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One by one, athletic directors in the ACC are publicly reiterating their commitment to the ACC. Miami's Shawn Eichorst is the latest in that line. Eichorst issued a lengthy statement today, but the most important line was, "we have not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences."

Of course, it doesn't say the university wouldn't entertain the idea, should another conference come calling. Clemson certainly would.

What we're hearing from ACC officials now is exactly what you would expect them to say: that they are committed to the league, that the ACC is wonderful, and of course, that they've got to do what's in the best interest of their program, including exploring all options. They have mastered the art of commitment, while at the same time leaving the door open for change.

Here is Eichorst's full statement:

We are so fortunate at Miami. Our University, under past and present visionary leadership and with an 87-year history of achievement, is strong in our foundation and in our beliefs. It allows us to stay steady when there are stormy seas, and that core strength holds us together today more than ever.

Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, the University of Miami has worked hard to measure up to the high academic and athletic standards set by our peers, and we could not be more proud than to call the ACC our home. We are confident in our progress and in our accomplishments, yet there is still much work to be done. We are committed to the ACC, and to doing our part to continue the tradition of excellence across the board. In that regard, we have not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences.

The additions of the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University, as well as the new exclusive television partnership with ESPN, signal the very strength and nationwide appeal of the ACC. Fans will be able to watch more ACC sports and more ACC games in more ways than ever before with the most powerful brand in sports behind us. This is an exciting time to be a part of the ACC, and we are honored and humbled to be among its members.

Don't you just hate it when a coach suddenly leaves, and your team is left in the lurch? The future of the program seems to hang in the balance without a sense of direction or leadership.

Imagine how North Carolina’s players feel. First Butch Davis was fired, and then they had to prepare for and play in a bowl game knowing interim coach Everett Withers was leaving for Ohio State.

Our “coaches we love to hate” theme continues today with coaches who have left teams in a lurch -- at unexpected or awkward times. It might have been for another job, because of a scandal, or a disagreement with the administration. Whatever the reason, they’re no longer coaching in the ACC.

Here are three of the more memorable departures in recent years in the ACC, and you'll notice a trend here: They're all in the Atlantic Division:

1. Former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden: There’s getting fired, and then there’s getting fired in October. In 2008, Bowden was fired four days after Clemson lost to Wake Forest. The Tigers were ranked No. 9 that year in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 and had been favored to win the ACC. Instead, Clemson started out 3-3, including a thud on the national stage with a 24-point loss to Alabama. Quarterback Cullen Harper added to the drama when he said Bowden deserved to be fired. After a decade of coming up short, Bowden offered to resign. Even though it happened midseason, it didn’t come as much of a surprise, considering Clemson had lost to Maryland and Wake Forest, starting out 1-2 in conference play. Dabo Swinney was named interim head coach for the rest of the season and took over the team heading into the Georgia Tech game. It was an emotional week for the Tigers, who lost to the Jackets 21-17. Swinney instituted a new tradition in the Tiger Walk. He started a new quarterback, Willy Korn. And eventually, he did what Bowden could not, and won the school’s first ACC title since 1991.

2. Former Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski:This story was about defiance. Athletic director Gene DeFilippo had specifically told Jagodzinski he could not interview with the Jets. He would be fired if he did. Jagodzinski did it anyway. And he was fired in January 2009. “I did everything in the spirit of the contract,” Jagodzinski told ESPN that year. DeFilippo said Jagodzinski was fired “without cause.” Jagodzinski lasted only two years at BC, and he had three years remaining on his contract. He was a smug coach, but he was also successful. In just two seasons, Jagodzinski led the Eagles to back-to-back ACC title games, losing both to Virginia Tech. They were 11-3 his first season, and ranked as high as No. 2 nationally. (Yes, we’re still talking about Boston College). It was Jagodzinski’s first head-coaching job. A year later, Jagodzinski was fired by Tampa Bay. The following year he was fired by the UFL’s Omaha Nighthawks. Interviewing with the Jets was one costly decision.

3. Former Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen (and his coach-in-waiting): This one is still puzzling. The ACC’s 2010 Coach of the Year was fired and replaced by the Big East Coach of the Year. The ACC’s 2010 Rookie of the Year was benched in favor of an inexperienced backup. Under that game plan, a nine-win bowl season deteriorated to a two-win disaster.

Huh?

“It didn’t need to end this way,” Friedgen told Mike Wise of the Washington Post.

Ironically, it didn’t end after his 2-10 season in 2009. Instead, Friedgen was given the opportunity to pull the program together, and he managed to do that with a respectable eight-win regular season and a win in the Military Bowl, Friedgen’s final game as head coach.

Athletic director Kevin Anderson, who at the time was new to the job, originally told Friedgen he would return for 2011. Anderson had issued a written statement saying that Friedgen would be allowed to coach the final year of his contract.

Friedgen called for an extension, and Anderson called an audible and gave Friedgen his buyout notice. Meanwhile, Friedgen’s successor, James Franklin, left to become head coach at Vanderbilt. In a matter of a week, Maryland went from having the coach of the year and his successor, to having no coach at all -- intentionally.

Out with the old, in with the new. The ACC has lost a lot of talent from 2011, including arguably the best player in the conference in former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. There are still a lot of names for fans to be excited about, though, as we get closer to summer camp. Which players in the conference will emerge as the best? Well, based on past performances and their bubbling potential, here’s the first guess. As part of the “College Football Live” 100 Days 'Til Kickoff countdown, here’s a look at the top 10 players in the ACC.

1. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: He broke all the ACC’s single-season pass receiving records, finishing the 2011 season with 82 catches for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was one of the most exciting, explosive players in the country as a true freshman. Watkins averaged 25 yards on 33 kickoff returns, including an 89-yard touchdown against Maryland.

2. David Amerson, CB, NC State: He led the FBS with 13 interceptions -- six more than any other player. It was the most in the FBS since 1968 and tied as the second-best total in FBS history. He broke the ACC’s single-season interception record in the upset of No. 7-ranked Clemson. He also broke the school’s 73-year-old single-season interception record of nine.

3. Giovani Bernard, RB, UNC: He was the leading freshman rusher in the nation. His total of 1,253 rushing yards was third-best by a freshman in ACC history. He also had 13 touchdowns on 239 carries and was third in the ACC with 96.4 rushing yards per game. He had 45 catches for 362 yards and a touchdown.

4. Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech: Thomas set a school record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback with 11, and he broke the school's single-season total offense record set by Tyrod Taylor in 2010. His 234 completions, 391 attempts and 3,013 yards passing all rank second in school history for a single season.

5. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: He completed 298 of 499 pass attempts for 3,828 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over 14 starts. He completed 59.7 percent of his passes and had a 141.2 pass efficiency rating. He also had 218 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He had 4,046 total yards and was responsible for a school-record 38 touchdowns.

6. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech: Fuller played at nickelback/whip linebacker and corner. He had an interception in the Sugar Bowl against Michigan and eight tackles against Clemson in the ACC title game. He finished 2011 with 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also had two interceptions, nine passes defended, five quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

7. Joe Vellano, DT, Maryland: Vellano led the FBS in tackles by a defensive lineman with 7.8 per game. He finished third on the team with 94 tackles, had 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. His jaw-dropping 20 tackles against Georgia Tech were unforgettable.

8. Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State: He was second in the ACC with eight sacks for a loss of 62 yards and had 12 tackles for a loss of 79 yards. He finished with 41 tackles, a pass breakup and five quarterback hurries. He was the defensive MVP of the nation’s No. 4-ranked defense, and he was still disruptive despite facing double-teams throughout the season.

9. Bruce Taylor, LB, Virginia Tech: He only played in eight games in 2011 before a season-ending injury, but Taylor still had 53 tackles, seven TFLs and five sacks. He led Tech in tackles in 2010 with 91 and in TFLs (15.5) and was second in quarterback sacks (6.0). He also had four pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries.

10. Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State: Despite missing four games with injuries, Greene led FSU in receiving with 38 catches, 596 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches as a true freshman. He averaged 15.7 yards a catch and 14.7 yards on three runs from scrimmage.

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- The story of the spring at Clemson was the development of receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who looked like a different player on the field for the Tigers.

All you need for proof is what he did in the first quarter of the spring game -- five catches for 100 yards. Coach Dabo Swinney called him the MVP of the spring, and said during the ACC spring meetings that he could not be prouder of Hopkins' development.

"Part of it goes back to the fact that he hasn’t had an offseason as an athlete," Swinney said. "He’s been a multisport guy. Last year after his freshman year he went into basketball and was sporadic in the spring. We got him, but it was after a long basketball season and he missed all the training in the weight room. Whereas this year, he plugged right into that, he picked up some good muscle mass, and what happens is as a guy gets stronger, his confidence grows. You put that type of confidence with an already good player, you’ve got a chance to have something pretty special. That’s what we saw in the spring.

"He's more physical, faster, more confident. And just him having experience, he’ll be a junior, other competitive players at his position that he’s trying to compete with every day. He’s a young man that really wants to be great. All those things pushed him to have a great spring."

One of those competitive players is freshman stud Sammy Watkins, whom Swinney credits for helping Hopkins get better. Should Hopkins continue his development, and Watkins continue his meteoric rise, the Tigers will have a dynamic duo that will be pretty fearsome for defenses to try to stop.

Here are a few other notes:

• Swinney said he has yet to decide on a punishment for Watkins. Watkins was arrested earlier this month and charged with drug possession.
• As for the transition to new defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Swinney said everything went smoothly. "I thought he brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm right out of the gate. He and the rest of our defensive staff did a really good job of teaching the principles and basics of what we wanted to do this spring. We didn’t get it all done but we went at a pace where we kept our older guys interested and involved but we gave our younger guys an opportunity to compete because we’re a very young team. We only have 11 seniors and 60-plus freshmen and sophomores. There’s just a difference there. I thought that part, they did a good job and as a result of that, instead of one group getting it we had a couple groups getting it and that created the competition we needed to develop our guys on that side of the ball."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- The topic of what the ACC has to do to improve its football image has been rehashed over and over, particularly after its BCS bowl losses.

But that did not stop Clemson coach Dabo Swinney from weighing in on the topic during the ACC spring meetings. Swinney came to his league's defense after a reporter wondered how he dealt with the perception that the ACC was not a football conference. Then he gave his own twist on what the future looks like in this league, predicting that a national champion would eventually emerge.

Pretty bold statement. You guys know the BCS record. You guys know what happened to Clemson in the Orange Bowl last season. You guys know Florida State and Miami have been down, and Virginia Tech hasn't quite gotten over the top. So does Swinney, which must give him confidence that teams in this league are ready to turn a corner.

These are his comments, in their entirety:

"The ACC is a tremendous football conference. It’s a tremendous conference as a whole," Swinney said. "We’ve got to do a better job as far as developing a dominant team from within our conference. We’ve had some good teams, but we haven’t produced that 13-0 team yet, that 12-1 team that’s going to get on the national scene. You look at us this year, we got to fifth. We're on our way and we just didn’t quite finish like we need to finish. That’s coming.

"I think we’ve got a lot of good programs. In five years from now, we’ll look back and say this is where it changed. You look at the SEC and some of the traditionally really good teams that maybe haven’t been as good of late. They’ll get back. It’s the same thing in our conference. Heck, it’s been 20 years since we won the ACC. Twenty years. I was still playing 20 years ago. We’re heading in the right direction as a conference. This is a tremendous conference. At some point we’ll produce a national champion again, there’s no doubt in my mind about that."

The ACC could have as many as four teams ranked in the preseason top 25 come August. Expectations are high at Florida State once again, while Clemson and Virginia Tech are near-certainties to be ranked. NC State could very well make the list, too. There no doubt have been opportunities.

We'll see if a different script is written in 2012.

Three strikes and Clemson running back Mike Bellamy is out.

After a short career that was spent mainly in coach Dabo Swinney's doghouse, Bellamy has been ruled academically ineligible and won't return this fall. This is yet another off-field blow for the Tigers, who recently learned that star receiver Sammy Watkins was arrested earlier this month for possession of marijuana and a controlled substance. So far, Swinney hasn't announced any punishment for Watkins, but he has said there will be one.

While it's more negative publicity for the program, it's certainly not the end of the season for the Tigers. Even if Bellamy and Watkins are missing for the season opener against Auburn, Clemson doesn't play its first and arguably most meaningful conference game until Sept. 22 at Florida State. It's also important to remember that Bellamy finished the spring third on the depth chart at running back behind 1,000-yard rusher Andre Ellington and his backup, D.J. Howard.

It's unfortunate and disappointing that Bellamy's career ended this way, especially considering how many times Swinney has insisted that despite Bellamy's troubles, he is a good kid who simply made some poor decisions. When it comes to the good of the team, though, his absence might actually mean one less distraction.

This just in: Florida State will be in attendance at today's ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, Fla. The Noles are still a part of the ACC. Jimbo Fisher has been spotted at the posh Ritz-Carlton resort, and he didn't appear to be running toward the Big 12 -- at least not yet.

Thanks, Jimbo, for keeping the expansion talk alive.

Not that today's meetings needed any help. Representatives from Pitt and Syracuse are also in attendance, and Pitt has sued the Big East to leave early and join in 2013.

It's a Monday in May, but there will plenty on the coaches' agenda to talk about at this year's spring meetings. Here are three hot-button issues to keep an eye on:

1. The BCS and current bowl structure. This should be one of the more time-consuming topics on the agenda, as the league aims to find out where the ACC and its coaches stand on the future structure of college football. BCS executive director Bill Hancock will be there.

2. The NCAA. Julie Roe Lach, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement, and Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president of academic and membership affairs, will be there to meet with all groups about enforcement in general and some of the legislation dealing with APR requirements for the postseason. Will the vote on North Carolina come up?

3. Expansion. As mentioned above, Pitt and Syracuse coaches will be there to start their orientation with the league so they are prepared to join when the time comes. Fisher's recent comments about the Big 12 have already made things interesting.

Odds n' ends. As usual, the coaches will also talk about officiating, with a specific focus on any rule changes, and they'll watch film on flagrant hits, etc. The coaches will also meet with ESPN and Raycom executives.

My colleague Andrea Adelson will be there to get the news, so check back for any updates.

Here are the five things we learned in the ACC this spring.

1. We've been saying this for the last couple of seasons, but it might finally ring true in 2012: Florida State has enough talent to return to the upper echelon of college football. The Seminoles are going to be as talented as any defense in the country. Quarterback EJ Manuel returns for his senior season, and the Seminoles did a good job rebuilding their offensive line this spring. FSU is going to have to stay healthy and run the ball more effectively to play in a BCS bowl game.

2. Don't sleep on Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets return what many believe might be the best offensive line in coach Paul Johnson's tenure at Tech. Quarterback Tevin Washington doesn't do anything spectacularly, but he avoids mistakes and operates Johnson's triple-option spread offense well. If Tech can find a nose guard to run defensive coordinator Al Groh's 3-4 defense, it will be a tough out in the ACC.

3. Clemson might have the best receiver tandem in the country. We knew sophomore Sammy Watkins was a superstar and one of the best playmakers in the country. But DeAndre Hopkins would be the No. 1 receiver on any other team in the conference -- and maybe the country. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has two receivers who will give ACC defensive coordinators some sleepless nights.

4. North Carolina is going to play really, really fast under new coach Larry Fedora. The Tar Heels won't be eligible to play in a bowl game this coming season because of NCAA probation, but it might end up being a blessing for Fedora. The Tar Heels will learn Fedora's no-huddle spread offense without much pressure or expectations.

5. Virginia Tech has won at least 10 games in eight consecutive seasons, the longest such streak in the country. We're used to the Hokies simply reloading every season under coach Frank Beamer. It might not be as easy this season, though. Virginia Tech must replace four offensive linemen, tailback David Wilson and top receivers Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin. The Hokies will probably be slow out of the gates.

Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins was arrested early Friday and charged with possession of a controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, both misdemeanors.

After being arrested and taken to the Clemson City Jail, Watkins was released on a $1,620 personal recognizance bond.

"I made a mistake last night and I am truly sorry for my actions," Watkins said in a news release. "I let the team down, the coaches down and this university down. I will learn from this. I will accept any discipline coach [Dabo] Swinney and the university issues."

Discipline is likely on the way, though whether Watkins misses a game (or games) remains to be seen.

"I am aware of the arrest last night," Swinney said in a release. "I am mad and hurt by the poor decision that Sammy Watkins made. He is a good young man who has been a model student, citizen, player and teammate. This is a reminder that good people make poor decisions. But, there are consequences for your actions ... and there will be in this case.

"I am in the process of gathering the facts and discipline will be determined when I have completed that process."

It goes without saying what Watkins means to Clemson. He was the ACC's Rookie of the Year and, as we have stated in this space before, is primed to be the conference's next big national star.

A suspension would definitely hurt the Tigers offensively, especially if it were to come in Week 1 against Auburn. The spotlight may grow a little larger on DeAndre Hopkins, whom Swinney labeled the team's spring MVP. Having 1,604 career receiving yards and nine touchdowns under his belt doesn't hurt, either.

The "College Football Live" panel of experts preview Clemson's upcoming season.

If you're ACC commissioner John Swofford, you've carved out a pretty nice life for yourself lately. Less than two years ago, you landed a long-term television deal with ESPN. Less than a year ago, you secured the move of Big East bedrocks Pitt and Syracuse, making your conference the unquestioned leader in men's college basketball.

If these upcoming BCS meetings take a couple of unforeseen turns, who knows, just maybe you can provide a safe landing spot for Notre Dame, expanding your conference's footprint to the Midwest and, to an extent, across the nation in a way no other league would be able to match.

But that's another issue for another day. For now, as we said, life is good as the ACC commissioner.

As sad a commentary as it might be on the present state of college athletics, the only tangible issue for the ACC now is, frankly, a minor one: The conference has not been among the best when it comes to winning football games.

Its champion from a year ago, Clemson, was run off the field in the Orange Bowl by West Virginia, a school that valued winning the Big East so much that it is now playing in the Big 12. The runner-up, perennial conference contender Virginia Tech, managed to secure a second BCS-bowl bid for the conference, something that had never been done before. The Hokies did that despite losing the league's title game by 28 points, despite finishing four BCS spots behind Boise State (No. 7) and three spots behind Kansas State (No. 8).

Both schools went on to play in smaller bowls, and the Hokies got a trip to New Orleans, ultimately losing a winnable Sugar Bowl against Michigan. The Wolverines, by the way, did not even reach their conference championship game — they actually lost to the team that lost that game, Michigan State. But, as we said, when life is good in college football, there are benefits to be reaped.

One of those may be on display this week in South Florida, where postseason meetings will take place among the 11 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick. Here, the ACC can get greedy.

The future is secure, which is more than can be said for some other conferences. But the record in BCS bowl games is 2-12, a concern generally limited to fan bases whose teams are losing big game after big game. Virginia Tech, a model of consistency in this sport, can only be tasked with carrying the mantle for the conference so much.

If a playoff format involving only conference champions arises, though, this could be the breakthrough toward occasionally cracking the nation's elite. Despite strong annual recruiting efforts from Clemson and Florida State, the ACC has shown little sign it can put multiple teams in the national title hunt every year, which is what the home of the past six national-title winners — the SEC — has been able to do.

But have one team emerge every now and then, losing one or even zero games? That's far more likely, which makes cracking a four-team playoff decided by conference winners — and thereby entering the national title picture — all the easier.

Are six consecutive national titles on the horizon for the ACC? Not exactly. But with its future secure, and its base potentially growing, this could be one small step for a conference lacking only on the scoreboard.

Former Oklahoma linebacker Kellen Jones will transfer to Clemson, according to PalmettoSports.com.

Jones notched 10 tackles last season with the Sooners under defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who was hired for the same position by the Tigers this season.

A three-star prospect coming out of St. Pius X (Houston) in 2011, Jones originally signed with Michigan last February before enrolling at Oklahoma in August. He saw action in 12 games with the Sooners as a true freshman.

Jones, who said the new transfer was not based on Venables' move to Clemson, will have to sit out this season but has three years of eligibility remaining, beginning in 2013.

"It was a family connection," Jones told PalmettoSports.com. "I liked the tradition, the atmosphere and the coaches."

Venables, meanwhile, is listed by colleague Travis Haney as one of the nation's five key coordinator hires for the upcoming season, as he replaces Kevin Steele.

Those familiar with Clemson have said Steele likely would not have been retained, even before the Orange Bowl debacle -- but giving up 70 points to West Virginia sealed the deal. Steele and Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney clashed over Chad Morris' new uptempo offense and how it affected the defense's stamina. Less time on the field for the offense means more time for the defense. Steele was not a fan.

That made Venables a perfect fit to replace him, since he had been working in concert with a fast-paced offense at Oklahoma since teaming up with Bob Stoops -- and then-coordinator Mike Leach -- in 1999.

Venables has talked this spring about a desire to return to fundamentals, sensing that basics, such as tackling, were lacking at Clemson. He has a young unit -- 13 freshmen or sophomores were on the two-deep, as of the middle of spring ball -- but one with athletic potential. For a team that gave up 30 or more points in half of its games last season, there is certainly room for improvement.

During its first eight games last season, Clemson had one of college football’s most efficient and explosive offenses.

In offensive coordinator Chad Morris’ high-paced spread attack, the Tigers scored points in bunches, had few penalties and even fewer turnovers.

Clemson had only eight turnovers and averaged fewer than four penalties in its first eight games, helping it start 8-0 and climb to No. 5 in the Bowl Championship Series standings after a 59-38 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 22.

Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd isn’t quite sure what happened over the next six games. The Tigers lost four of their last six contests and finished 10-4, turning the ball over 16 times and averaging more than five penalties per contest.

Clemson had four turnovers and six penalties in a forgettable 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Discover Orange Bowl on Jan. 4.

“You start to get a little too comfortable and start to listen to the things that didn’t get you to that point,” Boyd said. “I think we got a little complacent. We thought we could walk into any stadium in the country and win because we were 8-0 and No. 5 in the country.”

If the Tigers are going to finish stronger in 2012, Morris said his quarterback has to play with more consistency. Boyd, a junior from Hampton, Va., completed 61.8 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns and three interceptions in the first eight games of 2011. He threw for nine touchdowns with nine interceptions in the final six contests.

Morris is preaching consistency and finishing to his quarterback and offense heading into Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium.

“I think he has to be more consistent,” Morris said. “The first eight games, he was really confident on offense and was picking up first downs with his legs. You could sense he was just playing ball and playing with a lot of confidence. The last six games, we weren’t nearly as consistent. He wasn’t consistent, so the whole group wasn’t consistent. His footwork was really sloppy.”

Boyd said he gained about eight pounds over the course of the 2011 season, which led to fatigue and made him less willing to run. He currently weighs about 225 pounds and hopes to be down to 218 by the start of the season.

“In a 12-game season, you might lose a step here or there,” Boyd said. “I was trying to force passes and hit the big ball too much. I wasn’t taking what the defense gave me and wasn’t working within the system.”

It didn’t help that star receiver Sammy Watkins was banged up at the end of the 2011 season. Watkins, from Fort Myers, Fla., had a sensational freshman season, with 82 catches for 1,219 yards with 12 touchdowns. But he caught only 28 passes and three touchdowns in the last six games.

Morris said Watkins worked to get stronger in the offseason, in hopes of avoiding injuries and increasing his endurance.

“If you look at last year, we started football on Aug. 2, and by the time Nov. 4 rolled around, we started hitting our skid,” Morris said. “In high school, Sammy’s season was already over. The mental grind really took its toll on him.”

It took its toll on many of the other Tigers, too.

“We didn’t finish the way we started and that was mainly because of turnovers,” center Dalton Freeman said. “We were trying to play outside the system and not how we were coached to play. We paid for it.”

Clemson’s biggest concern in spring practice was rebuilding its offensive line. The Tigers have to replace five senior offensive linemen, including starting left tackle Phillip Price, left guard David Smith and right tackle Landon Walker.

Noseguard Tyler Shatley has moved to right guard, and Gifford Timothy is working as the No. 1 right tackle. Guard Kalon Davis and tackle Brandon Thomas are playing on the left side.

“It’s been really good,” Morris said. “We’ve had some guys come on. It’s been a big improvement athletically from where we were a year ago.”

Freeman, a senior from Pelion, S.C., said the Tigers’ offensive linemen started meeting two or three times per week as soon as the spring semester started. The Tigers had four freshman offensive linemen enroll in classes in January.

“We took a lot of initiative this spring and we met together as a group,” Freeman said. “When you know what you’re doing, you can play with a lot of confidence, and that’s half the battle. We just felt like knowledge was key. When we go out there, we can work on technique and getting better, instead of having to coach everybody on what to do.”

It’s up to the Tigers to finish the 2012 season like they started 2011.