SnoTap CFB Preview: ACC Coastal

Finally, the college football previews are beginning on SnoTap. We are trying something new looking at divisions/conferences as a whole versus breaking down every team. We look at the power six conferences, Notre Dame and independents and mid-majors. 

The Atlantic Coast Conference has not been represented in the National Championship game since 2000. While teams in their same region but different conferences have ultimate dominance in the sport, the ACC struggled to find footing with the powerhouses. This might be the first time in a long time where the ACC has three National Champion contenders, and it should not come as a surprise if we see one of those teams playing for the crystal ball.

The ACC Coastal division features a little more depth than the ACC Atlantic counterparts.  They might not be as good as Clemson and Florida State but they still could compete with the big boys if all goes right.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Duke Johnson (Miami) - DUUUUUUUUUKEE.  Just like Jameis Winston, Duke Johnson is a name people will get familiar with as the season moves on. Johnson is a burner at running back that could break one every time he touches the ball. In his freshman year, he was not even a full-time starter and still broke Clinton Portis' Miami freshman rushing record. He is also a great pass-catcher meaning he will create all sorts of problems for opponents this season. Also let us not forget, he returns kicks and punts too making him a complete triple threat.

QB Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech) - This is a big year for Thomas. He came back for his senior season because Thomas struggled mightily as a junior. If Thomas performed at a high level last year, he would have been drafted in the top ten. Thomas is one of the most unpredictable players in college football and if he performs to his potential, Virginia Tech could become a BCS quality team  Thomas must limit his turnovers with 18 interceptions last season.

QB Bryn Renner (North Carolina) - One player who had a huge year under new coach Larry Fedora was Renner. He finished the year with four straight 300 yards and North Carolina had the eighth best offense in all of the NCAA. Renner finished the year with 3,356 yards and a four to one, touchdown to interception ratio. The one difference from last year is he will be without Giovani Bernard in the backfield that would not only catch balls out of the backfield but also provide a tremendous safety outlet. They do have two returning receivers in Quinshad Davis and Sean Tapley which should help Renner.

QB Vad Lee (Georgia Tech)  - This is an ACC sleeper this year. Georgia Tech seems to get great quarterbacks that fit into Paul Johnson's system and Lee could be the best one. They already think he is a better passer than the last couple, and even if Georgia Tech primarily runs the ball,  the Yellow Jackets need to pass the ball occasionally. Lee can also run like nobody's business and given all Georgia Tech's offensive line coming back, Lee could be a revelation.

LB Dexter Perryman (Miami) - Miami's defense definitely did not look like The U of old, but Perryman could be the next great Miami linebacker.  He stops the rush better than most in the ACC but with him being undersized, Perryman can struggle sometimes in the passing game.

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Saturday August 31st - Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Played in Atlanta, Georgia) - Oh boy. This could be a big one for Virginia Tech and Logan Thomas moving forward. Head coach Frank Beamer is not afraid to face the big boys and this is the biggest one of them all.  Bud Foster is one of the best defensive minds in the game and with Bama's offensive line reshuffle, they could provide some problems.

Thursday September 26th - Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech - The Hokies have won seven of the nine games these teams have played since the Yellow Jackets have been in the ACC.  This could be a big game for division standings moving forward as both of these teams should contend for the top spots in the ACC Coastal.

Thursday October 17th - Miami at North Carolina - We made a big deal about Thursday night game in our first ACC preview and we will again for this one. The Hurricanes are probably the ACC Coastal favorite heading into Kenan Memorial Stadium where it is not easy to play smells like a potential upset. Although if North Carolina gets their shit  together on defense, this might be a battle for first place.  

Saturday November 9th - Virginia Tech at Miami - These two teams always seem to play classics and for the longest time, they battle for top supremacy in the ACC. It could happen again for the first time in a long while. Thomas v. Morris is a fascinating quarterback matchup as well.

Friday November 29th - Miami at Pittsburgh - Any time you have a team based in Miami, head to Pittsburgh in the last week of November, it is ripe for an upset. I also would not sleep on the Panthers. I think they could be better than people are saying right now.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Will The U be The U again? - People feel The U are a sneaky National Champion contender team. I personally feel like their schedule might be too tough, but they do bring a lot back. We already talked about Duke Johnson and no one really talks about Van Wilder first-teamer Stephen Morris whose really developed as a quarterback. The biggest concern is their defense which finished dead in stopping both the rushing and passing. They did get bailed out by having the second-best turnover margin in the ACC with a +7, that will need to be a positive number again.

Which Quarterback will come out on top? - Most of the time, it starts at quarterbacks with teams. We talked about Morris, Renner, Thomas and Lee already and another one worth mentioning is Tom Savage, the projected starter at Pittsburgh. Savage was one of Rutgers biggest recruits and never developed into a top starter. The weird thing is given Morris' build, he could end up being a first-round draft pick, but there should be some shootouts with these gunslingers.

Why is Georgia Tech a sleeper every year to win this division? - My buddy Doz loves the wishbone offense. He did it in high school and in college. I feel Georgia Tech gets disrespected for running an old-school offense. No one is talking about this team yet they bring back five offensive lineman and two running backs for their high-powered offense plus we mentioned Lee's abilities at quarterback. They also bring back eight starters on an average defense last year so there is room for development.

Can North Carolina actually play defense this year? - By the numbers, Miami is significantly worse at defense but if you look at just the scores, the Tar Heels look way worse off. They only lost four games, but in those games, North Carolina gave up 68, 39, 33, 28 points and in wins, they outscored multiple opponents in order to get some wins. The Heels need to show some improvement on the defensive side of the ball.

No way people get frustrated with Frank Beamer, right? - Virginia Tech had a disappointing 7-6 season last year with Thomas' struggles. If the Hokies end up around seven wins again this year,  does head coach Frank Beamer start seeing some pressure?  I doubt it honestly, but I could see some rumblings even if they have been in two BCS bowl games in 2010 and 2011.  

PROJECTED FINISH
1.) Miami
2.) Georgia Tech
3.) Virginia Tech
4.) Pittsburgh
5.) North Carolina
6.) Virginia
7.) Duke

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE U.  Seriously excited for them this season and I cannot explain why I like Pittsburgh so much. I'm sorry.  Miami-Florida State in the ACC Championship would be awesome.

Charlie.

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SnoTap 12-Pack: College Football Players to Watch

At least for the next two days, the SnoTap 12-Pack will be a thing. I have no idea if it will continue weekly, monthly or whenever I feel like it. I also understand there are so, so many good players left off this list, I would love to hear your list on Twitter or in the comments section. 

12.) Marqise Lee, Wide Receiver, USC, Junior - One of the most electrifying receivers in college football. Lee will definitely put up some big numbers when it comes to grabbing all ball thrown to him looking like no Pac-12 opposing secondary can stop him. Lee had seven games where he had 10 or more catches and only had five games where he did not have 100 yards of receiving. He always has breakaway speed making him a threat for the deep ball. Now, he does need a quarterback to throw him the ball.

11.) Duke Johnson, Running Back, Miami, Sophomore - This man is an absolute beast in the making. He might not be familiar with casual college football fans, but he definitely could be the next in the long linage of Miami running backs. Johnson is an absolute threat to score every single time he touches the football and cuts like the sharpest knife in the drawer. Johnson is one of the reasons why there will be articles from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and others on why 'The U is back.'

10.) Taylor Lewan, Offensive Lineman, Michigan, Senior - Many people would not put a lineman in their 12 players to watch, but most people do not watch the position. I did more so when I still played to learn more about the position, but now and again, I will watch the lineman versus the play happening. Lewan will be the player to watch this year as he might be a top five pick in the NFL Draft next year.  He also has a finger mustache tattoo which is a just a fantastic side note.  

SnoTap 12-Pack Wisconsin Special 
Melvin Gordon, Running Back, Wisconsin, Sophomore - While he will not even start this year for the Badgers, he has to be the most exciting player coming back to the roster right?  Gordon has SEC speed and can catch the ball out of the backfield making him a versatile player. James White is not a bruising back by any means, but Gordon and him could be a thunder/lightening duo on the year wearing down opposing teams. Not outrageous to think Gordon might have Heisman consideration in years to come.

9.) Anthony Barr, Linebacker, UCLA 


Other than the bad man in Columbia, South Carolina, there is not a player in college football who will inflict more pain than Barr.  He is a machine in Jim Mora's 3-4 defense and projected to be a top pick in next year's draft.  Barr is more famously known for his punishing hit on former USC quarterback Matt Barkley, but he is so much more than just one single hit. Barr has fantastic closing speed and can truly get off the ball. He is one of two linebackers (Kyle Van Noy says hello) to really keep a close eye on all Fall.  

8.) Braxton Miller, Quarterback, Ohio State, Junior - When the rumors started about Urban Meyer going to Ohio State, I told my old roommate Seth that 'Braxton Miller might be a Heisman by his junior year.' Miller will definitely have that chance this year. This is his second year in Urban Meyer's system which tends to be the golden ticket...  Alex Smith threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns along with 600 yards of rushing in year 2 in Meyer's system leading them to an undefeated record. Tim Tebow had over 2,800 yards passing and almost 900 yards rushing to go along with 55 total touchdowns; Tebow won the Heisman and a National Championship. It should be expected that Miller will be excellent.

7.) Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Oregon, Sophomore - In my opinion, he is the most underrated player in all of college football. People love to talk about Manziel, Miller, Boyd but somehow Mariotta gets forgotten. Why is that?  In part, he is on the west coast and players not in Los Angeles tend to get a little less love than your SEC/B1G players even though Oregon is an extremely public team, some of their games are on when people are sleeping or attempting to get black out drunk. The other might be the system. I am telling you Mariotta is far from a system quarterback and he will be a contender to be one of the best quarterbacks all year.

6.) T.J. Yeldon, Running Back, Alabama, Sophomore - Want the next Adrian Peterson? This might be your answer. We have talked about Johnson and Gordon plus countless other great ones but Yeldon might be the best running back of the year when it is all said and done. Yeldon has the rare combination of size and speed that is unmatched by most in college football. After being in the shadows of Eddie Lacy, he will be ready to shine this season. We all saw a glimpse of Yeldon's potential late last season when he broke out for over 150 yards against Georgia and followed it up with another 100 yard performance against a tough Notre Dame run defense.

 5.) Louis Nix, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame, Senior - There are some players I am happy to see stay in school because I get to watch them dominate for another year. Louis Nix is one of those players. He is the definition of a space eater but he also has feet like a ballerina. The size and speed Nix brings to the table is a sight to see on a weekly basis. Nix can make plays to disrupt both the pass and the rush as well as clear pathways for linebackers.  Much of Manti Te'o's success in stopping the run and getting through on blitzes is due to Nix and Stephon Tuitt.

4.) Tajh Boyd, Quarterback, Clemson, Senior - Maybe I am alone on an island, but I feel like he could be a hell of an NFL quarterback. I hope we have gotten past 'Well he's too short for the position' because Russell Wilson would love to have a word with you. Clemson is known for their car crash finishes to their season, and Boyd is the type of player that could change things. In the last two years, Boyd's yardage is near 4,000 yards with 35+ touchdowns and last year he increased his running yardage from 200 to 500 yards. What he will do for his final encore could be truly special.  

3.) Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback, Louisville, Junior - I can still remember watching Louisville-Cincinnati with the Bellevue boys on a Friday night. I kept telling them about the potential Bridgewater possessed; many had not heard of him yet as he was a virtual unknown to casual fans in late October.  I told them I believe he will be a top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and could make Louisville a National Championship contender. I have no idea why I started so high on Bridgewater, but I love everything about his game. Every single positive adjective used to describe a quarterback can be used for Bridgewater.

2.) Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End, South Carolina, Junior - Hate to keep going down memory road, but I still recall seeing Clowney commit to college. I worked out early that morning and wondered 'Is this kid really worth the hype?' My self-asked question would be answered quickly and swiftly in the first year Clowney played at South Carolina. He is a beast, freak, and any other word to describe someone whom seems like a superhero in football pads. For his short career, he has 21 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 35.5 tackles for losses and probably many more assists for South Carolina linebackers. He is must-see TV every week.

1.) Johnny Manziel, Quarterback Texas A&M, Sophomore


 He is the number one and maybe not for the reason stated above. Right now, Manziel is the most-talked about college athlete and probably top three most talked about athlete in all sports. If Dirk Notwitzki read ESPN's Wright Thompson's piece on Manziel, he would be shutting it down and going home, it's that good.  Manziel will drive the ratings of the Alabama-Texas A&M to astronomical numbers for the second game of the season.  None of this currently has to do with football, but truthfully, he is one of the most fun players to watch in college football. Let's hope there is no sophomore slump.

Charlie.  

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