If Miami fans want their Hurricanes to be as good as they say, they'll have to hope Jacory Harris is even better than they hope. Get that?
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We’ve told you about the teams. We’ve told you about the conferences, and the coaches, and the championship games, but any head man worth his weight in Gordon Bombay coaching loafers will tell you that it’s easy to look good when you’ve got the right players. So here they are, the 15 athletes you have to know this season conference-by-conference.
We’ve got the five best each league has to offer. The stars, the frontmen, the cover boys. These are the guys that you’ve already heard of, and they’re likely to wallow in the limelight for at least one final season before rocketing to the NFL.
Then there are the shoe-fillers. The players who might be stepping up into the role of a guy who fit in the first category last season. When one star departs, it’s up to these athletes to stop the gap and keep the wins coming. They may be the most pivotal of the young men listed here. It’s the stars that will get the glory, but these are the players who will create the subtle differences between 9-3 and 12-0.
And finally, just because we’re such seers, we’ve gone ahead and listed five players likely to live on the tongues of every pundit around by the end of the year. The players who either flashed just enough potential as freshman, or are heading into a perfect collegiate situation with a deadly blend of talent and opportunity.
Today, we take a look at the ACC’s 15 Players to Know. So go ahead, and you know, know them.
The Best
1.) Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech — If you’re going to go with a running back, there’s some stiff competition. But I really think Dwyer is the guy here. He’s got NFL size and speed, and his adaption to the option system was so fluid. When Paul Johnson brought this “outdated” attack to Atlanta, there wasn’t a lot of enthusiasm in the national college football community, but that all changed after Dwyer’s first two games when he rushed 19 times for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Of course, he took some lumps (less than 30 yards against Va Tech and Gardner-Webb), but when a bruising back with deceptive quickness averages seven yards over 200 carries it can’t be called a fluke. He gave the option life and gave Paul Johnson a reason to laugh at his doubters.
2.) CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson — This is perhaps more of a stretch than most would believe. Spiller is a lightning talent in the mold of Chris Johnson, but it’s yet to be seen how he’ll perform without his LenDale (James Davis). Clemson fans are hoping for the best, but Spiller’s never had more than 145 carries in a season, and with no proven complement to take the heat, Spiller’s body is going to be challenged like never before. Still, he’s racked up over 2300 career rushing yards, 27 total TDs, and 34 receptions in each of the last two seasons. There may not be a more electric player in the conference, and he’s an honest threat to go yard on every touch. Tigers’ fans just have to hope he can hold up over an entire season. New QB Willy Korn is going to need a safety net in the backfield.
3.) Darren Evans, RB, Virginia Tech — And the last of the three headlining running backs, sophomore Darren Evans. It’s not like the Hokies haven’t fielded some impressive rushers in the past. Lee Suggs was a touchdown machine, and Kevin Jones was a dynamic runner with prototypical everything, but none have had the total package that Evans brings to the gridiron. As a freshman he ranked 22nd nationally in net rushing yards and added 11 scores. Sure, he only went over 100 yards on four occasions, but all four came in the final six games. That’s not good news for the rest of the ACC. If Evans was that effective as a rookie, imagine the barriers he’ll break as a sophomore who only found his true stride in the ninth game of 2008.
4.) Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech — By far one of the most underrated players in the entire country. Burnett is stuck in a conference that boasts some big name safeties of its own (Kam Chancellor, Deunta Williams, Randy Phillips) but he may very well be the best of the bunch. Mike likes to call him a “poor man’s Eric Berry, but I’m thinking “middle-class” might be more fitting. I’m sure Mike would agree. He’s a vortex in the secondary Hoovering passes and ball-carriers alike. His 93 tackles, seven interceptions, and one TD return aren’t quite Berry numbers, but you won’t find a single Jackets’ fan complaining. And you won’t find too many receivers left standing with the 6-01 200 Burnett patrolling the secondary.
5.) TJ Yates, QB, North Carolina — I struggled with which category best fit Yates. He’s going to have to step up in a major way after the Tar Heels lost their top three receivers (including some guy named Nicks), so he made some sense as a shoe-filler. And he’s not exactly a household name despite contributing in a major way to UNC’s eight-win season, so I could have added him under the “next superstars” umbrella. But I’ve been high on Yates all offseason, and I think the entire country is in for a huge surprise. The junior from Marietta, GA missed seven games with injury a year ago, but still managed an 11-4 TD-INT ratio and a 153.4 efficiency rating. He helped the Heels slap around an eventually tough Rutgers team with three scoring strikes, and he nearly engineered an upset of Va Tech. If he can stay on the field for all 13-14 games this fall, he’ll garner some serious consideration for ACC Offensive Player of the Year. He’s already got my attention.
The Shoe-Fillers
1.) Tyrod Taylor, QB, Virginia Tech — Here it is Tyrod. This is what you asked for. You’re the undisputed number one quarterback at Virginia Tech, and there’s no point in looking over your shoulder, Sean Glennon is gone. And while that’s a nice luxury, it’s also a lonely island for a guy who’s never had to be the guy. The Hokies just opened up at seventh in the preseason Coaches’ Poll, and most of that’s resting on Taylor’s shoulders. Yes, the defense should be smothering, and the special teams are always a blur of confusion for opponents, and Darren Evans is a load in the backfield, but this machine is running on a new, largely untested engine. Taylor was awesome in the Orange Bowl, and there’s no denying his talent, but he’ll have to do much better than the 2-7 TD-INT ratio he managed as a sophomore if he wants to lead the Hokies back to the BCS.
2.) Greg Little, WR, North Carolina — Is there any chance that the national media has forgotten about Hakeem Nicks’ scintillating Meineke Bowl performance? How about just the Tar Heel fans? No? Didn’t think so. Of course, Butch Davis also lost two other wideouts to the NFL, so there’s a pretty wide hole on the outer limits of the offense. That’s where Little comes in. He’s got great size (6-03 210), decent hands (24 catches over the last two years), and he’s been around for a couple of seasons — as a running back. If the Tar Heels want to take the next step and win double-digit games they’ll need Little to make a seamless transition to his new position. He’s got the tools, but Yates is going to have to throw to someone, and a 6-03 pass catcher is a heck of a red zone target.
3.) Jacory Harris, QB, Miami — Remember Ken Dorsey? Gino Toretta? Vinny Testaverde? Well, according to Miami fans they all pale in comparison to Harris. Yeah, I don’t see it either. Harris is ultra-talented, and he does have the reigns securely in his grasp, but this is a guy who is being asked to lead Miami back to the Jimmy Johnson glory days after a season in which he threw less than 10 passes in seven different games. Miami made it back to the postseason last year, and Harris played a part in that small success, but he’s going to have to excellent to get the Hurricanes back into the conference title conversation.
4.) DaQuan Bowers, DE, Clemson — Everyone knows the story here. Bowers was the top recruit in the country heading into the 2008 season, and his presence was supposed to ignite the Tigers’ pass rush and give Clemson one of the nastiest defenses in the conference. Didn’t exactly happen. Bowers was saddled with the hopes and dreams of so many Clemson fans who had been teased and tricked by years of lofty expectations followed by tear-jerking disappointment. And he didn’t quite live up to the hype. But that had to be expected. NFLers are forgiving of rookie pass rushers because it takes a year or two to learn the ropes at a higher level. Bowers is getting a second chance of his own, and with some big names gone from the offense, he’ll have to prove that the second season is the better season for defensive ends. With Kevin Steele coordinating the defense, there’s reason to believe he can do it.
5.) Boo Robinson, DT, Wake Forest — If you want a good laugh, check out Robinson’s draft strategy, but if you want to gain any yards on the ground then stay the hell away. Robinson is a unique name in this category because it’s not his game that needs improvement as much as it needs expansion. The Deacons lost some huge talent on defense last season, including ACC career interception leader Alphonso Smith and safety Chip Vaughn from the secondary. But the fresh faces that could really use Robinson’s help as much as I need his sense of humor are stepping in at the linebacker spots. Aaron Curry was perhaps the best defensive player in the draft last season, and Stanley Arnoux was no scrub. If Robinson can effectively hold opposing blockers at the line, then the new ‘backers can roam free and an unafraid. With the way this offense has tanked in recent years, they’ll need all the help they can get from the tacklers.
The Next Superstars
1.) Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech — Here’s another guy that I’m incredibly high on compared to most. Chancellor’s a big (6-04 225), athletic, rangy playmaker who’s finally settling into a concrete position. After his first three years became a carousel of position switches that saw him line up at rover, cornerback, and finally free safety, Chancellor seems to have found a home as a centerfielder. He didn’t show up on many radars due to his inexperience in the deep middle, but if you were watching closely you would have seen an underrated playmaker who really grew into the role. His presence in the secondary did as much to quell the Cinci passing attack as his Orange Bowl interception, and if you want to look like a true seer, you’ll start dropping Kam’s name into water cooler conversations… now.
2.) Alex Wujciak, MLB, Maryland — I got the chance to sit down with former Maryland and current Seattle linebacker Dave Philistin this past draft season, and he was a hell of a guy. But when asking him who the next great Maryland linebacker would be, there was no hesitation in his response — Alex Wujciak. And his response is well-founded. Wujciak was only a sophomore in 2008, but he still racked up 133 tackles and a sack in a crowded linebacking corps. Now that he’s clearly the man in the Terrapin front seven, it shouldn’t be long before opposing running backs know what it’s like to be violently bear-hugged by a 6-03 255 pound force of pain.
3.) Jason Worrilds, DE, Virginia Tech — Every year the Virginia Tech defense comes up with one undersized offensive line piercing bullet. 2009 will be no different. Worrilds isn’t exacly an unknown, but he hasn’t yet tapped his potential to lead the league in sacks. I’m not kidding, he’s that good. As a sophomore, Worrilds managed eight sacks in thirteen games, but that’s only half the story. He sat out of spring practice to undergo shoulder surgery, an injury that limited his ability in last fall’s campaign. If Worrilds can crank out eight sacks with only one good arm, I don’t think 13+ quarterback slaps are out of the question at 100%. On a defense that should be one of the league’s best, Worrilds should be the headlining guy.
4.) Roddy Jones, RB, Georgia Tech — Everyone knows about Jonathan Dwyer and that exposure is warranted, but I’m willing to bet that Dwyer wouln’t have enjoyed as much success without the effectiveness of Jones. He’s the cheetah to Dwyer’s rhino, which believe it or not isn’t a euphemism. In his first year of action Jones turned 81 carries into 690 yards (good enough for 8.5 ypc) and managed five touchdowns. And although he didn’t get the touches to go over 100 yards until the season finale against rival Georgia, we all got a preview of things to come when he torched the Bulldogs for 214 yards and two scores on only 13 carries. The option isn’t going anywhere.
5.) Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State — Here’s the final pick, and it’s not exactly a risky one. Jimbo Fisher’s flair for developing quarterbacks (like Rohan Davey and Matt Mauck) has been well publicized, and his man-crush on Ponder is running a close second. So it makes sense that the 6-02 216 junior would be in for a bigger year. But I’m going a little further with it. Ponder has a similar skill set to Mauck, and while I don’t think there’s anyway that he leads the Noles to national title paydirt, I don’t think 30 total TDs are out of the question. Florida State has been mired in mediocrity for a few seasons, but if Ponder performs at a high enough level behind a strong offensive line this could be a BCS bowl team again.
