College Football ACC Coastal Preview

steemsports (80)in #sports • 7 years ago

SteemSports Presenter: Scott Frank,@scottybuckets

College Football is BACK IN 3 DAYS! Yesterday we broke down the ACC Atlantic Division and today we will tackle the ACC Coastal Division to see who we think will play Florida State in the conference championship game. Let's get it started!

1. Miami - The Hurricanes have big expectations for Head Coach, Mark Richt, as he enters his second season. They won 9 games last year and have 15 returning starters back. Quarterback Brad Kaaya and his 27 touchdowns are gone but they have back their star running back, Mark Walton, who ran for over 1,100 yards last year. The Canes offense also welcomes back talented wide receiver, Ahmmon Richards, who almost eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark. Their defense is going to be great but will be tested when they play Florida State on September 16th.

2. Virginia Tech - The Hokies won 10 games last year and exceeded everyone's expectations. This year will be a big test for them as they lose their quarterback and only return 4 starters on the offense. Bud Foster is one of the best defensive coaches in the country and has 7 starters back on that side of the ball. Their defense will have to carry the team, especially at the beginning of the season as the new skill players get used to the offense. They open up with a tough test vs rival West Virginia on September 3rd. Virginia Tech will be bowling again this year, but in December instead of January.

3. Pittsburg - Last year the Panthers had one of the most experienced teams in the ACC but this year they only welcome 10 starters back. But they did add in a talented quarterback, Max Browne, who transferred from USC. The big question is how fast can Pittsburgh’s offense get going after losing their talent at every key position? They will have little time to adjust as they play the Penn State Nittany Lions on September 9th. The Panthers should be in the mix to make another bowl this year.

4. Georgia Tech - The Yellow Jackets had a successful 9 win season last year. Head Coach Paul Johnson is the best triple option play caller in the country and is a nightmare for teams to prepare for. They have 16 returning starters and will be a force to be reckoned with. Talented quarterback, Justin Thomas, is gone but Matthew Jordan should be ready to lead the offense. They open up against Tennessee on September 4th for a big non conference test.

5. Duke - After some of the most successful seasons ever for the Blue Devil football team, they took a big step back last year by only winning 4 games. The good news is that the offense has back 8 starters and plenty of talent. Look for Duke to bounce back this year and be a much improved team. The defense is a bit shaky and only has 5 returning starters but their offense should help ease the load. The “Nerd Bowl” vs a very good Northwestern team is on September 9th. Duke has a chance to be bowling again this year.

6. North Carolina - With the second pick in the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears pick, Mitchell Trubisky, quarterback from North Carolina. Mitch is gone and so is their offense as they also lost their 2 headed running backs. The Tar Heels have been a very fun team to watch lately but this year they will take a step back. They lost too much talent and the cupboards are a little bare. They host Louisville on September 9th and that game could get ugly.

7. Virginia - It was a painful season for the Cavaliers last year and this year will be more of the same. The do return 13 starters back but there is not a ton of talent on the team. Their bright spot is quarterback, Kurt Benkert, who threw 21 touchdowns last year. He will need to have a monster year to get Virginia out of the basement. They do have an easy schedule and won't play a road game until September 22nd at Boise State.

Can anyone take the #1 spot from the Miami Hurricanes? Tell me what you think. Thank you for following @steemsports and you can catch me @scottybuckets Cheers!