ESPN College Football

As mentioned in lunch links, Clemson announced the signings of undrafted lineman Landon Walker (Cincinnati Bengals) and punter Dawson Zimmerman (Atlanta Falcons). And a couple of generous readers have passed along a few more signings from ACC schools.

Virginia Tech guard Blake DeChristopher signed with the Cardinals, and Hokies defensive back Cris Hill signed with the Bills.

Big thanks to Matt from Alexandria, Va., Ben in Blacksburg, Va., and Lynn in Blacksburg, Va., for the head's up.

The updated, working list is below. Feel free to pass along any oversights.

BOSTON COLLEGE
CB Donnie Fletcher: New York Jets

CLEMSON
DE Kourtnei Brown: San Francisco 49ers
FB Chad Diehl: Baltimore Ravens
OL Antoine McClain: Baltimore Ravens
DT Rennie Moore: Houston Texans
OT Landon Walker: Cincinnati Bengals
P Dawson Zimmerman: Atlanta Falcons

DUKE
S Matt Daniels: St. Louis Rams

FSU
WR Bert Reed: Cleveland Browns
S Terrence Parks: Kansas City Chiefs
P Shawn Powell: Buffalo Bills

MARYLAND
CB Cameron Chism: Indianapolis Colts
RB Davin Meggett: Houston Texans

MIAMI
WR LaRon Byrd: Arizona Cardinals
OL Joel Figueroa: Miami Dolphins (rookie camp tryout)
TE Chase Ford: Philadelphia Eagles
DL Marcus Forston: New England Patriots
LB Jordan Futch: Tampa Bay Bucaneers
G Harland Gunn: Dallas Cowboys
QB Jacory Harris: Miami Dolphins (rookie camp tryout)
C Tyler Horn: Atlanta Falcons
S JoJo Nicolas: New York Giants
DL Adewale Ojomo: New York Giants
DT Micanor Regis: Atlanta Falcons

UNC
CB Charles Brown: Baltimore Ravens
C Cam Holland: Kansas City Chiefs
WR Dwight Jones: Houston Texans
S Matt Merletti: Indianapolis Colts
DT Tydreke Powell: Minnesota Vikings

NC STATE
TE George Bryan: Dallas Cowboys
FB Taylor Gentry: Kansas City Chiefs

VIRGINIA
CB Chase Minnifield: Washington Redskins
OG Austin Pasztor: Minnesota Vikings
S Rodney McLeod: St. Louis Rams
DT Matt Conrath: St. Louis Rams

VIRGINIA TECH
WR Jarrett Boykin: Jacksonville Jaguars
OT Jaymes Brooks: Green Bay Packers
G Blake DeChristopher: Arizona Cardinals
CB Cris Hill: Buffalo Bills
S Eddie Whitley: Dallas Cowboys

WAKE FOREST
TE Cameron Ford: Green Bay Packers
S Cyhl Quarles: Baltimore Ravens

Thirty-one players from ACC schools were drafted this past weekend, but many more signed free-agent deals with NFL teams in the aftermath of the draft.

The following is a list of ACC players, by school, who have signed undrafted free agent deals with NFL teams. It was compiled largely from NFL.com, along with official releases from NFL teams and ACC schools. Georgia Tech is the only ACC school currently without an undrafted free-agent signing.

By all means, feel free to let me know if I have overlooked anyone.

BOSTON COLLEGE
CB Donnie Fletcher - New York Jets

CLEMSON
DE Kourtnel Brown - San Francisco 49ers
FB Chad Diehl - Baltimore Ravens
OL Antoine McClain - Baltimore Ravens
DT Rennie Moore - Houston Texans

DUKE
S Matt Daniels - St. Louis Rams

FSU
WR Bert Reed - Cleveland Browns
S Terrence Parks - Kansas City Chiefs
P Shawn Powell - Buffalo Bills

MARYLAND
CB Cameron Chism - Indianapolis Colts
RB Davin Meggett - Houston Texans

MIAMI
WR LaRon Byrd - Arizona Cardinals
TE Chase Ford - Philadelphia Eagles
DL Marcus Forston - New England Patriots
LB Jordan Futch - Tampa Bay Bucaneers
G Harland Gunn - Dallas Cowboys
C Tyler Horn - Atlanta Falcons
S JoJo Nicolas - New York Giants
DL Adewale Ojomo - New York Giants
DT Micanor Regis - Atlanta Falcons

UNC
CB Charles Brown - Baltimore Ravens
C Cam Holland - Kansas City Chiefs
WR Dwight Jones - Houston Texans
S Matt Merletti - Indianapolis Colts
DT Tydreke Powell - Minnesota Vikings

NC STATE
TE George Bryan - Dallas Cowboys
FB Taylor Gentry - Kansas City Chiefs

VIRGINIA
CB Chase Minnifield – Washington Redskins
OG Austin Pasztor - Minnesota Vikings
S Rodney McLeod – St. Louis Rams
DT Matt Conrath – St. Louis Rams

VIRGINIA TECH
WR Jarrett Boykin - Jacksonville Jaguars
OT Jaymes Brooks - Green Bay Packers
S Eddie Whitley - Dallas Cowboys

WAKE FOREST
TE Cameron Ford - Green Bay Packers
S Chyl Quarles - Baltimore Ravens

The Hurricanes also announced that quarterback Jacory Harris and offensive lineman Joel Figueroa have both been invited to rookie camp tryouts with the Miami Dolphins.

North Carolina and Wake Forest are the only two teams in the ACC that can become bowl eligible this weekend and they happen to be playing each other. So one thing to keep an eye on is the six-win mark in Chapel Hill. Beyond that, here are 10 things to keep an eye on this week, starting Thursday night when Miami hosts Virginia:

1. Turnovers at Miami. Miami’s past two opponents have both turned the ball over on their first touch. North Carolina fumbled a kickoff, and Georgia Tech started with an interception. UVa had four turnovers last weekend in the loss to NC State, and is No. 107 in the country with 18 turnovers lost this season.

2. Special teams at Miami. In the loss to NC State, Virginia blocked a field goal attempt for the second game in a row and the third time this season. Miami defensive back JoJo Nicolas fell on a muffed punt in the end zone for a touchdown last week, highlighting a strong performance on special teams for the Canes against Georgia Tech. UVA is No. 13 in the country in kickoff return yardage defense, and Miami is No. 15.

3. BC’s bowl streak. The Eagles have already lost six games this season; a loss to Maryland would make them ineligible to compete in a bowl game for the first time since 1998. BC’s active streak of 12 consecutive bowl games is tied with Oklahoma as the seventh longest in college football, and is the longest in school history, and its streak of non-losing seasons is the longest in the modern era of BC football.

4. Maryland’s quarterbacks. Coach Randy Edsall said his starter will be a game-time decision, as both Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown have been competing for the starting job this week. O’Brien played well at Florida State when he relieved the injured Brown, but Brown replaced O’Brien in the starting lineup for the Clemson game two weeks ago.

5. Clemson’s record books. With an average game on Saturday, Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins could establish four freshman records, three at the ACC level and one school record. Watkins needs just five receptions, 35 receiving yards and one touchdown reception to become the ACC freshman record holder in all three areas. He also has 1,391 all-purpose yards and needs just 25 to break C.J. Spiller’s Clemson freshman all-purpose record for a season.

6. Long scoring drives in Atlanta. Clemson’s No. 76-ranked rushing defense could be conducive to Georgia Tech hanging on to the ball for some pretty long drives on Saturday. Over the past two weeks, Georgia Tech has produced touchdown drives consisting of 20 plays (last week at Miami) and 19 plays (at Virginia). For the season, the Yellow Jackets have five touchdown drives of 90 yards or longer and four touchdown drives that lasted at least nine minutes, 15 seconds.

7. NC State CB David Amerson vs. FSU QB EJ Manuel. Florida State is ranked No. 115 in the nation in turnover margin, and NC State is ranked No. 7. Much of the Wolfpack’s success is a credit to Amerson, who leads the nation with eight interceptions. FSU is tied for No. 111 in the country in interceptions with 11.

8. UNC’s secondary against Wake Forest WR Chris Givens. One of the Tar Heels’ weaknesses this season has been their pass defense, which ranks No. 101 in the country and is allowing 263.38 yards per game. Givens is fourth in the FBS in receiving yards per game (126.57) and tied for fifth with eight TDs.

9. Tar Heels turnovers. North Carolina had six turnovers last weekend in the loss to Clemson, and ball security has obviously been stressed at practice this week. Did it work? Wake Forest is ranked No. 21 in the country in turnover margin. UNC is No. 103.

10. Hokies' D vs. the ‘Killer V's.’ The best thing Duke has had going for it is its passing game, thanks to the duo of Conner Vernon and Donovan Varner. They have combined for 334 receptions as teammates, the third-highest total by a duo in ACC history. Virginia Tech’s defense has been one of the best in the country, but the Hokies continue to rely on youth and inexperience because of injuries.

According to the poll, you guys want to see Notre Dame and Penn State join the ACC next.

• NC State linebacker Terrell Manning will miss three weeks with a knee injury.
• North Carolina released more documents pertaining to the NCAA investigation.
• Despite UNC's self-imposed sanctions, the Tar Heels have kept their focus on the field.
• FSU quarterback EJ Manuel might return to practice today.
• Miami safety JoJo Nicolas has emerged as a team leader despite overwhelming personal pain.
• Get to know Georgia Tech A-back Orwin Smith.
• Maryland coach Randy Edsall has a plan for his suspended receivers, but he's not revealing it.
• Former tight end Kenny Anunike has grown comfortable and effective as Duke's defensive end.
• His four sacks in three games has made headlines.
• The recruiting trends of FSU and Clemson indicate they could become familiar front-runners for the Atlantic Division.
• Virginia Tech running back David Wilson has become more well-rounded since the last time he ran all over Marshall.
• Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver has a plan for new divisions and would like to see 10 conference games.
• There's lots to consider regarding realignment if the ACC goes to 16 teams.
• Virginia's true freshmen are settling in and learning how to win and lose.
• For what it's worth, Joe Paterno likes ACC expansion.

Miami can finally move on.

The biggest question of the offseason in the ACC -- who will play for the Hurricanes and who will not when Miami lines up against Maryland on Labor Day -- has been answered.

The NCAA has mandated that defensive lineman Olivier Vernon will sit out six games, while Ray-Ray Armstrong and tight end Dyron Dye will miss four games apiece. Quarterback Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, Travis Benjamin, Marcus Forston and Adewale Ojomo all must sit out one game.

Cornerbacks Brandon McGee and JoJo Nicolas, defensive tackle Micanor Regis, safety Vaughn Telemaque and linebacker Marcus Robinson have been cleared by the NCAA to play.

There are your 13 players whose eligibility was in question.

Now, not only can Miami prepare for Maryland this week confident in its starting lineup, it can also move forward knowing the majority of its roster will be intact for the most critical games of the season. This could have been a lot worse for the Canes, but they’ve got a capable starting quarterback in Stephen Morris, and the majority of top players will miss no more than the season opener. Maryland is Miami’s lone conference opponent in the first four weeks, so the Canes will almost be at full strength when they need to be the most -- for the Oct. 8 game at Virginia Tech.

Miami is still very much in the Coastal Division race.

The Canes’ season could have been over before it started, but this is a very manageable punishment for a team loaded with talent. It's not over yet -- the Hurricanes could still face more sanctions as the NCAA continues to investigate. There's no reason to believe this will be fully resolved faster than any of the other NCAA investigations, but as far as the impact it will have on the field this season, Labor Day will be the worst of it.

The biggest hits will obviously come against the Terps, but mainly on the defensive side, as the offense will be missing only two starters. Defensively, Andrew Smith steps in for Vernon. It’s not NFL talent, but Smith is experienced and more than capable of handling the job. He played in 11 games last season and had three sacks. Marcus Robinson, a senior who played in 10 games last season, is another veteran who fills in at the other end spot. Nicolas moved from corner to safety to take over for Armstrong, but Nicolas has played safety the majority of his career anyway -- including 10 starts at the position last season.

The biggest drop off will be at linebacker, where Jordan Futch replaces Spence, but we’re only talking about one game.

No, this is not an ideal way for Al Golden to start his career at Miami, but so far, these suspensions don’t look like they’ll stand in the way of him making a case to finish his first season strong.

It was a busy weekend in the ACC. Here's a look back at the highlights from the scrimmages, according to the sports information departments of the teams that provided reports:

BOSTON COLLEGE

Coach Frank Spaziani told reporters after the 70-minute scrimmage that there were some good things, but "it's like a jigsaw puzzle with all the pieces in the box; they're not connected yet."

Offensive highlights:

• Quarterback Chase Rettig completed 12 of 19 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. “I think Chase showed the progress he's been making,” Spaziani said. “The obvious things were fine; there were some subtle things he needs to work on.”
• Rettig connected on passes of 10 yards six times, including a 30-yard pass to Colin Larmond, Jr., a 24-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to receiver Bobby Swigert and a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior captain Ifeanyi Momah.
• Larmond (3 receptions for 53 yards), Swigert (3-for-33), junior receiver Donte Elliott (3-for-37) and redshirt freshman tight end Jarrett Darmstatter (3-for-16) led a total of 12 receivers that registered at least one reception each.
• Rettig and fellow quarterbacks Mike Marscovetra and Dave Shinskie combined for four touchdowns as Marscovetra went 6-for-9 for 30 yards and a touchdown pass of five yards to junior receiver Hampton Hughes and Shinskie connected on 4-of-5 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown to sophomore tight end Mike Naples.
• Tailback Rolandan Finch carried the ball 10 times for a total of 30 yards to lead all running backs while sophomore Andre Williams broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run during red zone drills. Williams finished with five attempts for 21 yards and redshirt freshman Tahj Kimble accounted for 20 yards on five carries.

Defensive highlights:

• Linebacker Nick Clancy and defensive back Sean Sylvia led the team with four tackles each.
• Sophomore linebacker Jake Sinkovec had one interception and one fumble recovery.

CLEMSON

Quarterback Tajh Boyd had an impressive performance, as he completed 10 of 12 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown to highlight the new offense in Clemson’s 75-play scrimmage in Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning.

Offensive highlights:

• Boyd completed each of his final eight passes to six different receivers. He threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to receiver DeAndre Hopkins, then connected on a 3-yard score to Dwayne Allen in a goal-line situation.
• Allen had three receptions for 66 yards, including a diving catch over the middle for 14 yards and a first down. Brandon Ford had three receptions for 37 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cole Stoudt.
• Stoudt was 4-of-14 passing, but threw for 71 yards and two touchdowns, one to Ford and one to Bryce McNeal (23 yards).
• Rod McDowell was the leading rusher with four carries for 68 yards, including a 39-yarder on his first carry of the day. Andre Ellington had five rushes for 41 yards and added two receptions, while freshman Mike Bellamy had five carries for 40 yards.

Defensive highlights:

• The first-team defense did not allow a scoring drive.
• Martin Jenkins led the team with seven tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• Corico Hawkins had five tackles and a fumble recovery, while freshman defensive end Corey Crawford had five stops, including a sack.

Special teams highlights:

• Clemson’s three kickers, Chandler Catanzaro, Ammon Lakip and Brian Symmes were a combined 16-of-16 on the day in field goal attempts and extra points against a live rush.

Notable:

• Three Tigers missed the scrimmage because they were going through graduation exercises across the street from Memorial Stadium in Littlejohn Coliseum. Starting offensive tackle Landon Walker, starting safety Rashard Hall and reserve defensive end Kourtnei Brown all graduated from Clemson on Saturday. It was especially noteworthy for Hall, who has been at Clemson just three years. He joins Nick Eason (now in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals) as the only scholarship football players to graduate with two years of athletic eligibility remaining.
• Four players missed the scrimmage due to injury. Those players were defensive back Xavier Brewer (sprained foot), defensive back Garry Peters (bruised calf), Andre Branch (head injury), DeShawn Williams (sprained ankle).

GEORGIA TECH

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson had mixed reviews after the Yellow Jackets' first scrimmage, which ran 90 minutes inside Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday morning.

"It was like a lot of first scrimmages, there were way too many balls on the ground and way too many penalties," Johnson said. "But we hit some big plays. When you play against each other there's positives and negatives on both sides. It's a starting place and we'll look at it and try to make some improvements."

Offensive highlights:

• While no official statistics were kept, quarterback Tevin Washington passed for well over 100 yards, including a 63-yarder to senior A-back Roddy Jones. Redshirt freshman quarterback Synjyn Days threw the only touchdown of the day, to true freshman Jeff Greene.
• Greene ran with the first unit Saturday as most of the veterans -- junior Stephen Hill, senior Tyler Melton, sophomore Jeremy Moore and junior Daniel McKayhan -- all sat out with injuries.
• Washington scored the only other touchdown Saturday on a 1-yard QB keeper.

Defensive highlights:

• Defensive end Emmanuel Dieke had a sack, true freshman Jamal Golden intercepted a Vad Lee pass, and Steven Sylvester and Isaiah Johnson both recovered fumbles.

Special teams highlights:

• Sophomore Justin Moore booted a 45-yard field goal on his only attempt.
• David Scully's 52-yard attempt was long enough, but just wide left.

MIAMI

The most important news out of Miami's first scrimmage was that quarterbacks Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris combined for five touchdown passes and only one interception. That sounds like improvement. Miami's quarterbacks combined for 407 passing yards on 38-of-52 passing for six touchdowns and only one interception.

Offensive highlights:

• Receiver Tommy Streeter had the best offensive day for the Canes, catching five passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came from Harris.
• Lamar Miller had runs of 16 and 31 yards on the opening drive.

Defensive highlights:

• Senior defensive back JoJo Nicolas led all defenders with eight tackles (six solo), with two tackles for loss.
• Ramon Buchanan and freshman Gionni Paul and each had six total tackles, with Paul also recording a tackle for loss.
• The defense totaled eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a total loss of 29 yards

VIRGINIA TECH

The Hokies' offense was the highlight, but what does that mean for the defense? Coach Frank Beamer pointed out that there were some long plays allowed, as the offense racked up 398 yards of total offense in the 78-play scrimmage at Lane Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The touchdowns came against Tech's second- or third-team defense, though, so the jury is still out.

"I thought it was a good first scrimmage -- better than most," Beamer said, according to the team's scrimmage report. "You take into consideration that you're trying to get everyone some work, people who don't know quite what they're doing, and that makes things a little ragged. I thought overall, though, it was a sharp scrimmage. The quarterbacks made some nice plays and Wilson got a couple of long plays against the defense, and we need to see what's going on there. Overall, the effort was good and the play was good."

Offensive highlights:

• Backup quarterback Mark Leal led the quarterbacks with 116 yards passing, completing 6 of 13. He also threw an interception. Beamer said Leal is No. 2 on the depth chart behind Logan Thomas. Ju-Ju Clayton, who has dropped to No. 3 on the depth chart, completed 6 of 10 for 51 yards, while starter Thomas completed 4 of 8 for 79 yards, with an interception, in limited action.
• Tailback David Wilson scored against the Hokies' second-team defense on a 22-yard run. Wilson led all rushers with 57 yards on five carries. Freshman Michael Holmes added 54 yards rushing on a game-high 11 carries.

Defensive highlights:

• Freshman tackle Luther Maddy led the team with eight tackles, including two for a loss, and a sack. Freshman Michael Cole added six tackles, while Telvion Clark and Jack Tyler each finished with four.
• Barquell Rivers had three tackles and an interception.
• Jayron Hosley and freshman Ronny Vandyke also had interceptions. Hosley intercepted a Logan Thomas pass, while Vandyke intercepted a Trey Gresh attempt.

Special teams highlights:

• The kickers connected on 5-of-6 attempts. Cody Journell hit from 35, 22 and 35 yards, while Justin Myer drilled a 52-yarder and a 28-yarder. "Cody's kicking extremely well," Beamer said. "Myer has a load of potential, and he needs to win some of the kicking contests during the week. That shows consistency, and that's where he is right now. Cody is usually winning it or right in the running at the end."

Moving on to the safeties …

1. Miami: Vaughn Telemaque and Ray-Ray Armstrong return, but JoJo Nicolas moved to corner. Even though Armstrong wasn’t a starter last year, he still ranked third on the team with 79 tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions.

2. Florida State: The Seminoles return both starters in Nick Moody and Terrance Parks. Moody had 79 tackles last season and Parks had 44 and six deflections. The group was strengthened with the addition of Lamarcus Joyner, who moved from cornerback and proved this spring he’s capable of being a safety.

3. NC State: The Wolfpack has two of the best in Earl Wolff, the team’s leading tackler last season with 95, and Brandan Bishop, who had 56 tackles and a team-high four interceptions. Dontae Johnson (22 tackles), also returns.

4. Virginia Tech: Eddie Whitley is the lone returning starter, but he should be one of the best in the ACC. Antone Exum, who was the No. 2 free safety last season, moved to rover this spring. He played in every game last season and had five starts when Tech went to its nickel defense.

5. Virginia: The Cavaliers return veteran starters in Rodney McLeod and Corey Mosley, who have combined for 41 career starts. Mosley had 52 tackles and two interceptions last season, and McLeod had 54 tackles and four pass breakups. Safety Dom Joseph (34 tackles) also returns.

6. Duke: The Blue Devils return both starters in Matt Daniels and Lee Butler. Daniels, a senior, has started 25 career games and is one of the top returning tacklers in the ACC. Butler had 58 tackles and nine passes defended last season.

7. Boston College: The Eagles return juniors Jim Noel, who had four interceptions in eight starts, and Okechukwu Okoroha, who started the final six games last fall. Noel, Okoroha, and Dominick LeGrande combined for 90 tackles last season.

8. Wake Forest: Both starters return in Daniel Mack and Cyhl Quarles. Mack had 45 tackles and two interceptions last season. Duran Lowe (30 tackles) could unseat Quarles, who is Wake’s leading returning tackler with 71 hits. Redshirt freshman Desmond Cooper is also competing for playing time.

9. Clemson: Rashard Hall has 19 career starts and made 62 tackles and two interceptions last season. Safety Jonathan Meeks (28 tackles, one start) also returns, along with Carlton Lewis.

10. Maryland: Just as Kenny Tate’s move to linebacker bumped the Terps up in the ranking in that category, his departure from safety drops them a few notches as they now don’t have any returning starters there. They do, however, have experience. Eric Franklin played in 11 games, with 23 tackles and three interceptions (tied for second on the team). Matt Robinson played in all 13 games and posted 29 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles. The Terps have plenty of depth with Austin Walker, Titus Till, Anthony Green and Desmond Haynes.

11. North Carolina: Matt Merletti had five starts and Jonathan Smith, who lettered in 2008 and 2009 but missed all of last season, are the projected starters. They will be pushed by junior Gene Robinson (four starts, 30 tackles, one interception) for playing time.

12. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had to replace both of their safeties in Mario Edwards and Jerrard Tarrant. Safety Fred Holton (11 tackles) and Isaiah Johnson (46 tackles, one interception) are the two most likely front-runners to start this fall.

The series continues today with Miami ...

A reminder of how we're defining breakout players: Players who haven't seen the field yet but showed they could be major contributors this fall; players who have seen limited time but could earn significantly bigger roles this season; and players who have started but could blossom into stars. The top candidates at Miami:

Tommy Streeter, WR: He's got good speed for a 6-foot-5, 215-pound receiver, but he's fallen short of expectations as one of heralded recruits out of Miami Northwestern in the class of 2008. Part of that can be attributed to a wrist injury he suffered his freshman year which set him back and led to a redshirt season, but he has underachieved in each of the past two seasons. He played in eight games last year and started one, against Maryland, and finished the season with one catch -- a 42-yard touchdown against Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl. Streeter had a good spring and earned the confidence of coach Al Golden, but he's still got work to do this summer in order to reach his potential this fall.

JoJo Nicolas, CB: The converted safety had a good spring and will give the Canes a physical presence in the secondary. His experience at safety should help him with run support as a boundary corner. He started 10 games at safety last year and finished with 36 tackles. He also had two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. One thing Miami learned this spring is that Nicolas can help them at his new position, and as a redshirt senior, he's ready to leave his mark.

More in this series:

• Boston College
• Clemson
• Duke
• Florida State
• Georgia Tech
• Maryland

MIAMI

2010 overall record: 7-6

2010 conference record: 5-3

Returning starters

Offense: 6, defense: 7, punter/kicker: 0

Top returners

WR Travis Benjamin, RG Brandon Washington, C Tyler Horn, QB Jacory Harris, QB Stephen Morris, DE Olivier Vernon, DT Micanor Regis, DT Marcus Forston, LB Sean Spence, S Vaughn Telemaque, S JoJo Nicolas, RB Lamar Miller, RB Mike James

Key losses

WR Leonard Hankerson, LT Orlando Franklin, RB Damien Berry, P/PK Matt Bosher, DT Allen Bailey, LB Colin McCarthy, CB Brandon Harris

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Berry (899 yards)

Passing: Harris* (1,793 yds)

Receiving: Hankerson (1,156 yds)

Tackles: McCarthy (119)

Sacks: Bailey (7)

Interceptions: Ryan Hill, Vaughn Telemaque* and Ray-Ray Armstrong* (3)

Spring answers

1. Stacked at running back. Lamar Miller finished the spring atop a depth chart deep with talent at running back, including Mike James and Storm Johnson. All three have different styles, as James is the power/slasher, Johnson gets the tough yards and is elusive in the open field, and Miller is the fastest and the home run threat.

2. The Golden era has been embraced. First-year coach Al Golden made his debut this spring with a new staff and new schemes, and all of the players have bought in. The Canes now eat breakfast together every day, and the seniors were the first to latch on to Golden, as they know time is running out to win. They seem willing to follow whoever wants to lead, and the players also started to take ownership this spring.

3. Jordan Futch has helped the linebacker depth. He was a role player for most of his career and was going to move to tight end, but, as it turns out, he can play inside or outside linebacker, and he played well enough this spring to convince Golden he deserves a spot somewhere on the field. Colin McCarthy was the only starter who had to be replaced, and there was some shuffling of positions, but Futch or Gaines emerged as the leaders to take over that spot.

Fall questions

1. And the quarterback is? Golden said the quarterback competition will likely go into mid-August, as neither Jacory Harris nor Stephen Morris separated himself. It’s one of the main storylines in the ACC, and could be the difference in Miami’s season. Both struggled in the spring game, as they threw two interceptions each, but first-year offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch is evaluating them on more than just picks.

2. Who will take over the secondary? It’s so wide open that true freshman Thomas Finnie enrolled early and worked his way onto the two deep. It’s a young, inexperienced group with big shoes to fill after the departures of Brandon Harris and Ryan Hill. Lee Chambers, Nicolas, Telemaque and Armstrong will have to rise to the occasion or leave it to the rookies like Finnie. This spring, Golden said Nicolas and Armstrong were the leaders of the secondary.

3. Baffled without Bosher. Matt Bosher, an all-conference kicker and punter during his career, did it all, and the kicking game is a major question without him. Jake Wieclaw is next in line, but he only played against Florida A&M and has yet to attempt a collegiate kick. Incoming freshmen kickers Matt Loudis and Dalton Botts will challenge Wieclaw for the starting job.

Miami just re-released its depth chart, and this time running back Lamar Miller is where he should be -- at the top.

In this version, Lee Chambers is your starting cornerback, and true freshman Thomas Finnie is a backup to JoJo Nicolas at the other corner spot.

Miami fans are going to do a triple-take when they look at Al Golden's spring depth chart, which was released Friday afternoon. Yes, Spencer Whipple is listed as the first-string quarterback.

That's not a typo.

This depth chart is less of an indication of what the Hurricanes' lineup will look like on Labor Day and more a reward for the players who worked the hardest this offseason. Golden has said all along that the players who worked the hardest in the offseason would be rewarded with spots at the top of the depth chart.

Apparently, he wasn't kidding.

Other notable changes:

• Thomas Finnie, a true freshman who enrolled in January, is listed as a starting cornerback.
• Seantrel Henderson is listed as the No. 2 left tackle, though Golden has said Henderson has increased the effort over the past week.
• John Calhoun, who hasn't played a lot and has contributed mainly on special teams, is suddenly a starting tight end.
• Golden sent a message to Tommy Streeter that four other receivers are working harder right now.
• JoJo Nicolas, who moved from safety to corner, is already starting at corner.

When Miami coach Randy Shannon talks about the program’s throwback defensive lines -- comprised of former players like defensive tackles Russell Maryland, Cortez Kennedy, Jerome Brown and Warren Sapp -- he points out one common trait: None of them were freshmen when they were at their best.

“People don’t realize it took Russell Maryland three years to be Russell Maryland,” Shannon said. “Cortez didn’t play ‘til his senior year. Jerome Brown played a little bit as a freshman. The third year he blossomed. It always takes a defensive lineman until his third or his fourth year really to come out. Sapp was the same way. Whenever you get somebody in his third or fourth year, they should be ready to take that next step.”

Consider Miami’s defensive line ready.

This year’s projected starting lineup includes two seniors -- Allen Bailey and Josh Holmes -- and two juniors -- Andrew Smith and Micanor Regis -- but there’s so much depth that the competition continues and nothing is set in stone. Even with the dismissal of Steven Wesley, Miami still has 14 defensive linemen to choose from. If all of them play to their potential, it could be reminiscent of some of the program’s best defensive lines of the past.

“I really wouldn’t want to be on another team that plays against us,” Miami quarterback Jacory Harris said. “Our defensive line is pretty good this year and I’m sure they’re going to open a lot of guys’ eyes.”

“They’re all fast guys, and they also have size on them,” Harris said. “That’s what makes it worse.”

Expectations are highest for Bailey, who at 6-foot-4, 288 pounds led all Miami defensive linemen last year with 34 tackles. He led the team with seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss and should be one of the best players in the conference this fall. Still, he’ll draw a lot of attention from opponents, forcing those around him to raise their level of play.

Bailey said that won’t be a problem.

“We have the talent, we have the athleticism, we have the numbers,” Bailey said. “It’s a real good D-line this year. We could be real good. It’s not only me. We have 16 or 17 d-linemen. There’s like four at each position. It’s improved a lot. It raises the competition for playing time. You’ve got to compete every day, every practice.”

Bailey is roommates with defensive backs DeMarcus Van Dyke and JoJo Nicolas, and lineman Adewale Ojomo. To them, he’s known as the “house chef.”

“He knows how to cook everything -- shrimp pasta, chicken pasta, everything,” Van Dyke said. “Man, he can cook.”

He can also hit.

“I tell him I feed off him,” Van Dyke said. “If he gets three sacks, I get three interceptions. If I get three picks, he’ll get three sacks. That’s how it goes. It’s me and Allen’s last year, so we’re trying to go out with a bang and make it special.”

Miami linebacker Sean Spence said Bailey is “worth every penny” of the preseason hype, but Bailey isn’t the only one capable of making plays.

“We’ve got a lot of depth down there,” Spence said. “You could interchange them easily. All of them could play. I’m expecting good things from those guys this year.”

So is Shannon.

“Over the years these guys should be ready to take that step now,” he said. “ … Those guys are mature now. It should be the time for them to take the next step.”

It's time to find out who Miami's backup quarterback will be.

Starter Jacory Harris will miss the spring as he recovers from thumb surgery, leaving A.J. Highsmith, early enrollee Stephen Morris and Spencer Whipple the majority of snaps. As a senior at Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Morris completed 144 of 225 attempts (64 percent) for 2,005 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Whipple transferred from UMass to be with his father, Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple.

Miami will begin spring practice on Feb. 23. The following players will not take part in spring practice:

Out

P/PK Matt Bosher – upper extremity
LB Ramon Buchanan -- upper extremity
RB Graig Cooper – lower extremity
OL Joel Figueroa -- upper extremity
LB Jordan Futch -- lower extremity
DL Levi Paalua -- upper extremity
RB Lee Chambers -- lower extremity
QB Jacory Harris -- upper extremity

Limited

DL Marcus Forston – upper extremity
DB Ryan Hill -- upper extremity
DB JoJo Nicolas -- upper extremity

If you don't see it here, I didn't get it ...

BOSTON COLLEGE

OUT FOR SEASON

LB Mark Herzlich (illness)

FOR MARYLAND GAME

RB Rolandan Finch (illness) – DOUBTFUL

LS Jack Geiser (foot) – DOUBTFUL

OG Thomas Claiborne (leg) – QUESTIONABLE

DE Alex Albright (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE

DT Kaleb Ramsey (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE

CLEMSON

They're "all in." (Sorry, too easy.)

DUKE

QB Thaddeus Lewis (leg) -- Probable

RB Re'quan Boyette (leg) -- Questionable

DT Vince Oghobaase (leg) -- Questionable

WR Johnny Williams (knee) -- Questionable

RB Kyle Griswould (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON

OG Mitchell Lederman (foot) -- OUT FOR SEASON

QB Sean Renfree (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON

WR Tyree Watkins (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON

S Anthony Young-Wiseman (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON

FLORIDA STATE

Out

76 OT Garrett Faircloth (hip)

70 OT Antwane Greenlee (knee)

51 LB Aaron Gresham (knee)

44 LB Maurice Harris (neck)*

62 OG Rodney Hudson (knee)

97 DT Demonte McAllister (knee)

81 TE Caz Piurowski (knee)*

7 QB Christian Ponder (shoulder)*

74 OT John Prior (knee)

27 CB Xavier Rhodes (thumb)

11 LB Vince Williams (back)

Questionable

9 WR Richard Goodman (groin)

30 ROV Jajuan Harley (hamstring)

Probable

94 DT Justin Mincey (knee)

* - out for the season

GEORGIA TECH

Out

Austin Barrick, r-Jr., OT (heel)

Kevin Cone, r-Jr., WR (ankle)

Malcolm Munroe, r-Fr., LB (knee)

Probable

Sean Bedford, r-Jr., C (ankle)

Omoregie Uzzi, r-Fr., OL (back)

Anthony Barnes, r-Jr., LB

Out For Season

Robert Hall, r-Jr., DE (knee)

Kyle Jackson, r-So., LB (foot)

Cooper Taylor, So., S (undisclosed)

MIAMI

Probable

RB Lee Chambers – Lower Extremity

WR Thearon Collier – Lower Extremity

DB Sam Shields – Lower Extremity

Doubtful

OL Jason Fox – Illness

Out

FB Patrick Hill – Lower Extremity

Surgery and Out for the Season

DL Dyron Dye – Lower Extremity

DL Marcus Forston – Lower Extremity

LB Jordan Futch – Lower Extremity

TE Richard Gordon – Upper Extremity

LB Shayon Green – Lower Extremity

DE Gavin Hardin – Upper Extremity

DB Ryan Hill – Upper Extremity

DB JoJo Nicolas – Upper Extremity

DE Adewale Ojomo – Jaw

NC STATE

OUT

Audi Augustin, DE - elbow

Mike Glennon, QB - clavicle

DeAndre Morgan, CB - concussion

OUT FOR SEASON

Mario Carter, TE - knee

Ryan Cheek, LB - hip

Denzelle Good, OL – shoulder

T.J. Graham, WR – stress fracture/leg

Steven Howard, WR - knee

Nate Irving, LB - leg

Colby Jackson, FB – knee

R.J. Mattes, OG - knee

Everett Proctor, QB – shoulder

Jeff Rieskamp, DE – sports hernia

Rashard Smith, CB - knee

Javon Walker, S – knee

James Washington, HB - knee

NORTH CAROLINA

Out

Joshua Adams WR Shoulder

AJ Blue RB/QB Knee

Curtis Campbell DB Wrist

David Collins OL Foot

Shaun Draughn TB Shoulder

Carl Gaskins OT Knee

Matt Merletti S Knee

Trevor Stuart DS Knee

Ryan Taylor TE Knee

Jamal Womble RB Wrist

Questionable

Anthony Elzy RB Ankle

Devon Ramsay FB Ankle

Gene Robinson CB Back

VIRGINIA

Out

Isaac Cain (foot)

Raynard Horne (back)

Torrey Mack (ankle)

Doubtful

Darren Childs (ankle)

Questionable

Jared Green (shoulder)

Mikell Simpson (leg)

Probable

Daniel Childress (ankle)

Matt Conrath (ankle)

Connor McCartin (shoulder)

Jameel Sewell (shoulder)

Patrick Slebonick (leg)

VIRGINIA TECH

Probable:

Beau Warren (knee)

Ed Wang (knee)

Here are the guys who are down n' out for Week 12 ...

BOSTON COLLEGE

OUT FOR SEASON

LB Mark Herzlich (illness)

FOR NORTH CAROLINA GAME

RB Rolandan Finch (illness) - DOUBTFUL

DE Alex Albright (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE

DT Kaleb Ramsey (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE

FB James McCluskey (leg) – QUESTIONABLE

OT Mike Goodman Jr. (illness) – PROBABLE

CB Isaac Johnson (illness) – PROBABLE

DE Jim Ramella (ankle) – PROBABLE

LB Dan Williams (back) – PROBABLE

FS Wes Davis (leg) – PROBABLE

RB Montel Harris (back) – PROBABLE

CLEMSON

Probable

DaQuan Bowers, DE, knee

Thomas Austin, OG, ankle

DUKE

WR Austin Kelly (upper body) -- Probable

LB Abraham Kromah (leg) -- Probable

QB Thaddeus Lewis (leg) -- Probable

LB Vincent Rey (leg) -- Probable

K Will Snyderwine (leg) -- Probable

RB Re'quan Boyette (leg) -- OUT

DT Vince Oghobaase (leg) -- OUT

WR Johnny Williams (knee) -- OUT

RB Kyle Griswould (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON

OG Mitchell Lederman (foot) -- OUT FOR SEASON

QB Sean Rengree (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON

WR Tyree Watkins (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON

S Anthony Young-Wiseman (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON

FLORIDA STATE

Out

76 OT Garrett Faircloth (hip)

70 OT Antwane Greenlee (knee)

51 LB Aaron Gresham (knee)

44 LB Maurice Harris (neck; out for the season)

62 OG Rodney Hudson (knee)

97 DT Demonte McAllister (knee)

94 DT Justin Mincey (knee)

81 TE Caz Piurowski (knee; out for the season)

7 QB Christian Ponder (shoulder; out for the season)

74 OT John Prior (knee)

27 CB Xavier Rhodes (thumb)

11 LB Vince Williams (back)

Questionable

9 WR Richard Goodman (groin)

MIAMI

Probable

DB Ray-Ray Armstrong – Lower Extremity

QB Jacory Harris – Upper Extremity

Questionable

LB Sean Spence – Lower Extremity

DB Vaughn Telemaque – Upper Extremity

Out

RB Lee Chambers – Lower Extremity

WR Thearon Collier – Lower Extremity

FB Patrick Hill – Lower Extremity

DB Sam Shields – Lower Extremity

Surgery and Out for the Season

DL Dyron Dye – Lower Extremity

DL Marcus Forston – Lower Extremity

LB Jordan Futch – Lower Extremity

TE Richard Gordon – Upper Extremity

LB Shayon Green – Lower Extremity

DE Gavin Hardin – Upper Extremity

DB Ryan Hill – Upper Extremity

DB JoJo Nicolas – Upper Extremity

DE Adewale Ojomo – Jaw

NORTH CAROLINA

Out

Joshua Adams WR Shoulder

AJ Blue RB/QB Knee

Curtis Campbell DB Wrist

David Collins OL Foot

Shaun Draughn TB Shoulder

Carl Gaskins OT Knee

Matt Merletti S Knee

Trevor Stuart DS Knee

Ryan Taylor TE Knee

Jamal Womble TB Wrist

Questionable

Devon Ramsay FB Ankle

Gene Robinson DB Back

NC STATE

OUT FOR SEASON

Mario Carter, TE - knee

Ryan Cheek, LB - hip

Denzelle Good, OL – shoulder

T.J. Graham, WR – stress fracture/leg

Steven Howard, WR - knee

Nate Irving, LB - leg

Colby Jackson, FB – knee

R.J. Mattes, OG - knee

Everett Proctor, QB – shoulder

Jeff Rieskamp, DE – sports hernia

Rashard Smith, CB - knee

Javon Walker, S – knee

James Washington, HB - knee

VIRGINIA

Questionable

Vic Hall (hip)

Probable

Kris Burd (shoulder)

Darren Childs (neck)

Matt Conrath (ankle)

Colter Phillips (leg)

Jameel Sewell (shoulder)

VIRGINIA TECH

Out for Season

Darren Evans (ACL)

Probable

Beau Warren (knee)