ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 11-3
2011 conference record: 7-1 (1st, Coastal)
Returning starters: Offense: 3; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
QB Logan Thomas, WR Marcus Davis, C Andrew Miller, DE James Gayle, DE J.R. Collins, DT Derrick Hopkins, DT Antoine Hopkins, ILB Bruce Taylor, ILB Tariq Edwards, OLB Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, CB Kyle Fuller, S Antone Exum

Key losses
WR Danny Coale, WR Jarrett Boykin, TE Chris Drager, LT Andrew Lanier, RT Blake DeChristopher, RG Jaymes Brooks, LG Greg Nosal, RB David Wilson, CB Jayron Hosley, FS Eddie Whitley

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: David Wilson (1,709 yards)
Passing: Logan Thomas* (3,013 yards)
Receiving: Danny Coale (904 yards)
Tackles: Antone Exum* (89)
Sacks: James Gayle* (7)
Interceptions: Jayron Hosley (3)

Spring answers

1. Logan Thomas: The ACC is loaded with talented quarterbacks in 2012, and Thomas is among the top returners. He accounted for 30 total touchdowns last season and threw for more than 3,000 yards. He is the unquestioned leader and centerpiece of the Hokies' offense, and a strong season could result in a handshake from Roger Goodell at Radio City next April.

2. Defensive line: This unit has the potential to be the best in the conference, as it will play eight or nine men on a regular basis and be the foundation for a defense among the best in the ACC. This group led the conference in sacks a year ago and has looked every bit as capable this spring of doing that again in 2012.

3. Security: The Hokies were faced with a similar position last season, only the exact opposite: Loads of offensive talent came back and the defense had some uncertainties. Virginia Tech still reached the ACC title game and a BCS bowl, extending its nation-best streak of 10 or more wins to an eighth straight season. Entering his 26th season and first as the longest-tenured FBS coach, Frank Beamer has an established track record and knows how to get the most out of his pieces. The hard part right now is finding them on offense.

Fall questions

1. Who will replace David Wilson? Wilson is off with the Giants, a first-round draft pick following a campaign in which he ran for more yards than any running back in Virginia Tech history. Michael Holmes figures to be the No. 1 back entering preseason camp, with J.C. Coleman pushing him for time. The Hokies welcome three new backs this fall, along with Tony Gregory, who missed spring while recovering from knee surgery.

2. Who will protect the newcomer? Holmes or any of his fellow backfield mates won't have the chance to accomplish anything replicating Wilson's production if they don't get the chance. The Hokies return just one starting offensive lineman from last season and will have to adjust quickly if the offense wants to resemble last year's.

3. Secondary help. Second-team all-ACC corner Kyle Fuller is back, along with leading tackle Antone Exum. Sophomore Detrick Bonner has moved from cornerback to free safety, sophomore Kyshoen Jarrett is now at safety and Exum is now at corner. Secondary coach Torrian Gray likes to build versatility, but he will have his hands full trying to replace Eddie Whitley (graduation) and cornerback Jayron Hosley (draft).

Sixteen players from ACC schools were named Wednesday to the 2012 National Football Foundation Hampshire Society for their academic achievement.

The society is in its sixth year, and it honors those from all divisions of college football who maintained a minimum 3.2 GPA throughout their college careers.

Here's the list of ACC honorees:

DB Hampton Hughes (BC)
P Dawson Zimmerman (Clemson)
S Matt Daniels (Duke)
TE Cooper Helfet (Duke)
K Will Snyderwine (Duke)
CB Johnny Williams (Duke)
OT Zebrie Sanders (FSU)
RB Roddy Jones (Georgia Tech)
TE John Calhoun (Miami)
QB Spencer Whipple (Miami)
OT Mikel Overgaard (NC State)
K Robert Randolph (Virginia)
LS Collin Carroll (Virginia Tech)
WR Danny Coale (Virginia Tech)
TE Chris Drager (Virginia Tech)
OG Michael Hoag (Wake Forest)

Despite a 6-6 season in 2011, Miami led all ACC schools with six players getting selected during this past weekend's NFL draft. The ACC as a whole had 31 players selected, the third most among all conferences, behind the Big Ten (41) and, yes, the SEC (42).

NC State had five players taken, the second most among ACC schools. Neither the Hurricanes nor the Wolfpack had any players taken in the first two rounds. Duke and Maryland both had zero players drafted.

Luke Kuechly, as expected, got the ball rolling for the conference Thursday night, when the Panthers took the former Boston College inside linebacker ninth overall. I was a little surprised to see Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill, projected by many as a late first-rounder, fall all the way to the Jets at No. 43.

Here's a school-by-school breakdown of the draft, followed by a round-by-round breakdown:

Miami: 6
NC State: 5
Clemson: 4
FSU: 4
Wake Forest: 4
Virginia Tech: 3
UNC: 2
Georgia Tech: 1
Virginia: 1
Boston College: 1

FIRST ROUND
No. 9, Panthers: ILB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
No. 16, Jets: DE Quinton Coples, UNC
No. 31, Giants: RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech

SECOND ROUND
No. 38, Jaguars: DE Andre Branch, Clemson
No. 43, Jets: WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
No. 52, Titans: OLB Zach Brown, UNC

THIRD ROUND
No. 64, Colts: TE Dwayne Allen, Clemson
No. 69, Bills: WR TJ Graham, NC State
No. 72, Dolphins: DE Olivier Vernon, Miami
No. 86, Steelers: LB Sean Spence, Miami
No. 93, Bengals: DT Brandon Thompson, Clemson
No. 94, Giants: CB Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech

FOURTH ROUND
No. 96, Rams: WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest
No. 97, Dolphins: RB Lamar Miller, Miami
No. 100, Browns: WR Travis Benjamin, Miami
No. 105, Bills: OLB Nigel Bradham, FSU
No. 113, Cowboys: OLB Kyle Wilber, Wake Forest
No. 115, Titans: CB Coty Sensabaugh, Clemson
No. 117, 49ers: G Joe Looney, Wake Forest

FIFTH ROUND
No. 144, Bills: T Zebrie Sanders, FSU
No. 163, Packers: OLB Terrell Manning, NC State

SIXTH ROUND
No. 152, Cowboys: WR Danny Coale, Virginia Tech
No. 176, Jaguars: CB Mike Harris, FSU
No. 187, Jets: S Josh Bush, Wake Forest
No. 198, Ravens: WR Tommy Streeter, Miami
No. 200, Eagles: G Brandon Washington, Miami

SEVENTH ROUND
No. 210, Vikings: ILB Audie Cole, NC State
No. 225, Seahawks: DE JR Sweezy, NC State
No. 237, 49ers: DE Cam Johnson, Virginia
No. 239, Giants: DT Markus Kuhn, NC State
No. 241, Packers: T Andrew Datko, FSU

It's NFL draft eve, and it's the last Wednesday before the event, meaning one last chance for our team of analysts to predict how this weekend will unfold.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay reveal their final draft boards, and each has a mock , with McShay and the rest of the Scouts Inc. team going seven rounds full .

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, naturally, tops the list, going No. 5 to the Buccaneers. North Carolina end Quinton Coples is next off the board at No. 19, to the Bears, with wideout Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech going two spots later to the Bengals.

How do the rest of the ACC's draft-eligible players stand? Let's take a look:

ROUND 2
No. 36, Buccaneers: RB David Wilson (Virginia Tech)
No. 50, Bears: OLB Zach Brown (UNC)
No. 58, Texans: DE Andre Branch (Clemson)
No. 59, Packers: RB Lamar Miller (Miami)

ROUND 3
No. 64, Colts: DT Brandon Thompson (Clemson)
No. 68, Buccaneers: CB Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech)
No. 72, Dolphins: OT Zebrie Sanders (FSU)
No. 76, Texans: TE Dwayne Allen (Clemson)
No. 80, Cardinals: DE Olivier Vernon (Miami)
No. 82, Titans: WR Chris Givens (Wake Forest)
No. 91, Ravens: G Joe Looney (Wake Forest)
No. 95, Raiders: DE Cam Johnson (Virginia)

ROUND 4
No. 100, Browns: OLB Nigel Bradham (FSU)
No. 124, Bills: OLB Sean Spence (Miami)
No. 125, 49ers: CB Chase Minnifield (Virginia)
No. 128, Vikings: OLB Terrell Manning (NC State)
No. 129, Raiders: OLB Kyle Wilber (Wake Forest)
No. 130, Ravens: WR Danny Coale (Virginia Tech)

ROUND 5
No. 154, Jets: WR Tommy Streeter (Miami)
No. 157, Falcons: WR TJ Graham (NC State)
No. 159, Steelers: G Brandon Washington (Miami)
No. 162, Saints: CB Coty Sensabaugh (Clemson)

ROUND 6
No. 176, Jaguars: DT Marcus Forston (Miami)
No. 178, Bills: ILB Audie Cole (NC State)
No. 188, Broncos: DE Rennie Moore (Clemson)
No. 191, Bengals: WR Travis Benjamin (Miami)
No. 197, Packers: OT Andrew Datko (FSU)
No. 205, Browns: G Antoine McClain (Clemson)

ROUND 7
No. 209, Rams: WR Dwight Jones (UNC)
No. 240, Steelers: DE Matt Conrath (Virginia)
No. 242, Jets: TE George Bryan (NC State)
No. 243, Packers: RB Davin Meggett (Maryland)
No. 245, Browns: DT Markus Kuhn (NC State)
No. 250, Chargers: CB Donnie Fletcher (BC)

Here's a breakdown by school of the 37 ACC players that Scouts Inc. thinks will be drafted:

Miami: 7
Clemson: 6
NC State: 5
Virginia Tech: 3
UNC: 3
Virginia: 3
Wake Forest: 3
FSU: 3
BC: 2
Georgia Tech: 1
Maryland: 1
Duke: 0

No shortage of news today, guys ...

• FSU running back James Wilder Jr. has been arrested.
• The Orlando Sentinel is reporting a different version of the story that includes violence in the charge.
• Georgia Tech is the last piece to the ACC's scheduling puzzle.
• Dwayne Allen and Antoine McClain are up first for Clemson at the NFL combine.
• Former Virginia Tech receiver Danny Coale has a logical take on the combine -- they're all unemployed and looking for work.
• Former Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill says he is feeling great and not nervous at all about the combine.
• Here's a look at Miami's prospects at the NFL combine.
• Miami's former equipment manager has confirmed some things Nevin Shapiro has said and denied others.
• Miami defensive tackle Luther Robinson is considering transferring.

ESPN's Scouts Inc. broke down the top NFL prospects at each offensive position heading into the NFL combine, and it looks like the ACC could have some stars at wide receiver and/or tight end.

When it comes to ball skills, former Virginia Tech receiver Danny Coale ranked among the top five receivers at the combine. Scouts Inc. also ranked the receivers by their big-play abilities, and Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill ranked No. 4, followed by Miami's Travis Benjamin, who was tied for fifth.

Former Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen was No. 3 in the "separation skills" category, while Miami's Chase Ford was No. 3 in big-play abilities, and NC State's George Bryan was No. 2 in competitiveness.

Two of the ACC's offensive linemen were also featured, as Florida State's Zebrie Sanders was the No. 3 tackle in run blocking, and Wake's Joe Looney was the No. 2 guard in awareness.

The official invite list for the NFL combine is out. Every school but Duke is represented, and there are a total of 43 former players from the conference who will participate, including Miami's entire starting lineup from 2011. Well, ok, not really, but it's a pretty big hit for the Canes. Best of luck to all of these guys at the next level.

Here are your ACC representatives:

BOSTON COLLEGE (1)

• Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

CLEMSON (6)

• Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
• Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
• Antoine McClain, OG, Clemson
• Rennie Moore, DT, Clemson
• Coty Sensabaugh, DB, Clemson
• Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

FLORIDA STATE (6)

• Nigel Bradham, LB, Florida State
• Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State
• Mike Harris, CB, Florida State
• Shawn Powell, P, Florida State
• Beau Reliford, TE, Florida State
• Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

GEORGIA TECH (1)

• Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

MARYLAND (1)

• Davin Meggett, RB, Maryland

MIAMI (8)

• Travis Benjamin, WR, Miami
• Marcus Forston, DT, Miami
• Jacory Harris, QB, Miami
• Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
• Sean Spence, LB, Miami
• Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
• Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
• Brandon Washington, OT, Miami

NORTH CAROLINA (6)

• Charles Brown, CB, UNC
• Zach Brown, LB, UNC
• Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
• Dwight Jones, WR, UNC
• Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina
• Tydreke Powell, DT, UNC

NC STATE (5)

• Audie Cole, LB, NC State
• T.J. Graham, WR, NC State
• Markus Kuhn, DT, NC State
• Terrell Manning, LB, NC State
• J.R. Sweezy, DT, NC State

VIRGINIA TECH (4)

• Jarrett Boykin, WR, Virginia Tech
• Danny Coale, WR, Virginia Tech
• Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
• David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

VIRGINIA (2)

• Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia
• Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

WAKE FOREST (4)

• Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
• Joe Looney, OG, Wake Forest
• Cyhl Quarles, S, Wake Forest
• Kyle Wilber, LB, Wake Forest

Now that the collegiate all-star games are over, Kevin Weidl and the crew at Scouts Inc. have officially turned their attention to the NFL combine, which will be held later this month. Weidl recently highlighted four players who have stood out in recent days -- for better or for worse -- and former Virginia Tech receiver Danny Coale was among them. Here's an excerpt from what Weidl had to say about the former Hokie:

There's a lot to like about Coale's overall skill set. He's a smart, competitive player who contributes in a variety of ways. He's a valuable special teams player who is reliable fielding punts and can get positive yards on returns, is solid on coverage teams, and has also filled in as a punter during his career. However, it's his skills as a receiver that are the real selling point.

We’ve already taken a look at what the recruiting needs were for the Atlantic Division. Let’s shift our attention to the Coastal Division. Here’s a look at where each school’s biggest holes will be in 2012 or are anticipated to be in the near future:

DUKE


Offensive skill positions: After last year’s rare class that didn’t include either a quarterback or running back, both positions are needed in this group. Quarterback Thomas Sirk -- the MVP of the 57th annual Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Football Classic last December -- has already enrolled in school while Shaquille Powell -- a PARADE All-American running back from Las Vegas -- has committed to the program. In addition, with David Cutcliffe’s offense, wide receivers and tight ends also are a priority.

Kicker: Will Snyderwine, who earned first team All-America honors as a junior before struggling through a sub-par season in 2011, graduated, but Duke has a commitment from Ohio native Ross Martin, considered the No. 2 placekicking prospect in the country by ESPN.com.

Safety: With the transition to a 4-2-5 alignment that utilizes three safeties, this becomes an annual point of emphasis. The Blue Devils lose All-American Matt Daniels to graduation.

GEORGIA TECH


Defensive line: This is the most glaring need in the current class. The Yellow Jackets have to replace senior starters Logan Walls (DT) and Jason Peters (DE), but return Izaan Cross (DE) and solid backups T.J. Barnes (DT), Emmanuel Dieke (DE) and Euclid Cummings (DE). The Jackets are expected to sign about 18 players in this year’s class, and five of them should be defensive linemen.

Wide receiver:This is another glaring need after the departures of Stephen Hill, who decided to leave early for the NFL draft, and Tyler Melton. Darren Waller and Jeff Greene, who both played last season as true freshmen, have lots of potential, but the position still needs depth.


MIAMI

Defensive backs: There’s still a lot of depth with this group, and the return of Ray-Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque helps, but the Canes have to replace two starters in the secondary and have six commits in the current class to help do that.

Defensive line: The Canes have to replace Adewale Ojomo, Micanor Regis, Andrew Smith and Olivier Vernon from last year’s two-deep. The defensive end position was a particular focus in this class.

Receiver: This position lost a lot with the departures of Tommy Streeter, LaRon Byrd and Travis Benjamin. Allen Hurns is now the veteran of the group, along with redshirt senior Kendal Thompkins. There are five receivers currently committed in this class.

Quarterback: Beyond Stephen Morris, Miami has a lot of questions at the position and not a lot of experience. True freshmen Gray Crow and Preston Dewey are already on the roster, along with redshirt sophomore Ryan Williams.

NORTH CAROLINA

Defensive line: This is one of the biggest areas of concern after the departures of Quinton Coples and Tydreke Powell.

Receivers: Larry Fedora’s offense will make good use of this group, but he needs to replace standout Dwight Jones.

Linebackers: This group was thin to begin with in 2011, and now the Heels need to replace outgoing senior Zach Brown. Kevin Reddick is now the main man.

Safety: UNC will have to replace two starters in Matt Merletti, Charles Brown and Jonathan Smith, so this position will have to be rebuilt for the future.

VIRGINIA

Defensive back: This should be the main priority in this class. The Cavaliers will lose four DBs, including two starting safeties in Rodney McCleod and Corey Mosley, and standout cornerback Chase Minnifield. They’ll also miss Dom Joseph, who came in for the nickel packages. Demetrious Nicholson, who started as a true freshman last year, is suddenly the veteran of the group.

Offensive line: The Hoos will have to replace their starting center and left guard. Redshirt freshman center Cody Wallace could get a promotion, and sophomore right guard Luke Bowanko started in the bowl game. They’ve got some big bodies waiting in the wings, but they’ll have some questions to answer here this spring.

Kickers: This position needs to be rebuilt, as the Cavaliers lose Robert Randolph, who finished sixth all time in scoring at UVa, kickoff specialist Chris Hinkebein, and four-year punter Jimmy Howell. The position is wide open heading into the spring.

VIRGINIA TECH

Running back: This one is a no-brainer, as the Hokies have lost four players here in the past two years. David Wilson and his backup, Josh Oglesby, were the latest to depart, and Tony Gregory just had ACL surgery and is out for the spring. The staff likes Michael Holmes, who redshirted last year, and J.C. Coleman enrolled last week.

Receiver: The Hokies will miss Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin, and next year’s class has three seniors in Dyrell Roberts, D.J. Coles, and Marcus Davis. The future of the position is young, and the staff is still going after several uncommitted players pretty hard.

Defensive line: This year’s class already includes at least five committed defensive linemen, and the Hokies will be particularly thin at noseguard. They had some players graduate early who didn’t play a lot, but at least provided depth.

Linebacker:The Hokies have four committed, and are still chasing another just to build the depth. The staff missed on some recruits at this position last year and would like to make up for it in this class.

Doug Rhoads, ACC coordinator of football officiating, sent me the year-end numbers for the league's instant replay in 2011. In regards to Virginia Tech receiver Danny Coale's non-touchdown catch in overtime against Michigan in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Rhoads said the Pac-12's official response to his inquiry was that their replay official had one view that showed the ball touched the ground.

Rhoads' official statement was, "After my review of the play, I did not see any indisputable video evidence to overturn the call on the field. The philosophy of the NCAA instant replay rules are based on the assumption the call on the field is correct — and it can be changed only upon the high standard of INDISPUTABLE VIDEO EVIDENCE.”

Here are the official numbers for instant replay in the ACC:

Games: 83

Games with no stoppages: 10

Plays reviewed with stoppage: 176 ( down 39 from last season)

Plays reversed: 46 (25%)

Coaches' challenges: 16

Successful coaches' challenges: 3

Average review time: 1:20

Average game length: 3 hours, 11 minutes

Breakdown of plays reviewed by type of play:

" Catch/No Catch (36%)

" Scoring play (24%)

" Fumble/No Fumble (13%)

(Note: Rhoads said 73% of all stoppages are the three aforementioned types of plays — this has been true for all six seasons of replay nationally — obviously these are the most difficult plays for officials.)

It’s time to review some of the highs and lows from the ACC bowl season (there were highlights, I swear) …

Best performance: NC State cornerback David Amerson had two interceptions in a 31-24 win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl. He broke the ACC single-season record, and also moved into a tie for second place in FBS history for single-season interceptions with 13. The Pack were leading 24-10 in the third quarter when Amerson’s 65-yard interception return for a touchdown broke the record. His second interception late in the game moved him into a tie for second place in FBS history.

Best offensive performance in a losing effort: Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas. He outplayed Michigan’s Denard Robinson in every phase but the scoreboard. He threw for 214 yards and ran for 53. He also had an impressive 13-yard scramble on fourth-and-11. In his first season as a starter, Thomas finished with 3,482 yards of total offense, breaking Tyrod Taylor’s school record, which was set in 2010.

Best team defensive performance: Florida State. The Noles held the Irish scoreless for two quarters, and forced three turnovers, all interceptions.

Best defensive game plan: Virginia Tech. Michigan was in disarray, and Bud Foster had a lot to do with that. Fitzgerald Toussaint was held to just 30 rushing yards, and quarterback Denard Robinson had just 13 rushing yards. Nobody scored on the ground, and Michigan was just 4-of-13 on third-down conversions.

Best on-the-job training: Florida State’s offensive line. The Noles started four freshmen against Notre Dame, and they gave up five sacks, but they also grew up right before our eyes and looked much better in the second half.

Best quote: “I don't care what people think. I made a decision what was best for this football team going forward. When I made the decision and weighing all options and looking at the talent this kid has I knew we would have a quarterback. I don't have to feel vindicated by anybody. … But he helped [vindicate] me." -- NC State coach Tom O’Brien on replacing Russell Wilson with Mike Glennon, who was named the MVP of the Belk Bowl with three touchdowns.

Worst defensive performance. None other than the 70 points Clemson allowed, of course. Most. Points. Ever. In any bowl game. Ever.

Worst moment: The look of devastation on Danny Coale’s face when his would-be 20-yard touchdown catch in overtime was overturned by the replay officials and ruled incomplete.

Worst officiating: The Allstate Sugar Bowl. Take your pick. There were plenty of questionable calls in that game, but the most controversial was probably Coale’s negated touchdown catch. Whether it was a catch or not isn’t the point. Instead, there didn’t seem to be enough indisputable video evidence to overturn the original call of a touchdown.

Worst stat: The ACC dropped to 2-13 in BCS bowls.

Worst stat II: The ACC was outscored by 74 points in its bowl games.

Worst effort: North Carolina played like its coach had one foot out the door. Oh wait, never mind. … Missouri racked up 31 points in the first half. UNC had the ACC’s second-best rushing defense and allowed Missouri 337 rushing yards while UNC had 36.

NEW ORLEANS -- This wasn’t the ACC’s only chance to make a statement.

This was the ACC’s 14th chance, to be exact.

Following Virginia Tech’s 23-20 overtime loss to Michigan on Tuesday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the ACC dropped to 2-12 in its BCS games. That’s 14 years of developing a reputation, over a decade of results that won’t be erased with one Discover Orange Bowl win, or any other statement nonconference game for that matter. Clemson is up next on the BCS stage, but no matter what the Tigers do on Wednesday night against West Virginia, it won’t change the perception of the ACC overnight, nor will it ease the frustration of Virginia Tech’s narrow loss to an unimpressive Michigan team.

For those within Virginia Tech’s locker room following the loss, this was obviously a heartbreaker. It wasn’t a lack of effort; it was a lack of execution. You could see the devastation on receiver Danny Coale’s face when his would-be touchdown reception in overtime was reviewed and called an incomplete pass. You could hear the frustration when running back David Wilson unabashedly singled-out the officiating as the difference in the game. Twice. And you could tell by the look on coach Frank Beamer’s face as he made the long walk to the interview podium after the game that he knew they didn’t get it done and he was going to have to answer for it. Again.

Beamer dropped to 1-5 in BCS games. The ACC dropped another notch with him.

Beamer’s program has been the one tasked with representing the ACC the most often, and while getting to a BCS bowl is an accomplishment in itself, it’s no longer enough to satisfy fans or quiet critics.

“I think everybody in Virginia Tech football put a lot into this ballgame, I can tell you,” Beamer said. “And we wanted to get a win for the ACC and wanted to get a win for Virginia Tech. We haven’t done as well as we want to in these BCS games.”

This one might sting even more than last year’s embarrassing loss to Stanford in the Orange Bowl because it was oh-so-painfully close. Buried in the big picture was a great story about a third-string kicker, Justin Myer, who made the first four field goals of his career and sent the game into overtime before his fifth and most important attempt went wide right, his lone miss of the game. No shame in that performance. There was no shame in the terrific job Bud Foster’s defense did on quarterback Denard Robinson, who had a forgettable performance and was bailed out by receiver Junior Hemingway and the Wolverine's defense. Michigan was held to 184 total yards and just 56 rushing yards.

For a majority of the game, Virginia Tech looked like the better team. It had the better quarterback. It had the better defense. But it didn’t have an answer for the nation’s No. 5 red zone defense.

While there were some calls that could be questioned by the officials (aren’t there always?) it wouldn’t have come down to that had Virginia Tech scored more than one touchdown in six trips.

The Hokies’ performance against Michigan was a microcosm of the ACC’s story in BCS bowls: missed opportunities. It all started in the first quarter, on Virginia Tech’s first offensive possession, and you could almost hear the exasperation throughout ACC country on Twitter.

On first and goal from Michigan’s 4-yard line, Wilson ran for a loss of 22 yards. Uh oh …

On fourth-and-1 from Michigan’s 4-yard line, Logan Thomas was held for no gain. Here we go again …

Michigan recovered a fumble on a kickoff that led to a field goal and a 10-6 lead. Not again …

Thomas intercepted in the third quarter, a play that led to a Michigan touchdown. Again?!

After making the first four field goals of his career, Myer missed what could have been the game-winning 37-yard attempt. Sigh, typical ACC.

It took longer than four quarters for Virginia Tech and the ACC to fall into this hole, and even with two teams in BCS bowls for the first time in league history, it’s going to take more than that to dig out of it.

Virginia Tech senior Danny Coale has been a standout receiver, punter and punt returner for the ACC’s Coastal Division champs this year.

No biggie. He can handle all of that.

It was his “Finance Concepts and Skills” class that really threw him for a loop this past summer. Assistant professor Derek Klock, Coale said, was an ex-military man who was “very intimidating.”

“I went in the class and introduced myself after the first class,” Coale said. “I told him I was involved in football. He said, 'What do you run the 40 in?' I said, 'Oh, you know, 4.4, in that area.' He said, 'Well, for this class, you’re going to have to run faster.' At that moment I knew I was in for something unique. I’m sure he laughed about that for a while, but I was a deer in headlights.

“I was on pins and needles every day trying to follow the finance world and make sure I had my current events right,” Coale said. “I would go to the library every night to study and make sure I didn’t fall behind. I’ve never spent so much time in the library and never been challenged like that. It ended up being really, really rewarding.”

Meet Danny Coale -- the poster boy for the NCAA’s “student-athlete.” He’s a record-setting receiver. He’s this year’s winner of the Jim Tatum Scholar Athlete Award. And he’s a big reason this year’s senior class has a chance to go out as the winningest bunch in school history if it can beat Michigan in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Oh, and he’s also a recent graduate of Virginia Tech, thanks in part to a hard-earned B-plus in Klock’s class.

“It’s tough to even describe Danny. He’s one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met in my life,” said quarterback Logan Thomas. “He can do it all. He’s a punter, he’s a receiver, and the classroom is just another dimension of who he is and what he can do. It’s very nice to have a guy like that on our team. It makes not only the team better, but the people on the team better.”

Yet Coale has somehow been one of the most underrated players in the ACC throughout his career. He set the school freshman reception record with 36 catches, he has at least two catches in 44 of 54 career games, and at least one catch in 50 of 54 games. He had his longest and most important catch in the final minutes of the 2009 Nebraska game, when he broke free down the sideline for an 81-yard gain to set up the game-winning touchdown pass with 21 seconds left. Regardless of what Virginia Tech's offense does against Michigan in the Sugar Bowl, Coale has already left his mark on the program and those within it.

“He’s just neat,” said coach Frank Beamer. “He really is neat. He’s really -- you look at him and he’s a really good football player. He’s smart, he understands the game, and that shows out there. I think he’s sneaky fast. He gets away from you before you realize he’s there. He’s just the total package. You feel so proud he represents Virginia Tech, and that he’s been with you here in your program for four years and what a delight he’s been. What a great representative he’s been, and how many big plays he’s been involved in here at Virginia Tech. He’s special, real special.”

Coale has a career average of 16.3 yards per catch. He enters the Sugar Bowl with 157 career receptions for 2,541 yards and seven touchdowns. His 157 receptions and his 2,541 yards are both the second-best in school history, trailing Jarrett Boykin in both. What has separated him from many, though, has been his ability to juggle multi-tasking on the field while maintaining a high regard for his academics.

“I kind of have the same approach to everything,” Coale said. “I try to work hard at everything. I know people in the football world are probably tired of hearing that, but I have classes that are challenging, and that’s something I look forward to, meeting that challenge and working hard to get better at that. It’s the same thing on the field. It takes a little bit of a balance, but as long as you do what you’re told you find success.”

This past spring, Coale was a surprise at the top of the depth chart at punter. He punted in high school, but hadn’t since, until doing it twice at Marshall and then at Virginia, where he averaged 47.5 yards on four punts. He hit a 61- and a 60-yarder in the ACC championship game, prompting many to wonder where that aspect of the Hokies’ special teams had been all season.

“It was really exciting,” Coale said. “It was like high school all over again. It was something I said I always wanted to do. To be able to do it in a championship game and do not horrible at it was cool. It was refreshing and fun. That’s what it’s all about, having fun and playing the position you love, and that’s kind of how it was."

Despite his degree in finance and second undergraduate degree in marketing management, Coale will first try to live out his dream of playing in the NFL.

“I’ll definitely try the next level, give that a shot. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was little,” he said. “What football player wouldn’t tell you that? But it’s something I’ve waited 23 years for the opportunity. I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be in the position to do that now. I might give punting a shot, see how that works out. I don’t really know.”

If it’s like anything else Coale has tried, odds are he’ll find a way to make it work -- or work until he finds a way.

NEW ORLEANS -- Just wanted to give you a heads up on what's going on today here at the media headquarters:

9:15 a.m. ET --Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, WR Danny Coale, OT Blake DeChristopher, TE Chris Drager, QB Logan Thomas, and RB David Wilson will all be available to the media.

10:15 a.m. ET --Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, LB Kenny Demens, S Jordan Kovacs, DT Mike Martin, DE Craig Roh, and DE Ryan Van Bergen will be available for interviews.

2 p.m. ET --Virginia Tech practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

I'll have more videos and updates throughout the day, so please check back for more updates.

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Welcome to the football capital of the season, home of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, a Saints game on Sunday, and the BCS national championship. The Hokies took over the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for practice this afternoon, and several of the defensive assistants were made available to the media, along with Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. All of the coaches were laid-back, in good spirits, and defensive line coach Charley Wiles was particularly entertaining and engaging.

The good news: There haven't been any injuries yet that will sideline any Hokies for Tuesday's game against Michigan. The hard artificial surface is beginning to wear on some of the players, and they're getting adjusted to the indoor lights, but the controlled climate will be good for ...

The bad news: Virginia Tech is down two kickers, and Beamer said today that recent practices haven't provided any answer. And no, Danny Coale won't be receiving, punting, returning punts AND kicking field goals. Starter Cody Journell spent almost a week in jail after felony breaking-and-entering charges, and then one day after he was released, his backup, fifth-year senior Tyler Weiss was sent home on a Greyhound bus for breaking curfew.

Justin Myer is expected to handle the placekicking duties against Michigan, but Michael Branthover is also an option. Myer has a strong leg, but he has struggled with his accuracy. He is 0-for-2 against Virginia Tech. Prediction? If he has to make a choice — go for it or kick a field goal, Beamer might try and goferit when he usually wouldn't in some situations.

The majority of questions today were about how Virginia Tech plans to account for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, and it's the key to the game. While the Hokies' defense has spent plenty of time going against former quarterback Tyrod Taylor in practice, defensive backs coach Torrian Gray said Robinson is faster than Taylor, and that nobody on the team could simulate what Robinson does. This will be a big test for a young defense, but Beamer said linebacker Alonzo Tweedy (ankle) is close enough to 100 percent.

"I don’t know that he’s totally 100 percent, but I think he’s close enough that he can be back to the old Tweedy,” Beamer said. “We need that. I think he gives you some options back in there defensively and on our special teams."

Gray said there's been an "edginess" to the Hokies' defense in their bowl game preparations, so it sounds like the guys are ready to redeem themselves from their performance against Clemson, but this will be an even bigger challenge.