2021 ACC Rankings: Pre-Spring
ACC Coastal Division
1. North Carolina Tar Heels
Why To Be Happy: Nothing stops. The offense should get everyone back up front, Sam Howell is one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, and Tennessee transfer Ty Chandler should go off as one of the team’s top new running backs. There’s a TON of talent in the secondary and the defensive front should be okay, but …
What To Work On: Yeah, the system should work, but Michael Carter and Javonte Williams really were terrific running backs, and not having Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown around the receiving corps isn’t a plus. Again, the secondary will be a plus, but losing six defensive backs to transfer is a hit to the depth.
Bottom Line: Mack Brown did his part by amassing a ton of talent over the last few years, and it’s paying off with another fun, exciting team that should be even better than the 2020 version. Now it needs to be more consistent.
2. Miami Hurricanes
Why To Be Happy: Start with the big if. IF D’Eriq King is back to being D’Eriq King after suffering a knee injury, this offense should be able to hang with just about anyone. RB Cam’Ron Harris is back behind a line with all five starters returning. The linebacking corps should be great and the secondary fine, but …
What To Work On: It’s Miami, so the pass rush will be great no matter what, but losing ends Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche – and never having Gregory Rousseau – hurts. And then there’s King. With N’Kosi Perry transferring, King has to be healthy.
Bottom Line: Once again, Miami will be good enough to be among the top teams in the ACC, but it has to be more consistent and get even more out of the key parts – a LOT more – to come up with any sort of challenge to Clemson.
3. Pitt Panthers
Why To Be Happy: Kenny Pickett is returning. The Panthers have their quarterback, the skill parts are strong, and the offensive line gets a big part in versatile lineman Marcus Minor. The program generates defensive pressure no matter what, linebackers Chase Pine and Phil Campbell are returning, but …
What To Work On: DEs Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver are going, and safety Damar Hamlin won’t easily be replaced. The rushing attack has to be a whole lot better and the offense has to be far, far more productive.
Bottom Line: As long as the Panthers can keep feeding the defensive line with killer pass rushing talents, they’ll still be very, very dangerous. Getting back Pickett is a huge deal. He’s not DJ Uiagalelei or Sam Howell, but he’s among the ACC’s better quarterbacks.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies
Why To Be Happy: There are just enough good parts back to okay once the depth fills in. Getting back Lecitus Smith and Brock Hoffman for the interior of the O line is massive, and DT Dashawn Crawford coming back for another season gives the line an anchor.
What To Work On: QB Hendon Hooker is off to Tennessee, RB Khalil Herbert is off to the NFL, one guard Doug Nester is off to West Virginia, and Bryan Hudson left for Louisville. Throw in the loss of DT Jarrod Hewitt, and compared to other ACC teams, there are just enough losses to be annoying.
Bottom Line: Virginia Tech is always an X factor. It had the talent last season but it was almost never fully healthy and struggled with its consistency. QB Braxton Burmeister has to grow into a star for the Hokies to challenge for the ACC title.
5. Virginia Cavaliers
Why To Be Happy: The offense is almost all back full. Brennan Armstrong returns at quarterback – at least as the top options – and he has more weapons with a potentially killer tight end tandem of Tony Poljan and Oklahoma State transfer Jelani Woods to work with. The defense gets back ends Adeeb Atariwa and Mandy Alonso for another year, and having safety Joey Blount for a full season is a big deal, but …
What To Work On: The linebacking corps needs work. Zane Zandier leads the group of tacklers leaving. The secondary has to make a lot more big plays, and the offense has to do a much better job of keeping the chains moving.
Bottom Line: The Cavaliers will always be well coached under Bronco Mendenhall and they’ll always be dangerous, but the experience has to translate into a lot more production.
6. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Why To Be Happy: It took a few years to transform from a triple-option team to what Geoff Collins wants to do, and now all the young parts might be coming together – at least that’s the hope. Just about all of the key skill guys are back and the linebacking corps is getting some solid transfer help, but …
What To Work On: Defensive line. It’s not that everyone who ever thought about playing on the Georgia Tech defensive front is transferring, but it sure does seem like it. Almost all were backups and/or will be quickly replaced, but there could be an early depth issue.
Bottom Line: It’s still going to be a work in progress, but Georgia Tech should have its best starting 22 in the Collins era. It’s not easy transforming an offensive line rotation, but the overall experience will be there.
7. Duke Blue Devils
Why To Be Happy: Hope springs eternal. The Blue Devils could used some more quarterback options, more playmakers, and more bodies for the defensive side, but the offensive front should be close to full and the linebackers should be okay.
What To Work On: Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. The new skill parts have to start by not giving the ball away 39 times like the 2020 guys did.
Bottom Line: No one in the ACC has to undergo a bigger overhaul or has to do more work to become a factor again. On the down side, the Blue Devils lose a ton of experience. However, it’s not like the players who were there last season won a lot.
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