ACC Coastal: Spring Updates

Brian McDonald
Senior Editor
May 21, 2008
Maybe the ACC Coastal is the most craptacular of the BCS conferences/divisions, and maybe it shouldn't be seen as anything close to a fertile crescent of fantasy drafting. Still, when one looks hard enough, there are a few draftable commodities; you just really have to dig. We'd love to hear from any diehards currently participating in ACC Coastal-only fantasy leagues. I'm sure there are a few of you out there who take a break from your Pacific Coast Fantasy League and Arena Football League in order to find those Duke diamonds in the rough. (Original article written by Brian McDonald on 12/21/07. Updates by Alex Esselink) Duke Blue Devils Will be missed next year: Ted Roof went 6-45 in this tenure at Duke, and his inability to recruit talented players is the primary reason that David Cutcliffe was brought in. Despite the growth of Thaddeus Lewis and Eron Riley, there’s no reason for the two Blue Devil fantasy football fans to lament Roof’s departure. Cutcliffe will undoubtedly improve the offense. He’ll be looking at minimal losses as only players like RB Ronnie Drummer, RB Justin Boyle and WR Jomar Wright are moving on. While each player saw significant action, only Wright could be deemed a significant loss. Fantasy Star of 2008: Sophomore Thaddeus Lewis made great strides in 2007, and under Cutcliffe’s tutelage, it may not be a great jump to assume that Lewis could push 30 touchdowns in 2008. Lewis accounted for 23 scores against only 10 interceptions, and with a more effective system and natural maturation, Lewis may become a very good ACC quarterback. Granted he’ll need to be spot-started, but the Duke quarterback could be one to watch. Fantasy sleeper of 2008: Sheldon Bell has done little on the field during his time in Durham. However the 6’4” redshirt sophomore can be expected to be see his value increase with the coaching change. The Baltimore product caught balls in only three games in 2007, and Eron Riley is clearly the go-to guy in the passing game. Still someone has to step up and help, and we think Sheldon Ball could be that guy. 2008 Fantasy Outlook: Despite talks of “a whole new ballgame” or “a change in attitude” that will certainly follow David Cutcliffe to Durham, this still is Duke football, and there’s a sense that any positive spin is still perfume on a pig. However there is some reason for a little bit of optimism. Erik Ainge’s growth following Cutcliffe’s return to Knoxville does make Thaddeus Lewis intriguing. A good season from Lewis may mean a great season from Eron Riley. These two players will likely be the sole reason to even consider Duke in your pre-draft preparation. **Spring Update:** There will be improvement under David Cutcliffe, especially with veterans returning on both sides of the ball, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Also let’s not start thinking the Dukies are going to wing the ball around just because their coach has a reputation as a quarterback’s coach. Cutcliffe will run a balanced offense, one that will center around three players: RB Re'quan Boyette, QB Thaddeus Lewis and WR Eron Riley. The three are the probably more talented than they get credit for because they wear the powder blue (a dark shade, but powder blue nonetheless). None of that really changed this spring. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Will be missed next year: Tashard Choice was a man for the Yellow Jackets, and with his departure so goes one tough college running back. College backs that go over 1400 yards and score 11 times while playing in a BCS conference leave big shoes, yet we feel that Jonathan Dwyer has the ability to soften the blow. Joining Choice in filling out change-of-address forms at the Post Office is head coach Chan Gailey, who leaves following a solid career with the Yellow Jackets. Gailey just couldn’t get over the hump. Despite six bowl appearances during his tenure, it was his 0-6 record against Georgia that did him in. The biggest potential loss would be that of defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta. Should Tenuta not be retained (he’s coaching the bowl game) he’ll certainly not be unemployed for long. Tenuta’s Georgia Tech defensive units have been fantasy staples for years, and if he and new coach Paul Johnson cannot come to an agreement, one would think that LSU would be on the phone in a heartbeat. Fantasy Star of 2008: Jonathan Dwyer, following a great freshman campaign, will welcome a coaching staff known for getting everything out of its running game. The Georgia Tech and Michigan offensive units will be two of the great question marks this off-season, and in this case, the uncertainty surrounds Paul Johnson’s ability to adapt his triple-option offense to the Tech personnel and make it work in a weekly world of defensive units with much more speed and size. Regardless of how much Johnson tweaks his system, Dwyer, he with the 70-374-7 freshman campaign, will be a focal point, and it’s safe to assume a 1000+ season on the ground with double-digit touchdowns will be a fair measuring stick of his sophomore season. Fantasy sleeper of 2008: It’s abundantly clear that 2008 sophomore quarterback Josh Nesbitt is a much better fit in the offense than senior-to-be Taylor Bennett. The question will be Johnson’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make wholesale adjustments to his system to best utilize Bennett’s experience and pocket ability. Even if there is some type of platoon at the quarterback spot, Nesbitt is a quarterback worth grabbing. With the number of hits the quarterback will take in mind, and if you’re really looking down the road at the Georgia Tech offense, you may want to spend a very late round pick (or waiver acquisition) on incoming freshman Jaybo Shaw. Now Shaw wasn’t highly recruited, and his measurables certainly don’t jump off the stat sheet. However he’ll be signed as a quarterback by Paul Johnson, and this at least makes him intriguing. 2008 Team Fantasy Outlook: This one will be fun to watch. Having watched Navy a great deal over the years it’s very clear that Georgia Tech has gotten one hell of a coach. If Tenuta hangs around, this team becomes one that should cause the ACC (and that team in Athens) a great deal of concern. Depending on how the adjustment to the new system fares, this team with Nesbitt, Dwyer, and wide receivers James Johnson and Demaryius Thomas could be scary. There will certainly be some growing pains, but this is a program that was left in good shape by the previous headman, and the new staff will know what it is doing. **Spring Update:** It has been an interesting spring at Georgia Tech: complete upheaval of the offense, no more Jon Tenuta, Joe Hamilton gets busted for pot and plenty of transfers. I think it is fair to say there are more questions than answers coming out of spring practice. Who will play quarterback? Josh Nesbitt still seems like the logical answer, but I’m not willing to invest a top pick in the young man. Will Jonathan Dwyer be a force? At the end of last year we certainly thought so. Switching to a run orientated offense sure didn’t seem to hurt. However, one thing to keep in mind is the key to the option is spreading the ball around in the running game to keep defenses off balance. Pounding Dwyer 25-30 times is not in the cards. We’ve also seen Dwyer sit behind Lucas Cox…a former walk-on early on this spring. Wake up call? Most definitely, but rumblings of fumble problems always make us nervous. Now to be fair, there are more than enough reports of Dwyer snapping off long runs to keep him in our top 10 heading into the fall. What about Greg Smith? Smith will likely be one of the most interesting players to watch next year. A tall wide receiver converted to a slot back, je’s not an ideal fit as a runner, but he’ll be a threat catching the ball. I just don’t know if he has a whole lot of fantasy value as a RB. If your league lists him as a WR, that is another story. Jamaal Evans, the other slot back, provides another interesting dilemma. He is likely to see 10+ carries a game. With his speed he’s going to bust some long runs and have a few outstanding games. This will causing Dwyer owners to smash their remote against the basement wall and have others racing to pick up Evans as a free agent on Sunday morning. I just don’t know if you can count on him on a regular basis. Miami Hurricanes Will be missed in 2008: No quarterback in recent Hurricane memory took more heat than Kyle Wright, and while Wright certainly didn’t bring what many expected when he signed out of California years ago, he kept battling. His 15 scores coupled with 14 picks were certainly not what many fans at “the U” had in mind for a Kyle Wright senior campaign. Departing South Beach along with Wright will be senior wide receiver Lance Leggett. Leggett’s injuries and dropsies in 2007 cost the Miami wide receiver at an NFL showcase senior season. As both Wright and Leggett leave Miami, there is a bevy of talent at the quarterback and wide receiver spots that will likely prove 2008 as a more accurate gauge of what the Randy Shannon era will provide. Fantasy star in 2008: Craig Cooper came to campus with high expectations, and it’s safe to say that he disappointed very few. While sharing carries with 2008 junior Javarris James, Cooper out gained his running cohort by 100 yards despite 34 fewer carries. James’ presence will keep Cooper from exploding in a big-time fashion, however on a team that will have a great deal of potential and question marks, Cooper appears the most likely player destined to have a big fantasy year. In order to make room for a couple stud wide receivers in the sleeper portion, we’re going to throw Robert Marve in as another fantasy star in 2008. Provided Marve can avoid car accidents and stop running away from law enforcement, there is no doubt that this super talent will supplant Kirby Freeman and take the reigns of the Miami offense. Once he does it’ll likely be a roller coaster ride, but this sure beats the tilt-a-whirl experience provided by recent Miami signal callers. Fantasy sleeper of 2008: Where have you gone Miami wide receivers? Luther Campbell turns his lonely eyes to you. Well Luther may have reason to smile as the Canes have some wide receivers with some outstanding ceilings. We’ll start with Jermaine McKenzie, who was in the same car accident with Robert Marve (another sleeper to watch this spring). Word out of camp is that this kid is one to watch. Even more intriguing is incoming freshman Aldarius Johnson, a youngster that is drawing rave reviews from all that have seen him play at Miami’s Northwestern High School. He’s expected to make an impact the moment he sets foot on campus. Tight end production was way down in 2007, and while there appears to be no Jeremy Shockey running around South Beach right now, Dedrick Epps may be one to watch. 2008 Fantasy Outlook: Randy Shannon spent the year trying to change the culture, and while the season ended on a low note, there appears to be reason for optimism, especially with the young skill position talent. This is not the Canes’ offense of years gone by just yet, but talent like Robert Marve, Craig Cooper, Jermaine McKenzie and Aldarius Thomas has us intrigued. Only Cooper appears start worthy on a regular basis, but the other aforementioned cats are worth backup and keeper spots. **Spring Updates:** We entered the spring with high hopes for redshirt freshman quarterback Robert Marve. So far those hopes have not been realized. The quarterback situation was left unresolved and will likely remain unsettled until late August. Running back Graig Cooper appears to be distancing himself from Javarris James. Both will see carries next fall, but look for Cooper to start getting more and more because of his speed and ability to break a big one. North Carolina Tar Heels Will be missed in 2008: Looking at the North Carolina skill players in 2007 was like watching Romper Room. Butch Davis’ squad experienced growing pains with such a youthful ensemble, and these struggles should pay dividends, possibly as early as 2008. Butch Davis’ extension through 2014 helped to dispel any rumors that he (like seemingly every other college coach) would prostitute himself out to the highest bidder. This is good news to those who see Tar Heel football as more than just a diversion until hoops season. Fantasy Star of 2008: T.J Yates will be on the shelf for up to 12 weeks while he recovers from arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Once he recovers he’ll be ready to build upon a steady freshman season, however his spot as UNC fantasy star of 2008 is tenuous at best. Fellow youngsters Mike Paulus and Cam Sexton will be looking to provide heat for as long as all are on campus. So, sure, we like T.J Yates, but we not sold on his ability to fend off the talent around him, especially when things get tough, as they will be for at least another year in Chapel Hill. The true star will, once again, be receiver Hakeem Nicks. The sophomore went for 74-958-5 this season, and with another year in the system, Nicks should have no problem matching this output. He appears the clear go-to guy, and Fantasy Sleeper of 2008: Greg Little, Greg Little and Greg Little. The 6’3” freshman wide receiver was moved to running back for the final two games where he proceeded to rush for 243 in those final contests. This is an extremely talented young man who clearly fills a large role in Butch Davis’ plans. He has the potential to be THE breakout player in the ACC. His performance at the end of the season was just scratching the surface. 2008 Fantasy Outlook: Mack Brown could recruit at UNC, and he knew what he was doing. Butch Davis can recruit and he knows what he’s doing. They’re just a year away. This team will score in bunches at times, and then they’ll be shut down for no apparent reason. The quarterback spot may be one to avoid short term, however with Hakeem Nicks and Greg Little we have two potential fantasy stars. **Spring Updates:** Running back Greg Little came out of spring as the clear-cut #1 running back for the Tar Heels. Hot off a spectacular end to the 2007 season, Little could be a hot commodity on draft day. Whether or not you draft little largely depends on how much you think the Tar Heels, who only managed 21.7 pts/game last year on offense, will improve and put Little in a position to score? T.J. Yates, fresh off shoulder surgery, sat out most of spring, and this certainly doesn’t help the development of the young offense. Virginia Cavaliers Will be missed in 2008: Kicker Chris Gould and Tight End Tom Santi move on, and these will likely be the only key fantasy losses in 2008. The skill positions, while not chock full of eye-popping talent, has some very nice players hanging around. Virginia has been home to some solid tight end play over the years, so Santi’s (and Jonathan Stupar’s) numbers will have to be made up somewhere. Fantasy star in 2008: We really like Jameel Sewell to make great strides in 2008. Entering his third season as the Cavaliers’ primary signal caller, Sewell’s dual-threat capabilities are interesting. His number one task from both a fantasy and in-game perspective is to develop a semblance of consistency. He became much more efficient towards the end of the year, and he provides an intriguing option as a backup fantasy quarterback in 2008. Likewise, slasher Mikell Simpson showed enough in 2007 to give indications that as a junior he’ll be one the conferences top backs and a factor nationally. He filled in very nicely following Cedric Peerman’s injury issues, and his 766 yards from scrimmage and eight scores bode well for next season. It will be interesting if Peerman can comeback in 2008 and compete for the starting job. Fantasy sleeper of 2008: Dontrelle Inman is going to be a great receiver. Stanton Jobe can fly, but Inman is a better overall player. He’s one we’re looking to see explode, and if Sewell can wing it with more consistency, Inman will prove to be the primary recipient. Lock up Dontrelle and you’ll have yourself a fine backup WR with a great amount of potential. Also don't forget about wide out Kevin Ogletree. Ogletree missed the entire year due to a knee injury. 2008 Fantasy Outlook: An Al Groh and Mike Groh offense doesn’t appear that flashy at first glance, however this unit has shown signs of life lately. Yes, it does seem that every game they win is by a score of 17-14, and this type of production will win fantasy titles for no one. Yet, for some reason, and maybe I’m delusional, I can see the Virginia offense making strides in 2008. On thing to watch for this spring/summer is the return of RB Cedric Peerman and WR Kevin Ogletree from injury and their impact on the starting rotations. Like most other squads in the ACC-Coastal, there’s no way in hell you should come back to this well during the draft. Still guys like Simpson and Inman should receive serious consideration on your big board. **Spring Updates:** So much for Jameel Sewell “making great strides in 2008”. Once again those pesky books got in the way and Sewell was not enrolled for spring semester and status for 2008 looks grim. With that this spring was used as a getting to know you period for quarterbacks Peter Lalich, Scott Deke and Mark Verica as evidence by the spring game which featured 70 (out of 86) passing plays. We have Lalich penciled in as the starter, but in the interest of full disclosure we drew names out of a hat. Of greater significance is Cedric Peerman being named offensive captain. Peerman is back, how they divvy up carries between he and Simpson remains to be seen. Virginia Tech Hokies Will be missed next year: Well just about every single Virginia Tech wide receiver in Blacksburg is out of eligibility, and certainly Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan, Justin Harper and Josh Hyman will be missed. While this, at first glance, appears for a chance for a fantasy star to emerge from the Va. Tech wide receiver ranks, rarely has a Hokies’ receiver been one go-to guy. Still, we’ll be keeping an eye on who will emerge and Tyrod Taylor’s security blanket. Fantasy Star of 2008: Yes, Branden Ore is back for his seemingly 8th year of eligibility, and the senior-to-be will look to enjoy a final campaign more like his sophomore year, and less like his 2007. Ore was running behind a mediocre offensive line and with nagging injures, and it was painful watching him run for 3-yards time after time. Still Ore went over 1000 yards from scrimmage with nine scores, so it wasn’t like the year was a washout. In a selection based primarily on process of elimination, Ore should be the Hokies’ most productive fantasy player in 2008, however you can bet he’ll slide down many draft boards. And yes, Tyrod Taylor displayed enough to warrant consideration on draft day in 2008. This kid, while still having a long way to go, is going to make big plays. Fantasy sleeper of 2008: Sam Wheeler’s season ended prematurely with a knee injury in early November. Wheeler had big games against ECU and Duke in 2007, but he was pretty pedestrian otherwise. He’s expected to make a full recovery for next year, and we should see a year befitted a top conference tight end. If Branden Ore continues to disappoint, keep an eye out 2007 recruit Darren Evans. Evans rushed for 61 touchdowns his senior year in high school. 2008 Team Fantasy Outlook: This team will likely win enough slopfests to anger any owner that invests in Virginia Tech skill position players. Taylor is really an unknown, and with Ore you know what you’re getting. In one of the stunning developments of the past couple of weeks, Sean Glennon has submitted paperwork to the NFL for draft evaluation. In unrelated news, I have submitted my paperwork to be president of the United States. Nothing will change in Blacksburg next year: the defense and special teams will win games while the offense tries not to lose them. **Spring Updates:** Spring was not a good time to be a running back in Blacksburg. Braden Ore got the boot, Kenny Lewis messed up his shoulder and Jahre Cheeseman broke his fibia. I’ve never broken a fibia, but I got to imagine it is painful. With a depleted receiving core and defensive unit to go along with a quarterback rotation and broken running backs the prospects for this normal fantasy gold mine are not looking good. Our only option is to wait and see if something shakes out at running back. If Kenny Lewis can’t go, it will be up to redshirt freshman Darren Evans and incoming freshie Ryan Williams to make some noise.

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