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ACC capsules

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 30, 2001

Florida State

COACH: Bobby Bowden, 26th season (242-55-4; 315-87-4, 35 seasons).

2000 RECORD: 11-2, 8-0 ACC (lost to Oklahoma 13-2 in the Orange Bowl, the national championship game).

KEY RETURNEES: WR Atrews Bell (37 catches, 675 yards, 10 TDs); OT Brett Williams (All-ACC and preseason All-American); OG Montrae Holland (500-pound bench press); MLB Bradley Jennings (102 tackles); DT Darnell Dockett (66 tackles, 16 QB hurries); DT Jeff Womble (49 tackles, 3 sacks); FS Chris Hope (83 tackles, 8 passes broken up).

KEY LOSSES: QB Chris Weinke; WR Marvin Minnis; TB Travis Minor; TB Jeff Chaney; OL Tarlos Thomas; OT Char-ron Dorsey; OG Justin Amman; C Jarad Moon; DE Jamal Reynolds; LB Tommy Polley; LB Brian Allen; S Derrick Gibson; CB Tay Cody; CB Clevan Thomas.

NOTES: The Seminoles return seven starters on offense and defense and Bowden admits his team, while again talent-laden, is "vulnerable" like at no time in recent memory. The biggest question mark is at the most crucial spot, QB. Gone is Weinke, the 2000 Heisman Trophy winner, fifth-year senior Marcus Outzen and heir apparent Jared Jones, who was dismissed from the team in January. Redshirt freshman Chris Rix takes over but won't have junior Anquan Boldin (41 catches, 664 yards, 6 TDs) or senior Robert Morgan (19 catches, 366 yards, 3 TDs) to throw to. Both sustained season-ending knee injuries the first week of fall practice. Although young, the defense should be good, perhaps good enough to keep the Seminoles at the top of the ACC and the nation.

Georgia Tech

COACH: George O'Leary, seventh season (45-28).

2000 RECORD: 9-3, 6-2 ACC (lost to LSU 28-14 in the Peach Bowl).

KEY RETURNEES: QB George Godsey (222-of-349, 2,906 yards, 23 TDs, 6 INTs); WR Kelly Campbell (59 catches, 963 yards, 10 TDs); WR Kerry Watkins (26 catches, 480 yards, 6 TDs); TB Joe Burns (220 rushes, 908 yards, 12 TDs, 26 catches, 242 yards); DE Greg Gathers (60 tackles, 13 sacks); DE Nick Rogers (62 tackles, 9 sacks); LB Recardo Wimbush (94 tackles, 3 sacks); LB Daryl Smith (96 tackles, 4 sacks, Sporting News first-team freshman All-American).

KEY LOSSES: OT Chris Brown; OG Brent Key; FB Ed Wilder; CB Jamara Clark.

NOTES: The Yellow Jackets return 18 starters and pose a legitimate threat to FSU in the ACC. They barely lost to the Seminoles the past two seasons, 41-35 and then 26-21. Timing could be on their side. FSU will have only two games to sort out its QB situation before the Yellow Jackets hit Tallahassee. But their chances on that day, and the season, hinge on Godsey's recovery from a torn left ACL and his repeat of a brilliant junior season without offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen. In any event, the buzz, or lack thereof, will be set early. The Yellow Jackets opened against Syracuse in the Kickoff Classic and then get FSU and Clemson to end September.

Clemson

COACH: Tommy Bowden, third season (15-9; 33-13, four seasons).

2000 RECORD: 9-3, 6-2 ACC (lost to Virginia Tech 41-20 in the Gator Bowl).

KEY RETURNEES: QB Woodrow Dantzler (122-of-212, 1,691 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, 172 rushes, 947 yards, 13 TDs); TB Travis Zachery (201 rushes, 1,012 yards, 13 TDs, 27 catches, 288 yards, 4 TDs); C Kyle Young (started 28 straight games, two-time academic All-American); LB Chad Carson (156 tackles, 3 sacks); LB Braxton Williams (70 tackles, 4 sacks); DT Nick Eason (36 tackles, 7 sacks); SS Charles Hafley (106 tackles); PK Aaron Hunt (8-of-13 FGs, 43-of-45 PATs).

KEY LOSSES: WR Rod Gardner; LB Keith Adams; CB Alex Ardley; FS Robert Carsell; CB Darrel Crutchfield; DE Terry Bryant; DT Terry Jolly; DT Jason Holoman; OG Theo Mongros; FB Terry Weatherspoon; WR Justin Watts.

NOTES: With the second fewest returning starters in the league (12) and a young defense, the Tigers will live and die with the dazzling play of Dantzler, a Heisman hopeful until he sustained an ankle injury against North Carolina in late October. With Dantzler limping around, the Tigers lost two of their final three regular-season games, including 54-7 at FSU. Dantzler might be the best runner in the ACC. He set the season league record for rushing yards by a QB, but he must develop more as a passer. Enter former FSU offensive coordinator and South Carolina coach Brad Scott as the new offensive coordinator to help round out Dantzler's game and put the Tigers squarely in the title chase.

North Carolina State

COACH: Chuck Amato, second season (8-4).

2000 RECORD: 8-4, 4-4 ACC (beat Minnesota 38-30 in the Micronpc.com Bowl).

KEY RETURNEES: QB Philip Rivers (237-of-441, 3,054 yards, 25 TDs, 10 INTs); TB Ray Robinson (193 rushes, 788 yards, 7 TDS, 41 catches, 366 yards, 1 TD); TE Willie Wright (31 catches, 401 yards, 3 TDs); LB Levar Fisher (166 tackles, 5 sacks, 8 passes broken up); LB Dantonio Burnette (105 tackles); DE Corey Smith (55 tackles, 14 QB hurries); FS Terrance Holt (89 tackles, 6 passes broken up, 1 INT).

KEY LOSSES: WR Koren Robinson; OT Jarvis Borum; DB Adrian Wilson; LB Clayton White.

NOTES: The Wolfpack, picked seventh last season, proved to be the surprise. Freshman Rivers, with an awkward-looking release reminiscent of Danny Wuerffel, played like a grizzled veteran, leading the team to five dramatic, shootout wins. He was the Football News national freshman of the year. Although the defense will be less suspect with a year's experience under the longtime FSU assistant, Amato, N.C. State will be hurt by a lack of depth (75 scholarship players on the team). So Rivers, sans offensive coordinator Norm Chow and All-America WR Robinson, has to keep rolling along for the Wolfpack to keep moving.

Virginia

COACH: Al Groh, first season (26-40, six seasons).

2000 RECORD: 6-6, 5-3 ACC (lost to Georgia 37-14 in the Oahu Bowl).

KEY RETURNEES: TB Antwoine Womack (210 rushes, 1,028 yards, 9 TDs); WR Billy McMullen (30 catches, 541 yards, 3 TDs); OG Josh Lawson (second-team All-ACC); OG Evan Routzahn (started three bowl games); DE Ljubomir Stamenich (47 tackles, 4 sacks); DE Darryl Sanders (44 tackles, 2 sacks); DT Monsanto Pope (33 tackles, 13 QB hurries, 2 sacks); S Jerton Evans (50 tackles).

KEY LOSSES: QB Dan Ellis; TE Billy Baber; LB Byron Thweatt; LB Yubrenal Isabelle; LB Donny Green; CB Tim Spruill; CB Ahmad Hawkins.

NOTES: Groh surprisingly left his job as coach of the New York Jets to take over at his alma mater for the retired George Welch. He might miss the Jets, especially Vinny Testaverde, if Matt Schaub or Bryson Spinner, used sparingly as sophomore QBs, don't blossom. The good news is the Cavs possess a stellar TB in Womack, the ACC's leading rusher, and an experienced offensive line. The defense lost its starting LBs, its top three tacklers, so some neophytes will have to emerge here, too. And fast. The Cavs, who opened at Wisconsin, host Penn State and visit Clemson in their third and fourth games.

North Carolina

COACH: John Bunting, first season (38-14-2, five seasons).

2000 RECORD: 6-5, 3-5 ACC.

KEY RETURNEES: QB Ronald Curry (163-of-304, 2,325 yards, 11 TDs, 12 INTs, 119 rushes, 351 yards, 6 TDs); WR Bosley Allen (40 catches, 634 yards, 4 TDs); WR Kory Bailey (32 catches, 550 yards, 2 TDs); TB Willie Parker (84 rushes, 355 yards, 4 TDs); DE Julius Peppers (64 tackles, 15 sacks, 24 QB hurries); DE Ryan Sims (52 tackles, 6 sacks); DB Errol Hood (54 tackles, 12 passes broken up, 2 INTs); PK Jeff Reed (16-of-20 FGs, 30-of-30 PATs).

KEY LOSSES: TE Alge Crumpler; OT Louis Marchetti; OG Cam Holland; OT James Wagstaff; LB Brandon Spoon; LB Sedrick Hodge.

NOTES: Bunting, a UNC alumnus, brings extensive NFL experience, including a three-year stint with St. Louis (1997-99). The Rams won the Super Bowl in his last season. But he learned his Tar Heels were more like lambs than Rams. The athletic divide was a given, but he had to work on the players' mental approach to preparing and playing. Perhaps it says something that Curry and Peppers, an All-American and likely first-round NFL draft pick, don't plan on playing basketball this year. But force of will may not match the force of UNC's early schedule; it opened at Oklahoma and, two weeks later, goes to Texas.

Maryland

COACH: Ralph Friedgen, first season.

2000 RECORD: 5-6, 3-5 ACC.

KEY RETURNEES: QB Shaun Hill (73-of-126, 778 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs); WR Guilian Gary (40 catches, 568 yards, 7 TDs); C Melvin Fowler (started every game his first three years); LB Marlon Moye-Moore (108 tackles, 2 sacks); LB E.J. Henderson (109 tackles); LB Aaron Thompson (81 tackles, 7 sacks); SS Tony Jackson (101 tackles, 1 INT); P Brooks Barnard (44.7 yard average, fourth nationally).

KEY LOSSES: TB LaMont Jordan; FB Matt Kalapinski; WR Moises Cruz; DB Shawn Forte; PK Brian Kopka.

NOTES: The good news for Friedgen is he inherits a team with 17 starters and 48 returning lettermen, the most since its last winning season in 1995. The bad news is the group wasn't too effective on either side of the ball. The Terrapins were 81st in total offense and 107th in total defense. Friedgen, a Maryland alum who is known for his offensive wizardry at Georgia Tech and the San Diego Chargers, will need to find someone to take over for Jordan, the school's all-time leading rusher and second-round NFL draft pick, to keep from singing -- sadly -- Oh Maryland, My Maryland.

Wake Forest

COACH: Jim Grobe, first season (33-33-1, six seasons).

2000 RECORD: 2-9, 1-7 ACC.

KEY RETURNEES: QB James MacPherson (113-of-207, 1,324 yards, 3 TDs, 6 INTs); TB Tarence Williams (130 rushes, 661 yards, 7 TDs); WR Ira Williams (45 catches, 495 yards, 2 TDs; WR/KR John Stone (12 catches, 146 yards, 24.7 yards per kick return, 1 TD); OG Michael Collins (two-year starter at OT, swtiched to guard in spring); DE Calvin Pace (50 tackles, 9 sacks); LB Marquis Hopkins (100 tackles); CB Adrian Duncan (46 tackles, 9 passes broken up, 2 INTs).

KEY LOSSES: DE Bryan Ray; LB Nick Bender; OT Chris Blank.

NOTES: Grobe built perennial loser Ohio University into a respected middle-tier program and will try to duplicate that feat in Winston-Salem. He understands Job 1 is getting his players to believe they can compete and win. No small task here. The Demon Deacons have had two winning seasons in the past 12 years, most recently in 1999. They again lack star power but have some game-breakers, namely Williams at RB, the speedy Stone and option QB Anthony Young. Not counting Young, who started five games, the Deacons return a league-best 21 starters and hope experience and cohesiveness will translate into W's. While the ACC often is maligned as FSU and the eight dwarfs, the league is far from the MAC.

Duke

COACH: Carl Franks, third season (3-19, two seasons).

2000 RECORD: 0-11, 0-8 ACC.

KEY RETURNEES: QB D. Bryant (129-of-258, 1,448 yards, 5 TDs, 10 INTs); TB Chris Douglas (110 rushes, 503 yards, 6 TDs); TE Mike Hart (31 catches, 540 yards); WR Ben Erdejac (31 catches, 329 yards, 1 TD); LB Ryan Fowler (87 tackles, 6.5 sacks); NG Tyran Grisson (21 tackles); CB Ronnie Hamilton (63 tackles, 2 INTs, 8.4 yards per punt return).

KEY LOSSES: QB Spencer Romine; LB Todd DeLamielleure; P Brian Morton.

NOTES: It must seem like ancient history since Steve Spurrier led Duke to an ACC title. It was, for the record, 1989. Spurrier's longtime assistant, Franks, is finding it difficult to get the quantity and quality of athletes he needs. It's not a good sign when one of your biggest losses is your punter. But Franks has some experience back and some promise with players such as Bryant, Hart and WR Reggie Love, who displayed his athletic prowess when he filled in at center -- at 6-4 -- for the NCAA champion basketball team. A confidence-building start is improbable given that three of the Blue Devils' first four opponents figure to be ranked, beginning with FSU.

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