ESPN College Football

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

Well, right here, of course.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Schedule:

Saturday, September 8

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

My choice: North Carolina at Wake Forest

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

More in this series:

• Week 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earlier this morning we looked at who in the Atlantic Division has the most to prove. The Coastal Division is up next:

1. Duke coach David Cutcliffe. It’s time for Cutcliffe to prove his program is still heading in the right direction, and the most obvious way for him to do that is to lead the Blue Devils to a bowl game. Cutcliffe will be entering his fifth season in Durham, and while he’s been painfully close to a breakthrough winning season -- losing eight games over the past two years by seven or fewer points -- he will ultimately be judged by the win column.

2. North Carolina. The Tar Heels have to prove they can run Larry Fedora’s new offense. They have to prove they can run defensive coordinator Vic Koenning’s new 4-2-5 scheme. But most of all, they have to prove that once again, they can overcome change and the NCAA. There is no bowl game to play for this year. They’ll have to prove they can find their own motivation.

3. Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh. It will be the third season in Groh’s 3-4 scheme, and Georgia Tech fans are looking for more improvement from the group. That could be tough to come by, considering the Jackets have to replace two starters up front.

4. Miami quarterback Stephen Morris. We learned this spring that Memphis transfer Ryan Williams can and will challenge Morris. With Morris sidelined this spring with a back injury, Williams had his chance to shine -- much like Morris has had his opportunities at the expense of former starter Jacory Harris. It’s up to Morris to reassert himself as the leader of the offense.

5. Virginia Tech’s offensive line. Yes, all of the hype is around who will be the next great running back after the early departure of David Wilson, but they’ll all be going nowhere fast if the guys up front don’t get it together. The good news for the Hokies is that this group had a good spring. The key now is to build upon that in summer camp.

6. Virginia’s secondary. This group has to replace three starters from a year ago and more than 90 combined career starts. The Hoos will depend on young players this year, and Demetrious Nicholson, who has 13 starts, is now the veteran of the group.

Who doesn't love lists or rankings?

And, to take that one step further, who doesn't love lists that include 124 people?

Steve Greenberg and Matt Hayes over at The Sporting News took the unenviable task of rankings every single FBS coach, Nos. 1-124. It should come as no surprise that Alabama's Nick Saban topped all coaches after winning two of the past three national titles.

Frank Beamer tops the ACC contingent, and is the only coach from the conference cracking the top-10, as Virginia Tech's leader is ranked ninth.

The average ranking of the 12 ACC coaches was 45.6, fourth-best among conferences.

Here's how they stacked up:

9. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
19. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech
27. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
31. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
34. Al Golden, Miami
38. Jimbo Fisher, FSU
45. Mike London, Virginia
49. Tom O'Brien, NC State
53. Larry Fedora, UNC
65. Randy Edsall, Maryland
67. David Cutcliffe, Duke
110. Frank Spaziani, BC

Another Game 7 for the Rangers? Gotta love playoff hockey.

• Mel Kiper talks about his first 2013 Big Board with Chris Sprow.
• Colleague Ted Miller looks at the recent debate in NYC on whether college football should be banned.
• The Raleigh News & Observer's Luke DeCock says that UNC coach Larry Fedora is at rest only briefly.
• The Palm Beach Post's Dave George says the Dolphins will try to get the most out of former Miami running back Lamar Miller's speed.
• The Baltimore Sun's Matt Bracken catches up with former Maryland walk-on Austin Walker.

North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams said through a spokesperson that he is not concerned that basketball players made up 3 percent of the students enrolled in suspect classes within a department the school investigated for academic fraud, our Robbi Pickeral reports.

Should UNC's football program be worried? Tar Heels football players represented 36 percent of the enrollment in the 54 courses within the Department of African and Afro-American Studies between summer 2007 and summer 2011.

From Dan Kane of the Raleigh News & Observer, which first reported the story on Tuesday:

University officials say they found no evidence that the suspect classes were part of a plan between [Julius] Nyang’oro [the department’s chairman, who was listed as the professor of 45 of the suspect classes] and the athletic department to create classes that student-athletes could pass so they could maintain their eligibility. They said student-athletes were treated no differently in the classes than students who were not athletes.

But the high percentages of student-athletes in the classes suggest to some that academic advisers, tutors and others in the athletic department may have guided them to the classes.

"These kids are putting in enormous amounts of time, and in at least some of the sports that are very physically demanding, they are missing a number of classes because of conflicts, and then if they are a marginal student to begin with, you’ve got to send them to Professor Nyang’oro’s class," said former state Supreme Court Justice Robert Orr. "I think the academic counselors realized that and the tutors recognized it, and frankly the folks up the food chain for the most part recognized it. But nobody wants to rock the boat, because it’s big money."

A key, Pickeral notes, could be that both athletes and non-athletes appear to have been affected, something the NCAA would likely consider. The fact that there is no evidence of athletes receiving preferential treatment has to make football coach Larry Fedora and company sleep better at night, though this is still more uneasy news for a school nearly two months removed from NCAA sanctions that came following a football saga that must have seemed like it would never end.

Tuesday was ACC spring wrap day, as we looked at the storylines following each conference school. RecruitingNation's Corey Long also took a look at recruiting around the conference with spring in the rearview mirror.

It should come as no surprise that Clemson and Florida State, the recent recruiting heavyweights of the ACC, headline what's heating up in conference recruiting with the summer fast approaching.

It doesn't get bigger than the nation's No. 1 prospect, and even though five-star DE Robert Nkemdiche (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) has been a strong Alabama lean for months, it's clear that Clemson has made a big push. The Tigers' chances for the 6-foot-5, 265-pound prospect, along with those of LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss, appear to climb a little more every day that Nkemdiche decides to wait before making his decision.

In the meantime, Clemson isn't standing pat and continues to position itself for a top-rated class. The Tigers are looking strong in Georgia, where they are in good standing for ESPN 150 running back Tyshon Dye (Elberton, Ga./Elbert County) and four-star wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (Fort Valley, Ga./Peach County)

The Seminoles, meanwhile, are in position to add to their already star-studded class.

For the past few years, Florida State has landed splashy commitments early in the recruiting cycle en route to finishing with classes that ranked among the best in the nation. This year the Seminoles have signed eight four-star prospects, including three ESPN 150 prospects, but the best may be yet to come. Florida State is in good standing with five-star CB Mackensie Alexander (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee), who is No. 6 in the ESPN 150; Matthew Thomas (Miami, Fla./Booker T. Washington), the nation's top OLB who is No. 20 in the 150; Ryan Green (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Pete Catholic), a top-five RB who is No. 48 in the rankings; Alvin Bailey (Seffner, Fla./Armwood), a top-five athlete who is No. 49 in the ESPN 150; and CB Artie Burns (Miami, Fla./Northwestern), who is No. 67 in the ESPN 150.

Long has plenty of more tidbits in his wrap, including Miami's pursuit of another Olsen, Larry Fedora's in-state plan and the closing of the gap between Virginia Tech and Virginia. Be sure to check it all out here .

Here are the five things we learned in the ACC this spring.

1. We've been saying this for the last couple of seasons, but it might finally ring true in 2012: Florida State has enough talent to return to the upper echelon of college football. The Seminoles are going to be as talented as any defense in the country. Quarterback EJ Manuel returns for his senior season, and the Seminoles did a good job rebuilding their offensive line this spring. FSU is going to have to stay healthy and run the ball more effectively to play in a BCS bowl game.

2. Don't sleep on Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets return what many believe might be the best offensive line in coach Paul Johnson's tenure at Tech. Quarterback Tevin Washington doesn't do anything spectacularly, but he avoids mistakes and operates Johnson's triple-option spread offense well. If Tech can find a nose guard to run defensive coordinator Al Groh's 3-4 defense, it will be a tough out in the ACC.

3. Clemson might have the best receiver tandem in the country. We knew sophomore Sammy Watkins was a superstar and one of the best playmakers in the country. But DeAndre Hopkins would be the No. 1 receiver on any other team in the conference -- and maybe the country. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has two receivers who will give ACC defensive coordinators some sleepless nights.

4. North Carolina is going to play really, really fast under new coach Larry Fedora. The Tar Heels won't be eligible to play in a bowl game this coming season because of NCAA probation, but it might end up being a blessing for Fedora. The Tar Heels will learn Fedora's no-huddle spread offense without much pressure or expectations.

5. Virginia Tech has won at least 10 games in eight consecutive seasons, the longest such streak in the country. We're used to the Hokies simply reloading every season under coach Frank Beamer. It might not be as easy this season, though. Virginia Tech must replace four offensive linemen, tailback David Wilson and top receivers Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin. The Hokies will probably be slow out of the gates.

Spring practice is in the books for the ACC, so let's look back at the best and worst from the conference's dozen teams.

Best spring game performance: It may have come almost four weeks before Sammy Watkins' arrest, but DeAndre Hopkins' performance in Clemson's Orange and White game had to have eased the concerns of Tigers fans wondering if Watkins could be sitting the first week (or weeks) of the season. Hopkins had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. Five of those catches, for 100 yards, came in the first quarter alone. Coach Dabo Swinney labeled Hopkins the team's spring MVP, and the junior was honored for both his spring improvements as a receiver and for his offseason strength training after putting on nearly 20 pounds since 2011.

Best overall unit: Virginia Tech's offensive line may have its question marks, but going against the defensive line it has faced every day this spring can only help it once live game action begins. The Hokies are stacked up front, and a unit that led the conference in sacks a year ago should be able to go eight- or nine-deep to stay fresh come fall. NC State's secondary, which returns interception king David Amerson and three other starters, gives the Hokies' line a good challenge for this distinction.

Best quarterback battle: There can only really be one, right? Miami's Stephen Morris sat this spring to recover from back surgery and is technically the incumbent, but Memphis transfer Ryan Williams made some strides toward getting on the field in his first eligible season with the Hurricanes, dominating in the team's first spring scrimmage before coming back down to earth a little bit in the team's next scrimmage and subsequent spring game. If Alabama transfer Phillip Sims is granted immediate eligibility, things could get interesting at Virginia between Sims and Mike Rocco.

Biggest surprise: Whenever a potential record-breaking player is booted from his team, it's big shocking (and big) news. Boston College coach Frank Spaziani dismissed Montel Harris from the team for a repeated violation of team rules. Harris is the school's all-time leading rusher and would have entered 2012 less than 1,000 yards away from breaking the ACC career record.

Biggest relief: North Carolina received its NCAA sanctions March 12, two days before the Tar Heels kicked off their first spring practice under new coach Larry Fedora. For a roster that has largely dealt with a cloud of uncertainty for two years, the timing couldn't have been better. Yes, it's rough for the seniors to know that their college careers will end Nov. 24 no matter how they fare this season, but the relief of having this chapter of the program's history in the rearview mirror is invaluable, especially for a new coach installing a new system.

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

For a complete recap of the series, click here.

North Carolina: WR Erik Highsmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Tar Heels actually finish their spring practice season Monday.

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

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

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

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

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

Six ACC schools will conclude their spring seasons Saturday with intrasquad scrimmages open to the public. And, in the case of Miami, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida State and Clemson, on ESPN3, too. (FSU's will also air on ESPNU.)

Let's take a quick look at what to look for as each squad unveils its latest look for 2012:

Wake Forest (1 p.m.)
For the first time during coach Jim Grobe's 12-year tenure, the Demon Deacons' spring game will be an actual game -- two teams facing off at BB&T Field. Previously, Wake would hold a controlled scrimmage between the offense and defense. Tanner Price returns to lead the offense, looking to build off his 3,000-yard sophomore season from 2011. Keep an eye on the offensive line, which is replacing four starters from last season's squad.

Miami (2 p.m.)
Can Ryan Williams continue his stellar spring and make things interesting upon Stephen Morris' return for fall camp? The Memphis transfer has drawn rave reviews thus far while Morris recovers from back surgery, and the starting job will likely be anything but a sure thing for Morris once he returns. A poor performance in the Hurriacnes' second scrimmage this spring left a bad taste in Williams' mouth following a stellar showing in scrimmage No. 1, and he'll look to end the spring on a strong note Saturday.

Virginia (2:15 p.m.)
Can the Cavaliers capitalize on the big play? That's not a question just for the offense, either. Yes, Michael Rocco is back throwing the football again this season, but he lost leading receiver Kris Burd. The replacements, including returning starter Tim Smith, create matchup problems with their speed. How they perform and respond against a secondary replacing three starters is something to keep an eye on.

North Carolina (3 p.m.)
How fast can the Tar Heels adjust to new coach Larry Fedora's pace? The program opened the spring right after NCAA sanctions were announced, providing closure before the official start of a new era. Now, it's about keeping up to speed on offense, where UNC will look to resemble Southern Miss' 74.4 plays per game last season, a bump up from the Heels' 62.5 in 2011.

Clemson (4 p.m.)
All anyone wants to talk about is the defense after the Tigers gave up 70 points in an Orange Bowl loss to West Virginia. And new coordinator Brent Venables should have more to work with, especially at linebacker. Preventing the big play will be key, as will be giving Tajh Boyd and the rest of Clemson's skill players the freedom to operate as the squad replaces three starters on the offensive line.

Florida State (4 p.m.)
We know what the defense is capable of. And EJ Manuel is back for a second full season under center. But can the Seminoles protect him? Going off that, can they establish a consistent ground game? Too many three-and-outs hindered FSU last season, which ended with four freshman offensive line starters in the Champs Sports Bowl win against Notre Dame. The maturation of that unit can go a long way toward the Seminoles fulfilling expectations in 2012.

Paul Johnson and Jon Barry will be looking to defend their crown later this month, as the Georgia Tech duo will be one of 10 ACC teams competing in the 16-team Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, with the hope of winning a share of the $520,000 scholarship purse for their respective schools.

The sixth annual tournament will be held April 29 - May 1 at the Reynolds Plantation resort on Lake Oconee outside Atlanta. Florida State's Jimbo Fisher and Terrell Buckley, the 2010 winners, will be competing as well, along with the 2007 winners from Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer and Dell Curry.

Clemson (Dabo Swinney/Steve Fuller), Maryland (Randy Edsall/Stan Gelbaugh), Miami (Al Golden/Gino Torretta), North Carolina (Larry Fedora/Roy Williams), North Carolina State (Tom O'Brien/Tom Gugliotta), Virginia (Mike London/Jim Dombrowski) and Wake Forest (Jim Grobe/Riley Skinner) are the other seven ACC teams participating in the tournament.

The Yellow Jackets' duo of Johnson and Barry won the event last year with an 11-under par, four strokes better than the Seminoles' win from 2010. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe, who won the 2009 and 2008 tournaments with 12-unders, will be participating again this season.

Alabama, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Tennessee are the other schools competing.

ESPN is taping the event for broadcast in the fall.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- When Andy McCollum was hired to guide Middle Tennessee State from a fledgling Division I-AA program to Division I-A in 1999, he knew the Blue Raiders had to find some sort of an advantage to compete with the sport’s heavyweights.

So McCollum hired Air Force assistant Larry Fedora, who had worked with him on Baylor’s staff in the mid-1990s.

“The first thing we thought was we were either going to run the option because of our personnel, or we were going to be wide open, because we didn’t think we had the linemen to knock people off the ball,” said McCollum, now Georgia Tech’s defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. “We had a couple of good wide receivers, and a quarterback who could throw the ball.”

Fedora and McCollum decided the Blue Raiders would play at an ultra-fast pace, wasting very little time between snaps, and would try to beat opponents with their tempo and conditioning.

Fedora and McCollum visited Tulane, where Tommy Bowden used a high-paced attack to lead the Green Wave to an 11-0 record in 1998. At the time, the Green Wave was about the only team in college football using a spread attack.

Fedora wanted the Blue Raiders to play even faster than Tulane. He added his own wrinkles to the offense, and has developed it even more over the years.

“Nobody was prepared for it,” McCollum said. “We practiced fast and had a lot of energy on our staff. We were looking for an edge, and it was to snap the ball before they were ready. We weren’t going to whip anybody off the ball.”

Fedora, who is set to begin his first season as North Carolina’s coach, hasn’t slowed down yet. He says his offense is different than the spread attacks run by Washington State’s Mike Leach and West Virginia’s Dana Holgerson.

“We still believe we’re going to be able to run the ball also,” Fedora said.

Fedora’s offense also utilizes the tight ends, which are sometimes overlooked in favor of more receivers in a spread offense. Tight end Ben Troupe excelled at Florida, and Brandon Pettigrew was an All-American at Oklahoma State.

“We’ve had some tight ends who have excelled in this offense,” Fedora said.

Now Fedora just has to find the right personnel at North Carolina.