ACC Roundtable is hosted by Tar Heel Mania this week and here’s my attempt at answers.
1. What player whom you were not even thinking about in August has
made the most positive impact on your team? Conversely, what
supposedly key player(s) has fizzled for reasons other than injury?
Team=ACC for me and Jacory Harris is that guy. He was in the back of my mind as maybe having a pretty good season, but he picked up Whipple’s offense quick and has made a definite impact for team that can take the Coastal now.
On the other side, I guess I would say Da’Rel Scott of Maryland because I was high on him and he has not produced at all this season.
2. UNC’s performances, and in particular the two losses, have felt
like the ghost of Carl Torbush is roaming the sidelines. What part of
your team’s past, positive or negative, has this season drudged up?
Man, that Maryland/Clemson game reminded me of Clemson with Bowden. The Tigers came out flat and were out-played inexplicably–but to their credit, they came back strong against Wake. Miami’s performance at Virginia Tech reminded me of when Clemson came in riding high versus the Hokies back in 2006 or 2007 and their season would go into the tank. We are still waiting on Miami’s in-conference response to the loss.
3. Because this is the ACC, no team is truly out of the conference
race yet; 5-3 can still win the division. Find your inner optimist, no
matter how bruised, and tell us why you’re still holding out hope for
your team. (This is NOT the best-case scenario question; rather, what
your team has shown to indicate success in the immediate future.)
I would argue that NC State season’s was done after the South Carolina game, but that’s just me. For the ACC as a whole, I really could see the ACC pulling off a trio of ACC-SEC upsets at the end of the season with Clemson>SC, GT>UGA(maybe not an upset but hey), and…FSU>UF, but the ‘Noles would have to play out of their minds.
4. What remaining conference game not involving your team do you look
forward to most and why?
I’m really looking forward to this week’s Clemson-Miami game because I think it could be really good.
5. Now for what Block-C would call the “s—- and giggles” question.
Offense in the ACC is…well, offensive. To solve this problem we’re
putting four ACC offensive coordinators into Thunderdome, where only
one man will emerge to smear a football field with his tactics again.
Bryan Stinespring and John Shoop are shoo-ins. Nominate at least one
more offensive coordinator (preferably, yours) and tell us why he
deserves a 75% chance of doom.
Wait, so Block-C has invented all expletive related phrases? Let me throw in Paul Johnson–now you’re like, wait, what? He’s basically the OC right and if I see him run a freakin’ pitch or pass with a lead when they are running down the throats with Dwyer/Nesbitt I’m gonna pitch my laptop out the window. First, Nesbitt passing has a 25% chance at success anyway and all they run with their WR Thomas is go-routes which are successful for how big he is and how different from their usual scheme it is–but it’s the 4th quarter–you have the lead–be conservative because you have the players to grind it out with! How many times have we seen a fumbled pitch in the 4th quarter of a key game? I think like a million times in the FSU and Mississippi State games. Run the ball, run that flippin’ “Wishbone”(/Davies’d) with the QB lead(/Jones’d) and the dive every single play with the lead. With that said, Johnson dominates the Thunderdome regardless.
Check out Tar Heel Mania for all your ACC Roundtable goodness!
