ESPN College Football

We’ve already taken a look at the ACC’s Dream Team, which was comprised of the top position groups across the league. Now it’s time to go a little bit deeper and rank every position group for each team. We’ll start with the most difficult position -- the quarterbacks. More than half of the teams in the conference will usher in quarterbacks who are in their first season as a full-time starter, and many of the teams in the ACC are struggling with depth and experience at the position. This is not solely a ranking of the best quarterbacks in the ACC (stay tuned for that, it will look different), so backups are an important part of the equation.

Bottom line: Who's got the depth and talent to make it through a full season -- and win -- if more than one quarterback is needed?

Here’s a look at who’s stocked and who’s not at quarterback this year:

1. Miami: The Hurricanes have a proven albeit embattled option in Jacory Harris, and Stephen Morris also has significant starting experience. Whoever doesn’t win the job will be a more than capable backup. The Canes still need to add depth to the position, but they landed transfer Ryan Williams from Memphis.

2. Boston College: Starter Chase Rettig should be better in his second season as starter, but he’s not the only one on the roster with playing experience. Dave Shinskie has started 13 games, and Mike Marscovetra should be a familiar name to BC fans by now.

3. Duke: It’s possible coach David Cutcliffe could use three quarterbacks this year. He’s got one of the best in the league in starter Sean Renfree, backup Brandon Connette has seen significant playing time, and the emergence of redshirt freshman Anthony Boone this offseason could give the offense yet another option.

4. Wake Forest: Tanner Price is the undisputed starter, but Ted Stachitas had a better spring than coach Jim Grobe had anticipated, and Brendan Cross has always been in the mix to earn some playing time.

5. Florida State: The Seminoles haven’t settled yet on a backup to EJ Manuel, but depth isn’t a problem with both Clint Trickett and Will Secord competing for the No. 2 spot. It’s not like it was last year, though, when there was a Gator Bowl MVP sitting on the bench.

6. North Carolina: Not only is Bryn Renner unproven, so are his backups. Renner clearly distanced himself from the rest of the competition this spring. True freshman Marquise Williams will continue to compete with Braden Hanson and A.J. Blue, who was injured two years ago and redshirted last season, for the No. 2 spot.

7. Virginia Tech: Logan Thomas had an impressive spring and drew rave reviews from those within the program, but the backup situation remains a question. Redshirt freshman Mark Leal really pushed Ju-Ju Clayton for the No. 2 job and that competition will continue this summer.

8. Georgia Tech: It’s Tevin Washington’s job to lose, but Synjyn Days had the better spring game and made the competition a bit more interesting heading into fall camp. True freshmen Vad Lee and Demontevious Smith would have to have stellar performances in camp to make a move, but there’s definitely talent in the wings.

9. Clemson: Tajh Boyd was the only scholarship quarterback even on the roster until the early enrollees, Cole Stoudt and Tony McNeal, joined the team. The good news for Clemson fans is that Cole Stoudt, the son of former NFL quarterback Cliff Stoudt, had a productive spring and earned the No. 2 job.

10. Virginia: If there’s one problem the Hoos don’t have, it’s depth at the quarterback position. Mike London has yet to name a starter, and all of them lack significant game experience. Ross Metheny, Michael Rocco, Michael Strauss and David Watford all have a shot. Since they’re all preparing as starters now, they should all have a good grasp of the offense if needed.

11. Maryland: First-year coach Randy Edsall had five quarterbacks to work with when he was hired, and now he’s down to two. He’s got one of the best quarterbacks in the league to work with in Danny O'Brien, but he’s got to keep him healthy. C.J. Brown and walk-on Troy Jones are the only other quarterbacks on the roster.

12. NC State: If Mike Glennon gets hurt, the Wolfpack is in trouble. Redshirt freshman Tyler Brosius has a strong arm but no experience, and he’s not ready for prime time yet. The departure of Russell Wilson might not affect the win-loss record, but it definitely hurt the depth.

Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price is the Demon Deacons' returning starter, but all five quarterbacks had a chance to make their case on Saturday in the second spring scrimmage. Price, Brendan Cross, Ted Stachitas, Patrick Thompson and redshirt freshman Keenon Rush each had at least one completion of 35 yards or longer in the hour-long scrimmage. Each of the top four quarterbacks either accounted for a scoring drive or drove the team into field goal range.

Offensive highlights:

• Lovell Jackson scored on a 65-yard swing pass from Cross.
• Brandon Pendergrass scored on a 12-yard run and led all rushers with 52 yard on four carries, including a 34-yard run.
• Price drove the Deacons to the 11 and 29 while Stachitas had a drive that ended at the 9. Thompson led Wake to the 1 before a fumble at the goal line.
• Michael Campanaro led all receivers with six receptions for 77 yards. Jackson had five catches for a team-high 91 yards while Matt James finished the scrimmage with 67 yards on three receptions.

Defensive highlights:

• Zachary Allen, Riley Haynes and Mike Olson all recorded sacks during the scrimmage.
• Kris Redding and Gelo Orange each recovered fumbles.

Quotable: “Last season doesn’t cut it,” coach Jim Grobe said of delivering a message to his players. “It’s not like we have a season like we had last year, we can’t all get together at Chuck E. Cheese and hand out trophies. At this level, it just doesn’t happen and our guys have to understand it. If you don’t practice, it’s going to be hard for us to be a good football team. We have to have durable and dependable guys.”

Despite the return of 2010 starter Tanner Price, Wake Forest's quarterback job is still an open competition this spring, and the staff is still looking for more from Price, Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross. The decision of Skylar Jones to transfer won't have a huge impact on the group, as Jones was No. 4 on the depth chart. The staff wanted him to stay -- Wake Forest actually used all four quarterbacks in 2010 -- but Jones wanted to be the starter and the coaches couldn't promise him that.

The Deacs have only had two spring practices heading into today, but as of right now, Price is No. 1 on the depth chart, followed by Stachitas and Cross.

Offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke said the staff didn't help Price last year, as they asked him to do too much as a true freshman and changed offenses about three times during the season.

"We just need to settle on an offense and get him a thousand reps in it," Lobotzke said. "It’s not a locked-up job, either. Ted could take that job. Brandon Cross could surprise everybody and take that job. We’re still letting them compete. I don’t think anyone is playing well enough to really be the team we want to be offensively. It’s just going to take reps. We've thrown a lot at them in two practices. Once they settle down and get used to what were calling right now, they’ll play better.

"Our bar is very high. We’re not quite there yet with any of them."

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Record: 2-4 (1-2 ACC)

It wasn’t replacing the winningest quarterback in school history that has been the problem for the Deacs, it was keeping all four of those replacements healthy. True freshman Tanner Price has proven capable of taking over for Riley Skinner, but he suffered a concussion against Florida State, and backups Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross were also injured, leaving the offense in the hands of Skylar Jones against Georgia Tech. The young defense has struggled to stop the run, is ranked last in the ACC in total defense, and has allowed 36.8 points per game. When the defense showed measurable improvement against Florida State, the offense came up empty. Since opening the season with back-to-back wins over unheralded Presbyterian and Duke, Wake has since lost four straight, putting their bowl hopes in serious jeopardy.

Offensive MVP: Quarterback Tanner Price. The true freshman is as good as advertised. He leads the team in total offense with 158.8 yards per game and has only started three games. He has the best completion percentage of the quarterbacks (58.7) and set a school record for pass completions by a true freshman (19). He has also accounted for three rushing touchdowns and his four passing touchdowns are the most in school history by a true freshman quarterback.

Defensive MVP: Kyle Wilber. He was sidelined with a broken leg for seven games last year and has returned with fervor. He’s tied for the conference lead in sacks with five and he leads the ACC and the country in tackles for loss with 12.5. He is also tied for second in the ACC with three forced fumbles, and made a career-high 11 tackles and two sacks at Florida State. He had three tackles for loss at Stanford.

Wake Forest backup quarterback Skylar Jones has turf toe. Backup Brendan Cross has a sore non-throwing shoulder. And Ted Stachitas will be out.

The good news for the Deacs is that true freshman Tanner Price should be ready to go after suffering a concussion two weeks ago against Florida State.

With so many injuries at quarterback, coach Jim Grobe said it's been impossible to find any consistency. Three quarterbacks played in Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech, and the first two -- Stachitas and Cross --left with injuries.

"It's impossible," Grobe said. "It's not a tough job, it's an impossible job. One of the things that you worry about is the amount of reps you give guys during the week. Last week we gave each quarterback a third of the reps because we didn't know who would be the best guy in the game or who would be the most durable, and as it turned out, we needed all three."

If Wake Forest can find some stability at quarterback and get the same effort from the defense against Navy on Saturday that it gave in the loss to Georgia Tech last weekend, the Deacs could get their first win since Sept. 11 against Duke. Wake has the advantage of facing a similar triple-option offense two weeks in a row.

On Saturday, the Yellow Jackets rushed 48 times for 209 yards. It marked the fewest rushing yards allowed by the Demon Deacons in seven games against Paul Johnson's triple-option offense (dating to Paul Johnson's arrival at Navy in 2002. Georgia Tech had entered the game ranked fourth in the nation in rushing, averaging 320 yards per game.

"It lets us know that we're capable of playing against the offense," Grobe said. "We can certainly look at things we did wrong, so we can correct those mistakes. One of the issues is that Navy now has a good bead on us. They saw how we attacked Georgia Tech, so they'll have a pretty good plan and have some wrinkles for us that we don't expect. One of the other issues is that we're beat up a little bit. That's a physical offense, and to go against it two weeks in a row makes it tough."

Redshirt senior linebacker Matt Woodlief has had three of his best games against triple-option teams. He had eight tackles against Georgia Tech on Saturday. He also had 12 against Navy last year and six against Georgia Tech in 2009. Woodlief’s three tackles for loss against Georgia Tech on Saturday also represented a career-high.

Still, Georgia Tech is not Navy.

"Georgia Tech isn't the same offense at Navy," noseguard Nikita Whitlock said. "They're a little bit more powerhouse and they hit you a little bit harder. But, Navy is more like technicians. When they cut you, they're going to cut you, so be ready for it. When they come at you with your helmets, make sure you have your shin guards on and your hands down because Navy is tenacious. They're really good at what they do. But playing the option against Georgia Tech really helped us."

Ted Stachitas is the new starting quarterback at Wake Forest -- he won the job by being the most consistent this summer.

But don't be surprised to see true freshman Tanner Price at some point this season -- possibly as early as the season opener Thursday evening against Presbyterian.

"You might see Tanner," coach Jim Grobe said at his weekly press conference. "We won't be afraid to play him, but we will have to have a need to play him. If Ted plays really well, we might be a little more hesitant to play Tanner and instead look at Skylar Jones or Brendan Cross. He's right there and is very competitive to play. Ted might be No. 1, but Tanner is a close second."

Grobe has a reputation for redshirting the majority of his players, but Price has been as good as advertised this summer. The last time Grobe used a freshman quarterback -- albeit a redshirt freshman -- Riley Skinner led the Deacs to the 2006 ACC championship.

Still, Price is listed as No. 2 on this week's depth chart, and it's Stachitas' job to lose. He was 14-of-22 for 302 yards in three preseason scrimmages, but as he said, "I haven't played a football game in about three years."

He's not alone. Nobody on Wake's roster has thrown a collegiate pass yet.

The good news for the Deacs is that they open with an unheralded opponent that should provide an opportunity to work the kinks out. Entering its fourth season at the FCS level, Presbyterian went 0-11 overall and 0-6 in the Big South Conference last season.

Wake Forest doesn't have much additional time for a learning curve, as the Deacs face Duke in Week 2 in a game that will help determine their bowl possibilities.

"It's certainly better that we start with a nonconference opponent -- there is no question," Grobe said. "You really don't want to start with a conference team. This is a good game for us to start with since we have an inexperienced quarterback. I'd be really concerned if we were starting with an ACC opponent right out of the blocks. We have a good football team coming to town the very next week from the ACC, so it will be good to get a game under our belt against a nonconference team."

Wake Forest scrimmaged again on Thursday evening, and the quarterback competition still isn't settled.

Brendan Cross completed 11 of 13 attempts for 104 yards and rushed for 61 yards and three touchdowns. The Deacs scored on three of his first four drives.

“(Brendan) looked really good today, I thought,” said Grobe, according to the team's practice report. “Some of his throws could have looked a little prettier, but he got the job done. He took the offense on three really good drives. I was impressed with Brendan, I thought he did some really good stuff."

Freshman Tanner Price went 9-of-16 passing for 116 yards and a touchdown. Skylar Jones completed 8 of 12 passes for 99 yards, and also scored on a 65-yard touchdown run. Ted Stachitas completed five passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.

“We’ve got to go back to when we started and compile what they’ve done,” said Grobe. “I will say, if you come on strong at the end and the other guys fade, that’s another thing you’ve got to look at. I thought Brandon did some good things today. He’s obviously competing hard."

Wake Forest scrimmaged for 90 minutes on Saturday in the first of three scrimmages, and coach Jim Grobe said it was still too early to rank his quarterbacks.

Quarterback Ted Stachitas led the offense to a score on the first drive of the scrimmage. Freshman quarterback Tanner Price led the offense to the 21 before Jimmy Newman converted a 38-yard field goal.

Price led all quarterbacks in both attempts and completions, connecting on 8-of-13 throws for 82 yards. Stachitas completed 5-of-8 attempts for a team-high 95 yards. Skyler Jones was 4-for-7 for 27 yards and Brendan Cross was 2-for-3 for 16 yards.

“There’s no way to tell,” said Grobe, according to the team's practice report. “The thing that’s kind of interesting is that I wasn’t disappointed in anybody. I thought they all competed well. Some of the strengths we thought they had, they do have, whether it’s throwing or running. They were all very competitive, and I think we’re going to go back and look and see who was the most productive in the situations where things didn’t go all that well, whether it was a dropped pass or where they made the right decision but we ended up coming off the field and it wasn’t their fault.

"We had a lot of stalled drives but it wasn’t the fault of the quarterback. We have to figure out who was the most productive, and it will take a good film session to figure that out.”

Ahh, scrimmages. They're almost like real games, right? Nope. Still, something to hold us over.

Here's a look back at the weekend scrimmages for schools that provided scrimmage reports:

BOSTON COLLEGE

There's a running back other than Montel Harris capable of making some plays. True freshman Andre Williams led the running game with seven carries for 59 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown run.

Quarterback Dave Shinskie completed 9 of 14 pass attempts for 81 yards and a touchdown. Senior tight end Jordon McMichael led all receivers with four catches for 23 yards.

Defensively, true freshman linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis led the Eagles with five tackles. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Dillon Quinn made three sacks, which should be an encouraging sign to a line in need of some help.

Redshirt freshman kicker Nate Freese went 2-for-3, making from 24 and 44, but missing a 46-yarder off the left upright. Junior Ryan Quigley made from 33 and missed from 34.

CLEMSON

Quarterback Kyle Parker threw three touchdowns passes -- two to running back Andre Ellington -- in Clemson’s two-hour scrimmage in Death Valley on Saturday morning. It was the second scrimmage for the Tigers.

Parker completed 10-of-14 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns. He led the first-team offense to four touchdowns overall. Roderick McDowell led the rushers with 12 carries for 127 yards on the ground, including a 12-yard touchdown run and a 53-yard run early in the scrimmage.

Terrance Ashe led the receivers with five catches for 76 yards, including a 44-yard completion from Parker.

The defense was led by Brandon Maye, who had six tackles, including a tackle for loss and a diving backwards interception from his linebacker position.

GEORGIA TECH

Quarterback Joshua Nesbitt was the highlight of the Jackets' scrimmage. He opened the scrimmage with a 70-yard scoring drive and had a two-yard touchdown run and a six-yard touchdown pass to Stephen Hill. Defensively, true freshman Louis Young and sophomore linebacker Julian Burnett had interceptions.

VIRGINIA TECH

The kickers were the highlight of the second scrimmage, as the offense didn't score a touchdown. Part of that was because the coaching staff stopped drives inside the 20, because the staff hasn't installed its entire red-zone package. The staff is expected to make a decision on its backup quarterback situation soon.

Here are the Hokies' stats leaders from Saturday:

RUSHING
Darren Evans 12-60
David Wilson 6-33
Ryan Williams 4-18

PASSING
Logan Thomas 9-17-0-82
Tyrod Taylor 5-7-0-42
Ju-Ju Clayton 3-8-0-36

RECEIVING
Marcus Davis 2-15
Austin Fuller 2-20

FIELD GOALS
Chris Hazley made four: 29 yards, 43, 48 and 31

TACKLES
Derek DiNardo, 6

WAKE FOREST

The Deacs scrimmaged for 90 minutes on Saturday in the first of three scrimmages, and the quarterback race continues.

RUSHING
Josh Harris 5-76 and 1 TD
Skylar Jones 10-44
Patrick Thompson 7-29

PASSING
Tanner Price 8-13 for 82 yards
Patrick Thompson 3-10 for 61 yds and an INT
Ted Stachitas 5-of-8 for 95 yds and 1 TD
Skylar Jones 4-of-7 for 27 yds
Brendan Cross 2-of-3 for 16 yds

RECEIVING
Devon Brown 4-67
Marshall Williams 3-79

FIELD GOALS
Jimmy Newman made three, 27 yards, 38 and 25

TACKLES
Justin Jackson, 7

Freshman Joe LaBarbera intercepted Thompson late in the scrimmage and returned it 25 yards.

Schedule: Practice is from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

What’s new: With a new face at quarterback, Wake Forest’s offense is likely to run the ball more. Former quarterback Riley Skinner was an excellent passer, but not the swiftest of foot. Expect a different dimension to be added to the Demon Deacons’ offense.

Sidelined: Nobody on the two-deep roster is expected to be missing.

Key battle: Quarterback. No surprise here. Skylar Jones enters practice atop the depth chart, but some of that is simply because he was the healthiest of the group, and offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke likes to say “durability equals dependability.” Ted Stachitas, who had a hamstring injury this spring, will be competing for the job, along with redshirt freshman Brendan Cross, who suffered a concussion in the spring. True freshman Tanner Price has also impressed his teammates in offseason workouts.

New on the scene: Redshirt sophomore receiver Terence Davis. He redshirted in 2008, tore his ACL in 2009 and missed 2010 spring practices. He’s finally back, healthy and ready to contribute.

Breaking out: Cornerback Kenny Okoro. He started each of the final eight games at corner and developed into one of Wake’s top players on defense. He led the team with three interceptions and tied for the team lead with eight pass breakups. He clinched the win over NC State when he intercepted a Russell Wilson pass in the end zone with 2:02 left to play. The kid can move -- he’s getting his minor in dance.

Don’t forget about: Running back Josh Adams. He was the ACC’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007, but his production has dropped off the past two seasons. The staff is hoping he gets back to his freshman form.

All eyes on: The quarterback, whoever it might be. This is one of the best competitions in the league this summer and will be the main factor in whether or not the Deacs can get back to the postseason.

Quotable: "Durability will be a key because when you go back to running the football you're going to ask your quarterback to run it some. I don't know how much, but probably whoever the guy is, that will depend on how much we run it with the quarterback. He's going to have to be a durable guy. The most durable guy this spring was Skylar Jones. That's why he came out number one. Ted Stachitas had a pulled hamstring in the spring and Brendan Cross missed a few practices with a concussion. I think with what we're going to do with our offense, it wouldn't surprise me if we ended up using more than one guy." -- Coach Jim Grobe

Heather Dinich looks at the ACC’s best summer QB battle -- Wake Forest.

Wake Forest senior center Russell Nenon had a decision to make this offseason -- either get an internship and go to work or continue his football training.

“It was kind of a no-brainer,” said Nenon, who has been in Franklin, Tenn., training at D1 Sports Training for five weeks. “I just wanted a challenge. We had some misfortunes last fall, so I have to make sure I do my best to not sit at home for Christmas.

“I think I was asked about 500 times how my season went when I was home for Christmas,” he said. “I don’t really like explaining why I’m not at a bowl game.”

Nenon is tired of sitting out. He missed this spring while recovering from January surgery on his torn left labrum. Part of the reason he chose extra training this summer was to help gain the strength back in his shoulder. Nenon has been working with a few free agents from the Titans, and a few players from Tennessee. Nenon’s health, his leadership and his contributions up front will be invaluable to an offense in transition.

Not only did the Demon Deacons graduate six offensive linemen, but they are also ushering in a new quarterback. Wake Forest must replace three starters who combined for 104 starts up front, leaving Nenon and guard Joe Looney as the veterans of the group.

“We’re really close, we work really hard,” Nenon said. “We’re going to try our hardest to be a strong point of our offense. Joe Looney is a great guy, a great player. Doug Weaver has improved a lot since he was younger. Steven Chase (former defensive tackle) came over this spring, he had a great spring. Dennis Godfrey had a great spring. They know they have a lot to learn, and Joe and I are going to try to make it as calm as an atmosphere as possible. We’re going to work hard and hopefully be ready for Presbyterian come the first game.”

Nenon said he’s confident in all three of Wake’s quarterback candidates.

“Being a spectator this spring, I kind of got a different view,” he said. “My confidence level with Skylar [Jones], Ted [Stachitas] and Brendan [Cross] is very high. I’m not worried about them. I’ve seen them play on the practice field all the time. I have no worries with them. As soon as they get that first snap, they’ll remember it’s just football. As far as the offense, it’s definitely different from having Riley [Skinner] back there, but I’m excited. It’s something different we’re bringing to the table. I know coach [Steed] Lobotzke is giving us the best chance to win, so hopefully we can turn things around this fall.”

Nenon is doing his part this summer.

On Monday, NC State quarterback Russell Wilson buried his father. Our thoughts and prayers are with him this weekend as our fathers are celebrated. Wilson’s father, Harrison, died on Friday after a long illness, but at his funeral, his son remembered fondly what an impact he had on his athletic career. Russell’s father played football at Dartmouth and then made it to the last cut for the San Diego Chargers AFTER completing his law degree.

According to school spokesman Annabelle Myers, Russell and his brother spoke at the funeral and told countless stories about their dad waking them to throw baseballs to them, and how the three of them would go out and one would play quarterback, one would play wide receiver, and one would play running back.

These are the moments and memories our dads deserve a big thanks for this weekend. In honor of Father’s Day, here’s a look at some of the ACC’s ‘Famous Fathers,’ and the players who share their legacies. Thanks to the sports information directors in the league and Mike Finn in the Greensboro office for making this post possible:

BOSTON COLLEGE

• Redshirt freshman defensive end Max Holloway’s father (Brian) played 10 seasons in the NFL (with Patriots and Raiders). His maternal grandfather, Johnny McKenzie, played 19 seasons in the NHL, winning two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins.
• Junior wide receiver Chris Fox’s father (Tim) was an All-American at Ohio State under Woody Hayes and played 10 years in the NFL (with the Patriots, Chargers and Rams).
• Redshirt freshman wide receiver Hampton Hughes’ father played for six years for the Dallas Cowboys.
• Junior linebacker Mike Morrissey’s father (Jim) played nine seasons in the NFL for Chicago and Green Bay.

CLEMSON

• QB Mike Wade, LB Chris Richardson and Landon Walker: Their fathers, Mike Wade Sr., Chuckie Richardson and Gary Walker, played on the national championship team in 1981.

DUKE

• Kicker Paul Asack’s father Phil Asack was a 1971 Duke graduate who lettered for three seasons before joining the San Diego Chargers.
• Redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Conor Irwin’s father Tim Irwin played football at the University of Tennessee and in the NFL from 1981-94 with the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. As an aside, his uncle, King Irwin, played football at Georgia Tech.
• Wide receiver Matt Pridemore’s father Tom Pridemore played at West Virginia and for the Atlanta Falcons.
• Receiver Brandon Braxton’s father David Braxton played for the Minnesota Vikings, Phoenix Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals.

FLORIDA STATE

• QB Christian Ponder's father, David, was a defensive lineman at FSU from 1980-83.
• Redshirt freshman defensive end Dan Hicks’ father is former FSU standout and NFL veteran Dan Footman.
• Incoming freshman linebacker Christian Jones’ father, Willie Jones Sr., was a standout defensive end for the Seminoles (1975-78) and a second-round draft choice of the Oakland Raiders in 1980 and returned to FSU as a graduate assistant football coach in 1988.
• Quarterback Clint Trickett, who enrolled as a freshman in January and took part in spring practice, is the son of FSU assistant head coach/offensive line coach Rick Trickett. Travis Trickett, another son who has been a videographer in the FSU football program, will be the graduate assistant on offense this season.

GEORGIA TECH

• Junior safety Cooper Taylor’s father, JimBob Taylor, played quarterback at Tech.
• Senior wide receiver Kevin Cone’s dad, Ronnie, played running back at Tech.
• Senior running back Lucas Cox’s brother, Michael, was a three-year starter at fullback for Tech and now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

MARYLAND

• Defensive lineman Joe Vellano’s father, Paul, played for Maryland (1971-73). He was an All-American defensive lineman in 1972 and All-ACC in 1972-73.
• Defensive back Austin Walker and defensive lineman Alex Walker are the sons of Doc Walker, who starred at UCLA from 1974-77 before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. He also started at tight end from 1980-85 for the Washington Redskins, playing for the 1982 Super Bowl championship team. Their father is currently a local sports-talk radio host for Sportstalk 980 and also covers ACC football for Raycom television.
• Running back Davin Meggett’s father, Dave, played in the NFL for three different teams -- the New York Giants (1989-1994), the New England Patriots (1995-1997) and the New York Jets (1998).

MIAMI

• Backup quarterback A.J. Highsmith’s father, Alonzo Highsmith, and running back Damien Berry’s father, Kenny Berry, played for Miami. Highsmith played at Miami from 1983-86 and in the NFL for seven years. Berry was at Miami from 1987-89.
• Backup quarterback Spencer Whipple is the son of assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple.

NORTH CAROLINA

• Punter C.J. Feagles’s father, Jeff, is currently the New York Giants punter and has played 21 seasons in the NFL.
• Backup quarterback Bryn Renner’s father, Bill, was a punter at Virginia Tech and for the Green Bay Packers.
• Offensive tackle Brennan Williams’ father, Brent, played in the NFL from 1986-93 with the Patriots, Seahawks and Jets.
• Linebacker Shane Mularkey’s father, Mike, is the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

NC STATE

• R.J. Mattes' father, Ron, played at Virginia, where as a senior in 1984 he was an all-ACC defensive tackle for George Welsh. He also played offensive tackle in the NFL for the Seahawks, the Bears and the Colts. He is now coaching at Virginia as offensive line coach.

VIRGINIA

• Wide receiver Jared Green is the son of Darrell Green, who was a standout cornerback for the Washington Redskins and a 2008 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jared gave his father’s induction speech at the ceremony.
• Cornerback Chase Minnifield is the son of Frank Minnifield, a Pro Bowl cornerback for the Cleveland Browns, playing from 1984-92.

VIRGINIA TECH

• Zac Evans is the son of George Evans, who was a starter on the Hokies’ offensive line and lettered from 1979-82.
• Kenny Lewis, Jr., is the son of Kenny Lewis, Sr., a standout running back for the Hokies who is enshrined in the Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
• Beau Warren’s father, Donnie Warren, played 14 years in the NFL for the Washington Redskins.
• Freshman linebacker Chase Williams, who entered school in January, is the son of Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints.
• Linebacker Jeron Gouveia-Winslow is the son of Kurt Gouveia, who was also a starter for the Redskins.
• Wiley Brown’s father, Chuck Brown was deemed the Godfather of GoGo music.

WAKE FOREST

• Quarterback Brendan Cross is the son of former 49ers center Randy Cross.
• Linebacker Joey Ehrmann is the son of Joe Ehrmann, who played for the Colts and Lions.
• Center Chance Raines’ father, Mike, was an All-American at Alabama under Bear Bryant.
• Quarterback Ted Stachitas’ father, Len, is vice president of the National Football Foundation and the executive director of the NFF’s Play It Smart Program, a highly successful youth development program.

From players and their positions to defensive schemes and coaching staffs, sweeping changes began throughout the ACC this spring, all made with the hopes that this year can be better than the last.

The most noticeable differences in the conference were in Tallahassee, where legendary coach Bobby Bowden was replaced by Jimbo Fisher, and in Charlottesville, where the gregarious Mike London replaced the often surly Al Groh. Both first-year coaches were busy running campaigns to rebuild relationships within the state. Defending ACC champ Georgia Tech bid farewell to two first-round NFL draft picks and welcomed Groh as defensive coordinator to boost the Jackets' struggling defense with his 3-4 scheme.

Defenses were a focus across the conference this spring. Along with Georgia Tech, Florida State and Virginia, Duke also introduced a new defensive coordinator, as Marion Hobby will take over the play-calling duties. NC State added former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta to its staff as linebackers coach, and Miami hired defensive line coach Rick Petri. Of those programs, only Miami finished better than 52nd nationally in total defense and 56th nationally in scoring defense last year.

While the defenses were under repair, several of the ACC's starting quarterbacks were under treatment. Georgia Tech's Josh Nesbitt, Miami's Jacory Harris, Duke's Sean Renfree and FSU backup E.J. Manuel were all sidelined with injuries. Wake Forest backups Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross were also hurt, helping to push Skylar Jones to the top of the depth chart -- for now. Only Georgia Tech settled on its No. 2 signal-caller, as Tevin Washington won the job, but this spring was a reminder of how critical the health of the starters will be if those teams expect to contend for any titles.

There were some comeback stories, though, as BC linebacker Mark Herzlich, NC State linebacker Nate Irving and Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans were able to contribute in some capacity, with Evans seeming to make the quickest recovery. His health only raises another question, though, and that's how Virginia Tech will make use of its crowded backfield.

The Hokies also began to rebuild their defense this spring after losing six starters from last year's 10-win season, but there's one thing that didn't change in Blacksburg -- expectations. Nothing happened in the conference this spring to sway early perceptions that Virginia Tech will be the team to beat. Whether the Hokies can reach the ACC title game depends in large part upon how effective the rest of the changes in the conference will be.

Now that spring is over and teams throughout the ACC have learned a little bit more about themselves, it’s time to re-evaluate the conference hierarchy heading into summer camp. The very top stayed the same as the pre-spring rankings, as did the bottom of the barrel, but there were some tweaks in between. Here’s a look at how the ACC shakes out heading into summer camp:

1. Virginia Tech: The Hokies were encouraged by the rookie performances on defense this spring, but coach Frank Beamer has said he’s still looking for the young players to get stronger this offseason and spend some significant time in the film room. Offensively, the Hokies will be as good as the revamped offensive line, and that’s still a work in progress.

2. Florida State: What separates the Seminoles right now is the fact they only have to replace one starter on offense, and veteran quarterback Christian Ponder will be protected by one of the best lines in the country. The defense is better suited for the personnel under coordinator Mark Stoops, but overall remains a question.

3. Miami: The Hurricanes’ depth at running back should make the offense more productive in the second year under coordinator Mark Whipple. The Canes’ defensive line was also a highlight of the spring under first-year assistant Rick Petri, but they need to replace three starters up front offensively.

4. Clemson: Defense was the strength this spring, but running backs Andre Ellington and James Harper should ease the loss of C.J. Spiller. With four starters returning, the offensive line should improve. The key to Clemson’s run at a second straight Atlantic Division title will be the return of quarterback Kyle Parker to football instead of baseball.

5. Georgia Tech: Yes, they’re the defending ACC champs, but the Jackets were hurt the most by the NFL draft and are making the biggest transition defensively. There were positive reviews about the addition and style of coordinator Al Groh, and if the Jackets can replace three starters on the offensive line, they’ve got the skill players to defend their title.

6. North Carolina: The Tar Heels have an NFL-caliber defense, but this spring revealed little about how much progress they made offensively. Quarterback play remains a concern, as Butch Davis must choose between inexperience and inconsistency.

7. Boston College: The quarterback competition continues, and nobody is sure just how effective linebacker Mark Herzlich will be upon his return. The Eagles do have one of the better offensive lines, though, and a schedule conducive to another appearance in the ACC title game.

8. Maryland: Coach Ralph Friedgen was pleased with his spring practices, specifically the progress of the offensive line, which will be critical to Maryland's comeback this fall. The Terps have settled on quarterback Jamarr Robinson as their starter and have plenty of talent at running back and receiver to help him.

9. Wake Forest: Skylar Jones finished the spring atop the depth chart, but his main competitors -- Ted Stachitas and Brendan Cross -- were both injured. The Deacs will reveal a more run-based, option offense under their new quarterback. The interior defensive line remains a concern.

10. NC State: Coach Tom O’Brien just can’t seem to get through an offseason without a setback. The misdemeanor charges against four of his players -- including two starters from 2009 -- revealed poor decision-making from veterans.

11. Duke: Quarterback Sean Renfree is expected to be fully recovered from his torn ACL and be the starter this fall, but the Blue Devils’ running game is still in need of an upgrade and the defensive line remains a question.

12. Virginia: It’s still too early for first-year coach Mike London to put his stamp on the program, as he needs more recruiting classes to do that. This will be a transition year with a new staff, new philosophies and possibly a new quarterback.