ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 8-5

2011 conference record: 4-4 (4th, Atlantic)

Returning starters

Offense: 7; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

LT R.J. Mattes, LG Duran Christophe, RG Zach Allen, C Camden Wentz, QB Mike Glennon, RB James Washington, WR Tobais Palmer, DE Brian Slay, DE Art Norman, DE Darryl Cato-Bishop, CB C.J. Wilson, CB David Amerson, S Brandan Bishop, S Earl Wolff

Key losses

WR T.J. Graham, WR Jay Smith, TE George Bryan, RT Mikel Overgaard, DT Markus Kuhn, LB Terrell Manning, LB Audie Cole, LB D.J. Green

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: James Washington* (897 yards)
Passing: Mike Glennon* (3,054 yards)
Receiving: T.J. Graham (757 yards)
Tackles: Audie Cole (108)
Sacks: Audie Cole/Terrell Manning/Art Norman*/Darryl Cato-Bishop* (5.5)
Interceptions: David Amerson* (13)

Spring answers

1. Good luck passing against these DBs. All four starters are back, headed by the record-setting David Amerson, whose 13 picks last season were the most in ACC history. Amerson added another in the spring game. Playing keep-away won't be so easy for opposing quarterbacks, who also have to worry about corner C.J. Wilson, who has returned all three of his career picks for scores.

2. Mike Glennon ready to improve. It wasn't always easy playing in the shadow of Russell Wilson, but Glennon had a strong finish to the 2011 season and had the benefit (or is it horror?) of facing his own secondary this spring. Look for him to build off his 3,000-yard debut season.

3. Glennon's targets should be fine. Despite the loss of T.J. Graham, the Wolfpack figure to be OK at wide receiver. Tobais Palmer had five touchdowns last season and should lead a group that, like Glennon, had its work cut out for it this spring going up against a talented secondary.

Fall questions

1. How will the LBs fare? Graduations, early draft departures and suspensions have hurt the unit. Dontae Johnson is the only returner with extensive playing time, but that came at free safety, a position he left behind this spring. Fifth-year senior Sterling Lucas figures to enter camp as the starter in the middle.

2. How will Rodman Noel transition? The athletic Noel has moved from safety to outside linebacker, and a strong jump from him could provide a big boost to the young unit. Look for him to be used all over the field in a hybrid-like role for the Wolfpack.

3. Can Mustafa Greene emerge? Legal problems and injuries have hurt the running back, who would be returning to play behind an experienced offensive line if he can work his way back into playing time. Greene totaled 869 yards and six touchdowns during his true freshman campaign of 2010.

For the second straight offseason, NC State’s receivers are a question mark heading into spring practices. This year, the Wolfpack must replace leading receiver T.J. Graham, who was also one of the ACC’s best kick returners. Tobais Palmer is one of the top candidates to become quarterback Mike Glennon's new go-to guy. Palmer had 37 catches last year for 496 yards and five touchdowns. I spoke with him recently about his role on the team this year and his career to date at NC State. Here are the highlights of our conversation:

What are your expectations for yourself this season, and how do you think your role is going to change?

Tobais Palmer: As a player, I see myself becoming more of a leader. It’s my senior season and people are expecting big things from me. I know I have to step up, and the things I didn’t do so well on last season I need to do better at and be more consistent at the things I do. I think that’s what the coaches are looking for from me, to be a more positive person and believe in myself more than I did last year and be a leader and have fun.

Do you think there’s more pressure on you, or are you putting more pressure on yourself because T.J. is gone?

TP: There is at times pressure on me, but on the other side of it, I think I’m putting pressure on myself, which I like, because I perform better under pressure. It makes me do things I know I’m capable of, but it never happens until I’m under pressure. I put myself under pressure more than anybody else does.

What are some of the specific things you think you can be better at technique-wise on the field?

TP: Technique-wise, I believe my route running. This is my second true year at wide receiver. I feel I need to be more aggressive and it’s real important in what I do when I get into my routes. Me running, that’s what I’ve been doing all of my life. It’s not even second nature. It’s just natural for me to run. But me having to adjust and running routes, I feel I need to be better than that.

Has your career at NC State gone the way you had expected?

TP: Honestly my career at NC State, it’s going pretty well. The way that I expected it? No, because I had planned on being here for four years. By me only being here two years and only experiencing two years of it, it’s going pretty well so far, just going through the whole redshirt season (in 2010) was kind of hard for me because I wasn’t used to it. Learning from things those guys did in that season and going to the bowl game and experiencing different activities, I feel my experience so far has been well. Could have been better than what I thought, but so far I can’t really complain about it.

In 2009 you were at Georgia Military. What was that experience like for you? Did it help you?

TP: Yeah, it helped me definitely become a better person and just being blessed to get a second chance, because most people don’t really get that opportunity. It helped me a lot with time management and helped me become a better person overall after being there. Now being here at school, walking around, doing what I have to do, it’s pretty easy.

We had you rated as the No. 27 athlete in the country. Do you feel like that now? Do you feel like you lived up to the hype, or is that potential still there to be tapped?

TP: I feel like I can live up to it now. I try to talk to my coaches and everything here. I’m trying to get them to give me the ball more and let me show my talent and the reason why I came here and I’m on this team and what I’m trying to bring to the table. I feel like if they do that, that’s just going to open up everything else for everyone else to shine, and do what they have to do.

How tough do you expect the competition to be at receiver this offseason?

TP: It’s going to be tough, hands-down. I’m the only senior receiver. It’s only me and two other guys who are experienced receivers who have played a certain amount of plays last season. I know I’m going to have to step up. They’re going to look to me as their leader. I’m willing to take that role and try and be better than what I was last year.

If one of you guys steps up as a dependable playmaker at receiver, you guys seem to have a lot of pieces in place with Mustafa Greene and Glennon and four starters on the offensive line. What do you think you guys are capable of offensively?

TP: If we play to our ability and everyone does their assignments, we’ll be a hard team to stop. Looking at last season, the games we won, and even the games we were down and came back -- especially the Maryland game -- we came out real flat. We were just thinking Maryland was going to give us the game. At halftime we were shocked, but we kept our composure and came back out and play by play moved the ball down the field and we scored. And we scored at will. When we play good, we do it well. That’s the only thing we need to do this year, be on the same page, stay consistent, believe in ourselves and have confidence in each other. I feel as though last year that’s one thing we lacked until the end of the season when it was a desperate win and we needed it. We just need that every game this year to be ranked in the Top 25 and play in the ACC championship.

There may not have been 100-plus media members on sight -- as was the case with some pro days -- but a pair of ACC schools also welcomed pro scouts to campus Wednesday. And said scouts likely came away impressed with what they saw.

Boston College's Luke Kuechly was one of 32 Boston-area players to work out in front of 27 teams, shining in positional drills while sticking with the numbers he put up at last month's NFL combine.

“I haven’t done a whole lot of man coverage so I can’t tell people I’m off the charts with it,’’ Kuechly told reporters. “It’s one of those things where I think it’s a lot of technique work -- we worked on it a little down in Florida, just different techniques -- but I think it’s something I just have to just pick up on the fly.’’

At North Carolina State, T.J. Graham took advantage of the familiar confines to improve his route running, one of the bigger concerns surrounding the receiver since the combine. Graham ran a 4.41 40 in Indianapolis and did not participate in timed drills Wednesday. He is expected to be a middle-round pick during next month's draft.

With familiar faces in town for the event, the Wolfpack held their annual awards dinner the night before. Not surprisingly, David Amerson won the Governor's Award, which serves as the team's MVP award and is the only honor voted on by the entire team.

Amerson also won the team's most valuable defensive back award, and Graham took the Gary Rowe Award for most receptions.

The school posted the complete list of winners here.

NC State quarterback Mike Glennon will have four starters returning on the offensive line this year and is looking to continue the improvement he made in the second half of the 2011 season as spring practices begin in Raleigh on Friday. Glennon threw 31 touchdown passes in his first season and was fifth in the ACC in passing efficiency. I spoke with Glennon recently about his expectations for himself in his second season as the Wolfpack’s starter. Here are the highlights of our conversation:

What are your expectations now and how have they changed now that you’re going into your second season as a starter?

Mike Glennon: Just having a lot more confidence, not having any sort of doubt about what I’m able to do, because really I was just preparing myself for practice and didn’t have any game experience, so I have a lot more confidence in myself and I feel like that will be a big advantage for us next year.

Do you remember what it was like when you first lined up as the starter in the season opener last year?

MG: Yeah, the biggest difference for me was getting used to go out there every series, because in the past, when I got in the game, I’d go in for about two series and the game was over. It was different for me to get used to staying mentally focused each and every series and when we go off the field, in the next five minutes I’ll be right back out there.

What was the biggest change in you from the first half of the season to the second, because you seemed to be playing a whole lot better?

MG: Probably I think I improved pretty much every game. Even if we lost and I didn’t have my best game, I think I still improved as a player. I learned from my experiences. I definitely feel in the bowl game I was playing my best football of the year and that was just a part of building on each game, learning from mistakes, and building on the good things.

So where do you go from here? What do you focus on this spring? What’s the next step in getting better?

MG: Right now just trying to work on the workout aspect, getting bigger, faster, stronger and trying to improve on something every day, whether it’s football-related, working out, throwing the ball, watching a little film -- just doing something each day to improve myself as a quarterback.

Is there anything mechanical you want to improve on, or technique-wise?

MG: My main thing is I need to improve on being able to extend the play and escape a little bit when things break down in front of me. I need to be able to make something out of nothing and not go backwards.

Who are you going to throw to without T.J.?

MG: We have plenty of guys. We have guys who have played, guys like Tobais Palmer, who played a good amount of ball last year, and then we have some guys who did a good job for us last year when they stepped in, Bryan Underwood, and all of our tight ends are very good. We’re going to have to have some of our younger guys step up and rise to the occasion.

What in your opinion is the biggest advantage to not being a rookie anymore, aside from the confidence?

MG: Probably just being familiar and understanding the speed of the game that goes on on Saturdays. It’s way different from high school and different from practice. Just the speed of the game and taking the hits that quarterbacks take and having to get up and throw the next pass and complete it.

Today we visit the Wolfpack, who are looking to fill a void at receiver and in the return game.

OUT: T.J. Graham. Graham exits NC State following a senior season that saw him finish second in the ACC in punt return average, third in all-purpose yards and fourth in kick returns. He caught 46 passes for 757 yards and seven touchdowns, up from 25, 316 and four as a junior. In a 31-24 Belk Bowl win over Louisville, Graham caught seven passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns and added 63 yards on three kick returns. He had two catches for 27 yards and returned a kickoff 27 yards in the Senior Bowl.

IN:Tobais Palmer and Bryan Underwood (receivers). Palmer and Rashard Smith (return men). Palmer had 37 catches for 496 yards and five touchdowns last season, while Underwood added 16 catches for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Palmer also returned three kicks for 48 yards and was fourth on the team in scoring and third in all-purpose yards. Smith caught just one pass for six yards but was the only Wolfpack player other than Graham to return kicks last season, brining back two for 13 yards. But his prep credentials (two punt return touchdowns, one kickoff as a senior) at Dublin (Ga.) High School suggest he is capable of stepping into Graham's role on special teams.

• More in this series

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.

The official invite list for the NFL combine is out. Every school but Duke is represented, and there are a total of 43 former players from the conference who will participate, including Miami's entire starting lineup from 2011. Well, ok, not really, but it's a pretty big hit for the Canes. Best of luck to all of these guys at the next level.

Here are your ACC representatives:

BOSTON COLLEGE (1)

• Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

CLEMSON (6)

• Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
• Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
• Antoine McClain, OG, Clemson
• Rennie Moore, DT, Clemson
• Coty Sensabaugh, DB, Clemson
• Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

FLORIDA STATE (6)

• Nigel Bradham, LB, Florida State
• Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State
• Mike Harris, CB, Florida State
• Shawn Powell, P, Florida State
• Beau Reliford, TE, Florida State
• Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

GEORGIA TECH (1)

• Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

MARYLAND (1)

• Davin Meggett, RB, Maryland

MIAMI (8)

• Travis Benjamin, WR, Miami
• Marcus Forston, DT, Miami
• Jacory Harris, QB, Miami
• Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
• Sean Spence, LB, Miami
• Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
• Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
• Brandon Washington, OT, Miami

NORTH CAROLINA (6)

• Charles Brown, CB, UNC
• Zach Brown, LB, UNC
• Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
• Dwight Jones, WR, UNC
• Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina
• Tydreke Powell, DT, UNC

NC STATE (5)

• Audie Cole, LB, NC State
• T.J. Graham, WR, NC State
• Markus Kuhn, DT, NC State
• Terrell Manning, LB, NC State
• J.R. Sweezy, DT, NC State

VIRGINIA TECH (4)

• Jarrett Boykin, WR, Virginia Tech
• Danny Coale, WR, Virginia Tech
• Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
• David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

VIRGINIA (2)

• Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia
• Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

WAKE FOREST (4)

• Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
• Joe Looney, OG, Wake Forest
• Cyhl Quarles, S, Wake Forest
• Kyle Wilber, LB, Wake Forest

Overall, it was a pretty quiet performance for the ACC in this past weekend's Senior Bowl. The North team won, 23-13, and Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after totaling 129 all-purpose yards for the North.

Former NC State receiver T.J. Graham started for the North team, along with his former teammates, quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Audie Cole, and former Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson. For the South team, former FSU offensive lineman Zebrie Sanders started at right tackle, UNC's Quinton Coples at left end, Clemson's Brandon Thompson at defensive tackle, and UNC's Zach Brown at linebacker.

Here are some highlights from the official stats:

NORTH

T.J. Graham, NCSU WR, two catches for 27 yards; 1 KOR for 27 yards
Donnie Fletcher, Boston College CB, four tackles
Audie Cole, NC State, LB, four tackles

SOUTH

Dwight Jones, UNC WR, one catch for 7 yards
Sean Spence, Miami LB, five tackles
Zach Brown, UNC LB, five tackles, one TFL
Nigel Bradham, FSU LB, three tackles, one sack for a loss of 3 yards, one pass breakup
Quinton Coples, UNC DE, three tackles, one sack for a loss of 5 yards, two TFLs, one pass breakup
Brandon Thompson, Clemson DT, two tackles, one TFL
Tydreke Powell, UNC DT, two tackles

ESPN's Scouts Inc. crew posted some quick thoughts on former NC State receiver T.J. Graham from Day 3 of the Senior Bowl:

N.C. State's T.J. Graham has some speed, suddenness and explosion to his game, but he has to do a better job tracking the ball. Graham was late getting his head around to locate a deep ball at one point, though he showed some feel for zone coverage and caught a nice ball on a seam route during 7-on-7s. He has some added value as a return man, where he is smooth changing directions and can hit creases with his explosiveness.

Graham had a much-improved season as a receiver for NC State in 2011, and the Pack will definitely miss him as a kick returner. He was No. 2 in the ACC in punt return average and No. 4 in kick returns. He was No. 3 in the league in all-purpose yards.

There were many players throughout the ACC who made noticeable strides in 2011, not only from the previous season, but also from the first half of the season to the second. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd certainly didn’t look like the same guy who completed 8 of 24 passes in the spring game, and NC State quarterback Mike Glennon threw 11 of his 31 touchdowns in the last three games and only four of his 12 picks in the last five games. Some, though, made greater turnarounds than others. Here are the ACC’s most improved players for offense, defense and special teams in 2011:

OFFENSE

1. Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price. As a true freshman in 2010, Price completed 137 of 241 passes for 1,349 yards with eight interceptions and seven touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2011, he completed 253 of 422 passes for 3,017 yards, six interceptions and 20 touchdowns.

2. Miami receiver Tommy Streeter. He went from zero starts and one catch in 2010 to becoming the Canes’ leading receiver in 2011 with 811 yards and eight touchdowns in seven starts.

3. NC State receiver T.J. Graham. He caught 25 passes in 2010, 46 in 2011. He led the team with 757 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2010 he had 316 yards and four touchdowns.

DEFENSE

1. Virginia Tech defensive back Kyle Fuller. He went from getting benched in the 2010 ACC title game to being an all-conference performer who led the Hokies in tackles for loss from a DB position in 2011. He had two interceptions, 65 tackles, 14.5 TFL, and 4.5 sacks.

2. Florida State S Lamarcus Joyner. A reserve cornerback and kickoff return specialist as a true freshman, Joyner moved to safety in the spring and was a big hit. He finished fourth on the team in tackles with 54 (38 solos), led the Seminoles with four interceptions and was second with seven passes defended. He also led the team in kickoff return yards (13-397) with an impressive 30.5 average.

3. Florida State LB Christian Jones. He moved into the starting lineup after a solid freshman season in a reserve role at SLB. He finished third on the team with 56 tackles (33 solo), including six tackles for loss (three sacks). He also led the Seminoles with two forced fumbles and added a fumble recovery for the ACC’s top defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

1. Clemson K Chandler Catanzaro. Catanzaro went from the goat of the Auburn game in 2010 to hitting 22 of 27 field goals, including 9 of 12 on field goals from 40 yards or more, second most in Clemson history from that distance.

The ACC will have 14 players represent the conference in the 2012 Senior Bowl, which will be held at 4 p.m. ET on Jan. 28 in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game and all practices will be televised by NFL Network.

North Carolina leads the ACC with four players on the roster, as defensive end Quinton Coples, defensive tackle Tydreke Powell, linebacker Zach Brown and wide receiver Dwight Jones have all accepted invites to the 2012 game.

Clemson will have three players (DL Brandon Thompson, DL Andre Branch, FB Chad Diehl), and the league will also send two apiece from Florida State (OL Zebrie Sanders, LB Nigel Bradham) and NC State (LB Audie Cole, WR T.J. Graham) and one each from Boston College (DB Donnie Fletcher), Miami (LB Sean Spence) and Virginia (DL Cam Johnson).

It's time to wrap up the 2011 season with the top performers from the bowl games. No, they’re not all from Florida State and NC State. Although they could be …

Offense:

QB: Mike Glennon, NC State: He was named the MVP of the Belk Bowl after throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns to lead NC State past Louisville 31-24.

RB: Preston Lyons, Georgia Tech: The senior fullback started in place of injured David Sims and rushed for 138 yards in the overtime loss to Utah. Before this, Lyons had never rushed for more than 50 yards in a game.

RB: David Wilson, Virginia Tech: He broke the school’s single-season rushing record in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Michigan with 82 yards on 24 carries. He finished the season with 1,709 yards. His 11-yard run on his second carry of the third quarter enabled him to surpass Ryan Williams’ mark of 1,655 yards set in 2009.

WR: Rashad Greene, Florida State: He had five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown in the 18-14 win against Notre Dame and was named the MVP of the Champs Sports Bowl. His 15-yard touchdown catch with just over 13 minutes to play gave the Noles a 15-14 lead.

WR: T.J. Graham, NC State: He finished with seven catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the win against Louisville. He also had three kick returns for 63 yards and one punt return for two yards.

WR: Kris Burd, Virginia: He had six catches, 103 yards, two touchdowns and a broken collarbone. He became only the third player in school history to score two receiving touchdowns in a bowl game.

OT: Zebrie Sanders, Florida State: He was the lone senior on an offensive line that started four freshmen. He posted a career-high grade of 94 percent in his final game at left tackle.

OT: Rob Crisp, NC State: Hey, no other lineman in the ACC had a reception in a bowl game. Granted, his teammates keep ribbing him for rumbling and fumbling, but Crisp played a good game, paving the way for the offense from the right tackle spot.

G: Josue Matias, Florida State: As one of four true freshman starters on the Noles’ line, Matias posted a grade of 82 percent from the left guard position in his first career start.

G: Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech: Even with guard Omoregie Uzzi sitting out with an injury and suspended tackle Phil Smith on a bus back to Atlanta, Tech rolled up 311 rushing yards and 448 total yards against a Utah defense that was ranked among the nation’s best entering the Hyundai Sun Bowl.

C: Dalton Freeman, Clemson: Freeman had an 84 percent grade and four knockdowns in helping Clemson to 443 yards and 33 points against West Virginia.

Defense:

DE: Brandon Jenkins, Florida State: He finished with two tackles (both solo), including one sack for minus-10 yards. His sack in the third quarter took Notre Dame out of field goal range.

DT: Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest: He finished with six tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery in the loss to Mississippi State.

DT: Markus Kuhn, NC State: He finished with three tackles, including 1.5 for a loss of seven yards. He also had one sack for a loss of six yards in the win against Louisville.

DE: J.R. Collins, Virginia Tech: He finished second on the team with seven tackles and had one tackle for loss in the loss to Michigan in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

LB: Nigel Bradham, Florida State: He closed out his career with a team-high nine tackles (eight solo) against Notre Dame, finishing the season with a team-leading 86. He was the first FSU player to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive years since All-American Marvin Jones (1990-92). Bradham also added his third career interception in the win.

LB: Tariq Edwards, Virginia Tech: He finished with a team-high eight tackles, one sack for a loss of seven yards and two tackles for a loss of eight yards in the loss to Michigan.

LB: Audie Cole, NC State: The senior ended his career with a team-high 10 tackles, including a pair of sacks and four tackles for loss.

DB: David Amerson, NC State: He had two interceptions and returned one of them 65 yards for a touchdown in the Belk Bowl win against Louisville. He became the ACC’s leader in interceptions in a single season with 13. It was one shy of the Football Bowl Subdivision record set by Al Worley of Washington in 1968.

DB: Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech: He intercepted a pass by Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson in the first quarter. The interception marked his second of the season and the second of his career.

DB: Merrill Noel, Wake Forest: He had a team-leading seven tackles and one interception for 18 yards in the 23-17 loss to Mississippi State.

DB: Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State: With Notre Dame inside the 5-yard line, Joyner intercepted his team-best fourth pass of the season. His 77-yard kickoff return after Notre Dame went up 14-0 was the longest kickoff return by a Seminole this year. It was also the third-longest in FSU bowl and Champs Sports Bowl history.

Special teams:

P: Shawn Powell, Florida State: He punted 8 times for 378 yards and a 47.2-yard average. He had three punts of more than 50 yards and landed two inside the 20-yard line. His performance sealed his title as the nation’s leader in punting.

P/K: Justin Myer, Virginia Tech: Myer entered the game 0-for-2 on the season but made field goals in the Allstate Sugar Bowl of 37, 43, 36 and 25 yards, recording a field goal in every quarter and tying Georgia’s Billy Bennett (2003) for the BCS bowl record. The four field goals tied for second-most in Sugar Bowl history. Myer missed on his fifth try, a 37-yard attempt in overtime. The field goals were the first in Myer's collegiate career. The Hokies made six field goals of 30 or more yards all season entering the game.

A/P: Sammy Watkins, Clemson: Despite the loss, Watkins broke two school records in the Discover Orange Bowl and finished with 205 all-purpose yards, giving him 2,282 for the season -- second-most in ACC history. He had seven kick returns for 143 yards, and he had five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

There was no shortage of momentum swings in the Belk Bowl for both NC State and Louisville, two teams that finished the season on hot streaks and scraped their way into the postseason. Special-teams snafus were a highlight (or lowlight, depending on your seat), and both teams combined for five turnovers. Here’s a look back at NC State’s 31-24 win over Louisville:

How the game was won: NC State scored 14 points off turnovers, and came up with the big defensive stops when needed, including two on fourth downs. Louisville gave up too many big plays and made too many mistakes in the first half and couldn’t overcome them in the second, despite a better defensive job on quarterback Mike Glennon. Glennon set the tone in the first half with a strong passing game and three first-half touchdowns.

Turning point: On fourth-and-1 midway through the fourth quarter, Louisville tight end Chris White missed a block, freeing NC State linebacker Terrell Manning to push Vic Anderson back for a loss of a yard. The play negated an earlier turnover by NC State in which offensive lineman Rob Crisp grabbed a deflected ball, rumbled and fumbled, giving the Cardinals a great shot at making a comeback.

Player of the game: NC State cornerback David Amerson. He had two interceptions, including one he returned 65 yards for a touchdown. His second sealed the win and ended Louisville's chances at a comeback.

Player of the game II: NC State quarterback Glennon. He threw three touchdown passes and one interception in a hot first half and the impressive connection with receiver T.J. Graham was the difference early.

Unsung hero of the game: Terrell Manning. His fourth-down stop of Anderson in the fourth quarter prevented another big momentum swing by Louisville and stifled a potential scoring drive, and he also intercepted Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater on the Cardinals’ first drive of the game. The turnover led to NC State’s first points of the game, a 7-0 lead on a clock-eating 14-play drive. Manning also came up with a big hit on Bridgewater in the waning minute of the game that helped stop Louisville's final attempt at a comeback.

Second-guessing: Why kick the onside kick? With four minutes left in the game and two timeouts remaining, Louisville coach Charlie Strong elected for an onside kick. With 10 players ready to guard against it, there was no surprise element this time around. NC State recovered the ball on the 41-yard line. Let the defense make a stop and give the offense a chance to do its job.

Record performance: Amerson ended the game with his 13th interception of the season. He became the ACC's leader for interceptions in a season with two against Louisville. His interception return for a touchdown gave NC State a 31-10 lead.

Here are three keys for the NC State heading into the Belk Bowl matchup against Louisvilee:

1. Win the field position battle. Louisville is No. 2 in the country in punt return yardage defense, and opponents have returned 12 punts for a total of five net yards in 12 games. NC State’s defense has the ability to create a short field with turnovers, but it also has one of the nation’s top punt returners in T.J. Graham. If the Pack can put itself in a good position to begin with, quarterback Mike Glennon can take care of the rest. That's assuming, though, that the offensive line can ...

2. Protect Glennon. NC State is No. 99 in the country in sacks allowed, with 33 overall this season. Louisville linebacker Dexter Heyman has three interceptions and four sacks on the year. NC State’s offensive line has to give Glennon time to throw. He’s got a strong, accurate arm, but Louisville is No. 17 in the country in sacks with 2.67 per game.

3. Three’s the charm. NC State is 7-0 this season when forcing three or more turnovers. Any fewer than that and they’re winless. The Wolfpack leads the ACC and ranks fifth nationally in turnover margin with a +1.17 per game, +14 mark for the season. State ranks second nationally in turnovers gained, having picked off 24 passes and recovered a dozen fumbles.

It was a November to remember for coach Tom O'Brien and his Wolfpack, who entered last month with a 4-4 record and needed to win three of their last four to become bowl eligible. Nobody could have predicted the wild finish, but the Pack went 3-1 last month to earn its place in Charlotte. Here's a quick preview of the matchup against Louisville:

WHO TO WATCH: Cornerback David Amerson. He didn’t have one pick in 640 snaps last year as a true freshman, but this year has been a breakout season after his move from boundary to field corner. Amerson has tied the ACC’s single-season record and is the nation’s leader in interceptions with 11. That’s four more than any other player in 2011, more than 63 FBS teams, and the most by any individual since Wisconsin’s Jim Leonhard had 11 in 14 games in 2002.

WHAT TO WATCH: Special teams. Both Louisville and NC State have had difference-makers in the return games. Louisville’s opponents have returned 12 punts for a total of five net yards in 12 games and is No. 2 in the country in punt return defense. NC State receiver T.J. Graham is No. 12 in the country in punt returns, and NC State is No. 22 overall with 11.44 yards. The Cardinals beat West Virginia with the help of an 82-yard touchdown return of a blocked field goal, and beat Connecticut with help from a 100-yard kickoff return. NC State was also the only FBS school in the country this year that relied upon true freshmen at punter, placekicker and longsnapper this year, the first time in O'Brien's 36 years of coaching he's had a true freshman lineup in the kicking game.

WHY TO WATCH: Fast finishes. Both of these teams scraped and clawed to become bowl eligible this year. Odds are neither program is going to take this opportunity lightly. Louisville got off to a 2-4 start, and NC State was 2-3. Louisville closed out the season with a 5-1 record and a share of its first Big East title since 2006. NC State had to win its final two games to become bowl eligible and pulled off a shocking upset of then-No. 7 Clemson before mustering the greatest comeback in school history with a 56-41 win over Maryland. Both of these teams have finally hit their stride and have peaked just in time for bowl season.

PREDICTION: NC State 28, Louisville 21: Both quarterbacks will need to get better protection than they have for most of the season, and both teams have seen their defenses improve, but NC State has done a tremendous job this year of forcing opposing quarterbacks into mistakes, and Teddy Bridgewater will find that out quickly. The difference will be NC State’s front seven on defense.