ESPN College Football

The official list for the NFL combine has been released. A total of 48 players from the ACC have been invited to audition for the NFL from February 23 – March 1. When categorized by school, it's somewhat of a reality check to see how many of the best players in the conference are moving on, and which programs will take the biggest hit. It's impossible not to wonder how good North Carolina could have been had all of the following players remained eligible. The Tar Heels will send the most players to the combine with 11.

Here are the players who will represent the ACC:

BOSTON COLLEGE (3)

• Anthony Castonzo
• Rich Lapham
• Mark Herzlich

CLEMSON (7)

• Da'Quan Bowers
• Marcus Gilchrist
• Chris Hairston
• Jamie Harper
• Jarvis Jenkins
• Byron Maxwell
• DeAndre McDaniel

FLORIDA STATE (3)

• Rodney Hudson
• Christian Ponder
• Markus White

GEORGIA TECH (3)

• Anthony Allen
• Mario Butler
• Jerrard Tarrant

MARYLAND (3)

• Torrey Smith
• Adrian Moten
• Da'Rel Scott

MIAMI (9)

• Allen Bailey
• Damien Berry
• Matt Bosher
• Orlando Franklin
• Graig Cooper
• Leonard Hankerson
• Brandon Harris
• Colin McCarthy
• DeMarcus Van Dyke

NORTH CAROLINA (11)

• Marvin Austin
• Kendric Burney
• Bruce Carter
• Greg Little
• Shaun Draughn
• Robert Quinn
• Da'Norris Searcy
• Quan Sturdivant
• Johnny White
• Deunta Williams
• T.J. Yates

NC STATE (2)

• Nate Irving
• Owen Spencer

VIRGINIA (2)

• Danny Aiken
• Ras-I Dowling

VIRGINIA TECH (5)

• Rashad Carmichael
• Darren Evans
• John Graves
• Tyrod Taylor
• Ryan Williams

Doesn't seem to matter who's starting at quarterback today for Miami (it's Stephen Morris).

The Canes are going nowhere fast.

It's 0-0 as the first half is winding down. Damien Berry fumbled near the end zone, Graig Cooper fumbled around the 5-yard line, and South Florida got the ball on a touchback. Miami hasn't been able to convert its third downs, and the Bulls are forcing Morris into uncomfortable third-and-long situations while stuffing the run.

This isn't looking good for Miami.

Offense, defense and special teams all made the cut in the ACC's top five performers for Week 11:

FSU kicker Dustin Hopkins: He kicked the game-winning, 55-yard field goal for the 16-13 win over Clemson as time expired, and the Noles wouldn't have won without his two other field goals in the game. It was redemption for Hopkins, who last week missed the game-winner in a loss to UNC.

BC defensive end Max Holloway: BC's defense was the difference in the Eagles' 21-16 win over Duke, and Holloway got the final word. He batted down Duke quarterback Sean Renfree's pass on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line to preserve the win with 46 seconds left. He finished with 11 tackles, 4.5 for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble.

Virginia Tech's defense: The Hokies had six takeaways in their 26-10 win over North Carolina, including two interceptions from Jayron Hosley. UNC receiver Dwight Jones was held to just one catch, and the Hokies pitched a shutout in the second half after trailing 10-9 at the break. UNC quarterback T.J. Yates threw four interceptions, and the Hokies held UNC to just 19 total yards in the third quarter.

Miami running backs: The Canes took the pressure off of rookie quarterback Stephen Morris in the 35-10 win over Georgia Tech with their ability to run the ball. Miami had 145 yards on 21 carries in the first half. Miami finished the game with 277 yards on 46 carries, led by Lamar Miller with 85 yards on 11 rushes. Four different running backs -- Damien Berry, Graig Cooper, Lamar Miller and Mike James -- scored touchdowns.

Maryland's offense. Wide receiver Torrey Smith had had more than 100 yards receiving with 12 minutes left in second quarter of a 42-23 win against Virginia. He finished with a game-high 157 yards on seven receptions and 214 all-purpose yards. D.J. Adams ran for three touchdowns against Virginia, becoming the first Maryland player to do that since Lance Ball on Oct. 6, 2007 against Georgia Tech. And quarterback Danny O'Brien threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.

Miami's quarterback controversy began before the game against Georgia Tech even ended (and it ended in about the third quarter, with Miami's 28-10 lead).

Stephen Morris, filling in for injured starter Jacory Harris the second straight week, managed the offense well without turning it over and threw with a nice zip on the ball. Miami fans (at least those talking to me on Twitter @ESPN_ACC) are already expecting -- demanding -- Morris be the starter for next week's key game against Virginia Tech.

There's something more, though, that they should be asking for. Regardless of who starts at quarterback against the Hokies, Miami should continue to run the ball at least 40 times. In Miami's three losses this season -- to Ohio State (28 rushing attempts), Florida State (36 rushing attempts) and Virginia (29 carries), the Canes have run the ball fewer than 40 times.

Only twice this season have they done that and won -- against Florida A&M and against Pitt. Miami ran it 49 times against Maryland in Morris' first career start. No doubt that helped take some pressure off of him.

Four different running backs scored for Miami against Georgia Tech -- Mike James, Lamar Miller, Graig Cooper and Damien Berry. If Miami can do that against Virginia Tech next week, it won't matter much if Harris or Morris is under center.

Here’s a look at the top 10 things to keep an eye on this week in the ACC, in no particular order:

Pass-rushers in Tallahassee. Clemson at Florida State will feature two of the ACC’s top pass-rushers in Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers and FSU defensive end Brandon Jenkins. They’re No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the ACC in both sacks and tackles for loss. FSU’s offensive line has allowed 2.11 sacks per game (19 total), while Clemson has allowed nine total.

Rookie quarterbacks in Atlanta. Miami rookie Stephen Morris and Georgia Tech backup Tevin Washington will both take center stage Saturday in Bobby Dodd Stadium at the expense of injured starters. Morris already has one start under his belt and played well in last week’s win over Maryland, but Washington has been in the system longer and took the first-team reps this spring when starter Joshua Nesbitt was out with an ankle injury.

Replacements in Chapel Hill. There will be plenty of them. With UNC tailback Johnny White out for the rest of the season, the Tar Heels’ tailback situation remains a question as of now. Will Ryan Houston redshirt? Will Shaun Draughn (ankle) be cleared to play? The Hokies have their own problems, as defensive end Chris Drager, tailback/returner David Wilson and receiver Dyrell Roberts are all out. All of the backups will be forced into key roles.

Scoreboards in Chapel Hill and Atlanta. These are the two games to watch, as a Virginia Tech win coupled with a Miami loss will lock up the Coastal Division for the Hokies. The Atlantic Division race is more complicated, as no outcome will determine the division winner, but a Clemson win in Tally opens the door for a four-team race.

Turnovers in Durham. The one thing that’s been going right for Duke in its two-game winning streak is it hasn’t been turning the ball over like it was in its losses. That could change against a BC defense that ranks third in the country in turnovers gained with 26. The Blue Devils have turned it over just one time in the past two games compared with an average of three per game in the previous seven.

Virginia Tech’s secondary vs. T.J. Yates & Co. Yates has thrown for over 400 yards twice this season, and the Tar Heels are No. 33 in the country in passing offense (258.44 yards per game). Virginia Tech is No. 22 in the country in passing defense (187 yards per game).

Keith Payne and Perry Jones against Maryland’s rushing D. Virginia has two of the ACC’s top 10 leading rushers, as Payne is No. 7 (74.8) and leads the ACC with 14 rushing touchdowns, and Jones is No. 10 (61.9). Maryland is holding ACC opponents to just 2.6 yards per carry, the best in the league.

Virginia receiver Dontrelle Inman. Against Duke, he caught 10 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown. On the season, Inman is sixth in the ACC with 66 receiving yards per game. He’ll face an underrated Maryland secondary that features playmakers Kenny Tate and Antwine Perez.

Cursed kickers. Clemson missed two field goals last week, Florida State’s wide right curse continued in the loss to North Carolina, and NC State will be without senior Josh Czajkowski for the rest of the season after he injured his hamstring in the loss to Clemson. Sophomore Ellis Flint and freshman Chris Hawthorne were competing for the job this week.

Running back rotations. NC State’s Dean Haynes is back after missing the Clemson game with a head injury, but coach Tom O’Brien did not say which of his top three tailbacks will start against Wake Forest. At Miami, Lamar Miller had the best performance of any Miami running back this season against the Terps, but Damien Berry returned to practice. He is still listed as questionable, and Miller, Mike James and Graig Cooper should again carry the load. UNC’s running back situation remains a question, and Ryan Williams and Darren Evans will carry the load without No. 3 tailback David Wilson.

Here are a few quick thoughts from the early games:

Duke 24, Virginia 21
Virginia's offense is clicking -- the Cavaliers have 323 total yards already -- and tailback Keith Payne is on his way to a 100-yard performance. Duke's defense continues to struggle, but if it's going to hang onto this lead, it's got to start making some stops, particularly on third and fourth downs. This isn't entirely a surprise -- it's not easy to win on the road, even in Wallace Wade -- but Virginia fans were probably expecting more after the upset of Miami.

Maryland 17, Miami 15

This game would be tied if it weren't for two missed extra-point attempts, but woulda, shoulda, coulda doesn't win. Miami has five missed extra-point attempts this season, the rest of the ACC has four. The Terps are playing well, but will need more offensively in the second half if they're going to distance themselves. Miami running back Lamar Miller has been doing well in the absence of injured leading rusher Damien Berry, and with the exception of the costly interception return for a touchdown, Stephen Morris is holding his own as a true freshman quarterback making his first career start.

NC State 7, Clemson 0

It still amazes me that Clemson is having so much trouble scoring. The first half was about mistakes and missed opportunities for both teams, as they combined for three turnovers. A holding penalty negated a touchdown and quarterback Kyle Parker was livid. This is not the season he came back for. Neither team has been able to run the ball, but Clemson's 1.5 yards per carry is, well, bad. Clemson's defense has been doing a good job against Russell Wilson.

Time to check out our Top 10 story lines for Week 10. Thanks to ESPN Stats & Information for some of the nuggets sprinkled throughout:

1. Does TCU or Utah emerge as the top contender to Boise State among the non-AQs? The spotlight is firmly planted on the non-automatic qualifying conferences this weekend, as No. 3 TCU travels to No. 5 Utah and No. 4 Boise State hosts Hawaii. TCU and Utah have two of the best defenses in the nation, so a low-scoring game is expected. Since the start of 2009, TCU has held 13 of its 20 FBS opponents to their season-low in points. That includes seven of the eight teams they have faced in 2010. If the winner of this game and Boise State stay undefeated, the jockeying for position as the top non-automatic qualifying team will get even more intense.

2. Can JoePa get to 400? Penn State plays Northwestern, and if the Nittany Lions win, Joe Paterno becomes the first FBS coach to 400 victories. As the team has struggled this season, many have wondered how much longer Paterno will hang on. But everybody has to be rooting for him to get this career milestone. Think about it this way: Mack Brown is the only other active FBS coach with 200 victories at the major-college level. He has 212.

3. Will distractions affect No. 2 Auburn? The Tigers have an easy game against Chattanooga this week, but folks will be watching to see whether distractions affect Cam Newton, now at the center of recruiting allegations. A man who said he represented Newton allegedly asked for a six-figure payment to secure Newton's services, according to former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond. Newton’s father, Cecil, has denied any wrongdoing. Cam Newton remains eligible at Auburn.

4. Can the Alabama national championship train be derailed? LSU and the Mad Hatter get their shot on Saturday to try and take Alabama out of the national championship picture. All of a sudden the Tide are hot again, and many believe if they win out they will be able to get back into the BCS title game. LSU has no offense to speak of, and the defense had some problems stopping Newton and Michael Dyer. That doesn’t bode well going into a game featuring Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson.

5. Oregon faces … not much. Washington is slumping, and now the Huskies go into their game against No. 1 Oregon without Jake Locker, nursing broken ribs. Keith Price takes over as starting quarterback for an offense that was shut out last week and scored 14 points the week before. Oregon has won six straight against Washington -- the longest win streak in the history of the series for Oregon.

6. First team to 60 wins? Oklahoma State and Baylor play in what figures to be a shootout. These are the top two offenses in the Big 12: Oklahoma State is No. 1 at 527.3 yards a game, while Baylor is second at 490.4 ypg. Baylor is on a roll, and has won three straight for the first time since 2007. But the last time the Bears won four in a row – 1991.

7. Can Miami win without Jacory Harris and Damien Berry? The wheels appear to be falling off the Miami bus, and now they go into a big game against Maryland. Who would have thought going into the season we would be calling this a big one? Harris is out with a concussion, while Berry is out with an undisclosed injury. True freshman Stephen Morris, the fourth-string quarterback, is likely to get the nod for Harris.

8. Does the Syracuse resurgence continue? The Orange get into a bowl game for the first time since 2004 with a win against Louisville on Saturday, and have been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Coach Doug Marrone deserves coach of the year consideration for taking an outfit that fought through turmoil last season to a potential bowl game in 2010. The big matchup to watch – Syracuse running back Delone Carter vs. Louisville's run defense.

9. Jockeying for position in the Big Ten. With Michigan State, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa all in the mix for the Big Ten title, every game through the rest of the season is one to watch. If Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State all finish 7-1 in conference play, the BCS standings will determine who gets the automatic BCS bid. Michigan State plays Minnesota in a critical rebound game, while Wisconsin is at Purdue and Ohio State is off.

10. Foles vs. Luck. The big question is how Arizona quarterback Nick Foles will fare against Stanford in his first game since Oct. 16. Meanwhile, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck faces a tough defensive test. No. 15 Arizona and No. 13 Stanford have hopes for an at-large BCS selection, so the winner here will keep those chances alive. The teams are playing as ranked teams for the first time in series history.

As usual, here are your 10 things to watch in the ACC this week, in no particular order:

1. Miami freshman quarterback Stephen Morris. Morris, a true freshman who just a few weeks ago was the Hurricanes’ fourth-string quarterback, is likely to get his first start on Saturday against Maryland in place of injured starter Jacory Harris (concussion). The staff is confident in him, but freshman mistakes are hard to avoid.

2. Miami’s running game without Damien Berry. As if losing their starting quarterback wasn’t enough, the Canes will also be without their leading rusher. Miami has depth at the position, but Maryland has held its four ACC opponents to just 1.9 yards per carry, the best run defense in the league.

3. Tajh Boyd appearances in Death Valley. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said this week that backup quarterback Tajh Boyd will play, but when and how much remains to be seen. Starter Kyle Parker would have to have a disastrous game to be benched, but taking him out even for a series or two could disrupt the flow of the game.

4. Virginia’s secondary vs. Duke quarterback Sean Renfree. Both are coming off record-setting performances this past weekend. Virginia tied a school single-game record with five interceptions against Miami, doubling its total for the season in one day. And Renfree set a school record for single-game completion percentage with .993 (28 of 30) in the win over Navy.

5. The ACC’s rushing record by a quarterback. Needing only 44 rushing yards to set the ACC record heading into the Clemson game, many of us thought Georgia Tech quarterback Joshua Nesbitt would set the record on Oct. 23. Instead, he was held to two yards. Now, heading into the Virginia Tech game, Nesbitt needs 42 yards to become the ACC’s most prolific rushing quarterback.

6. Al Groh’s defense. Georgia Tech is undefeated when holding opponents to 24 points or less. Unfortunately for the Jackets, Virginia Tech is averaging 37 points per game.

7. Bruce Taylor’s backup. The Hokies’ leading tackler is listed as probable with an ankle injury for the Georgia Tech game. If he can’t go, it will be up to former walk-on and redshirt freshman Jack Tyler. Georgia Tech’s run-based offense is suited to Tyler’s strengths, but Taylor would obviously be missed.

8. Turnovers in Tallahassee. Florida State has lost the ball 12 times this year, and six of those turnovers have come in the past two games. The Noles were fortunate to beat BC after four turnovers, but a fumble inside the 10-yard line in the fourth quarter against NC State proved costly.

9. ACC’s junior rushing record. Boston College running back Montel Harris is just 80 yards away from running for more yards than any junior in conference history. North Carolina’s Amos Lawrence currently holds the record. He rushed for 3,273 yards in his first three seasons in Chapel Hill. Harris has accumulated 3,194 yards through the first 34 games of his career.

10. UNC in the fourth quarter. Carolina is outscoring its opponents 59-19 in the fourth quarter this season. The Tar Heels have not allowed more than seven points to any team this season in the fourth quarter. The only three teams to score on the Tar Heels in the fourth quarter this year are Miami (7 points), Clemson (6 points) and Georgia Tech (6 points).

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Here's a quick recap of the first half:

Turning point: Damien Berry's fumble in the second quarter was a momentum killer for Miami. Nick Moody returned it to the Canes' 1-yard line and Florida State scored one play later for a 14-0 lead.

Stat of the half: Zero interceptions for Miami quarterback Jacory Harris, who has thrown eight in the past three games. You'd think that would be good enough for the Canes, but Florida State is still disrupting the passing game, and the Noles dropped a few potential picks. Harris has completed less than half his passes (12 of 29). Christian Ponder has been much more efficient (8 of 12 for 108 yards and a TD).

Best player in the half: FSU running back Jermaine Thomas. He's averaging seven yards per carry, and has scored two rushing touchdowns and one receiving. He's leading the Seminoles in both categories, and has 97 yards total.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- It's still early, but a little after a quarter, Florida State has looked like the better team in all three phases of the game.

Damien Berry's fumble, recovered by Nick Moody and returned to the 1-yard line in the second quarter, was a momentum-changer in the Seminoles' favor.

The Miami fans here at Sun Life Stadium have gotten quiet as the Canes trail 14-0. Mistakes like a turnover and a missed field goal could come back to haunt Miami.

Miami running back Lamar Miller, who injured his shoulder last week at Clemson, was wearing a non-contact jersey at practice today, according to multiple reports.

Miller is the Hurricanes' second-leading rusher with 157 yards on 29 carries. The good news for Miami's running backs is that Graig Cooper, the leading rusher in 2009, is expected to play against Florida State. If Miller is out, Mike James is the next man up.

And don't forget about freshman Storm Johnson, who lost his redshirt opportunity when he was used on special teams against Pittsburgh. There are certainly plenty of options behind Damien Berry.

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Miami is going with what works -- Damien Berry. Both defenses came to play early, but on this drive, Miami is running the ball with success. Berry had three straight runs for 49 yards. The Canes are in Clemson territory now. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple is a big-play gambler, but right now they're establishing the running game and it's working. This will eventually open things up in the passing game, but with Jacory Harris' penchant for turnovers, they should keep this up until Clemson stops it.

PITTSBURGH -- Miami freshman running back Storm Johnson has played on kickoff coverage, so there goes his chance at a redshirt unless he is injured.

Many were wondering whether or not Johnson would redshirt, as he had a great summer camp but is stuck in a loaded backfield. Damien Berry is having a great game and Lamar Miller has played, but with Graig Cooper injured it will be interesting to see how much Johnson is used this year and if it's more than on special teams.

In evaluating Miami’s offense following the Hurricanes’ 36-24 loss to Ohio State on Sept. 11, coach Randy Shannon looked at the numbers that didn’t appear in the final statistics:

• Nine dropped passes (“If those guys make those plays,” Shannon said, “[Jacory Harris] would’ve been 35-for-39.”)
• Of the nine dropped passes, one was in the end zone, another was on the 2-yard line, and another on the 3-yard line.
• Of the four interceptions, one was a tipped ball and two players didn’t finish their routes.

“Everything was equal besides the turnovers,” Shannon said. “You can’t drop the football and have four turnovers if you expect to win the game. We’ve been working hard in practice to correct those things.”

As Miami prepares for Thursday night’s game at Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), the Hurricanes do so looking to prove they have learned from their mistakes against the Buckeyes. Shannon said he remains confident in the offense despite the turnovers and botched red zone opportunities, and that the offense has improved in the second season under coordinator Mark Whipple.

“Yeah, totally different offense,” Shannon said. “We’re a whole lot better. I’m excited about it.”

Those outside the program are still waiting to see it.

In order to help correct the mistakes, Shannon said he increased the tempo of practice during the bye week, forcing players to make decisions under pressure. He said he wanted to see them run the correct 15-yard route, instead of cutting it short at 12. Miami was able to move the ball against Ohio State -- the Canes only punted twice -- but it wasn’t able to capitalize in the red zone and made too many mistakes.

“I just got on them about accepting mediocrity,” Shannon said. “You have to stress upon yourself you have to do the things that need to get done. One drop can make the difference in the game. You take one play at a time, and if you don’t take advantage of that play, something can happen.”

Nobody knows that more than Harris, whose critics grew louder after he threw 17 interceptions last year. In his chance at redemption against Heisman contender Terrelle Pryor, the four interceptions separated the two.

“I still take the blame,” Harris said. “I have to make better throws, better reads. I have to help those guys out just like they help me out. It’s a team thing. It’s not just one person that really is getting blamed about everything, but I’m going to take the blame on it.”

Harris said his goal now is to be more focused on what he’s doing instead of “trying to micromanage the whole offense or defense.” He said he’s going to leave the offensive line in the hands of Tyler Horn, the receivers to Leonard Hankerson, and the running backs to Damien Berry. It wasn’t just receivers who dropped the ball against Ohio State, it was running backs and tight ends, too, but Harris said he trusts his teammates enough to let them do their jobs.

“I’ll be a leader by taking care of my business, making sure I’m focused,” he said. “I don’t want to get too involved in what they’re learning, what they’re doing. I want to just focus on the quarterback position and I believe everything will come together.”

After three full seasons under Shannon, it’s about time it does.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Now for some quick post-game analysis from Miami’s 45-0 win over Florida A&M on Thursday night.

How the game was won: This was never really a game. The Rattlers play in the FCS and were totally overmatched. Jacory Harris looked good, going 12-of-15 for 210 yards with three touchdown passes. Only one of the incompletions was a really awful pass. It probably should have been intercepted. Despite the good showing, it is hard to get a good gauge for how Miami is going to look against Ohio State given the level of competition. One thing that should be heartening for Hurricanes’ fans -- it looked like Harris’ surgically repaired right thumb was just fine.

Player of the game: Harris gets the nod here, though he had great chemistry with Leonard Hankerson, who caught six passes for 115 yards.

Unsung hero of the game: Watch for redshirt freshman running back Lamar Miller. The Hurricanes are loaded at running back, with Damien Berry, Mike James and Graig Cooper ahead of him on the depth chart. But Miller can move. He predominantly played in the second half and ended up as the team’s leading rusher with 65 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.

Bright spots: Cooper did get into the game, as Randy Shannon promised, but he only had a handful of carries. Right tackle Seantrel Henderson got into the game in the second half, and towered over the competition with his 6-foot-8, 355-pound body. He appeared to block very well. Defensive end Olivier Vernon had a monster game, with 3.5 sacks. Allen Bailey, who has gotten more of the preseason hype, was relatively quiet.

What Miami learned: It’s tough to learn much in a game where you are the clear favorite. But at least it knows Harris is OK, and Berry is pretty solid as a starter. Spencer Whipple appeared to outplay Alonzo Highsmith as the two played quarterback behind Harris. There was also was some shoddy tackling early on in the game that is going to have to get tightened up before the Buckeyes game. One other area to note: FAMU had early success with swing passes out of the backfield, so Miami will need to clamp down before next week.

Injury report: Defensive lineman Jeremy Lewis left the game on crutches, unable to put weight on his right leg.

What it means: It’s time to start talking about Ohio State.