[FreakNasty]

[B][SIZE=6]ACC Coastal Preview

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Offensive Rankings
[/B]1. Miami (9 returning starters)
2. Virginia Tech (8 returning starters)
3. Georgia Tech (7 returning starters)
4. Virginia (9 returning starters)
5. North Carolina (5 returning starters)
6. Duke (11 returning starters)
74 percent return

[B]Defensive Rankings
[/B]1. Virginia Tech (8 returning starters)
2. Miami (7 returning starters)
3. Virginia (10 returning starters)
4. Georgia Tech (8 returning starters)
5. North Carolina (4 returning starters)
6. Duke (5 returning starters)
63 percent return

[B]1st team All-ACC Coastal Offense
[/B]QB Kyle Wright (Miami)
RB Brandon Ore (Virginia Tech)
RB Tashard Choice (Georgia Tech)
WR Eddie Royal (Virginia Tech)
WR Lance Leggett (Miami)
TE Tom Santi (Virginia)
C Derrick Morse (Miami)
G Andrew Bain (Miami)
G Sergio Render (Virginia Tech)
T Eugene Monroe (Virginia)
T Andrew Gardner (Georgia Tech)

1st team All-ACC Coastal Defense
DL Calais Campbell (Miami)
DL Chris Ellis (Virginia Tech)
DL Chris Long (Virginia)
DL Jeffrey Fitzgerald (Virginia)
LB Vince Hall (Virginia Tech)
LB Phillip Wheeler (Georgia Tech)
LB Xavier Adibi (Virginia Tech)
CB Brandon Flowers (Virginia Tech)
CB Victor Harris (Virginia Tech)
S Kenny Phillips (Miami)
S Jamal Lewis (Georgia Tech)

[B]Breakdown by team: [/B]Virginia Tech (8), Miami (6), Virginia (4), Georgia Tech (4), UNC (0), Duke (0)

[B][SIZE=4]Projected Order of Finish

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[SIZE=3]Virginia Tech
[/B][/SIZE]Last Season: 10-3 (lost to Georgia in Chick-Fil-A Bowl)
Head Coach: Frank Beamer (21st season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders:
[/B][/I]Passing: Sean Glennon (170-302, 2102 yards, 11 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Brandon Ore (241 att, 1187 yards, 3 TD)
Receiving: Eddie Royal (31 rec, 497 yards, 3 TD)
Tackles: Vince Hall (128)
Sacks: Chris Ellis (4.5)
Interceptions: Victor Harris (4)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept.1 East Carolina (W)
Sept. 8 at LSU (L)
Sept. 15 Ohio (W)
Sept. 22 William and Mary (W)
Sept. 29 North Carolina (W)
Oct. 6 at Clemson (W)
Oct. 13 at Duke (W)
Oct. 25 Boston College (W)
Nov. 1 at Georgia Tech (W)
Nov. 10 Florida State (W)
Nov. 17 Miami (FL) (W)
Nov. 24 at Virginia (W)

[B]Projected Record[/B]: 11-1 overall (8-0 ACC)
7 “swing” games
Notes: Virginia Tech has arguably the best defense in the country. Their linebackers are freakishly athletic, and Hall and Adibi both should be All-Americans…. Beamer has done a fantastic job, especially with special teams. A good special teams can turn the tide between a good season and a great one, and Beamer was one of the first to recognize it… A difficult schedule makes it difficult for them to be considered a huge title threat, but this is Beamer’s most talented squad….

[B][SIZE=3]Miami
[/B][/SIZE]Last Season: 7-6 (beat Nevada in MPC Computers Bowl)
Head Coach: Randy Shannon (1st season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders:
[/B][/I]Passing: Kyle Wright (152-250, 1655 yards, 8 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Javaris James (175 att, 851 yards, 4 TD)
Receiving: Lance Leggett (38 rec, 584 yards, 4 TD)
Tackles: Calais Campbell (84)
Sacks: Calais Campbell (10.5)
Interceptions: Kenny Phillips (4)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept. 1 Marshall (W)
Sept. 8 at Oklahoma (L)
Sept. 15 Florida International (W)
Sept. 20 Texas AM (W)
Sept. 29 Duke (W)
Oct. 6 at North Carolina (W)
Oct. 13 Georgia Tech (W)
Oct. 20 at Florida State (L)
Nov. 3 NC State (W)
Nov. 10 Virginia (W)
Nov. 17 at Virginia Tech (L)
Nov. 24 at Boston College (W)

[B]Projected Record[/B]: 9-3 overall (6-2 ACC)
7 “swing” games
Notes: I truly believe last season was an aberration, and the offense should be better with nine returning starters… Kyle Wright should be at QB for them, he completed over 60 percent of his passes last season before they went to Kirby Freeman… If they find a running back to settle on (haven’t averaged over 4 yards per carry since 2003), they should improve on last season’s record despite the difficult schedule that includes three road games against likely top 15 opponents…

[B][SIZE=3]Georgia Tech
[/B][/SIZE]Last Season: 9-5 (lost to West Virginia in Gator Bowl)
Head Coach: Chan Gailey (6th season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders:
[/B][/I]Passing: Taylor Bennett (35-58, 523 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Tashard Choice (297 att, 1534 yards, 12 TD)
Receiving: James Johnson (39 rec, 608 yards, 7 TD)
Tackles: Phillip Wheeler (89)
Sacks: Phillip Wheeler (9)
Interceptions: Djay Jones (4)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept. 1 at Notre Dame (L)
Sept. 8 Samford (W)
Sept. 15 Boston College (W)
Sept. 22 at Virginia (L)
Sept. 29 Clemson (W)
Oct. 6 at Maryland (W)
Oct. 13 at Miami (FL) (L)
Oct. 20 Army (W)
Nov. 1 Virginia Tech (L)
Nov. 10 at Duke (W)
Nov. 17 North Carolina (W)
Nov. 24 Georgia (L)

[B]Projected Record[/B]: 7-5 overall (5-3 ACC)
8 “swing” games
Notes: Reggie Ball started four years at Georgia Tech, and he got progressively worse during that span… Calvin Johnson will be sorely missed, but they do have another quality offensive presence in running back Tashard Choice (1500 yards last season)… With an impressive defense and QB (Taylor Bennett) who played well in their bowl game, they should have another winning season.

[B][SIZE=3]Virginia
[/B][/SIZE]Last Season: 5-7 (no bowl)
Head Coach: Al Groh (7th season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders:
[/B][/I]Passing: Jameel Sewell (143-247, 1342 yards, 5 TD, 6 INT)
Rushing: Jameel Sewell (95 att, 408 yards, 4 TD)
Receiving: Kevin Ogletree (52 rec, 582 yards, 4 TD)
Tackles: Jon Cooper (81)
Sacks: Jeffrey Fitzgerald (5)
Interceptions: Jeffrey Fitzgerald (2)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept. 1 at Wyoming (W)
Sept. 8 Duke (W)
Sept. 15 at North Carolina (W)
Sept. 22 Georgia Tech (W)
Sept. 29 Pittsburgh (L)
Oct. 6 at Middle Tennessee State (W)
Oct. 13 Connecticut (W)
Oct. 20 at Maryland (L)
Oct. 27 at N.C. State (L)
Nov. 3 Wake Forest (W)
Nov. 10 at Miami (FL) (L)
Nov. 24 Virginia Tech (L)

[B]Projected Record[/B]: 7-5 overall (4-4 ACC)
8 “swing” games
Notes: Historically Virginia has underachieved (cue Colin Cowherd) and last season the offense only averaged 15 points per game… The defense will be stacked with 10 returning starters, they aren’t overly athletic but they are strong… They could surprise everyone and win double digit games, or they could miss out on a bowl again (Groh would be fired if so).

[B][SIZE=3]North Carolina
[/B][/SIZE]Last Season: 3-9 (no bowl)
Head Coach: Butch Davis (1st season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders[/B][/I]:
Passing: Joe Dailey (112-195, 1316 yards, 7 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Barrington Edwards (91 att, 362 yards, 2 TD)
Receiving: Hakeem Nicks (39 rec, 660 yards, 4 TD)
Tackles: Durell Mapp (87)
Sacks: Hilee Taylor (3)
Interceptions: Rice/Pearson (1)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept. 1 James Madison (W)
Sept. 8 at East Carolina (W)
Sept. 15 Virginia (L)
Sept. 22 at USF (L)
Sept. 29 at Virginia Tech (L)
Oct. 6 Miami (FL) (L)
Oct. 13 South Carolina (L)
Oct. 27 at Wake Forest (L)
Nov. 3 Maryland (L)
Nov. 10 at N.C. State (L)
Nov. 17 at Georgia Tech (L)
Nov. 24 Duke (W)

[B]Projected Results[/B]: 3-9 overall (1-7 ACC)
3 “swing” games
Notes: Butch Davis was a great land for the Tar Hills, and his incoming recruiting class is in the upper half of the ACC… You should look at the returning leaders with a grain of salt, Davis will likely play a ton of freshman and younger players (Daily has been moved to wide receiver). They will be too young to compete this year, but make no mistake that UCN will be a contender in due time.

[B]Duke
[/B]Last Season: 0-12 (no bowl)
Head Coach: Ted Roof (5th season)

[B][I]Returning Leaders[/B][/I]:
Passing: Thaddeus Lewis (180-340, 2134 yards, 11 TD, 16 INT)
Rushing: Re’Quan Boyette (87 att, 421 yards, 2 TD)
Receiving: Eron Riley (32 rec, 643 yards, 3 TD)
Tackles: Micahel Tauiliili (94)
Sacks: Patrick Bailey (3.5)
Interceptions: Wright/Bailey/Darko (1)

[B]Schedule/Projected Results
[/B]Sept. 1 Connecticut (L)
Sept. 8 at Virginia (L)
Sept. 15 at Northwestern (L)
Sept. 22 at Navy (L)
Sept. 29 at Miami (FL) (L)
Oct. 6 Wake Forest (L)
Oct. 13 Virginia Tech (L)
Oct. 27 at Florida State (L)
Nov. 3 Clemson (L)
Nov.10 Georgia Tech (L)
Nov. 17 at Notre Dame (L)
Nov. 24 at North Carolina (L)

[B]Projected Record[/B]: 0-12 overall (0-8 ACC)
2 “swing” games
Notes: Duke is the worst major division I program, and currently has a 20 game losing streak… Steve Spurrier actually had Duke a contender in the late 80’s, and their last bowl appearance was in 1994 (last win in 1960)… They do return every offense starter, but they will still struggle in the wide open ACC.

[TidesHoss32]

yeah this one wasnt that hard for me anyways..A no brainer, V-Tech will win the ACC outright, and Miami will be better than they were last year..I CANNOT WAIT till LSU and Tech plays though. That and the Bama-FSU game will be two games I wont miss this year under any circumstances, lol..Virginia and Georgia Tech could flip-flop because both teams are as unpredictable as any team in America, other than that though, its dead on. I agree with you that North Carolina will be a much improved team this year, but will win 3 at the least and 5 at the most, but next year could go bowling. Butch Davis is a great COLLEGE coach, and he's back where he needs to be. I dont see anybody beating V-Tech though (in conference that is)..