ACC: Ben Anderson
What’s new: First-year defensive coordinator Al Groh is switching the Jackets from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Groh has constantly been in the film room this offseason helping players understand what he wants from them, as there have been some position changes.
Sidelined: No starters are expected to miss summer camp.
Key battle: Defensive tackle. Because of the scheme change, two players with starting experience at defensive tackle are now battling for one spot. Logan Walls and Ben Anderson, a senior who missed all of spring ball with an injury, are the front-runners, but T.J. Barnes also has a lot of experience and potential.
New on the scene: Georgia Tech welcomes three new assistant coaches: Former Navy assistant Joe Speed/linebackers, Andy McCollum, defensive line/recruiting coordinator, and Lamar Owens, who was promoted from grad assistant to A-backs.
Breaking out: Sophomore wide receiver Stephen Hill. He has the potential to be the Jackets’ next elite receiver, following in the footsteps of Demaryius Thomas. Hill averaged 22.8 yards per catch last year, but had only six receptions. (If you ask the players, they chose freshman linebacker Brandon Watts as the player most likely to surprise people this year.)
Don’t forget about: Roddy Jones. The two players who carry the ball the most are quarterback Joshua Nesbitt and Anthony Allen, but A-backs like Jones will also get their time to shine. There is a lot of depth at the position, though, and it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.
All eyes on: Nesbitt. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards and passed for more than 1,000 last year. As a senior, he has mastered this offense and is the heart of it. He’s invaluable to the team’s chances of defending the ACC title.
Quotable: “I think Anthony can be a good player. We’ve also got some other guys at that position -- Lucas Cox, Richard Watson, Preston Lyons. I think Anthony is a very good player. I hope our production doesn’t drop off at that position and I don’t think it will.” -- coach Paul Johnson.
More opening camps:
2009 overall record: 11-3
2009 conference record: 7-1, ACC champions
Returning starters
Offense: 7, defense 8: punter/kicker: 2
Top returners
QB Josh Nesbitt, RB Anthony Allen, RB Roddy Jones, C Sean Bedford, WR Tyler Melton, WR Stephen Hill, LB Brad Jefferson, CB Mario Butler, S Dominique Reese, PK Scott Blair
Key losses
WR Demaryius Thomas, RB Jonathan Dwyer, OG Cord Howard, DE Derrick Morgan, LB Sedric Griffin, S Morgan Burnett
2009 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Dwyer (1,395 yards)
Passing: Nesbitt* (1,701 yards)
Receiving: Thomas (1,154 yards)
Tackles: Jefferson* (95)
Sacks: Morgan (12.5)
Interceptions: Burnett (4)
Spring answers
1. Who’s No. 2. Tevin Washington earned the No. 2 quarterback job behind Josh Nesbitt, who was out this spring recovering from minor ankle surgery. Washington ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in the Jackets’ spring game. He made the most of Jaybo Shaw's transfer to Georgia Southern and beat David Sims and Jordan Luallen for the job.
2. Receiver by committee. Yes, Stephen Hill has the chance to be the program’s next elite receiver, but there were signs the passing game will have some more help this fall. Look for the Jackets to make an effort to throw more to the A-backs, or slot backs, this year.
3. Finding homes on defense. Georgia Tech won’t solve all of its defensive problems in one spring, but the transition to Al Groh’s 3-4 defense helped a few players who were in between positions find a spot. Anthony Egbuniwe, who was a defensive end last year, is now an outside linebacker. And Anthony Barnes, who was a nomad last year, seems to have found a home at the other outside linebacker spot. Jason Peters, who has bounced between defensive tackle and end, showed significant improvement at end this spring.
Fall questions
1. How much better can the defense be? Overall, the transition under Groh remains a question. Specifically, the biggest concern on the line is the nose tackle position. T.J. Barnes played there in the spring, and Ben Anderson missed all of spring recovering from a knee injury he suffered late last season. When Anderson comes back in August, he’ll compete with Barnes for that job. There were too many runs up the middle during the spring game to stop a team like Virginia Tech or Miami.
2. Nesbitt’s health. The ankle injury was minor -- he could have participated this spring had he wanted to -- but Nesbitt’s health will be a concern this year. There is still a big difference between Nesbitt and Washington, and Nesbitt has to stay healthy if the Jackets are going to defend their ACC crown.
3. Unsettled offensive line. There are a lot of new players working their way into the rotation, and competition will continue. Georgia Tech lost three starters, including the transfer of guard Joseph Gilbert. The second team was composed entirely of freshmen in the Jackets’ spring game.
"I just talked to the trainer, and right now, like I said, we've still got some guys beat up and banged up a little bit, but I think we're going to have most of them available for the game," Johnson said on Sunday night. "They might miss a day of practice or so, just like anytime you play a physical game. But I think Stephen (Hill) is going to be okay. I think he's got a mild bruise really is what it is. I think he'll be okay.
"The one guy who might be a little more serious injury is Ben Anderson. I think he's a guy that might be doubtful. I think the rest of the guys will be fine."
Here is the Jackets' latest injury report:
Out
Austin Barrick, r-Jr., OT (heel)
Kevin Cone, r-Jr., WR (ankle)
Malcolm Munroe, r-Fr., LB (knee)
Doubtful
Ben Anderson, r-Jr.
Probable
Stephen Hill, Fr., WR
Josh Nesbitt, Jr., QB
Embry Peeples, So., RB
Jason Paters, r-So., DE
Omoregie Uzzi, r-Fr., OG
Out For Season
Robert Hall, r-Jr., DE (knee)
Kyle Jackson, r-So., LB (foot)
Cooper Taylor, So., S (Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome)
ACC announces Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE BACK – C.J. Spiller, Clemson, RB, Sr., 5-11, 195, Lake Butler, Fla. (Union County)
Clemson senior running back C.J. Spiller had a hand in a Tiger touchdown in three different fashions in a 43-23 win at NC State. Spiller threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to teammate Xavier Dye in the second quarter that gave Clemson a 16-point lead. He then scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Kyle Parker in the fourth quarter to become the first player in school history to rush for a touchdown, catch a touchdown pass, and throw a touchdown pass in the same game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team. Spiller piled on 158 all-purpose yards in the game, with 97 rushing yards, 48 receiving yards, and 13 kickoff return yards.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Cord Howard, Georgia Tech, G, Sr., 6-5, 308, Phenix City, Ala. (Central)
Georgia Tech senior guard Cord Howard garnered his second Offensive Lineman of the Week selection of 2009 in helping the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets to a Coastal Division-clinching win at Duke. Howard helped anchor an offensive line that cleared space for 519 total yards of offense, including 306 rushing yards in Georgia Tech’s 49-10 win over the Blue Devils. Howard and the Yellow Jacket offensive line have paved the way for 300 or more rushing yards nine times this season, including the last six games in a row—all wins.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Ben Anderson, Georgia Tech, DT, Jr., 6-2, 274, Aiken, S.C. (South Aiken)
Georgia Tech junior defensive tackle Ben Anderson recorded five tackles, three for loss, and two sacks -- all career-highs -- against Duke. Despite allowing 10 first-quarter points to the Blue Devils, Anderson helped the Yellow Jacket defense blank Duke for the final three stanzas. Additionally, Georgia Tech limited Duke’s high-powered passing attack to just 256 yards and gave up only 25 rushing yards, while the defensive line pressured the Blue Devil offense for four sacks in the game.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Kendric Burney, North Carolina, CB, Jr., 5-9, 190, Jacksonville, N.C. (Southwest Onslow)
Junior cornerback Kendric Burney intercepted three passes and broke a 29-year old ACC single-game record with 170 interception return yards, including a 77-yard touchdown, in North Carolina’s 33-24 win over No. 12 Miami. Burney’s 170 yards also broke the school-record for interception return yards in a season and upped his career mark to 317, also a new school record. The junior returned his second interception of the game for a 77-yard touchdown, his second career interception return for a score. The 77-yard return is the seventh-longest in school history, while the touchdown tied him with six former Tar Heels who had two career interceptions returned for touchdowns, another school record. Burney returned his third interception of the day 46 yards before losing a fumble to teammate Melvin Williams, who ran the remaining 44 yards for the touchdown.
SPECIALIST – Casey Barth, North Carolina, PK, So., 5-11, 180, Wilmington, N.C. (Hoggard)
North Carolina junior place-kicker Casey Barth extended his streak of made field goals to 13 with boots of 22, 42, 32, and 33 yards against Miami. His 42-yarder in the second quarter matched a career-long and extended the Tar Heels’ lead to six points. Barth has connected on eight field goal attempts in the last two weeks.
ROOKIE – E.J. Manuel, Florida State, QB, Fr., 6-4, 225, Virginia Beach, Va. (Bayside)
In his first career start, Florida State freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel completed 15 of 20 passes for 220 yards in the Seminoles’ 41-28 win at Wake Forest. Manuel directed Florida State to three touchdowns and a field goal in its first four possessions, including a one-yard touchdown run of his own. In addition to his 220 passing yards, Manuel rushed for 45 yards on 10 carries, and threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to teammate Jarmon Fortson in the fourth quarter that put the Seminoles ahead by 19 points.
ATLANTA -- First, it's cold here. Georgia Tech students were bundled up in sleeping bags waiting for the gates to open earlier. It finally feels like football season.
As for lineup changes, Georgia Tech is waiting to decide whether or not Ben Anderson will start at defensive tackle. Anderson's ankle hurts, so they might go with T.J. Barnes. Depends on how he feels in warmups. Virginia Tech doesn't have any lineup changes, but Greg Nosal looked jacked up in warmups should he need to play for Sergio Render. Render is still expected to start, but was listed as probable for this week with a pec strain. Ryan Williams was on the field for warmups and from this distance, I couldn't tell he was sick. We'll see if that's the case in the fourth quarter.
Ranking the ACC units: Defensive lines
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
1. Clemson -- The Tigers return three starters up front, and first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele's pressure defense is the perfect fit for guys like Da'Quan Bowers and Ricky Sapp. Sapp was having a good season last year before he tore his ACL at Virginia and missed the rest of the season. Defensive end Kevin Alexander is a returning starter who had 34 tackles last year, and nose guard Jarvis Jenkins tied Sapp for the team lead with 10 tackles for loss. Opposing quarterbacks won't have time to think against this bunch.
2. Miami -- Anyone watching the Virginia Tech game last year saw what this group is capable of, and of the nine linemen who started at least one game for Miami last year, seven are back. Allen Bailey has moved from end to tackle, but he sometimes played there in third-down situations. He led the team with five sacks. Marcus Robinson is a solid pass rusher, Marcus Forston could also be an impact and Eric Moncur is entering his sixth season and if he plays like he did in 2007 (11.5 tackles for loss) could really give this line a boost.
3. Virginia Tech -- Depth is the only question mark here, as Jason Worilds, John Graves, Cordarrow Thompson and Nekos Brown are more than capable of continuing Bud Foster's tradition of nationally ranked defenses. Nobody is questioning Worilds' toughness, that's for sure, and Graves and Thompson both started every game last year. They're still looking for another defensive end, though, and will keep an eye on what Chris Drager adds to the position after moving from tight end.
4. North Carolina -- Not only do all four starters return, but the depth is the best it's been in recent years. Last year, defensive end Robert Quinn became a starter in the second game of the season, and defensive tackle Cam Thomas had one of his his best season at UNC. Marvin Austin and E.J. Wilson played well, and should be even better this year. Reserves Quinton Coples and Michael McAdoo had solid rookie seasons and will push Wilson and Quinn for playing time this year. Aleric Mullins and Tydreke Powell are interchangeable with Austin and Thomas as starters at tackle.
5. Florida State -- The end position is reason for concern, as the Noles have to replace both Everette Brown and Neefy Moffett, who were first and second, respectively, on the team in sacks. Markus White will be tasked with filling the shoes of Brown, but he had a good transition season from junior college last year to build off of. Kevin McNeil, who had four sacks last year, is the favorite to replace Moffett. The interior should be solid with the return of Budd Thacker, Kendrick Stewart, Moses McCray and Justin Mincey.
6. NC State -- Defensive tackle Alan-Michael Cash and end Willie Young have combined for 46 starts and should be two of the best linemen in the conference. The other two players penciled in as starters -- Shea McKeen and Leroy Burgess -- were both junior college transfers who earned starting time last year. Backup tackles will be a concern, but Markus Kuhn could wind up playing a bit of both until the staff decides where he can help the most.
7. Wake Forest -- Tackles John Russell and Boo Robinson will highlight a defense that recently bid farewell to some of the best seniors to come through the program. It should be one of the Deacs' most experienced groups in recent years, which is important considering the new faces behind them at linebacker. Defensive end Kyle Wilbur showed a lot of promise as a redshirt freshman with three sacks in only seven starts, and Tristan Dorty played in 10 games as a redshirt defensive end last year.
8. Virginia -- It's one of the few units on this team that didn't get a complete makeover, as seven of the top eight linemen return. Sophomore Matt Conrath, who had 35 tackles and four sacks last year, returns at end. There's a lot of experience next to him at nose tackle, where senior Nate Collins and sophomore Nick Jenkins split time last season. Collins' 35 tackles are the top among the returning linemen, while Jenkins finished with 25. Junior John-Kevin Dolce proved himself in the pass rush package with five sacks among his nine total tackles last year.
9. Boston College -- Replacing tackles B.J. Raji and Ron Brace is obviously one of the biggest concerns for this team, but they've got several options. Damik Scafe, Nick Rossi and Brendan Deska were each second-stringers at the tackle position and are the early favorites to replace the NFL draft picks. The Eagles also signed a pair of defensive tackles in the offseason, including highly touted recruit Dillon Quinn, who could make an immediate impact. Austin Giles replaced the injured Alex Albright last year for 12 starts, and Jim Ramella started all 14 games at the other end position.
10. Georgia Tech -- The Yellow Jackets have to replace three of four starters up front, and until they prove they found dependable replacements, they're going to be stuck down here. The lone returning starter is junior end Derrick Morgan, and there's no doubt about his capabilities, but the Jackets will sorely miss the three starters who combined for 100 career starts and 100 tackles for loss. Ben Anderson, Robert Hall and T.J. Barnes are all candidates to start.
11. Duke -- The Blue Devils took a step forward last year and should improve again with the return of tackle Vince Oghobaase and end Ayanga Okpokwuruk, who started five games and had 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. They combined for 9.5 sacks last year. Oghobaase ranks second in the ACC in both career tackles for loss (29.0) and quarterback sacks (11.5). They'll need new starters at nose guard and right end.
12. Maryland -- The Terps have to fill a void left by Jeremy Navarre and Trey Covington, and so far it looks like that will be up to Derek Drummond, Dion Armstrong, Travis Ivey and Jared Harrell, though Armstrong was dealing with some academic issues. The arrival of De'Onte Arnett, Zachariah Kerr, and Cody Blue this past spring should help with the depth.
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
Nothing like a few links for a mid-week pick-me-up ...
- So what if Ben Anderson has short legs? He benches 460 pounds, the most of any player at Georgia Tech. And he's aiming to take over for Darryl Richard.
- Apparently everyone but B.J. Raji has been told the former Eagles' defensive tackle failed a drug test from the NFL combine.
- Andrew Carter of the Orlando Sentinel has been breaking down the Noles by position, and today he looks at the receivers. The Noles end practice Wednesday.
- NC State picked up a commitment right out of Butch Davis' backyard.
- With spring ball halfway over, the Terps are tinkering with their depth chart.
All eyes on Georgia Tech's defensive line -- again
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
At 6-foot-7, 325 pounds, and from the football-rich state of Alabama, massive Georgia Tech redshirt freshman T.J. Barnes wowed a lot of college coaches during his recruiting process as a potential offensive tackle or guard -- two positions he had absolutely no interest in playing anymore. Alabama and Louisville were among his suitors, as was Auburn, where his father, Terry Jones, was a defensive lineman and his cousins, Fred Baxter and Randy Hart both played.
"All my offers were for offense," Barnes said. "Nobody really believed I could play defense except for Auburn and Georgia Tech."
Georgia Tech had no doubt he'd have a future as a defensive tackle.
"That's all I wanted to do," Barnes said, "play defense."
That and make a name for himself somewhere other than Auburn, where expectations to continue the family legacy would be high.
This spring, Barnes will get his chance to do both.
Georgia Tech only lost six starters from last year's nine-win team that tied with Virginia Tech for the Coastal Division title, but three of them were on the defensive line and had combined for 87 career starts. That leaves the door wide open for Barnes -- and several other young players -- to win starting jobs this spring and summer. The unit lacks both depth and experience, and is easily the Yellow Jackets' biggest question mark heading into the fall, as junior defensive end Derrick Morgan is the only player returning with any starting experience.
"Coach (Giff) Smith instills in us we have to be the best group on the team," said Morgan, who cracked the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2007. "That's what we strive for. I know we're losing four seniors, but we're not looking at it as a lack of talent. We have talent. We don't want to lower our expectations coming into next year just because we're losing four seniors. We're setting the bar high."
Morgan has set the standard high for himself. He was second on the team and eighth in the ACC with seven sacks last year. He had 9.5 tackles for loss and was tied for second nationally in fumble recoveries with four. He led all of Tech's linemen with 51 tackles, but soaked up his teammates' knowledge on a daily basis.
Former starters Vance Walker, Michael Johnson and Darryl Richard often shared different pass rush techniques and how to see blocks. Morgan said he's still learning from the trio as they audition for NFL scouts, and give him advice on going through the NFL combine and handling his post-collegiate career. They've also added to the growing list of voices telling him he has to be a leader this season.
"I'll probably have a bigger leadership role amongst my teammates," said Morgan, a junior who recently turned 20 years old. "I'm ready for that. A couple of coaches have said I have to step up and become one of the leaders of our team, and I have no problem doing that."
He'll be anchoring a group that includes defensive end Robert Hall and defensive tackle Ben Anderson, both who played significant snaps last year. Defensive end Jason Peters returns, along with defensive end Anthony Egbuniwe, who played sparingly last season after transferring from Tulsa. Defensive end Emmanuel Dieke (D-A-K) enrolled early and has impressed the staff, and defensive end Antonio Wilson is a redshirt freshman who didn't start playing football until his junior year in high school. There's no shortage of bodies at end, but experience and the interior line is another matter.
"Anytime you lose guys that have played as much football as they have, there's an adjustment," Smith said, "but I think we've done a good job of keeping talent coming in. Although it will be a little bit inexperienced, I think it's a great challenge. It's like I told them last year, all the eyes were on us for one reason, now all the eyes are on us again for a different reason. I think they're excited about the challenge and I think people will be surprised when they see the caliber of players we have at Georgia Tech."
Morgan said he's heard all off-season about what the Yellow Jackets don't have coming back on the defensive line.
"I kind of expected that," Morgan said. "We're just going to take that with a grain of salt, work hard, and use it as motivation, which is kind of an advantage. Teams are going to probably underestimate our d-line and not take as much time to game-plan for us like they did last year. We're going to have to go out there and prove ourselves, which is no problem for us."
Like Barnes, Morgan, too, has something to prove. He said he wants to silence come critics who don't think he can be as effective as he was last year without the veteran lineup beside him.
"God-willing that's what I'm aiming for, that's what I'm working for," he said of a breakout season. "I know there are going to be skeptics who say, well, can he do the same thing he did last year without the three veterans? I want to go out there and prove I can do everything I did last year and more."
There's no doubt the Yellow Jackets will need him to.
What to watch in the ACC this spring
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
With Miami kicking off spring practice on Feb. 24, it's never too early to start thinking about spring football in the ACC. There are plenty of story lines heading into the 2009 season -- like backup quarterbacks and new coordinators.
Here are a few things to watch for each team in the ACC this spring:
ATLANTIC DIVISION
BOSTON COLLEGE
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 25
What to watch
- Replacing 325-pound defensive tackles B.J. Raji and Ron Brace will be a large challenge -- literally. Damik Scafe could be a starter, but beyond him it's anybody's guess.
- Quarterback Dominique Davis only has three games of experience over everyone else, so it's definitely not a given that it's his job to lose. Davis was thrown into the fire at the end of 2008, but former coach Jeff Jagodzinski and former offensive coordinator Steve Logan liked freshman Justin Tuggle, who redshirted this past season. Whether the new staff is as high on Tuggle remains to be seen.
- Including former defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who was promoted to head coach, the Eagles will have six coaches in new positions this spring. With two new coordinators, a new offensive line coach, tight ends coach and a linebackers coach, this spring will be a chance for a few introductions.
Catching up with the ACC's Coach of the Year
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
I got a chance to speak with Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, who earned the ACC Coach of the Year award after a nine-win season that included a road win over rival Georgia. Here are the highlights of our recent phone interview:
Heather Dinich: What is the focus on recruiting for you guys at this point? Are there any specific positions you're going after?
Paul Johnson: I don't know that there is anything specific. We're going to take several linemen, offense and defense. We're almost finished. We've got about six or seven spots. We're looking at juniors now for next year.
HD: What's the deal with the scholarships now, because I know you played this season below the limit?
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| Kelly Kline/Icon SMI | |
| Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets will face LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. |
PJ: I think we can sign 25 and get back close to the 85. We'll catch up.
HD: Can you help me explain to fans how much tougher it is to play under that limit?
PJ: It's unbelievable. Jonathan Dwyer, his backup, Lucas Cox, was a starter at another position. And then we had a freshman walk-on that was the next guy up. So when he gets the wind knocked out of him or needs a blow or whatever, you have to change two or three guys or just make him stay in. There were some positions we had no flexibility. We were down to walk-ons as backups. From a planning standpoint, being able to rest guys and all that, it created some problems.
HD: What's the ideal offensive lineman you look for in terms of athleticism and size?
PJ: It's not that much different than anybody else. The biggest difference is we're not looking for the real big slow guy that can't move. Our guys need to be athletic. Sometimes in a passing offense you can take tall guys with long arms that really can't move. We're just looking for good players. The guys that will be good in our offense will be good in others, too.
HD: As you're hitting the recruiting trail, are you getting a lot of questions about your offense from players and their parents?
PJ: No, not now that we've been here for a year. We've got most of all our offensive guys committed, really. We had two receivers committed really early. We've got three quarterbacks, we may even take another one. We've got three running backs committed.
HD: Where do you see the next step being in terms of progress for next year?
PJ: We'll try to be more consistent and continue to get better. I think we got better as the year went along. We still laid an egg a time or two and we have to be more consistent. With a young team that's always a problem. As we get more depth and keep working at it, hopefully we can challenge for the conference championship every year. That's the goal.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
