ACC Coastal Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The ACC Coastal division is unpredictable. They don’t have elite teams so it’s much more competitive than the Atlantic. I’ll try to project where the teams will finish.
Mark Richt returned to his alma mater Miami after years of being under appreciated at Georgia. I think he makes an immediate impact for the Hurricanes. Junior quarterback Brad Kaaya is one of the best in the country. Last year he passed for 3,238 yards, 16 touchdowns and 5 picks. He should improve under Richt. He also has a very good target in wide receiver Stacy Coley.
Miami will need to get better on defense to have a chance to go back to being an elite program. The biggest game of the season is October 8th against Florida State. They also play at Notre Dame October 29th. I have them as the favorite to win the division.
The only reason I didn’t pick North Carolina to repeat as division champs is because their replacing QB Marquise Williams. Mitch Trubisky is his replacement and he’s taking over an offense that led the country at 7.3 yards per play last season.
They still have All-ACC running back Elijah Hood who ran for 1,463 yards, 17 touchdowns and averaged 6.7 yards per carry. They also have a talented receiving corps with Bug Howard, Ryan Switzer and Mack Hollins.
The UNC defense improved under new coordinator Gene Chizik in 2015. I expect them to be even better this year. The Heels open the season against Georgia at the Georgia Dome. They face Florida State and Miami on the road in October, which will be very tough games.
Duke used to be the doormat of the league but over the last three years they won at least 8 games each season.
Senior QB Thomas Sirk is the best player on offense but he ruptured his Achilles tendon in February. The Blue Devils season rides heavily on when Sirk can comeback. The toughest games are at Notre Dame, at Louisville and UNC at home. I’m not sure if they can win 8 games again in 2016.
Pitt relies on their ground game to limit errors and with their personnel it works. Former ACC Player of the Year James Conner played only one game last year after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
He finished his final chemotherapy treatment May 10th and is now cancer-free. In his place RB Qadree Ollison ran for 1,211 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Panthers have a senior QB Nathan Peterman who should be better after having an entire season of starting experience.
Pitt plays some tough teams out of conference with Penn State at home and on the road against Oklahoma State in back to back weeks.
Georgia Tech was terrible last year finishing 3-9 and winning one conference game. QB Justin Thomas will try to lead the Yellow Jackets back to a bowl game. They play Clemson at home and Georgia on the road. If Tech can’t win at least six games this should be Paul Johnson’s final year coaching them.
Virginia Tech was the model of consistency when they first entered the conference. They struggled the last few years and legendary coach Frank Beamer retired. Justin Fuente who turned Memphis into a successful program replaces him. The Hokies are going to struggle this season.
Last but not least is Virginia. Former BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall is now the headman at UVA. The Cavaliers don’t have the personnel to run the up-tempo offense he’s known for. They also are uncertain about who the starter will be at QB.
