State Of The Program: Coastal Edition

Today we take a look at every program in the Coastal Division with an eye towards who is coming back next season and which teams have holes to fill.

 

Duke Blue Devils

Duke has 12 returning starters for next season, split evenly between offense and defense at six apiece.

Offense

Offensively, the Blue Devils have to find a way to replace QB Anthony Boone and WR’s Jamison Crowder and Issac Blakeney. The good news is they return three starters on the O-line, as well as RB Shaq Powell and WR Max “you may know my dad Ed” McCaffrey. Johnell Barnes seems poised to take his place as a starting receiver next season, while the third WR spot will be up for grabs this spring. The biggest task Duke faces this spring is figuring out who will take the reigns as QB. Thomas Sirk saw the field a fair amount this past season, coming in on mostly designed QB runs. Sirk was effective when he was on the field, accounting for 8 rushing TD’s as well as three passing TD’s. It would seem as though the job is his for the taking, but R-FR Parker Boehme could make a push in spring ball.

Defense

Duke returns all five members of their 4-2-5 secondary. Clearly, this will be the strength of the team, but their task next season will be a difficult one as the “front seven” (six in this scheme) will be gutted after graduation. In addition to losing their two linebackers and three out of four starters on the d-line, Duke also loses their back-up defensive end and defensive tackle. So while Duke’s secondary remains intact, they must replace six out of eight players in the two-deep of their d-line, as well as both linebackers. Unless Duke can find some pass rush answers and some reliable linebackers this spring, their five returning starters in the secondary won’t mean very much. If a good QB has enough time to throw, they can pick apart five All-Americans. I look for Duke’s defense to struggle for most of the season, until their new starters can get some experience.

Special Teams

Stud Kicker Ross Martin returns to boot 50-yard daggers into the hearts of opponents next season. Fellow special-teamer Will Monday also returns to his punting duties, while Duke will most likely look to Max McCaffrey to take over the return responsibilities from departing Jamison Crowder, though DeVon Edwards and Shaq Powell could also be in the mix.

Overall

I look for next season to be a step back for Duke. Boone and Crowder will be tough to replace, and the work that has to be done to sure up their defense can’t be overstated. The key to the 2015 Duke Blue Devils will be how dynamic Thomas Sirk can be, assuming he wins the job. Duke has never been known for a dominant defense, but next year could be rough, especially early on. The Blue Devils will need Sirk and the offense to hit the ground running, put a lot of points on the board, and minimize turnovers if they want to have any shot at the Coastal crown.

 

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech has 13 returning starters with five coming back on offense and eight coming back on defense.

Offense

Georgia Tech fans will have a lot of new names to learn for next season. The Yellow Jackets don’t return a single skill position player other than QB Justin Thomas. For most teams that would be a problem, but for Paul Johnson’s triple option attack, as long as he has a good offensive line (check) and a smart athletic QB (check), he’ll take his chances with anybody in the country. Once Justin Thomas got the opportunity to show what he could do in PJ’s option attack, people took notice. Former GT QB Vad Lee even set sail for James Madison knowing his days were numbered. This season, Thomas threw for 1,700 yards and rushed for over 1,000, all while finishing 4th in the nation in QBR, measuring the overall efficiency of a QB. When Thomas begins his Junior campaign next season, he will do so with four returning starters on the offensive line. Their chemistry and continuity will be invaluable next season.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that GT replaces everyone else on offense, including the top three WR’s listed on the depth chart, as well as the top seven RB’s currently listed. That’s not a typo. With all their A-backs and B-backs, GT will lose seven guys, most of whom you’ve heard of: Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey, Tony Zenon, Charles Perkins, B.J. Bostic, Deon Hill, and Matt Connors. Somehow, GT still has two guys on the roster poised to breakout next season, with RB’s Broderick Snoddy and Dennis Andrews. This season Snoddy averaged 10.1 yards per carry on 28 runs while Andrews is averaging almost nine yards per carry for his career.

Replacing WR’s DeAndre Smelter and Darren Waller won’t be easy, but if guys like Michael Summers and Ricky Jeune can give the Yellow Jackets anything on the outside, they’ll be a tough offense to stop.

Defense

Georgia Tech brings back eight starters on defense next season, and that could prove to be a nightmare for opposing offenses. Add DL Francis Kallon — a former 4-star recruit who will be entering his Junior season, to an already talented defensive line — and the GT front four look stout. On the next level of the defense, GT has to replace standout LB Quayshawn Nealy. That’s no small task, but Paul Johnson has had a lot of success in finding quality linebackers in the past and I’m sure he’ll do the same in 2015. At 6’4” 243 lbs, Tyler Marcordes certainly has the size to fill gaps and destroy runners, should he be tabbed as the replacement.

In the secondary, the Jackets lose safety Isaiah Johnson. Replacing him should be Desmond Smith who will be a rising Senior. In fact, if Smith replaces Johnson next season, joining fellow safety, Jamal Golden, and CB’s D.J. White and Chris Milton, the entire secondary will be Redshirt Seniors.

Special Teams

There won’t be many changes in the Special Teams department either, as Kicker Harrison Butker, hero of the UGA game this year, and Punter Ryan Rodwell, both return next season. Jamal Golden also should continue his role as returner.

Overall

With the wealth of experience and talent returning on defense as well as the offensive line, it’s hard to see Georgia Tech taking any steps backwards next season. Our own Chuck Workman and Justin Cates could play WR for the Yellow Jackets next year, and I would still choose them as Coastal favorites, so long as Justin Thomas is at the helm, and RB’s Snoddy and Andrews prove to be as explosive as they’ve been thus far in limited action.

 

Miami Hurricanes

Supposedly Miami will have 10 returning starters, five offense / five defense, when the 2015 season kicks off, but with “The U” there’s only one thing certain… Nothing is ever certain.

Offense

WR Phillip Dorsett is gone, as well as OL Shane McDermott and OL Jon Feliciano. Also subtract NFL Draft early-entries OT Ereck Flowers and RB Duke Johnson, and Miami finds themselves with a few holes to fill. Freshman phenom QB Brad Kaaya returns to lead the Hurricanes next season. If the Canes can keep Kaaya healthy, he should continue to progress and become one of the better QB’s in the ACC. Herb Waters, Malcolm Lewis, and Stacy Coley should prove to be at least a solid receiving corps for Kaaya, and if all three reach their potential, the Miami offense could prove to be rather potent. Mix in Gus Edwards and Joseph Yearby at the RB position, and Miami has the makings of another balanced offense. While I don’t expect Gus Edwards to fully replace Duke Johnson, there is an awful lot to like about him. He definitely stood out as a potential playmaker in the games I watched this season. With a full spring practice, knowing he’s going to be the guy next season, I expect Edwards to work on fine tuning a few things, specifically his timing and vision. Edwards has all the tools to be yet another great Miami runner.

Defense

As always, Miami will be sending their fair share of players on defense to the NFL Draft. Anthony Chickillo finally leaves. I say finally, because it feels like the guy was at Miami when the Seattle Seahawks were still in the AFC. Also gone are two of the best linebacker names in the history of football, Thurston Armbrister and Denzel Perryman. The Miami defense has holes to fill on every level, but with the way Miami recruits, look through their roster, randomly pick five names on defense, and you’ll have a 50/50 shot whether that player will be an All-ACC caliber starter, or a complete bust.

Look for Chad Thomas to replace Anthony Chickillo. Thomas was a 5-star recruit in the class of 2014. He was ranked 22nd nationally by Rivals. Thomas has already packed on the necessary weight to be a starter, going from 6’5″ 229lbs out of high school, to being listed now at 265lbs, with all of spring workouts and a whole summer to get ready for next season. Courtel Jenkins and Anthony Moten are candidates to take over the vacant DT spot. Both were true freshmen this season. More true freshmen that are possible starters next season are Darrion Owens and Juwon Young, who are hoping to fill the LB void. With one CB spot to fill, the Canes could go with JR Tracy Howard or SO Corn Elder. Dallas Crawford seems to be in the driver seat to fill the last safety spot.

Special Teams

Justin Vogel will be back to handle kicking, Michael Badgley will be back to punt, and Stacy Coley will resume his return duties.

Overall

With Miami, it’s never about the amount of talent on the field. It’s about the amount of wisdom and discipline in each player’s helmet. If Miami played to their potential each season the Coastal division would be a one horse race every year, but the fact of the matter is this isn’t the 80’s and its not the late 90’s or early 2000’s. In 2015 Miami will be a tough team to beat when they don’t beat themselves, but how many games will that actually be?

 

North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina is another team that has seen discipline fall by the wayside in recent years. Larry Fedora is working hard to right the ship, but has come under fire due to slipping results. He has taken his lumps by playing a lot of young players, but in 2015, he’s hoping that will payoff by having a team full of experienced players ready to breakout. UNC brings back 17 starters, with 10 on offense and seven on defense.

Offense

The Tar Heels have to replace TE Jack Tabb. That’s it. Every other offensive player returns from an explosive offense that finished 23rd in the nation in passing. The Tar Heels should take a massive step forward on offense next season, when you factor in that not only are 10 guys coming back, but the only Juniors are QB Marquise Williams, OG Landon Turner, and WR Quinshad Davis. The rest are Sophomores. Most players make a significant leap between their Sophomore and Junior years, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that UNC could have a top 10 offense next season. The talent is certainly there when you add in guys like WR Ryan Switzer and RB T.J. Logan.

Defense

The struggle for UNC hasn’t been their offense. It’s been the defense. Enter Gene Chizik. Chizik takes over a Defense that gave up 39 points per game, 116th in the country. Carolina’s defense looked like a deer trying to cross the autobahn, last season. On the surface, they bring back seven starters from a horrendous unit, but I can’t imagine all seven players will keep their jobs. Furthermore, the entire scheme changes from a 4-2-5, to almost a Tampa 2 style 4-3. Two hybrid positions in the Heels’ 4-2-5, the “bandit” and “ram” don’t even exist in Chizik’s defense. In short, it’s hard to predict who will start.

Special Teams

Both specialists have to be replaced and the leading candidates are Nick Weiler for Kicker, and Joey Mangili for Punter. Sensational punt returner Ryan Switzer will once again work his magic, while Romar Morris and Damien Washington will likely split kick returns.

Overall

North Carolina should have one of the best offenses in the ACC next season and maybe in the entire country. Will it translate to wins? It’s tough to win consistently when you give up almost 40 points a game, but Gene Chizik should help solve that problem. How fast the players can figure out Chizik’s scheme will go a long way in determining whether or not North Carolina challenges for the Coastal crown or the Coastal basement.

 

Pittsburgh Panthers

Pitt returns 15 starters next season, nine offensive, six defensive. However, as I mentioned with North Carolina, whenever there is a coaching change starting positions often change as well. In the case of Pittsburgh, there is an entirely new coaching staff that hasn’t even been through Spring practice yet. So while a short section on Pitt may seem like a cop-out, it’s more of a “check back with me in August” kind of thing. I can’t pretend to know what the Pitt Panthers will look like next season, when the coach hasn’t even had his first practice. However, here are the highlights.

Offense

Chad Voytik returns as signal caller, and I don’t see that changing. Tyler Boyd is an All-ACC receiver, but there is an opening at the other receiver spot. The right side of the O-Line must be rebuilt, but Center Alex Officer is a tremendous talent and will anchor the line. The main question I have for Pitt is at running back. James Conner is one of the most impressive, powerful backs I have seen in a long time. After watching Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliot dominate both the semi-finals and finals of the College Football Playoff, having a power back like Conner seems like a great place to start building an offense. At the same time, I watched Pitt’s bowl game, and I was thoroughly disappointed in Conner’s performance, specifically the 1st half. I was shocked at how much better Isaac Bennett, Chris James, and Richid Ibrahim looked, compared to Conner. Perhaps rushing for 1,700 yards on the season took its toll on Conner, and he did appear to get banged up early in the game. Whatever the reason, it highlighted just how much talent Pittsburgh has in its backfield. Conner also played defensive end effectively at times throughout the season, and Pitt must fill a hole at DE. Conventional wisdom would say leave a 1,700 yard rusher at running back, and I would agree, but this just speaks to the kind of things new coach Pat Narduzzi will have to look at this off-season, and how many unknowns there are to predict.

Defense

Pat Narduzzi ran a highly successful defense at Michigan State. In taking over the Pitt program, he has no doubt already seen that the cupboard is far from bare. In fact, Pitt’s defense finished 27th nationally this season. That number should only get better with Narduzzi’s leadership. As far as a position by position breakdown, that will come after we see Narduzzi’s version of the Pitt defense actually on the field for spring ball. However, I would imagine Darryl Render and Khaynin Mosley-Smith will continue to clog up the middle of the line of scrimmage. Narduzzi should be able to get more production out of CB’s Lafayette Pitts and Avonte Maddox, and if he can find a couple of rangy linebackers to help fill in the middle of the defense, Pitt will once again rank in the top 30.

Special Teams

Both Ryan Winslow and Christ Blewitt return to handle the kicking game while Tyler Boyd will still be available for the return game.

Overall

The Pitt Panthers may have just stumbled upon the best thing that could have happened to them. The more I pay attention to Pat Narduzzi, the more I believe he is the perfect fit for Pitt. If he can find an offensive coordinator to bring more balance to that side of the ball, then Pitt will be poised to have some success in the ACC.

 

Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia returns 12 starters split evenly between offense and defense.

Offense

UVA fans have heard this story before. They bring back a talented O-Line, a talented running back, but they have questions at QB and a lack of production at WR. Is this after the 2014 season? 2013? 2012? 2011? UVA says goodbye to RB’s Kevin Parks and Khalek Shepherd, but returns Smoke Mizzell. Also, according to Phil Steele, they return four starters on the O-line. UVA’s problem always seems to be at QB where they can never settle on one guy. From the days of Peter Lalich, Marc Verica, and Vic Hall to the 2014 season with Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns, there is never one clear-cut guy. Consistency and chemistry never have a chance with multiple QB’s taking their turn. If by some miracle UVA finds an answer at QB, the next step is to find production at WR, another thing that has been consistently lacking since…well…maybe Herman Moore? (1st round pick in 1991) There is hope next season that highly ranked 2014 signee WR Jamil Kamara can provide some excitement.

Defense

With Max Valles deciding to enter the NFL Draft, UVA has to replace their entire Linebacking group. Also leaving early is DE Eli Harold. The D-Line shouldn’t be a concern as 5-star D-Lineman Andrew Brown is ready to emerge as a starter next season, but finding three quality starting LB’s this spring is no easy task for Mike London. He’ll also have to find a replacement for Safety Anthony Harris, but with fellow safety Quinn Blanding returning as well as solid CB’s Maurice Canady and Tim Harris, the secondary should still be in good hands next season. As much flack as UVA takes over their perennial QB woes, they also deserve credit for the consistency in which they find and produce talent on the defensive side of the ball. There are quite a few former Wahoo’s playing on Sundays.

Special Teams

Nicholas Conte will have to replace Punter Alec Vozenilek, while Ian Frye is back for one more season of kicking duty. Smoke Mizzell will most likely be the Cavs return man.

Overall

Having to replace all three LB’s at one time is going to be tough, but if London can find a way to do that, he may save his job. The O-Line could be a strength of the team and Smoke Mizzell could have a great season, but the QB issues have to be resolved if UVA is ever going to factor into the Coastal division race. I don’t see that happening this year, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see UVA finish at the bottom of the conference.

 

Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech returns 16 starters with eight coming back on offense and eight coming back on defense.

Offense

Every player that scored a point for Virginia Tech returns next season. The only losses the Hokies have to overcome are on the O-line where they must replace three starters. While that may seem like a lot, the O-Line has been one of the weaker parts of Virginia Tech’s team over the last few seasons. There are a few candidates ready to step in and prove themselves. OG Alston Smith, son of Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame DE Bruce Smith, will get a look during Spring practice and I’m fairly certain he’ll be in the starting lineup for the season opener. Another potential starter is Eric Gallo who may be in line to start at Center as a true Sophomore. Player growth in the spring and summer will be huge for the Hokies’ offense, but the biggest key for next season is to get healthy and stay healthy.

Defense

On defense, the entire defensive line returns. The pass rush should be a strength for the Hokies making life miserable for opposing QB’s. VT has to replace MLB Chase Williams, but with Williams missing time this season to injury, the Hokies had a chance to get Andrew Motuapuaka some valuable experience. Motuapuaka made the kinds of mistakes expected of most young inexperienced players, but he also showed that he has all the tools to be a dynamic game-changing linebacker. Bud Foster will work his magic this Spring, and by August, Motuapuaka will be poised to take his place in line behind guys like Ben Taylor, Vince Hall, Bruce Taylor, and most recently Jack Tyler. Defensive Backs Coach Torrian Gray produces a talented and competitive Secondary every year. He will have to replace both safeties as Kyshoen Jarrett and Detrick Bonner attempt to move on to the next level, but Gray has filled his part of the roster with incredibly versatile guys. Chuck Clark could move to safety from his CB position this season, opening the door for Donovan Riley or Greg Stroman to step in, if Brandon Facyson is unable to fully return from injury by the start of next season. Other safety options include C.J. Reavis, Anthony Shegog, and Holland Fisher, a 4-star recruit in the class of 2013. The defensive backfield will be an interesting unit to watch in the Spring as Gray has shown a tendency to be creative in the past.

Special Teams

Joey Slye played very well for a Freshman kicker this season, and he will only improve with time. A.J. Hughes should be fully healthy next season after having surgery to repair a herniated disc that he played through in 2014, answering a lot of questions as to why he seemed so much more erratic this season. Greg Stroman will be back as the return man.

Overall

The Virginia Tech Hokies were decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball this season. If those players can return to form next season, then you will see a Virginia Tech team that looks less like the team that couldn’t score against Wake Forest, and much more like the team that defeated eventual National Champion Ohio State. The clock is ticking for the Hokies, because for their season opener, they will face the Defending National Champion Buckeyes, who will no doubt have revenge on their minds. Regardless of the outcome of this game, Virginia Tech will compete for the Coastal title.

 

Wrap Up

Since the ACC’s first Championship Game in 2005, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech have won the Coastal Division nine out of 10 times. (VT 5 – GT 4) I’m confident that trend will continue in 2015. Georgia Tech will be the favorite, followed by Virginia Tech and dark horse North Carolina. I believe Duke, Pittsburgh, and Miami will battle for the middle of the pack and for bowl eligibility. Last place in the division will belong to UVA.

Obviously, this all is subject to change. Players will emerge in the Spring, and a team or two will hit the lottery in February with this little thing called National Signing Day when programs are infused with a new class of talent. As of today, however, this is the current state of the programs in the Coastal Division.

Follow me on Twitter @dejsportsscribe, follow Inside the ACC on Facebook, and check back in a day or two for the Atlantic Division breakdown.

 

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