Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS

When Paul Johnson was hired at Georgia Tech, he assured fans, players, recruits and the media -- and anyone else who'd list -- that he'd adjust his triple option offense to the ACC and throw the ball. With the departure of yet another Yellow Jacket wide receiver Johnson may not have any choice. Even if he wanted to throw the ball, there's no one to catch it.

The latest pass catcher to leave, James Johnson, didn't blame the new offense as his reason for giving up his final year of eligibility. He simply said he was just tired of football. Tech's depth chart at wide receiver now includes one freshman, two sophomores and one walk-on.

Johnson's offense only averaged 5.6 completions a game last season. Yet, the Middies scored at will averaging 39.9 points per game and more than 440 yards of offense per game. If Johnson can get his new QB and running backs to pick up his system quickly, there is no reason why Georgia Tech can't compete in the ACC without throwing. However, the necessisity of running in Year 1, will probably undermine his ability to recruit WRs and passing QBs down the road. But no one will care if he wins...and beats Georgia.

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Filed under: Virginia Tech Football, ACC

Two things come to mind when talking about Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech football -- great special teams and turning a blind eye to player misbehavior. With the escapades of the Vick brothers still hovering around the program, the Hokies are starting to change their culture. First example: Beamer declaring the services of leading rusher Branden Ore were no longer needed and the troubled tailback is off the team.

Despite his talent, Ore has been a challenge to the coaching staff for much of his career in Blacksburg. He's had minor discipline problems, been involved in a drug trial and showed up out of shape. Despite all that, Ore always found his way back on the field as one of the team's leading playmakers. Ore, who missed the deadline for the NFL Draft, will now try to catch on with a team through the supplemental draft or through free agency.

One would hope Beamer's decision was about character and not about winning, but it's a little easier to give Ore the boot now than it was last year. The depth chart probably factored into the final say. The Hokies are loaded in the backfield and should still be the favorite to win the ACC.

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Filed under: UNC Football, ACC, BCS

In an unusual -- and still developing story -- WRAL is reporting that three North Carolina Football players were sexually assaulted this past weekend in a Chapel Hill apartment complex. The players met the accused (three women and one man) in a local bar and then proceeded back to the apartment. Police were later called to the scene and found the players tied and bound, two in their underwear and the other still clothed.

The players names are not being released and the North Carolina Athletic Department is not saying anything beyond, "We're aware of the situation but we don't have enough information yet."

The accused have been arrested and are claiming the encounter was consensual.

For Butch Davis, who saw one of his players murdered while at Miami, this most be a scary reminder to how vulnerable these young athletes are.

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Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Navy Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching

According to reports in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Paul Johnson has agreed to become the next head football coach at Georgia Tech. The AJC's venerable college football insider Tony Barnhart does hedge in his article that there is always a chance that Johnson could change his mind. (And after a week filled with false alarms on the coaching carousel, can you blame Tony for playing a little CYA?)

When Georgia Tech fired Chan Gailey, they gave lip service to finding a coach to excite their fanbase. Johnson is not Mr. Personality but he is a proven winner and winning games fills seats. Outside of his W-L record the two big pluses for Johnson at Georgia Tech are his familiarity with recruiting in the state of Georgia (he was a head coach at Georgia Southern) and his history of recruiting at a school with challenging admission standards.

The only question mark is what sort of offense will he use. He made his name with Navy's triple option, but has plenty of experience with passing oriented schemes. Jacket fans probably won't care if he throws all day or keeps it on the ground. All he needs to do is beat Georgia.

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Filed under: ACC, SEC, BCS, Arkansas Football, Wake Forest Football

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Filed under: UNC Football, ACC, BCS, Arkansas Football

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Filed under: Clemson Football, ACC, BCS, South Carolina Football

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Filed under: Louisville Football, ACC, Big East, BCS, Duke Football

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Filed under: Clemson Football, ACC, BCS, Wake Forest Football

"Survive and advance" is a cliche reserved for playoffs or tournaments. Not for the playoff-less college football. But the notion of winning and staying alive is appropriate for the Clemson-Wake Forest matchup this weekend. Both teams enter the game with two conference losses. The winner will still have a chance to catch Boston College in the standings and win the ACC Atlantic Division. The loser is done.

Of the two contenders Clemson in under much more pressure. They were one of the preseason conference favorites, have one of the most talented backfields in football and a perennially underachieving coach in Tommy Bowden.

If Clemson is facing huge expectations, Wake Forest is playing with house money. Not much was expected of the defending ACC champ, yet the plucky Deacons have proven that last year's run wasn't a fluke.

While the loser of this game has an non-descript December Bowl to look forward to, the winner will still have some work to do (this is where the survive and advance comes in). Winning this game only keeps hope alive. To clinch the division the winner will still have to run the table in ACC games. A tough task but aren't all playoffs?

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Filed under: Georgia Football, Georgia Tech Football, Virginia Tech Football, ACC, BCS

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Filed under: Boston College Football, Virginia Tech Football, ACC, BCS

Everyone loves the backup QB -- except the people in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech fans distrust their former starter and current backup Sean Glennon in a big spot. Glennon didn't do much to endear himself to the Hokie faithful when he mouthed off after his initial benching. Tonight he has a chance to put that all behind him. Tyrod Taylor, the freshman who took the reigns after the LSU fiasco, remains questionable leaving the maligned Glennon as the likely starter against No. 2 Boston College.

BC's QB situation is nearly opposite of the troubles facing the Hokies. The Eagles bring in a healthy experienced starter in Matt Ryan. The preseason ACC player of the year is universally loved and has performed well in big games. But like Glennon, Ryan does have something to prove against the Hokies. His Heisman campaign needs a shot in the arm after Tim Tebow's all world performance against Kentucky.

While both passers would like to put on a show, the weather is not helping out. It has rained all day in Blacksburg and should be wet and sloppy tonight. It might not be about who makes the most plays. Instead it will be about who makes the fewest mistakes. Advantage: Ryan.

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Filed under: Florida State Football, Miami Football, ACC, BCS

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Filed under: Boston College Football, UNC Football, Virginia Football, ACC, BCS

Media bias and college football go hand in hand. "We get no respect," "Our conference is ten times tougher than theirs," "ESPN hates us" are familiar refrains on every message board and on many blogs. Most of these paranoid ramblings come off as half-cocked. Occasionally someone will hit the nail on the head - like ACC Football Report did in this recap.

The national storyline on the ACC is that it is an inferior football product and that Miami and Florida State are a shell of their former selves. The 'Canes and 'Noles are struggling, but as Marcus from AFR points out the ACC continues to get the short end of the stick when compared to their neighbors in the SEC.

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Filed under: Boston College Football, Miami Football, NC State Football, UNC Football, ACC, BCS

Four ACC teams entered the season under new head coaches. The expectations for the new men in charge varied from pundit to pundit and program to program. With the season at its midpoint, it seems like a good time to check each honcho's progress.

Jeff Jagodzinski, Boston College
What people were saying before the season: After eight seasons away from the college game, Jags might have the steepest learning curve. It was also questioned if he'd be able to fill Tom O'Brien's shoes.
What they are saying now: Hmm, maybe this guy can coach? There are still many who are questioning how much of BC's current success should be credited to Jags and how much to the senior-laden team left behind by O'Brien.
Prognosis: Jags is clearly off to the best start of any new coach in college football. BC's schedule gets considerably tougher down the stretch. If he gets the Eagles to the ACC championship he'll probably be named ACC coach of the year.

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Filed under: Florida State Football, NC State Football, ACC, BCS

In Florida State's first eight years in the ACC they went 7-1 against NC State. In 2000 Chuck Amato left his assistant job in Tallahassee to become the head coach at his alma mater NC State. Like most new coaches Amato talked a good game and made a lot of promises about NC State competing and winning championships. One area where he delivered was in beating FSU.

Amato went 4-3 against Bowden and the Wolfpack were competitive in all but one of the losses. Even last season's disastrous campaign saw NC State upset Florida State in Raleigh. The success against Florida State was frustrating to 'Pack fans. How could the team look so inept at so many different times, yet pull it all together when facing the flagship football program of the ACC? The answer was simple: Amato knew which buttons to push against his old team. It was the rest of the ACC that Chuckie had a problem with, which lead to his firing last fall.

Bobby Bowden obviously didn't hold it against his protégé. After Amato got the boot in Tobacco Road, Papa Bowden welcomed him back in Tallahassee as a Linebacker and assistant head coach. This week the man known for wrap around sunglasses and red shoes faces the Wolfpack for the first time as their former coach. Will Amato's pointers and knowledge of the Wolfpack roster be enough to restore order to the rivalry? Probably but with the way the NC State is playing, FSU would likely beat them without Chuck.

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Filed under: Maryland Football, ACC, Big East, BCS, Rutgers Football

Fortunately Maryland beat Rutgers last Saturday. Imagine the laundry list of issues the Terps would have with Greg Schiano and crew if they had lost to the Knights. The latest controversy is not about tape sharing or off the field chicanery. Maryland is upset about good old fashioned dirty play. As the Star-Ledger reports:

Friedgen, at his weekly press conference yesterday, said "(Rutgers) went after him (Steffy). They were trying to take him out of the game."

Like the tape sharing, it was all for naught. When starting QB Jordan Steffy went down Maryland sent out backup Chris Turner. The raw QB picked up right where Steffy left off en route to the Maryland win.

Last year Rutgers was the darling of college football. Now newbies like South Florida are getting the love, Rutgers will have to win to stay in the spotlight. If they keep sneaking tapes and cheap shoting opponents people will care about Rutgers for all the wrong reasons.

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Filed under: Louisville Football, Miami Football, ACC, Big East, BCS

Don't you wish Willie Williams still had his online diary with the Miami Herald? That way we could hear the former can't miss defensive recruit spin his dismissal from Louisville in his own Big Willie way. The Cardinals kicked Williams off the team after his arrest for marijuana possession Wednesday.

I am sure Williams is surprised it ended like this. Not the drug bust part, but that even a desperate Louisville wouldn't put up with his off the field antics. Steve Kragthorpe's Cardinals need all the defensive help they can get.

Louisville is probably Williams' last stop in the college football world. It's not that there aren't more coaches willing to forgive bad behavior for an extra win. It just that Williams has proven that he's not that good. The peak of his career were those infamous diaries. He did have a way with words...maybe he has a future as a blogger.

Previously at the Fanhouse

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Filed under: NC State Football, ACC, BCS

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Filed under: UNC Football, Virginia Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Video

Many football penalties are subjective. On pass interference an official must decide if the ball was catchable. Holding could be called on nearly every play, so a ref must decide if the actual hold impacted the action. With so much going on and so much scrutiny and criticism, you would think that the officials would relish the opportunity to call a field goal. All you need to do is see if the ball goes through the uprights. Easy, right? As you can see, not so much...

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Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS

Georgia Tech lost to Boston College Saturday night in part because they only managed to score 10 points. However, Demaryius Thomas was not part of the problem. The redshirt fresham did his part catching five passes for 68 yards. In addition to making plays, Thomas thinks he has the solution to the Yellow Jackets' problems. According to Thomas,

"We're going to have do a better job with play calling."

As you can imagine, Thomas' armchair quarterbacking and not so subtle dig at new Georgia Tech offensive coordinator John Bond did not go over well with Yelllow Jackets head coach Chan Gailey. He reprimanded Thomas to the press and defended the play calling. But beyond brow beating the precocious Thomas, what else can Gailey do? Tech needs to rebound from the BC loss and is headed to UVA, where the Jackets haven't won since 1990. Gailey needs Thomas to step up...and shut up.

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