ESPN College Football

In keeping with the theme this week of “coaches we love to hate,” ESPN.com is looking for some villains today.

The truth is, the ACC is comprised of a bunch of nice guys. (Maybe that's the problem.)

Jim Grobe? The kind of guy you’d want to invite to your family picnic.

Frank Beamer? Could make a run for grandfather of the year.

David Cutcliffe? The man would probably give you a lift to class if you needed one.

There’s one current coach, though, who has separated himself as the league’s most recent villain, and he did it with one breath last week.

Hint: “If that [jumping to the Big 12] is what's best for Florida State, then that's what we need to do."

Jimbo Fisher apparently didn’t get the memo about the company line.

Meet your villain, ACC fans, your one, unabashed detractor in a league that boasts unity and is determined to keep its stability. Fisher has since tried to back off of that comment, telling reporters at the ACC spring meetings he’s “not a decision-maker,” and that FSU is hap-hap-happy in the ACC.

(Unless, of course, the Big 12 comes calling.)

Fisher is an SEC-bred football coach stuck in a, well, basketball conference. He would fit perfectly in one of college football’s big boy conferences. He’s tailor-made for it, guilty of at least half of the seven deadly sins: greed, pride, and Big 12 envy. Even Nick Saban should be fearing Fisher, a relentless recruiter who has beaten his former boss for several of the nation’s top prospects in the state of Alabama.

It’s the rest of the ACC, though, that should be wary of this villain.

While Fisher isn’t the one calling the shots in Tallahassee, it’s naïve to think he can’t influence them. If he wants out, people will listen. We did. Almost as soon as those words were spoken -- “then that’s what we need to do” -- the Twitter world lit up. Expansion rumors got new life. There appeared to be mixed messages coming out of Tallahassee. Everyone was talking, but not to each other. Fisher’s comments gave validity to the notion that Florida State would even consider leaving the ACC -- $20 million exit fee and all.

Fisher endorsed Florida State flirting with the possibility of leaving the ACC -- arguably one of the most devastating scenarios the league could face. It was a survival-of-the-fittest, every-man-for-himself kind of statement.

It was as if he (sniff, sniff) thought there was something better out there. Or worse, that Florida State was better than the ACC.

Not anymore.

The ACC and Florida State have been together since 1991. They’ve been together through good times and bad.

The ACC needs Florida State. And in a conference full of nice guys, it needs its villain, too. After all, it only takes one national title to become a hero overnight.

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. -- Coming changes to the BCS have captivated the college football world this offseason.

Coaches have been paying attention, too, and have their own opinions about how a future four-team playoff should look. One of the bigger discussion points at the ACC spring meetings Monday was about the BCS. Executive director Bill Hancock presented some of the ideas that have come up during meetings with the conference commissioners.

Nothing has been settled about who gets in, but one of the biggest debates has centered on whether winning a conference championship should be a requirement. Hancock polled the room to see what the ACC coaches want, and the consensus was that conference champions should be given preference.

"There has to be some stipulation in there about champions," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "Because not everybody plays the same schedule. We play a nine-game conference schedule. Other teams don’t. That’s weighed in. Some conferences have a conference championship game. Others don’t. Being a conference champion is no small task. Not only are you going through your conference, then you turn around and play a conference championship game. There has to be a lot of weight given to conference champions."

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has already floated one plan that would include only conference champions. Under this plan, conference champions would be required to finish in the top six of the final standings; the top four advance to the four-team playoff. If four conference champions are not in the top six, then the highest ranked at-large teams would be selected.

Under this plan, Alabama would have made it into a four-team playoff last season. No. 4 Stanford would have been left out.

"The BCS is an evolving situation, and it has been in, what, 16 years, and they’ve improved on it every year and I think they will improve on it some more," Boston College coach Frank Spaziani said. "It’s not black and white, and it’s not clear cut. That’s why it’s a difficult question. There’s good people running it and they have a good plan.

"I’m in favor of the BCS, what they’re doing right now and opening up the dialogue and coming up with something. I do know the conference champion does need to be involved. A conference champion, certainly, in order to keep the season and the championship games relevant has to be involved in whatever the BCS comes up with."

The next BCS meeting is set for June, when details are expected to be worked out on how the final four teams would be selected, where the games will be played, how current BCS games factor in and whether bowl tie-ins to those BCS games remain.

There's no escaping the hottest rumor in college football right now: Is Florida State coming to the Big 12?

The chairman of the FSU board of trustees made headlines over the weekend when he told Warchant.com, "On behalf of the board of trustees, I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest."

So what does our ACC blogger, Heather Dinich, say?

Before FSU decides to pursue a $20 million divorce from the ACC for a chance at better revenue in the Big 12, it should consider just how comfy ACC competition is. FSU isn’t ready for the Big 12. Heck, it wasn’t ready for Wake Forest last year (I know, I know, ‘guys were hurt’ …). Regardless of what conference the Noles play in, they still have to win to be relevant, and the ACC and its fans have grown weary of the program falling short of expectations in recent seasons. FSU hasn’t won the league title since 2005. Virginia Tech has won it three times since then, including in 2010, when the Hokies beat the Noles 44-33 in Charlotte.

Strong words.

Is Florida State ready for the Big 12? There's no doubt the Big 12 is tougher than the ACC. Only the SEC is a better league than the Big 12, and excluding the excellence at the top, a case could be made for the Big 12 as a better league from top to bottom.

Sure, Florida State's not going to run the Big 12 like it ran the ACC.

The Seminoles won 12 ACC titles from 1992 to 2005, helping stake its claim as a national power under Bobby Bowden.

Since 2005, the first year of the ACC Championship Game, Florida State's been shut out of the ACC's winner's circle.

But could Florida State compete? Absolutely. Jimbo Fisher has the 'Noles on the way up, and a move to the Big 12 wouldn't affect FSU's recruiting at all.

A national power in a talent-rich state? Florida State only has 25 players on its roster not from Florida. The talent will be there, and Fisher's brought in some of the best recruiting classes in school history in recent years.

It's been a rough run for FSU, but the 'Noles could compete. They won't dominate or win Big 12 titles by the bushelful, but they'll certainly compete, and if they do win, would only further validate the program in a much tougher conference.

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.

1. Most quarterbacks come off the field, get on the phone to their coaches upstairs, and then sit with teammates. Florida State senior EJ Manuel refuses to rest. He stands on the sideline watching the game, both to support his defense and to look for tips to give them about the opposing offense. Manuel’s whereabouts can annoy head coach Jimbo Fisher. “Jimbo will make me sit down because he likes (to know where) I’m going to be so he can come talk to me,” Manuel said. Nothing like an elusive quarterback, right?

2. North Carolina State will challenge the Seminoles in the ACC Atlantic. The Wolfpack grew up over the course of last season. After losing its first three games against FBS opponents, NC State won six of its last eight. Coach Tom O’Brien has 16 returning starters, including senior quarterback Mike Glennon, senior tailback James Washington and four offensive linemen with a total of 90 career starts. NC State could be 4-0 when it goes to Miami on Sept. 29. Florida State comes to Raleigh the following week.

3. One thing the BCS did right is create a distinctive trophy for the national champion. The crystal football has separated itself from the generic-looking NCAA championship hardware. It is, like the Stanley Cup or the Claret Jug, instantly recognizable. Unlike them, however, a silversmith can’t repair any damage. Alabama football staff members were still finding pieces of glass Monday, two days after a crystal football on display got knocked off a table in the Mal Moore Athletic Center. Some dropped balls can’t be recovered, which makes this trophy all the more special.

Florida State receiver Willie Haulstead never got the chance last season to build off a promising sophomore campaign. A preseason concussion ended up costing Halstead the entire 2011 season, forcing him to redshirt and delaying his return to the field until this spring.

"I had a smile from ear-to-ear, knowing I'm out there playing football, the game that I love," Haulstead said of his return this spring.

Haulstead had 38 catches for 587 yards in 2010, and his six touchdown receptions and 15.4 yards per catch were team-bests. He was able to practice a little bit in the lead-up to the Seminoles' Champs Sports Bowl win over Notre Dame in December, but that was as close as he got to rejoining the Seminoles last season.

The 6-foot-3, 233-pounder had suffered a concussion a year earlier as well, and he even admitted Wednesday to suffering from post-concussive symptoms as recently as weeks before this spring season, though he is happy to be back on the field.

"I didn't feel like I had anything to prove," Haulstead said. "I just felt like I had to go out there and do the same things I had done before."

The Titusville, Fla., native's absence allowed newcomers like Rashad Greene to step up, as the true freshman notched 38 catches for 596 yards and seven scores in 2011, which ended with him taking home MVP honors in the bowl game victory.

Haulstead said he hasn't let the deeper talent pool at receiver affect his mentality since his return.

"I didn't feel like I had anything to prove," he said. "I just felt like I had to go out there and do the same things I had done before."

FSU coach Jimbo Fisher thinks Haulstead is not back to his normal self just yet, though he is happy with the receiver's progress through the spring.

"He's starting to get better," Fisher said. "He still needs to lose some weight; he got a little big. If not I'm going to move him to middle linebacker. … He hurt his heel right off the bat [in spring ball] which hindered him. He's playing better, moving better. He had a nice catch and run for a long touchdown the other day. He's progressing. He needs to have a great summer to get back in shape and get back to that old form."

I had a chance to catch up with Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher to talk about the state of football in Florida. Here is a little of what he had to say:

Where do you think football is in the state of Florida?


Jimbo Fisher: Wonderful. I think it’s getting better and better. Florida’s recruited well, Miami had a lot better class. We’ve recruited really well the last two years, in the first two years we’re here. And I think you’re seeing us keep all the better players here in Florida.

Has there been any impact with the number of schools outside the state recruiting Florida talent?

JF: It’s always been that way. When I was at Auburn and LSU, I used to sign two to seven out of this state. Great players, first round draft picks. The thing about here, you’ve got 160 or 170 players that are going to sign. We each can only take 25. I don’t think that’s changed. [Michigan], go back to AC Carter in 1980, he’s from Palm Beach. It’s always been that way.

But you think more kids are staying in state right now?

JF: We’re doing a better job of identifying them and working, and trying to get the right ones to stay. We’ll find out if they’re the right ones in time.

How much does it hurt when you have a couple misses on players?

JF: Any misses because of the limit of scholarships can hurt you. That miss just depends on what other depth you’ve recruited with it. That’s why I say you’ve got to be careful putting all your eggs in one basket. If he’s a great player, you tell him, ‘We’re going to recruit three others that can play, too,' because you have to have the competition and be prepared if somebody gets hurt, or if something happens.

When you are recruiting, what are you looking for out of players, to get the right guys?

JF: You have to have a high level of athleticism. That’s the first thing that gets your attention. Then you start doing the checks. What kind of person is he? Is he a high-character guy? Is he a good student? Is he an intelligent guy? Then you start learning about the home life situations, and the choices he’s made in his life. History’s the greatest teacher. And just because a guy makes a mistake doesn’t mean he’s going to be a bad guy, either. You have to find out why he made the mistake. Just like I say with fans. Why didn’t we win a game? As a recruiter, you have to look at why did he get into trouble? Was it circumstances that were tough and he’s gotten better? Or whatever it may be.

How much do you emphasize the tradition here when you are recruiting?

JF: If you live in the past, you stay in the past. You have to make your own history. We talk to our kids about … a great tradition. But I’m not interested in that. We’re going to respect that, but we’re going to make our own tradition. Because kids today, [it's] "What are you going to do for me? What am I going to do?" So we talk about the past history, that it can be done here, but we can make new history.

How do you win those recruiting battles against Miami and Florida?

JF: It’s a secret. Hard work. You just have to be honest, be truthful, sell your program. Don’t worry about them. Don’t talk negative. And work your tail off, and build relationships.

Going back to the ‘80s and ‘90s, why did Miami, Florida and Florida State rise at the same time?

JF: Consistency in head coaching and staffs. Miami had the most rotation, but Steve (Spurrier) and Bobby (Bowden) were here forever, and their staffs very rarely changed, just a guy or two every blue moon. They got ahead and got that momentum. It’s like [when] we went to LSU in 2000. LSU was 3-8, 2-9, and all of a sudden we got it flipped and it’s back. But I think it’s a matter of teams establishing winning back and keeping the local players home. We’ve got a good advantage, because we’re so close to Georgia, too, and Alabama and everyone else.

Why was it the right time for them to rise?

JF: Georgia was having a lot of coaching changes, Alabama had a bunch of them, Auburn had three of them, LSU had three of them. If you look at the history of the surrounding states, they were all in transition in coaching.

So how does the recent success of those programs play into the fact that the Big Three from Florida want to rise up again?

JF: If the Big Three rise back up and do what they’re supposed to, it won’t affect us at all. They’ll have a harder time coming here, because we have that appeal. You look at recruiting the last two years, kids are staying here.

How do you either deal with the heightened expectations, or think about wanting to get this program back into the Top 10 consistently?

JF: Their expectations aren’t close to my expectations. The pressure people put on me isn’t close to the pressure I put on myself. If you don’t have higher expectations than the people around you, then you probably shouldn’t be the coach. And from that standpoint, it doesn’t bother me. It excites me, because I know we have the ability to do that.

When do you see return to Top 10 for all three?

JF: Relatively quick. All three teams are getting better. I would expect very, very soon.

Florida State running back James Wilder Jr. has been reinstated to the football team after pleading no contest Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence, according to multiple reports.

Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher announced in a statement that Wilder will resume all activity with the program.

Wilder Jr. was arrested Feb. 22 and charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence and battery on the officer. He was released on $2,000 bail.

As part of his plea deal, Wilder was given six months probation, will have to complete a nine-day work program, was fined $225 and wrote a letter to the officer he allegedly resisted, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

FSU canceled practice Wednesday because of inclement weather, so Wilder will return to the field Thursday.

A rising sophomore, Wilder rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries last season, adding two catches for 14 yards. He is the son of former NFL running back James Wilder Sr.

Karlos Williams admitted he did not digest all of Florida State's playbook during his freshman season last year.

"He didn't," Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher confirmed Wednesday. "And he's still learning a lot right now. He's getting better."

Williams, a sophomore safety, said that approach has changed this spring, as he enters with a chance to crack the two-deep at strong safety, fighting with Tyler Hunter to relieve starter Terrence Brooks.

Even with a new outlook, though, the second go-round is not without its challenges.

"It's good. Still getting that work in and trying to learn the playbook, it's difficult," Williams said. "Coach [Mark] Stoops runs a complex defense. Still trying to learn to slow things down and take my time and make plays when they come to me and don't go after them."

Having older brother Vince, entering his fifth year as an FSU linebacker, has paid dividends for Karlos.

"I knew I was coming into a difficult situation," he said. "There were two guys in front of me but I'm lucky to have my brother here. He told me to learn from the guys in front of me and to take my time and develop as a man first before a football player so I can mature."

That may be easier now that he knows where he will line up once his number is called.

Having played running back in high school, Williams was almost used by the staff in the backfield last season, but the crowded race ahead of him ultimately resulted in safety being the more comfortable option for him.

"I'm more comfortable playing on defense and I've built relationships with the guys on defense," Williams said. "Also, at running back it was a little uncomfortable, plus there was a lot of guys that will get a lot of reps. It was just a situation I felt uneasy."

It is not like Williams will not have the chance to make plays with the ball in his hands anyway. Last season he averaged better than 23 yards on eight kickoff returns, and he is hoping the opportunities will still come his way, even if new rules — kickoffs are from five yards closer now — may decrease the likelihood of huge returns.

"I’m very excited. It's a different game now," Williams said. "I tell recruits coming in that you're now looking for guys to hit. In high school you had guys that don't want to be on kickoff, they run down slow but now it's an assignment and it's a big part of the game. Games change on kick off and kick returns. Running down the field is exciting. Be out there and pumping the crowd on kick off. Over the season, [special teams coordinator Eddie Gran] and I talked about it that most of my excitement overplayed me this year. I got too excited running down, I'd miss a tackle or I'd get myself blocked in some situations, but overall it was a great experience and I loved it."

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.

It was another whirlwind of a signing day, with a little bit of drama and a few surprises. Now that we’ve had some time to digest Wednesday’s news, here’s a quick overview of 2012 signing day in the ACC:

Top class: Florida State is the undisputed heavyweight champion in the ACC this signing day. The Noles brought in 10 ESPNU 150 commitments and finished with the No. 2 class in the country. Jimbo Fisher lured in the No. 1 player in the country in defensive end Mario Edwards, and bolstered an already strong defense by adding even more depth and speed, particularly up front, where it added the No. 1 DT in Eddie Goldman.

Biggest surprise: (Tie) Dante Fowler Jr. flipping from Florida State to Florida and Jawand Blue flipping from Virginia Tech to Miami. Both Fowler and Blue entered signing day committed to their previous programs, but at the last minute decided to flip. Fowler said he was enticed by Florida’s hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end position, and Blue’s decision caused quite a stir on Twitter when a conversation between he and a Virginia Tech assistant was made public via a reporter’s tweets.

Biggest loss: While some teams missed out on highly touted players, Georgia Tech lost one of its assistants to a recruiting violation. Co-offensive line coach Todd Spencer resigned after he broke NCAA rules by sending text messages to recruits.

Recruiter of the year: Miami coach Al Golden. Sure, Florida State and Clemson had higher-ranked classes, but Al Golden is only in his second season recruiting in South Florida (his first full recruiting calendar), and had to recruit against uncertainty that still looms because of an ongoing NCAA investigation. Despite possible further sanctions, Golden was able to lure in a top-10 class, which will help the program get back on track regardless of what awaits from the NCAA.

Rookie of the year: Virginia Tech running backs coach Shane Beamer. In his first season on staff, he made an immediate impact for the Hokies on the recruiting trail. Virginia Tech had five four-star recruits and one ESPNU 150 member sign, and Beamer played an integral role in giving the program's recruiting a boost. Coach Frank Beamer said this is the kind of class that could help change those results in the BCS bowls.

First impression: First-year UNC coach Larry Fedora is a walking advertisement for Red Bull. The man is hopped up, turbocharged, and it’s exactly what the program and fan base needs right now -- a little bit of life. With a recruiting window that was cut short by the timing of his hire, Fedora still cobbled together a solid class that met the needs of his philosophies and will help the program adapt to the changes in schemes. Much like Golden, he managed to do it with the NCAA cloud still hanging over the program.

Class most likely to make an immediate impact: Miami. With so many players leaving early for the NFL and graduating, one of the biggest selling points for Miami this year was immediate playing time. The early departure of Lamar Miller to the NFL should open the competition up at running back, and defensive back is another area of opportunity for freshmen, but there will be spots up for grabs all over the two-deep.

Under-the-radar class: NC State. Tom O'Brien said he's bringing in a "whole different breed" of pass-rushers, and that "we're finally getting to look like our guys did at Boston College, the guys that are still playing in the Super Bowl this weekend." It's not a flashy class, but it will make NC State better, and the Wolfpack are already a team worth watching in the 2012 ACC race.

One day, we'll look up and see an SEC team not covered in national championship confetti.

But when?

It's hard to tell, really. It's not like there aren't capable teams outside of the SEC that can end the streak. And it's not like the SEC teams can't beat each other up too much and eliminate the conference from another national title run.

The problem is that the top teams in the SEC don't seem to be going anywhere.

The new national champs? Don't expect Alabama to sit by and watch others compete for a shot in Miami. Yes, the defense will take a few hits and everyone expects running back Trent Richardson to leave for the NFL, but it's not like the talent pool has been drained in Tuscaloosa.

With the way Nick Saban has recruited, Alabama will still compete for the SEC title in 2012 and beyond. If Alabama is competing for the SEC title, recent history tells us its competing for the national championship.

LSU will have something to say about next year's national championship, too. LSU has the bulk of its dominant defense returning. Tyrann Mathieu, Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo, Michael Brockers, Bennie Logan and Eric Reid were only sophomores in 2011. Plus, the offense will return all four of its running backs, its top receivers and will get a much needed upgrade at quarterback with Zach Mettenberger taking over.

LSU might be a favorite to win it all next year and it's not like coach Les Miles hasn't been recruiting his tail off. LSU has a slew of young, gifted players that will fit right in when some of the veterans depart. LSU is on a reloading path.

Georgia and South Carolina have recruited their way to the top of the SEC East. Both possess outstanding defenses and have what it takes to compete for the conference title in 2012. Beyond that? Absolutely. South Carolina has put a special emphasis on defense and it's paying off. Georgia has owned the state of Georgia in recent years and seems to have a pretty stocked cupboard.

Don't forget Arkansas. The Hogs will lose some pretty good talent in 2012, but coach Bobby Petrino has done a very solid job recruiting and molding his talent. It might be tough for Arkansas to compete nationally in 2012, but don't count out a team with Knile Davis in its backfield.

Also that young talent at Auburn, Florida and Tennessee, won't be so young players soon.

There certainly are schools with the talent to take down the SEC in 2012. USC looks primed for a title run with 19 starters, including star quarterback Matt Barkley, returning.

Michigan State has the talent on both sides of the ball to make a run. Also, the schedule isn't so bad. Can the Spartans finally inch the Big Ten out of the SEC's shadow?

Oklahoma had a rough 2011 season, but with quarterback Landry Jones returning with some solid receiving talent, the Sooners should be the favorite in the Big 12. However, winning BCS games has been, well, tough.

Florida State is stocked with talent and should be favored in the ACC, but don't expect the same result we saw in 2011. Improvement is coming and if Jimbo Fisher can get that talent playing as consistently as it should, watch out.

In a couple of years, keep an eye on Ohio State. Urban Meyer is in charge now and he knows a little about winning in the SEC.

The SEC's championship winning streak will come to an end at some point (unless the Mayans were right). It has to. But ending it next year will be hard, so the national pouting could continue.

Or, the other conferences could form a super team. Surely, that would work.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Here are a couple of items worth nothing as we approach kickoff:

• Ethan Johnson, Louis Nix and Aaron Lynch took reps with the first-team defensive line. This is as healthy as the group has been since the middle of the season. Johnson says he is fully recovered from a sprained right ankle that sidelined him for four games this season, and freshman end Stephon Tuitt is expected to be fine after missing the last two games because of an illness. Against an undermanned Florida State offensive line, this could be key.
• Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher was given a one-year contract extension earlier today, locking him up through 2016.
• This crowd is PUMPED. The fans went wild during a few pee-wee touchdowns when kids took the field before the game, and several parachuters into the stadium only amped them up even more. Hopefully the play on the field can live up to the excitement.

A pre-January bowl meeting and regular seasons that failed to meet lofty preseason expectations have provided no hiding for Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher. Just look at Wednesday, when the second-year head coaches were asked during their final pre-bowl press conferences about restoring their respective programs back to glory.

No, a Dec. 29 finale in the Champs Sports Bowl is not what Notre Dame or Florida State had in mind when summer talk focused on BCS bowl berths and returns to greatness. But the pair of 8-4 teams have found consolation in the opportunity to take down the other and go into 2012 on a high note.

"I think it starts with the ability to keep your football team together for another month," Kelly said of what it will take bring Notre Dame back to its prominent status. "The ability to build more relationships and bonds with your players. You’re still evaluating and giving opportunities to freshmen that may not have that chance to go out and prove themselves. I think there’s a lot of things that go into having a bowl game. The game itself as a win/loss is not going to change the direction of your program. Certainly it’s going to make you feel good about yourself going into the offseason, but all of those other things are much more important than actually singularly one game."

Said Fisher, in response to a similar question: “Recruiting, a little bit of luck, and staying healthy. You have to understand the culture. It’s not been two years or three years since we’ve been on the top, it’s been 10. That’s something we have to change. I’ve said all year that I’ve been pleased with how our players practice. Their effort, their tenacity, they break out the distractions. And then the football gods have to be on your side a little bit, too. Sometimes the ball’s got to bounce your way. We’ve got a good recruiting class this year and I think we’ll have another great year next year. And hopefully a great game tomorrow.”

Ten turnovers and two mind-boggling defeats to start 2011 all but sealed Notre Dame's fate for Orlando, Fla., from the early going. An 8-2 finish that featured a brief return to the national rankings showed what the Irish were capable of, but the sour taste from an 0-2 start lingered.

Florida State, meanwhile, saw a 2-0 start give way to three consecutive losses, dampening its BCS-bowl hopes and, like the Irish, leaving many to wonder what could have been.

The offensive-minded Kelly saw the Irish notch at least 500 yards of offense five different times this season, as they averaged better than 45 more yards per game than a season ago. But that was tempered by 26 turnovers and the fact Notre Dame is closing the season with another quarterback controversy (Tommy Rees or Andrew Hendrix), albeit a different one from the beginning of the campaign (Rees or Dayne Crist).

"I would look at it as we’re still evolving," Kelly said. "From last year to this time there has been a process of evolution for our entire offense and it’s still ongoing. It’s ongoing as we speak relative to our offensive players understanding our system and of course in the recruiting area.”

The Seminoles saw their growth on the defensive side of the ball, where they finished the regular season sixth in the nation in total defense, fourth in points allowed and second against the run — way up in all categories from last season (when they finished 39th, 24th and 26th, respectively).

“Are we disappointed about the wins?" Fisher said. "Yes, we wish we would’ve won more games. I mean, you’d like to win them all. But for a young football team to deal with distractions, with criticisms, the things that come with not winning as many games as you’d like to, they never lost faith in each other. In fact, it maybe made them closer. I feel very good about the future.”

But the future must wait until this season is finished, and Thursday's matchup will provide one last opportunity for each side's seniors to end their careers on high notes.

And for Notre Dame, it's a chance to notch a nine-win campaign for the first time since 2006, before any current players came aboard.

"I feel like it's all that matters," senior end Ethan Johnson said of win No. 9. "It's all that matters. It's what we're focused on right now. Everyone says you take each game as it comes. That's very true. But there's a limited amount of time you can focus on each game in a season. And for this game we've had a long time to focus on it, and we're going to stay focused on it, and we're gonna continue to work and prepare and get ready to play our best football. And there's no reason why we shouldn't do that. No reason why we're not going to do that. We're going to do that.

"We're gonna continue to focus and practice hard and have fun while we're doing it. But yeah, it's really all that matters is getting this win, especially for the seniors. For the juniors, sophomores, freshmen, high school kids coming in — we're all pulling for it and we're all just gonna do the best we can because I came here my freshman year. And I'm a guy who believes you leave something better than it was when you came. I definitely wanna do that. I wanna leave this place better than when I found it."