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One question facing the Tar Heels is where they will find their motivation this summer and fall without a postseason to look forward to.

Well, right here, of course.

They’ll find it in the fans who encourage them, those who doubt them, and they’ll find it in the coaching staff that urges them to make every snap count. NCAA sanctions have prohibited North Carolina from postseason competition, but the folks in Indianapolis can’t take away UNC’s desire to win. If first-year coach Larry Fedora and his assistants can get the players to learn, execute and buy into their system quickly, North Carolina can be a serious spoiler in the ACC race this year. (Can you imagine the frustration of being knocked out of the title game by a team that can’t even play for it?)

Bryn Renner is an underrated quarterback who threw for over 3,000 yards and had 26 touchdowns and played with a bone spur in his ankle last season. He’s got an outstanding offensive line to work with and one of the country’s top rushers in Giovani Bernard. Fedora has inherited enough talent to win quickly.

Aside from learning the new Xs and Os, though, this is yet another group of players at UNC that must overcome adversity and change. If they’re not playing for a trip to Charlotte or a bowl game, what ARE they playing for? Plenty.

1. The future. Fedora will lay the foundation this season for what he wants to build in Chapel Hill. This season will reveal to Fedora which players never quit. It will show him what his players can handle and what adjustments need to be made for next season. Any success this year will only help in recruiting, and the program has shown more than capable of luring in NFL talent. Speaking of NFL talent …

2. The NFL. Every Saturday is an audition for Sunday (and we all know the NFL and its agents are familiar with Chapel Hill). If any of these guys want to get to the next level (and do it the right way), they’ve got to use every opportunity they have to showcase their abilities.

3. Pride. Hey, there’s always the NC State game, right? You think these guys are gonna roll over for anybody just because their season ends in November? Behind all of the hoopla in college football is an inherent love for the sport, the reason these guys began to play in the first place. If the Tar Heels have forgotten that aspect of the game, they shouldn’t be in it.

The Tar Heels can’t be a factor in the postseason, but they can still be a factor in this year’s ACC race.

Welcome back to the ACC’s ultimate road trip. In case you’re just joining us, this series is your ticket to each of the best games in the ACC every week. These are the games that -- if you had the money and the time -- you would want to be at this fall. The season is still a long ways off, but here in the blogosphere, we’re already into Week 2:

Schedule:

Saturday, September 8

• Maine at Boston College
• Ball State at Clemson
• Duke at Stanford
• Savannah State at Florida State
• Presbyterian at Georgia Tech
• Maryland at Temple
• Miami at Kansas State
• North Carolina at Wake Forest
• NC State at Connecticut
• Penn State at Virginia
• Austin Peay at Virginia Tech

My choice: North Carolina at Wake Forest

Why: The nonconference lineup is a dud? I’m not into Pacific time? We've already seen Maryland lose to Temple? Ok, ok, there’s good reason to have interest in this game. Really. This is the first conference game for both schools, and it’s the first meaningful game for the Tar Heels under first-year coach Larry Fedora (yes, games can still mean something, even without a postseason). It will be interesting to see the changes that have been made to UNC’s playbook on both offense and defense. The passing games for both teams should flourish, as Tanner Price will be in his third season as starter, and UNC’s Bryn Renner will be featured in Fedora’s new scheme. Wake Forest lost this game last year, but it didn’t play with any urgency. This is a good early test for both teams, and it will provide some early clues about whether or not the Deacs can be a contender again and if the Tar Heels have adapted to Fedora.

More in this series:

• Week 1

2011 overall record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 3-5 (T-8th)
Returning starters: Offense: 8; defense: 5; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
QB Bryn Renner, RB Giovani Bernard, G Jonathan Cooper, G James Hurst, K Casey Barth, KR T.J. Thorpe, DT Sylvester Williams, LB Kevin Reddick, S Tre Boston

Key losses
LB Zach Brown, DE Quinton Coples, T Carl Gaskins, WR Dwight Jones, CB Charles Brown

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Giovani Bernard* (1,253 yards)
Passing: Bryn Renner* (3,086 yards)
Receiving: Dwight Jones (1,196 yards)
Tackles: Zach Brown (105)
Sacks: Quinton Coples (7.5)
Interceptions: Two players (3)

Spring answers

1. Renner fits spread: New North Carolina coach Larry Fedora’s spread offense might not be the perfect fit for quarterback Renner. But Renner ran a spread offense while playing high school football for his father and has adjusted well. Renner set a UNC single-season record with 26 touchdown passes last season while working in a pro-style offense. He completed 23 of 28 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns in the spring game.

2. Hurry up: Fedora and his staff spent most of the spring teaching their new players how to run a hurry-up offense. The Tar Heels huddled under former coach Butch Davis. Fedora wants the Tar Heels to run about 80 plays per game, meaning they’ll have to be lined up for the next play as soon as an official spots the ball. It will be a big adjustment for the offense, especially for the linemen, but they adapted pretty well in the spring.

3. Barth is back: Senior kicker Casey Barth is a big weapon for the Tar Heels and showed good leg strength after missing most of last season with a groin injury. He was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Barth, who made 41 of 48 field goal attempts over the past three seasons, kicked two field goals in the spring game.

Fall questions

1. Defensive overhaul: The UNC offense isn’t the only thing undergoing a makeover in Chapel Hill. Co-defensive coordinators Dan Disch and Vic Koenning are installing a 4-2-5 scheme, which employs two hybrid positions (bandit and ram). The defense will allow the Tar Heels to have five defensive backs on the field most of the time, which should help them against pass-happy offenses.

2. Wide receiver depth: UNC lost leading receiver Dwight Jones and had only five scholarship receivers during spring practice. Fedora likes to have about 10-12 receivers at his disposal to run in and out of games. There’s some help coming in the incoming freshman class, but the Tar Heels will have to develop some receivers quickly. Senior Erik Highsmith and sophomore T.J. Thorpe are both big playmakers and seniors Jheranie Boyd and Todd Harrelson showed signs of being able to help during the spring.

3. Motivation: The Tar Heels are ineligible to play in a bowl game this coming season because of probation for violations committed during Davis’ tenure. How will Fedora and his staff keep the players motivated this fall? The Tar Heels are saying all the right things, but how will they react when they face adversity this coming season? This team has been through so much the past two seasons, they’ll have plenty of experience in dealing with problems.

Our series continues today with the Tar Heels, who will look to pick up the pace in Year 1 under coach Larry Fedora.

For a complete recap of the series, click here.

North Carolina: WR Erik Highsmith

2011 stats: Highsmith was second on the team last season with 51 catches for 726 yards and five touchdowns. UNC led the ACC in pass efficiency.

What he means to the Tar Heels: Fedora's offense is all about pace. The offensive linemen are the guys who will have to do the most adjusting, running back to the line after plays instead of huddling. This isn't exactly a cakewalk for skill position players, but they should have a slightly easier time. Quarterback Bryn Renner completed better than 68 percent of his passes and had a 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio in a strong first season as a starter in 2011. Having run a spread offense in high school, he will be tasked with getting his teammates up to speed this fall. The Tar Heels return a 1,000-yard rusher in Giovani Bernard, too. But Fedora's offense is all about balance, something all the more difficult to achieve with just five scholarship receivers returning. Here's where Highsmith can help, as the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder enters his senior year with 113 catches, 1,499 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns under his belt. He is the only returning wideout who caught more than 15 passes last season, and he had seven catches for 82 yards in the spring game. Having a proven senior pass-catcher like Highsmith is invaluable for an adjusting offense, and his playmaking ability should allow other receivers the opportunities to step up and help with transition in 2012. The offensive line may have to do the most adjusting, but no single player on the offense (outside of the signal-caller, of course) is more important than Highsmith.

Told you we'd be back. Here's a look at what went down this weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Clemson, S.C.

NORTH CAROLINA
The Blue team beat the White team 44-21, but it actually led by a 44-7 margin, as the White team was spotted 14 points at halftime to make the contest a bit more competitive. Got it? K, good.

Bryn Renner looks to have adapted to coach Larry Fedora's up-tempo pace well, completing 23 of 28 passes for 295 yards and two scores for the Blue team. Fedora has said that every position is up for grabs, but Renner certainly has the inside track at this point. Marquise Williams went 17-for-32 for 123 yards and a touchdown.

"For me, it was awful slow out there and sluggish in between the plays," Fedora said. "We've still got a ways to go in understanding the tempo. But it's not hard to see the stress you can put on the defense when you start moving the chains a few times and you've got tempo going."

A.J. Blue led the ground attack with 98 yards on 15 carries, and three different receivers had at least five receptions for 50 or more yards. Romar Morris totaled 75 yards rushing and receiving, scoring three times in the first half (two receiving, one rushing).

The Tar Heels actually finish their spring practice season Monday.

CLEMSON
Dabo Swinney, as you might have guessed by now, would like to see teams get more out of spring ball. That includes his Tigers squad, which ended regulation deadlocked at 20.

So, like the other football, Swinney had his kickers decide the game, which ended with the Orange team posting a 23-20, double-overtime win against the White squad thanks to a 45-yard field goal from Chandler Catanzaro.

"It was one of those deals where I really didn't want to play more, but I certainly did not want to walk off the field with a tie," said Swinney, who had each team kick from 50 yards out in the first overtime, with neither side connecting.

A record 28,000 turned out for the spring game, which doubled as DeAndre Hopkins' coming-out party. The junior-to-be had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. Hopkins has added roughly 20 pounds since last season, and Swinney has labeled him as the squad's MVP of the spring season. Hopkins caught five passes for 100 yards in the first quarter alone Saturday.

Hopkins took home a pair of spring awards, all of which can be found here.

Larry Fedora has used his fast-paced spread offense to set a myriad school records at previous college football stops. Now he’s ready to pick up the pace at North Carolina.

Fedora was hired at North Carolina on Dec. 8, replacing interim coach Everett Withers, who guided the Tar Heels to a 7-6 record in 2011, after former coach Butch Davis was fired before the season.

But Fedora’s offense comes with a steep learning curve. He has spent much of spring practice trying to teach the Tar Heels how to play at a faster pace. North Carolina will no longer huddle, and Fedora’s goal is to run at least 80 plays per game. The Tar Heels averaged 62.5 plays per game last season; Southern Miss averaged 74.4.

Fedora wants the Tar Heels to spend about five seconds between snaps to increase their productivity.

“The things we’ve been focusing on are the different speeds we want to play at because it’s new to us,” UNC quarterback Bryn Renner said. “Once we get the tempo down, we can focus on the plays and formations.”

UNC’s offensive linemen have to learn to run back to the line of scrimmage, instead of huddling, and receivers and running backs have to hurry back to their positions as well.

“There’s a huge learning curve for the offensive linemen,” Fedora said. “In the past, they went to the huddle and were holding hands or whatever. They were able to catch their breath. In this system, they’re up and in a stance. Eventually they’ll see the advantages in it.”

Renner, who completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,086 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his first season as a starter in 2011, will carry the biggest load in Fedora’s offense. Renner underwent surgery on his left ankle in December and then spent much of his recovery time digesting Fedora’s playbook.

“For about three weeks, I sat on the couch in a cast and studied it,” Renner said. “It helped me a lot, just having his playbook.”

For the Tar Heels to be successful in Fedora’s first season, Renner will have to play well.

“I think a lot of it depends on your quarterback,” Fedora said. “You’re only going to be as good as that guy. He’s got to have the intangibles and the willingness to learn and be able to process information quickly. A lot of it is on his shoulders.”

It helps that Renner played in a spread offense while playing for his father, Bill Renner, at West Springfield (Va.) High School.

“Right when I first met [Fedora], he told me the offense is going to go with how well the quarterback knows it and how he can relay it to his teammates and make the plays work,” Renner said. “It’s all in my hands to get this offense moving.”

While much of the burden falls on Renner, Fedora also wants the Tar Heels to be balanced. In Fedora’s last season as Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator in 2007, the Cowboys ranked No. 7 nationally in total offense, averaging 243 rushing and 243 passing yards per game. He wants similar balance at UNC.

Tailback Giovani Bernard is back after rushing for 1,253 yards with 13 touchdowns as a freshman in 2011. But there’s a dearth of wide receivers -- only five scholarship wideouts are coming back; Fedora likes to have at least 12 to rotate into games.

There’s another big obstacle in Fedora’s first season -- the Tar Heels won’t be eligible to play in a bowl game. In March, they were placed on three years’ probation by the NCAA, which included a one-year bowl ban and the loss of 15 scholarships.

But it might actually end up being a blessing for Fedora, who can install his complex system with lesser expectations.

“What are you going to do?” Fedora said. “Sit around and complain about it? That’s just not the way I am. We’re going to move forward. How we react is how we’re going to be remembered. We’ll grow from it. We’ll be better and we’ll be stronger.”

And, of course, the Tar Heels will be a lot faster.

Larry Fedora has walked into a less-than-ideal situation. North Carolina hired Fedora, the former Southern Miss coach, on Dec. 8, nearly two months after the Tar Heels appeared before the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. A ruling came down on March 12, leaving UNC without a total of 15 scholarships over the next three years, during which the program will be on probation.

Fedora kicked off his first spring practice with UNC two days later, the start of a season that will end without a postseason appearance, as well, after the program was given a one-year bowl ban. We caught up with the new coach on Wednesday to get his take on his new squad. The Tar Heels' spring season concludes with their annual spring game April 14.

What have been your impressions so far from spring practice?

Larry Fedora: I can tell you this: Our players have had a tremendous attitude. They're working extremely hard and learning as quickly as they possibly can. And I've seen some early good things out here. But I've seen some really bad things out there. We've got a long way to go to get to where we want to be, but we're gonna get there, because of just the effort they're putting in and their attitudes. You know, when you're installing a new offense, new defense, new special-teams philosophy, it's like trying to teach them a new language, and doing it at a very fast tempo. But as long as they continue to have the attitude they're having, it's gonna be fine.

There's obviously a new staff and new system -- what are you really hoping to accomplish this spring? Is there a slower learning process? How do you go about it?

LF: Well, I mean, the things we wanna accomplish when we come out of spring is for the guys to have a very good understanding of our base offense, our base defense and our base on special teams, in all of our phases of special teams. So when we finish up they have to have a very good understanding of the base. We're not putting in any of the thrills, it's just the base, they've gotta understand the system. And once they understand that, then we can go from there. That's the first objective. The second object is to learn how to practice The Carolina Way -- the tempo, the energy level, the enthusiasm that we expect in practice each and every day. They can learn that. And then the third thing is to find out who are the guys that are gonna make plays for us next year.

Anyone stand out so far who has really caught your attention?

LF: Too early to say. We've got our first full scrimmage today, so I'm gonna have a better feel after that. But we have definitely had guys that have stepped up and shown leadership ability on defense, like Sylvester Williams, and [Kevin] Reddick; on offense, Bryn Renner, Jonathan Cooper, guys like that who have some experience. So they're able to step up and show some leadership. At the same time, they're learning everything for the first time also.

It's been a couple weeks now since the NCAA sanctions came down, that's out of the way. You know what you got and what's coming your way. How much of a relief was that, especially before spring started, to get that out of the way?

LF: I think it was a huge relief, not just for our staff but for our players. Just to get this thing behind them. I think a lot of people overlook the fact that these guys have had this cloud of uncertainty hanging over them for about two years now. And that's difficult for an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kid. So I think there's just a huge feel of relief that it's over -- "Hey these are the sanctions, these are what they are, it is what it is. Now let's have a plan, let's move forward from here and let's go."

What was the hardest part, in your mind?

LF: I don't know. I just don't look at it that way. I really don't. I just look at it: These are the consequences for the actions. Because it's something that we talk about with our players all the time. Life's about choices, and when you make choices there's consequences to every choice. And a man faces the consequences of his choices. And so that's kind of just the way we've looked at it. "Hey, these are the consequences. Whether we're the reason that we have this consequence or not, it doesn't matter. It is what it is. So we've got to face them, we face them like a man, we keep our head up and we work hard and we move on."

What do you set for them in terms of a carrot that you dangle postseason-wise? Obviously the bowl game's out of the realm of possibility this year. How do you keep them going?

LF: You've been around college football. Not everybody's just playing for a bowl game. You have enough pride within you as a football player and as a person that you want to go out and you want to compete at the highest level and try to win each and every game that you can possibly play. Our goal is not gonna change as far as, we want to be competing for the Coastal Division championship. That's what we want to do. Whether it's recognized or not, we will know.

You mentioned earlier about The Carolina Way and a new beginning. How much of a sense of duty is there from you to kind of restore that and make this a new beginning, and for this program to really take in a new era here?

LF: Well, if you think about it, with all the circumstances that happened, it is a new era. It is a new beginning. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. So that's over with. We started something new. You're talking an entirely new program, basically -- when you talk about a philosophy change, a total coaching change. So the players have to buy into this and they've got to learn this entirely new way. Everything that they've been used to, they've got to change. And it's important that we get going and move forward from here, because there's been so much uncertainty in the last couple years.

You sound like a man with a lot of energy. My colleague Heather Dinich has said you can be a walking advertisement for Red Bull. Where does that energy level come from, and how important is it, especially with this situation and this team?

LF: I'm a high-energy guy, and I'm a very positive guy. The coaches that I have on our staff are very high-energy and they're very positive. I think the team will take on the personality of the coaches. And so it's important when we're moving around and we're fast and we're talking and we're getting after it and we're positive, then I expect our team to practice the same way and also, hopefully, play the same way.

Our offseason spotlight series continues today with North Carolina. A reminder: This series features individual players, position groups and coaches who really need to have big offseasons -- starting this spring.

Spotlight: Receivers.

2011 Summary: Dwight Jones was one of the best receivers in the ACC and led UNC with 85 catches for 1,196 yards and 12 touchdowns. Erik Highsmith, who returns for his senior season, was second on the team with 51 catches for 726 yards and five touchdowns. UNC had the No. 1 passing efficiency in the ACC under first-year starting quarterback Bryn Renner, and he and Jones had one of the best connections in the league. UNC ran the ball more than it passed last year.

The skinny: There will be many more opportunities for the receivers in Larry Fedora’s first season, as his offense will use three or four at the same time. North Carolina has to replace its top pass catcher from a year ago in Jones, but the Tar Heels have recruited well at the position. T.J. Thorpe led the league in kickoff return yardage, and he’s likely to get a lot more looks in this system. Jheranie Boyd can stretch the field and has been pretty explosive at times, but he can really flourish in this offense. Reggie Wilkins and Sean Tapley are sophomores who will also be given more opportunities.

• More in this series

Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas and Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, two friends and competitors from the state of Virginia, have already begun texting and talking to each other about the upcoming season.

“It’s been a nice break, but at the same time, you’re definitely anxious to get back on the field,” Thomas said.

ACC fans should be just as eager to see them this spring.

What was a position of question in the conference at this time a year ago has evolved into one of the league’s biggest reasons for hope this fall. In 2011, at least half of the quarterbacks in the ACC were entering their rookie seasons, and Miami’s Jacory Harris was the only senior starter. Now, they’re seasoned, smarter and looking to improve upon successful debuts. For the first time in league history, the ACC had five quarterbacks top 3,000 passing yards, and all five of them -- Boyd, Thomas, UNC’s Bryn Renner, NC State’s Mike Glennon and Wake Forest’s Tanner Price -- return. That doesn’t include Duke’s Sean Renfree, who threw for 3,131 yards as a sophomore in 2010 and also returns this season.

“I think it’s going to be great for the conference as a whole,” Thomas said. “All of the guys are exceptionally poised and getting ready to be a national title contender in the ACC. That’s what all of us want and have been striving for since we’ve been here. All of us have a great chance because we’ve gone through our first year and we all had pretty good years. It’s been very good for us to play as much as we did and as well as we did.”

Boyd set a single-season league mark with 38 touchdowns responsible last season. Glennon (32) tied for the fourth-highest total with 32, while Thomas accounted for 30. All of them, plus Renner and Florida State's EJ Manuel, finished among the top 50 in the nation in passing efficiency in their first seasons as full-time starters. Georgia Tech's Tevin Washington, also a first-year starter last season, would have ranked 13th nationally if he had enough pass attempts to qualify for the pass efficiency ratings.

In the ACC’s history, the league has had 24 quarterbacks record 30 3,000-yard seasons. Only three have had back-to-back 3,000-yard efforts in Florida State’s Chris Weinke (1999, 2000), NC State’s Philip Rivers (2002, 2003) and the Wolfpack’s Russell Wilson (2009, 2010). That number could increase, though, if the ACC’s current group of quarterbacks continues to mature at the rate it did from the first half of last season to the second half.

Manuel, who was hindered by a shoulder injury for part of last season, went the final eight games of the season without throwing an interception. Glennon threw 11 of his 31 touchdowns in the last three games and only four of his 12 picks in the last five games. Boyd completed eight of 24 passes in last year’s spring game and after an 8-0 start to 2011-12 was a legitimate Heisman contender. Renner was one of the ACC’s most efficient passers and he did it with bone spurs in his ankle. Both Renner and Glennon will have four returning starters on their respective offensive lines to work behind.

“The biggest difference for me the first year was getting used to going out there every series,” Glennon said. “In the past, if I got in the game, I would go in for about two series and the game was over. It was different for me to get used to staying mentally focused each and every series knowing that when we go off the field in five minutes I’ll be right back out there.

“I think I improved every game. Even if we lost and I didn’t have my best game, I still improved as a player. I think I learned from my experiences and I definitely feel in the bowl game I was playing my best football of the year, and that was just building on each game, learning from mistakes and building on the good things.”

As the quarterbacks continue to build on the good things, so will the ACC -- starting this spring.

DUKE

Spring practice start date: Feb. 22
Spring game: March 31

What to watch:

• The defense in the second season under coordinator Jim Knowles. The Blue Devils should be more comfortable in the 4-2-5 alignment that uses three safeties, but they lost their top safety, Matt Daniels. Will the comfort level of the rest of the defense help compensate for the departure of the team’s top defensive playmaker? More players have a better understanding of the system and philosophy.
• The health of the team. For Duke to stand a chance at reaching a bowl game, it must have its top players healthy. Guys like defensive end Kenny Anunike, linebacker Kelby Brown and safety Lee Butler have all proved they can make plays, but how quickly will they regain their form?
• The running game. The offensive line should be deeper, more athletic and more competitive than in past years, and the running game should follow suit. Two of the highest-rated recruits in Duke’s 2012 class were running backs, but will the Blue Devils have to wait until summer camp to see a difference?

GEORGIA TECH

Spring practice start date: March 26
Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

• The quarterback competition. There’s no question that Tevin Washington is the undisputed starter heading into the spring, but coach Paul Johnson has said he expects backups Vad Lee and Synjyn Days to push Washington. Finding the No. 2 will be a priority this offseason, but will either play well enough to unseat Washington?
• The status of LB Julian Burnett. He has been the Jackets’ leading tackler, but he also has a medical condition or injury that Johnson won’t comment on publicly. Johnson has said he’ll leave it up to Burnett, but signs are pointing toward his inability to play.
• The defensive progress. Some Georgia Tech fans were expecting more in the second season of Al Groh’s 3-4 defense, and Johnson is also among those hoping to see more progress this offseason. Groh has to replace two of three starters on the defensive line.

MIAMI

Spring practice start date: March 3
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• The offensive overhaul. The coordinator is the same; it’s the players who will change. How do you replace eight starters on offense? How will the young players contribute and where? The Canes need to replace their leading rusher from a year ago, Lamar Miller, and their starting quarterback, Jacory Harris.
• The quarterback competition. Is Stephen Morris ready to take over the offense, or will Ryan Williams, Gray Crow or Preston Dewey win the job from him? Morris is the most experienced quarterback in the system, but Williams probably would have pushed Harris for the starting job last year if he didn’t have to sit out for a season per NCAA transfer rules.
• The new leader on defense. Miami will lose five starters on defense, but none of them had quite the leadership impact as linebacker Sean Spence. Who will be the new coach on the field for the Canes, not to mention compensate for the loss of Spence’s playmaking abilities?

NORTH CAROLINA

Spring practice start date: March 14
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Buying in. It shouldn’t take much longer than spring practice to know whether the Tar Heels have bought in to first-year coach Larry Fedora, his staff and the changes they plan to make. Fedora has said he’s changing just about everything within the program, including offensive and defensive schemes.
• How the defense will look in the new scheme with new faces. UNC will switch to a 4-2-5 scheme, which will allow it to have multiple fronts and looks and go from four down linemen to three without subs. The Heels will need more defensive backs and more hybrid players who can play linebacker/safety and linebacker/defensive end. Will they find them this spring?
• An exciting offense. As good as the offensive line was last season, it should be even better this season with four starters returning and untapped potential at center. And if quarterback Bryn Renner had a 3,000-yard, record-setting season with bone spurs in his ankle, how much better can he be after his surgery?

VIRGINIA

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Kicking competitions. They’re all gone -- the placekicker, punter and kickoff specialist. When you lose all three of them, it’s a question mark. The Hoos have some options but no answers.
• Defensive replacements. Virginia has to replace seven starters on defense, including veterans like defensive end Cam Johnson and cornerback Chase Minnifield. Two of the three starting linebackers return, but the secondary is filled with guys who played sparingly or redshirted last year.
• The next go-to receiver. Virginia has several young, talented receivers, but which one of them will emerge as the go-to player for quarterback Michael Rocco? Kris Burd leaves the biggest shoes to fill on the offense.

VIRIGNIA TECH

Spring practice start date: March 28
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Life without David Wilson. Virginia Tech begins the spring in search of its next great running back, as Wilson left early for the NFL draft, and his backup, Josh Oglesby, has graduated. True freshman J.C. Coleman and redshirt freshman Michael Holmes will be the top two options, as Tony Gregory will be out to recover from surgery on his knee.
• New-look offensive line. Adding to the offensive uncertainty is the fact that Virginia Tech must replace four starters on the offensive line. All four were redshirt seniors, and there are likely to be growing pains while trying to compensate for the loss of their leadership and knowledge.
• Secondary replacements. The Hokies will be challenged to find replacements for Jayron Hosley and Eddie Whitley in the secondary. Whitley had played cornerback, rover, outside linebacker and free safety during his career. Hosley, who led the nation in interceptions in 2010, decided to leave early for the NFL draft.

For the first time in league history, the ACC had five quarterbacks top 3,000 passing yards in 2011, and here's the best part for the conference -- all five of them return in 2012 -- also a record-high for the ACC.

The five passers with 3,000 or more yards in 2011 were Clemson's Tajh Boyd (3,838), Bryn Renner of North Carolina (3,086), Mike Glennon of NC State (3,054), Tanner Price of Wake Forest (3,017), and Logan Thomas of Virginia Tech (3,013).

The previous best was four quarterbacks with more than 3,000 yards, in 2009 and 2010, and the previous high in returning passers who had topped 3,000 yards the previous season was just two, in 2003 and 2010. In the ACC’s history, the league has had only 24 different quarterbacks record 30 3,000-yard performances. Only three have recorded back-to-back 3,000-yard seasons -- Florida State’s Chris Weinke (1999, 2000), NC State’s Philip Rivers (2002, 2003), and the Wolfpack’s Russell Wilson (2009, 2010).

This doesn’t include Duke’s Sean Renfree, who threw for 3,131 yards as a sophomore in 2010 and also returns in 2012.

On Friday I started you off with 10 of the ACC's best individual performances of 2011and asked for your feedback about plays I missed and ones that stood out the most for you. Florida State fans were very vocal about Rashad Greene's MVP performance against Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl. Definitely a legitimate candidate to be included in the top 10. Greene wasn't the only one who got some love from ACC fans, though. A few Dukies woke me up, too. Overall, more than half of the schools in the ACC got a shoutout.

Here's a sampling of what you had to say in the mailbag:

FB the Bear (The ACCylum) writes: How about Lamar Millers performance against VT as he rushed for 160+ yards against the vaunted VT defense for 2 years straight. I know as a VT fan I'm glad to see him go pro!!!

Rev. Dodd in Faynam, N.C., writes: Howdy Heather!One more individual standout game I like to salute ... especially since the guy got so little fanfare this year.Korntei Brown, backup DE for Clemson, collected 2 ... count 'em ... 2 touchdowns in th e Tigers' romp over North Carolina. He intercepted a screen pass for the first, then scoop and scored a fumble for the second.Never seen it before by one person, and may never again.ThanksThe Rev.

Matthew in Pensacola writes:Heather, you totally forgot about Florida State safety Lamarcus Joyner's "all aspect" day against Notre Dame in the Champ's Sports Bowl. Not only did he have his end zone interception, but he was a missile in run support. How many tackles did he have in that game? Speaking of tackles, let's talk about the intangible aspects of his hard hitting play that left more than one receiver wobbly and terrified of the middle of the field. Not to mention that when called upon, he seamlessly integrated himself into the CB roll. That should be enough, but let me throw the cherry on top with a 77 yard kick return. Now THAT'S how you finish off a season.

2ACCschools in Elkton, Va., writes:Luke Kuechly's interception in the Miami game, to end his BC career with an exclamation point.

Jack in Durham, N.C., writes:Best individual performances of 2011You forgot Matt Daniels' performance against Virginia Tech! 13 tackles 2 ints - a big reason why Duke was in a position to win.

Mark Jordan in Virginia writes:Are you serious? How is Matt Daniels against Virginia Tech not in the top 10.... He was ALL-ACC and one of the best safties in the country. He had two picks and at a huge break up on Danny Coale that got overturned from an interception. He also put huge hits on Wilson, and had at least 3 third down stops. Im still confused how these other players are on this. Goes to show how Duke is looked at...

Josh in Blacksburg writes:You forgot Bryn Renners week one performance that set the ACC completion percentage record. And the fact that the only time a pass was incomplete was when it was intercepted, so still caught.

Chris in Greenville, N.C., writes:NC State QB Mike Glennon vs. Maryland. 5 TD passes!

Mitch Abbott in Raleigh, N.C., writes:Seriously HD? Seriously? You didn't put Mike Glennon's performance against Maryland. He threw for over 300 yards with 5 TDs 1 pick and a rushing TD in the second biggest comeback in ACC history.

Chad Felts in Winston-Salem, N.C., writes:UVA's Rodney McLeod with 3 int's against Maryland. 2 in the red zone/at the goal line to get UVA bowl eligible for first time in 4 seasons.

Joey Wells in Greensboro, N.C., writes:Rashad Greene vs ND. Without him, I don't think FSU wins that game. The catch he makes along the sideline on 3rd and long turned the game around and made ND's defense back off.

There is plenty of work to be done in the ACC this offseason, and the good news is that there’s ample time to get things done and get better. One thing that needs to happen in this conference is the resolution of any and all NCAA investigations, but that is out of the league’s hands. Not even North Carolina officials are sure when they’ll get some closure from the NCAA, and considering how long it took the Tar Heels to go through the process, it could be slow going at Miami. There are plenty of on-field priorities, though, that should be at the top of the ACC’s to-do list this year:

1. Make quick, smooth coaching transitions. Coaching turnover has been at the heart of the ACC’s problems, and while there was only one head-coaching change this offseason -- at North Carolina -- there were several hires at the coordinator level. Maryland replaced both its offensive and defensive coordinators, Clemson hired a new defensive coordinator, and Boston College hired a new offensive coordinator. Those programs will need to adjust and adapt quickly to new schemes, terminology and philosophies this offseason, and unfortunately for all of them, it won’t be the first time.

2. Take another step forward at quarterback. This could be a breakout season for several ACC quarterback. Last year, the league was very young at the position, as at least half the league had first-year starters and Miami’s Jacory Harris was the lone senior in the group. This year, players like NC State’s Mike Glennon, Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas and UNC’s Bryn Renner have a chance to separate themselves from the pack. As the ACC quarterbacks improve, so will the entire conference.

3. Find new stars. The ACC will miss its 2011 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in Virginia Tech’s David Wilson and Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. Who will be the 2012 version of NC State’s David Amerson? Miami must replace eight starters from last year’s roster, and North Carolina once again produced some of the league’s top NFL-bound talent on defense in Quinton Coples and Zach Brown. Heading into 2012, the league seems to lack an identity, a face who represents the league and is a national household name. The offseason is the foundation for that development.

4. Forget the past and ignore the hype. The ACC had a miserable bowl season. Everyone always talks about how you're remembered for your last game. Yeah, well, the ACC needs to try to forget it, forget that talk about momentum or lack thereof and focus on the future. Get the young players excited and ready to play, and concentrate on fundamentals and execution. Teams like Florida State and Virginia Tech -- and to an extent Clemson -- also need to ignore the hype and pay no attention to where they're picked in the preseason polls. If this past season taught us anything, it's that where you start has no bearing on where you finish. Clemson was unranked. Florida State seemed untouchable. Everyone needs to get better.

North Carolina announced the arrival of two early enrollees, linebacker Shakeel Rashad and tight end Terrance Knox.

Rashad is a 6-2, 220-pound prospect from Jacksonville, Fla., where he attended The Episcopal School. Knox played tight end and defensive end for Concord High School in Concord, N.C.. He focused primarily on offense as a senior and caught 32 passes for 426 yards and seven touchdowns. As a junior, he had 14 catches for 253 yards and eight touchdowns.

North Carolina also announced that backup quarterback Braden Hanson has graduated and will transfer to the University of North Dakota for his final season of eligibility. Hanson played in six games in 2011 as the backup to Bryn Renner. For the season, he was 9 of 16 for 185 yards. He also played in three games in 2009.

There are too many decisions still lingering to get an accurate feel for what the 2012 ACC race could look like, as players like Andre Ellington, David Wilson and Dwayne Allen have yet to announce whether they are leaving school early to enter the NFL draft. Those decisions should come soon, though (Wilson's is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Friday), but there are three teams that should be ranked in the top 25 polls heading into 2012: Clemson, Florida State and Virginia Tech. The question is how high, and those decisions will play a role in it.

All three of those teams should be considered favorites heading into 2012, regardless of who stays and who goes because of the young talent waiting in the wings and the recruiting classes that are currently being compiled, and also because of the quarterbacks. As I mentioned in the video from the Orange Bowl this morning, Clemson should be considered a front-runner to repeat as league winners despite the ugly loss to West Virginia, but Florida State's defense will likely earn it a lot of respect in the preseason polls. Once again, Virginia Tech's consistency will be a major factor in the votes of confidence in the Hokies.

Two teams not to sleep on: NC State and North Carolina. The Wolfpack finished strong, and Tom O'Brien can work some magic when his roster is at full strength. And Larry Fedora inherited a talented quarterback and outstanding running back. If he can fill some big shoes on defense, the Tar Heels could be a surprise in the Coastal Division race. Both Mike Glennon and Bryn Renner could be two of the ACC's best quarterbacks in 2012.

Two teams still snoozing: Maryland and Miami. Both of these programs have major issues to deal with. For the Canes, it's an ongoing NCAA investigation and the departure of eight offensive starters at last count. For the Terps, it's turnover on the roster, unhappiness with the coaching staff, and just general misery after a 2-10 season in Randy Edsall's first year. Aside from Miami's recruiting, there are few signs that either one of these programs will catch anyone by surprise in 2012.