Scattershooting Around the ACC: Virginia-Liberty, Coastal, Atlantic Still Up For Grabs

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Scattershooting around the ACC, while wondering how Bronco Mendenhall will use this week of practice heading into the Liberty game …

Not that Virginia should look past Liberty. The Flames, 4-4, have a dangerous offense, ranked in the nation’s top 10 in passing offense. They have a junior quarterback, Stephen Calvert, who can sling it. He’s already thrown for more than 7,000 yards and 62 career touchdown passes.

That could present a problem considering how banged up UVa’s defense is going into the game. Defensive end Mandy Alonzo is out, linebacker Rob Snyder, defensive backs Brenton Nelson, Joey Blount, and Juan Thornhill are questionable.

However, on the other side of the ball for Liberty, Coach Turner Gill’s defense has some work to do.

The Flames, competing as an independent in a transition year to FBS football, would be ranked No. 128 in the nation, or next-to-last, if they were eligible for FBS status, in total defense. Liberty is surrendering lots of real estate in huge clumps.

Consider that Gill’s defense is giving up an average of 523.8 yards a game. In the last two games, vs. Idaho State and UMass, the Flames gave up a total of 1,408 yards: 630 to Idaho State; 777 to UMass (708 of that in regulation) in a triple-overtime, 62-59 loss to the Minutemen.

While Bronco and his team cannot take Liberty lightly, I do have to imagine that during a week where his team will face a nonconference game, if UVa will devote a portion of its practice time to get ready for Georgia Tech’s option offense. The Cavaliers will travel to Atlanta next week to take on Paul Johnson’s option offense. UVa hasn’t played particularly well in Atlanta, and so any extra time exposing his defense to defending the option might prove beneficial, particularly considering the last time the Cavaliers played an option attack (INSERT your own curse word here).

Virginia is still in the Coastal hunt, but then again, so is Georgia Tech. The Jackets play Miami this weekend and the loser will be eliminated.

Johnson’s offense is doing something special this season. They are presently rushing for exactly 377 yards per game, well above the modern day Georgia Tech record of 342.1 in 2014. Should Tech continue on that pace, it would be the highest rushing yardage by a major college football team since Tom Osborne’s national championship team at Nebraska in 1997 (392.6 per game).

Johnson hasn’t bothered to use the forward pass much this season, with the Jackets averaging 61 rushes per game, and have an 86-14 run-pass ratio.

Division Crowns Up For Grabs

It’s pretty cool that both the ACC’s division titles are still being contested this late in the season. Of course it is in the Coastal, right? It’s always crazy in the Coastal.

If Pitt beats Virginia Tech this weekend in Pittsburgh, the Panthers will control their own destiny. They close the season at Wake Forest and at Miami, certainly not gimmes, especially in this division.

If the Hokies upset Pitt, there will be a three-way tie for first place between the Panthers, UVa, and Virginia Tech, and all sorts of possibilities open up. Don’t forget Georgia Tech if it beats Miami.

Another game of intrigue will be Clemson at Boston College. If the Tigers win, they lock up the Atlantic Division. However, if BC springs the upset (the Eagles are 20-point dogs), they will own the tie-breaker over the Beantowners.

BC coach Steve Addazio said he plans to “make the game as physical as possible.” The Eagles always play physical football, multiple tight end sets, a rough and tumble running game, and a stout defense. ESPN’s GameDay will be there to fire up the crowd and weather is usually on BC’s side.

With all that in mind, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his staff has challenged the Tigers to match that physicality. The Tigers haven’t been pushed in a while. Every since they survived a close decision at home with Syracuse, when QB Trevor Lawrence was knocked out of the game, Clemson has outscored opponents 240-36. Yikes.

It has gotten so out of hand the past couple of weeks that Clemson has thrown TD passes to two different defensive tackles, attempted one to an offensive tackle, had a defensive tackle rush for a score, and even Dabo’s kid was on the receiving end of a TD pass.

Injury Report

Virginia Tech has lost another defensive player, defensive back Bryce Watts, who suffered a fractured forearm in last week’s home loss to BC.

Wake Forest has lost freshman QB Sam Hartman for the season (leg), and was replaced Thursday night by junior Jamie Newman, a 6-4, 240, guy with lots of physical tools, who made the winning play to upset N.C. State on the road.

Florida State QB Deondre Francois has injured ribs and although he’s probable for the game at Notre Dame, he may not start. Meanwhile, ND QB Ian Book, also ribs, is doubtful.

Boston College running back A.J. Dillon, who tweaked his ankle in the game in Blacksburg, is listed as probable.

Duke linebacker Joe Giles Harris (knee) is doubtful.

We’ve already gone over the UVa injuries above.

Short Yardage …

• Clemson’s average win margin in ACC games this season is a staggering 39 points. We haven’t seen anything like that since Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles first came into the league.
• There were two former UVa assistant coaches on Pitt’s coaching staff last week: running backs coach Andre Powell, who was on George Welsh’s staff in Charlottesville, and Dave Borbely, who was on both Al Groh’s and Mike London’s staff, is in his first year as Pitt’s OLine coach.
• Meaningful stat for Clemson-BC game: the Tigers, the nation’s No. 1 team against the run, held BC’s Dillon to 57 yards rushing on 18 carries last season. If the Eagles can’t run the ball on the Tigers, they can’t win.
• Miami, which has lost three straight games, including to Duke last weekend, will apparently start Perry over Rosier this weekend against Georgia Tech as the quarterback musical chairs continues. No wonder the Hurricanes are struggling to score. They’re 77th in the country in scoring offense with 19 points a game, and have been held to less than 15 points during their three-game streak. The ‘Canes are also No. 101 in passing (193 ypg).
• Louisville is on a six-game losing streak. Think about that. Bobby Petrino certainly is.
• Syracuse had a bye week but it wasn’t as easy week. Coach Dino Baber described it as a very physical, “baby hell” week.

ACC Stat of the Week

We always felt that Virginia’s 1990 offense was one of the best we’ve ever seen in college football. You remember … Shawn Moore to Herman Moore. It was a great offense.

Well it took 28 years for another team to break one of George Welsh’s offense’s ACC records.

Clemson scored 171 points over the last three road games (at Georgia Tech, at Wake, at Florida State), the most in history by an ACC team.

That broke UVa’s 1990 record of 167 (actually last road game of ‘89, and first two road games of ‘90).

ACC Quote of the Week

UVa coach Bronco Mendenhall describing how much he likes senior punter Lester Coleman:

“When letters of reference or endorsements come, they better have a long time on the phone if it’s a call. Lester’s going to get whatever job I’m recommending him for.”