Yesterday, College Game Balls posted 20 questions for the ACC as part of his preview of the 2009 season. A few others have already chimed in, including fsuncencored of Tomahawk Nation and Bird from The Legacyx4. Here are 20 answers on the ACC for CGB:
1. Will any team emerge as a legitimate National Championship contender or will parity continue to rule?
I think there are a lot of ACC teams that are a year away from possible being title contenders, including Virginia Tech. You'll have another year of parity and next season is when one or two teams will step up and have outstanding years.
2. Can Duke win 7 games and make it to a bowl game?
Not even close. Unfortunately for the Devils, most of their "winnable" games are on the road.
3. Will Gregg Brandon’s spread offense work at Virginia?
Not this year. They have to replace key cogs on the O-line. And find a quarterback. And hope they get Mikell Simpson 2007 instead of Mikell Simpson 2008.
4. Will Miami start the season 0-4?
No. The Canes will beat Oklahoma. Damn right I said it. The Sooners' O-line will be horrible this year and their secondary hasn't been any good since Mikey Stoops went to the desert. Miami pulls the upset.
5. Will Dabo exceed lofty expectations in year one?
I actually think expectations are tempered for the Tigers this year. And because of that I think they'll make it to the ACCCG because of their defense, not their offense.
6. Will defensive coordinators "figure out" how to stop Paul Johnson’s spread?
A better question is will Frankie's players figure out how to run the flexbone. Yes, they racked up big yards on some kids, but the Jackets have a lot of room for improvement. Fumbles cost them some games last year.
7. Can Boston College overcome the loss of ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich, departure of Dominique Davis and compete for another Atlantic Division Championship?
Sorry Brian and Jeff, but you won't have to beg the wives for a trip to Tampa this year. Or a bowl game for that matter. You'll be stuck home with the in-laws for the holidays eating fruitcake while I'll be on South Beach eating Joe's Stone Crab. Mmmmmmm. Stone crab.
8. Will the Hokies three-peat?
I'm biased, but yes they will. If they LOSE to Alabama. If the Hokies beat Bama, I can see them losing three conference games again this year. My logic being they'll think they're better than they are if they go into the Georgia Dome and beat the Tide. A loss to Bama gives the coaching staff some talking points.
9. Will Butch Davis finally get North Carolina over the hump?
I consider the hump to be winning the Coastal. Not this year.
10. Is 2009 the year the Florida State offense gets its act together?
Yes. The Noles could have the best offensive line in the conference.
11. If not do you ‘Noles really want Jimbo Fisher as your next coach?
I think they do. Whoever follows Papa Bowden will have a lot going against them. I think Fisher's capable of following a legend.
12. Is Wake Forest inside the Iron Curtain? We don’t remember reading one story about them all off-season.
It's Wake. It doesn't have a lot of alumni and doesn't have a lot of alumni clamoring for information on the football team. I've read a lot of Wake-centric stories this offseason. However, all of them have been about players that are no longer with the team.
13. In a league of running backs who is the best: Darren Evans, Jonathan Dwyer, C.J. Spiller or Da’Rel Scott?
14. Are NC State and Russell Wilson going to live up to the hype?
He will. But the Pack won't make the ACCCG.
15. Is Jacory Harris ready to lead Miami?
I don't think he is. There's a big difference between being the starting QB and being the leader of the offense. Tyrod Taylor learned that lesson last season. Toward the end of the year, it became Tyrod's team. That could happen with Harris, but like Taylor it won't be until later in the year.
16. Who’s going to emerge as Clemson’s quarterback Willy Korn, Kyle Parker or dare we suggest Tajh Boyd?
It'll be Parker, much to the chagrin of EKR.
17. Can the ACC go over .500 against the SEC?
It can and it will. The ACC was "down" last year and still had a winning record against God's Conference. Fuckers.
18. Will Maryland play with consistency this year?
It'll be more of the same from UMD this year, but with more losses.
19. Will Tyrod Taylor excel with Sean Glennon out of the picture?
Only if the O-line learns to pass block. Please, guys?
20. Who’s going to win the ACC?
The Hokies, of course.