Welcome to Part 2 of our ACC Mailbag. In Part 1, published last week, we tackled questions about Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pitt and Duke as well as the transfer portal. Thanks, as always, for so many great questions.
What are the key areas that Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets need to improve in order to move up in the conference? Is a top-25 ranking a realistic goal? – Glenn B.
If you read what I wrote about Virginia Tech’s run defense in last week’s letterbox, you can copy and paste it for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets gave up an average of 245 yards per game and 5.8 yards per rush last season against FBS winning teams, last in the ACC.
Like Kyron Drones at Virginia Tech, Haynes King is a top-five quarterback in the league in my eyes. He has plenty of assets around him and four starting offensive linemen back from a team that finished fourth in the league in scoring (31.1 points per game) and third in yards per play (6.34).
But you can’t be 131st against the run and expect to be a top-25 team. Key needs to upgrade the talent on the defensive line and at linebacker if he wants to be a contender. There are only three blue-chippers on the roster: rush end Kevin Harris, a 2021 Alabama transfer; USC transfer Romello Height; and senior linebacker Trenilyas Tatum. Recruiting talented big men on defense in the Southeast shouldn’t be too difficult at a program like Georgia Tech. At least get some. — Manny Navarro
How long will it take Bill O’Brien to turn BC around? Why doesn’t Papa Leahy retire sooner? 2026? Give me a break! – Brian C.
I feel your frustration, Brian. BC has a long way to go to climb the ladder, but I wouldn’t put the blame solely on Father Leahy’s shoulders. It takes money to win big in college football. Lots of it. The second most important factor is your head coach. O’Brien left a comfortable offensive coordinator job at Ohio State where he was well positioned to win a national championship to take on a much tougher challenge at home. No, O’Brien, 54, did not play for the Eagles. But he’s a Boston native and very motivated not to screw this up. It’s a start.
Welcome home, coach. pic.twitter.com/rgQZee01fp
— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) February 9, 2024
The problem for BC is money – especially name, image and similar money. In this Boston Magazine piece from last year, the Friends of the Heights collective talked about their big win in keeping former star wide receiver Zay Flowers from going to another school. It goes on to mention how the collective has about $1 million in assets that it raised from donors. By comparison, the top programs in the country raise more than $20 million to compete in the NIL/marketing space.
I have no doubt that O’Brien will recruit his ass and work hard on the portal, and he did a great job upgrading the roster right away. I have BC listed under ACC transfer portal winners this offseason. But the bottom line is you don’t compete for championships without some money to pay the players. O’Brien will push for six, seven or as many as eight or nine wins a year with his coaching. He’s better than Jeff Hafley. But you need thoroughbreds to win a race. — Navarro
Thoughts on how many games Fran Brown and Syracuse will win this year? – Peter G.
Syracuse is the wild card in the ACC heading into 2024. BetMGM has the Orange’s over/under at 7.5 wins, which feels about right to me — though I’m not sure anything will surprise me.
The argument for Syracuse winning at least eight games stems from what the Orange did in the offseason. Brown was one of the more intriguing hires of the coaching merry-go-round, and the Orange dipped into the transfer portal to land veteran quarterback Kyle McCord. Throw in the fact that Syracuse is avoiding Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Louisville on the schedule this season, and I can talk myself into the Browns’ first year starting with a splash.
However, the hype surrounding Orange gives me pause. For as much buzz as Brown has brought to the program with his recruiting efforts, this is still a team that finished with the nation’s No. 99 offense and No. 67 defense in 2023. This is still a program that has had just two winning seasons since 2013. And Syracuse has only the ninth-best odds to win the ACC, per BetMGM, behind Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Louisville, NC State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and SMU.
Assuming the Orange can handle Ohio, Holy Cross, UNLV and UConn, that’s four wins right there. I’d take the Orange over Boston College and Cal too. But it’s a toss-up against Georgia Tech, Stanford and Pitt. NC State, Virginia Tech and Miami would be tough. Give me eight wins: seven in the regular season plus one bowl game. — Grace Raynor
Can you give your predictions on which new ACC school will be the most and least successful? -Dawson H.
SMU and Stanford are better positioned for the future, but for the 2024 season I think SMU will have the best season among newcomers, followed by Cal and then Stanford.
The Mustangs return Preston Stone at quarterback in 2024 after he threw for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. His 266.4 passing yards per game ranked 22nd nationally and would have ranked second in the ACC a season ago, behind only North Carolina’s. Drake Maye. SMU will need to be ready for tougher defenses in the ACC than in the AAC, but being set at the sport’s most important position will go a long way.
Cal returns Fernando Mendoza at quarterback and added an experienced journeyman from the transfer portal, North Texas Chandler Rogers. Mendoza started Cal’s final eight games as a freshman in 2023 and threw for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns. He needs to be more accurate after throwing 10 picks, but he has some experience and confidence. Rogers set career highs at North Texas in 2023 with 3,382 passing yards and 29 touchdowns (with only five picks).
Stanford, meanwhile, finished with the nation’s No. 91 offense and No. 132 defense in 2023. I like the way Troy Taylor is recruiting as he builds the program, but it will take time. — Raynor
With Louisville’s appearance in the ACC Championship Game last year and the addition of three new members, there are now five teams that have never played in an ACC Championship Game: NC State, Syracuse, California, SMU and Stanford. Which team will be the first to make an appearance? -Jonathan P.
It has to be NC State, right? The Wolfpack haven’t won an ACC title since 1979 (!), but at some point the fortunes have to turn. The ACC’s shedding of divisions helps NC State tremendously, considering the Wolfpack were stuck in the ever-competitive Atlantic Division with Clemson, Florida State and Louisville during the Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston and Trevor Lawrence eras. Coach Dave Doeren routinely fields some of the best defenses in the conference. He just needs to continue to bolster his recruiting, as he did in the 2024 class with two of the best players in North Carolina, four-star athlete Jonathan Paylor and four-star receiver Terrell Anderson.
I wouldn’t sleep at SMU either. The Mustangs have been strong on the recruiting trail and have the necessary resources to make some noise in the coming years. — Raynor
(Photo by Haynes King: Brett Davis/USA Today)
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