Distilling the transfer and realignment turbulence that defines college sports in 2024, the Pac-12’s top two rushers last season will play this year in the ACC.
Crazy, right? And once, not long ago, when NCAA rules mandated redshirt seasons for transfers, and conferences didn’t mock geography, this was impossible.
Cal’s Jaydn Ott led the Pac-12 with 109.6 rushing yards per game last year, followed by Oregon State’s Damien Martinez at 98.8. Ott and the Golden Bears now compete in the ACC, while Martinez has transferred to Miami.
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Martinez and Ott also embody the challenge of voting for the preseason All-ACC team. How best to evaluate not only scores of transfers but also three incoming programs in Cal, Stanford and SMU?
Consider, also, the conference’s star power at quarterback. Three projected starters averaged at least 250 passing yards per game last year. Another averaged 261.2 while setting a Bowl Subdivision record for efficiency in 2021.
None played in the ACC last season.
Cam Ward, the nation’s most prolific returning passer at 311.3 yards per game, transferred from Washington State to Miami. SMU’s Preston Stone competed in the American Athletic Conference, while Syracuse’s Kyle McCord helped Ohio State to an 11-1 regular season.
Grayson McCall, he of the then-record 207.65 passer rating in 2021 at Coastal Carolina, could lead NC State to ACC contention this season.
So here’s the ballot, due next week when the conference stages its annual media days in Charlotte, North Carolina.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: NC State’s McCall. There are myriad quality choices, but Group of Five competition at Coastal notwithstanding, McCall’s 88-14 career ratio of touchdown passes to interceptions is remarkable.
Running back: North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Miami’s Martinez. Hampton (115.7 yards per game) is the FBS’ No. 2 returning rusher behind Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon.
Receiver: NC State’s KC Concepcion, Louisville’s Caullin Lacy and Miami’s Xavier Restrepo. A transfer from South Alabama, Lacy is the nation’s top returning pass-catcher (109.7 yards per game).
Tight end: North Carolina’s Bryson Nesbit. A first-team selection last season, he’ll have to adjust to life without quarterback Drake Maye.
Tackle: Florida State’s Darius Washington and Miami’s Jalen Rivers. Washington is the only offensive lineman returning from the 2023 All-ACC first team.
Guard: SMU’s Logan Parr and Louisville’s Michael Gonzalez. Parr and teammate Justin Osborne were the first-team All-American Athletic Conference guards last season, and Osborne has moved inside to center.
Center: Virginia’s Brian Stevens. Pro Football Focus graded him the league’s best run-blocker at the position in 2023.
All-purpose: Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten. He was the lone ACC player last year with multiple touchdowns rushing (10), receiving (two) and returning (two kickoffs).
DEFENSE
End: Louisville’s Ashton Gillotte and Miami’s Reuben Bain. This is the ACC’s deepest position as eight of the 10 players who made all-league last season return, including Virginia Tech’s Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Moreover, there are quality transfers such as Marvin Jones Jr. (Georgia to Florida State) and Fadil Diggs (Texas A&M to Syracuse).
Tackle: Florida State’s Joshua Farmer and Virginia Tech’s Aeneas Peebles. Pro Football Focus graded Peebles, then playing at Duke, second among all defensive tackles in pass rush last season.
Linebacker: Miami’s Francisco Mauigoa, Syracuse’s Marlowe Wax and Clemson’s Barrett Carter. Mauigoa recorded a league-best 15 solo tackles for loss last year.
Cornerback: NC State’s Aydan White and Virginia Tech’s Dorian Strong. From all accounts, Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas dominated spring practices, but 2023 third-team selections Strong and White are more established.
Virginia safety Jonas Sanker is the ACC’s top returning tackler from last season.
Mike Caudill, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Safety: Virginia’s Jonas Sanker and Florida State’s Shyheim Brown. Sanker (league-best 73 solo tackles) and Gillotte are the only All-ACC first-team defenders returning from last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Specialist: SMU’s Brashard Smith. Playing at Miami last season, Smith led the ACC with 579 yards in kickoff returns and earned second-team all-conference.
Kicker: North Carolina’s Noah Burnette made 19 for 20 field goals and all 43 PATs last year. Virginia Tech’s John Love and FSU’s Ryan Fitzgerald also converted all of their PATs and more than 90% of their field goal attempts.
Punter: Florida State’s Alex Mastromanno. Flip a coin between Mastromanno and Duke’s Porter Wilson. You can’t go wrong.
What’s certain to go wrong is a subsequent column projecting the ACC’s order of finish 1-17.
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Publish date : 2024-07-16 07:00:00
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