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The ACC is making gradual progress in its college football quest to evolve from a punch line to a power.
It's still not the juggernaut the conference's powerbrokers envisioned when they added Miami and Virginia Tech in 2004, but the ACC is improving, a trend that figures to continue with the kickoff of the 2009 season in 67 days when South Carolina will visit N.C. State.
The Gamecocks' conference, the SEC, claimed its third consecutive national title last season with Florida's 24-14 win against Oklahoma in the BCS championship game. But give the ACC credit for becoming the first league to send 10 teams to bowls, and its 17 wins against Bowl Championship Series opponents was the best among its power-conference peers.
And while the SEC and Big 12 boasted top-10 supremacy, the ACC can brag about its parity. Just one game separated 10 teams in the final standings, a historic precedent among BCS conferences.
The league also continues to pump out NFL draft picks. The 115 ACC players selected since 2006 are the most by any conference, and so are the 25 first-round selections.
After 25 seasons in the SEC, Duke coach David Cutcliffe knows good college football when he sees it and the way he sees it, the ACC is no joke.
“This league is getting stronger,” said Cutcliffe, who was an assistant at Tennessee for 19 seasons and the coach at Ole Miss for six more. “There are a lot of good football players in this league. There are lots of good coaches in this league. There are no Saturdays off.”
Yep, even Duke, coming off a 4-8 campaign under Cutcliffe, has reason for optimism in 2009, which could be another stress test for the league's tie-breaking procedures.
With another season of close division races expected, consider these factors and impact players, as the potential difference between a spot in Tampa, Fla., on Dec.5, in the conference championship game, and a second-place finish in the Atlantic or Coastal division.
Defense wins championships
That certainly has proven the case for Virginia Tech, which has won three ACC titles in its five years in the league, relying on defense. The Hokies will be strong again, as they always are under defensive coordinator Bud Foster, with seven returning starters on defense.
That's an easy call. What's tougher to predict is a season like Boston College had in 2008. The Eagles scored six touchdowns on defense. When the entire Atlantic Division finishes either 5-3 or 4-4, those free points – and conference-leading 26 interceptions –go a long way in explaining the Eagles' division title despite losing superstar quarterback Matt Ryan to the NFL.
3 defensive difference-makers to watch
DE Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech, Junior
As a first-time starter, he led the Hokies with eight sacks in '08.
LB Nate Irving, N.C. State, Junior
A nagging ankle injury is the only thing that stopped the talented linebacker last season.
S Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech, Junior
Can't get much more productive than Burnett (98 tackles, 7 interceptions).
On the flip side, Wake Forest will be hard-pressed to replace linebacker Aaron Curry and corner Alphonso Smith, and Boston College lost invaluable defensive linemen in B.J. Raji and Ron Brace.
It's all about the kicking game
Coaches love to pay lip service and little else, to special teams. But you can't underestimate the value of a good kicker or kick returner. Wake Forest won the conference on the leg of kicker Sam Swank in 2006. It was no accident that when Swank got hurt midway through last season, the Deacs' chances of another conference title went with him. They lost three ACC games by seven points or less last season. With a healthy Swank in 2006, Wake Forest won five ACC games by seven points or less, including a 9-6 field-goal fest in the conference championship game.
3 difference-makers on special teams to watch:
K Matt Bosher, Miami, Junior
Could follow Swank and Florida State's Graham Gano as the rare difference-maker at kicker.
K Josh Czajkowski, N.C. State, Junior
One of only two returning kickers in the Atlantic Division, Czajkowski was 16-of-19 on field goals in last season.
KR Torrey Smith, Maryland, Sophomore
He's not Darrius Heyward-Bey, but he's Maryland's best threat and owns the ACC's season kickoff return record (1,089 yards).
On the flip side, Florida State will miss Gano, who was an incredible 5-for-7 from beyond 50 yards last season. And how many games did returner Brandon Tate change during his 31/2 years at North Carolina?
Star power
The ACC has become a league of dominant defenses and defensive standouts such as N.C. State defensive end Mario Williams and Virginia defensive end Chris Long. With the return of both quarterbacks and all four running backs from the All-ACC teams, though, the balance of star talent is shifting to the other side of the ball.
As quarterback Ryan showed at Boston College in 2007, or receiver Calvin Johnson at Georgia Tech in '06, sometimes one star can carry a team to a division title.
3 playmakers on offense to watch
QB Russell Wilson, N.C. State, Sophomore
In 275 pass attempts, Wilson threw one pick. And he was only a freshman.
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech, Junior
The ACC's leading rusher (1,395 yards) was a recruiting gift from Chan Gailey that perfectly fit Paul Johnson's run-happy system.
RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson, Senior
Injuries and the Tigers' offensive line slowed him in 2008, but for the first time during his Clemson career, he will be the focus of the offense.
On the flip side, North Carolina never had a 1,000-yard receiver before Hakeem Nicks, a first-round pick by the New York Giants this spring. At Duke last year, senior standout Eron Riley had twice as many catches (61) as anyone on the Blue Devils else roster.
Help is on the way
Last spring, Wilson was one of five quarterbacks vying to start for the Wolfpack. By December, he was All-ACC and the conference's offensive rookie of the year.
At Florida State, Christian Ponder unseated starter Drew Weatherford at quarterback and helped the Seminoles win nine games.
It happens just about every year, and it's bound to happen again this season. A league newcomer, usually a freshman, will change a team's season.
3 newcomers to watch:
WR Joshua Adams, North Carolina, Freshman
He's not Nicks, but the 6-foot-4 receiver, who enrolled in January, has the potential to be great for the Tar Heels.
DE Jacobbi McDaniel, Florida State, Freshman
The Noles seemingly grow stud defensive linemen on trees. McDaniel, the highest-rated freshman (sixth overall in the country by Scout.com) in the ACC just might be the next.
QB Kyle Parker, Clemson, Freshman
Willy Korn might start the season, but Parker, a redshirt freshman, will get his shot.
