Virginia Tech Hokies Season Preview

Heading into the fall, prime projects include rebuilding the off ensive line around T Jonathan McLaughlin and G Wyatt Teller, improving the consistency of QB Michael Brewer, replacing both safety positions and developing overall depth on defense...Th e Hokies made progress in all areas in the spring...G Augie Conte, T Wade Hansen and C Eric Gallo emerged as the leaders to fi ll the other positions on the line... With a year of being in the system, Brewer, who completed 59% of his passes for 2,692 yards and 18 TDs, should be improved ...He will have several weapons at his disposal...One of the reasons for Tech’s late-season surge was the play of its fourth-string TB in J.C. Coleman, who ran for 468 yards and a 5.8 average in the fi nal four games of the year...Coleman will be joined by TBs Marshawn Williams (471 yds), Shai McKenzie and Trey Edmunds aft er their rehab from their 2014 injuries...WRs Isaiah Ford (56 catches) and Cam Phillips (40 catches) and TE Bucky Hodges (45 catches, 7 TDs) were revelations as freshmen...Th ey will be joined by TEs Ryan Malleck and Kalvin Cline and WRs Kevin Asante and Demetri Knowles to form a deep corps of receivers...Defensively, Tech should have as good a line as anyone in the ACC with DEs Nicolas and Ekanem, who combined for 18.5 sacks, joined by DTs Maddy, Marshall, Williams and Woody Baron...LBs Deon Clarke and Andrew Motuapuaka ended 2014 as an athletic, productive pair and will be joined by Ronny Vandyke at OLB...Fuller and Chuck Clark enter fall as the starters at CB with former starter Brandon Facyson and Greg Stroman also in the mix...Junior Desmond Fyre ended spring ahead of Donovan Riley at FS while soph C.J. Reavis heads into the fall just ahead of Terrell Edmunds at rover.

Virginia Cavaliers Season Preview

Coach London will welcome back 44 returning lettermen and 12 starters...Off ensive priorities include developing playmakers at wide receiver and running back...Johns impressed in the spring and claimed the starting QB position with Lambert then deciding to transfer...But the Cavaliers received a pair of transfers themselves in RB Albert Reid (Maryland) and TE Charlie Hopkins (Stanford)...Th e off ensive line returns four starters in Ts Michael Mooney and Eric Smith, G Ryan Doull and C Ross Burbank...Burbank moved to G, with Jackson Matteo taking over at C and redshirt freshman Jake Fieler ended spring ahead of Smith at the RT position...UVa improved to 19th nationally in sacks allowed last year a lot of the credit for that goes to its O-line which this year will work to improve the Cavaliers’ ground attack...RBs Taquan Mizzell (280 yds, 4.4 avg, 39 catches), Daniel Hamm and Reid step into the void left by Parks, who had 3,219 career rushing yards...UNC graduate transfer T.J. Th orpe will add a deep threat to a receiver corps that already includes WRs Canaan Severin (42 catches, 5 TDs), Andre Levrone and Keeon Johnson...Defensively, UVa will have to fi nd replacements for fi ve of its top six tacklers from a year ago...DE Mike Moore and DT David Dean return to the line as does DE Kwontie Moore and DTs Andrew Brown and Donte Wilkins, a trio of key backups from last year...LB Micah Kiser (15 tackles) and OLB Zach Bradshaw fi nished spring as the leaders at MLB and WLB, respectively and will be joined by SLB Mark Hall.....Blanding leads a veteran secondary that also includes Maurice Canady, 2013 starter CB Demetrious Nicholson and Tim Harris at CB with Kelvin Rainey taking over the SS position.

Pittsburgh Panthers Season Preview

Narduzzi and his new staff will welcome back 17 returning starters from last year’s team, eight on off ense and seven on defense, as well as both PK Chris Blewitt and P Ryan Winslow... Heading into the fall, the main priorities are to fi ll the gaps on the off ensive line and fi nd a receiver to complement Boyd...Th e line should be helped by the return of C Artie Rowell, who can play C or G and missed all but two games of last year with an injury...Rowell will join returning starters T Adam Bisnowaty, G Dorian Johnson and C Alex Offi cer...At the other tackle, sophomore Aaron Reese will be a viable candidate while redshirt freshman Alex Bookser, also a leading candidate to fi ll the vacant guard position, is a possibility at tackle as well...At WR, junior Dontez Ford (3 catches) sophomores Zach Challingsworth and Jester Weah are possibilities to take some pressure off Boyd who will be in line for national honors this fall... Conner leads a talented tailback corps that includes RB Chris James (437 yds, 5.0 avg.) ...With a year of experience under his belt, QB Chad Voytik should also be more consistent...Defensively, DT Darryl Render and NT Khaynin Mosley-Smith return inside... Senior DE Ejuan Price ended spring ahead of last year’s starter Shakir Soto at one end, while sophomore DE Rori Blair is at the other with junior NT Tyrique Jarrett battling Mosley-Smith for starting honors...MLB Matt Galambos (72 tackles) is the lone returning starter at linebacker, while Bam Bradley (36 tackles) and Nicholas Grigsby, who both saw action last year head to the fall as starter with Quintin Wirginis and redshirt freshman Jamal Davis competing for playing time...Th ree starters return to the secondary in CBs Lafayette Pitts and Avonte Maddox and FS Reggie Mitchell (62 tackles, 7 PBUs) with sophomore Pat Amara and junior Jevonte Pitts competing for the boundary safety position.

North Carolina Tarheels Season Preview

North Carolina should again be good on off ense with 10 starters returning led by Williams, WRs Switzer, Hollins, Quinshad Davis and Bug Howard and a running back corps led by T.J. Logan (582 yds) but including Ellijah Hood, Romar Morris and Khris Francis...Most importantly all fi ve starters on the off ensive line also return and four of them--Ts Jonathan Heck and John Ferranto, G Caleb Peterson and C Lucas Crowley--are juniors joining senior G Turner, though sophomore Bentley Spain emerged from spring as the starter at LT while sophomore G Jared Cohen is pushing Peterson for playing time ...Talented backup QB Mitch Trubisky also returns to provide quality depth...It is on defense, though, that the Tar Heels must improve in order to challenge for the Coastal Division title...New coordinator and former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik brings with him a new 4-3 defensive scheme and the credentials to improve a unit that was ranked 117th in total defense last fall...Chizik will have a couple of young, promising players in Drennon (5.5 TFLs) and Nazair (7.5 TFLs) who saw signifi cant action as freshmen...Senior DT Justin Th omason also returns upfront where he started all 13 games a year ago...Also returning is DE Junior Gnonkonde, DE Jeremiah Clarke and DT Tyler Powell and they will be pushed by January enrollee Jalen Dalton...Senior LB Jeff Schoettmer (74 tackles, 6 TFLs) was the second leading tackler on the team a year ago and returns to lead a LB corps that includes Shakeel Rashad, Joe Jackson, Cayson Collins, Tyrell Tomlin, Cole Holcomb and January enrollee Andre Smith...Two of the three starting CBs return in Brian Walker (3 INTs) and Des Lawrence (71 tackles), but they ended spring in battles with M.J. Stewart and Malik Simmons (34 tackles at Ram) for starting honors, while Sam Smiley (52 tackles, 1 INT) heads into the fall as the leader at free safety with freshman J.K. Britt and junior Dominqiue Green (41 tackles) in the running at strong safety.

Miami Hurricanes Season Preview

Twelve starters return, including fi ve each on off ense and defense plus PKs Michael Badgley and P Justin Vogel....Th e Canes’ primary off ensive task will be to fi nd replacements for Johnson, Walford and Dorsett and rebuild the off ensive line...Yearby (509 yds), an elusive speedster, and Gus Edwards, a physical back, and freshman Mark Walton look to share the load carried by Johnson...Th e return to form of WR Stacy Coley (23 catches), a playmaker as a freshman who was inconsistent as a sophomore, would help the WR corps which also returns Malcolm Lewis (25 catches), Braxton Berrios (21 catches), Herb Waters (20 catches) and Rashawn Scott...Replacing Walford will be a big task, but junior TE Standish Dobard has ability...K.C. McDermott, Nick Linder, Sonny Odogwu and Alex Gall are possibilities for the off ensive line to team with returning starters Trevor Darling at T and Daniel Isidora at G...With a year under his belt in the off ensive system of coordinator James Coley, Kaaya should be even better and could challenge for national honors...Defensively, Miami made strides in 2014, fi nishing 14th nationally in total defense...DT Calvin Heurtelou returns upfront and will be joined by DEs Chad Th omas, Jelani Hamilton and Al Quadin Muhammad and DTs Ufomba Kamalu and Courtel Jenkins... Raphael Kirby (54 tackles) and Juwon Young return at MLB with Darrion Owens and Tyriq McCord battling at SLB and Jermaine Grace (60 tackles) at OLB...In the secondary, CB Artie Burns and S Deon Bush (53 tackles, 2 INTs) both return as do CBs Tracy Howard (20 tackles) and CB Corn Elder (34 tackles) with Dallas Crawford (35 tackles) and Jamal Carter competing at safety.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Season Preview

Off ensive priorities this fall include replacing both starting B-backs, A-Backs and wide receivers, in other words just about everyone who touched the football besides the multi-talented Th omas...Broderick Snoddy and Isiah Willis head into the fall as the leaders at A-Back with Qua Seary and Clinton Lynch in the running for playing time...At B-Back, Marcus Allen emerged from the spring at the top of the depth chart, but Stanford graduate transfer Patrick Skov will provide plenty of quality competition...Micheal Summers (7 catches) and Ricky Jeune are the leaders at WR, but Antonio Messick and Brandon Oliver are in the mix as well...Th e good news is four starters return upfront in Burden, Chamberlain, G Errin Joe and T Trey Braun with massive G Shamire Devine moving into the other starting role...Defensively, Coordinator Ted Roof’s crew improved measurably during the second half of 2014, forcing 19 turnovers in its fi nal seven games...With eight starters returning, including DE KeShun Freeman (4.5 sacks) and DT Adam Gotsis (3.0 sacks) upfront, look for them to be improved in 2015...Th e return of DT Jabari Hunt-Days, a 2013 starter who missed all of last year, should help a unit that also includes DTs Francis Kallon and Patrick Gamble as well as DEs Kenderius Whitehead, Rod RookChungong and Antonio Simmons...Leading tackler LB P.J. Davis (119 tackles) heads a group that includes Tyler Marcordes and Terrell Lewis...Th e secondary features four starters returning in CBs D.J. White and Chris Milton, FS Jamal Golden and SS Demond Smith (72 hits).

Duke Blue Devils Season Preview

Offensively, Duke’s main priorities will be to confi rm a replacement for Boone, who threw for 2,700 yards and 19 TDs last fall, and come up with replacements for Crowder, Tomlinson and Cofi eld, three of the better players at their positions in program history...Junior QB Th omas Sirk, who had 11 TDR in a reserve and short-yardage role last fall, emerged from spring as Boone’s successor...Senior WR Max McCaff rey (37 catches) heads a receiver corps that also includes WRs Johnell Barnes (23 catches) and Chris Taylor as well as TEs David Reeves (13 catches) and 2013 TE starter Braxton Deaver... Duke returns a bevy of RBs in Shaquille Powell (618 yards), Shaun Wilson (598 yds, 7.7 avg.), Joseph Ajeigbe (150 yds) and Jela Duncan, Duke’s second-leading rusher in 2013 who missed all of 2014... Skura leads an off ensive line that includes G Lucas Patrick and Ts Casey Blaser and Gabe Brandner with Cody Robinson and Tanner Stone competing for the other guard spot...Defensively, Duke suff ered an off season blow when senior Kelby Brown, an All-ACC linebacker who missed all of 2014 with an injury, saw his career end with another knee injury in July...Th at leaves safety convert Dwayne Norman joining Mike Holmes and Zavier Carmichael to compete for playing time ...On the defensive line, DT Carlos Wray is only returning starter, but DT A.J. Wolf, DT Mike Ramsay and DE Kyler Brown have all seen playing time while senior DE Britton Grier came out of spring as the other starter at DE...Th e strength of Duke’s defense is its secondary where Cash leads a veteran and talented group that includes CBs Breon Borders and Bryon Fields and safeties DeVon Edwards and Deondre Singleton. Th is quintet has 96 starts between them already with Cash the only senior.