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Dear Tom O'Brien,

Run. Duck. Hide. Do whatever you have to do, but don't -- I repeat don't -- go to Chapel Hill alone.

You, TOB, have earned the crown of most hated coach in the ACC.

Poor fella.

Earlier this week, in keeping with ESPN.com's theme of "coaches we love to hate," I sought your opinion on who the most hated coach is in the ACC. North Carolina fans did not disappoint. O'Brien wasn't the only coach ACC fans are hatin' on these days, though. Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson got a lot of votes, along with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, Maryland coach Randy Edsall and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

Based on the mailbag responses, O'Brien wins, but let's put it to a vote for an official tally:

Tom O'Brien
Paul Johnson
Dabo Swinney
Randy Edsall
Frank Beamer

Here's a sampling of your hate mail. Thanks for playin':

John Witt in Richmond, VA writes: Most Hated Coach Butch Davis (even though he is gone). He was a lying, cheating, scumbag, snakeoil salesman. He recruited well because some could not see through the facade. They know now and some are stuck at UNC playing for nothing because of it.

stephanie in NC writes: Butch Davis - I'm a Tarheel grad and actually have pride in my university. That should say it all.

Russell in Asheville, NC writes: UNC fans hate Tom O'brien for owning them 5 years in a row.UNC fans hate Everette Withers for forever renaming their University "THE flagship".

Trenton Tovar in Nashville, TN writes: You'll probably get this one a lot. UNC fans hate Tom O'Brien. Pretty obvious why.

Matt Ethridge in Florence, SC writes: My most hated coach has to be Tom O'Brian at NC State. He continually recruits sub par athletes and has beaten my Tar Heels 5 times in a row. Hopefully Fedora will change this in a BIG way this year!

Zach in Arlington, VA writes: Poor old Tom O'Brien has to be one of the most hated on coaches in the ACC. He was key in BC's run towards excellence earlier in the decade and he's always making noise in November at NCSU, but year in year out everyone seems to question whether he's any good or not, or if he's on the hot seat. He's maybe a bit boring, but why does everyone keep talking smack about him, he's one of the better coaches in the ACC!

James in NY, NY writes: I hate Paul Johnson for bringing the triple option to GT and confounding Clemson's defense ever since...

Lamar G. in Athens, GA writes: Virginia Tech fans (and, for the record, Georgia fans) hate Paul Johnson. Why? We hate watching an offense that lends itself better to the black-and-white-TV era.

Jeff in California writes: Heather, Welcome Back! with regard to the most hated ACC Coach.This one is simple, Paul Johnson.Watching his offense slowly and methodically march up and down on your defense, especially late in a close game, is a nightmare and an anxiety ridden experience most fans in the ACC have experienced more than once.The guy is one of the best minds and the game, and is successful with an offense nobody thought, nor wanted to work at this level.During his short stint in the ACC, he has played spoiler enough times, to enough teams, to draw the sort of hatred that any successful coach will have to endure. Losing to Johnson is like watching a troupe of army ant march slowly march away with your picnic basket, and you are powerless to stop them.

Randy in State College, PA writes: All of them. The rationale being that none of them can consistently win out-of-conference, and thus they have all damaged the ACC brand. More specifically, I'll levy blame towards Frank Beamer for winning so many games in the ACC and losing so many big games OOC... -- A Tech Fan.

Walt in Columbia, MD writes: Edsal at Maryland should get some "thoughtful consideration" as the most hated coach in the ACC. How can you go 2-10 when Ralph Friedgen left a stable of studs who should have put in a 10-2 season? Instead, Edsal ran off some of the best players ever to play at Maryland, and then blamed the former coach, the current players, and the assistant coached (whom he selected) for all of his woes? He also blamed the fans for not showing up to watch his pathetic performance in coaching. He could easily go another 2-10 this year.

Mark in Gaithersburg, Maryland writes: As a Terp fan I used to hate Bobby Bowden and how FSU would always destroy us, but now as a Terp fan, I hate Randy Edsall, he's done more to hurt this team than any other coach in the ACC. We wouldn't have lost all 10 of those games last year if it wasn't for Edsall, he was our worst opponent.

Let’s get one thing straight: It’s impossible to hate Frank Beamer. He is genuinely one of the good guys in the business.

He just hasn’t won a national title yet.

And Virginia Tech and ACC fans hate that.

It’s easy for the rest of the ACC to hate the Hokies because they win. Beamer is the winningest active coach in the FBS. His .778 winning percentage is the best in conference history. He has coached the Hokies to four ACC titles (2004, 2007, 2008 and 2010). He has had 10 or more wins in each of the past eight seasons -- the only school in the nation to accomplish that feat. Beamer has led his alma mater to 19 straight bowl games.

The real reason fans love to hate on Beamer, though, is not because he wins too much. It’s because he still hasn’t won enough.

They hate Beamer’s 1-5 record in BCS bowls.

They hate Virginia Tech’s 1-27 record against top-five opponents.

They hate Beamer’s loyalty to oft-criticized offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring.

But most of all, they hate the fact that despite four ACC championships, the program is still an afterthought in the national title conversation. Even more so, Virginia Tech fans hate the fact their program is still in the shadows of Florida State and Miami, which haven’t had nearly as much success in recent years but are still held in higher regard nationally because of their past elite status.

It’s not as if Beamer hasn’t played for a national title or come close -- he has done both. Virginia Tech finished the 1999 season 11-0 to earn a spot in the national championship game against Florida State. The Hokies led the Noles heading into the fourth quarter but lost, 46-29. In 2007, Virginia Tech finished No. 3 in the final BCS standings (four-team playoff, anyone?). Since joining the league in 2004, Virginia Tech and Beamer have been the best the ACC has had to offer.

But sometimes, your best just isn’t good enough.

Instead of improving upon the league’s dreadful 2-13 record in BCS bowls, Virginia Tech has only contributed to it. The 40-12 loss to Stanford in the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl was simply embarrassing. The 20-7 win over Cincinnati in the 2009 Orange Bowl was nothing to brag about. The near losses to Michigan, Kansas and Boise State will continue to sting.

ACC fans outside of Blacksburg are tired of the Hokies’ missed opportunities. They’re ready for someone -- anyone -- to represent the ACC on the big stage and win a BCS bowl. When Georgia Tech and Clemson were both undefeated last season, there was a new excitement buzzing within the conference. When Virginia Tech was selected to play in the Sugar Bowl as the league’s first at-large BCS bid, those within the program found themselves defending their position instead of embracing it. ACC fans were leery of another letdown.

This year, there are no big boys on the Hokies’ nonconference schedule. Matchups against Big East teams Pittsburgh and Cincinnati highlight the September schedule. For Beamer to get another shot at a BCS bowl, he’ll have to win the ACC title.

Been there, won that.

Once again, the Hokies should be a preseason top-25 team. They should be favored to win the Coastal Division. And they should find a way to win 10 games.

They’ll win more than they lose, but Beamer still won’t win on college football’s biggest stage.

Don’t ya just hate it?

With rumors and speculation continuing to swirl around conference realignment scenarios, Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver made it clear the Hokies aren't going anywhere. When asked on Tuesday how seriously he has considered leaving the ACC, Weaver said, "We have no interest in leaving the ACC."

"Virginia Tech is in the middle of the footprint of the conference," he said. "We have wanted to be in the Atlantic Coast Conference since its beginning in 1953. We're happy with our membership and the quality of the academic institutions we associate with and we believe we are in the proper conference for us."

Weaver said the ACC athletic directors aren't concerned about the Florida State rumors.

"I don't really think there's anything going on," Weaver said. "I think it was an individual who made some comments from his perspective that got things riled up a little."

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.

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.

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.

College Football Live's panel of experts preview Virginia Tech'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.

A 2008 Virginia Tech graduate, Ben Kiernan was a 1371 combat engineer serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Marine Corps when he suffered several severe injuries to the right side of his body on Sept. 16, 2010, as part of an ambush.

Two months of hospital stays in Bethesda, Md., and Richmond, Va., eventually gave way to Kiernan walking with a cane, which eventually gave way to him walking "relatively normal" on his own.

The Wounded Warrior Project and Kiernan's alma mater have helped in his recovery, with the highlight of the period coming March 30 in Blacksburg, where Kiernan gave a speech to the Virginia Tech football team and revealed to the players the special camouflage helmets they will be wearing for their Sept. 22 game against Bowling Green, which will be played on Military Appreciation Day at Lane Stadium.

"I came up there with the understanding that I was just gonna shadow coach [Frank] Beamer during practice, and when I got up I didn't realize how big it was and didn't know anything about this military appreciation helmet or anything," Kiernan said. "And then coach Beamer and other coaches asked if I'd be willing to show the team the helmet and say a couple words to them, something I could've never imagined I'd be doing."

Kiernan, a Pittsburgh native who played fullback and linebacker at Mt. Lebanon High School, fell in love with Virginia Tech when an older cousin of his enrolled there during the Michael Vick era (1998-2000). By his sophomore year, Kiernan already knew where wanted to go to college.

He said he went to every home game and as many bowl games as his college budget would allow while he was in school.

The 26-year-old called meeting Beamer "surreal," and when the longest-tenured FBS coach asked him to deliver a speech to the Hokies, Kiernan had to improvise a bit, expressing what the football program meant to him when he was roughly 7,000 miles from home.

"I remember I told them one story of how when we were over there, we were real far out there, but we would get the football scores radioed in, and I remember being up one night really late just to have my buddy, who was also a big Virginia Tech fan, wake me up and get on the radio just to tell me the scores of the Virginia Tech game, so it was awesome," Kiernan said. "I basically told them how Virginia Tech football kind of gives you that piece of home and gives you something to look forward to when you get back and something to think about while you're in that kind of a situation.

"It's good to take your mind off and focus on something, and for me Virginia Tech football was absolutely one of those things, so I talked to them about that and showed them the helmet and also told them a quick story about first getting out of the hospital -- doctors told me to take it easy for a week, and a couple days later I had friends drive me down to Blacksburg and we went to the UVa game, the last game of the season. I told them to think about what they'll be playing for on the day they're celebrating Military Appreciation Day."

This is the school's second year doing Military Appreciation Day, and it is selling $8 camouflage hats on campus and online in hopes of raising $25,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project. (The "25" marks Beamer's jersey number from his playing days as a Hokie.)

Several players approached Kiernan after he spoke to thank him for his sacrifice and words of motivation.

"I'll say this: He had their attention," Beamer said. "I think where he'd been, who he was of course, being a Virginia Tech graduate just talking about the school. It didn't take long, but he had their attention, and I think the players were very much appreciative of him being here and him talking to them and what he had done for our country."

You've got to hand it to Dabo Swinney. On Wednesday, the Clemson coach told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Michael Carvell that he would like to see the NCAA permit a spring scrimmage against another team.

The basics of Swinney's plan:

• Teams have the option of a normal spring game or one against an opponent.
• The opponent must be out of conference but within driving distance.
• The coaches must agree on scrimmage rules beforehand.

Win. Win. And win.

More money for athletic departments. More exposure for both schools. More for coaches to learn about their teams, not having to monitor both sides of the ball and measuring them up against another team of equal stature.

Here's more from his interview with the newspaper:

"The good thing about doing something like this is that in the spring time, you don't have your whole team there. Like last spring, for example, we were missing 31 guys for spring ball. So we were very, very thin. This year, we have more bodies on hand. But still, every time you practice against each other in a scrimmage, you're 100-percent invested with your personnel, as opposed to if you go and scrimmage somebody else. You're scrimmaging their defense, while your defense is on the sidelines. When your offense is out there, your defense is on the sidelines. You’re not 100-percent vested with what’s going on. I just think there’s something good with that.

"Plus I think a scrimmage would be a great way to further teach our guys and prepare them for the season … to be able to implement your schemes against another opponent, and it could be against anybody. Obviously, I don't think you should do it against a team in your conference. But anybody else … maybe the NCAA could put stipulations like it's got to be a team within a 100 or 200 miles or something like that. Most everybody could find somebody to scrimmage against.

"I think it would be fun. I think the players would enjoy it. I think the fans would enjoy it. But that’s just one guy's opinion."

Injury is obviously a risk, as it is every time a players steps onto the field. But it's not like players aren't going hard in practice when starting positions are up for grabs.

The newspaper surveyed a number of college coaches on the idea, including North Carolina's Larry Fedora, Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson and Virginia's Mike London, each of whom appears open to the idea.

Some of these matchups seem natural — Clemson vs. Georgia, Georgia Tech vs. Auburn, Miami vs. Florida, North Carolina vs. South Carolina, Maryland vs. West Virginia, Boston College vs. a number of Big East schools, to name a few. Colleague Edward Aschoff of the SEC blog offers up a few not-so-convenient options, though they'd be every bit as entertaining — namely, Alabama-Florida State and Tennessee-Virginia Tech.

I know I'd be more entertained by this than by teammates hitting each other and switching sides for three hours. Interested to hear your takes.

Linebacker Telvion Clark has been dismissed from the Virginia Tech football team "for violations of team policies," coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday in a release.

Clark was arrested Saturday for public intoxication/swearing, according to the Montgomery County General District Court online case information system.

Used mostly on special teams last season and limited by a hamstring injury, Clark recorded six tackles in four games. As a redshirt freshman in 2010, Clark was one of six players sent home from the Orange Bowl on a bus for violating team rules.

Beamer said in the release that he would have no further comment on the situation.

You wouldn’t believe this, but Hallmark was all out of Valentine’s Day cards for ACC coaches. So, I took it upon myself to lighten the mood here in the blogosphere with a little bit o’ love and these personal touch cards.

Dear …

FRANK BEAMER:

The loss to Michigan wasn’t so bad, it’s the 1-5 BCS bowl record that has your fans sad. The 2012 recruiting class should help ease the pain, just try not to lose to Clemson again.

DAVID CUTCLIFFE:

You’ve given it all, your heart and your soul, yet after four seasons we’ve still seen no bowl. This recruiting class is highlighted by athleticism and speed, which is good news for you -- it’s a running game you need.

RANDY EDSALL:

Danny O’Brien has broken your heart, but Stefon Diggs couldn’t bear to part. You win some, you lose some, that’s what they say, but you gotta spread the love if you want players to stay.

LARRY FEDORA:

Welcome to the ACC, where we do things right. That means keep all agents and runners out of our sight. There’s plenty of talent to start with a clean slate, the big question is, can you beat NC State?

JIMBO FISHER:

It’s you and your staff the elite recruits adore, but the rest of the world is still waiting for more. Another national title for that trophy case is the only thing your fans will truly embrace.

AL GOLDEN:

Nevin Shapiro has a whole lot to say, but just don’t you worry ‘bout that NCAA. The worst is behind us, you’ve said before, it’s the fans’ expectations that should concern you more.

JIM GROBE:

An impressive turnaround in 2011 was nice, but to do it again you must protect Tanner Price. Thirty-five sacks has got to hurt, and now four new starters must keep him outta the dirt.

PAUL JOHNSON:

Who needs a playbook? Not CPJ. The master of the option offense can throw his away. It’s defense and special teams that needs some work, and throwing more efficiently certainly couldn’t hurt.

MIKE LONDON:

Coach of the Year and first bowl since ’07? After only two seasons Virginia fans were in heaven. You’ve set the bar high, but there’s one question to me: Can you beat the Hokies, or is it strike three?

TOM O’BRIEN:

Broken bones have held your team back, so keep ‘em healthy and look out for the Pack. FSU and Clemson are getting all of the hype, but when it comes to quarterbacks, Mike Glennon’s just your type.

FRANK SPAZIANI:

They say your seat is hot, and I couldn’t agree more; in 2012 you must win more than four. The offense has been at the heart of your woes, but a new OC could help cure some of those.

DABO SWINNEY:

An ACC title, a top-10 recruiting class and more. There’s only one problem … West Virginia just scored. A new DC just might do the trick, but if you don’t beat South Carolina, Clemson fans will be sick.