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Heather Dinich talks about the offensive staff overhaul as the one good thing from BC's spring practices.

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

The best quarterback from the Class of 2010 is on his way to the ACC, yet the excitement has been relatively toned-down.

Phillip Sims, who saw action in eight games last season for the defending national champion, announced last week that he would be leaving Alabama for Virginia, where he will team up with a pair of former high school teammates who helped him win a state title at Oscar Frommel Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) four years ago.

The biggest question isn't whether Sims, who transferred to be closer to family, will be eligible to play in 2012. It's whether that will even matter in 2012. Or in the years after, for that matter. The Cavaliers return Michael Rocco, who threw for more than 2,500 yards and led the team to an 8-5 record last season after beating out three others for the starting job. He enters 2012 with two years of eligibility remaining, and Virginia will have three other eligible quarterbacks, excluding Sims, behind him.

It's not that Sims isn't capable of starting and excelling now that he's in the ACC. It's that Virginia, like almost all of its conference brethren, lacked a starting quarterback issue this spring.

Five 3,000-yard passers from 2011 are back this season, as is Duke's Sean Renfree, who was a 3,000-yard passer in 2010. Florida State's EJ Manuel returns for another year. So, too, do Georgia Tech's Tevin Washington and Boston College's Chase Rettig.

On a post-spring conference call with all 12 ACC coaches two weeks ago, 85 questions were asked. Only 14 centered on signal callers, and five of those were directed at Maryland's Randy Edsall, who returns his season-ending starter from 2011 in C.J. Brown. (Brown replaced the injured Danny O'Brien, who has since transferred to Wisconsin.)

Two more of those questions were directed at Duke's David Cutcliffe, and those were about the pro potential of Renfree. For perspective, the Blue Devils have not had a quarterback drafted since 1996.

Manuel and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas have been projected as potential first-rounders in several early mock drafts. Only Manuel, Renfree, Washington and NC State's Mike Glennon will be seniors this season.

The closest thing to a controversy could be at Miami, as Stephen Morris sat out this spring while recovering from back surgery. Memphis transfer Ryan Williams impressed as the de facto No. 1 and should give Morris a challenge for the starting job come preseason camp.

Brown could eventually face competition at Maryland when its freshman class gets a little more seasoning.

As is the case with anything, marquee names sell. Marquee names come from marquee positions, and no position offers the spotlight more than the quarterback, a position that will offer the ACC more exposure than it's had in recent years. The old saying, when applied to individual teams, is that if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. The transitive property doesn't apply here for conferences, however, and the ACC should be just fine with that as it enters 2012.

2011 overall record: 4-8
2011 conference record: 3-5 (5th, Atlantic)

Returning starters: Offense: 9; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
LT John Wetzel, RT Emmett Cleary, LG Bobby Vardaro, RG Ian White, TE Chris Pantale, QB Chase Rettig, RB Rolandan Finch, RB Tahj Kimble, RB Andre Williams, WR Coin Larmond, WR Bobby Swigert, DE Kasim Edebali, DT Kaleb Ramsey, DT Dominic Appiah, DT Dillon Quinn, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB Steele Divitto, LB Sean Duggan, CB Jim Noel, SS Spenser Rositano

Key losses
C Mark Spinney, TE Lars Anderson, DE Max Holloway, LB Luke Kuechly, CB Donnie Fletcher, FS Hampton Hughes, P Ryan Quigley

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Rolandan Finch* (705 yards)
Passing: Chase Rettig* (1,960 yards)
Receiving: Colin Larmond* (528 yards)
Tackles: Luke Kuechly (191)
Sacks: Max Holloway (2.5)
Interceptions: Luke Kuechly (3)

Spring answers

1. Chase Rettig makes strides: Rettig was thrown into the fire early, and he has endured plenty since, with injuries, new schemes and last year's 4-8 campaign. Now a junior, and playing for another new offensive coordinator, Rettig has the command of the offense and should benefit from playing behind an experienced offensive line.

2. More running back depth than BC probably hoped for: Montel Harris and Andre Williams couldn't go in the spring game. Then Tahj Kimble injured himself early in the contest. Finch, who played a lot last season with Harris sidelined, ended up shouldering the load, and it will take a group effort this season with Harris out of the picture. Injuries and a dismissal gave BC a better look at its backfield talent than it had probably hoped for, but the group effort this spring should benefit the Eagles come fall.

3. Defense looking to build off 2011 finish: Coach Frank Spaziani said the worst thing about last season was that it ended. BC is hungry to build off its 4-8 campaign, as the team hopes to carry the momentum from winning two of its final three games. A long offseason gave the defense time to think about that finish, which was keyed by a unit that held each of the final three opponents to fewer than 20 points.

Fall questions

1. Who will replace Luke Kuechly? The short answer is no one. Kuechly's legend will only continue to grow with each passing day. But the Eagles do return plenty of talented linebackers, led by Steele Divitto and Kevin Pierre-Louis. It will take a collective effort and then some for the linebackers to make up for the loss of Kuechly, but their attitude in trying can certainly rub off on the rest of the defense.

2. What happened with Harris? The school's all-time leading rusher was dismissed from the team after the spring for a repeated violation of team rules. The backfield is used to playing without him after his injury-plagued 2011 campaign, but the suddenness of Harris' departure -- which Spaziani will not get into -- has to have some effect on his former teammates, especially with Harris having been primed to chase the ACC's career rushing record this season.

3. How will the offense transition under Doug Martin? Spaziani said he was impressed with the unit coming out of the spring, but a fifth offensive coordinator in five years has to be challenging for the players. Martin has said he is looking to increase the pace, and he'll have nine starters back to work with come preseason camp.

Stealing a page from the playbook of my illustrious colleagues over at the Pac-12 blog, we're kicking off a series of our own here. Each weekday, we'll take a look at the most important player on each team, starting in alphabetical order.

Today brings us to the Boston College Eagles. And, to add to the challenge, we, also, will not be including quarterbacks on this list. (Sorry, Chase Rettig. We don't think any less of you.)

Away we go ...

Boston College: Linebacker Steele Divitto

2011 stats: Divitto was third on the team with 72 tackles, and he also recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and five pass breakups.

What he means to the Eagles: Despite a 4-8 campaign last season, BC made significant strides down the stretch, winning two of its final three games. That started with the defense, which held each of its last three opponents to fewer than 20 points. (Its one loss, at three-touchdown favorite Notre Dame, was by a 16-14 margin.) The departure of record-setter Luke Kuechly for the NFL draft obviously presents a significant hole in production to account for, but the Eagles are looking to build off last year's strong finish by having multiple linebackers up their production. At the head of that position is Divitto, who came from an intense environment at national power Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) three years ago and carried that mentality through spring ball and in offseason drills. With the Eagles' season over while other schools went on bowl trips, the junior-to-be took a trip of his own last year: to Athletes' Performance in Phoenix, where he trained for two weeks with NFL draft prospects. That's the kind of mentality BC needs to carry a unit that finished last season 43rd in the nation in scoring defense.

Biggest news of the day: The ACC schedule will be released at 2 p.m. Seriously. Promise.

• Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig is learning yet another offense this spring.
• Here's a look at how a few former Hokies fared at the NFL combine this past weekend.
• Andy Bitter had a detailed account of the Hokies' performances.
• Miami's Lamar Miller and Travis Benjamin were track stars.
• So was former Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill, who "blew the roof off."
• It wasn't exactly a shining moment for former Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen.
• FSU picked up two committments for its class of 2013.
• Nothing is going right for Maryland coach Randy Edsall, whose prized recruit made a Twitter mistake.
• A Virginia football player is willing to risk his standing with the team as he goes on a hunger strike to make a statement.

First-year Boston College offensive coordinator Doug Martin is the latest in a long line of assistants tasked with turning around the Eagles' offense. Martin, who was head coach and offensive coordinator for seven seasons (2004-10) at Kent State, came to BC after one season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach last year at New Mexico State. The Aggies ranked 25th among FBS teams in passing offense in 2011, averaging 273 yards per game, and averaged 398 yards of total offense per game. I caught up with Martin recently to get his take on what he has to work with when spring ball begins at BC on Saturday. Here are the highlights of our conversation:

How would you explain your offensive philosophy to BC fans and what you want to do there?

Doug Martin: We’re a multiple, one-back offense, which means we base out of a one-back, but we can easily, through shifts and motions and personnel changes get into two-back sets just as easily. But a very physical, downhill running game. I’d describe the passing game as a West Coast passing game.

How much are you changing?

DM: It will be quite a bit. The tempo of the offense will be a lot different, we’re much more up-tempo, fast out of the huddle, perhaps some no-huddle parts to the offense also. Just a lot quicker tempo than what they played at, a lot more shifts and motions, a lot more diversity to the offense than what they’ve had.

Have you gotten a chance to look at Chase Rettig, and what do you see in him as a quarterback?

DM: Yes. I really like a lot of the things I see in Chase on film. There are times when you watch him and say, ‘Man, there aren’t many guys who can make that throw.’ You see him throw a post route or certain things. I think it’s more him getting comfortable in a system, and having confidence, which means he’s prepared. I think that’s where we’ve got to get with him. Whoever the quarterback is, that’s how good we’re going to be, whether it’s he or Josh Bordner, whoever it is, that’s how good our offense will be, however good that guy is.

Are you opening up a competition then? I know Josh played a little bit last year.

DM: Any time you go into spring, especially as a new coach, you want competition at every position. I know coach Spaziani feels that way also. Everybody’s gotta go compete.

You mentioned a physical, downhill running game. I know you guys had one of the best backs in the ACC, but Montel was banged up last year. Do you even know what you can expect from him, or is it a spring-will-tell kind of thing?

DM: Well, when he’s healthy, he’s as good as anybody. That was a terrible blow to the offense last year, with him being hurt, but hopefully he’s going to be healthy. He’s doing everything now. He looks great. A lot of quickness, a lot of explosion. From what I’ve seen in the past, he catches the ball really well. He’s a difference-maker.

How much do you feel like you have to accomplish this spring, and what’s a realistic goal in terms of installation?

DM: We’ll get the entire offense installed, that’s not the issue. The issues to me are twofold: No. 1 the attitude of the offensive players. We’ve got to become a much more attack-oriented, aggressive, up-tempo offense, and a lot of that is the attitude that they play with. No. 2 is us establishing an identity offensively. I need to have these guys on the field to find out what they can do. What set of skills do our receivers really excel at? That’s the direction we’ll go. Us coming out of spring with an identity, being able to say, ‘Ok, this is what we’re good at,’ that’s what we’ve got to get done this spring.

How hard is it to get them to buy in because there’s been such an unusual amount of turnover at the coordinator position?

DM: I can tell you the same thing I told them: You don’t win with systems, you win with people. If they will buy in and we are all in this deal together going in one direction, then we’ll succeed. That’s where it is. We’ve got to check the egos at the door, and everybody has to be in this together, including me, and we’ll be fine. I think right now it’s a very hungry group of players offensively. I think they’ve got a little bit of a chip on their shoulder because they haven’t done as well as they wanted to, and that’s healthy. We’ve got to build off of that.

What’s the response you’ve gotten so far from them?

DM: I think a lot of excitement right now. They come in, watch film, see what the offense looks like. I think they’re excited about the possibilities. It’s kind of a fresh start for everybody. What I’ve seen so far has been very, very positive. I love what I see here athletically from the players we’ve got, and I think I can make them better.

Why did you want this job?

DM: No. 1, it’s Boston College. In my mind, it’s one of the best academic and athletic institutions in the country. Look at the tradition of it, both academically and athletically. Not many colleges can say they’ve done what this place has done. And then the chance to compete at a high level as a coach. To come to the ACC and prove to myself that I can coach at this level and put a good product on the field, that’s a great challenge to me.

What do you want BC fans to know about you?

DM: Just that I’m going to do everything in my power to make us an effective offensive football team. There’s no egos with me. It’s all a team-oriented deal. We’ve got a great group of assistant coaches here. We’re going to work as hard as we can to be exciting, but it will be an exciting offensive brand of football for them to come watch.

In following the lead of my SEC colleagues Chris Low and Edward Aschoff, we’re going to start an “offseason spotlight” series for each school in the ACC. There will be a slight difference here, though. I’m going to broaden the scope to include individual players, position groups and coaches. It could be a player who is recovering from an injury, a first-year coach or coordinator, or a group of players who really need to show improvement for 2012.

Regardless, the common denominator is that all of them will need to have big offseasons — starting this spring. We’ll go in alphabetical order, starting today with Boston College:

Spotlight: Doug Martin, first-year offensive coordinator.

2011 summary: Turnover at the coordinator position was again a story line, as Kevin Rogers, who was in his first season, took a leave of absence for health reasons in early September and never returned to the team. Tight ends coach Dave Brock was named acting offensive coordinator and coached the quarterbacks. It was another dismal season for the BC offense, which lost its leading rusher, Montel Harris, for the majority of the season to a knee injury, and finished No. 82 in the country in rushing offense, No. 100 in passing offense, and No. 112 in both scoring offense and total offense.

The skinny: Martin will be the Eagles’ fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons, as BC has replaced Steve Logan (2008), Gary Tranquill (2009-10), and Rogers and Brock (2011). Martin was a former head coach and offensive coordinator for seven seasons (2004-10) at Kent State, and came to BC after one season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at New Mexico State. The Aggies ranked No. 25 among FBS teams in passing offense last year, averaging 273 yards per game, and they averaged 398 yards of total offense per game. If BC is going be a player again in the Atlantic Division race, it must improve offensively. Martin will have eight returning starters to work with, but he must get more out of quarterback Chase Rettig.

With bowl games no longer an option for either team, both Miami and Boston College were playing on Friday afternoon for their seniors, their pride and their future.

At Boston College, the Eagles never quit this season, despite losing six of their first seven games. BC rallied in the second half of the season under coach Frank Spaziani and finished with a 3-2 record in the final five games, including Friday’s 24-17 win over the Canes. It was a gritty, disciplined performance on the road that was classic BC -- tough, hard-nosed, blue-collar football led by the defense.

For Miami, in many ways the game was a microcosm of the entire careers of the recruiting class of 2008: A disappointment that fell below expectations. Miami’s offense produced two big touchdown plays early, but then stuttered for the majority of the game. The running game wasn’t working, so the Canes turned to a short passing game, but third-and-long situations put Miami under pressure. Untimely penalties like the holding call on Harland Gunn early in the fourth quarter were devastating and came at points when Miami desperately needed a spark. Quarterback Jacory Harris threw four interceptions, and made poor throws and decisions down the stretch.

BC’s Chase Rettig, on the other hand, played tough and aggressive in the face of Miami’s pass rush. He made good decisions and threw the ball well. The Eagles also made great use of tight end Chris Pantale, and the running game opened things up in the play-action pass. This was the closest thing to a bowl game that Boston College will see this year, and the Eagles played like it.

Both programs, though, have lots of questions to answer this offseason. Al Golden’s recent contract extension went a long way in erasing the speculation surrounding his future, but the NCAA must still rule on the program’s future. Until it does, though, recruiting will remain the No. 1 priority.

BC must also find a way back to the postseason. Will the Eagles' determination down the stretch be enough to keep Spaziani in the good graces of AD Gene DeFilippo, or will another change be made? Was that the last spectacular collegiate performance for junior linebacker Luke Kuechly, a projected first-round draft pick?

It was a trying season for both programs and head coaches, but on Friday, BC found a way to finish on a positive note.

Last week against Florida State, Boston College lined up against the No. 3 rushing defense in the country with one healthy scholarship running back, Rolandan Finch.

Coach Frank Spaziani had to find another answer. Quickly. So he turned to backup quarterback Josh Bordner.

“In order to give us a contingency plan to move the ball -- necessity is the mother of invention, right? -- so Josh has been practicing with us and doing some things, and we like Josh as a prospect," Spaziani said. "But we were forced into having a contingency plan. Against Florida State, it’s 28-0 and we weren’t exactly moving the chains. So it was time to try something different, right? That’s where that stands.”

Starting quarterback Chase Rettig split time with Bordner in the 38-7 loss to the Noles, and Bordner ran seven times for 45 yards. Finch, who ran for an astounding 243 yards against Maryland the previous week, had two fumbles against FSU and was held to 59 yards on 28 carries. Through nine games this year, BC has had three different starting running backs, including Finch, Andre Williams and Montel Harris, who suffered a season-ending knee injury. Heading into Saturday’s home game against NC State, Spaziani said he expects the position to be much closer to full strength. Both Williams and Tahj Kimble missed the Florida State game with injuries.

“We think we’ll have two or three of them available, in what capacity we don’t know yet,” Spaziani said. “We’re expecting to have a better complement of running backs than we did last Thursday night.”

BOSTON COLLEGE

Record: 1-5, 0-3 ACC

It’s been a woeful first half of the season for the Eagles, who lost the ACC’s returning leading rusher, Montel Harris, for the first three games with a knee injury; one of their top receivers, Ifeanyi Momah, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game. It only got worse this past week when Harris and defensive tackle Kaleb Ramsey were deemed out for the season with injuries. First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers also took a leave of absence in mid-September, and coach Frank Spaziani has said there has been a leadership problem, which stems in part from injuries and a lack of upperclassmen. The problems run deeper than that, though, as attendance is down and fan frustration is up. Athletic director Gene DeFilippo has said Spaziani’s job is safe for this year, and turnover at the head position has been a problem for a program that has had three different coaches in the past five seasons. It’s no wonder the Eagles have struggled on the field. BC got off to a poor start when it lost the season opener to Northwestern and the Wildcats’ backup quarterback, and it snowballed into an 0-3 start. Statistically, BC has been one of the worst teams in the country. The Eagles are last in the ACC in total offense, scoring offense and total defense. Their lone win came against Massachusetts. It’s not going to get any easier in the second half of the season. The Eagles have a bye week before facing a stretch that includes four of the final six games on the road. So far, all signs point to BC having its worst season since 1998.

Offensive MVP: Quarterback Chase Rettig: He is No. 10 in the ACC in passing average per game with 196.8 yards, and he has six touchdowns and five interceptions. He has completed 53.4 percent of his passes for 1,181 yards.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Luke Kuechly: He’s still an All-American and one of the best linebackers in the country. He leads the nation in tackles with 99 and 16.5 per game.

NEWTON, Mass. -- It was a tale of two quarterbacks.

Both are sophomores, working on their second seasons as the starter in their respective offenses. Both took their lumps last season.

Both needed to take big steps forward this season if their teams were going to improve.

On Saturday in Chestnut Hill, one quarterback showed he's making progress and helped his team to a victory by producing a big play in a key situation. The other didn't.

A year after throwing four interceptions against the Eagles, Tanner Price was the model of efficiency in Wake Forest's 27-19 win against BC. He finished 19-for-29 for 252 yards, one touchdown and one interception (which came when a pass glanced off his intended receiver's fingertips). He averaged 13.26 yards per completion.

While he matched him touchdown for touchdown and interception for interception, Chase Rettig's other numbers on the day paled in comparison. The Eagles quarterback finished with twice as many incompletions as completions, 23-for-47 for 188 yards. He averaged 8.17 yards per throw.

This was by far the most revealing week in the ACC, as two division games helped set the tone for the ACC race. There’s still a lot of time for the balance of power to change, of course, but here’s a look at the lessons learned from Week 4:

1. [+] Enlarge
   AP Photo/Richard ShiroSammy Watkins had two scores as Clemson upset top-ranked Florida State.
   Clemson and Georgia Tech have rebounded from their 2010 losing seasons. Both programs, now 4-0, are light years beyond their respective losing seasons from 2010. With their wins on Saturday, the 2009 division champs are once again in the lead for their division races. Georgia Tech’s win over North Carolina proved the Yellow Jackets can be just as effective against conference competition, and Clemson’s win over Florida State proved the Tigers are capable of being more than a one-hit wonder.
2. The ACC took two steps forward in Week 3 and four steps back in Week 4. Instead of following up on the success of Week 3’s upsets of two ranked opponents, the ACC went backwards this week with disappointing, indefensible losses to Kansas State, Temple, and Southern Miss. The league was further embarrassed in NC State’s nationally televised self-destruction against Cincinnati, and Florida State – the ACC’s top-ranked team – couldn’t get it done on the road against Clemson.
3. Florida State backup quarterback Clint Trickett is clutch. You’d never know he was the backup quarterback by looking at his stat line in the loss to Clemson: He threw for 338 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. It was an impressive performance, considering it was his first career start, and it came on the road against a ranked Atlantic Division opponent and before a crowd of 82,000. Trickett not only played well enough to win, but also to raise the question as to who really is the best quarterback on Florida State’s roster.
4. Virginia Tech still has something to prove. Four wins over unheralded nonconference games, and four unconvincing performances. Yes, the Hokies are right where they should be – at 4-0 – heading into the showdown with Clemson, but the win over Marshall revealed the same weaknesses we’ve seen all month. A missed field goal, a fumble and an interception kept Virginia Tech from dominating this game, and quarterback Logan Thomas had another uneven performance. If Virginia Tech is the best team in the Coastal Division and the ACC, it’s got to prove it.
5. Boston College still has fight in it. The Eagles rallied together for their first win of the season, a convincing 45-17 win over UMass. They stopped their three-game losing streak just in time to gain some confidence heading into an Atlantic Division matchup against a well-rested Wake Forest team. It was the most complete game BC had played this season, as the Eagles got what they needed from quarterback Chase Rettig and the offense, and the defense turned turnovers into points.

I'm not going to lie. It would be easier to take these away this week. Florida State takes the Tomahawks away for poor performance on the field. Maryland, NC State, Virginia and Miami -- I want one back. Onto your top five performers for Week 4:

Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill: He had a huge game in the Jackets' 35-28 win over North Carolina and helped Georgia Tech take an early lead in the Coastal Division standings. He finished with six catches for 151 yards and one touchdown, and his one-handed catch in the first half was one of the best plays of the season. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season.

North Carolina tailback Giovani Bernard: It was an impressive performance depsite the 35-28 loss, as his 55-yard touchdown run tied the game with 7:22 left. He finished with 155 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, and he caught five passes for 47 yards. On third-and-15, Bernard took a short pass and turned it into a 19-yard play.

Boston College: Group effort, group sticker, as the Eagles' 45-17 win over UMass was their first win of the season. Quarterback Chase Rettig threw three touchdown passes, and BC's linebackers returned two fumbles for touchdowns. BC controlled this game from start to finish and left no doubt it was the better team.

Clemson's offense: Clemson has now had four straight 400-yard games for the first time since 2009. The Tigers' new offense is clicking under Chad Morris, and they racked up 455 yards and 26 first downs against a top-notch defense. Clemson ran 86 plays to FSU's 53. Quarterback Tajh Boyd accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), and completed 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards in the 35-30 win over Florida State. It was the most passing yards ever against the Seminoles. And the Noles couldn't stop freshman phenom Sammy Watkins, who had eight catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Florida State backup quarterback Clint Trickett: Amazing job. In his first start, on the road, in front of 82,000 fans, Trickett played well enough to win in his first career start. He threw for 336 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the 35-30 loss. Nothing to be ashamed of on his part. He played so well there should be a quarterback controversy in Tally if there isn't.

After three weeks of play, the ACC's quarterback position -- which is filled with first-time starters this season -- is still slowly evolving. Who's stock is up, and whose is down so far? Miami's quarterbacks haven't played enough to know which direction they're headed, and Duke quarterback Sean Refree just had a record-setting weekend after a slow start, so he could just be turning the corner. In the big picture, though, there have definitely been a few surprises:

STOCK RISING

• [+] Enlarge
  Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesTajh Boyd had a breakout performance against Auburn, throwing for 386 yards.
  Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. He has gotten progressively better and made a statement this past weekend by leading the Tigers to an upset over Auburn. He is currently No. 2 in the ACC in passing average per game (303.7), and No. 3 in pass efficiency (173.8). He has thrown 10 touchdowns and one interception.
• Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price: Of all of the returning quarterbacks, Price looks like he has made the biggest strides this past offseason. We saw how valuable he is to the offense when he was injured at Syracuse. Price has thrown six touchdowns and one interception and has completed 62.2 percent of his passes.
• Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington. He's unlikely to ever lead the ACC in passing yards per game, but to lead the conference in pass efficiency shows remarkable improvement for the Jackets' passing game. Washington has completed 60.7 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
• NC State quarterback Mike Glennon. He's clearly much more comfortable than he was in the season opener against Liberty and continues to make strides. He has thrown eight touchdowns and one interception and is fourth in the ACC in pass efficiency.
• North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner. He got off to a fantastic start, never letting the ball hit the ground once in the season opener against James Madison, but then he struggled against Rutgers. Last week against Virginia he was back on target. He has completed an astounding 81.4 percent of his passes but has five touchdowns and four interceptions.

STOCK FALLING

• Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien. The ACC's 2010 Rookie of the Year saw his stock drop this past weekend after he threw three interceptions in the loss to West Virginia. He has now thrown two touchdown passes and four interceptions in two games.
• Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel. He's working through a shoulder injury and is questionable for Saturday's game against Clemson, but for all of the hype surrounding Manuel this preseason, it's been a less than spectacular start. He has thrown six touchdowns and four interceptions.
• Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig. He has thrown just one touchdown pass and three interceptions in three games so far. It hasn't helped that he recently had to go through a change at offensive coordinator, but regardless, we haven't seen the kind of improvement expected from Year 1 to Year 2 yet.
• Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas. Much like Manuel, it's been a pedestrian start for Thomas, but the difference is that Thomas is first-time starter, whereas Manuel has had prior big-game experience. The staff is happy with Thomas and confident he will continue to get better, but he has thrown four touchdowns, three interceptions, and is only averaging 124.8 yards per game. Some of that has to do with how successful the Hokies have been running the ball.
• Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco. The first-year starter has thrown four interceptions and one touchdown so far and ranks last in the ACC in pass efficiency. Still, coach Mike London said this week he wants to stretch the field and take more chances, as the offensive line has been playing well and he thinks Rocco is ready for more responsibility.