ESPN College Football

NEW ORLEANS -- If ever a coach had earned the right to be stubborn about his system, it'd be Bud Foster.

He has coordinated Virginia Tech's defense for the past 16 seasons, and the unit has finished in the top 12 nationally on 10 occasions (the Hokies currently rank 13th in total defense). He has had 34 players drafted in the NFL, 45 different players score touchdowns and at least one player earn All-America honors in all 16 seasons.

The pillars of Foster's defenses -- speed, athleticism, pressure, opportunistic play -- have become synonymous with Virginia Tech's program.

Foster could enter rooms with "My Way" blaring in the background if he wanted to. But he doesn't.

His success isn't tied to stubbornness. He has adapted over time, while maintaining an attacking foundation.

"It's changed a lot but it hasn't changed a lot," Foster said Friday. "We were more of an eight-man front group in the mid-1990s through probably the mid-2000s. You were seeing a lot more two-back offenses at that time. ... We've just tweaked things year in and year out. We're always trying to make it a little better."

Michigan made more than a few tweaks in its offense this year, as coordinator Al Borges integrated some of his pro-style elements while maintaining a spread framework. The results were predictably choppy, but Michigan still scored more points (410) than it did in 2010, when the offense set several team and individual records.

Although Foster has led the Virginia Tech defense since 1995 and Borges had led the Michigan offense only since January, both have benefited from being flexible.

"He's like we have been offensively," Borges said of Foster. "Their defense is ever-evolving."

The next step in the evolution takes place Tuesday night at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, as Virginia Tech's defense and Michigan's offense square off in a fascinating matchup.

Both units faced some obstacles to reach this point. A look at Virginia Tech's defensive depth chart shows seven sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup. The Hokies were hit particularly hard by injuries this season, losing starters Antoine Hopkins, Jeron Gouveia-Winslow and Bruce Taylor as well as key reserves like Kwamaine Battle.

Despite the losses and the abundance of youth, Virginia Tech maintained its standards on defense, ranking in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense (17.2 ppg), total defense (313.9), pass-efficiency defense (111.8), rushing defense (107.8 ypg) and sacks (2.92 spg).

"[Foster] has enough flexibility," Borges said. "He's been there a long time. That system, although he's got some young players, that system that he has ... they know it. ... You're not teaching every little tiny thing, and you can start dealing more with nuance and things like that. Bud's at that point because he's been there so long."

Borges inherited a more seasoned offense and benefited from a lack of major injuries. His challenge was blending what he had done for decades with personnel suited to a vastly different scheme, particularly junior quarterback Denard Robinson.

"You can see they've done a great job adapting to their talent," Foster said. "But then, there's nothing real fancy about them, either. They're going to line up and hit you in the mouth and be physical."

Virginia Tech must not only contain Robinson on Tuesday night but be wary of Michigan's power game, which features sophomore running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and a big offensive line led by All-America center David Molk.

While the Hokies boast good size at defensive tackle, they're giving up a few pounds elsewhere. Sophomore defensive end J.R. Collins checks in at 240, while outside linebacker Alonzo Tweedy weighs just 189 pounds.

"We obviously have to get off on the football and be physical," Foster said. "That's what [Michigan] is going to do."

Virginia Tech has faced mobile quarterbacks in the past -- former West Virginia star Pat White among them -- and practiced against one the past few seasons in Tyrod Taylor. But linebacker Jack Fuller said Robinson gives the Hokies a look they haven't seen this season.

The closest comparison, according to Tyler, is Clemson's Tajh Boyd, who torched the Hokies in the ACC title game (240 pass yards, 3 TDs).

"But [Boyd's] not much of a scrambler," Fuller said. "He's quick and he can run the ball, but they look for Denard to run the ball. They have set plays for him and that's part of their offense, getting him to run the ball and getting that extra blocker."

Michigan also must adjust to some different elements from Virginia Tech, which doesn't shy away from press coverage and has the athletes to do so.

"It is a challenge," Robinson said. "They have some unique defenses and great athletes."

Added Toussaint: "They are very athletic at every position and play every play with maximum effort."

Virginia Tech's defense and Michigan's offense both should be improved in 2012, as only a handful of players depart each unit.

Both groups will look to use Tuesday night's game as a springboard.

"This is a big step for all of us," Toussaint said.

After two games and a 2-0 start, it's time to check in with Virginia Tech quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain about how his first-year starter, Logan Thomas, has fared so far. Here are the highlights of my interview with him yesterday:

How would you assess his play through the first two games?

Mike O'Cain: I've been very pleased. I think he's done exactly what we've asked him to do. He's done a tremendous job of managing the game, getting us in and out of plays, doing all of the little things you have to do, reading signals, and getting the play called properly, getting us to the line of scrimmage in time. He's done a wonderful job of that. That's the way it starts. Overall, he's thrown the ball well. I know his stats right now don't look particularly good, but he's had seven dropped balls in two games and another six that he's had to throw away because of either pressure or not having anybody open, or whatever reason. If you put those 13 throws as potential completions, it looks good. He's not forcing the ball, he's not making the critical mistake. Even though he had an interception on the goal line on Saturday, it wasn't a stupid error as I would call it, a crazy error, it was just one of those things that he threw the ball outside on a fade and the safety made a great play on the ball. Logan didn't get it quite outside far enough, but he was going where he should have gone with it. Does he have to get better? Yeah, and we have to get better offensively in all phases. But I'm pleased with where he is so far. We've been able to bring him along, not ask him to have to win the ball game. He ran the ball very well on Saturday, we put the ball in his hands nine or 10 times. I think he had 11 carries, but two or so may have been runs in the passing game. He had to make a decision in reading it, either he would keep it or give it to the back or whatever. He had five or six opportunities to do that. He's done well and played well.

You guys had committed to the run against ECU, ran it 45 or 50 times. Did that have anything to do with what Logan wasn't doing?

Mike O'Cain: Absolutely not. There were a couple of things in our thought process. Early in the game we threw the ball a fair number of times and somebody said, 'You know, David Wilson has only touched the ball four times.' We were probably midway through the second quarter, and that's not good. So that was part of it. At the same time, we were able to run the football. We were able to take the football down the field and run the ball, which, in turn, their offense was very explosive. We wanted to keep the ball away from them. We were able to run the ball. We were getting 5 yards on first down, 6 yards on first down. It seemed to be the right thing to do. Will we be able to do that from here on out? I probably don't think so. But we were able to Saturday. It worked, and we had the ball for about 38 minutes. That's 38 minutes they don't have it.

Ideally, how much do you want Logan to be running with it?

Mike O'Cain: We don't really put a number on it. What we have to do to win the game. The opportunity presented itself Saturday where we felt like there were several times he had an opportunity to help us get 5 yards, 6 yards, 7 yards, and all of those weren't necessary designed for him to carry it. It was an option for him to carry the ball. It just happened to be the way he played, he ended up carrying the ball. But probably 11 times is too many, to be honest. At the same time, going back to Tyrod [Taylor] a little bit, Tyrod we didn't necessarily design for him to carry the ball very many times a game, because he's going to get six, seven, eight carries a game, just pulling the ball down in the passing game. Logan's a little bit different. He's probably going to stay in the pocket a little bit more, probably won't get quite as many runs in the passing game as Tyrod did for a difference in styles. So we may create a few more ways for him to carry the ball and play his part in the running game.

Once again, the expectation is for Virginia Tech to win the Coastal Division.

Once again, the Hokies have the potential to work their way into the national title conversation.

But buried amid the preseason prognostications is the fact that quarterback Logan Thomas has yet to start a game and has thrown just 26 passes in his collegiate career. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer enters his 25th season as head coach of his alma mater with a new, highly anticipated beginning at his quarterback position. How Thomas fares in his first season will go a long way in determining whether the Hokies can return to the ACC championship game and possibly contend for more, or if they'll make way for a new champion.

There have been times this summer when Thomas has looked spectacular -- like on the clutch 24-yard pass that came on a third-and-16 at Miami last year. But there have also been times when he has looked like he’s never started a game before, and missed open targets.

That’s what Virginia Tech fans should expect this fall -- a little bit of both.

Thomas is going to experience some growing pains, but those within the program are confident in his abilities both as a leader and as a player. In addition to a favorable nonconference schedule to start the season, one of the biggest assets Thomas has working in his favor is the experience around him – veteran offensive linemen, senior receivers, a senior tight end, and a dynamic running back in David Wilson.

With the talent around him, there shouldn’t be much pressure on Thomas to win the games alone.

Nor should Hokies’ fans expect him to.

The Tyrod Taylor era is over. Thomas and Taylor are different in stature and style, and that will be reflected in the Hokies’ offense. If it looks any different, it’s not because Mike O’Cain is calling the plays instead of Bryan Stinespring, it’s because Thomas is a 6-foot-6 quarterback instead of the six-foot Taylor. It’s because Thomas won’t be scrambling like Taylor did, but he’ll be able to make passes Taylor couldn’t.

It will only be a matter of time before the comparisons between them disappear.

Ready or not, Logan Thomas is now the face of Virginia Tech’s offense.

The "spring shoes to fill" series looked at the most difficult player to replace in each program. Five of them were quarterbacks, four linemen, two receivers and one linebacker.

Boston College: Anthony Castonzo
Clemson: Da'Quan Bowers
Duke: Abraham Kromah
Florida State: Rodney Hudson
Georgia Tech: Joshua Nesbitt
Maryland: Torrey Smith
Miami: Leonard Hankerson
North Carolina: T.J. Yates
NC State: Russell Wilson
Virginia: Marc Verica
Virginia Tech: Tyrod Taylor
Wake Forest: Russell Nenon

Hudson was the most decorated offensive lineman in ACC history. Taylor was the winningest quarterback in school history. Nesbitt was the most prolific rushing quarterback in league history. Bowers was honored as the nation's top defensive player. Almost all of them were record-setters. The ACC lost some tremendous talent from 2010 rosters.

Of these 12 players, I took the liberty of narrowing the list down to five choices for the most difficult player to replace in the ACC.

NC State quarterback Mike Glennon has played against North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner since they were in youth league. They grew up about 20 minutes away from each other in the state of Virginia. Glennon’s older brother, Sean, was a former quarterback at Virginia Tech, and Renner’s parents are both Virginia Tech alumni.

The two first-year starting quarterbacks last played against each other in high school -- when Glennon got the last word.

“We beat his team senior year,” Glennon said. “Hopefully it will be the same outcome.”

Get ready for a new era of quarterback rivalries in the ACC.

“It’s going to be awesome,” said Renner, whose father, Bill, was a punter for the Hokies and the Green Bay Packers. “We all know each other and have a little bond. All of the Virginia quarterbacks are trying to get ready to play.”

Almost half of the quarterbacks in the ACC are from the state of Virginia, and that will increase to six if Michael Rocco, David Watford or Ross Metheny wins the starting job at UVA. And of course, they all know former Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Clemson’s Tajh Boyd (Hampton), Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas (Lynchburg), Florida State’s EJ Manuel (Virginia Beach), NC State’s Glennon (Centreville, Va.), and North Carolina’s Renner (West Springfield) all have the Commonwealth connection, and all of them will be in their first year leading their respective offenses.

“Going back to Virginia Tech this season is going to be like a homecoming,” Boyd said of the Tigers’ Oct. 1 trip to Blacksburg. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said he recruited all of them.

“Renner, we liked him,” Beamer said. “His dad punted here. Everybody thinks they can play quickly or wants to play quickly, and who’s here affects some of those decisions. Manuel, we recruited him and always thought he was a terrific quarterback. Glennon, the style of quarterback we’ve had success with might have affected his decision. I think he’s terrific. I like Sean Glennon a lot, but I think Mike might be better.”

Boyd said he played with Thomas in the Army game, and he and Renner met their junior year. Both went to the Elite 11 camp.

“We always keep in touch,” Boyd said of Renner. “He came down not too long ago and hung out with us. We talk a little trash. He’s an exciting player. I know he didn’t play much last year, but in high school, the guy could move, he could throw.”

Thomas said he and Boyd text each other a lot, and he also knows Virginia’s Rocco well.

“We were friends long before this whole football rivalry thing,” Thomas said of Boyd. “We just talk about life in general, not really too much football.”

Watford is also from Hampton, and graduated from the same high school as Taylor.

Manuel said he’s closest with Taylor, and is Facebook friends with Glennon.

“I hope Mike and Tajh have successful seasons, especially Mike,” Manuel said. “Mike was kind of in the same situation I was -- had a guy in front of him that was really good. He was already there. I think he’ll do well if he has a chance to play this year.”

He’ll find out just how well on Oct. 29, when FSU hosts NC State.

In an offseason filled with quarterback transitions in the ACC, Florida State first-year starter EJ Manuel has made a seamless transition.

Granted, he's not exactly a rookie, what with that whole Gator Bowl MVP title and Chick-fil-A Bowl win over SEC East champ South Carolina. But in an Atlantic Division race that could very well come down to a faceoff between Manuel and Clemson's Tajh Boyd, Manuel has had a more consistent offseason. That's to be expected because Boyd is making a transition into a new offense under a new coordinator in his first season as a starter. Boyd has made progress this spring and his ability to run will add another dimension to Clemson's offense, but there's obviously a bigger learning curve.

Both of them will continue to get better, but following Saturday's scrimmage at Florida State, Manuel told reporters there's a "huge difference" in his game this year, most notably his arm strength and accuracy.

"You never reach a point where you can’t continue to work on something," he said.

The rest of the ACC should be concerned that Manuel has another level to reach.

No quarterback in the Atlantic Division enters this season with more than a year of starting experience -- BC's Chase Rettig, Maryland's Danny O'Brien, and Wake's Tanner Price each made their debuts in 2010. Along with Boyd and Manuel, NC State's Mike Glennon will also be a first-year starter.

In the Coastal Division, defending ACC champ Virginia Tech is trying to speed up the maturation of first-year starter Logan Thomas, while UNC's Bryn Renner is coming off an impressive performance in the Tar Heels' spring game. Might Renner change the outlook of the Coastal Division race?

Tyrod Taylor was the difference for Virginia Tech last year. Odds are a first-year starter will do the same for this year's ACC champ.

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- It was third-and-16 against Miami last season when backup Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas had his one and only snap in a moment of consequence.

He didn’t flinch.

With starter Tyrod Taylor feeling woozy on the sideline, Thomas completed a 24-yard pass to Danny Coale for the first down and sustained what would be an eventual scoring drive against Miami in late November.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer exhaled.

“I remember thinking, ‘whew,’” Beamer said. “A lot of good thoughts went through your head quickly. That said a lot. You’re under the gun, just come in, make a throw like that when we needed it. That said a lot.”

The Hokies are going to need Thomas to make an even bigger statement this fall if they’re going to defend their ACC title. The Tyrod Taylor era is officially over in Blacksburg, and Thomas is preparing this spring for his first season as a full-time starter in the shadow of his predecessor while also carrying the lofty expectations and physique of former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.

Truth is, Thomas might just be the best mix of both.

Thomas has the leadership skills and composure of Taylor, and at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, he also has the height, weight and arm strength of Newton. What he doesn’t have yet is experience or consistency. Over the past two years, Thomas has watched and learned as a redshirt and backup to Taylor. His accuracy has improved, along with the mental aspect of his game, but there’s still a learning curve involved, as Thomas only played two years of quarterback in high school and was recruited as a tight end/receiver.

“Some days, he’d just take your breath with the throws he’s making: ‘Gee wiz, look at that one, and look at that one,’” Beamer said. “And then he’d get out there another day and wouldn’t be quite as accurate, just a little bit off. I really think it gets down to concentration and him being the guy. I’m looking forward to it.”

So is Thomas.

Virginia Tech isn’t going to change the offense drastically to suit him, but the staff might put the ball in his hands more because of his size and strength. He’s more of a pocket passer than Taylor was, but when he does leave the pocket, Thomas can run. He’s not shifty, but he’s fast, and his strength will make him difficult to tackle. Where Taylor had to move his feet to see, Thomas is about six inches taller to see over the action.

Defenders will be forced to tackle Thomas around his waist, giving him time to get the ball out. Taylor was usually tackled on his upper body, making it harder for him to throw under pressure. Thomas will be less likely to pull the ball down and scramble, but he’ll make throws Taylor might not have been able to because of his height.

“I’m not the type of scrambler Ty was,” Thomas said. “He’s the most elusive person I’ve ever seen.”

Thomas has an experienced offensive line and group of receivers to work with, though, so there’s potential for the Hokies’ passing game to flourish more than it did under Taylor. That depends, of course, on Thomas’ accuracy. His range is about 60-75 yards -- compared to about 75 or 80 in high school, when he said his “mechanics were really bad,” and he would just heave it.

“I was really bad when I first got here,” Thomas said. “I was throwing high, low, skipping it across the ground. Now they’re a little bit more in the strike zone.”

O'Cain said Thomas has made “tremendous improvement in all areas” since his first week at the position and the end of this past season.

“He was just wild,” O’Cain said, “like a fastball pitcher that sails into the upper backstop every now and then. He’s really improved that. He’ll still miss one occasionally, but they’re close misses. Three yards, or four yards … you just say to yourself, where in the heck did that come from?”

“We can’t ask him to do all of the things we asked Tyrod to do,” O’Cain said. “He’s not at that level mentally yet. We’ve got to be careful we don’t overload him, allow him to go out and play. But at the same time this spring, I’m not going to spoon feed him. We’re going to throw things at him and let’s see what sticks and what he can handle. I’d rather throw things at him, see what he can handle, and then take away, as opposed to being too cautious because he’s had two years.”

Virginia Tech offered Thomas a scholarship when he was a sophomore in high school, and he had prepared for his freshman year expecting to play immediately as a tight end or receiver. On the first day of spring ball, though, O’Cain approached Thomas and asked if he would be interested in trying to play quarterback.

Thomas agreed to try it, but it took about three weeks for it to agree with him.

“I was hating life for the first two weeks, hating it,” he said. “I had prepared that whole summer to play tight end, h-back, and so I had thrown zero balls until camp started. It was really that third or fourth week that I said, ‘just throw it all out the window, get a new mindset, and I really started enjoying it. A lot of it was because of coach O’Cain and Tyrod as well. They helped me along with the process and trusted me at a young age.”

O’Cain said he saw enough promise after just a few days watching Thomas at the position that he told Thomas he could be a three-year starter.

“I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over his eyes,” O’Cain said. “I felt like he could be a good quarterback, a very good quarterback.”

It’s time to find out if O’Cain was right.

We've already looked at who and what to watch in the Atlantic Division this spring. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program in the Coastal Division:

DUKE

Spring practice starts: Feb. 16

Spring game: March 26

What to watch:

• Jim Knowles taking over as defensive coordinator. After coaching the safeties last season, Knowles was promoted in late January following the departure of Marion Hobby to coach Clemson’s defensive line. It’s not a complete overhaul on defense, but for the third time in as many seasons, a different person will be calling the plays. Knowles has also assumed the lead role with Duke’s practice scheduling and weekly preparation.
• New faces at linebacker. Duke graduated its leading tackler from 2010, Abraham Kromah, and freshman All-American Kelby Brown is out while recovering from knee surgery. Those two slots will be wide open this spring and the competition will be among Austin Gamble, C.J. France, Tyree Glover and Kevin Rojas.
• Offensive line shuffling. The Blue Devils return four starters up front, but they’ll be missing the glue of the line in Bryan Morgan, who graduated. Brian Moore, who has started the past two seasons at right guard, will make the transition to center. John Coleman and Laken Tomlinson are expected to compete for the right guard spot.

GEORGIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 28 (tentative)

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Starting quarterback competition. Tevin Washington enters the spring at No. 1 on the depth chart, and it's his job to lose, as he has the most experience after taking over for injured starter Joshua Nesbitt in 2010. Synjyn Days will give him legitimate competition this spring, though, and it will increase this summer with the addition of standout recruit Vad Lee to the roster. For now, though, it’s between Washington and Days, as David Sims is expected to move to B-back.
• Offensive line reshuffling. Georgia Tech will have to replace three starters in all-conference center Sean Bedford, right tackle Austin Barrick and left tackle Nick Claytor, who decided to leave early for the NFL draft. Phil Smith, Barrick’s backup last year, is the only one with any experience at tackle. The staff will likely have to move a player or two from guard to tackle, and only it knows who those candidates might be right now.
• Revamped secondary. Jerrard Tarrant's decision to leave school early and enter the NFL draft left the Jackets without any returning starters in the secondary. Junior cornerback Rod Sweeting, sophomore cornerback Louis Young, redshirt freshman cornerback Ryan Ayers and sophomore safety Fred Holton are front-runners, but they all have a lot to prove this spring. Holton and Young played sparingly as true freshmen and combined for 21 tackles. Sweeting played in all 13 games and had one fumble recovery and eight passes defended, including one interception. Senior cornerback Michael Peterson may help, and safety Jemea Thomas played as a true freshman in 2009 but redshirted last year. There’s some talent, but the inexperience makes it a question mark.

MIAMI

Spring practice starts: March 5

Spring game: April 9 or 16

What to watch:

• New staff, new schemes. Defensively, first-year coordinator Mark D’Onofrio will work with two other assistants who were with him and first-year coach Al Golden at Temple, so there is familiarity there. Linebackers coach Michael Barrow has to learn D’Onofrio’s system, but the players tend to pick it up faster if the majority of the staff is already acclimated to it. Offensively, everyone will be working together for the first time. Jedd Fisch wants to run a pure pro-style offense based on matchups, and the good news is that several of the assistants, because of their respective backgrounds, are already schooled in at least a version of it.
• Quarterback battle. Golden has said he would like to name a starter by the end of the spring, making these practices critical auditions for both Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris. Harris has both flourished and flopped as a starter for the Canes, and his injury last year gave Morris the opportunity he needed to win the people’s choice award. Has a new era of quarterback begun, or will Harris finally have the breakout season Miami fans have waited for in his final year as a Cane?
• Corner competition. Following the departures of Ryan Hill, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Brandon Harris, Brandon McGee is the only corner remaining on the roster with any significant experience. He played in 11 games, started one, and had 15 tackles. Redshirt freshman Devont’a Davis, sophomore Kacey Rodgers, and redshirt sophomore Jamal Reid will also compete for playing time. There are also several incoming freshmen who could be immediate contributors.

NORTH CAROLINA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• The rookie quarterbacks. There’s no guarantee that Bryn Renner will be the Tar Heels’ starter in 2011, but he enters the spring slightly ahead of the race, as he was No. 2 on the depth chart last season and was pushing T.J. Yates for the starting job at this time a year ago. The staff would also like to see what true freshman Marquise Williams, who enrolled in January, has to offer. Braden Hanson and A.J. Blue will also compete for playing time. Blue was injured two years ago and redshirted last season.
• Running backs race. The Tar Heels graduated three key players from 2010: Johnny White, Anthony Elzy and Shaun Draughn. Ryan Houston is back for his fifth year after redshirting last year and is the most experienced of the returnees. Giovani Bernard was a true freshman last year and had been expected to get some playing time, but he tore his ACL on the third day of training camp. It’s not clear yet how much he’ll be able to participate this spring. Hunter Furr played sparingly last year and true freshman Travis Riley, who enrolled in January, are also in the mix.
• Another strong defensive line. If Quinton Coples was an all-conference selection as a defensive tackle, he could be scary good at his natural position, defensive end. Coples played there as a freshman and sophomore, but switched to tackle out of necessity last season. The defensive line should once again be the strength of the team, but it will be reconfigured again, as Coples’ move will leave a defensive tackle spot up for grabs. Junior college transfer Sylvester Williams, who enrolled in January, could fill that role.

VIRGINIA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• The search for a new starting quarterback. With Marc Verica graduated, the lead contenders to replace him are the ones who saw the field last year -- Michael Rocco and Ross Metheny. Neither of them started, but Rocco played in six games and Metheny five. Nobody has thrown the ball more than Rocco’s 25 times. The staff will also look at Michael Strauss, who redshirted last year, Miles Gooch, and David Watford, who enrolled in January.
• Competition at running back. With leading rusher Keith Payne graduated, the question becomes what can Kevin Parks do after redshirting last year? There’s a lot of depth at the running back position, but Parks, the No. 56 running back in his class by ESPN.com and national prep record-setter out of the state of North Carolina, came to Charlottesville facing high expectations. With Payne gone, this could open the door for him to meet them, but returning starter Perry Jones will also be competing for carries.
• Development of the receivers. In January, Jared Green Tweeted that he had decided to transfer after finishing his degree in Charlottesville this spring, according to a school spokesman. His departure, coupled with the graduation of Dontrelle Inman, leaves the Cavaliers without two of their top wideouts from 2010. With Tim Smith coming off an injury, the development of other receivers will be critical -- especially with a new starting quarterback.

VIRGINIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 30

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Quarterback Logan Thomas. The Tyrod Taylor era is over, and Thomas is the front-runner to succeed the winningest quarterback in school history. Ju-Ju Clayton is the only other quarterback on the roster who’s ever taken a snap, and he’ll push Thomas this spring. It’s Thomas’ job to lose, but the staff is looking for him to improve his accuracy. He played quarterback in only his final two high school seasons and was projected as a tight end. He’s still raw and learning the position, but physically, he’s a clone of Cam Newton. If he develops some poise in the pocket, look out.
• Competition on the defensive line. The Hokies have to replace starters John Graves (defensive tackle) and Steven Friday (defensive end), who both graduated. They’ve got Antoine Hopkins and Chris Drager back, but it’s possible Drager could move back to tight end after starting 10 games at defensive end last year. Tackle Kwamaine Battle, who started the first two games before he tore his ACL and Hopkins took over, is another front-runner. Hopkins’ younger brother, Derrick, will also be in the mix, along with James Gayle and J.R. Collins. Redshirt freshman defensive end Zack McCray, the cousin of Logan Thomas, has also impressed the staff so far.
• Tight end auditions. The graduation of Andre Smith leaves the Hokies with only one returning tight end who’s caught a pass in a game, Randall Dunn (one). Redshirt freshman Eric Martin was the second tight end when the Hokies used two-tight end sets, but he missed three games mid-season with an injury.

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

There’s only one way to truly grade recruits -- look at their performances on the field after they sign. Some, like Clemson offensive lineman Chris Hairston, exceed their ranking expectations. Others, like Duke kicker Will Snyderwine, make names for themselves as walk-ons. And some, like Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor, lend merit to the ranking system.

Using ESPN.com’s recruiting database, I took a look back at my 2010 all-conference team to see how each player fared in his respective recruiting class. Some players have flourished at other positions. Only five of the players were ranked among the ESPNU 150, and five were either unranked or joined the team as a walk-on.

Here’s a look back at the recruiting rankings for the ACC’s top players in 2010:

OFFENSE

QB: Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech:No. 16 player in ESPNU 150, No. 3 overall quarterback in the 2007 class

RB: Montel Harris, Boston College: No. 143 running back in the 2008 class

RB: Anthony Allen, Georgia Tech: No. 73 running back in Louisville’s class of 2007

WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami: No. 61 wide receiver in 2007 class

WR Torrey Smith, Maryland: No. 54 wide receiver in 2007 class

TE George Bryan, NC State: No. 16 tight end, class of 2007

C Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech: Joined the team as a walk-on in 2006

OL Rodney Hudson, Florida State: No. 16 offensive guard in the 2007 class

OL Anthony Castonzo, Boston College: Not ranked in the 2007 class

OL Chris Hairston, Clemson: Not ranked in the class of 2006

OL Brandon Washington, Miami: No. 11 offensive guard in 2008 class

DEFENSE

DL Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson:No. 1 overall player in ESPNU 150 Class of 2008, No. 1 overall defensive end

DL Brandon Jenkins, Florida State: No. 18 defensive end in the 2009 class

DL Quinton Coples, North Carolina: No. 34 defensive end, class of 2008

DL Jarvis Jenkins, Clemson: No. 36 defensive tackle in the 2007 class

LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College: No. 19 outside linebacker

LB Nate Irving, NC State: Not ranked, class of 2006

LB Alex Wujciak, Maryland: No. 18 inside linebacker class of 2006

CB Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech: No. 22 cornerback in 2009 class

CB Chase Minnifield, Virginia: No. 69 cornerback, class of 2007

S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson: No. 105 in ESPNU 150 Class of 2006, No. 12 safety

S Kenny Tate, Maryland: No. 134 in ESPNU 150 Class of 2008, No. 19 wide receiver

SPECIALISTS

P: Matt Bosher, Miami: No. 4 kicker in 2006 class

K: Will Snyderwine, Duke: Joined the team as a walk-on in 2007 after an open tryout

PR: Tony Logan, Maryland: No. 21 quarterback in 2007 class

KR: David Wilson, Virginia Tech: No. 40 in ESPNU 150 Class of 2009, No. 5 running back

North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin was dismissed from the team last year and didn't play a snap because he was a central figure in the NCAA's investigation into improper contact between athletes and agents, but he's expected to wear No. 99 -- and a North Carolina helmet -- in the East-West Shrine game this weekend.

Austin told the Raleigh News & Observer that he's "not ready to talk about the past" yet, but he's happy to be on the field hitting again. He can take a shot under his facemask, but apparently can't handle a question about why he missed an entire season.

No, I don't think Austin should be rewarded with a spot in this game when there are other deserving players out there who followed the rules. (Watch the video). Yes, he paid his dues by sitting out a season, and he deserves his shot at the NFL and will get it, but these games are supposed to also be a reward for the players who just went through the grind of an entire season and have earned their spot in a showcase game.

A player like Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Taylor is working out with the quarterbacks and you can catch up on what he did in Todd McShay's blog. Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl of Scouts Inc. are tracking all of the action leading up to the Shrine Game and Insiders can follow it here.

There are several ACC players to follow, but Austin will be one of the most-watched players at these practices and with good reason. Despite his past transgressions, it's impossible not to follow along to see how he fares after sitting out the year. To get into these practices and win one-on-one battles against guys who have been training with their teammates all season is impressive. He's a bit rusty, but there's no question he's a phenomenal player.

Some might even call him an all-star.

There were plenty of memorable moments this past season, but some always find a way of sticking with us longer than others. There were plays, moments, games and people who helped define the season. Some were good, some we’ll remember for all of the wrong reasons. Feel free to share yours in the mailbag and I’ll highlight them later this afternoon.

Here’s a look at the top moments from the 2010 season:

1. The linebackers' return: NC State linebacker Nate Irving and BC linebacker Mark Herzlich both made miraculous recoveries in 2010. After missing the entire 2009 season while receiving treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer, Herzlich returned to the team last offseason only to miss part of camp while recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot. Unsure of whether he would be available for the season opener against Weber State, it was one of the biggest comebacks in college football when Herzlich ran out of the tunnel and later made two tackles in the first quarter.

2. The NCAA investigation. Unfortunately for UNC, this season will forever be linked to an NCAA investigation into agent-related benefits and academic misconduct that eventually sidelined 14 players for at least one game, including seven players who missed the entire season. Assistant coach John Blake resigned, star defensive tackle Marvin Austin was dismissed, and while a bowl win over an SEC team was something to be proud of, this season will always be remembered for what could have been had the entire roster remained intact.

3. Virginia Tech’s loss to James Madison. Face it: it’s one we’ll never forget. A positive spin? It changed the Hokies’ season. This loss was the catalyst for an unprecedented turnaround in the FBS. No other program has ever started out 0-2 and finished the regular season undefeated. Virginia Tech rallied to become the first ACC team since 2000 to breeze through the ACC schedule undefeated, but the poor start quickly knocked Virginia Tech out of the national title conversation.

4. Florida State’s state championship: FSU’s combined wins over Miami and Florida marked the first season sweep of state rivals since 1999 -- by the widest combined point margin in school history. Jimbo Fisher became the only FSU coach to pull off that sweep as a first-year coach. The Seminoles’ 31-7 win over Florida snapped a six-game losing streak to their in-state rivals, beating the Gators for the first time since 2003 -- also the last time FSU was able to score that many points against Florida. With the win, Jimbo Fisher clinched the most wins by a first-year FSU coach in 50 years. Not even Bobby Bowden won his debut against Florida.

5. John Kevin Dolce’s hit on Miami quarterback Jacory Harris: This hit changed Miami’s season. Not only did it knock the Canes' starting quarterback out for a few weeks, it also dashed Miami’s hopes at winning the Coastal Division and gave Virginia its first win over a ranked team since defeating No. 21 Georgia Tech in 2008. Said Dolce: "When you chop the head off a giant, the rest of the body goes with it.”

6. Military Bowl crowd chanting Ralph Friedgen’s name. The ACC coach of the year had been fired, but in his final game at Maryland -- a 51-20 drubbing of East Carolina -- Friedgen lived up to the title he had earned with the second-best turnaround in the FBS in 2010. After winning just two games in 2009, Friedgen led his team to a nine-win season, and his players and fans thanked him for it on a cold day in RFK Stadium.

7. David Wilson’s kickoff return against Georgia Tech: With 2:23 remaining, Virginia Tech running back David Wilson scored on a 90-yard kickoff return to give the Hokies a 28-21 win over the then-defending ACC champs. It was a dramatic play that answered Georgia Tech’s 80-yard, game-tying drive, and one that separated Virginia Tech from the rest of the Coastal Division. Also in this game, Georgia Tech star quarterback Joshua Nesbitt broke his right forearm late in the first half, leaving the Jackets without the heart of their offense for the rest of the season, and ending Nesbitt's record-setting career too early.

8. Tyrod Taylor’s ACC title-game performance: There were trademark scrambles, big plays and no interceptions from the ACC’s player of the year, who finished with four touchdowns and 267 total yards in a 44-33 championship game win over Florida State.

9. North Carolina’s double-overtime win against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl: The Tar Heels have a flair for the dramatic when it comes to bowl games, but this one was one of the most bizarre. After declaring the game over, officials reviewed the clock and determined there was still one second remaining. It gave kicker Casey Barth just enough time to tie the game at 20 and send it into overtime.

10. Dustin Hopkins’ 55-yard game-winner: A week after missing the game-winning field goal against North Carolina, FSU's kicker made a career-best 55-yard field goal to beat Clemson, 16-13, as time expired. Hopkins had missed two fourth-quarter field goals in a loss to the Tar Heels the previous week. It was the third-longest field goal in Florida State history.

Virginia Tech tailback Ryan Williams, who had two years of eligibility remaining, will enter the 2011 NFL draft, the school announced on Sunday. Williams declined to have a news conference, and coach Frank Beamer was at the annual coaches' convention and unavailable for comment.

“It came down to what I felt like was the best decision for me,” Williams said in a prepared statement. “When they say you have the potential to be a first rounder, that’s something that’s hard to pass up. This has been my dream since I was six, and I’ve never wanted to do anything else. This is an opportunity to help out my family and especially my brother."

Even though Williams has the potential to be taken in the first round, he might also go in the second. That's why this decision came as a bit of a surprise to me. Because he was injured this year, and because he conceded several times that he would've liked more carries and thought he could do more if given the chance, I thought he'd return to boost his stock with one more healthy season. These guys know what's best for them, though.

On Thursday, leading rusher Darren Evans also announced he would enter the NFL draft. Losing both backs, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor, will mean a significant rebuilding year on offense for the Hokies. Even with David Wilson returning -- and many will tell you he's got the most potential of the three -- there will be a learning curve. You're talking about a backfield that was held to just 66 yards rushing in the Discover Orange Bowl with all of its talent.

It's got a long way to go without it.

MIAMI -- Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer wasn’t about to apologize.

Not for his team’s effort in a 40-12 loss to Stanford in the Discover Orange Bowl. Not for letting the ACC down -- again -- on the national stage. And not for his program’s inability to beat top-five competition more than once in the past 27 tries.

“I don’t apologize for the effort we played with,” Beamer said. “I feel bad for our football team and for our fans and for the ACC that we didn’t play better, that we didn’t function better. But I mean, the same kids that I loved before this game, I love them after. They’ve given a lot.”

He’s right, they have, and it was enough for an unprecedented turnaround in the FBS -- from 0-2 to the Orange Bowl. But Virginia Tech fans don’t want to hear that. They want to celebrate after December. Four ACC titles since joining the conference is a remarkable accomplishment, and one Beamer and his staff should be commended for. Beamer has done wonders from the program, but with that success comes a responsibility. Virginia Tech has become the face of the ACC; its best hope for the best this sport has to offer. With three trips in the past four years to the biggest game the ACC has been associated with during that span, all they’ve got to show for it is a win over Cincinnati.

Because of how far they came and where they started, most within the program, including Beamer, will still consider this season a success. And it was a good season, but it could have been great.

Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale is tired of hearing about how the program has come up short in the big games, and tired of answering questions about it, but he’s too polite not to.

“I think we take it as a great privilege to represent the ACC, but in a game like this, there’s a few big plays that are going to be the deciding factor, and tonight they had the big plays that went their way and we didn’t make enough of them to make it a game,” he said. “That’s not an ACC thing, it’s a Virginia Tech thing. We didn’t play well enough.”

Not even close.

It wasn’t just that Virginia Tech lost, it was how the Hokies lost: convincingly. This team built a reputation this season on its comebacks -- not just from half to half, but from an 0-2 start to an 11-game winning streak and an ACC title. There wasn’t even a hint of a comeback, though, in the second half against Stanford. The Hokies were outscored 27-0, were manhandled up front, couldn’t run the ball, couldn’t protect their quarterback, and couldn’t stop Stanford.

Yes, Stanford and quarterback Andrew Luck are that good. But that’s part of the problem. Virginia Tech was the best team the ACC had to offer this year, and it wasn’t even close to being good enough to beat Stanford in the second half. In order for Virginia Tech, or anyone in the ACC for that matter, to start beating those top-five teams, it helps to be a top-five team -- or at least play like one when it matters most.

For all of the improvements quarterback Tyrod Taylor has made, and for all of the good he’s done for his team on and off the field, in the two losses to top-five teams this year, Virginia Tech faced quarterbacks who were even better in Luck and Kellen Moore. Stanford’s offensive line was better. The defense was smothering. Aside from a few special teams gaffes, Stanford beat the Hokies in every aspect of the game, including heart.

Running back Ryan Williams said in the second half, his team gave up.

“That’s not like Virginia Tech, at all,” he said. “I think we just lost it in our hearts to go out there and play. They wanted it more than we did.”

So did Virginia Tech fans. So did the rest of the ACC.

MIAMI -- The man on the field with the black face paint needs no introduction.

He has been a force on the Stanford defense all season. So it stood to reason he would be a force on the Stanford defense in the biggest game of the season -- a 40-12 win over Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl.

Shayne Skov led the team with 12 tackles, including three sacks and five tackles for loss in yet another inspired defensive performance. Skov led the team in tackles this season despite missing the first two games, and has been a menace to anyone standing before him.

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor can certainly attest to that. Where he had some success running out of the pocket and gaining chunks of yards in the first half, he had none in the second.

The Stanford defense buckled down shut out the Hokies after taking a 13-12 lead into halftime. More blitzes were dialed up, and more big plays from Skov came.

“The game plan was the same as it’s been all year,” Skov said. “We’re going to blitz, we’re going to pressure. We knew Tyrod was going to make plays with his legs. If guys were missing other guys were going to have to be there to cover him. Just swarm to the ball and play together on defense.”

That didn’t always work in the first half. Taylor had 43 yards rushing early in the game, and his touchdown throw was one work of art. Taylor eluded several would-be tacklers as he ran toward the sideline, somehow stayed in bounds, set his feet and delivered a laser to David Wilson into the end zone.

There would be no more of that.

“If you look at the first half, their scoring drive came when we were putting them in third and long, and then Tyrod would extend the play,” Skov said. “We had to finish the play on third down. We were tentative in first half rushing after him. The second half was really getting after him. If you miss, you miss -- get back up and come back after him.”

They did just that, as Taylor was sacked several more times and ended up with just 22 yards rushing. Virginia Tech only had 66 total yards on the ground all night. “It’s as big a point of emphasis of anything that was in the game, the way we were able to bottle up and shut down the run made them throw the football,” Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Perhaps the turning point of the game came in the third quarter, when Delano Howell intercepted a pass from Taylor. Virginia Tech had driven into Stanford territory, down 19-12. But after the mistake, Stanford scored two plays later and the rout was on.

That allowed Stanford to put even more pressure on Taylor because his running game had been taken from him. Skov deflected the credit for his big game to his defensive line, which commanded double teams. That left Skov open to make big plays -- even though he lamented missing “four or five sacks.”

“Maybe the camera missed that,” Skov said. “The credit goes to the guys up front. It’s those guys who made my life easy.”

It was yet another dominating performance for a defense that has played its best at the end of the season. Stanford gave up just 56 points in its final six games, and allowed just seven touchdowns.

Skov credits defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and a cohesiveness on a unit that grew to trust and rely on one another.

“We’ve really stuck together,” Skov said. “When you can play that way, good things are in the cards for you.”