Duke
Last year: 9-4 (5-3), lost in the Sun Bowl, 36-31, to Arizona State
Best win: at Georgia Tech, 31-25 Worst loss: vs. North Carolina, 45-20
Coach: David Cutcliffe (eighth year, 40-48)
Starters returning: 14 (6 offense, 6 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: RB Shaquille Powell. Senior gained 618 yards and recorded two TDs last year, not impressive numbers, but his yards per carry average was 4.6. Duke used lots of running backs, but clearly, he is capable of doing more damage. He also caught 18 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive player to watch: S Jeremy Cash. He is an All-American safety that was third on the team last season with 111 total tackles (10.5 for loss) while also tallying 5.5 sacks and picking off two
passes.
Special teams player to watch: K Ross Martin. A two-time All-American, Ross made 19 of 21 field goals last season. The Devils' punter, Will Monday, is excellent, too -- also an All-American who is the active career punt yardage average leader in the ACC.
Schedule: at Tulane, N.C. Central, Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Boston College, at Army, at Virginia Tech, Miami, at North Carolina, Pittsburgh, at Virginia, at Wake Forest.
Outlook: The non-conference schedule is a slight step up over last year (Elon, Kansas, Tulane, Army), but the Blue Devils should still go 4-0 against those teams. In the ACC slate, Duke conveniently avoids Florida State and Clemson. The Georgia Tech game is at home, but Duke has to go to Virginia Tech. Thomas Sirk is going to be the starting quarterback. The junior completed 10 of 14 passes for 67 yards and three TDs last year. A very, very small sample size but it looks like he could have what it takes to keep Duke's run going. The Blue Devils won 21 combined games in Cutcliffe's first five seasons with the team but have won 19 over the past two seasons. Three starting offensive linemen, including Laken Tomlinson (first round of the NFL draft to the Lions), are gone, so that is one of the more concerning holes for the Blue Devils. Duke might take a step back and not reach the heights of the past couple seasons, but a favorable schedule and seasoned coach in Cutcliffe, who knows what he's doing and has built a winner at Duke of all places, should put the Blue Devils in a bowl for the fourth straight season.
Win-loss prediction: 6-6 or 7-5
North Carolina
Last year: 6-7 (4-4), lost, 40-21, to Rutgers in the Quick Lane Bowl
Best win: vs. Georgia Tech, 48-43 Worst loss: at ECU, 70-41
Coach: Larry Fedora (fourth year, 21-17)
Starters returning: 18 (10 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: QB Marquise Williams. This senior set 18 Carolina season or career records last season, including most total yards in a season (3,856). He completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,068 yards, 21 TDs, and nine INTs, and rushed for 788 and scored 13 TDs.
Defensive player to watch: LB Jeff Schoettmer. A senior in the middle, he didn't have any sacks last year but was second on the team with 74 tackles (six for loss) and picked off two passes, returning both for touchdowns.
Special teams player to watch: Returner T.J. Logan. Provided he's in this role again, Logan looks
capable of being explosive, averaging 25.3 yards per kick return last season.
Schedule: vs. South Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina A&T, Illinois, Delaware, at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia, at Pittsburgh, Duke, Miami, at Virginia Tech, at N.C. State.
Outlook: North Carolina's non-conference schedule is easier than a year ago, when the Tar Heels had to face ECU, Notre Dame, and San Diego State. All of those teams made bowls. Of this season's opponents, South Carolina and Illinois made bowls, but the Gamecocks were just 7-6 and the Illini were 6-7 and not really a very good team at all. And then, UNC gets two FCS opponents. The Tar Heels do have some tough ACC road games at Georgia Tech, at Pittsburgh, at Virginia Tech, and at N.C. State, though they do get to avoid FSU and Clemson. The offense should once again be excellent with all the returning starters, including Logan in the backfield and Quinshad Davis at wideout, and the defense can't get much worse. The unit gave up nearly 40 points and 500 yards per game in 2014. The entire staff was overhauled and respected defensive mind Gene Chizik -- the ex-national-title winning coach at Auburn -- was hired as the coordinator. If UNC can get off on the right foot by beating South Carolina and win one or two of those tougher road conference games, it could really surprise in the Coastal Division.
Win-loss prediction: 7-5 or 8-4
Last year: 9-4 (5-3), lost in the Sun Bowl, 36-31, to Arizona State
Best win: at Georgia Tech, 31-25 Worst loss: vs. North Carolina, 45-20
Coach: David Cutcliffe (eighth year, 40-48)
Starters returning: 14 (6 offense, 6 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: RB Shaquille Powell. Senior gained 618 yards and recorded two TDs last year, not impressive numbers, but his yards per carry average was 4.6. Duke used lots of running backs, but clearly, he is capable of doing more damage. He also caught 18 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive player to watch: S Jeremy Cash. He is an All-American safety that was third on the team last season with 111 total tackles (10.5 for loss) while also tallying 5.5 sacks and picking off two
Special teams player to watch: K Ross Martin. A two-time All-American, Ross made 19 of 21 field goals last season. The Devils' punter, Will Monday, is excellent, too -- also an All-American who is the active career punt yardage average leader in the ACC.
Schedule: at Tulane, N.C. Central, Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Boston College, at Army, at Virginia Tech, Miami, at North Carolina, Pittsburgh, at Virginia, at Wake Forest.
Outlook: The non-conference schedule is a slight step up over last year (Elon, Kansas, Tulane, Army), but the Blue Devils should still go 4-0 against those teams. In the ACC slate, Duke conveniently avoids Florida State and Clemson. The Georgia Tech game is at home, but Duke has to go to Virginia Tech. Thomas Sirk is going to be the starting quarterback. The junior completed 10 of 14 passes for 67 yards and three TDs last year. A very, very small sample size but it looks like he could have what it takes to keep Duke's run going. The Blue Devils won 21 combined games in Cutcliffe's first five seasons with the team but have won 19 over the past two seasons. Three starting offensive linemen, including Laken Tomlinson (first round of the NFL draft to the Lions), are gone, so that is one of the more concerning holes for the Blue Devils. Duke might take a step back and not reach the heights of the past couple seasons, but a favorable schedule and seasoned coach in Cutcliffe, who knows what he's doing and has built a winner at Duke of all places, should put the Blue Devils in a bowl for the fourth straight season.
Win-loss prediction: 6-6 or 7-5
North Carolina
Last year: 6-7 (4-4), lost, 40-21, to Rutgers in the Quick Lane Bowl
Best win: vs. Georgia Tech, 48-43 Worst loss: at ECU, 70-41
Coach: Larry Fedora (fourth year, 21-17)
Starters returning: 18 (10 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive player to watch: QB Marquise Williams. This senior set 18 Carolina season or career records last season, including most total yards in a season (3,856). He completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,068 yards, 21 TDs, and nine INTs, and rushed for 788 and scored 13 TDs.
Defensive player to watch: LB Jeff Schoettmer. A senior in the middle, he didn't have any sacks last year but was second on the team with 74 tackles (six for loss) and picked off two passes, returning both for touchdowns.
Special teams player to watch: Returner T.J. Logan. Provided he's in this role again, Logan looks
Schedule: vs. South Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina A&T, Illinois, Delaware, at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia, at Pittsburgh, Duke, Miami, at Virginia Tech, at N.C. State.
Outlook: North Carolina's non-conference schedule is easier than a year ago, when the Tar Heels had to face ECU, Notre Dame, and San Diego State. All of those teams made bowls. Of this season's opponents, South Carolina and Illinois made bowls, but the Gamecocks were just 7-6 and the Illini were 6-7 and not really a very good team at all. And then, UNC gets two FCS opponents. The Tar Heels do have some tough ACC road games at Georgia Tech, at Pittsburgh, at Virginia Tech, and at N.C. State, though they do get to avoid FSU and Clemson. The offense should once again be excellent with all the returning starters, including Logan in the backfield and Quinshad Davis at wideout, and the defense can't get much worse. The unit gave up nearly 40 points and 500 yards per game in 2014. The entire staff was overhauled and respected defensive mind Gene Chizik -- the ex-national-title winning coach at Auburn -- was hired as the coordinator. If UNC can get off on the right foot by beating South Carolina and win one or two of those tougher road conference games, it could really surprise in the Coastal Division.
Win-loss prediction: 7-5 or 8-4
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