The college football season will redraw the map in some ways and retain the prevailing order in others. Teams can rely on certain players or units, but they’ll have to adjust in specific areas. Those topics will come under examination here. These are the key challenges facing ACC teams as they prepare for spring ball and try to develop players on schedule.
Florida State Seminoles
Burning Question: How’s The Running Game Going To Look?
The Seminoles bring back Deondre Francois at quarterback and will have their core defensive playmakers in the fold. The main questions concern the supporting cast Francois will have on the FSU offense. Some offensive linemen will need to be replaced, but of even greater importance is that running back Dalvin Cook, likely a top-10 NFL Draft pick, will no longer play for the Seminoles. Head coach Jimbo Fisher has to be able to find an adequate replacement for him. This might take the form of one player, but it could just as easily be a running back by committee approach, in which Florida State tries to put a runner in on some downs but then selects a different setback if it wants to throw short passes on other downs. Cook was equally able to take handoffs in the backfield and catch passes in the flat. That’s what made him such a weapon. If two players are needed to replace Cook, so be it – Florida State just wants to be able to account for the same level of production.
Clemson Tigers
Burning Question: Can The Defending Champs Seamlessly Replace Watson?
There is no more fascinating quarterback drama in the ACC than the one at Clemson. The Tigers didn’t have a Heisman Trophy winner the last two seasons, but they had the player who certainly looked like the best player in college football at the end of the bowl games. Deshaun Watson played brilliantly on two occasions against Alabama in the national title game, winning this past January. He was a Heisman finalist, but he never took home the trophy. Now the Tigers must replace him on their 2017 roster. Clemson will now be tested as defending champion and as a program which expects to make the big game, something which wasn’t always the case.
Miami Hurricanes
Burning Question: Can The Hurricanes Find A Quarterback Who Can Lead?
When the Hurricanes take the field, they will also need a new quarterback who can step in and be effective. Brad Kaaya dominated the snaps at the quarterback position the past few years in Miami. He played a strong second half in the Russell Athletic Bowl against West Virginia, but he was generally inconsistent in his career. Miami needs a leader who can play even more decisively and thoughtfully than Kaaya. If it does unearth that kind of player, its future is bright. The U is loaded on defense, especially with talented underclassmen at linebacker. Their success in 2017 will likely depend on what they get out of the quarterback position. The good news for them is that teams like North Carolina and Clemson are also looking to replace their passers.
Louisville Cardinals
Burning Question: Has The Offensive Line Improved?
The Cardinals have the defending Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson, but now they need to give him the offensive line and the receivers he needs in order to become an even more successful quarterback. Louisville’s 2016 season stalled against Kentucky in the regular season finale and then against LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Getting help on the O-line is hugely important. Remember that the Cardinals had little-to-no problems in ACC play but when they stepped it up in competition, Jackson didn’t have as much time as he needed to think and operate. That was quite evident in the bowl game against LSU, who’s defensive line absolutely ate Jackson up. There’s an opening for Louisville to emerge as the best team in the ACC as Clemson and Florida State are in rebuilding modes but their offensive line has to significantly improve. We’ll soon find out how much it has been upgraded.
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