Many otherwise decent ACC football teams had one glaring weakness this season which desperately needs to be fixed - by their bowl game if possible. So I'm creating this thread to discuss "the ONE thing" each ACC football team needs to fix.

Here are some thoughts to get started:

Boston College needs better defensive back play. Kansas passed at will, and stopping the pass has been a struggle for the Eagles (125th in passing yardage allowed).

Florida State needs better pass protection from the offensive line (I'm pretty sure the FSU quarterbacks had nightmares of another blindside hit from a Gator pass rusher). By the way, is it just me or does their left tackle need to split out a little wider?

Georgia Tech may have more than one thing to work on but PLEASE find a QB who can actually throw a catchable pass! Man, that was ugly!

Louisville - when the opponent demonstrates an inability to pass, STOP THE RUN! Gap integrity was terrible, with cut back lanes for that Kentucky player they call a QB all day. Sometimes it's not about how fast you get into the backfield - it's about making sure there are no holes to run through.

Miami... I'm not sure what you guys need.

UNC played very well as the underdog, but needs to learn to play as the favorite and/or the hunted (e.g. the Wake Forest and Appalachian State games)

Pitt... quit drinking the Jeckyll and Hyde formula for one thing! I also think the Panthers suffer from some of the same motivational issues as UNC - there's a tendency to play down to the competition when they don't think the opponent is worthy. Newsflash: they're pretty much all worthy at this level!

Virginia still needs to improve on defense, but they're not far - Mendenhall is doing an excellent job.

Virginia Tech lost 2 games before they realized that their 4-star QB might be better than their 3-star QB. Not saying to go strictly by recruiting rankings, but when you have a better player on the bench... what's up, coach?

Wake Forest needs to get healthy - Sage Surratt is a game-changer, and the Deacs need him back. I suppose you could say they need more depth?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? Am I off base? Did I miss something?

Only speaking on a Louisville angle, a few things are needed:

Time, Coaching Continuity, Depth, and Big Boys on both lines.

Petrino left us with none of the last three and is now making us wait as our rebuild continues.

Besides a new coach...

Obviously Offensive Linemen. Perhaps if they can get a few Jucos and another freshman stud with a solid OL class that will contribute in a few years then it will make a world of difference. We are expecting Cam Akers to declare for the draft, so the OL will be doubly important.

FSU issues start at the very top.

Leadership.

The ACC needs what everybody needs. They need the CFP to go away.

As it stands, if you want to be in the CFP, you have to go to Ohio St., Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma or Georgia.

LSU is crashing the party this year but after Burrow's gone, so are they. And Burrow only went to LSU after giving it a shot at...where??? That's right, Ohio St.

Now is the CFP actually going to go away? Not likely. So for the near future, we're all screwed so don't even worry about "fixing" the problem because the system is rigged against us.

(12-01-2019 08:05 AM)MegaCard Wrote:  Only speaking on a Louisville angle, a few things are needed:

Time, Coaching Continuity, Depth, and Big Boys on both lines.

Petrino left us with none of the last three and is now making us wait as our rebuild continues.

I agree with all of that but after the uk game I find myself questioning the ability of our DC. I dont think you can blame poor defensive scheming on a lack of depth, talent & a stomach bug. Why play man to man on WR on a team with a WR at QB who never throws the ball? Why not try spying the QB/RB once in awhile? I didnt notice any defensive adjustments & they consistently repeated the same mistakes.


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Coaching

The coaching turnover in the ACC has been brutal

Next year will be pivotal for Doreen and NCSU. I do think the co-offensive coords was a disaster. I will give the injures on D a pass of Hux this year. A new Offensive Coord is needed.

Also, with all the Freshmen that played, next year is needs to show. I think a 7 win season not including the bowl is a must.

Now, while I agree this was poor year for the ACC. Six years ago it would be considered an average to above aver year.

Filling all bowl slots, with ND (Another 11 bowl teams)
Barring an upset, the ACC in sixth straigh CFP. Also, having a defending National Champ playing with a Chip on there shoulder. Could be be a repeat.

- While Clemson will be light years ahead. i see
- Pitt, Louisville, UNC, VT, VA on the rise
- Syracuse, NCSU, Miami, FSU, Duke - Back to above average
- Wake questionable if they lose Clausen
- GT - Still rebuilding

Upcoming Crucial things
- FSU hiring the right coach
- NCSU getting an offensive cord.
- BC making the right decision of Addazio
- Wake keeping Clausen

What The ACC needs is....

1. Scheduling: We need to stop scheduling more P5 opponents than other P5 conferences. Especially when we don’t get any credit for doing it.

2. Eliminate Divisions: We need to eliminate divisions and balance schedules among all teams in the conference. Use a NFL scheduling philosophy; scheduling based on how team finished year before.

3. Short turn arounds: If a team is scheduled to play on a Thursday night Out of conference they should have a bye on the Saturday before.

4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

5. Gentlemen coaches: We need an unwritten agreement among ACC coaches to keep games close. Agreement to run the ball when ahead by 21 or more. No trick plays with a 21 point lead.

6. A bye before our SEC rivalry matchup each season.

Clemson needs the two five star DTs, Bresee and Capehart, to play up to their billing and a viable threat to emerge at TE. Hopefully part of that is answered in the playoffs when Braden Galloway comes off his suspension. In practices and in the Orange & White game he showed glimpses of Jordan Leggett level play, so hopefully it transfers to actual competition. Giving Trevor Lawrence another weapon isn't fair, but I'm not complaining. The one thing we have missed in the passing game this year is the safety blanket that Leggett and Hunter Renfrow provided from the slot all those years.

(12-01-2019 07:46 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  Georgia Tech may have more than one thing to work on but PLEASE find a QB who can actually throw a catchable pass! Man, that was ugly!

Paul Johnson didn't recruit those.

GT had the second fewest number of seniors in FBS (8).

GT started the second highest number of players in FBS (44).

The average GT lineman was asked to put on 30-60 pounds, not lose any explosiveness, not lose any stamina, and pass protect for the first time in years.

Walk ons had significant minutes in significant positions due to lack of depth and injury, particularly on offensive and defensive line.

Thanks to the death of Brandon Adams and season ending injury to his backup GT effectively played over half the season without a true DT.

The GT roster is currently filled with players who decided to take GT over offers from ... WKU, Vandy, MTSU, Wake, Duke, App State, GSU, and similar. There's probably well over a dozen players on the roster who are only 3 stars because they are at GT... they would have been rated 2 stars otherwise. It is quite simply the most talent depleted roster that GT FB has had in my adult lifetime. This is made worse by the NCAA closing the transfer portal after Collins arrived last year. So 6-8 legit start-them-right-now 4/5* players were sitting out because of the NCAA.

With the backlog of transfers and the new recruiting class coming in I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that nearly half the people who were starting yesterday won't be next season.

I challenge you to find a more upside down roster anywhere in FBS.

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  What The ACC needs is....

1. Scheduling: We need to stop scheduling more P5 opponents than other P5 conferences. Especially when we don’t get any credit for doing it.

2. Eliminate Divisions: We need to eliminate divisions and balance schedules among all teams in the conference. Use a NFL scheduling philosophy; scheduling based on how team finished year before.

3. Short turn arounds: If a team is scheduled to play on a Thursday night Out of conference they should have a bye on the Saturday before.

4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

5. Gentlemen coaches: We need an unwritten agreement among ACC coaches to keep games close. Agreement to run the ball when ahead by 21 or more. No trick plays with a 21 point lead.

6. A bye before our SEC rivalry matchup each season.

UNC needs experience, and they’re getting it.

Seems the ACC needs its traditional powers (notwithstanding Clemson) and "semi-powers" to collectively be better. That list includes in Tier One: VaTech, Miami and Florida State. In Tier Two: Pittsburgh (though some might question its inclusion), Georgia Tech, Louisville and one of the two North Carolina (UNC or NCST) programs.

(12-01-2019 03:42 PM)domer1978 Wrote:  

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  What The ACC needs is....

1. Scheduling: We need to stop scheduling more P5 opponents than other P5 conferences. Especially when we don’t get any credit for doing it.

2. Eliminate Divisions: We need to eliminate divisions and balance schedules among all teams in the conference. Use a NFL scheduling philosophy; scheduling based on how team finished year before.

3. Short turn arounds: If a team is scheduled to play on a Thursday night Out of conference they should have a bye on the Saturday before.

4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

5. Gentlemen coaches: We need an unwritten agreement among ACC coaches to keep games close. Agreement to run the ball when ahead by 21 or more. No trick plays with a 21 point lead.

6. A bye before our SEC rivalry matchup each season.

Don’t take it as a slight. The ACC needs to do everything in its power for an advantage. Resting your team before playing an important game is common practice. An entire conference doing it another story.

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

Notre Dame would be extremely unhappy if they saw ACC target them. This might drive Notre Dame to B1G.

(12-01-2019 06:53 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

Notre Dame would be extremely unhappy if they saw ACC target them. This might drive Notre Dame to B1G.

Um, I doubt it. Besides, they can go there until the ACC GoR runs out.

A lot of teams would have no chance against ND even if rested, so I don’t think it would matter much.

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  What The ACC needs is....

1. Scheduling: We need to stop scheduling more P5 opponents than other P5 conferences. Especially when we don’t get any credit for doing it.

2. Eliminate Divisions: We need to eliminate divisions and balance schedules among all teams in the conference. Use a NFL scheduling philosophy; scheduling based on how team finished year before.

3. Short turn arounds: If a team is scheduled to play on a Thursday night Out of conference they should have a bye on the Saturday before.

4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

5. Gentlemen coaches: We need an unwritten agreement among ACC coaches to keep games close. Agreement to run the ball when ahead by 21 or more. No trick plays with a 21 point lead.

6. A bye before our SEC rivalry matchup each season.

Didn't #4 mostly happen this year?

(12-01-2019 06:53 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(12-01-2019 03:27 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  4. A bye before Notre Dame: We need to give our league teams every opportunity to win a high profile game against the Irish. The ACC team facing Notre Dame should have a bye the week before.

Notre Dame would be extremely unhappy if they saw ACC target them. This might drive Notre Dame to B1G.

Not...a...chance...in...hell.