What We Learned in Week 1: ACC

What we learned in Week 1:

1) Virginia Tech (still) has an offensive offense.

We heard all summer about the improvements in the Virginia Tech passing game, but I didn’t see much in the Hokies’ disappointing 34-24 loss to Alabama. Tyrod Taylor was spotty, and the receivers didn’t look much better. Highly touted redshirt-freshman RB Ryan Williams breathed a little bit of life into the offense (113 of the Hokies’ measley 155 yards), but as long as Bryan Stynespring has his hands on the controls, the Gobbler attack is as good as dead. Quote me on this one: Virginia Tech will not beat a top 10 team until Bryan Stynespring is gone. And in other bad news for Virginia Tech fans, the UNC and Miami defenses look more than capable of taking away the Hokies ground attack.

2) The only thing Virginia can spread is cheese on crackers.

Gregg Brandon’s offensive spread experiment got off to a disastrous start in Charlottesville as the Cavaliers totaled just 268 yards and gave the ball away 7 times. All three Virginia QBs were terrible in the passing game, but can you really blame them? Spread offenses thrive by utilizing speed on the outside, and speed is one cheese not available at Gregg Brandon’s UVa offensive tailgate. The 7 turnovers given to the in-state visitors from Williamsburg were certainly a nice gesture by the host Hoos, but if the Hoos are that hospitable against the #17 Horned Frogs of TCU this coming week, they’ll lose by 4 touchdowns—or more.

3) Georgia Tech still has a case of fumble-itis.

One fallacy about option teams like Georgia Tech is that they decrease their fumbles with more experience in the offensive system. That may be true to a degree, but almost all of Paul Johnson’s teams—experienced or not—have coughed up the football a lot. The Jackets fumbled 5 times against Jacksonville State, losing three of them, and that should concern Georgia Tech fans. Coach Johnson blames the butter fingers on a lack of QB contact during practice, but I disagree. A rare downside of the option offense is a tendency to give away the rock, and that could factor into the Jackets’ success this year.

4) Duke football is still…Duke football

David Cutcliffe can talk about bowl games if he wants to, but he won’t be attending any as the head coach of the Duke football program. Duke failed to run the ball against an FCS opponent, and that does not bode well for their chances to run the ball against dominant defensive fronts at Miami, UNC, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech. Without a running game, the Devils will be exorcised in at least 7 of their 8 ACC games.

5) Stop chiseling Russell Wilson’s ACC Hall of Fame plaque.

Russell Wilson struggled mightily against South Carolina while Miami sophomore Jacory Harris looked like the next Charlie Ward. Preseason writers were ready to induct Wilson into the ACC Hall of Fame, but remember—he’s still a sophomore on a struggling NC State football team. Look for Harris to snatch the 1st team All-ACC QB position.

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