be a powerhouse - much less another Wake Forest - but being bowl-eligible every other year is not out of the question. And if Cutcliffe hangs around long enough, that should happen.

Odds & Ends: Duke has been a favorite just once in their last 66 games; they hold a 5-61 straight-up record in those contests.....the Blue Devils are just 1-17 against arch-rival North Carolina post-Steve Spurrier.....David Cutcliffe guided Ole Miss to five bowl games in his six seasons in Oxford; Duke has just two bowl appearances since the JFK administration

Schedule Analysis: A 3-1 record is a distinct possibility heading into October. The first four games are all at home and none of the opponents are likely to go bowling this season. In fact, the Devils don't face a sure-fire bowl team until November, and then schedule becomes a very dark place in which the season could go to hell (Wake, Clemson and Virginia Tech all on the road, with NC State and UNC at home - and no bye weeks). Still, that hypothetical 3-1 start could provide enough momentum to steal two or three more games down the line and then we could be talking bowl bid. But I'm not gutsy enough to call that, not this year, not with this program. But four wins is certainly do-able and anything less should be cause for major gloom among the Devil fanbase (both of them).
Projected Wins: James Madison, Navy
Projected Losses: Virginia, @Georgia Tech, Miami, @Wake Forest, @Clemson, @Virginia Tech, North Carolina
Toss-Ups: Northwestern, @Vanderbilt, N.C. State

Primo Blue Devil Blogs: DudeSpin (sort of)

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Boston College Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30	Kent State (in Cleveland, OH)
Sept. 6	GEORGIA TECH
Sept. 20	UCF
Sept. 27	RHODE ISLAND
Oct. 4	@N.C. State
Oct. 18	VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 25	@North Carolina
Nov. 1	CLEMSON
Nov. 8	NOTRE DAME
Nov. 15	@Florida State
Nov. 22	@Wake Forest
Nov. 29	MARYLAND

2007 Results: 11-3 overall, 6-2 ACC (1st Atlantic Division); beat Michigan State 24-21 in the Champs Sports Bowl

Offense: Gone are quarterback Matt Ryan and running backs Andre Callender and LV Whitworth - along with 99.3% of last year's passing and rushing yardage. That's correct, 99.3%...not to mention the incalculable intangibles Ryan and Callender brought to the field on every play. That's a bit of a problem. Stepping into Ryan's fairly ginormous shoes is senior Chris Crane, who probably would've benefited from a little more field time last season (he threw just 4 passes in all of 2007). On the plus side, Crane does have one start in his career, a mostly error-free outing vs. Buffalo in 2006. Of greater concern, running back is even less experienced, with true freshman Josh Haden expected to shoulder much of the load as the Eagles will likely field three-receiver sets most of the time. And receiver is where the Eagles are mercifully stocked; Rich Gunnell and Brandon Robinson (1,740 yards and 12 TDs combined last year) are back, along with future NFL-er Ryan Purvis at TE (54 catches in '07). Three starters are gone from last year's so-so OL, but things should click a little better in year two of the Jeff Jagodzinski/Steve Logan system. Still, the combination of inexperience at QB and RB, along with the unproven OL means that a dip in production - and an increase in mistakes - on this side of the ball is a near certainty in 2008.

Defense: The defense appears a little sturdier heading into 2008, anchored by a front seven that should be among the best in the ACC. The return of tackle BJ Raji (missed 2007 due to academics) should offset the losses of linemen Nick Larkin and Brady Smith. All of the linebackers have starting experience as well, and the return of the feisty Brian Toal (missed 2007 due to injury) should kick the LB corps up a notch this season. The secondary is another matter. The losses of free safety Jamie Silva and CB DeJuan Tribble to the private sector leaves the defensive backfield devoid of proven leadership and playmakers, as SS Paul Anderson is the only returning full-time starter. Nonetheless, the BC defense is the unit that will carry this team early in the year and perhaps beyond that.

Special Teams: Kicker Steve Aponavicius is back for his final season in Chestnut Hill, but is limited by range (just 50% on field goal attempts over 30yds last year, and he didn't attempt any over 50yds). The punt return game took a major hit with the losses of Tribble and Silva. KRs Jeff Smith (injured most of last season) and Brandon Robinson are back. No info on who will take over punting duties from the recently graduated Johnny Ayers.

Coaching: For a guy who merely went 11-3 in his first season as a head coach at any level, Jeff Jagodzinski has gotten a ridiculously minuscule amount of publicity and notice. Sure, it helped that he inherited a loaded team and a once-in-a-generation QB, but taking the Eagles to #2 in the polls in November and to the conference championship game couldn't even garner Jags the ACC Coach of the Year honor (Al Groh of all people nabbed that title). Whatever he may become as a head coach in the long term, he sure as hell handled the less-than-smooth transition from the O'Brien Era brilliantly and he surrounded himself with excellent assistants in OC Steve Logan and DC Frank Spaziani. I'm more interested in seeing whether he can take recruiting to another level at BC and how he handles the gauntlet that the Atlantic Division is becoming.

Odds & Ends: BC's 30-9 overall record and 16-8 ACC mark since joining the league in 2005 are both the second best in the conference over those three seasons....the Eagles have lost to every Atlantic Division rival at least once since joining the ACC except Clemson; BC has beaten the Tigers three straight times by seven total points (and twice in overtime)....last year's 28-14 win over Miami was BC's first over the 'Canes since the 1984 Hail Flutie classic

Schedule Analysis: Very manageable....at first. The first five games are broken up by two bye weeks and the TOB-Bowl at N.C. State looks to be the toughest of the early contests. Having those two bye weeks early in the season is probably a good thing for the inexperienced offense, but things get awfully grueling over the last seven weeks - each of those seven opponents is expected to go bowling this season. The last three games may be the most trying stretch of all - road trips to Tallahassee and Winston-Salem, then home with Maryland. If the Eagles haven't locked up a bowl bid by game nine, they're in some trouble. For the first time in a while, there are no Thursday-nighters for BC this season. Duke, Miami, and Virginia are absent from this year's slate.
Projected Wins: Kent State, Georgia Tech, UCF, Rhode Island, Notre Dame
Projected Losses: @North Carolina, Clemson, @Florida State
Toss-Ups: @N.C. State, Virginia Tech, @Wake Forest, Maryland

Primo Eagle Blogs: Eagle in Atlanta, BC Interruption, Heights and Lows

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Georgia Tech Preview

2008 Schedule

Aug. 28	JACKSONVILLE STATE
Sept. 6	@Boston College
Sept. 13	@Virginia Tech
Sept. 20	MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 4	DUKE
Oct. 11	GARDNER-WEBB
Oct. 18	@Clemson
Oct. 25	VIRGINIA
Nov. 1	FLORIDA STATE
Nov. 8	@North Carolina
Nov. 20	MIAMI
Nov. 29	@Georgia

2007 Results: 7-6 overall, 4-4 ACC (3rd Coastal Division); lost to Fresno State 40-28 in the Humanitarian Bowl

Offense: To put it mildly, this should be an fascinating unit to watch over the next few seasons. The switch over to Paul Johnson's triple-option-spread is as big of an overhaul as you're likely to see in any other major program for quite awhile. On the plus side, the Jackets appear to have the talent to make it work - eventually. Sophomore QB Josh Nesbitt (53 carries, 339 yards under Chan Gailey's clunky attack) appears to have locked up the position. Tech's always potent stable of running backs will be most helpful in this offense, with sophomore Jonathan Dwyer likely being the feature back (called the "B-back" in Johnson's offense), usually called on to pound the ball up the middle like a fullback. The likes of Calvin Johnson and Kelly Campbell can rest assured that their receiving records are untouchable as long as Johnson reigns in Atlanta. Yes, the Jackets will throw the ball more often than Johnson did at Navy, but not nearly as much as they did under Chan Gailey (and that's probably a good thing - former Tech QBs Reggie Ball and Taylor Bennett completed less than 50% of their passes each of the last four years). Despite all the young talent at QB and RB, the offense won't do much if the young OL doesn't pick up on the new blocking schemes quickly and completely. Four of the first-team linemen have some starting experience, but only one (LT Andrew Gardner) was a full-time starter last year.

Defense: Much like last season, the Jacket defensive line should be a monster, anchored by senior tackles Darryl Richard and Vance Walker. DE Michael Johnson, at 6'7", should bat down approximately 700 passes this season against the generally weak-armed quarterbacks of the ACC. The linebackers and secondary are another matter. 2007's top two LBs in Phillip Wheeler and Gary Guyton are gone, along with much of last year's disappointing secondary. However, the two bright spots in the '07 secondary - Jahi Word-Daniels and Morgan Burnett - are back and will likely be tutoring a lot of freshmen this season. But the biggest concern of all is the loss of Jon Tenuta at defensive coordinator. Johnson brought in Southern Miss LB coach Dave Wommack to take charge of the defense and let's just say I'm not entirely impressed with that move.

Special Teams: Ouch. Gone are Ray Guy Award winner Durant Brooks and 12-year kicker Travis Bell (OK, it just seemed like he was there since about 1995). Sophomore Scott Blair, who handled kickoffs last year, likely will perform all three kicking duties this season. The leading returners are all back, but since most of them are also RBs, you have to wonder if Johnson will install new personnel on returns in order to keep his backs fresh and safe for the offense.

Coaching: The hiring of Paul Johnson from Navy ushers in an era of enthusiasm not seen in Atlanta since the days of Joe Hamilton and perhaps even as far back as the 1990 national title team. I have no doubt that Johnson's offense - which is adaptable according to personnel - can work in the ACC, it's just a matter of when. And when is also the question Jacket fans have on their mind in terms of beating Georgia. Gailey's 0-6 mark against the Dawgs was the single biggest reason for his dismissal, and Johnson's domination of Army and Air Force while at Navy gives Ramblin' Wreck fans hope that Tech can turn the tables on UGA, and soon. However, the loss of uber-DC Jon Tenuta is a tough blow to overcome, and the hiring of Dave Wommack (LB coach at Southern Miss last year, DB/LB coach at South Carolina in 2005-06) as his replacement leaves me skeptical about the continuation of dominant Yellow Jacket defenses. Nonetheless, long term, Paul Johnson might be the best hire in the ACC in years. Short term, it's probably going to be a bumpy ride.

Odds & Ends: With their 17-14 win over Miami last year, Georgia Tech joined Florida State and Virginia Tech as the only schools since 1983 to have beaten the Hurricanes in three consecutive years.....Paul Johnson went 4-7 against ACC schools while at Navy, but all four wins (and one of the losses) were against Duke.....in a backup role last season, RB Jonathan Dwyer averaged a touchdown every nine carries (82 rushes, 9 TDs)

Schedule Analysis: Johnson probably couldn't have picked a less-friendly overall schedule for his inaugural year. Yes, Jacksonville State is a welcome tune-up in the opener, but the Jackets get thrown to the fire almost immediately after that, travelling to Boston College and then Virginia Tech in weeks two and three before returning home to face suddenly resurgent Mississippi State. And then Tech gets a bye week before facing....Duke. Road trips to Clemson, North Carolina and national-title favorite Georgia are the major second-half-of-the-season challenges, along with a renewal of their rivalry with Florida State (the two haven't played since 2003 thanks to expansion). Despite two 1-AA opponents on the slate, this is still the toughest overall schedule in the league this season, due to the brutal opening weeks, unfriendly road contests, and unhelpful placement of bye weeks. Maryland, N.C. State and Wake Forest are absent from this year's slate.
Projected Wins: Jacksonville State, Duke, Gardner-Webb
Projected Losses: @Boston College, @Virginia Tech, @Clemson, @North Carolina, @Georgia
Toss-Ups: Mississippi State, Virginia, Florida State, Miami

Primo Yellow Jacket Blogs: Mash on the Gas, Georgia Tech Sports

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Nifty. But don't look for these hijinks under Paul Johnson.

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