ACC Coastal Offensive Names To Know
Every year, there is at least one player on each ACC team that steps up and has a highly productive season. Last season, those players included Tevin Washington from Georgia Tech and Giovanni Bernard from North Carolina. Today, let's take a look at some names to know offensively in the ACC Coastal division for this coming season.
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Virginia Tech - Michael Holmes, RB
This one is a no brainer for Hokie fans. Holmes is a redshirt freshman who is expected to be the main player replacing the production of David Wilson in 2012. Holmes isn't nearly as athletic, quick, or agile as Wilson, but he has good vision and proved this spring that he certainly has enough speed to run away from defenders. If Holmes gets consistent blocking throughout the season, he should have a big season in store.
Virginia - Phillip Sims, QB
Another no brainer here, as Sims could single handedly be responsible for a big year for the Cavaliers this year. Sims transferred to UVA after a few years as the top backup at Alabama. He is expected to be granted a hardship waiver that will allow him to be eligible to play in 2012, but even after that happens he will have to beat out incumbent Michael Rocco. Sims has a ton of talent though and should begin to push Rocco hard once he picks up the offense.
Miami - Ryan Williams, QB
Williams transferred to Miami from Memphis in the spring of 2011, sat out last year, and is now pushing the expected replacement for Jacory Harris, Stephen Morris, hard for the starting job. Morris missed this spring with an injury, which allowed Williams to get plenty of reps and certainly make a case that he should be the starter when the season kicks off in September. Williams is a six foot six inch, 225 pound redshirt sophomore, so he certainly has a lot of raw ability waiting to be tapped into.
Georgia Tech - Robert Godhigh, A-Back
Godhigh is a classic A-back for Paul Johnson's triple option attack as he is a quick and strong five foot seven inch bundle of energy. Godhigh impressed in a big way this spring after seeing action in only six games last season and figures to get a decent amount of carries in 2012. Johnson is pushing the attention of the program on the supposed QB battle between Tevin Washington, Synjyn Days, and Vad Lee, but some attention needs to be turned to the stable of talented backs he now has to wear down opponents with.
North Carolina - T.J. Thorpe, WR
The Heels are transitioning to an uptempo spread offense in new head coach Larry Fedora's first year and the beneficiaries of the change are likely to be anyone playing wide receiver. Bryn Renner had a good spring and appears to be ready to zip passes all over the field. One of his biggest playmakers this fall will be sophomore wideout Thorpe, who was a big weapon on special teams last season. That included taking a kickoff back 100 yards for a score against Clemson, but this fall he will be counted on to become a more complete receiver as UNC has to replace the production of the departed Dwight Jones.
Duke - Eric Adams, RB
Adams is a walk-on tailback, but the Blue Devils have never had one primary ball carrier under David Cutcliffe, so expect him to get some carries right next to returners Desmond Scott, Josh Snead, and others. Adams is a diminutive guy at five foot eight, but he proved he could carry the load when he rushed 31 times for 107 yards in Duke's spring game. Cutcliffe loves to throw the ball a lot, so his ability to catch passes out of the backfield is also a big plus.
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