Thread: Bosshogg's NCAA football conference by conference breakdown

Over the next two weeks I will break down each conference in the NCAA. I will try to give as much insite and information that I can dig up so that everyone is ready for the up and coming college football season.

Today I will start with the ACC or Atlantic Coast Conference....


Preseason Rankings
Atlantic:
1) Clemson
2) Wake Forest
3) Florida State
4) Maryland
5) Boston College
6) N.C. State

Coastal:
1) Virginia Tech
2) North Carolina
3) Miami
4) Georgia Tech
5) Virginia
6) Duke

All ACC Team
QB: Cullen Harper, Senior, Clemson
QB: Riley Skinner, Junior, Wake Forest
RB: James Davis, Senior, Clemson
RB: Josh Adams, Sophmore, Wake Forest
RB: C.J. Spiller, Junior, Clemson
WR: Aaron Kelly, Senior, Clemson
WR: Hakeem Nicks, Junior, North Carolina
WR: Darrius Heyward-bey, Junior, Maryland
TE: Ryan Purvis, Senior, Boston College
TE: Anthony Hill, Senior, N.C. State
C: Thomas Austin, Junior, Clemson
OL: Jason Fox, Junior, Miami
OL: Andrew Gardner, Senior, Georgia Tech
OL: Rodney Hudson, Sophmore, Florida State
OL: Eugene Monroe, Senior, Virginia

DL: Alex Albright, Junior, Boston College
DL: Everette Brown, Junior, Florida State
DL: Dorell Scott, Senior, Clemson
DL: Vance Walker, Senior, Georgia Tech
LB: Aaron Curry, Senior, Wake Forest
LB: Clint Sintim, Senior, Virginia
CB: Victor Harris, Senior, Virginia Tech
CB: Alphonso Smith, Senior, Wake Forest
S: Michael Hamlin, Senior, Clemson
S: Chip Vaughn, Senior, Wake Forest

K: Sam Swank, Senior, Wake Forest
P: Graham Gano, Senior, Florida State
KR: C.J. Spiller, Junior, Clemson
PR: Vic Hall, Junior, Virginia

Code:

Unit Rankings
			QB  RB  WR/TE  OL  DL  LB  DB
Boston College		8   11	  3    6   1   3   12
Clemson			1   1     1    11  2   10  1
Duke			5   10    5    12  5   7   11
Florida State 		4   5     2    4   4   5   3
Georgia Tech		10  6     12   10  3   11  10
Maryland		7   9     6    1   11  4   9
Miami		        12  2     9    7   8   6   6    
North Carolina		6   8     4    3   10  8   4
NC State     		9   4     8    5   6   12  7
Virginia		11  7     7    9   12  1   8
Virginia Tech		3   12    11   2   9   9   5
Wake Forest		2   3     10   8   7   2   2

My #1 ACC team breakdown.........

Offense:
Quarterback Cullen Harper returns for his final year after vastly exceeding expectations in 2007. Tailback James Davis went back on his decision to turn pro and combines with junior C.J. Spiller to form perhaps the most dynamic backfield tandem in college football. Harper has his favorite reciever back in Aaron Kelly, who caught 88 balls for 1,081 yards and 11 TD's last year.

The big question mark is up front, where Clemson lost three full-time starters. The offenisve line struggled last season against imposing defenses, and the new guys have plenty of talent but could take a while to develop. Replacing Barry Richardson at left tackle could be a tall order for heretofore underachieving junior Cory Lambert. Right tackle Chris Hairston is considered a future star, and the center position is solid with the return of junior Thomas Austin. Of greater concern is the tow gaurd positions.

Defense:
The defense could maintain its Top 10 form if it finds a way to fill some big holes at linebacker. Inexperience and uncertainty surrounded this group as the Tigers broke for summer. Already gone were starters Nick Watkins and Tramaine Billie, who combined for 65 career starts and 639 tackles. And the status of seniors Cortney Vincent and Antonio Clay was uncertain. Vincent was arrested for DUI in December, and that case was still pending. Then he was booted for spring practice for another misstep after an unspecified violation of team policy. For the second year in a row, Clay went home for the spring semester to deal with personal issues stemming from the September 2006 death of his sister in a car accident.
Redshirt freshman Brandon Maye stood out at middle linebacker during the spring. Sophmore Scotty Cooper is budding star at strong-side linebacker, and Kavell Conner appears ready to take over for Watkins on the other side.
The front four is in good shape despite the loss of end Phillip Merling, who left for the NFL after his junior year. The strength is in the interior, where senior Dorell Scott is primed for a big year after coming on late last season. It's only a matter of time before stud freshman Da'Quan Bowers, one of the school's top recruits ever, nabs a starting role at Merling's vacated position.
The Tigers might have the best secondary in the ACC. Seniors Michal Hamlin and Chris Clemons are rock-solid at the safety positions; Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler form an underrated corner tandem.

Specialist:
Mark Buchholz made only 61 percent of his kicks last season, struggling with long distance and attempts from the hash marks. Former walk-on Jimmy Maners had a solid year at punter but will be challenged by Richard Jackson.

Final Analysis:
A total of 89 yards. That's the combined rushing output, including lost yardage for sacks, for Clemson last year in regular-season games against Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. The Tigers lost all three games, and that was the difference between a great team and a good one. Against physical defenses, Clemson's offensive line was simply not good enough to move people off the ball. If the Tigers improve in this area, they're a good bet to finally win the Atlantic Division and play for their first ACC title since 1991. If not, don't be surprised if they're yet again bemoaning how close they came to glory.

2008 Schedule

Alabama
The Citadel
N.C. State
South Carolina State
Maryland
at Wake Forest
Georgia Tech
at Boston College
at Florida State
Duke
at Virginia
South Carolina

Looking at this schedule, I think the Wake Forest and Florida State will be their toughest games. The other games should be wins for Clemson.

Myrone Rolle not All-ACC?

Originally Posted by Dream

Myrone Rolle not All-ACC?

He would be on my 2nd team All ACC team... Rolle has tremendous potential in the NFL and he should have a very good year this year, but Michael Hamlin and Chip Vaughn are very good in their own right and as for college football talent for the 2008 season, I have to place them above Rolle. When it is all said and done, I think Rolle will have the better NFL career. I'm writing about college football though and not necessarily about future talent in the NFL.

Chip Vaughn
105 tackles 1 INT

Michael Hamlin
97 tackles 4 INT

Myron Rolle
67 tackles 0 INT

Next up.... Big 12 Conference

Preseason Rankings

Big 12 North:
1) Missouri
2) Kansas
3) Colorado
4) Nebraska
5) Kansas State
6) Iowa State

Big 12 South:
1) Oklahoma
2) Texas
3) Texas Tech
4) Oklahoma State
5) Texas A&M
6) Baylor

All Big 12 Team
QB: Chase Daniel, Senior, Missouri
QB: Sam Bradford, Sophmore, Oklahoma
RB: Mike Goodson, Junior, Texas A&M
RB: Marlon Lucky, Senior, Nebraska
RB: DeMarco Murray, Sophmore, Oklahoma
WR: Michael Crabtree, Sophmore, Texas Tech
WR: Jeremy Maclin, Sophmore, Missouri
WR: Juaquin Iglesias, Senior, Oklahoma
TE: Chase Coffman, Senior, Missouri
TE: Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma
C: Jon Cooper, Senior, Oklahoma
OL: Cedric Dockery, Senior, Texas
OL: Phil Loadholt, Senior, Oklahoma
OL: Duke Robinson, Senior, Oklahoma
OL: Louis Vasquez, Senior, Texas Tech

DL: Auston English, Junior, Oklahoma
DL: George Hypolite, Senior, Colorado
DL: Gerald McCoy, Sophmore, Oklahoma
DL: Brian Orakpo, Senior, Texas
LB: Joe Mortensen, Senior, Kansas
LB: Joe Pawelek, Junior, Baylor
LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Junior, Missouri
CB: Chris Harris, Sophmore, Kansas
CB: Jamar Wall, Junior, Texas Tech
S: Nic Harris, Senior, Oklahoma
S: William Moore, Senior, Missouri

K: Jeff Wolfert, Senior, Missouri
P: Justin Brantly, Senior, Texas A&M
KR: Marcus Herford, Senior, Kansas
PR: Jeremy Maclin, Sophmore, Missouri

Code:

			QB  RB  WR/TE  OL  DL  LB  DB
Baylor			10  12    7    9   9   10  12
Colorado		11  9     9    10  6   5   9
Iowa State		12  7     11   12  11  9   5
Kansas			3   4     4    4   3   1   1
Kansas State		9   11    10   8   5   6   8
Missouri		1   6     1    6   4   2   7
Nebraska		8   3     8    5   7   8   6
Oklahoma 		2   1     3    1   1   4   4
Oklahoma State		7   8     6    7   12  11  11
Texas			5   5     5    2   2   3   10
Texas A&M		6   2     12   11  10  12  3
Texas Tech		4   10    2    3   8   7   2

My #1 Big 12 team breakdown.........

Oklahoma

Offense: Oklahoma entered the 2007 season unsure of what it had a quarterback. Safe to say the Sooners are sure now. Sam Bradford emerged from a three-man competition to produce one of the greatest freshman seasons in NCAA history. Behind a veteran and talented offensive line and armed with proven weapons across the board, Bradford seems poised to lead the Sooners toward another Big 12 title and perhaps more. Bradford led the nation in passing effieciency and set the NCAA freshman record with 36 touchdown passes a year ago. Now what? The natural assumption is that Bradford will be even better in his second season. While it's not always that simple, the sophmore slump shouldn't be an issue. And it's not like he doesn't have help.

OU's offensive line, built around top pro prospects Duke Robinson and Phil Loadholt and returning every starter, rates among the nation's best. The Sooners aslo return veteran receivers Juaguin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson and tight end on the verge of a major breakout in Jermaine Gresham. Running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown combined for 1,375 yards and 22 touchdowns playing behind departed senior Allen Patrick. Murray, just a sophmore, is a speedy and elusive runner with star potential.

Defense:
The Sooners will lean on a potentially dominant front four to control the line of scrimmage while an in-transition back seven shakes out. Tackles Gerald McCoy and DeMarcus Granger team with ends Auston English and Jeremy Beal to for an imposing front that is equally effective against the run and the pass.
Behind them, there's talent, yet question marks due ot inexperience. Safeties Nic Harris and Lendy Holmes are all-star candidates who offer some stability in the secondary. But both cornerbacks will be new, with the spots likely filled by sophmore Dominique Franks and little-used junior Brian Jackson. Each played well enough in the spring to ease some concern.
A major overhaul takes place at linebacker, where Curtis Lofton jumped to the NFL after recording 157 tackles. Ryan Reynolds is the lone player with experience, and his career has been hampered by injuries. The fate of the unit could rest on the rapid development of incoming junior college transfers J.R. Bryant and Mike Balogun and redshirt freshman Travis Lewis and Austin Box.

Specialist:
OU led the nation in kickoff returns a year ago and returns its top options, Iglesias and Murray. Mike Knall is one of the Big 12's best punters, in terms of both yardage and hang time, but the Sooners must find someone to handle kicking duties.

Final Analyis:
Oklahoma's 11-3 finish in 2007 featured a Big 12 championship, its conference-high fifth since the inception of the league. Still, the team and its fan crave something more: an eigth national championship. The Sooners should be in the conversation if the offense picks up where it left off and the defense doesn't reveal too much of its youth and inexperience. The schedule offers few potential roadblocks. Bradford should thrive in Year 2, flanked by playmakers all around. But lingering uncertainty at linebacker and in the secondary at the close of spring left the Sooners with much work to do in August. If the defense is slow to come around, the Sooners could slip in the Big 12 South. If the defense arrives on time, OU could play for National Championship.

2008 Schedule
Chattanooga
Cincinnati
at Washington
TCU
at Baylor
Texas
Kansas
at Kansas State
Nebraska
at Texas A&M
Texas Tech
at Oklahoma State

Looking at the schedule I think the Texas and Texas Tech games should be good ones and potential hazards for a very talented and promising Oklahoma team.

I agree with you on Clemson. If they can find a way to get better up front along the O-line, even after losing those 3 starters, they have everything else covered. That's a tall order to fill but Clemson has always done well in getting top recruits along both the O-line and D-line so this is very possible. Their a very good deep ball club and are in pretty good shape schedule wise with 8 home games and 4 away, to make a serious run at the ACC title and a nice BCS game.








ouch

Boss, what's your take on Cody Hawkins?

Originally Posted by slim

Boss, what's your take on Cody Hawkins?

I'm guessing he's high on one of two players...or both...Hawkins or Ballenger.

Originally Posted by slim

Boss, what's your take on Cody Hawkins?

I think the sophmore should have a pretty good year. He showed last year that he can manage things pretty well. I think he will put up big numbers. By the middle of last season CU was starting two freshman on the offensive line. I think the offensive wasn't really opened up like it should be because of all the young talent.... Now that they all have more experience I think you will see the very under-rated talent CU has at receiver. Josh Smith is a very, very good receiver. I think a lot more people will know his name after this season is over with. Darell Scott should be an instant success and help Cody Hawkins as well.

Its kind of hard for any FSU prospect to stand out stat wise because there so talented and everybody flies to the ball. There front 7 is not lacking anything so its really not mandatory that Rolle gets up in the box to make alot of tackles. But him as a NFL prospect is amazing. I think hes ACC all first team regardless. I also find it hard to believe t hat only 4 of your all ACC team comes from FSU and Miami.... But then again its your own personal list.

Originally Posted by CasinoRoyal

Its kind of hard for any FSU prospect to stand out stat wise because there so talented and everybody flies to the ball. There front 7 is not lacking anything so its really not mandatory that Rolle gets up in the box to make alot of tackles. But him as a NFL prospect is amazing. I think hes ACC all first team regardless. I also find it hard to believe t hat only 4 of your all ACC team comes from FSU and Miami.... But then again its your own personal list.

I agree that Rolle has great value in the NFL... if you follow my post at all you should know by now that I have a man crush on Taylor Mays and Myron Rolle. I'm guessing you don't though and that is why you posted what you did. As for you opinion on FSU and Miami, I'm not posting NFL talent... My job as a writer for the Broncos Forums is to evaluate college talent... not NFL. If you want me to post a list of NFL talent out of the ACC it would be different. However, I'm not taking that approach with my columns, I'm simply stating who is who and what in college football. I'm not here to write about potential or 2009, I'm writing about the 2008 season.

Yeah well your list is just bad regardless of NFL projected players also. So is your Big-12 list.

Originally Posted by CasinoRoyal

Yeah well your list is just bad regardless of NFL projected players also. So is your Big-12 list.

Well thought-out analysis. Keep it up

Originally Posted by CasinoRoyal

Yeah well your list is just bad regardless of NFL projected players also. So is your Big-12 list.

I would love to see your list so I can learn from a ture NCAA guru. I would also like to apologize that I couldn't satisfy your needs and create a suitable list to your liking. I will thrive really hard in the future to gain your approval.