Conference Review: ACC

Rob Willette Posted On November 26, 2014

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With college football in full swing, we’ll be bringing you a review of the “Big Five” conferences each and every week. These recaps will feature sections for “Premier Conference Performer,” “Rising Players,” “Falling Players” and a special Freshman spotlight. These weekly reviews will keep you up-to-date on all the happenings in devy leagues and allow you to keep tabs on future dynasty league assets. By the time the NFL Draft rolls around, you won’t see too many strangers.

Premier Conference Performers

Tyshon Dye, RB Clemson
24 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns

The Clemson running back carousel led to yet another runner getting a crack at the lead job, with the much anticipated breakout performance of Tyshon Dye leading the Tigers to victory. Granted, Georgia State is not going to give many powerhouse programs any sort of fight; however, the most encouraging development was that Dye looked relatively healthy following a string of injuries that cost him his freshman season and a torn Achilles that seemed poised to jeopardize his 2015 campaign. Even at less than 100 percent, Dye may be Clemson’s most physically gifted back. If he can recapture the form that made him a highly regarded recruit and potentially elite college back, he will team with the Tigers’ other young weapons to give them an insanely talented offensive nucleus.

Brandon Radcliff, WR Louisville Cardinals
17 carries for 136 yards and one touchdown

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Quietly emerging as one of the ACC’s best backs, Brandon Radcliff found ample open space against the Fighting Irish defense, and when he happened to stumble upon a Notre Dame defender he made them work to bring him to the ground. A compact, powerful runner with sneaky lateral agility, Radcliff is the type of back that endears himself to coaches and teammates due to his rugged style and ability to always find the hidden yards. With DeVante Parker off to the NFL after the season, it will be Radcliff’s turn to be the offensive star in 2015.

Rising

Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State
14 carries for 76 yards and two catches for 14 yards

Another week, another game in which Dalvin Cook shows he is the Seminoles’ most dynamic offensive weapon. Embarrassing senior Karlos Williams with superior skills on a weekly basis, Cook changes the entire tenor of a football game when he steps on the field. His home run hitting ability and underrated toughness set him up to be one of college football’s top backs during his career in Tallahassee. In a deep year for freshman running backs, Cook is one of the elite.

Chris James, RB Pittsburgh
19 carries for 122 yards

True freshman Chris James took advantage of James Conner’s early departure by assuming the role of feature back and thriving from series to series. James – far more reliant on speed than Conner – hit the hole with authority and looked comfortable operating out of any formation. Conner should return to his feature role whenever healthy but James has done more than enough to start eating into his share of the backfield pie, which should benefit everyone involved.

Isaiah Ford, WR Virginia Tech
Five catches for 37 yards

Lost in the Hokies’ hideous offensive display this past Saturday is the continued maturation of Isaiah Ford, a true freshman that has carried Virginia Tech’s offense this season. He’s savvy beyond his years and has a habit of gesticulating smoothly in mid-air to make a catch. Were he not bogged down by a ho-hum passing offense, he’d be a far bigger name than he currently is. He’s carried this offense thus far.

Jameis Winston, QB Florida State
22/32 for 281 yards and one touchdown and one interception

It is never pretty for Florida State in 2014, and nobody typifies that more than Jameis Winston. Whether he is bumping officials, shouting obscenities in the school cafeteria, or seemingly handing the ball to the other team with a questionable throw, there’s plenty of shake your head moments when it comes to the reigning Heisman Winner. But eliminate the noise, focus on the physical attributes, and you have a quarterback that consistently makes tough throws in the pocket and is fearless in the face of a pass rush. Nobody makes more elite throws than Winston, and he’s been able to find success even as his offensive line disappoints and his receivers mature. If he can sell himself and eliminate the stigma that now surrounds him, he is first the quarterback off the board and a franchise centerpiece. There’s a clear tier between he and Marcus Mariota when it comes to on the field attributes.

Falling

Stacy Coley, WR Miami
One catch for 12 yards

It has been a brutal sophomore campaign for Stacy Coley. Expected to be one of the Hurricanes’ top playmakers, he has instead become an offensive afterthought, often looking physically overmatched and failing to make plays when afforded the opportunity. Even with Brad Kaaya playing better than anyone could have hoped, the sophomore slump has hit Coley hard. He’s still in need of a lot of physical development and receiving acumen if he is going to settle in as anything other than a special teams weapon and gadget player on offense.

Freshman Watch

Elijah Hood, RB North Carolina
DNP

Elijah Hood gets the nod for two reasons here. First, a lot of ink was used up on ACC freshman earlier in the piece. Secondly, he has dealt with a nagging injury that has cost him a large chunk of his freshman season. This is an ideal time in devy leagues to float some offers and see if you can get him at a discount. At his best, Hood has a little Doug Martin in him (the good Doug Martin) and is a rare size/speed combination for the crowd that buys into measurables. Once he gets healthy and settled in Chapel Hill, he will team with T.J. Logan to give the Tar Heels one of the league’s best one-two punches at running back.

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