Georgia Tech
Last year: The Yellow Jackets recorded a mark of 7-6, 5-3 in the conference in 2013, and lost to Ole Miss, 25-17 in the Music City Bowl. Georgia Tech steamrolled Elon and Duke (before the Blue Devils decided to have a historic season) to begin the season and then earned a fairly tight, eight-point win over UNC. The Yellow Jackets fell on hard times after that, losing three in a row by decisively larger margins: seven to Virginia Tech, 15 to Miami, and 18 to BYU. Against the Hurricanes and Cougars, the defense gave up 45 and 38 points, respectively. Tech got back on track in a big way with a 56-0 thrashing of Syracuse and then beat Virginia in a 35-25 game in Charlottesville that was very close in the first half and for parts of the second half. The Jackets then eased by Pittsburgh, 21-10, before getting slammed by Clemson, 55-31, and then slamming Alabama A&M, 66-7. Tech played a spectacular edition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate against Georgia, but fell in two overtimes, 41-34. Vad Lee ran the Georgia Tech not-exactly-triple-option-whatever-you-wanna-call-it offense a season ago and completed 45.6 percent of his passes for 1,561 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He ran for 513 yards and eight scores. As with any Paul Johnson offense, lots of running backs/A-backs/B-backs and whatever else they are called gained lots of yardage. The Yellow Jackets piled up more than 3,800 rushing yards last season. The top four besides Lee: David Sims (884 yards, 11 TDs), Robert Godhigh (744, seven TDs), Zach Laskey (485 yards, seven scores), and Justin Thomas (234 yards, two scores) -- the backup quarterback. Receiving-wise, Godhigh led the team with 23 catches for 471 yards and four touchdowns. DeAndre Smelter was second on the team with 21 receptions, 345 yards, and four TDs. Darren Waller caught 17 passes for 367 yards, and three scores. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets were fairly stout, giving up 22.8 points per game; they forced 20 turnovers.
Offense: Lee just didn't seem to work out the way Johnson had hoped. He transferred to James Madison in the offseason and now the Yellow Jackets turn to the sophomore Thomas, who, by all accounts, holds promise. The new backup QB, Tim Byerly, also got time last year, rushing for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Last year's top two rushers, Sims and Godhigh, are gone, but the Yellow Jackets' system, paired with a laundry list of seniors, will help the ground game not miss a beat and it will probably be better than a year ago. Laskey's production should go up and also look for solid-to-great seasons from Broderick Snoddy (155 yards), Dennis Andrews (140 yards), Deon Hill (119 yards, one touchdown), Charles Perkins (114 yards, two TDs), Matt Connors (102 yards, two scores), Synjyn Days (93 yards four TDs), and Tony Zenon (35 yards). All are seniors except for Snoddy and Andrews. The receiving corps is looking good, too, with Smelter and Waller back (although Waller will miss the first two games of the season for a violation of team rules) along with Micheal Summers (10 catches, 211 yards). The offensive line brings back three starters.
Defense: Five starters return to a defense led by coordinator Ted Roof, a former player at the school who has been around the block with the Yellow Jackets and Duke, where he was a defensive coordinator and head coach in the early 2000s. Last year, the Jackets went with a 4-3 look, but are moving to a 4-2-5 this year to get more speed on the field to combat the spread looks proliferating the college scene (sound familiar?). Tech brings back just one starter on the line, tackle Adam Gotsis (38 tackles, 14.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks) and loses one player to academics, end Jabari Hunt-Days (45 tackles, seven for loss, 2.5 sacks, one INT), who likely would have started. Jeremiah Attaochu (45 tackles, 16 for loss, 12.5 sacks) was a also a fixture at end for Tech and will be missed. Expect Pat Gamble to to have a bigger role on the line and Hunt-Days' suspension could open up a spot for promising freshman KeShun Freeman. At linebacker, Georgia Tech must move on after the graduation of Brandon Watts (66, 3.5, 2.5, one INT). Quayshawn Nealy (66 tackles, 3.5 for loss, two INTs) and Anthony Harrell (12 tackles, two for loss), the latter of whom tore his ACL in October of last year, are the likely starters. In the defensive backfield, the Yellow Jackets lose leading tackler safety Jemea Thomas (88 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks, two picks) but bring back cornerback D.J. White (50 tackles, one for loss, one INT). The other starting CB could be one of two true freshmen, Step Durham and Lance Austin. The likely safeties are also coming off injuries, Jamal Golden and Isaiah Johnson. Johnson missed all of last season with a knee injury but recorded 87 tackles (led the team), 4.5 for loss, one sack, and one pick in 2012. Chris Milton (two picks) can play a couple different positions.
Special teams note: Harrison Butker (10 of 14) returns to kick field goals but punter Sean Poole (42.3 yards per punt) must be replaced. The punt and kick return games were solid a year ago but did not tally any touchdowns. Those units return lots of contributors.
Schedule, notes, outlook: Wofford, at Tulane, Georgia Southern, at Virginia Tech, Miami, Duke, at North Carolina, at Pittsburgh, Virginia, at N.C. State, Clemson, at Georgia. The non-conference schedule, outside of Georgia, is fairly easy, though Tulane did make a bowl game last season and Georgia Southern did beat Florida. Still, the Yellow Jackets should win three of four non-conference contests. In the ACC, Georgia Tech misses Florida State but has to play Clemson again. This is not 2013 Clemson, though, and the Jackets haven't lost to the Tigers in Atlanta since 2003. The Yellow Jackets get tough assignments at Virginia Tech (a traditionally tough place for Georgia Tech to win) and also North Carolina, but get Miami at home. The offense returns plenty of weapons and coach Johnson's system is such that it is set up to keep rolling. Thomas is expected to be a better fit at QB in the scheme than Lee was. The defense has a few nice returners, but has plenty of holes and is adjusting to a somewhat altered scheme. It wouldn't surprise me for the Yellow Jackets to get caught up in some shootouts. The road game at Virginia Tech could set the tone for the season (as it usually seems to). Tech could be 4-0 coming out of that game with a win or 3-1 with a loss/2-2 should something go wrong in one of the first three games. I think it will be business as usual in Atlanta this season. In two decades, the team hasn't finished with an ACC record below .500, has made 17 bowl games, has only two losing seasons, but has only won more than nine games twice, rarely being able to break through to the next level. As such, I'm predicting another 7-5ish team in the Coastal Division (and maybe another with Miami -- we shall see). The Yellow Jackets-Blue Devils-Tar Heels placement in the division rides on those three head-to-head matchups.
Win-loss prediction: 7-5 or 8-4
Miami
Last year: The Hurricanes went 9-4, 5-3 in the ACC and lost to Louisville, 36-9, in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Miami bolted out to a 7-0 start with victories over Florida Atlantic, Florida, Savannah State, South Florida, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. Miami played well, but didn't dominate in all of those wins and only beat the Tar Heels and Demon Deacons by four and three points, respectively. Trouble was brewing. The 'Canes next faced Florida State in a much-anticipated contest, but the Seminoles brought Miami down to reality like it did almost every team last year, beating the 'Canes, 41-14. Miami lost the next week as well at home against Virginia Tech and then gave up 48 points to Duke in an 18-point loss that was probably the low point of the season. Miami rebounded a bit with wins over Virginia and Pittsburgh but did not close the year on a particularly high note against the Cardinals. Under center, Stephen Morris completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Duke Johnson led the team in rushing -- 920 yards, six touchdowns -- despite playing in just eight games. He suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of the Hurricanes' final five contests. Dallas Crawford netted 558 yards and 12 touchdowns and Gus Edwards tallied 338 yards and five scores. At wideout, Allen Hurns caught 62 passes for 1,162 yards, and six touchdowns. Tight end Clive Walford had 34 receptions for 454 yards and two TDs, while Stacy Coley recorded 33 catches for 591 yards and seven TDs. Herb Waters added 28 receptions, 4-6 yards, and five TDs. Defensively, Miami gave up just a tad under 27 points per game and forced 27 turnovers on the season.
Offense: Six starters return on this side of the ball. The Stephen Morris days are over and Miami made it official Monday, making true freshman Brad Kaaya the starting QB. He won a competition against two-time transfer Jake Heaps (BYU, Kansas) after presumed starter Ryan Williams tore his ACL back in the spring. Kaaya, a four-star recruit who enrolled in May, has the physical look of a solid QB at 6-foot-4, 206
pounds. Luckily for him, he has one of the best running backs in the nation to hand the ball off to in Johnson, who is extremely explosive and capable of taking it to the house on any given play. Crawford was switched in the offseason to safety, where he will start, leaving the Hurricanes a little thin at running back, but they have Edwards back and a four-star freshman in Joseph Yearby. At receiver, Hurns is gone and the Hurricanes are expecting Coley to have a bigger impact this season along with Waters and also senior Phillip Dorsett, who hurt his knee as well last year and played in just eight games, catching 13 balls for 272 yards and two TDs. Malcolm Lewis and Rashawn Scott (10 catches combined in '13) provide depth and Walford, an All-ACC talent, is back at TE. The offensive line should be quite solid with three starters returning and it has a five-star freshman tackle waiting in the wings, KC McDermott, the brother of senior center Shane McDermott. I'm sure Johnson will help any offensive line look great.
Defense: Seven starters return to a unit that had some nice moments last season and some not-so-nice moments. Linebacker Jimmy Gaines (83 tackles, two for loss) and defensive end Shayon Green (68, 10.5, three sacks) are a couple big losses to graduation for Miami and safety Rayshawn Jenkins (46, one for loss, three picks) received season-ending back surgery in mid-August. On the line, a key returner is end Anthony Chickillo (46 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks), who is capable of an All-ACC type season. At another end is Ufomba Kamalu (13 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks). Miami's tackles lack starting experience. At middle linebacker, the Hurricanes return their leading tackler, Denzel Perryman (108 tackles, five for loss, 1.5 sacks), another great talent. Outside LB Thurston Armbrister (33 tackles, five for loss, two sacks) is good, but not great. In the secondary, Tracy Howard (35 tackles, one for loss, four INTs) is beginning to look like an All-ACC cornerback. The other CB could be Ladarius Gunter (46 tackles, two for loss, three picks), but he missed the spring with an injury, meaning Miami could go with more inexperienced options in Artie Burns or Corn Elder. At safety, Miami has the aforementioned Crawford, who is very athletic and will start at one spot, likely along with Deon Bush (31 tackles, two for loss, two sacks, one interception).
Special teams note: Miami must replace punter Pat O'Donnell, who boomed punts an average of 47.1 yards, but do bring back kicker Matt Goudis (13 of 17). The return game has lots of speed and Coley averaged 22 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards per kick return last year and scored a touchdown doing each. Johnson is also capable of solid kick returns at 28.9 yards per return but did not have any TDs in '13.
Schedule, notes, outlook: at Louisville, Florida A&M, Arkansas State, at Nebraska, Duke, at Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, at Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Florida State, at Virginia, Pittsburgh. Hello again, Louisville. The 'Canes get a chance for revenge right off the bat by facing the Cardinals in game one on a Monday night in prime time. Miami has two easy games sandwiched by two difficult games to start the season. The Hurricanes will probably be quite happy if they are 3-1 after that first four. The rest of the schedule isn't that easy either. Duke, Georgia Tech, Cincy, Virginia Tech, UNC, FSU -- ouch. I could forsee a situation where Miami finishes below .500. The offense is being led by a true freshman QB. he is bound to make mistakes. The defense is capable but lacks consistency. The schedule is pretty unforgiving. I do not agree with the media's assessment that Miami will be the division champion if for no other reason than it has a freshman QB starting and the schedule is difficult. Now, as we saw in my UNC preview, the media has lots of different thoughts about this division and it is expected to be a very tight race. So a game here or there and boom, Miami is in the fourth or fifth place and no one is surprised because of the nature of the division. Duke has an easy non-conference schedule and doesn't have to play FSU, Clemson, or Louisville. Virginia Tech also doesn't have to play those teams and gets perhaps the two weakest Atlantic teams: BC and Wake. UNC has to play just one of FSU, Clemson, and Louisville. Georgia Tech gets just one, too. So the schedule could be what gets Miami kicked off the Coastal perch. This squad is capable of winning the division, though.
Win-loss prediction: 6-6 or 7-5
Last year: The Yellow Jackets recorded a mark of 7-6, 5-3 in the conference in 2013, and lost to Ole Miss, 25-17 in the Music City Bowl. Georgia Tech steamrolled Elon and Duke (before the Blue Devils decided to have a historic season) to begin the season and then earned a fairly tight, eight-point win over UNC. The Yellow Jackets fell on hard times after that, losing three in a row by decisively larger margins: seven to Virginia Tech, 15 to Miami, and 18 to BYU. Against the Hurricanes and Cougars, the defense gave up 45 and 38 points, respectively. Tech got back on track in a big way with a 56-0 thrashing of Syracuse and then beat Virginia in a 35-25 game in Charlottesville that was very close in the first half and for parts of the second half. The Jackets then eased by Pittsburgh, 21-10, before getting slammed by Clemson, 55-31, and then slamming Alabama A&M, 66-7. Tech played a spectacular edition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate against Georgia, but fell in two overtimes, 41-34. Vad Lee ran the Georgia Tech not-exactly-triple-option-whatever-you-wanna-call-it offense a season ago and completed 45.6 percent of his passes for 1,561 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He ran for 513 yards and eight scores. As with any Paul Johnson offense, lots of running backs/A-backs/B-backs and whatever else they are called gained lots of yardage. The Yellow Jackets piled up more than 3,800 rushing yards last season. The top four besides Lee: David Sims (884 yards, 11 TDs), Robert Godhigh (744, seven TDs), Zach Laskey (485 yards, seven scores), and Justin Thomas (234 yards, two scores) -- the backup quarterback. Receiving-wise, Godhigh led the team with 23 catches for 471 yards and four touchdowns. DeAndre Smelter was second on the team with 21 receptions, 345 yards, and four TDs. Darren Waller caught 17 passes for 367 yards, and three scores. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets were fairly stout, giving up 22.8 points per game; they forced 20 turnovers.
Offense: Lee just didn't seem to work out the way Johnson had hoped. He transferred to James Madison in the offseason and now the Yellow Jackets turn to the sophomore Thomas, who, by all accounts, holds promise. The new backup QB, Tim Byerly, also got time last year, rushing for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Last year's top two rushers, Sims and Godhigh, are gone, but the Yellow Jackets' system, paired with a laundry list of seniors, will help the ground game not miss a beat and it will probably be better than a year ago. Laskey's production should go up and also look for solid-to-great seasons from Broderick Snoddy (155 yards), Dennis Andrews (140 yards), Deon Hill (119 yards, one touchdown), Charles Perkins (114 yards, two TDs), Matt Connors (102 yards, two scores), Synjyn Days (93 yards four TDs), and Tony Zenon (35 yards). All are seniors except for Snoddy and Andrews. The receiving corps is looking good, too, with Smelter and Waller back (although Waller will miss the first two games of the season for a violation of team rules) along with Micheal Summers (10 catches, 211 yards). The offensive line brings back three starters.
Defense: Five starters return to a defense led by coordinator Ted Roof, a former player at the school who has been around the block with the Yellow Jackets and Duke, where he was a defensive coordinator and head coach in the early 2000s. Last year, the Jackets went with a 4-3 look, but are moving to a 4-2-5 this year to get more speed on the field to combat the spread looks proliferating the college scene (sound familiar?). Tech brings back just one starter on the line, tackle Adam Gotsis (38 tackles, 14.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks) and loses one player to academics, end Jabari Hunt-Days (45 tackles, seven for loss, 2.5 sacks, one INT), who likely would have started. Jeremiah Attaochu (45 tackles, 16 for loss, 12.5 sacks) was a also a fixture at end for Tech and will be missed. Expect Pat Gamble to to have a bigger role on the line and Hunt-Days' suspension could open up a spot for promising freshman KeShun Freeman. At linebacker, Georgia Tech must move on after the graduation of Brandon Watts (66, 3.5, 2.5, one INT). Quayshawn Nealy (66 tackles, 3.5 for loss, two INTs) and Anthony Harrell (12 tackles, two for loss), the latter of whom tore his ACL in October of last year, are the likely starters. In the defensive backfield, the Yellow Jackets lose leading tackler safety Jemea Thomas (88 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks, two picks) but bring back cornerback D.J. White (50 tackles, one for loss, one INT). The other starting CB could be one of two true freshmen, Step Durham and Lance Austin. The likely safeties are also coming off injuries, Jamal Golden and Isaiah Johnson. Johnson missed all of last season with a knee injury but recorded 87 tackles (led the team), 4.5 for loss, one sack, and one pick in 2012. Chris Milton (two picks) can play a couple different positions.
Special teams note: Harrison Butker (10 of 14) returns to kick field goals but punter Sean Poole (42.3 yards per punt) must be replaced. The punt and kick return games were solid a year ago but did not tally any touchdowns. Those units return lots of contributors.
Schedule, notes, outlook: Wofford, at Tulane, Georgia Southern, at Virginia Tech, Miami, Duke, at North Carolina, at Pittsburgh, Virginia, at N.C. State, Clemson, at Georgia. The non-conference schedule, outside of Georgia, is fairly easy, though Tulane did make a bowl game last season and Georgia Southern did beat Florida. Still, the Yellow Jackets should win three of four non-conference contests. In the ACC, Georgia Tech misses Florida State but has to play Clemson again. This is not 2013 Clemson, though, and the Jackets haven't lost to the Tigers in Atlanta since 2003. The Yellow Jackets get tough assignments at Virginia Tech (a traditionally tough place for Georgia Tech to win) and also North Carolina, but get Miami at home. The offense returns plenty of weapons and coach Johnson's system is such that it is set up to keep rolling. Thomas is expected to be a better fit at QB in the scheme than Lee was. The defense has a few nice returners, but has plenty of holes and is adjusting to a somewhat altered scheme. It wouldn't surprise me for the Yellow Jackets to get caught up in some shootouts. The road game at Virginia Tech could set the tone for the season (as it usually seems to). Tech could be 4-0 coming out of that game with a win or 3-1 with a loss/2-2 should something go wrong in one of the first three games. I think it will be business as usual in Atlanta this season. In two decades, the team hasn't finished with an ACC record below .500, has made 17 bowl games, has only two losing seasons, but has only won more than nine games twice, rarely being able to break through to the next level. As such, I'm predicting another 7-5ish team in the Coastal Division (and maybe another with Miami -- we shall see). The Yellow Jackets-Blue Devils-Tar Heels placement in the division rides on those three head-to-head matchups.
Win-loss prediction: 7-5 or 8-4
Miami
Last year: The Hurricanes went 9-4, 5-3 in the ACC and lost to Louisville, 36-9, in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Miami bolted out to a 7-0 start with victories over Florida Atlantic, Florida, Savannah State, South Florida, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. Miami played well, but didn't dominate in all of those wins and only beat the Tar Heels and Demon Deacons by four and three points, respectively. Trouble was brewing. The 'Canes next faced Florida State in a much-anticipated contest, but the Seminoles brought Miami down to reality like it did almost every team last year, beating the 'Canes, 41-14. Miami lost the next week as well at home against Virginia Tech and then gave up 48 points to Duke in an 18-point loss that was probably the low point of the season. Miami rebounded a bit with wins over Virginia and Pittsburgh but did not close the year on a particularly high note against the Cardinals. Under center, Stephen Morris completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Duke Johnson led the team in rushing -- 920 yards, six touchdowns -- despite playing in just eight games. He suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of the Hurricanes' final five contests. Dallas Crawford netted 558 yards and 12 touchdowns and Gus Edwards tallied 338 yards and five scores. At wideout, Allen Hurns caught 62 passes for 1,162 yards, and six touchdowns. Tight end Clive Walford had 34 receptions for 454 yards and two TDs, while Stacy Coley recorded 33 catches for 591 yards and seven TDs. Herb Waters added 28 receptions, 4-6 yards, and five TDs. Defensively, Miami gave up just a tad under 27 points per game and forced 27 turnovers on the season.
Offense: Six starters return on this side of the ball. The Stephen Morris days are over and Miami made it official Monday, making true freshman Brad Kaaya the starting QB. He won a competition against two-time transfer Jake Heaps (BYU, Kansas) after presumed starter Ryan Williams tore his ACL back in the spring. Kaaya, a four-star recruit who enrolled in May, has the physical look of a solid QB at 6-foot-4, 206
Defense: Seven starters return to a unit that had some nice moments last season and some not-so-nice moments. Linebacker Jimmy Gaines (83 tackles, two for loss) and defensive end Shayon Green (68, 10.5, three sacks) are a couple big losses to graduation for Miami and safety Rayshawn Jenkins (46, one for loss, three picks) received season-ending back surgery in mid-August. On the line, a key returner is end Anthony Chickillo (46 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks), who is capable of an All-ACC type season. At another end is Ufomba Kamalu (13 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks). Miami's tackles lack starting experience. At middle linebacker, the Hurricanes return their leading tackler, Denzel Perryman (108 tackles, five for loss, 1.5 sacks), another great talent. Outside LB Thurston Armbrister (33 tackles, five for loss, two sacks) is good, but not great. In the secondary, Tracy Howard (35 tackles, one for loss, four INTs) is beginning to look like an All-ACC cornerback. The other CB could be Ladarius Gunter (46 tackles, two for loss, three picks), but he missed the spring with an injury, meaning Miami could go with more inexperienced options in Artie Burns or Corn Elder. At safety, Miami has the aforementioned Crawford, who is very athletic and will start at one spot, likely along with Deon Bush (31 tackles, two for loss, two sacks, one interception).
Special teams note: Miami must replace punter Pat O'Donnell, who boomed punts an average of 47.1 yards, but do bring back kicker Matt Goudis (13 of 17). The return game has lots of speed and Coley averaged 22 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards per kick return last year and scored a touchdown doing each. Johnson is also capable of solid kick returns at 28.9 yards per return but did not have any TDs in '13.
Schedule, notes, outlook: at Louisville, Florida A&M, Arkansas State, at Nebraska, Duke, at Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, at Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Florida State, at Virginia, Pittsburgh. Hello again, Louisville. The 'Canes get a chance for revenge right off the bat by facing the Cardinals in game one on a Monday night in prime time. Miami has two easy games sandwiched by two difficult games to start the season. The Hurricanes will probably be quite happy if they are 3-1 after that first four. The rest of the schedule isn't that easy either. Duke, Georgia Tech, Cincy, Virginia Tech, UNC, FSU -- ouch. I could forsee a situation where Miami finishes below .500. The offense is being led by a true freshman QB. he is bound to make mistakes. The defense is capable but lacks consistency. The schedule is pretty unforgiving. I do not agree with the media's assessment that Miami will be the division champion if for no other reason than it has a freshman QB starting and the schedule is difficult. Now, as we saw in my UNC preview, the media has lots of different thoughts about this division and it is expected to be a very tight race. So a game here or there and boom, Miami is in the fourth or fifth place and no one is surprised because of the nature of the division. Duke has an easy non-conference schedule and doesn't have to play FSU, Clemson, or Louisville. Virginia Tech also doesn't have to play those teams and gets perhaps the two weakest Atlantic teams: BC and Wake. UNC has to play just one of FSU, Clemson, and Louisville. Georgia Tech gets just one, too. So the schedule could be what gets Miami kicked off the Coastal perch. This squad is capable of winning the division, though.
Win-loss prediction: 6-6 or 7-5
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