ACC: John Russell
Here's your spring scouting report on the Demon Deacons:
2009 overall record: 5-7
2009 conference record: 3-5
Returning starters
Offense: 6, defense: 7, punter/kicker: 2
Top returners
WR Marshall Williams, WR Devon Brown, RB Josh Adams, G Joe Looney, C Russell Nenon, DE Tristan Dorty, DE Kyle Wilber, LB Matt Woodlief, SS Cyhl Quarles, P Shane Popham , CB Kenny Okoro
Key losses
OT Chris DeGeare, QB Riley Skinner, OG Jeff Griffin, OG Barrett McMillin, DT John Russell, DT Boo Robinson, CB Brandon Ghee
2009 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Adams* (541 yards)
Passing: Skinner (3,160 yds)
Receiving: Williams* (867 yds)
Tackles: Dominique Midgett (79)
Sacks: Russell (4.5)
Interceptions: Okoro* (3)
Spring answers
1. Help for the quarterback. Wake Forest found some playmakers this spring who can help ease the transition for a new starting quarterback. Brown and Chris Givens can both take a handoff on a sweep, and the Deacs have two veterans in Adams and Brandon Pendergrass. Wake’s ground game should get a boost from both the running backs and wide receivers.
2. New quarterback, new offense. Without Skinner, the Deacs are making the transition to a more run-based option offense, and No. 1 on this list will help them do that. Regardless of who wins the quarterback job, he’ll likely bring an added dimension with his ability to run, and Skylar Jones demonstrated that this spring.
3. New staff assignments. Coach Jim Grobe reassigned some of his assistants to better take advantage of their strengths, and those transitions went well this spring. The biggest change was the move of Steve Russ, a former defensive coordinator at Syracuse, from tight ends and fullbacks to linebackers.
Fall questions
1. Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. Jones finished the spring atop the depth chart, but part of that decision was based on durability. Jones didn’t miss a day of practice this spring. Historically, that’s been a quality Grobe likes -- guys who can stay healthy in his system. But the staff thinks very highly of incoming freshman Tanner Price, who will be given every opportunity to win the job as well. Regardless of who starts the season opener, they’re all inexperienced.
2. Woe-line. Possibly a bigger concern than who the starting quarterback will be is how the offensive line will come together. The Deacs return Nenon at center, but he missed all of spring and added to the unit’s injury concerns. Wake is missing established tackles, and the group is trying to get back to running the ball the way it did before Skinner. The previous linemen were recruited to be run blockers, but the focused changed when they got a great passing quarterback.
3. Defensive jobs up for grabs. Wake Forest has a lot of young talent, making for some ongoing competition this summer at five or six positions. The interior defensive line, defensive end and linebacker are areas where there are two legitimate potential starters as opposed to two backups trying to earn promotions.
What to watch in the ACC this spring
BOSTON COLLEGE
Spring practice starts: March 18
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:
• How linebacker Mark Herzlich progresses. Herzlich, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer last May, has been going through winter conditioning with his teammates, and he plans on participating in spring drills. How quickly he regains his form will be worth watching, as he and sophomore Luke Kuechly could give the Eagles one of the most formidable linebacking corps.
• The quarterback battle. After one season, Dave Shinskie has the most experience on the roster, but he’ll get some competition from Josh Bordner and Chase Rettig, two early enrollees. There were times last season when Shinskie looked like the future of the position and there were others when he looked like any other freshman.
• Defensive linemen. For the second straight year, BC is looking for some stability up front. The Eagles have to replace left tackle Austin Giles and defensive end Jim Ramella. They return Kaleb Ramsey, Giles’ backup, and Brad Newman, Ramella’s reserve, but some young faces are likely to be seen in the rotation.
CLEMSON
Spring practice starts: March 7
Spring game: April 10
What to watch:
• Life without C.J. Spiller officially begins. The backs behind him had a pretty good year, so there’s no need for full panic mode. Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington actually combined for a higher yards per carry average (6.1 to 5.6 yards). Clemson will also be looking to replace Spiller’s lost kickoff return yardage. The Tigers had a 13-yard advantage in average starting field position, as their start was their own 37-yard line compared to opponents’ 24-yard line. Ellington is a candidate in the return game.
• Kyle Parker’s batting average. No, really. How well Parker does this spring with the baseball team will help determine whether he remains Clemson’s quarterback or turns to the MLB draft. He didn’t have a great 2009 season, but he was still the fastest player to 25 home runs in school history. It remains to be seen this spring if he’ll become a high enough draft choice to give up college football.
• Secondary shuffling. It seems like eons ago since Crezdon Butler and Chris Chancellor weren’t the Tigers’ starting corners, as Butler started 40 straight games and Chancellor started 42. Butler finished his career second in school history in interception return yards. Now it’s time for a new duo. Will Marcus Gilchrist move to corner, which he’s capable of doing? Might Rashard Hall move to safety with DeAndre McDaniel?
DUKE
Spring practice starts: Feb. 14
Spring game: March 27
What to watch:
• Quarterback competition. Somebody has to take over for the graduated Thaddeus Lewis, but his backup – Sean Renfree – will miss the spring with a torn ACL. Redshirt freshman Sean Schroeder should be heavily in the mix to be the starter, pending Renfree’s recovery.
• Defensive line makeover. It’s wide open. Charlie Hatcher is entrenched at nose guard, but it’s really anyone’s game. The staff might move redshirt senior Wesley Oglesby, who played the majority of his career at defensive end, inside. Other options are defensive tackle Sydney Sarmiento, a redshirt freshman, and Curtis Hazelton, who played sparingly last season.
• Johnny Williams’ move from wide receiver to cornerback. He had 31 catches in 2009 – the fourth-best on the team. Now they need his help in the defensive backfield. Duke will lose starter Leon Wright and his 10 career interceptions, and the pass defense, which allowed 215.75 yards per game, could use a boost.
FLORIDA STATE
Spring practice starts: March 16
Spring game: April 10
What to watch:
• Christian Ponder’s return from shoulder surgery. Ponder is expected to practice this spring, though it could be on a limited basis, at least early. He’s ahead of schedule, but the coaches won’t subject him to any risks now. Yes, E.J. Manuel is talented and played well at the end of the season, but make no mistake – Ponder is FSU’s starter and a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.
• The defense under first-year coordinator Mark Stoops. His secondary, in particular, will be interesting to watch, as will how quickly he can help the front seven generate a pass rush and plug the middle. Stoops has been a secondary coach, and the Noles lost three starters there. The fourth, Ochuko Jenije, could be pushed to retain his job.
• New faces, new opportunities. In addition to the fab freshmen who are coming in, FSU has a handful of unfamiliar players already on the roster who played sparingly or not at all. We'll see how they fit in this spring. RS-So DT Anthony McCloud and RS-So RB Debrale Smiley are both junior college transfers and former teammates. Physically, freshman linebacker Jeff Luc is already a man, but how quickly can he mature on the field? Two young wide receivers worth watching are Rodney Smith and Willie Haulstead.
GEORGIA TECH
Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:
• The defensive transformation. The Jackets will switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4 under first-year coordinator Al Groh. In addition to learning the new scheme, the staff has to figure out who goes where. Linebackers might play defensive end and vice versa, safeties might play outside linebacker. It’s anyone’s guess as to how this team lines up in the spring.
• The replacements. From Georgia Tech’s coaching staff to the new faces who will be tasked with filling in for the Fab Four -- Jonathan Dwyer, Derrick Morgan, Morgan Burnett and Demaryius Thomas -- the Jackets will need some “Hello My Name Is” tags this spring.
• The offensive line. Three offensive linemen redshirted who could start, and Georgia Tech might need them to, especially if guard Joseph Gilbert decides to transfer to pursue his MBA. The Jackets lose two starters on the offensive line, and Gilbert, who graduates this spring, would be a third if he leaves. Center Sean Bedford and tackle Austin Barrick return as seniors.
MARYLAND
Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:
• The quarterback competition. Chris Turner has graduated, leaving Jamarr Robinson the top option going into the spring, but he has limited experience. The staff liked what he did when Turner was injured, but Danny O’Brien, Miami (Ohio) transfer Clay Belton and C.J. Brown will all be given an opportunity. Look for O’Brien to start the spring at No. 2 on the depth chart.
• Cornerback: Cameron Chism is the only returning starter in the secondary, but right now the staff has fewer concerns about the safeties. Maryland will have to find some bodies at corner, and Dexter McDougle, who redshirted as a true freshman last year, is one option. Michael Carter and Trenton Hughes, who was the third corner last year, are also among a handful of candidates.
• The offensive line. Losing Bruce Campbell to the NFL hurt, but the Terps also lost starter Phil Costa. Justin Gilbert, a redshirt sophomore, could inherit Campbell’s job. And there’s always Mr. Versatility -- Paul Pinegar. He has helped the Terps at both tackle spots and left guard, and this spring he’ll likely be given a shot at center.
MIAMI
Spring practice starts: Feb. 23
Spring game: March 27 (tentative)
What to watch:
• Tight end/offensive line: Jimmy Graham is gone, and the Canes don’t return any tight ends with any experience other than Richard Gordon, who was injured the majority of last season. Miami signed four tight ends in this recruiting class, but none of them were early enrollees. Miami has to replace three starters up front, including both tackles and the center.
• How the two young quarterbacks perform: The health of Jacory Harris was precious last year, as he had nobody behind him with any experience after the transfers of Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith. The depth has improved a bit with A.J. Highsmith, who played sparingly last year, and Stephen Morris, one of the early enrollees.
• Upgrade on the d-line? Progress up front began with the hire of Rick Petri as defensive line coach, and it’s up to Petri to help the Canes become better pass rushers. Miami will depend upon its two mainstays -- Allen Bailey and Josh Holmes. The right end position was a group effort last year, and Miami has to replace Joe Joseph and Eric Moncur.
NORTH CAROLINA
Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 10
What to watch:
• Quarterback T.J. Yates. It’s his job to lose, and the coaching staff still has confidence in him, but Bryn Renner is waiting in the wings, and Braden Hanson will also be given an opportunity. The staff is looking for the offense to improve its passing efficiency and cut down on turnovers.
• The offensive line. It was a patchwork effort in 2009, thanks to injuries and inexperience, and will be a major key in how much UNC improves offensively this year. The Heels have to replace two starters, and Jonathan Cooper is likely to move from guard to center, and right guard Alan Pelc will miss spring drills while recovering from shoulder surgery.
• Defensive line tweaks. There aren’t many questions on a defense that should be one of the best in the country, but somebody has to replace Cam Thomas and defensive end E.J. Wilson. Tydreke Powell is the frontrunner to take over at defensive tackle and Quinton Coples at defensive end. Both were backups last year at their respective positions.
NC STATE
Spring practice starts: March 9
Spring game: April 17
What to watch:
• Backup quarterback Mike Glennon. Russell Wilson is the starter, but he’s going to be playing baseball all spring. Keep an eye on his backup to see if Glennon can make it any more of a competition in Wilson’s absence.
• Chris Ward at punter. No, it’s not usually, the highlight of the spring, but in this case, it’s necessary. Ward is it -- he’s their only option right now, and it’s a position the Pack struggled with last year. Ward was expected to be the starter last season, but he was inconsistent. He’s definitely got the talent to be the guy.
• The recovery of linebacker Nate Irving. After being severely injured in a one-car crash last summer, Irving is hopeful he can go through spring drills. He has been lifting with the team and running with the sports medicine staff, but it’s still uncertain how limited his contact will be.
VIRGINIA
Spring practice starts: March 15
Spring game: April 10
What to watch:
• Quarterback competition. Marc Verica is the only one with any experience, and first-year offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor hasn’t been in Charlottesville long enough to evaluate any of the candidates. That’s what the spring is for, and true freshman Michael Strauss is the lone incoming quarterback on campus, so he’ll have a head start on the playbook. Of the four quarterbacks Virginia signed in this year’s class, Strauss is the only one listed as a true quarterback. The Cavs also have Ross Metheny, who redshirted last year, and Riko Smalls, who redshirted in ‘08 and was No. 2 on the depth chart when Verica was out with a concussion.
• Coaching transition. First-year coach Mike London has hired almost an entirely new staff, and they’ll bring changes in philosophy and scheme. London has said he wants to get the defense back to the traditional 4-3, and revert to the tradition of featuring the tight ends, offensive linemen and running backs.
• Running back. The Cavs will have the help up front, but they need to replace their four leading rushers in Mikell Simpson, Rashawn Jackson, Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell. The staff will look at true freshman Kevin Parks, but also have Torrey Mack and Dominique Wallace, who had just seemed to be coming on at Southern Miss when he was injured and missed the rest of the season.
VIRGINIA TECH
Spring practice starts: March 31
Spring game: April 24
What to watch:
• Revamped defensive line. The Hokies have to replace three of four starters up front. The only defensive ends with significant playing time are Chris Drager, who the staff wanted to move back to tight end, and Steven Friday. Redshirt freshmen will be given a chance – Duan Perez-Means, Tyrel Wilson, James Gayle and J.R. Collins – but they’ve never played. Isaiah Hamlette is the only other end who’s played and that was a skinny minute. At defensive tackle, Antoine Hopkins will be the frontrunner to replace Cordarrow Thompson.
• Darren Evans’ comeback. Evans, the team’s leading rusher in 2008, is working his way back from a season-ending ACL injury, and one of the biggest questions in Blacksburg is how the staff will divide the carries in such a talented backfield that includes Ryan Williams. With two returning 1,000-yard rushers, will David Wilson decide to redshirt? The spring will help him in that decision.
• The evolution of Tyrod Taylor. He’s going to be a senior, and with so many questions on defense heading into the season, the offense will be leading the way. This should be a breakout year for Taylor, who by now should have mastered the offense and should consistently be a passing threat to compliment his running abilities.
WAKE FOREST
Spring practice starts: March 16
Spring game: April 17
What to watch:
• The quarterback competition. It’s the most glaring hole the Deacs have to fill this spring, as they’re tasked with replacing the winningest quarterback in school history, Riley Skinner, and his backup, Ryan McManus. Redshirt sophomores Ted Stachitas and Skylar Jones, and sophomore Brendan Cross, will compete with rookie Tanner Price for the top spot.
• Offensive line. The Deacs will take a huge hit here, as seven players in the two-deep depth chart were redshirt seniors, including all four tackles. Three starters have to be replaced.
• The interior defensive line. Nose guard Boo Robinson and John Russell have graduated, and Russell’s backup, Michael Lockett, was also a redshirt senior. The Deacs are in good shape at the ends, but will need some help inside.
Those streaks were snapped this year, as Wake Forest (5-7, 3-5 ACC) lost five of its final six games. It was a particularly painful season, as five of those losses were by three points or fewer. It wasn’t until the season finale at Duke that Wake Forest won a road game this year. The best win came Sept. 12 against Stanford.
Wake Forest had a chance to beat Florida State for the fourth year in a row, as the Noles came to town with rookie E.J. Manuel making his first career start in place of injured starter Christian Ponder, but the Deacs’ defense caved, quarterback Riley Skinner struggled and Wake lost, 41-28.
Much of this year’s struggles had to do with the rebuilding effort on defense, where coordinator Brad Lambert had to replace seven starters. The most noticeable difference was in the turnover category, where the Deacs led the nation with 37 takeaways in 2008. This year they had 15. They also dropped from the No. 1 punt return unit in the nation to No. 56. Skinner had another record-setting season, but he was inconsistent at times and finished with 12 interceptions, compared to seven last year.
Still, this senior class finished as the winningest class in school history with a record of 33-19.
Offensive MVP: QB Riley Skinner – He threw for a school-record 3,160 yards and 26 touchdowns. With two rushing touchdowns, Skinner accounted for 28 of Wake Forest’s 39 offensive touchdowns this season. He finished his career second in ACC career completions (903) and completion percentage (.669), and fourth in ACC history in passing yards (9,762) and fourth in total offense (9,923).
Defensive MVP: DT John Russell – He was Wake Forest’s most consistent defensive player all season. Russell led all defensive linemen with 46 tackles (fifth on the team overall). He led the team with 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Turning point: On Sept. 26, Wake trailed BC 24-10 midway through the fourth quarter before Skinner rallied the Deacs to tie the game with 11 seconds to play. After holding BC to a field goal in overtime, Wake had the ball first-and-goal at the BC 4. The Deacs missed the handoff and Skinner had the ball knocked out of his hands and a sure win became a heartbreaking loss. It was the second of what would be five losses by three points or fewer during the season.
What’s next: The coaching staff needs to work hard to recruit more talent like the defenders who departed to the NFL in 2008, and maintain the commitments from the players who said they’d play for Grobe before they knew it would be a bowl-less season. A quarterback will also have to be developed to replace Skinner.
ACC all-conference team announced
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (50)
RB: Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (67)
RB: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (63)
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech (63)
WR: Donovan Varner, Duke (50)
TE: George Bryan, NC State (39)
TE: Michael Palmer, Clemson (39)
OT: Jason Fox, Miami (57)
OT: Anthony Castonzo, Boston College (53)
OG: Rodney Hudson, Florida State (54)
OG: Cord Howard, Georgia Tech (47)
C: Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech (45)
K: Matt Waldron, Virginia Tech (27)
K: Matt Bosher, Miami (27)
Spc: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (76)
Defense
DE: Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (76)
DE: Robert Quinn, North Carolina (69)
DT: Nate Collins, Virginia (47)
DT: Allen Bailey, Miami (38)
LB: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech (65)
LB: Luke Kuechly, Boston College (53)
LB: Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (44)
LB: Alex Wujciak, Maryland (44)
CB: Kendric Burney, North Carolina (59)
CB: Brandon Harris, Miami (41)
S: DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson (57)
S: Deunta Williams, North Carolina (53)
P: Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech (57)
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (18)
RB: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (62)
RB: Montel Harris, Boston College (39)
WR: Torrey Smith, Maryland (25)
WR: Jacoby Ford, Clemson (24)
TE: Greg Boone, Virginia Tech (16)
OT: Ed Wang, Virginia Tech (31)
OT: Chris Hairston, Clemson (26)
OG: Thomas Austin, Clemson (39)
OG: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech (37)
C: Matt Tennant, Boston College (29)
K: Casey Barth, North Carolina (21)
K: Will Snyderwine, Duke (21)
Spc: Torrey Smith, Maryland (17)
Defense
DE: Ricky Sapp, Clemson (29)
DE: Willie Young, NC State (24)
DE: Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (24)
DT: Marvin Austin, North Carolina (32)
DT: John Russell, Wake Forest (29)
LB: Vincent Rey, Duke (29)
LB: Darryl Sharpton, Miami (21)
LB: Bruce Carter, North Carolina (17)
LB: Colin McCarthy, Miami (17)
LB: Dekoda Watson, Florida State (17)
CB: Ras-I Dowling, Virginia (26)
CB: Patrick Robinson, Florida State (26)
S: Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (51)
S: Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech (24)
P: Matt Bosher, Miami (37)
So, I present to you the best of the worst in the ACC:
WAKE FOREST (4-7) -- DT John Russell. He has started all 11 games, including last week when he played the whole game against Florida State with a cast on his right hand. For the season, Russell has 42 total tackles (17 solo), one quarterback hurry and leads the team with 4.5 sacks for minus-40 yards and eight tackles for a total loss of 49 yards.
NC STATE (4-6) -- QB Russell Wilson. He has 26 touchdown passes this season, the second-highest total in school history for a single year, trailing Philip Rivers’ record of 34 in 2003. He has accounted for 30 total touchdowns on the season (four rushing), tying for second all-time and the most since Rivers was responsible for 30 in 2002. He's throwing the ball a lot more and taking more risks, but he still hasn't thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in a single game.
MARYLAND (2-8) -- LB Alex Wujciak. He has a team-high 113 tackles, including 11 against Virginia Tech. He has averaged 11.3 tackles per game (fourth nationally). In fact, Wujciak ranks first in the country (10.7) on the active career tackles-per-game list. Wujciak has gone over 100 tackles (113) for the second straight season. He is on pace to become the first Maryland defender to post more than 125 tackles (133 in 2008) in back-to-back years since E.J. Henderson (150 in 2001, 175 in 2002).
VIRGINIA (3-7) -- DE Nate Collins. The Cavaliers' defense hasn't been the problem this year. Collins leads UVa with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He had 16 tackles against Georgia Tech. He's third on the team with 66 tackles, and could become the first defensive lineman to lead the team in tackles since Chris Slade in 1991. It's currently the most tackles among ACC defensive linemen. Thirty-eight of his tackles have come in the past four weeks.
It's not often Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe lets his emotions show, but he was miffed -- and that's putting it mildly -- in the fourth quarter against Navy when John Russell was called for an offsides penalty. Grobe disagreed with the call and argued that Russell was in the neutral zone and didn't touch anyone, but there was also a holding call that took away what would've been a deep pass for the first down at midfield on Wake's final possession.
In the end, though, it shouldn't have come down to Wake's final drive, but the Deacs couldn't get anything going offensively, nor could they stop the Mids' offense, losing 13-10 on a rainy day in Annapolis. And Navy never even threw a pass. (Sound familiar, Virginia Tech fans?)
That's back-to-back losses for the Deacs, and their postseason hopes are now in serious danger. With games still remaining against Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Duke, it's going to be difficult for Wake Forest to find two more wins. The standard has been raised at Wake Forest, and staying home for the holidays won't sit very well with Wake fans this year.
Considering the Demon Deacons entered this season with eight new starters on defense and had to replace the best defenders to come through the program in Alphonso Smith and Aaron Curry, it’s impressive Wake Forest even had itself in a position to challenge for the Atlantic Division title. But Wake regrouped from an overtime loss at Boston College and earned back-to-back wins over NC State and Maryland. Then they ran into a recharged Clemson team, fresh off a bye week. The Tigers humbled Wake in a 38-3 loss and were the first team this season to really keep quarterback Riley Skinner in check. Skinner had been the difference for the Deacs until then, but for the first time under coach Jim Grobe, Wake Forest has turned the ball over more than it’s taken it away, and that’s contributed to some of the struggles. The rest is simply a matter of youth and inexperience, as even the fourth- and fifth-year players on defense have been thrust into starting roles after spending most of their careers as backups. The good news for the Deacs? They’re not the only team with two losses in the conference, and they can still get to a bowl game.
Offensive MVP: Riley Skinner. He’s the ACC’s career leader in total offense and the school’s winningest quarterback and career passing leader. He’s ranked No. 20 in the country in passing efficiency and led the Deacs to a come-from-behind win over Stanford. He’s averaging 251.14 total yards per game. Clemson was the first team to hold Skinner without a pass of at least 20 yards during his tenure as a starter.
Defensive MVP: John Russell. On a defense desperate for leadership -- and big hits -- the defensive tackle has come through. He’s having an outstanding senior year, and leads the team with 3.5 sacks this year. He also has one quarterback hurry, 22 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. The staff loves his consistency, and says he’s like a coach on the field.
ACC announces Players of the Week
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
Here are this week's ACC Players of the Week, straight from the conference office:
OFFENSIVE BACK: Thaddeus Lewis, Duke, QB, Sr., 6-1, 215, Opa-Locka, Fla. (Hialeah Miami Lakes)
Duke senior quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, in addition to earning Walter Camp Foundation National Player of the Week honors, etched his name into several record books in helping the Blue Devils to a 49-28 victory over NC State. Lewis completed a school single-game record 40 passes in 50 attempts for 459 yards and five touchdowns against a Wolfpack defense that came into the game leading the league allowing just 239.2 yards of total offense per game. Lewis’ 459 passing yards is the fourth-highest single-game total in school history and 18th-best passing performance in league annals, while his five touchdown passes tied the second-best mark in Blue Devil history. Lewis also scored with his feet on a two-yard run in the first quarter, giving him responsibility for six touchdowns in the game, matching an ACC single-game record. Additionally, Lewis became Duke’s all-time leader in touchdown passes with 59 and achieved 8,000 passing yards for his career, becoming just the 16th player in the ACC to accomplish the feat.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Cord Howard, Georgia Tech, G, Sr., 6-5, 308, Phenix City, Ala. (Central)
Georgia Tech senior guard Cord Howard was credited with 13 knockdowns and was the top performer on an offensive line that paved the way for Georgia Tech to amass 532 yards of total offense, including 401 on the ground, the fourth-highest and second-highest totals in the ACC this season, respectively, in a 49-44 win against Florida State. Despite a 78-minute delay due to lightning, the Yellow Jacket offense operated like a well-oiled machine throughout the evening, as the punt team was not asked to take the field in the game.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: John Russell, Wake Forest, DT, Sr., 6-4, 280, Jacksonville, Fla. (The Bolles School)
Wake Forest senior defensive tackle John Russell matched his career-high with six tackles and recorded two sacks for losses totaling 15 yards in a 42-32 win over visiting Maryland. Russell also helped anchor a defensive front that limited Maryland to just 62 rushing yards—a season-low for Demon Deacon opponents. In addition, Russell had a nine-yard sack late in the second quarter during a Maryland drive that crossed midfield. His second sack came on a fourth down-and-five when he dropped Maryland quarterback Chris Turner for a six-yard loss.
DEFENSIVE BACK: Ras-I Dowling, Virginia, CB, Jr., 6-2, 200, Chesapeake, Va. (Deep Creek)
Virginia junior cornerback Ras-I Dowling highlighted a Cavalier defense that did not allow a point through the first 51 minutes of a 47-7 win against visiting Indiana. In addition to a forced fumble on the Hoosiers’ first possession and a second-quarter interception, both of which led to Cavalier touchdowns, Dowling recorded a team-high nine tackles, including seven solo stops, and the first sack of his career. Dowling also anchored a defensive secondary that limited the Indiana offense to just 190 passing yards in 36 attempts, and did not allow the Hoosiers to convert a third-down until the third quarter.
SPECIALIST: Torrey Smith, Maryland, WR, So., 6-1, 200, Colonial Beach, Va. (Stafford)
Maryland sophomore wide receiver and kick returner Torrey Smith totaled a career-high 194 yards in six kickoff returns (32.3 yards per return), including an 85-yarder on his first return, in a 42-32 loss to Wake Forest. Only in his second season, Smith entered the game against the Demon Deacons ranked 16th in league history with 1,732 career kickoff return yards. By the end of the game, Smith had climbed eight spots to sit in eighth place with 1,926 yards. Offensively, Smith hauled in a career-high 10 passes—tied for the second most in the conference this season -- for 70 yards and a touchdown reception to finish the game with 267 all-purpose yards. Smith now owns the top two, and four of the top five, all-purpose performances in the league in 2009, and leads the nation with 236.7 all-purpose yards per game.
ROOKIE: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech, RB, Fr. 5-9, 205, Manassas, Va. (Stonewall Jackson)
Virginia Tech freshman running back Ryan Williams went over the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time this season to set a Hokie freshman mark with four 100-yard rushing performances. Williams rushed for 158 yards in 18 attempts (8.2 yards per rush) and a touchdown in a 48-14 win against Boston College in a rematch of the last two ACC Championship games. Williams totaled 138 rushing yards in the first half, while sitting out most of the second half. He also caught a 23-yard pass to finish the day with 182 total yards of offense. Williams owns three of the top-10 rushing performances in the league to date, and leads the ACC and is sixth nationally with 122.3 rushing yards per game.
Wake defense confident in talent up front
Wake Forest defensive coordinator Brad Lambert has been tasked with reconstructing a defense that lost three of four starters in the secondary, the entire linebacking corps, and a pair of All-Americans. Only four starters return on defense from last year's 8-5 team, but with the season opener against Baylor now less than two weeks away, Lambert has reason to be confident -- his defensive line.
The leaders up front -- defensive tackle John Russell, nose guard Boo Robinson and defensive end Kyle Wilbur -- have been very active this summer making plays, and have set the tone for a defense that lost several players with true game-changing abilities.
"Our guys up front are really playing well, and you'd just die and go to heaven to have a guy like John Russell and Boo Robinson inside anchoring," Lambert said. "Those guys have played a lot of football, they're really active, they're good players, they're great kids. They study hard, they do all those things we talked about with Aaron (Curry), and Alphonso (Smith) and that crowd last year. So that's where your confidence is, and you need to be good up front. It doesn't matter if it's offense or defense, you need to win the line of scrimmage and so I feel real good about the guys up front right now."
He should, as this could be one of the best defensive lines in the ACC and will be a key component in the Deacons' chances at being the ACC darkhorse this year. Wilbur, a redshirt sophomore, was the youngest starter on the defense last year when he took over the top against Miami and started each of the final seven games. He finished fourth on the team with three sacks and has drawn the praise of the coaching staff this summer.
Robinson, a junior, has 11.5 career sacks and 25 career starts to build off of. Russell, a fifth-year senior poised to be one of the best defensive tackles in the conference, didn't become a full-time starter until last year. He finished second on the team with four sacks and third with seven tackles for loss.
"They created a lot of havoc for us, and that's where we're hanging our hat," Lambert said. "They've done that all camp, and they're our guys right now."
ACC: Preseason all-conference team
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
The ACC has released its preseason all-conference team last month, now ESPN.com is releasing ours. Here's the final version with minimal tweaks from the original ballot:
OFFENSE
QB Riley Skinner, Wake Forest
RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
WR Jacoby Ford, Clemson
WR LaRon Byrd, Miami
TE Greg Boone, Virginia Tech
OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
OT Jason Fox, Miami
OG Thomas Austin, Clemson
OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
C Ryan McMahon, Florida State
PK Matt Bosher, Miami
DEFENSE
DE Willie Young, NC State
DE Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech
DT Vince Oghobaase, Duke
DT John Russell, Wake Forest
LB Sean Spence, Miami
LB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
LB Dekoda Watson, Florida State
CB Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech
CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State
S Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech
S Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech
P Travis Baltz, Maryland
SP C.J. Spiller, Clemson
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
Anyone who has counted out Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe in the past should have learned by now that the man can work some magic.
The offense, though, won't need any of that.
It's the defense that's under reconstruction. Defensive coordinator Brad Lambert will spend this summer searching for the players who can replace a pair of All-Americans, the entire linebacking corps and three of four starters in the secondary. Not many teams got hit as hard by the NFL Draft as Wake Forest did (now there's a sentence you once probably never thought you'd read). It's true, though - The Deacs lost Aaron Curry, Stanley Arnoux and safety Chip Vaughn to the NFL. This is the kind of year when Grobe's redshirting pays off, as there are still numerous upperclassmen for Lambert to lean on. The strength of the entire team might be the defensive line, where seniors John Russell and Boo Robinson return.
For the first time in years, though, roles have reversed and Wake's offense will be helping out the defense. Only two starters are gone from the offense, but they were both receivers in D.J. Boldin and Chip Brinkman. Marshall Williams and Devon Brown topped the preseason depth chart as their replacements. Williams is the top returning receiver from a year ago, as he started two games and made 26 catches for 390 yards.
Aside from the return of veteran quarterback Riley Skinner, possibly the best news for Wake is that seven players return to the offensive line who have starting experience. The biggest difference there will be the return of Chris DeGeare, who missed last year for academic reasons.
Another thing that will help is that Grobe has decided on his offensive philosophy. Last year, he said he put too much on Skinner, and then went too run-heavy at Miami. This year, he's looking for a little more balance, and Wake has the speed and talent to make that happen.
Of course, everyone's got issues:
1. Who will plug the holes in the secondary? Cornerbacks Josh Bush and Kenny Okoro both looked impressive this spring while competing for Alphonso Smith's old position. They got a lot of reps with injured starter Brandon Ghee out and began to establish themselves as capable replacements. Ghee will be back this summer, though, and is going to be the leader of that group.
2. Can the Demon Deacons really compete for the Atlantic Division title? Definitely. In fact, because Wake has so much talent returning on offense, it wouldn't surprise me if they had one of the most productive offenses in the conference along with Georgia Tech. Obviously the key is how the defense comes together, but it all starts up front, and Wake's defensive line should be one of the best in the ACC.
3. How long will it take the linebackers to come together? First let's figure out who they are. Jonathan Jones, Matt Woodlief and Hunter Haynes are the players listed at the top of the preseason depth chart, but combined they've started two career games. Realistically, this is a wide-open contest.
Expectations up and down at Wake Forest
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
 | |
| Mark Goldman/Icon SMI | |
| Success under Jim Grobe has helped raise expectations for Wake Forest. |
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Despite the mounting success under Jim Grobe, the Wake Forest football program is still making "firsts." Last year marked the first time in school history that Wake earned three straight bowl invitations. It also marked the first time the Demon Deacons have won eight or more games in three consecutive seasons.
And yet somehow, eight wins was a disappointment in Winston-Salem.
Consider the bar raised.
"I like feeling dissatisfied after an eight-win season," said defensive tackle John Russell. "It keeps us motivated to work to something better. We knew we could have done some fantastic things, even though we did some good things. It's right there for the taking. We just need this team to come together and do it this season."
It's not going to be easy. The expectations have been tempered for Wake Forest this season in large part because of the mass exodus of some of the most talented defensive players to ever come through the program. Alphonso Smith is the all-time ACC career leader in pass interceptions (21), and Aaron Curry left his mark as the ACC career leader in pass interceptions for touchdowns by a linebacker (3). The Deacs lost their top five leading tacklers.
"I think we like to be challenged," Russell said. "Last year to a degree was a disappointment in some cases because we were this close to making it happen. Our coaches always talk about two or three plays that separate a football game from winning and losing it. You look back at the times we kind of stubbed our toe and missed a tackle, or made a bad throw, or dropped a ball, or did something stupid on defense where we weren't where we were supposed to be. That says, 'Hey, we had great players, but it takes even more than that.' It takes that sense of pushing through the adversity and coming together as a team at times when it's really tough."
Only four starters -- Russell, nose tackle Boo Robinson, defensive end Kyle Wilbur, and cornerback Brandon Ghee -- return. (All of them, though, will be worthy of All-Conference consideration.) Seven of the 10 starters who graduated from last year's team were on defense. The Deacs were picked by the media in Greensboro to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division, but still received seven first-place votes.
"We probably like that a little bit," quarterback Riley Skinner said of the low expectations. "That's when we've always been our best, being the underdog, and people have always expected lil' ole' Wake Forest is going to be a cakewalk, and that's fine with us because then we can kind of sneak up on them. ... It doesn't bother us. We've always kind of been in that role and we've been able to be pretty successful these last three years. So it doesn't bother us one bit."
Even though the Deacs are flying under the radar this fall, there are plenty of reasons they could catch their Atlantic Division opponents off-guard. The offense returns nine starters and has a loaded backfield and an improved offensive line. Plus, this is the kind of year Jim Grobe's redshirting philosophy pays off, as there are still 15 fifth-year seniors on the roster, most of which have seen some starting experience. Two of them -- Robinson and Russell -- are on the defensive line, which should be one of the team's strengths this fall.
"Now everybody is getting on us, like 'You guys better stop somebody,'" Russell said. "I think that's just a testament to the kind of guys we've had who were younger guys who stepped in last year and had to help build our confidence in our offense a little bit. Now they're in that role, they've been there, they've done that, there's talent, there's experience, and there are some guys who can really help do some things. It's just a matter of it all coming together on Saturdays."
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Before I leave, I wanted to reveal my 2009 ACC Preseason Football Team Ballot. There were a ton of great options, but at some point, you've got to pull the trigger. Here goes:
OFFENSE
QB -- Riley Skinner, Wake Forest
RB -- Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
RB -- C.J. Spiller, Clemson
WR -- Jacoby Ford, Clemson
WR -- Aldarius Johnson, Miami
TE -- Caz Piurowski, Florida State
T -- Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
T -- Jason Fox, Miami
G -- Thomas Austin, Clemson
G -- Rodney Hudson, Florida State
C -- Ryan McMahon, Florida State
DEFENSE
DE -- Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
DE -- Willie Young, NC State
DT -- John Russell, Wake Forest
DT -- Vince Oghobaase, Duke
LB -- Sean Spence, Miami
LB -- Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech
LB -- Dekoda Watson, Florida State
CB -- Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech
CB -- Chris Chancellor, Clemson
S -- Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech
S -- Wes Davis, Boston College
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK -- Matt Bosher, Miami
P -- Travis Baltz, Maryland
SP -- Torrey Smith, Maryland
Ranking the ACC units: Defensive lines
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
1. Clemson -- The Tigers return three starters up front, and first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele's pressure defense is the perfect fit for guys like Da'Quan Bowers and Ricky Sapp. Sapp was having a good season last year before he tore his ACL at Virginia and missed the rest of the season. Defensive end Kevin Alexander is a returning starter who had 34 tackles last year, and nose guard Jarvis Jenkins tied Sapp for the team lead with 10 tackles for loss. Opposing quarterbacks won't have time to think against this bunch.
2. Miami -- Anyone watching the Virginia Tech game last year saw what this group is capable of, and of the nine linemen who started at least one game for Miami last year, seven are back. Allen Bailey has moved from end to tackle, but he sometimes played there in third-down situations. He led the team with five sacks. Marcus Robinson is a solid pass rusher, Marcus Forston could also be an impact and Eric Moncur is entering his sixth season and if he plays like he did in 2007 (11.5 tackles for loss) could really give this line a boost.
3. Virginia Tech -- Depth is the only question mark here, as Jason Worilds, John Graves, Cordarrow Thompson and Nekos Brown are more than capable of continuing Bud Foster's tradition of nationally ranked defenses. Nobody is questioning Worilds' toughness, that's for sure, and Graves and Thompson both started every game last year. They're still looking for another defensive end, though, and will keep an eye on what Chris Drager adds to the position after moving from tight end.
4. North Carolina -- Not only do all four starters return, but the depth is the best it's been in recent years. Last year, defensive end Robert Quinn became a starter in the second game of the season, and defensive tackle Cam Thomas had one of his his best season at UNC. Marvin Austin and E.J. Wilson played well, and should be even better this year. Reserves Quinton Coples and Michael McAdoo had solid rookie seasons and will push Wilson and Quinn for playing time this year. Aleric Mullins and Tydreke Powell are interchangeable with Austin and Thomas as starters at tackle.
5. Florida State -- The end position is reason for concern, as the Noles have to replace both Everette Brown and Neefy Moffett, who were first and second, respectively, on the team in sacks. Markus White will be tasked with filling the shoes of Brown, but he had a good transition season from junior college last year to build off of. Kevin McNeil, who had four sacks last year, is the favorite to replace Moffett. The interior should be solid with the return of Budd Thacker, Kendrick Stewart, Moses McCray and Justin Mincey.
6. NC State -- Defensive tackle Alan-Michael Cash and end Willie Young have combined for 46 starts and should be two of the best linemen in the conference. The other two players penciled in as starters -- Shea McKeen and Leroy Burgess -- were both junior college transfers who earned starting time last year. Backup tackles will be a concern, but Markus Kuhn could wind up playing a bit of both until the staff decides where he can help the most.
7. Wake Forest -- Tackles John Russell and Boo Robinson will highlight a defense that recently bid farewell to some of the best seniors to come through the program. It should be one of the Deacs' most experienced groups in recent years, which is important considering the new faces behind them at linebacker. Defensive end Kyle Wilbur showed a lot of promise as a redshirt freshman with three sacks in only seven starts, and Tristan Dorty played in 10 games as a redshirt defensive end last year.
8. Virginia -- It's one of the few units on this team that didn't get a complete makeover, as seven of the top eight linemen return. Sophomore Matt Conrath, who had 35 tackles and four sacks last year, returns at end. There's a lot of experience next to him at nose tackle, where senior Nate Collins and sophomore Nick Jenkins split time last season. Collins' 35 tackles are the top among the returning linemen, while Jenkins finished with 25. Junior John-Kevin Dolce proved himself in the pass rush package with five sacks among his nine total tackles last year.
9. Boston College -- Replacing tackles B.J. Raji and Ron Brace is obviously one of the biggest concerns for this team, but they've got several options. Damik Scafe, Nick Rossi and Brendan Deska were each second-stringers at the tackle position and are the early favorites to replace the NFL draft picks. The Eagles also signed a pair of defensive tackles in the offseason, including highly touted recruit Dillon Quinn, who could make an immediate impact. Austin Giles replaced the injured Alex Albright last year for 12 starts, and Jim Ramella started all 14 games at the other end position.
10. Georgia Tech -- The Yellow Jackets have to replace three of four starters up front, and until they prove they found dependable replacements, they're going to be stuck down here. The lone returning starter is junior end Derrick Morgan, and there's no doubt about his capabilities, but the Jackets will sorely miss the three starters who combined for 100 career starts and 100 tackles for loss. Ben Anderson, Robert Hall and T.J. Barnes are all candidates to start.
11. Duke -- The Blue Devils took a step forward last year and should improve again with the return of tackle Vince Oghobaase and end Ayanga Okpokwuruk, who started five games and had 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. They combined for 9.5 sacks last year. Oghobaase ranks second in the ACC in both career tackles for loss (29.0) and quarterback sacks (11.5). They'll need new starters at nose guard and right end.
12. Maryland -- The Terps have to fill a void left by Jeremy Navarre and Trey Covington, and so far it looks like that will be up to Derek Drummond, Dion Armstrong, Travis Ivey and Jared Harrell, though Armstrong was dealing with some academic issues. The arrival of De'Onte Arnett, Zachariah Kerr, and Cody Blue this past spring should help with the depth.
Players attending ACC Football Kickoff announced
The ACC just announced the 24 athletes who have been chosen by its 12 league schools to attend the 2009 ACC Football Kickoff, July 26-27 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.
I'll be attending this event, and these are the players I'll be able to talk to there:
Wake Forest: Riley Skinner, Quarterback, Senior, Jacksonville, Fla.
John Russell, Defensive Tackle, Senior, Jacksonville, Fla.
Virginia Tech: Greg Boone, Tight End, Senior, Chesapeake, Va.
Kam Chancellor, Free Safety, Senior, Norfolk, Va.
Virginia: Will Barker, Tackle, Senior, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Vic Hall, Quarterback, Senior, Gretna, Va.
NC State: Jamelle Eugene, Halfback, Senior, Naples, Fla.
Willie Young, Defensive End, Senior, Riviera Beach, Fla.
North Carolina: T.J. Yates, Quarterback, Junior, Marietta, Ga.
E.J. Wilson, Defensive End, Senior, Emporia, Va.
Miami: Jason Fox, Offensive Tackle, Senior, Ft. Worth, Texas
Randy Phillips, Safety, Senior, Belle Glade, Fla.
Maryland: Chris Turner, Quarterback, Senior, Simi Valley, Calif.
Nolan Carroll, Cornerback, Senior, Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Georgia Tech: Jonathan Dwyer, B-Back, Junior, Marietta, Ga.
Derrick Morgan, Defensive End, Junior, Coatesville, Pa.
Florida State: Christian Ponder, Quarterback, Junior, Colleyville, Tex.
Dekoda Watson, Linebacker, Senior, Aiken, S.C.
Duke: Thaddeus Lewis, Quarterback, Senior, Opa-Locka, Fla.
Vince Oghobaase, Defensive Tackle, Senior, Houston, Tex.
Clemson: C. J. Spiller, Running Back, Senior, Lake Butler, Fla.
Ricky Sapp, Defensive End, Senior, Bamberg, S.C.
Boston College: Matt Tennant, Senior, Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jim Ramella, Senior, Defensive End, Westlake, Ohio.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
