ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 10-4
2011 conference record: 6-2 (1st)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Tajh Boyd, WR Sammy Watkins, WR DeAndre Hopkins, RB Andre Ellington, C Dalton Freeman, DE Malliciah Goodman, LB Corico Hawkins, LB Jonathan Willard, FS Rashard Hall

Key losses

T Phillip Price, G Antoine McClain, T Landon Walker, NG Brandon Thompson, DT Rennie Moore, DE Andre Branch, TE Dwayne Allen

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Andre Ellington* (1,178 yards)
Passing: Tajh Boyd* (3,828 yards)
Receiving: Sammy Watkins* (1,219 yards)
Tackles: Rashard Hall* (89)
Sacks: Andre Branch (10.5)
Interceptions: Jonathan Meeks* (3)

Spring answers

1. Boyd more consistent: Quarterback Tajh Boyd looked more comfortable and had a better handle of offensive coordinator Chad Morris’ wide-open spread offense in his second season in the system. The Tigers were red-hot out of the gates in 2011 but struggled with consistency and turnovers in the second half of the season. Clemson had only eight turnovers while starting the season with an 8-0 record, but had 16 in its 2-4 finish.

2. Venables takes over defense: New defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who was hired from Oklahoma to replace fired defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, installed a 4-3 defense with simpler terminology. The Clemson defense was shredded in a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Discover Orange Bowl. Venables opened up every starting job on defense this spring.

3. Two is better than one: Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins was the country’s top freshman last season, catching 82 passes for 1,219 yards with 12 touchdowns. But junior DeAndre Hopkins showed this spring he might be just as good. Hopkins caught 72 passes for 978 yards with five touchdowns in 2011. With tight end Dwayne Allen moving on to the NFL, the Tigers need another big-play weapon.

Fall questions

1. Sammy Watkins: Watkins, an All-American receiver during his freshman season in 2011, was arrested last week on misdemeanor drug charges. Coach Dabo Swinney hasn’t yet announced what punishment, if any, Watkins will face. If Watkins misses any game action, his absence might really hurt the Tigers in their season opener against Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.

2. Offensive line overhaul: After losing three starting offensive linemen and five seniors who played in the line rotation in 2011, the Tigers had to rebuild the unit this spring. Morris feels good about his starting five after moving nose tackle Tyler Shatley to right guard. Morris said Shatley brings some toughness to the offensive line. The rest of the line looks like this going into preseason camp: left tackle Brandon Thomas, left guard Kalon Davis, center Dalton Freeman and right tackle Gifford Timothy. It has to hold up for the offense to be effective.

3. Defensive line: The Tigers lost a trio of standout defensive linemen in tackles Brandon Thompson and Rennie Moore and end Andre Branch. Clemson brings back all of its starting linebackers and most of its secondary, but Venables will have to rebuild his defensive front with young players.

No, it’s not “Clemson Day” on the ACC blog, it just happened to fall that way with the top 25 countdown and alphabetical order of the “biggest shoes to fill” series. The Tigers do start spring ball tomorrow, though, so here’s a closer look at who will be the most difficult player to replace and who’s next in line:

OUT: DE Andre Branch. He had 197 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, 40 quarterback pressures and 11 pass breakups in 1,886 snaps over 48 games (27 starts) in his career. He made at least one tackle in 41 straight games and was a team co-captain. He finished 2011 first in the ACC in sacks per game and third in tackles for loss per game (1.2).

IN: Corey Crawford will actually play the position, but all eyes will be on Malliciah Goodman to see if he can bring similar pressure on quarterbacks. Crawford, a true freshman last year, was Branch’s backup at bandit end for most of the season. He had 25 tackles, two tackles for loss, three quarterback pressures and two pass breakups in 220 snaps over 13 games. Goodman has started 15 career games, 14 of which came last year. He had 59 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and 14 quarterback pressures in 767 snaps over 14 games. The 767 snaps set a school record for a defensive lineman.

More in this series:

• Boston College

For some, it might feel like the season just ended, but for others -- like Duke, Maryland and Boston College, which didn't get to play in a bowl game -- spring ball can't get here fast enough. The Eagles kick off spring practices in the ACC on Saturday, so today we'll take a quick look at the main storylines for each team in the conference heading into the spring:

BOSTON COLLEGE

Spring practice start date: Feb. 18
Spring game: March 31 (1 p.m. ET)

What to watch:

• Yet another offensive transition. Doug Martin will be the Eagles’ fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons, including Kevin Rogers, who took a medical leave of absence early last year and never returned, and Dave Brock, who replaced Rogers. Martin said he is looking for a physical downhill running game, wants to increase the tempo and add some no-huddle elements.
• The return of running back Montel Harris. The ACC’s leading rusher in 2010 missed most of last season with a knee injury, but he is expected to return for spring ball. How healthy and durable he is remains a question, but he’s still aiming to break a 33-year-old ACC rushing record.
• Who will replace All-American linebacker Luke Kuechly? It’s an open competition as Kuechly is the only linebacker departing. Sean Duggan was his backup last year, but Steele Divitto put in a lot of work this offseason on his own time.

CLEMSON

Spring practice start date: March 7
Spring game: April 14 (4 p.m. ET)

What to watch:

• The rebuilding efforts up front. Clemson has to replace three starters on both the offensive and defensive lines. On defense, Malliciah Goodman is the only starter returning on the line, and he’ll be one of the candidates to replace the production of end Andre Branch, but Corey Crawford will be the next in line at the position.
• The defensive transition under first-year defensive coordinator Brent Venables. After giving up 70 points to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, Dabo Swinney fired Kevin Steele and hired Venables. How quickly will he be able to make a difference and will everyone buy in?
• The linebackers. This is the year that the outstanding linebackers in the 2011 recruiting class will finally have their chance to shine. Venables is also the linebackers coach, and he’ll have a young, talented group to work with. The lineup of the future should include Stephone Anthony, Lateek Townsend and Tony Steward, all top 100 players coming out of high school.

FLORIDA STATE

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Maturation of the offensive line. FSU started four freshmen in the Champs Sports Bowl against Notre Dame, and those players will be expected to continue their improvement this spring. The most important question is who will replace the top two tackles from a year ago in Zebrie Sanders and Andrew Datko.
• The kicking game. Punters aren’t usually in the spotlight, but that wasn’t the case at FSU, where All-American Shawn Powell had an impact on every game. Finding a replacement for him this offseason will be a priority.
• The running backs. Chris Thompson, who broke his back last year, is expected to return this spring, and has been cleared for the most part, but the coaching staff isn’t likely to push him. Devonta Freeman will be the main man, but there are plenty of other candidates to emerge -- if, of course, the offensive line figures things out.

MARYLAND

Spring practice start date: March 10
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback drama. Maryland’s two-quarterback storyline will continue this spring -- if, of course, Danny O’Brien decides to remain at Maryland instead of transferring. There has been much speculation about his future, but for now, the staff expects him to be limited this spring as he continues to recover from a broken arm. C.J. Brown should get the most reps.
• An overhaul of schemes. Maryland hired a new offensive coordinator in Mike Locksley and a new defensive coordinator in Brian Stewart. How quickly the Terps buy into their systems and philosophies will be critical in turning around last year’s 2-10 record.
• The running backs. This is a position where a true freshman could earn some playing time this year, but standout recruit Stefon Diggs won’t be on campus in time to compete this spring. Meanwhile, Justus Pickett returns, along with Brandon Ross, who redshirted last year. Wes Brown (who played at Good Counsel with Diggs) could also compete for major playing time when he arrives for summer camp.

NC STATE

Spring practice start date: March 23
Spring game: April 21 (1 p.m. ET)

What to watch:

• Who will emerge as dependable linebackers. With Audie Cole and Terrell Manning gone, this position is a big question mark for the Wolfpack. Cole was the team’s leading tackler each of the past two seasons, and Manning was one of the defense’s most disruptive players last year.
• The new go-to for Glennon. With T.J. Graham gone, NC State turns to a young group of receivers. Tobias Palmer and Bryan Underwood return, but there are several unheralded players who have a chance to make names for themselves by emerging as a go-to player for quarterback Mike Glennon.
• The running game. NC State returns four of five starters on the offensive line, but will Mustafa Greene return in time for the spring? When he does, the Pack will have another new running backs coach, who has yet to be announced. NC State had the No. 109 rushing offense in the country last year. Greene would be a big boost.

WAKE FOREST

Spring practice start date: March 1
Spring game: April 14 (1 p.m. ET)

What to watch:

• The revamped offensive line. The Deacs have to replace four starters up front. Coach Jim Grobe has played only one true freshman there in 11 years. He has several redshirt freshmen and sophomores who are expected to fill in.
• The next playmakers. Wake Forest is thin at running back (Josh Harris returns, but has a history of hamstring injuries), the Deacs lose two starting wideouts -- including record-setter Chris Givens -- their top two tight ends and 2011 leading rusher Brandon Pendergrass.
• Solidifying the secondary. The Deacs have to replace starting free safety Josh Bush and starting strong safety Cyhl Quarles. There is still plenty of talent at cornerback, but the safety position is thin.

As we head into game week next week, here's a look back at the main storylines and highlights of Clemson's summer camp:

• All eyes were on quarterback Tajh Boyd, and he made measurable progress. He was 8 for 24 in the spring game, but in all three of the scrimmages this month he has completed over 50 percent of his passes (a total of 28-of-41 for 68 percent). His accuracy has improved significantly and the receivers have done a good job helping him out.
• Sammy Watkins is a freshman who’s going to be an impact player. He was in the starting lineup by the fourth practice, and has shown he can also run the ball and help the Tigers out in the return game. Martavis Bryant, Charone Peake, and Adam Humphries are all true freshmen receivers who impressed the staff and could be added to the mix this fall.
• Defensively, the play of defensive end Andre Branch stood out. He got a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks this month. He started alongside Da'Quan Bowers last year, but will pick up on a lot of those sacks this fall. He and Malliciah Goodman will generate good pressure and combined for three sacks in Saturday’s scrimmage.

Most noteable injury: Running back Mike Bellamy missed a week with a shoulder injury but comes back today. He was injured last Monday.

A look back at the ACC's weekend scrimmages, according to each team's practice reports:

BOSTON COLLEGE

The Eagles had their third scrimmage of summer camp on Sunday evening at Alumni Stadium.

Offensive highlights:

• Quarterback Chase Rettig completed 11 of 22 passes for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
• Rettig’s touchdown was a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Alex Amidon. Amidon finished with three receptions for a scrimmage-high 91 yards.
• Tailback Rolandan Finch carried the ball 13 times for 44 yards while Andre Williams recorded seven rushes for 42 yards, including an 18-yard gain in the scrimmage’s opening series. Tahj Kimble rushed five times for 13 yards. Williams participation was cut short after seven carries because of an ankle injury.
• Receiver Colin Larmond, Jr. had three receptions for 48 yards, and sophomore Bobby Swigert caught three passes for 22 yards.

Defensive highlights:

• Linebacker Nick Clancy highlighted the team’s defensive effort, recording five tackles -- including four tackles for loss -- and one pass break-up.
• Linebacker Andre Lawrence also had five tackles while sophomore defensive back C.J. Jones recorded four. Junior end Max Holloway had two sacks and linebackers Luke Kuechly, Jake Sinkovec and Will Thompson all finished the scrimmage with three tackles apiece.

Special teams highlights:

• Sophomore kickers Nate Freese connected on a 52-yard field goal attempt. Freese also connected from 27 yards while his opening attempt of the scrimmage (from 39 yards) missed.

CLEMSON

The Tigers had a 75-play scrimmage on Saturday morning.

Offensive highlights:

• Quarterback Tajh Boyd completed 8-of-14 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, a 19-yard pass to redshirt freshman tight end Sam Cooper. Boyd had one interception, his first of the August scrimmages in Memorial Stadium.
• Backup quarterback Cole Stoudt, who played against the first-team defense the entire day, was 4-of-12 for 57 yards. He threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Ford. It was the third straight scrimmage that Ford caught a touchdown pass.
• D.J. Howard was the top rusher in the scrimmage, carrying eight times for 53 yards, and Andre Ellington finished with 37 yards on four attempts. He did not play after the opening drive.
• Fifteen different players caught at least one pass and no one caught more than two. Dwayne Allen and DeAndre Hopkins both had two catches for 29 yards. Will Harrison had the longest catch of the day, a 31-yard reception from Tony McNeal.

Defensive highlights:

• The first-team defense allowed just one touchdown, and that came in an overtime simulation.
• Andre Branch had four tackles, including three tackles for loss, and a sack. Defensive end Mallicah Goodman added two sacks.
• Tig Willard and Kantrell Brown had interceptions, and Cortez Davis caused a fumble.

Special teams highlights:

• Sophomore kicker Chandler Catanzaro was 6-for-6 kicking field goals and extra points.

Notable:

• Sammy Watkins missed the scrimmage with a hip injury. He is expected to return to practice on Monday. Brandon Thompson and Mike Bellamy also missed the scrimmage with minor injuries and are expected to return on Monday. Running back Demont Buice missed the scrimmage with a foot injury. Starting offensive guard Antoine McClain missed the scrimmage because of a death in his family and Bryce McNeal was out with the flu.

DUKE

The Blue Devils held a 100-snap scrimmage on Friday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Offensive highlights:

• Running back Josh Snead carried the ball seven times for 45 yards with a 13-yard touchdown run and a 13-yard touchdown reception. Juwan Thompson led the team with 71 yards on five carries, including a 47-yard touchdown run. Junior Desmond Scott added 35 yards on five attempts.
• Sean Renfree completed 16-of-25 throws for 155 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. After making just one of his first five attempts, Renfree reeled off 11 consecutive completions, including the 13-yard touchdown toss to Snead and a 15-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wideout Brandon Braxton.
• Receiver Conner Vernon had three receptions for a scrimmage-best 51 yards with all three catches producing first downs.

Defensive highlights:

• Redshirt freshman defensive end Dezmond Johnson returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown.
• Linebacker Kyler Brown recovered a fumble.

Special teams highlights:

• Redshirt senior kicker Will Snyderwine made three field goals covering 26, 37 and 47 yards.

GEORGIA TECH

Offensive highlights:

• The Yellow Jackets scored three touchdowns on rushing attempts by three different quarterbacks. Tevin Washington directed the first-team offense and his scoring play -- a 36-yard scamper after faking the pitch -- was one of the offensive highlights of the day. Redshirt freshman quarterback Synjyn Days also scored a touchdown on an eight-yard run and true freshman Vad Lee plunged in the end zone from the 1-yard line.

Defensive highlights:

• Sophomore Isaiah Johnson intercepted a Vad Lee pass. Senior outside linebacker Steven Sylvester forced and recovered fumbles. Linebacker Malcolm Munroe also had a fumble recovery and linebacker B.J. Machen recorded a sack.

Notable:

• Paul Johnson indicated that David Sims, a converted quarterback, has played himself into contention to start at B-Back.
• Sophomore B.J. Bostic is out for four weeks with an undisclosed injury.
• Saturday was Paul Johnson's birthday. Just before the team broke its final huddle of camp, the Yellow Jacket players sang "Happy Birthday" to the head coach.

WAKE FOREST

The Deacs held a 90-minute scrimmage on Friday morning at BB&T Field.

Offensive highlights:

• Joshua Harris scored on a 96-yard run and had 112 yards rushing on just nine carries.
• Quarterback Tanner Price completed 18 of 26 passes and threw one touchdown, hitting Danny Dembry on a 21-yard score.
• Wake Forest’s first offensive line did not allow a sack on Friday.

Defensive highlights:

• Three of the first four offensive possessions ended with punts after three plays. The offense managed just one first down on its first eight possessions.
• The defense did accumulate four sacks but none against the first team. Derricus Ellis had a pair of sacks and Zachary Allen and Kris Redding each contributed one sack.
• Linebacker Justin Jackson led all defenders with 10 tackles. Defensive backs Jason Green, A.J. Marshall and Duran Lowe all had six tackles apiece.

Special teams highlights:

• Jimmy Newman made all four of his field goal attempts during the scrimmage and three extra points. Freshman Chad Hedlund was successful on four PATs.

As the title indicated ...

1. North Carolina: This is a deep and talented group that returns all four starters including Donte Paige-Moss, Jared McAdoo, Quinton Coples and Tydreke Powell. Junior college transfer Sylvester Williams joins three other players who started at least one game: Kareem Martin (three starts), DT Tim Jackson (five starts) and DT Jordan Nix (two starts).

2. Florida State: All four starters return in juniors Brandon Jenkins, Jacobi McDaniel, Anthony McCloud and Everett Dawkins. Jenkins finished sixth nationally with 13.5 sacks. This group should take another step forward in the second season under coordinator Mark Stoops, but it already has an outstanding base to build on as the Noles ranked third nationally in sacks and 21st in tackles for loss last season.

3. Miami: The Canes should have one of the better rotations in the ACC. They return starters Olivier Vernon, Micanor Regis and Marcus Forston, who combined for 12 sacks and 30.5 TFLs. It’s a deep group, as DE Adewale Ojomo (seven starts), DT Luther Robinson (five starts), DE Marcus Robinson (10 games), DT Curtis Porter (one start), DE Andrew Smith (11 games) and DE Dyron Dye (six games) all have experience.

4. Virginia: Like Florida State, this is another group that should benefit from being in the second season under the same coordinator. Jim Reid switched the scheme back to a traditional 4-3, and the Hoos return a veteran group led by Matt Conrath (33 starts), DT Nick Jenkins (29 starts), and DE Cam Johnson (22 starts).

5. Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have a better understanding of what is expected from them in their second season in Al Groh’s 3-4 defense, and all three starters return in ends Izaan Cross (41 tackles) and Jason Peters (52 tackles), and tackle Logan Walls. Defensive tackles Shawn Green, T.J. Barnes and J.C. Lanier will also compete for playing time along with DE Anthony Williams.

6. Maryland: The Terps should be solid up front with the return of Joe Vellano, A.J. Francis and Justin Anderson. Francis is the veteran of the group (19 career starts) and had 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season, but Vellano is also an all-conference candidate. The Terps have good depth with Zachariah Kerr, Isaiah Ross and Bradley Johnson.

7. Virginia Tech: This is a group that could and should jump a few spots by the end of the season. On paper, they’ve got to replace three starters, but this spring the group proved capable of getting the Hokies back to their days of dominating on defense. Based on potential, they should be ranked higher, but based on lack of dependable, proven depth, they could even fall lower.

8. Clemson: It will be difficult for the Tigers to replace the production of Da’Quan Bowers, but the defensive line is in capable hands with Andre Branch and Brandon Thompson, and Malliciah Goodman has embraced the challenge of taking Bowers’ spot. Branch was second on the team with five sacks last season and 8.5 tackles for loss. Thompson had 40 tackles, including six for losses. Defensive tackle Rennie Moore, DE Kourtnei Brown and DT Tyler Shatley also have experience.

9. NC State: Defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy is one of the underrated players in the ACC, and he returns along with defensive end Jeff Rieskamp. Several players got significant snaps last season, though, including DE Darryl Cato-Bishop (13 tackles), DT Markus Kuhn (17 tackles, and DT Brian Slay (20 tackles, two TFLs).

10. Wake Forest: The Deacs return three starters including Tristan Dorty, Kyle Wilber and Zack Thompson. Thompson only started five games last season, but after spring practices, coach Jim Grobe said Thompson has all-conference potential.

11. Boston College: Starters Max Holloway and Kaleb Ramsey return, along with four other linemen (DTs Dillon Quinn and Conor O’Neal, and DEs Dan Williams and Kasim Edebali) who each started at least two games last fall.

12. Duke: Until proven otherwise, this is where the Blue Devils belong, but Rick Petri was hired to change that. He’ll have veteran nose guard Charlie Hatcher (24 career starts) to work with, and sophomore Sydney Sarmiento, who started 11 games last season. Junior Kenny Anunike, Justin Foxx and DEs Desmond Johnson and Jamal Wallace could also see playing time.

The series continues today with the Tigers as we look at which players in the ACC made a splash this spring and showed potential of having a breakout season in 2011.

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. We'll pick one on offense, one on defense.

Mike Bellamy, RB: This true freshman is one who could definitely have an immediate impact once he arrives on campus, especially with the early departure of Jamie Harper to the NFL. Bellamy was ranked the No. 72 player in the nation by ESPN Recruiting, and the No. 6 running back in his recruiting class. He had 7,329 rushing yards and 110 touchdowns in his high school career. He averaged 8.7 yards per carry in high school. Wow.

Malliciah Goodman, DE: He's a big, strong athlete who hasn't reached his potential yet but will have a chance to do that this year as he is working this offseason to replace Da'Quan Bowers. Goodman's hands measure 11.5 inches from finger tip to finger tip, a figure that would have been among the best at the 2009 NFL combine. He only has one career start, but has played in 27 games. There's no question his role will increase this year and more will be expected of him.

Biggest shoes to fill: Defensive end Da’Quan Bowers

The nation’s No. 1 recruit in 2008, Bowers didn’t reach his potential until last year when he led the nation and the ACC with 15.5 sacks. He also led the ACC and was second in the country with 26 tackles for loss. He had 20 quarterback pressures, two pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and was second on the team with 74 tackles. Bowers likely would have been one of the top players chosen overall in the 2011 NFL draft if it weren’t for his knee injury. He was without question one of the best defensive players in the country and won the Bronko Nagurski and Hendricks awards, and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Spring replacement: Malliciah Goodman

Goodman had a good spring, but both Goodman and coach Dabo Swinney agree there is another level of Goodman’s game he has yet to reach. Goodman enters summer camp as the projected starter and has 63 tackles, eight TFLs, 13 quarterback pressures and three forced fumbles over 27 games with one start.

Summer outlook: The Tigers will likely have to lean on both Goodman and Andre Branch at the other end spot to help compensate for the loss of Bowers and help Clemson get after quarterbacks. Goodman will have to continue to progress and get another step closer this summer to reaching his potential in order to help that happen.

More in this series:

• Duke
• Florida State
• Georgia Tech
• Maryland
• Miami
• North Carolina
• NC State
• Virginia
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest

2010 overall record: 6-7

2010 conference record: 4-4

Returning starters

Offense: 8, defense: 5, punter/kicker: 2

Top returners

WR DeAndre Hopkins, RT Landon Walker, DE Andre Branch, DT Brandon Thompson, P Dawson Zimmerman, RB Andre Ellington, WR Jaron Brown, C Dalton Freeman, OG Antoine McClain, TE Dwayne Allen, MLB Corico Hawkins, S Rashard Hall

Key losses

DE Da’Quan Bowers, DT Jarvis Jenkins, FS DeAndre McDaniel, CB Marcus Gilchrist, RB Jamie Harper, QB Kyle Parker, LT Chris Hairston

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Harper (760 yards)

Passing: Kyle Parker (2,213 yds)

Receiving: Hopkins* (637 yds)

Tackles: McDaniel (84)

Sacks: Bowers (15.5)

Interceptions: McDaniel (4)

Spring answers

1. Cole Stoudt is the backup quarterback. Until true freshmen Stoudt and Tony McNeal enrolled in January and arrived on campus, Tajh Boyd was the only scholarship quarterback on the roster. With Boyd the undisputed starter, the main competition was for his backup. Stoudt won the job over McNeal, who also played well and is a good runner, but Stoudt had the stronger arm.

2. Phillip Price will replace Chris Hairston at left tackle. The Tigers have four starters returning on the offensive line but big shoes to fill at left tackle, where Hairston was a three-year starter. Price, who joined the team as a walk-on tight end and moved to offensive line last year, beat Brandon Thomas for the job.

3. Players bought into the system. First-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris brought an up-tempo offense from Tulsa that is similar to what Auburn runs, and the players not only embraced it, they had fun with it this spring. Whether or not they can execute it on Saturdays? See below …

Fall questions

1. Execution of the offense. With a brand new scheme, a first-year starting quarterback and new offensive coordinator, the entire offense is a question mark heading into the fall. The Tigers also lost their leading rusher in Jamie Harper, who decided to leave early for a shot at the NFL. Can the Tigers get it together quickly enough to be a contender in the Atlantic Division again?

2. Will there be enough pressure on quarterbacks? With the departure of Bowers and his 15.5 sacks -- not to mention and 21 quarterback pressures -- the Tigers will have a lot of ground to make up. Bowers was a big reason Clemson was in top 20 in the nation in both scoring defense and total defense last year. With him gone, who’s going to step up and get after the quarterbacks? Malliciah Goodman and Andre Branch are expected to.

3. Will the Tigers find consistency in the kicking game? Clemson lost five games by a touchdown or less last year, including the overtime loss to Auburn, which slipped away with a missed field goal in overtime. Will Chandler Catanzaro pick up where he left off at the end of last season and show some consistency? He made six of his final seven field goals last year, but he also started slow this spring before finishing strong.

Spring game: 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, ESPN3.com.

Questions answered: The Tigers have bought into first-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris' up-tempo offense and they like it. Clemson installed about 60 percent of the offense this spring, and has embraced first-year starting quarterback Tajh Boyd as its new leader.

Questions unanswered: How the Tigers will replace some big names on defense remains a question. Malliciah Goodman is next in line to replace Da'Quan Bowers, but both he and the coaches have said he can still reach another level. The Tigers are young but talented in the secondary, where stars Marcus Gilchrist and DeAndre McDaniel have graduated. And there will be plenty of more options this summer when a top-10 recruiting class arrives on campus.

Spring stars: Bashaud Breeland, a redshirt freshman defensive back, looks to move into the role of all-purpose defensive back formerly held by Gilchrist.

Of note: Entering the spring game, kicker Chandler Catanzaro has finished the spring strong by making seven of his last eight field goals in scrimmages. While he made 14 of 22 field goals last year (including just 3-of-7 from the 30-39 range), he did make six of his last seven kicks last year and appears to have picked up where he left off.

Florida State fans can rest assured their quarterback situation is in good hands. After all, how many other teams could lose their starter and have the backup earn MVP honors in a Gator Bowl win?

E.J. Manuel proved Christian Ponder isn’t irreplaceable last season, and that’s a good thing for a program vying to win the Atlantic Division title in the first season under Jimbo Fisher. When it comes to the offense, there isn’t much Florida State is missing, but the Seminoles are just one of several teams in the ACC prepared to replace key players if need be.

The deepest position throughout the ACC appears to be at running back, where numerous programs have to figure out how to divvy up the carries this fall. Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech are all at least two deep at the position -- at least. The Hokies are fortunate enough to have two former backups turned 1,000-yard rushers in Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, both of whom got their opportunities at the expense of an injured teammate.

At Florida State, running back Chris Thompson passed Jermaine Thomas on the unofficial post-spring depth chart, but there’s also Lonnie Pryor, Tavares Pressley, Ty Jones and junior-college transfer Debrale Smiley, who is a fullback/tailback like Pryor. Both Florida State and Boston College return at least four starters each on their offensive lines, which immediately helps the depth there.

Miami has four returning receivers who had at least 200 yards receiving a year ago, and Duke had so much depth at receiver that it was able to move one of its top four pass-catchers -- Johnny Williams -- to cornerback this past spring.

Miami is also stocked on the defensive line, where the defensive ends go about three-deep on each side. The same can be said at Clemson, which returns three starters on the defensive line, and can also depend upon DE Andre Branch (38 tackles, 7.5 for loss) and DE Malliciah Goodman (26 tackles, 6.0 for loss).

Maryland returns all three of its starting linebackers and their backups. At Boston College, defensive coordinator Bill McGovern’s scheme utilizes a lot of players, which helps continue the strong defensive tradition there because the players are always prepared. Reserves from 2009 such as CB Donnie Fletcher (51 tackles), DE Brad Newman (45 tackles), LB Dominick LeGrande (36 tackles), LB Anthony DiSanzo (28 tackles) and CB Isaac Johnson (27 tackles) all saw significant playing time.

No team in the ACC, though, is as loaded on defense as North Carolina, which returns nine starters. They have combined for 234career starts -- the most of any team in the ACC, with S Deunta Williams and CB Kendric Burney making 38 starts each. The challenge for Butch Davis this fall will be getting the backups some playing time in preparation for 2011.

The goal of course for all coaches is to use their backups when they want to -- not when they have to.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich

CLEMSON, S.C. -- The tailgating is in full swing here in Death Valley, and it’s a beautiful evening for it -- finally. It has rained at some point during each of the first five Clemson home games this year. If the game lives up to the pregame excitement and buzz, it should be a great one. The Atlantic Division standings are on the line, and it’s Clemson’s division to lose. FSU has some momentum, though, and can still sneak in. The Noles will move into second place with a win.


Here are three keys to this game:

1. Pressure on Ponder. This is the biggest key. Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder has been one of the top performers in the country in recent weeks, but only he knows how much pain he’s truly in from the bruised ribs he suffered in last week’s win over NC State. Clemson’s defensive line is one of its deepest units and biggest strengths. Their backup defensive ends are good enough to start for some other ACC teams. Guys like Kevin Alexander, Malliciah Goodman and Andre Branch are still going to bring the heat. Clemson leads the ACC in sacks.

2. Turnovers and penalties. These could be the X factor. Clemson is the least penalized team in the ACC. Florida State is the worst. All Florida State needs in this kind of game is a little bit of help from a fumble or an interception. Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker has shown marked improvement over the past couple of weeks, but he’s also got eight interceptions and 10 touchdowns this year. FSU has a plus-four turnover margin, but Clemson is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to interceptions with 15.

3. Will FSU’s defense show up? It was an emotional week with the announcement of Mickey Andrews’ retirement, so you’d think the Seminoles would be driven to play for him in one of their most critical games of the season. You don’t morph from one of the country’s worst defenses, though, into one of the best in a matter of four quarters. What the Noles need to do is stay fundamentally sound, make their tackles, stay away from penalties, and limit the big plays from Jacoby Ford and C.J. Spiller.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said defensive end Da'Quan Bowers is "very doubtful" for Saturday's game against FSU.

“I would say he’s probably doubtful right now for this week,” Swinney said. “If he’s not able to play, that’s a big blow to us. There’s not many Da’Quan Bowers walking around out there, so it will be a challenge for our other guys to step it up.”

Swinney said the backups have played as many snaps as Bowers, and that Malliciah Goodman had his best game on Saturday. Kevin Alexander, who usually plays strongside linebacker, switches back to end in nickel and dime situations.

“(Goodman) will have to step it up along with (Andre) Branch and Kevin Alexander, who are also in that role, too,” Swinney said. “All those guys have to step up and replace Da’Quan if he can’t play. We’ve got good depth there and good players, so we’ll be OK, you just hate to lose a good one like Da’Quan. I hate it for him, too, I know he would’ve like to play in this game. We’ll get him back as soon as possible.”

Swinney said he’s not sure of the timetable for Bowers’ return.

“I hope he’s just out this ball game, but you never know,” Swinney said. “It could be a couple of games. It could be just one, I don’t know. It’s hard for me to speculate on that.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

FSU's Greg Reid continues to impress and Miami's Ray Ray Armstrong played a great game against Oklahoma. Both of them have lived up to the hype. Here's a look at how the ACC freshmen who were in the 2009 ESPNU 150 rankings fared this past Saturday:

Florida State

• DT Jacobbi McDaniel -- tackle, forced fumble
• CB Greg Reid -- 2 tackles, 2 breakups; 3 punt returns 10 yards, 1 kick return for 13 Yards

Miami

• S Ray Ray Armstrong -- 7 tackles

North Carolina

• WR Jheranie Boyd -- 2 carries for 7 yards, 2 receptions for 12 yards
• DE Donte Moss -- participated

Clemson

• DE Malliciah Goodman -- participated

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Here's a look at how the ACC's freshmen from the 2009 ESPNU 150 class represented this week, according to ESPN's Scouts Inc.:

Florida State

DT Jacobbi McDaniel: 3 tackles

CB Greg Reid: 2 tackles, 1 interception for 63 yards and a TD; 3 kick returns for 71 yards

Miami

S Ray Ray Armstrong: participated

ATH Brandon McGee: tackle

North Carolina

WR Jheranie Boyd: 2 carries 16 yards, 1 reception for 59 yards and a TD

Clemson

DE Malliciah Goodman: 2 tackles