ESPN College Football

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.

Here's a look at those who made names for themselves, those who fine-tuned some strengths and those who burst onto the scene this spring in the ACC.

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson: Hopkins had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' spring game, including five for 100 in the first quarter. Coach Dabo Swinney called him the team's spring MVP, and he and Sammy Watkins could form the top receiver tandem in the nation.

RB Rolandan Finch, Boston College: Finch will have to carry a bigger load with Montel Harris off the team, and he stepped up in the spring game when the three men ahead of him were all banged-up, rushing for 196 yards on 27 carries. He will likely battle with Andre Williams for the top spot this fall, though both figure to see plenty of time.

LT Cameron Erving, FSU: The converted defensive tackle impressed this spring, as the sophomore is one of two new tackles the Seminoles are breaking in on the offensive line, a unit that may just be the deciding factor on whether FSU can return to the national elite this season. Coach Jimbo Fisher has called the 6-foot-5, 304-pound sophomore a future NFL starter.

QB Ryan Williams, Miami: Coach Al Golden said this week that Stephen Morris has been medically cleared, and he will likely enter a full-on quarterback competition with Williams, the Memphis transfer who saw most of the action this spring and played well, despite a sub-par spring game.

TE Jake McGee, Virginia: The converted quarterback caught two passes for 81 yards and figures to be a reliable target this fall after a subpar performance for the Cavaliers' tight ends last season.

CB Demetrious Nicholson, Virginia: Coach Mike London named him the team's most distinguished freshman this spring, but he will have to grow up fast. After playing almost every snap last fall, he is the veteran of the Cavaliers' secondary in 2012.

DT Luther Maddy, Virginia Tech: Maddy was named the Hokies' defensive MVP of this spring. The rising sophomore has said he has adjusted to the speed of the game after a freshman year that featured seven starts, and he figures to be a key on a line that will anchor Virginia Tech's defense this season.

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.

2011 overall record: 4-8
2011 conference record: 3-5 (5th, Atlantic)

Returning starters: Offense: 9; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
LT John Wetzel, RT Emmett Cleary, LG Bobby Vardaro, RG Ian White, TE Chris Pantale, QB Chase Rettig, RB Rolandan Finch, RB Tahj Kimble, RB Andre Williams, WR Coin Larmond, WR Bobby Swigert, DE Kasim Edebali, DT Kaleb Ramsey, DT Dominic Appiah, DT Dillon Quinn, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB Steele Divitto, LB Sean Duggan, CB Jim Noel, SS Spenser Rositano

Key losses
C Mark Spinney, TE Lars Anderson, DE Max Holloway, LB Luke Kuechly, CB Donnie Fletcher, FS Hampton Hughes, P Ryan Quigley

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Rolandan Finch* (705 yards)
Passing: Chase Rettig* (1,960 yards)
Receiving: Colin Larmond* (528 yards)
Tackles: Luke Kuechly (191)
Sacks: Max Holloway (2.5)
Interceptions: Luke Kuechly (3)

Spring answers

1. Chase Rettig makes strides: Rettig was thrown into the fire early, and he has endured plenty since, with injuries, new schemes and last year's 4-8 campaign. Now a junior, and playing for another new offensive coordinator, Rettig has the command of the offense and should benefit from playing behind an experienced offensive line.

2. More running back depth than BC probably hoped for: Montel Harris and Andre Williams couldn't go in the spring game. Then Tahj Kimble injured himself early in the contest. Finch, who played a lot last season with Harris sidelined, ended up shouldering the load, and it will take a group effort this season with Harris out of the picture. Injuries and a dismissal gave BC a better look at its backfield talent than it had probably hoped for, but the group effort this spring should benefit the Eagles come fall.

3. Defense looking to build off 2011 finish: Coach Frank Spaziani said the worst thing about last season was that it ended. BC is hungry to build off its 4-8 campaign, as the team hopes to carry the momentum from winning two of its final three games. A long offseason gave the defense time to think about that finish, which was keyed by a unit that held each of the final three opponents to fewer than 20 points.

Fall questions

1. Who will replace Luke Kuechly? The short answer is no one. Kuechly's legend will only continue to grow with each passing day. But the Eagles do return plenty of talented linebackers, led by Steele Divitto and Kevin Pierre-Louis. It will take a collective effort and then some for the linebackers to make up for the loss of Kuechly, but their attitude in trying can certainly rub off on the rest of the defense.

2. What happened with Harris? The school's all-time leading rusher was dismissed from the team after the spring for a repeated violation of team rules. The backfield is used to playing without him after his injury-plagued 2011 campaign, but the suddenness of Harris' departure -- which Spaziani will not get into -- has to have some effect on his former teammates, especially with Harris having been primed to chase the ACC's career rushing record this season.

3. How will the offense transition under Doug Martin? Spaziani said he was impressed with the unit coming out of the spring, but a fifth offensive coordinator in five years has to be challenging for the players. Martin has said he is looking to increase the pace, and he'll have nine starters back to work with come preseason camp.

They have been playing without him for so long now, the instinct is to say the loss doesn’t hurt as much. Then again, before Tuesday’s news that Montel Harris has been dismissed from the Boston College football team for repeated violations of team rules, there had always been the hope that at some point the school’s all-time rushing leader would return to the lineup.

“There’s a lot of aspects to it that’s disappointing,” Frank Spaziani said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It’s disappointing.”

The head coach wouldn’t discuss the violations, and when asked how it affects the team, he pointed to the fact the Eagles have already been playing without the 2011 ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

“Once again, he hasn’t been there for a while,” he said. “So we go with the running backs we have.”

That means Rolandan “Deuce” Finch, Andre Williams and Tahj Kimble will be expected to carry the load as they did for most of the Eagles’ disappointing 4-8 season in 2011.

Harris missed the first three games of the season after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his injured left knee in training camp. The 5-foot-10, 207-pound running back from Jacksonville, Fla., returned to action against UMass and became the Eagles’ career rushing leader (3,735 yards) in the next game, against Wake Forest.

But the running back reinjured the knee in that game, and ultimately missed the rest of the season. He received a medical hardship waiver for a fifth year of eligibility, and BC’s all-time leader in rushing yards, carries (786) and 100-yard games (22) was expected to make a run at the ACC’s all-time rushing record (held by NC State’s Ted Brown, with 4,602) with a healthy senior season.

After participating in the first workout of spring practice, however, Harris complained of soreness in the knee and was shut down for the rest of the spring session.

Spaziani acknowledged that the Eagles never knew what to expect from Harris during his extended battle with knee problems.

“That’s been precarious at best,” he said of Harris’ recovery. “We thought he was gonna be all right three weeks after the first surgery. Nothing has ever changed on that.

“It was always a very delicate situation and hopefully it’ll resolve itself.”

The Eagles had been hoping for a while that they would get a healthy Harris back. Then came Tuesday’s announcement.

“We’re disappointed but we went through the whole spring [without him],” Spaziani said. “He hasn’t been out there for a while now.”

Asked how the loss has affected the team, Spaziani said: “The team hasn’t been out there, so I’m not sure what their reactions are. ... Their reactions are they move on.

“He hasn’t been out there,” he said. “Ever since he was first injured he’s been in and out. So I don’t have any doubt that they will [move on]. They don’t have a choice. He only played two games last year, right?”

Harris has an effervescent, upbeat personality and a work ethic that Spaziani called “exemplary,” and would’ve been expected to provide leadership for the still-young Eagles in 2012.

Spaziani is fond of saying you can’t just create fifth-year seniors; it takes five years to make one. Assuming his knee would’ve allowed him to get back on the field, Harris would have been a valuable one.

“You can’t have enough, but there’s guys [on the roster] that have had some experience, have been in games and understand what it takes,” Spaziani said when asked about the loss of leadership. “It’s like pitching, you can never stockpile enough experience.”

The coach cited offensive tackles John Wetzel and Emmett Cleary, tight end Chris Pantale, wide receivers Colin Larmond Jr., Bobby Swigert and Alex Amidon and quarterback Chase Rettig as examples of players who’ve been on the field enough to know what it takes to succeed. The first four will be seniors in 2012, while the last three will be juniors.

BC opens the 2012 season Sept. 1 at home against Miami, but the most accomplished running back in school history won’t be taking the field in Alumni Stadium in the maroon and gold.

“I think they’ll remember all the exciting things that he did,” the coach said when asked how he thinks Eagles fans will remember Harris. “What he did was spectacular in a lot of ways. He’s a great player.”

But will the disappointing end take away from what he did at BC at all?

“From your accomplishments?” Spaziani asked, rhetorically. “I don’t think anything can take away from what you accomplished, can it?”

Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.

Frank Spaziani has said repeatedly this spring that a football team can never have enough running backs.

Never will that be more evident for the Boston College coach than now, as Eagles all-time leading rusher Montel Harris has been dismissed from the team for repeated violation of team rules. It is hard to replace a guy like Harris, who missed most of last season and almost all of this spring with a knee injury. His credentials:

• The ACC's leading rusher in 2010 and its preseason player of the year last season
• BC's all-time leader in rushing yards (3,735), carries (786) and 100-yard games (22), and third in school history in touchdowns (27)
• The conference's active leader in rushing yards and carries
• Within striking distance of the ACC career rushing yards record (NC State's Ted Brown — 4,602 yards from 1975-78)

Now BC is forced to move on without Harris, as it will turn to the trio of Andre Williams, Tahj Kimble and Rolandan Finch for more production.

Finch and Williams, entering their redshirt junior and junior seasons, respectively, are the elder statesmen of the group. Finch has carried the ball 185 times in his career for 839 yards and four touchdowns, with almost all of that production coming last season. With Williams and Kimble both missing most of the spring game with injuries, Finch rushed 27 times for 196 yards. The knock on him, however, has been ball security.

Williams has 978 career yards and six touchdowns on 219 carries. Kimble, entering his redshirt sophomore season, made strides this spring after 156 yards and a touchdown on 43 carries last season.

The responsibility for picking up the ground game is now on the shoulders of those three with one of the school's all-time greats officially out of the picture.

Boston College entered the Jay McGillis Spring Game on Saturday without running backs Montel Harris and Andre Williams. Less than 15 minutes in, the Eagles found themselves without Tahj Kimble, too.

But Rolandan Finch rose to the challenge Saturday, carrying the ball 27 times for 196 yards and hauling in four catches for 38 yards in the offense's 68-58 win over the defense.

The scoring system for the game went as follows: First downs (one point), explosive plays of 25 yards or more (two points), sacks (one point), pass breakups (one point) and turnovers (three points).

The offense concluded its first spring under coordinator Doug Martin, who is bringing a more up-tempo approach to a unit that finished 112th nationally in 2011.

Returning starting quarterback Chase Rettig completed 13 of 23 passes for 120 yards, one touchdown and two picks. Josh Bordner concluded a strong spring by going 8-of-18 for 159 yards and two scores. Both signal-callers were victims of Ameer Richardson interceptions, as the redshirt freshman picked off each quarterback on consecutive series.

Sophomore James McCaffrey also had two picks, in addition to a fumble recovery and three tackles. Kicker Joey Launceford stepped in at defensive back and had a pick of his own, returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in the second half.

Back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes have already begun to separate Florida State and Clemson from the rest of the Atlantic Division -- at least on paper.

It’s only news, though, when those programs don’t bring in some of the nation’s most talented players.

Clemson, after all, just won its first ACC title for the first time since 1991. Florida State last year couldn’t beat Wake Forest. Which is why there is no reason for the Deacs or anyone else in the division to surrender just yet.

“They key for us is not how many stars they come in with, it’s how good they play when they’re juniors and seniors,” Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. “At least that’s our key. For us it’s all about developing players. It’s a standard joke among coaches, ‘How’d your recruiting go? Well, we’ll know in a couple of years.’ Sometimes that’s good to laugh and giggle about, but absolutely at Wake Forest, we know when they’re juniors and seniors if we’ve done the right thing in recruiting.

“For us, I think we know where we are. We’re a development program. We’ve got to do a great job of coaching our kids in the offseason and the weight room and out on the practice field, so by the time they’re juniors and seniors, there are a lot of other teams in the league that look at them and say, ‘Man, I wish I would’ve taken that guy.’”

Guys like Alphonso Smith, Aaron Curry, Chris Givens and Joe Looney. At Boston College, guys like Montel Harris and Luke Kuechly.

“Here’s the way I’ve always looked at the competition,” said BC coach Frank Spaziani. “As the competition gets better, everybody else better get better and move forward. There are a lot of other areas to it than just that.”

Just how much of a talent discrepancy is there within the division? Can BC compensate for a lack of stars with its hard-working, disciplined, blue-collar traits? Can Wake Forest continue to develop diamonds out of its “recruiting puddle?” NC State already beat a No. 7-ranked Clemson team, but can it win consistently? Will the hire of offensive coordinator Mike Locksley change Maryland recruiting?

Florida State and Clemson are ahead of the race, there’s no question about it. But until either one of them plays and wins with more consistency, it won’t be a two-team race in the ACC.

Boston College running back Montel Harris made it through one spring practice before being sidelined again with a knee injury that kept him out of almost the entire 2011 season.

Harris will not participate in the rest of spring practice because he re-aggravated the knee, according to the school. Harris participated in this past Saturday’s first practice of the spring season and "complained of soreness afterwards," according to the release. Harris had surgery on his knee this past August, but was cleared to return to spring practices.

Harris missed the first three games of the 2011 season and returned for only two games, against UMass and Wake Forest, before missing the remainder of the season.

First-year Boston College offensive coordinator Doug Martin is the latest in a long line of assistants tasked with turning around the Eagles' offense. Martin, who was head coach and offensive coordinator for seven seasons (2004-10) at Kent State, came to BC after one season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach last year at New Mexico State. The Aggies ranked 25th among FBS teams in passing offense in 2011, averaging 273 yards per game, and averaged 398 yards of total offense per game. I caught up with Martin recently to get his take on what he has to work with when spring ball begins at BC on Saturday. Here are the highlights of our conversation:

How would you explain your offensive philosophy to BC fans and what you want to do there?

Doug Martin: We’re a multiple, one-back offense, which means we base out of a one-back, but we can easily, through shifts and motions and personnel changes get into two-back sets just as easily. But a very physical, downhill running game. I’d describe the passing game as a West Coast passing game.

How much are you changing?

DM: It will be quite a bit. The tempo of the offense will be a lot different, we’re much more up-tempo, fast out of the huddle, perhaps some no-huddle parts to the offense also. Just a lot quicker tempo than what they played at, a lot more shifts and motions, a lot more diversity to the offense than what they’ve had.

Have you gotten a chance to look at Chase Rettig, and what do you see in him as a quarterback?

DM: Yes. I really like a lot of the things I see in Chase on film. There are times when you watch him and say, ‘Man, there aren’t many guys who can make that throw.’ You see him throw a post route or certain things. I think it’s more him getting comfortable in a system, and having confidence, which means he’s prepared. I think that’s where we’ve got to get with him. Whoever the quarterback is, that’s how good we’re going to be, whether it’s he or Josh Bordner, whoever it is, that’s how good our offense will be, however good that guy is.

Are you opening up a competition then? I know Josh played a little bit last year.

DM: Any time you go into spring, especially as a new coach, you want competition at every position. I know coach Spaziani feels that way also. Everybody’s gotta go compete.

You mentioned a physical, downhill running game. I know you guys had one of the best backs in the ACC, but Montel was banged up last year. Do you even know what you can expect from him, or is it a spring-will-tell kind of thing?

DM: Well, when he’s healthy, he’s as good as anybody. That was a terrible blow to the offense last year, with him being hurt, but hopefully he’s going to be healthy. He’s doing everything now. He looks great. A lot of quickness, a lot of explosion. From what I’ve seen in the past, he catches the ball really well. He’s a difference-maker.

How much do you feel like you have to accomplish this spring, and what’s a realistic goal in terms of installation?

DM: We’ll get the entire offense installed, that’s not the issue. The issues to me are twofold: No. 1 the attitude of the offensive players. We’ve got to become a much more attack-oriented, aggressive, up-tempo offense, and a lot of that is the attitude that they play with. No. 2 is us establishing an identity offensively. I need to have these guys on the field to find out what they can do. What set of skills do our receivers really excel at? That’s the direction we’ll go. Us coming out of spring with an identity, being able to say, ‘Ok, this is what we’re good at,’ that’s what we’ve got to get done this spring.

How hard is it to get them to buy in because there’s been such an unusual amount of turnover at the coordinator position?

DM: I can tell you the same thing I told them: You don’t win with systems, you win with people. If they will buy in and we are all in this deal together going in one direction, then we’ll succeed. That’s where it is. We’ve got to check the egos at the door, and everybody has to be in this together, including me, and we’ll be fine. I think right now it’s a very hungry group of players offensively. I think they’ve got a little bit of a chip on their shoulder because they haven’t done as well as they wanted to, and that’s healthy. We’ve got to build off of that.

What’s the response you’ve gotten so far from them?

DM: I think a lot of excitement right now. They come in, watch film, see what the offense looks like. I think they’re excited about the possibilities. It’s kind of a fresh start for everybody. What I’ve seen so far has been very, very positive. I love what I see here athletically from the players we’ve got, and I think I can make them better.

Why did you want this job?

DM: No. 1, it’s Boston College. In my mind, it’s one of the best academic and athletic institutions in the country. Look at the tradition of it, both academically and athletically. Not many colleges can say they’ve done what this place has done. And then the chance to compete at a high level as a coach. To come to the ACC and prove to myself that I can coach at this level and put a good product on the field, that’s a great challenge to me.

What do you want BC fans to know about you?

DM: Just that I’m going to do everything in my power to make us an effective offensive football team. There’s no egos with me. It’s all a team-oriented deal. We’ve got a great group of assistant coaches here. We’re going to work as hard as we can to be exciting, but it will be an exciting offensive brand of football for them to come watch.

Out of sight, out of mind, seems to have been the case with ACC fans and Boston College running back Montel Harris, who missed most of last season recovering from a knee injury.

As the Eagles prepare to open spring ball on Saturday -- with Harris -- here’s a quick reminder why you shouldn’t overlook him in 2012:

• He was the 2011 ACC preseason Player of the Year.
• He broke the school’s all-time rushing record last year against Wake Forest and enters spring ball with 3,735 career yards.
• He is the school’s all-time leader in carries (786) and 100-yard games (22), and ranks third in touchdowns (27).
• He held the ACC record for the most rushing yards through junior year.
• He is the ACC’s active leader in rushing yards and carries.

BC coach Frank Spaziani said Harris has been cleared to participate in spring practices, but that the staff won’t push him too hard because they already know what he can do.

“It’s not a matter of us seeing where Montel fits in, it’s a matter of us managing what he does,” Spaziani said. “We did that with him last year a little bit, and we’ll certainly utilize him the best way we can to have him ready for the opening game next fall. That’s how Montel’s spring will go.”

Harris was granted a medical hardship waiver and an extra season of eligibility. Spaziani said there is still some concern about Harris re-aggravating the knee injury.

“I’d be less than honest with you if I said there wasn’t a concern,” Spaziani said. “When this procedure was done on him, we were looking at four to six weeks being back playing and ready to go and it’s now been a year and something. That in itself is a little bit of a red flag and a concern, but there are no indications now that that will be the case, but once again, we had hoped we weren’t at this point, so there is that lingering concern until he does it.”

Don’t forget, though, that he’s done it before.

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.

With the 2011 season behind us, it’s time to hand out the report cards. We’ll start with the Atlantic Division today and finish up with the Coastal Division on Wednesday:

BOSTON COLLEGE

Overview: We should have known this would be a troubling season from the start, when the Eagles lost at home to Northwestern’s backup quarterback. It’s one thing to struggle, though, and another to start out 1-6 and winless in league play. Granted, there were injuries, there was the loss of leading rusher Montel Harris, and there was the unexpected leave of absence of former offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers for health reasons. There were plenty of excuses BC fans didn’t want to hear as the Eagles wrapped up their worst season since 1995. The defense was respectable and the offense continued to struggle, but BC never quit and won three of its last five games.

Grade: D

CLEMSON

Overview: The Tigers’ offense flourished quickly under first-year coordinator Chad Morris, as Clemson shocked the college football world with its 8-0 start. Quarterback Tajh Boyd was in the Heisman conversation, and true freshman receiver Sammy Watkins became a household name. The loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 29 was simply a matter of Clemson running into a team that played its best game of the year against the Tigers. The loss at NC State? That was Clemson pulling a Clemson. The Tigers lost three of their final four regular-season games, including to rival South Carolina, but they managed to play their best game of the year against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. That performance, though, in typical Clemson style, was followed by a flop -- a face plant of monumental proportions against West Virginia in the Discover Orange Bowl. Still, this was a team that was unranked heading into the preseason, and it won the school’s first league title since 1991. In the big picture, this season was a success.

Grade: A

FLORIDA STATE

Overview: The final impression of the 2011 team is one that didn’t live up to the preseason hype (again), but won with one of the nation’s best defenses and special teams units. There was no shame in the home loss to Oklahoma, but it was the start of a three-game losing streak which prompted many to call the Seminoles the country’s biggest disappointment in the first half of the season. Injuries added up for the Noles, and the inconsistency on the offensive line was too much to overcome. The Noles rebounded from the loss to Wake Forest, though, with a five-game winning streak, and beat rival Florida for a second straight season. They finished the season with the No. 4 scoring defense in the country. The Atlantic Division favorites beat Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl as a consolation prize, and they did it with four freshmen starting on the offensive line. Yes, it could have been better, but that three-game losing streak also could have spiraled into something much worse.

Grade: B-

MARYLAND

Overview: The 2011 season was as ugly as the Maryland Pride uniforms unveiled in the Labor Day opener against Miami. And it turned out that was the highlight of the season. Randy Edsall’s first year was a disaster, as Maryland finished 2-10 and went backward after a nine-win season and bowl appearance in 2010. Edsall wasn’t embraced by his players, many fans or members of the local media, as the Terps lost eight straight games and sank to the bottom of the ACC. Maryland had one of the country’s worst defenses, and a quarterback controversy in the second half of the season despite returning the ACC’s 2010 Rookie of the Year in Danny O’Brien. As a result, both coordinators were fired and at least eight players decided to transfer. The good news for Maryland? It can only get better.

Grade: F

NC STATE

Overview: Coach Tom O’Brien might be the unluckiest coach when it comes to injuries. Expectations were high for NC State after a strong finish in 2010, but the Wolfpack got off to an underwhelming 2-3 start and suffered one of the league’s most embarrassing losses in a 44-14 nationally televised Thursday night drubbing by Cincinnati. As the team got healthier, though, it also got better, and NC State poured every ounce of effort it had into becoming bowl eligible down the stretch. The Pack won five of their final seven games, including a shocking upset of Clemson and the biggest comeback in school history against Maryland. They finished the season strong with a win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl, and quarterback Mike Glennon showed measurable progress down the stretch and eventually shook the shadow of Russell Wilson.

Grade: B-

WAKE FOREST

Overview: This team was picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division and instead came within a field goal of winning it. The Deacs exceeded expectations after their 3-9 finish in 2010, and were able to exhale after becoming bowl eligible with a win over Maryland. Wake struggled to run the ball, but made great strides in the passing game in the second season of starter Tanner Price. Despite their success, it could have been better, but Wake Forest faltered down the stretch and lost four of its final five regular-season games and lost to Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl.

Grade: C+

It’s way too early for this. But that’s the fun of it. Heck, the ACC is impossible to predict from week to week, let alone in January. Consider this a starting point. A base for your offseason arguments. Don’t like it? I’ve got a mailbag. Learn how to use it. Let the debate begin …

1. Florida State: I know, I know, you’ve heard this one before. But it’s impossible to ignore the fact that nine starters return to one of the nation’s best defenses. Quarterback EJ Manuel will be back, and the Noles again have some of the nation’s best recruits.

2. Clemson: Quarterback Tajh Boyd and receiver Sammy Watkins were record-setters in their first seasons as starters. There’s plenty of incoming talent, and the Tigers should contend for the Atlantic Division again if the defense improves.

3. Virginia Tech: This staff knows how to develop players, and that quality will again be critical as the Hokies have to rebuild their offensive line and will lose their top playmaker in David Wilson. Quarterback Logan Thomas could be the best in the ACC, though, if the supporting cast emerges.

4. NC State: Consider the Pack the darkhorse candidate for the 2012 race. If NC State can stay healthy, it should have two of the league’s top players in quarterback Mike Glennon and cornerback David Amerson.

5. Georgia Tech: The majority of the Jackets’ roster returns, and it should be better after growing pains in 2011. With an experienced offensive line, and the bulk of playmakers returning, Georgia Tech should again be a contender in the Coastal Division.

6. Virginia: If the Cavaliers were playing for the division title in just the second season under coach Mike London, there’s no reason to doubt them in his third. There were some important lessons learned down the stretch, and it was a strong season for UVa to build on.

7. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons were a field goal away from winning the Atlantic Division title in 2011, and quarterback Tanner Price is good enough to put them in position to do it again.

8. North Carolina: The Tar Heels have another transition to go through with first-year coach Larry Fedora, and the defense will have to fill some big shoes. Offensively, though, there is enough in place that UNC can surprise some people in the Coastal Division race.

9. Boston College: The Eagles’ strong finish to 2011 left a lot of optimism within the program, and despite the loss of linebacker Luke Kuechly, the defense should still be strong. The return of running back Montel Harris will certainly help, but again the team must adjust to another offensive coordinator.

10. Miami: The biggest thing Miami has in its favor right now is a strong recruiting class. With eight starters leaving early for the NFL draft and the departures of the Class of 2008 -- plus possible NCAA sanctions looming -- there’s a lot of uncertainty in the program now.

11. Maryland: Look at it this way: It can’t get much worse. The hire of Mike Locksley as offensive coordinator will help, especially in recruiting, but how much, how fast? And has the dust finally settled, or will there be more changes?

12. Duke: Somebody has to be last, and until Duke proves otherwise, it’s status quo in Durham. Duke suffered from many of the same problems last year that it did in 2010.

Boy were we wrong. Shocking, I know.

In looking back at the media's predictions from the 2011 ACC football kickoff this past July in Pinehurst, N.C., there were only two people who picked Clemson to beat Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. I don't know who those two people were, but I do know I was not one of them. I joined the crowd and honestly believed that this year FSU would beat the Hokies for the title.

As for the ACC's Player of the Year?

Boston College running back Montel Harris was the preseason favorite, but he suffered a season-ending injury. No. 2 was FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, and he was also injured for part of the season. No. 3 was Luke Kuechly. Good pick. You have to get to No. 4 to find the guy who actually won it, Virginia Tech's David Wilson. And No. 5? Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien. Not only was he caught in a quarterback controversy in the midst of a 2-10 season, he suffered a season-ending injury, too. Double ouch.

The bottom of the barrel is where things got turned upside down. Virginia was picked to finish fifth in the Coastal Division, Miami second. Boston College was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division, Wake Forest sixth.

The biggest surprise was obviously Virginia's ascension, not only in the division, but to the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Can't say I saw that one coming.

That's what's so fun about this job, though, and covering the ACC. You never know how the story ends.