ESPN College Football

For the only time this year, the schedule will feature an all-ACC lineup, with six league games. Two important division games will be played with Georgia Tech at Miami and Maryland at Florida State. Here are 10 things to watch in the conference this week, in no particular order:

1. Miami’s defensive line: How the Canes handle the suspension of starting tackle Micanor Regis will help determine how the run defense fares against the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense. Adewale Ojomo is expected to start in place of Regis, who punched UNC receiver Dwight Jones in the groin last week. Regis is the Canes’ healthiest and most experienced defensive tackle.

2. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris vs. Georgia Tech DB Rod Sweeting. Harris has thrown 89 passes without an interception, a span of three straight games. Sweeting, though, has intercepted a pass in three of Georgia Tech’s past four games, including one against Virginia last weekend that he ran back for a touchdown.

3. Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins. You should be watching him every week, but he’s on the verge of breaking freshman ACC records this weekend. Entering Saturday’s game against North Carolina, Watkins has 46 catches for 728 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He needs 125 receiving yards and two touchdown catches to set the ACC records in both areas. Koren Robinson of NC State had 853 receiving yards a freshman in 1999. Greg Carr of Florida State had nine touchdown receptions in 2005 and Heath Miller of Virginia had nine TD receptions as a tight end in 2002.

4. Field position in Death Valley. Speaking of Watkins, he’s No. 6 in the country in kickoff returns, but he’s not the only one who has been playing well on special teams this season. UNC is No. 29 in the country in kickoff return defense, and the Tar Heels are No. 10 in the country in punt return yardage defense, allowing just 13 total yards on six attempts.

5. David Wilson’s 100-yard streak. He enters Saturday’s game against Boston College needing 97 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. Wilson currently ranks third nationally in rushing yards (903), and fifth in rushing yards per game (129). He has surpassed 100 yards in six of the Hokies’ seven games.

6. Boston College on third downs. The Eagles have struggled to sustain drives this season and are No. 80 in the country in third-down conversion percentage at 37.93 percent. That could be a problem against a Virginia Tech defense that held Wake Forest to just 1-of-13 third-down attempts last weekend.

7. Big plays against Duke’s defense. Coach David Cutcliffe said he expects Wake Forest to try and do what Florida State did, which was exploit the defense with big pass plays. Duke allowed three passes of at least 50 yards in the first quarter against FSU. Wake Forest receiver Chris Givens is averaging more than 18 yards per catch, and this series has a history of high-scoring games.

8. NC State’s rushing defense. Virginia is coming off a season-high 272 rushing yards, and NC State’s defense is No. 77 in the country, allowing 172.33 rushing yards per game. UVa running backs Perry Jones and Kevin Parks are coming off their best game of the year.

9. Virginia’s pass defense against quarterback Mike Glennon. Glennon has already thrown 16 touchdown passes in six games. Virginia’s pass defense is No. 8 in the country at 166.83 yards per game. Cavaliers' cornerback Chase Minnifield is tied for third among all active FBS players with 12 career interceptions.

10. Florida State’s defense against Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown. After running for 286 yards in the past two games, Brown isn’t a secret anymore. FSU’s rushing defense, which is No. 9 in the country and holding opponents to 86.83 yards per game, should be prepared for Brown’s ability to take off. He ran for 162 yards against Clemson.

I have been ranking 10 players at each position. On the ACC’s pre-spring all-star checklist, only five cornerbacks from a total of four different programs are listed. There's a reason for that.

1. Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech: He led the nation in interceptions last season with nine in 13 games and ranked fifth nationally in passes defended with 17. He was second in the ACC and 19th nationally in punt returns.

2. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State: He was named the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year after a freshman season in which he ranked 16th nationally in passes defended with four interceptions and 12 breakups. He also had 58 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

3. Greg Reid, Florida State: He finished 10th in the nation in passes defended with three interceptions and 14 deflections. He also had 65 tackles, three forced fumbles and finished fourth in the ACC in punt returns.

4. Chase Minnifield, Virginia: He started all 12 games last season and finished second in the ACC and No. 7 nationally with six INTs. He also had 48 tackles and broke up four passes despite being slowed the final four games of the season with an ankle injury.

5. Donnie Fletcher, Boston College: He started all 13 games last season and finished fourth in the ACC in interceptions with five. He also had 56 tackles and three pass breakups.

6. Charles Brown, North Carolina: On paper, UNC has to replace its entire secondary, but Brown has 22 career starts before sitting out last season. He has 151 career tackles, six interceptions and 193 return yards.

7. Cameron Chism, Maryland: The senior had a breakout season last year with 70 tackles (43 solo), four TFLs and eight pass deflections. He also forced one fumble, recovered another and blocked a kick.

8. C.J. Wilson, NC State: He had 46 tackles last season, two interceptions and six pass breakups. He has 19 career starts, and both of his interceptions last season were returned for touchdowns.

9. Ross Cockrell, Duke: He is a returning starter and finished last season with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He was only a freshman but he tied for eighth in the ACC in passes defended with 10 in 12 games.

10: Rod Sweeting, Georgia Tech: He had 38 tackles, seven pass breakups and one interception last season as a reserve.

As advertised ...

1. Florida State: The Noles have one of the best cornerback duos in the country in Greg Reid and Xavier Rhodes. They combined for 33 passes defended last season, the most of any pair of cornerbacks in the nation. Mike Harris had 41 tackles and four picks as a reserve.

2. Virginia Tech: Jayron Hosley is one of the top boundary corners in the country, and the Hokies also have Kyle Fuller, who had six deflections last season, and Cris Hill (two deflections) at field corner.

3. Maryland: The Terps return both starters in Cameron Chism and Trenton Hughes, who combined for 36 career starts. Chism is a strong cover corner who had 70 tackles and eight deflections last season. Hughes had nine pass deflections.

4. NC State: Both starters return in C.J. Wilson and David Amerson. Wilson had 46 tackles, two interceptions and six pass breakups, and Amerson had 57 tackles. Justin Byers and Gary Grant also have experience.

5. North Carolina: The Tar Heels lost some remarkable talent in their secondary, including cornerback Kendric Burney, but there is a lot of depth at the position. Jabari Price started four games last season, Charles Brown has 22 career starts but sat out last season, and Mywan Jackson and Tre Boston both have at least four starts each.

6. Boston College: The Eagles will miss DeLeon Gause, but Donnie Fletcher has 17 career starts, 56 tackles last season, and led the team with five picks. C.J. Jones played in 12 games as a backup last season with 16 tackles. Dominique Williams also saw some time and had four tackles, and true freshman Al Louis-Jean, who was the No. 9 cornerback in the nation as ranked by ESPN Recruiting, enrolled early.

7. Clemson: It’s a young group, as the Tigers had to replace Marcus Gilchrist and Byron Maxwell. Xavier Brewer had 10 starts with 50 tackles and two interceptions last season, Coty Sensabaugh had 31 tackles in three starts, and senior Mansa Joseph will also be competing for playing time with sophomore Martin Jenkins.

8. Virginia: The Cavaliers return both starters in Chase Minnifield and Devin Wallace, but Wallace was suspended and missed spring ball and is still suspended. Wallace had 38 tackles and six breakups last season. Chris Broadnax, Rijo Walker, Drequan Hoskey and Pablo Alvarez will all compete for playing time.

9. Miami: The Hurricanes have to replace both starters in Brandon Harris and Ryan Hill. Jo-Jo Nicholas moved to corner and Brandon McGee, who was the nickel back last season, will compete along with Lee Chambers, Keion Payne, Nathan Gholston and true freshman Thomas Finnie, who had a great spring.

10. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had to replace their entire secondary, including cornerbacks Mario Butler and Dominique Reese. They’ve still got several cornerbacks with experience in Rashaad Reid, who started 14 games in 2008 and 2009, Rod Sweeting (38 tackles, seven pass breakups, one interception), Louis Young (10 tackles), and Michael Peterson (six tackles, one pass breakup).

11. Wake Forest: The Deacs have a deep enough secondary that they can live without the experience of cornerback Kevin Johnson, who started five games last season but will sit out this season while academically ineligible. Josh Bush had 33 tackles and four pass breakups last season, Kenny Okoro is a rising star, A.J. Marshall has three starts and Dominique Tate returns after missing last season while on academic suspension.

12. Duke: Ross Cockrell is a returning starter and finished last season with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He was only a freshman but he tied for eighth in the ACC with passes defended with 10 in 12 games. Johnny Williams had four pass breakups last season.

We've already looked at who and what to watch in the Atlantic Division this spring. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program in the Coastal Division:

DUKE

Spring practice starts: Feb. 16

Spring game: March 26

What to watch:

• Jim Knowles taking over as defensive coordinator. After coaching the safeties last season, Knowles was promoted in late January following the departure of Marion Hobby to coach Clemson’s defensive line. It’s not a complete overhaul on defense, but for the third time in as many seasons, a different person will be calling the plays. Knowles has also assumed the lead role with Duke’s practice scheduling and weekly preparation.
• New faces at linebacker. Duke graduated its leading tackler from 2010, Abraham Kromah, and freshman All-American Kelby Brown is out while recovering from knee surgery. Those two slots will be wide open this spring and the competition will be among Austin Gamble, C.J. France, Tyree Glover and Kevin Rojas.
• Offensive line shuffling. The Blue Devils return four starters up front, but they’ll be missing the glue of the line in Bryan Morgan, who graduated. Brian Moore, who has started the past two seasons at right guard, will make the transition to center. John Coleman and Laken Tomlinson are expected to compete for the right guard spot.

GEORGIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 28 (tentative)

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Starting quarterback competition. Tevin Washington enters the spring at No. 1 on the depth chart, and it's his job to lose, as he has the most experience after taking over for injured starter Joshua Nesbitt in 2010. Synjyn Days will give him legitimate competition this spring, though, and it will increase this summer with the addition of standout recruit Vad Lee to the roster. For now, though, it’s between Washington and Days, as David Sims is expected to move to B-back.
• Offensive line reshuffling. Georgia Tech will have to replace three starters in all-conference center Sean Bedford, right tackle Austin Barrick and left tackle Nick Claytor, who decided to leave early for the NFL draft. Phil Smith, Barrick’s backup last year, is the only one with any experience at tackle. The staff will likely have to move a player or two from guard to tackle, and only it knows who those candidates might be right now.
• Revamped secondary. Jerrard Tarrant's decision to leave school early and enter the NFL draft left the Jackets without any returning starters in the secondary. Junior cornerback Rod Sweeting, sophomore cornerback Louis Young, redshirt freshman cornerback Ryan Ayers and sophomore safety Fred Holton are front-runners, but they all have a lot to prove this spring. Holton and Young played sparingly as true freshmen and combined for 21 tackles. Sweeting played in all 13 games and had one fumble recovery and eight passes defended, including one interception. Senior cornerback Michael Peterson may help, and safety Jemea Thomas played as a true freshman in 2009 but redshirted last year. There’s some talent, but the inexperience makes it a question mark.

MIAMI

Spring practice starts: March 5

Spring game: April 9 or 16

What to watch:

• New staff, new schemes. Defensively, first-year coordinator Mark D’Onofrio will work with two other assistants who were with him and first-year coach Al Golden at Temple, so there is familiarity there. Linebackers coach Michael Barrow has to learn D’Onofrio’s system, but the players tend to pick it up faster if the majority of the staff is already acclimated to it. Offensively, everyone will be working together for the first time. Jedd Fisch wants to run a pure pro-style offense based on matchups, and the good news is that several of the assistants, because of their respective backgrounds, are already schooled in at least a version of it.
• Quarterback battle. Golden has said he would like to name a starter by the end of the spring, making these practices critical auditions for both Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris. Harris has both flourished and flopped as a starter for the Canes, and his injury last year gave Morris the opportunity he needed to win the people’s choice award. Has a new era of quarterback begun, or will Harris finally have the breakout season Miami fans have waited for in his final year as a Cane?
• Corner competition. Following the departures of Ryan Hill, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Brandon Harris, Brandon McGee is the only corner remaining on the roster with any significant experience. He played in 11 games, started one, and had 15 tackles. Redshirt freshman Devont’a Davis, sophomore Kacey Rodgers, and redshirt sophomore Jamal Reid will also compete for playing time. There are also several incoming freshmen who could be immediate contributors.

NORTH CAROLINA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• The rookie quarterbacks. There’s no guarantee that Bryn Renner will be the Tar Heels’ starter in 2011, but he enters the spring slightly ahead of the race, as he was No. 2 on the depth chart last season and was pushing T.J. Yates for the starting job at this time a year ago. The staff would also like to see what true freshman Marquise Williams, who enrolled in January, has to offer. Braden Hanson and A.J. Blue will also compete for playing time. Blue was injured two years ago and redshirted last season.
• Running backs race. The Tar Heels graduated three key players from 2010: Johnny White, Anthony Elzy and Shaun Draughn. Ryan Houston is back for his fifth year after redshirting last year and is the most experienced of the returnees. Giovani Bernard was a true freshman last year and had been expected to get some playing time, but he tore his ACL on the third day of training camp. It’s not clear yet how much he’ll be able to participate this spring. Hunter Furr played sparingly last year and true freshman Travis Riley, who enrolled in January, are also in the mix.
• Another strong defensive line. If Quinton Coples was an all-conference selection as a defensive tackle, he could be scary good at his natural position, defensive end. Coples played there as a freshman and sophomore, but switched to tackle out of necessity last season. The defensive line should once again be the strength of the team, but it will be reconfigured again, as Coples’ move will leave a defensive tackle spot up for grabs. Junior college transfer Sylvester Williams, who enrolled in January, could fill that role.

VIRGINIA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• The search for a new starting quarterback. With Marc Verica graduated, the lead contenders to replace him are the ones who saw the field last year -- Michael Rocco and Ross Metheny. Neither of them started, but Rocco played in six games and Metheny five. Nobody has thrown the ball more than Rocco’s 25 times. The staff will also look at Michael Strauss, who redshirted last year, Miles Gooch, and David Watford, who enrolled in January.
• Competition at running back. With leading rusher Keith Payne graduated, the question becomes what can Kevin Parks do after redshirting last year? There’s a lot of depth at the running back position, but Parks, the No. 56 running back in his class by ESPN.com and national prep record-setter out of the state of North Carolina, came to Charlottesville facing high expectations. With Payne gone, this could open the door for him to meet them, but returning starter Perry Jones will also be competing for carries.
• Development of the receivers. In January, Jared Green Tweeted that he had decided to transfer after finishing his degree in Charlottesville this spring, according to a school spokesman. His departure, coupled with the graduation of Dontrelle Inman, leaves the Cavaliers without two of their top wideouts from 2010. With Tim Smith coming off an injury, the development of other receivers will be critical -- especially with a new starting quarterback.

VIRGINIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 30

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Quarterback Logan Thomas. The Tyrod Taylor era is over, and Thomas is the front-runner to succeed the winningest quarterback in school history. Ju-Ju Clayton is the only other quarterback on the roster who’s ever taken a snap, and he’ll push Thomas this spring. It’s Thomas’ job to lose, but the staff is looking for him to improve his accuracy. He played quarterback in only his final two high school seasons and was projected as a tight end. He’s still raw and learning the position, but physically, he’s a clone of Cam Newton. If he develops some poise in the pocket, look out.
• Competition on the defensive line. The Hokies have to replace starters John Graves (defensive tackle) and Steven Friday (defensive end), who both graduated. They’ve got Antoine Hopkins and Chris Drager back, but it’s possible Drager could move back to tight end after starting 10 games at defensive end last year. Tackle Kwamaine Battle, who started the first two games before he tore his ACL and Hopkins took over, is another front-runner. Hopkins’ younger brother, Derrick, will also be in the mix, along with James Gayle and J.R. Collins. Redshirt freshman defensive end Zack McCray, the cousin of Logan Thomas, has also impressed the staff so far.
• Tight end auditions. The graduation of Andre Smith leaves the Hokies with only one returning tight end who’s caught a pass in a game, Randall Dunn (one). Redshirt freshman Eric Martin was the second tight end when the Hokies used two-tight end sets, but he missed three games mid-season with an injury.