ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 6-6
2011 conference record: 3-5 (T-4th, Coastal)
Returning starters: Offense: 4; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
WR Allen Hurns, TE Clive Walford, RT Jon Feliciano, RG Brandon Linder, DE Anthony Chickillo, DT Darius Smith, LB James Gaines, LB Denzel Perryman, CB Brandon McGee, S Vaughn Telemaque

Key losses
WR Travis Benjamin, WR Tommy Streeter, LT Brandon Washington, LG Harland Gunn, C Tyler Horn, QB Jacory Harris, RB Lamar Miller, DE Marcus Robinson, DT Adewale Ojomo, LB Sean Spence, CB Mike Williams, S JoJo Nicolas

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Lamar Miller (1,271 yards)
Passing: Jacory Harris (2,486 yards)
Receiving: Tommy Streeter (811 yards)
Tackles: Sean Spence (106)
Sacks: Anthony Chickillo*/Marcus Robinson (5)
Interceptions: JoJo Nicolas (2)

Spring answers

1. Ryan Williams can challenge Stephen Morris: Williams received most of the spring reps with Morris sidelined, and the Memphis transfer should enter preseason camp with a chance to overtake Morris for the No. 1 spot. That's all the Hurricanes can hope for with Morris recovering from back surgery.

2. The defense should be OK: Yes, some of that ugly 7-6 final from the spring game has to be blamed on putrid offense, but the defense deserves plenty of credit for forcing five turnovers. The unit also forced 10 sacks and picked off three passes in the team's March 30 scrimmage. The Canes return six starters from a defense that ranked 17th nationally in scoring in 2011.

3. Running backs stepping up: Al Golden has praised Mike James and Eduardo Clements this spring for both their performances on the field and their leadership off it. A strong showing from the duo will certainly ease the loss of Lamar Miller, but that could depend more on the progress of the offensive line than anything else.

Fall questions

1. What will Morris be like upon return? No one wants to lose his job to injury, and Morris surely noticed the performance of Williams this spring. Morris was able to take reps toward the end of spring without pads, which is certainly encouraging, but how he fares against defenses remains to be seen.

2. How soon can newcomers contribute? Golden landed the nation's No. 8 recruiting class for 2012, and many of the rookies can't get to campus soon enough. Miami lost 30 players this past season and has questions at receiver, in the secondary and along the offensive line. Spots could be there for the taking, so seeing which newcomers step up early will be interesting.

3. About that elephant in the room … Coaches and players will repeat that they only worry about what they can control, but the black cloud from the Nevin Shapiro scandal won't stop looming over the program until the NCAA delivers its ruling. The day that comes will be a welcome relief for the program, dark as that day may be. But if Golden could lure the No. 8 recruiting class despite the scandal, imagine what he could do once it subsides.

Despite a 6-6 season in 2011, Miami led all ACC schools with six players getting selected during this past weekend's NFL draft. The ACC as a whole had 31 players selected, the third most among all conferences, behind the Big Ten (41) and, yes, the SEC (42).

NC State had five players taken, the second most among ACC schools. Neither the Hurricanes nor the Wolfpack had any players taken in the first two rounds. Duke and Maryland both had zero players drafted.

Luke Kuechly, as expected, got the ball rolling for the conference Thursday night, when the Panthers took the former Boston College inside linebacker ninth overall. I was a little surprised to see Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill, projected by many as a late first-rounder, fall all the way to the Jets at No. 43.

Here's a school-by-school breakdown of the draft, followed by a round-by-round breakdown:

Miami: 6
NC State: 5
Clemson: 4
FSU: 4
Wake Forest: 4
Virginia Tech: 3
UNC: 2
Georgia Tech: 1
Virginia: 1
Boston College: 1

FIRST ROUND
No. 9, Panthers: ILB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
No. 16, Jets: DE Quinton Coples, UNC
No. 31, Giants: RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech

SECOND ROUND
No. 38, Jaguars: DE Andre Branch, Clemson
No. 43, Jets: WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
No. 52, Titans: OLB Zach Brown, UNC

THIRD ROUND
No. 64, Colts: TE Dwayne Allen, Clemson
No. 69, Bills: WR TJ Graham, NC State
No. 72, Dolphins: DE Olivier Vernon, Miami
No. 86, Steelers: LB Sean Spence, Miami
No. 93, Bengals: DT Brandon Thompson, Clemson
No. 94, Giants: CB Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech

FOURTH ROUND
No. 96, Rams: WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest
No. 97, Dolphins: RB Lamar Miller, Miami
No. 100, Browns: WR Travis Benjamin, Miami
No. 105, Bills: OLB Nigel Bradham, FSU
No. 113, Cowboys: OLB Kyle Wilber, Wake Forest
No. 115, Titans: CB Coty Sensabaugh, Clemson
No. 117, 49ers: G Joe Looney, Wake Forest

FIFTH ROUND
No. 144, Bills: T Zebrie Sanders, FSU
No. 163, Packers: OLB Terrell Manning, NC State

SIXTH ROUND
No. 152, Cowboys: WR Danny Coale, Virginia Tech
No. 176, Jaguars: CB Mike Harris, FSU
No. 187, Jets: S Josh Bush, Wake Forest
No. 198, Ravens: WR Tommy Streeter, Miami
No. 200, Eagles: G Brandon Washington, Miami

SEVENTH ROUND
No. 210, Vikings: ILB Audie Cole, NC State
No. 225, Seahawks: DE JR Sweezy, NC State
No. 237, 49ers: DE Cam Johnson, Virginia
No. 239, Giants: DT Markus Kuhn, NC State
No. 241, Packers: T Andrew Datko, FSU

It's NFL draft eve, and it's the last Wednesday before the event, meaning one last chance for our team of analysts to predict how this weekend will unfold.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay reveal their final draft boards, and each has a mock , with McShay and the rest of the Scouts Inc. team going seven rounds full .

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, naturally, tops the list, going No. 5 to the Buccaneers. North Carolina end Quinton Coples is next off the board at No. 19, to the Bears, with wideout Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech going two spots later to the Bengals.

How do the rest of the ACC's draft-eligible players stand? Let's take a look:

ROUND 2
No. 36, Buccaneers: RB David Wilson (Virginia Tech)
No. 50, Bears: OLB Zach Brown (UNC)
No. 58, Texans: DE Andre Branch (Clemson)
No. 59, Packers: RB Lamar Miller (Miami)

ROUND 3
No. 64, Colts: DT Brandon Thompson (Clemson)
No. 68, Buccaneers: CB Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech)
No. 72, Dolphins: OT Zebrie Sanders (FSU)
No. 76, Texans: TE Dwayne Allen (Clemson)
No. 80, Cardinals: DE Olivier Vernon (Miami)
No. 82, Titans: WR Chris Givens (Wake Forest)
No. 91, Ravens: G Joe Looney (Wake Forest)
No. 95, Raiders: DE Cam Johnson (Virginia)

ROUND 4
No. 100, Browns: OLB Nigel Bradham (FSU)
No. 124, Bills: OLB Sean Spence (Miami)
No. 125, 49ers: CB Chase Minnifield (Virginia)
No. 128, Vikings: OLB Terrell Manning (NC State)
No. 129, Raiders: OLB Kyle Wilber (Wake Forest)
No. 130, Ravens: WR Danny Coale (Virginia Tech)

ROUND 5
No. 154, Jets: WR Tommy Streeter (Miami)
No. 157, Falcons: WR TJ Graham (NC State)
No. 159, Steelers: G Brandon Washington (Miami)
No. 162, Saints: CB Coty Sensabaugh (Clemson)

ROUND 6
No. 176, Jaguars: DT Marcus Forston (Miami)
No. 178, Bills: ILB Audie Cole (NC State)
No. 188, Broncos: DE Rennie Moore (Clemson)
No. 191, Bengals: WR Travis Benjamin (Miami)
No. 197, Packers: OT Andrew Datko (FSU)
No. 205, Browns: G Antoine McClain (Clemson)

ROUND 7
No. 209, Rams: WR Dwight Jones (UNC)
No. 240, Steelers: DE Matt Conrath (Virginia)
No. 242, Jets: TE George Bryan (NC State)
No. 243, Packers: RB Davin Meggett (Maryland)
No. 245, Browns: DT Markus Kuhn (NC State)
No. 250, Chargers: CB Donnie Fletcher (BC)

Here's a breakdown by school of the 37 ACC players that Scouts Inc. thinks will be drafted:

Miami: 7
Clemson: 6
NC State: 5
Virginia Tech: 3
UNC: 3
Virginia: 3
Wake Forest: 3
FSU: 3
BC: 2
Georgia Tech: 1
Maryland: 1
Duke: 0

A trio of Miami players broke the 4.5 barrier in the 40-yard dash at the school's pro day, but two of the fastest Hurricanes decided to sit out the 40 on Thursday.

Lamar Miller and Tommy Streeter, both content with their 4.40 performances at last month's NFL scouting combine, participated only in position drills, with both performing the "L" drill and Miller participating in the vertical jump.

"I think I did pretty good," Miller said, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "I had a very good day catching the ball out of the backfield, doing the position drills."

Miller, whose 40-time led all running backs at the combine, is projected as a late-first or early-second round draft pick. Streeter figures to be a mid-round pick.

Leading the way for Hurricanes runners at their pro day was LaRon Byrd (4.41), followed by Lee Chambers (4.43) and Ben Bruneau (4.48). Defensive end Olivier Vernon, one of five Miami players to declare for the draft early, ran a 4.64 40, up from his 4.80 in Indianapolis.

Chambers topped all in the vertical, at 40.5 inches, with Bruneau just behind him there, as well, with a 39.5-inch jump. Jacory Harris and Travis Benjamin opted to rely on most of their combine numbers.

Linebacker Sean Spence, who benched 225 pounds just 12 times at the combine, told reporters a bone bruise in his left shoulder was the reason for the low number, saying he can usually do 19 reps.

Eight Miami players had participated in last month's combine, and 26 worked out at the school's pro day

Now that the NFL combine is over, draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has released his latest top five NFL draft prospects by position .

Former ACC running backs David Wilson and Lamar Miller checked in at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill cracked the list of receivers at No. 4, Clemson's Dwayne Allen was listed as the No. 3 tight end, and UNC's Quinton Coples remains the No. 1 prospect at defensive end, followed by No. 3 Andre Branch. BC's Luke Kuechly is the top inside linebacker, and NC State's Terrell Manning is the No. 3 outside linebacker. Florida State punter Shawn Powell (No. 3) was the only other ACC player listed, but the ACC had plenty of winners at this year's combine, according to Kiper:

• Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
• Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
• Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
• Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Kiper called former Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen a question mark with more of a second-round grade now, but said that could change with a good pro day.

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

We’ve already taken a look at what the recruiting needs were for the Atlantic Division. Let’s shift our attention to the Coastal Division. Here’s a look at where each school’s biggest holes will be in 2012 or are anticipated to be in the near future:

DUKE


Offensive skill positions: After last year’s rare class that didn’t include either a quarterback or running back, both positions are needed in this group. Quarterback Thomas Sirk -- the MVP of the 57th annual Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Football Classic last December -- has already enrolled in school while Shaquille Powell -- a PARADE All-American running back from Las Vegas -- has committed to the program. In addition, with David Cutcliffe’s offense, wide receivers and tight ends also are a priority.

Kicker: Will Snyderwine, who earned first team All-America honors as a junior before struggling through a sub-par season in 2011, graduated, but Duke has a commitment from Ohio native Ross Martin, considered the No. 2 placekicking prospect in the country by ESPN.com.

Safety: With the transition to a 4-2-5 alignment that utilizes three safeties, this becomes an annual point of emphasis. The Blue Devils lose All-American Matt Daniels to graduation.

GEORGIA TECH


Defensive line: This is the most glaring need in the current class. The Yellow Jackets have to replace senior starters Logan Walls (DT) and Jason Peters (DE), but return Izaan Cross (DE) and solid backups T.J. Barnes (DT), Emmanuel Dieke (DE) and Euclid Cummings (DE). The Jackets are expected to sign about 18 players in this year’s class, and five of them should be defensive linemen.

Wide receiver:This is another glaring need after the departures of Stephen Hill, who decided to leave early for the NFL draft, and Tyler Melton. Darren Waller and Jeff Greene, who both played last season as true freshmen, have lots of potential, but the position still needs depth.


MIAMI

Defensive backs: There’s still a lot of depth with this group, and the return of Ray-Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque helps, but the Canes have to replace two starters in the secondary and have six commits in the current class to help do that.

Defensive line: The Canes have to replace Adewale Ojomo, Micanor Regis, Andrew Smith and Olivier Vernon from last year’s two-deep. The defensive end position was a particular focus in this class.

Receiver: This position lost a lot with the departures of Tommy Streeter, LaRon Byrd and Travis Benjamin. Allen Hurns is now the veteran of the group, along with redshirt senior Kendal Thompkins. There are five receivers currently committed in this class.

Quarterback: Beyond Stephen Morris, Miami has a lot of questions at the position and not a lot of experience. True freshmen Gray Crow and Preston Dewey are already on the roster, along with redshirt sophomore Ryan Williams.

NORTH CAROLINA

Defensive line: This is one of the biggest areas of concern after the departures of Quinton Coples and Tydreke Powell.

Receivers: Larry Fedora’s offense will make good use of this group, but he needs to replace standout Dwight Jones.

Linebackers: This group was thin to begin with in 2011, and now the Heels need to replace outgoing senior Zach Brown. Kevin Reddick is now the main man.

Safety: UNC will have to replace two starters in Matt Merletti, Charles Brown and Jonathan Smith, so this position will have to be rebuilt for the future.

VIRGINIA

Defensive back: This should be the main priority in this class. The Cavaliers will lose four DBs, including two starting safeties in Rodney McCleod and Corey Mosley, and standout cornerback Chase Minnifield. They’ll also miss Dom Joseph, who came in for the nickel packages. Demetrious Nicholson, who started as a true freshman last year, is suddenly the veteran of the group.

Offensive line: The Hoos will have to replace their starting center and left guard. Redshirt freshman center Cody Wallace could get a promotion, and sophomore right guard Luke Bowanko started in the bowl game. They’ve got some big bodies waiting in the wings, but they’ll have some questions to answer here this spring.

Kickers: This position needs to be rebuilt, as the Cavaliers lose Robert Randolph, who finished sixth all time in scoring at UVa, kickoff specialist Chris Hinkebein, and four-year punter Jimmy Howell. The position is wide open heading into the spring.

VIRGINIA TECH

Running back: This one is a no-brainer, as the Hokies have lost four players here in the past two years. David Wilson and his backup, Josh Oglesby, were the latest to depart, and Tony Gregory just had ACL surgery and is out for the spring. The staff likes Michael Holmes, who redshirted last year, and J.C. Coleman enrolled last week.

Receiver: The Hokies will miss Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin, and next year’s class has three seniors in Dyrell Roberts, D.J. Coles, and Marcus Davis. The future of the position is young, and the staff is still going after several uncommitted players pretty hard.

Defensive line: This year’s class already includes at least five committed defensive linemen, and the Hokies will be particularly thin at noseguard. They had some players graduate early who didn’t play a lot, but at least provided depth.

Linebacker:The Hokies have four committed, and are still chasing another just to build the depth. The staff missed on some recruits at this position last year and would like to make up for it in this class.

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.

No game? No problem. Let's talk.

Thomas in Raleigh, NC writes: Do you think the ACC should be stripped of it's AQ status? Clemson and VA Tech are decent teams, but neither is BCS caliber. In fact, if either were in the SEC this year, they would have finished no better than 6th place, behind LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Georgia.

HD: No! If anyone should be stripped of its AQ status it's the Big East. And the ACC champ is certainly a BCS-deserving team. Clemson played more than enough ranked opponents this year, including three in a three-week stretch to earn that Orange Bowl bid. You can debate Virginia Tech's merit in the Sugar Bowl, but the ACC is still worthy of a BCS bowl every year.

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Daniel in richmond, va writes: Heather, I know that Virginia Tech's selection to the Sugar Bowl was a surprise but why is all the talk about VT not deserving the bid, when Michigan also got a bid and are ranked lower than the Hokies? Why is it ok that Michigan is picked but it's so horrible that Virginia Tech was selected?

HD: Two points: 1. A lot of the perception comes from the voters, and people like myself who compile Top 25 lists every week during the season, and if you look at the votes, Michigan is ranked higher than Virginia Tech. It's the BCS standings and the computers that say otherwise. So based on perception, many think Michigan is the better team. 2. It all goes back to Virginia Tech's nonconference schedule. At least Michigan played Notre Dame and two ranked teams in Michigan State and Nebraska. If the BCS standings are what you want to look at, then the Hokies didn't beat any Top 25 teams this year.

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Steve in Centreville, VA writes: As someone who follows recruiting, I think it is absolutely insane that Dabo is getting consideration for coach of the year this year. What expectation did he exceed? He lost 3 games with a team full of some of the best recruiting classes in the ACC/country. Coaches should STOP getting credit for DECENT years after coaching horribly for the previous couple. Not to take anything away from Clemson, but their athelets and FSU's atheletes are freakish and if their coaches got the most out of them, they would be playing with the likes of LSU and Alabama. Thoughts?

HD: If you're talking national coach of the year, I think Dabo is a stretch. Personally, I voted for Bill Snyder of K-State for Eddie Robinson. As for ACC coach of the year, though, I think he was the perfect choice. He DID exceed expectations. The Tigers weren't even ranked heading into this season, and they had a new QB, a new coordinator and an entirely new offense. And he hasn't coached horribly. This is the second time in three years they've won the division. Historically, yes, Clemson has underachieved with the talent it has had, but I don't think Clemson lost three games because of coaching. They lost it because of execution. And Georgia Tech simply played lights-out that day.

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leftcoastcanesfan in Suisun City, CA writes: Now that Tommy Streeter has regrettably declared for the NFL, will the opening he has created actually benefit the Canes's recruiting efforts at W/R?

HD: Not just there, but immediate playing time and early contributions should be a main selling point at several positions as Miami coach Al Golden recruits. The Hurricanes have got to be careful with their scholarship allotment, though, because of possible NCAA sanctions. It will be an interesting, selective year for Miami recruiting.

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Greg in Blacksburg writes: How important is it that Tech wins this game? Everyone on campus today was absolutely shocked that we are going to the Sugar Bowl. If the ACC wants any kind of respect in the coming years we have to show that we deserve these kind of big games.

HD: Couldn't agree more, Greg. I read Frank Beamer's quotes about being deserving, and not apologizing, and I don't think the Hokies have to apologize for anything. They just have to prove worthy of being in that bowl by playing like it.

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Andrew in Marietta, Ga writes: HD,I know you try to be fair and unbias. And I appreciate that. But you should remeber who you are writing for and representing. The ACC!Having two teams in the BCS Bowls is a great thing. You've been saying that for years. Yes, VT played horible against Clemson, twice. And I was just as surprised as you that they were picked to go to the Sugar. But they had a good season overall. Having the BCS pick the Hokies as an at large team shows some respect for VT and the ACC.You should be writing about that and not putting the Hokies down like everyone else.

HD: You know, it's funny you mention that because my inbox is FILLED with angry Virginia Tech fans. I don't think there's enough space in the blogosphere for all of the hate mail I received this week from Hokies fans for this column. You guys couldn't get past the line, though, where I said they don't deserve to play in the Sugar Bowl. Well, they don't. But the whole point of that article was to say, who cares?! Who cares if people think Virginia Tech shouldn't be there? So what? They're going, the ACC has two teams in BCS bowls for the first time 14 years, so let's all enjoy it. I am THRILLED to be going to two BCS bowls this year. I'm going to the Sugar Bowl and leaving the next day to fly to the Orange Bowl. To be able to do that is awesome. I'm going to enjoy it. And so should you. We'll see how Virginia Tech fares against Michigan. It's up to the Hokies to write their own story and change the perception.

Miami junior wide receiver Tommy Streeter and junior defensive tackle Marcus Forston, both graduates of nearby Miami Northwestern High School, have decided to forego their final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft, the school announced on Monday.

Miami will be hit hard enough by graduation this year without players leaving early for the NFL draft, and the departure of these two will definitely hurt. The Canes will already have to replace second-leading receiver Travis Benjamin and senior LaRon Byrd. That will leave Allen Hurns (31 catches this season) and Phillip Dorsett, a rising sophomore, as the most experienced returning receivers. Forston was injured for much of his career, and never really reached his full potential. He ends his 31-game career at Miami with 60 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. Whether or not this decision pays off for the players remains to be seen, but it definitely isn't going to help the Canes.

Hokies in the Sugar Bowl? Is that right?

• Does the ACC deserve two teams in BCS bowls?
• Virginia Tech, of course, will defend its nonconference schedule.
• The Hokies needed the perfect storm, and they got it.
• The Sugar Bowl's selection of Virginia Tech was a surprise, and Virginia benefited from it.
• Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly got a big surprise this weekend.
• Clemson coach Dabo Swinney never doubted he'd be able to retain offensive coordinator Chad Morris.
• It was a good Sunday for the teams going bowling on Tobacco Road.
• Miami receiver Tommy Streeter is a bit confused about his future.
• The speculation is over, and FSU is heading to the Champs Sports Bowl.
• Can UNC get to the eight-win mark again?

Miami receiver Tommy Streeter has had 13 plays of 25 yards or more this season, and he ranks third in the nation with 20.8 yards per catch heading into Saturday’s rivalry game at Florida State. He leads the team with 666 receiving yards and has eight touchdowns. It’s quite a difference from last year’s one-catch season; he entered this season with 156 career yards. I caught up with Streeter earlier this week to get his take on his performance this season:

What has been the biggest difference for you personally from a production standpoint?

Tommy Streeter: I guess the time spent for preparation, the extra reps taken at practice, after practice, extra film studies and meeting with my coaches throughout the day and getting myself ready for game day.

How much has the scheme helped you?

TS: I feel like coach (Jedd) Fisch does a great job of putting the ball in the playmaker’s hands and letting him make the plays. The plays he focuses you on are catered to your specialties and things that you’re good at, opposed to ... it’s basically around your strengths, just putting you in the best possible position to win on that play.

Why do you feel like it’s taken you to this point to have this kind of breakout season?

TS: This all came with all opportunity. With the new coaching staff I was given a new opportunity, and day-in and day-out this offseason I just tried to maximize that opportunity and just get better.

Have you surprised yourself at all?

TS: No, I haven’t surprised myself. I’ve always believed in the ability I have, and I have a strong family that always supported me and let me know I’m a playmaker and kept reassuring my playmaking abilities, but it was just taking that next step and exercising that day in and day out at practice.

How much more fun are you having in this role?

TS: I’m having a lot of fun, just to be with my teammates out there, working hard day-in and day-out is a blessing. These guys have been able to continue to motivate me, and it’s a real family atmosphere.

What’s your overall take on your career at this point? If you were to sum it up in a nutshell, what would you say about it?

TS: I would say it’s not complete yet. This is only the beginning. I feel like each week I get better and I’ll try to continue to do so, finishing out the season.

What are some of the things you are still working on, or the coaches have pointed out, maybe technically, in your game that you’re trying to improve?

TS: Everything, really. Sometimes I look at the way I position my hands, my body position, and the way I position myself to make plays.

Florida State’s defense has been outstanding lately. Do you see any weaknesses you might be able to take advantage of or how you guys match up with them?

TS: Those guys are very outstanding on the defensive side of the ball. They have a lot of talent and athleticism. Those guys swarm to the ball play-in and play-out. They’re very advanced up front, but their linebackers and secondary are physical as well and they transition well into coverage.

How big is this game for you because it is Florida State?

TS: This is a huge game, but you continue to keep the mindset in preparation for any other game. You can’t let the game consume you or the rivalry consume you. You have to take the same approach and treat it like every other game, not let everything surrounding you overwhelm you to the point where your focus is lost.

Gaaaame day! Who ya got??

• Georgia Tech knows if it loses to Virginia Tech tonight, it's out of the ACC race.
• Here are three keys for the Hokies to win.
• Who has the edge?
• Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong will not play Saturday against Florida State, and school officials are checking to see if he broke NCAA rules.
• Could Armstrong's Twitter account have caused the trouble?
• Miami receivers Travis Benjamin and Tommy Streeter are hoping to cause double trouble for Florida State's defense.
• Wide right? What's that?
• FSU's 2011 recruiting class is making an immediate impact.
• UNC safety Matt Merletti might return in time for a bowl game.
• A few more notes and thoughts for you from around the ACC.
• Clemson's defense needs to start to make some noise.

Um, yeah, about Duke keeping things interesting ...

Miami has no reason to be afraid. Not after that half. Duke's defense has allowed about a whole game's worth of offense in the first half, as Miami has had four drives, four trips into the red zone, and quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown three touchdown passes already. Miami already has 300 total yards, and Harris has only thrown four incomplete passes.

This is the Duke team that held Virginia Tech scoreless in the second half last week?
This is the Miami team that lost at home to Virginia last week?

The Canes have already scored more points today than they did in four quarters last week (21). Miami has controlled the clock, and was 4-of-5 on third downs. Touchdown Tommy Streeter is at it again, and these Canes look unstoppable offensively right now. Even backup quarterback Stephen Morris is getting into the action, and fans could see more of him in the second half.

The question is which Duke defense will show up in the second half.

Here are the ACC's players of the week, as announced and written by the league offices in Greensboro, N.C.:

OFFENSIVE BACK – Rolandan Finch, Boston College, So., RB, 5-10, 209, New Albany, Ind.

Finch rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries in Boston College’s 28-17 win at Maryland, establishing career highs for yards, carries and touchdowns and achieving the most yardage by a running back in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Finch’s rushing yardage ranks third on the school’s single-game list behind Montel Harris, who rushed for a BC-record 264 yards against NC State in 2009, and Phil Bennett who totaled 259 yards against Temple in 1972.

RECEIVER – Tommy Streeter, Miami, Jr., WR, 6-5, 215, Miami, Fla.

Streeter ended the game with 176 yards on five receptions and two touchdowns in the loss to Virginia on Thursday night. Entering the game, the Miami native ranked fifth nationally with a 20.4 yards per reception average. Of Streeter’s 28 receptions on the season, 12 have gone for 25 yards or more, including catches of 57, 51 and 26 yards against Virginia. Streeter’s 176 yards were a career-game high and his first 100-yard receiving game. The total was also good enough to rank ninth among Miami single-game performances.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Oday Aboushi, Virginia, Jr., OT, 6-6, 310, Staten Island, N.Y.

Aboushi graded out at 89 percent on 64 plays and had 11 knockdown blocks to lead the UVa offensive line as it controlled the line of scrimmage in the Cavaliers' 28-21 victory at Miami. Virginia managed to rush for 207 yards, pass for 263 yards and pile up 470 yards of total offense against the Hurricanes. Aboushi and his linemates did not allow a sack as the Cavaliers attempted 21 pass plays. Miami entered the game ranked No. 3 in the ACC, averaging 2.71 sacks per game.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Timmy Jernigan, Florida State, Fr., DT, 6-3, 297, Lake City, Fla.

Continuing his impressive true freshman campaign, Jernigan was once again a force in the middle from his defensive tackle position. Jernigan finished with a season-high five tackles (3 solos, 2 assists), including two tackles for loss and one sack for minus-9 yards. He also scooped up a Mike Glennon fumble and returned it 12 yards to set up a score as the Noles forced a season-high three turnovers against NC State. FSU’s defensive front was instrumental in limiting NC State to 36 rushing yards on 28 attempts and a season-low 166 total yards.

LINEBACKER – Zach Brown, North Carolina, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230, Columbia, Md.

Senior linebacker Zach Brown finished with nine tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, in North Carolina's 49-24 win over Wake Forest. UNC scored on both of the possessions following Brown's turnovers. Brown now has a team-high 62 tackles this season with team-highs of 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech, So., DB, 5-10, 190, Fitzgerald, Ga.

Thomas, who made his first career start, recorded the first two interceptions of his career en route to arguably Georgia Tech’s top individual defensive performance of the season. Thomas had five tackles, a tackle for loss, forced a fumble, broke up two passes and was the first Tech player in more than a year to pick off two passes in a game. Both of his INTs came in the fourth quarter -- the first one in the end zone that foiled Clemson’s chance to pull within a touchdown.

SPECIALIST – Shawn Powell, Florida State, Sr., P, 6-4, 235, Rome, Ga.

Powell punted only three times for a 41.3-yard average, but his contributions far exceeded the numbers. Two of his punts were of the rugby variety, aimed at neutralizing NC State return sensation T.J. Graham, and proved quite successful. Graham managed just one punt return for 1 yard, thanks to Powell’s directional punting and his teammates’ exceptional coverage work. His 41.0 net punting average for the game matches FSU’s net punting average on the season, which ranks sixth among all FBS schools. Powell continues to lead the ACC with a 45.2 punting average and is currently the top-ranked punter, by average, in Florida State history.

ROOKIE – Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, Fr., TB, 5-10, 205, Davie, Fla.

Redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard had 27 carries for 154 yards and two rushing touchdowns in North Carolina's 49-24 victory over Wake Forest. Bernard also had his first touchdown reception, a 7-yard scoring catch-and-run to the pylon in the first quarter. He is the first Tar Heel to score three times in a game since tailback Shaun Draughn had three rushing touchdowns against East Carolina in 2010. Bernard’s 154 rushing yards were the most by a Tar Heel against Wake Forest since Ronnie McGill rushed for 244 yards in 2003. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the Deacons this year (previous was 136 by Virginia Tech’s David Wilson). Bernard has rushed 168 times for 965 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, an average of 5.7 yards per carry and 107.2 yards per game. His 11 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Tar Heel since Leon Johnson scored 12 times in 1995. Bernard rushed for 100-plus yards for the sixth time this season, tying the UNC record for 100-yard games by a freshman with Amos Lawrence (1977).