Your Best 11 Mailbag: ACC, Lane Kiffin and What Players Should Do This Summer

We missed last Thursday because some folks decided to be tardy to the question party. This week everyone got their questions in right on time and so we're off and running. There is a lot to tackle here from multiple angles, so here we go folks!

First up, so much ACC stuff, so we're going to get them all out of the way quickly and rapid-fire:

"

@InTheBleachers #RadioEditHow ACC would it be for an ineligible UNC to run the table to keep the eventual ACC champ out of the title hunt?

— Ben Swain (@thedevilwolf) May 31, 2012"

That would be so ACC of the Heels and the league in general.

In recent years, only two things come to mind as being more ACC than the Heels running the table in 2012 while ineligible to play for a title: Virginia Tech sandwiching their season with losses to Boise State and Stanford while kicking butt the rest of the games and Clemson getting run off the field by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl.

On a serious note, I don't see the Tar Heels as being even remotely capable of running the table, despite what some folks have said about their schedule.

"

@InTheBleachers what do you think about Tajh Boyd and his potential next year in Chad Morris' offense? Improve or what?

— paul geddings (@SraGeddings) May 31, 2012"

Tajh Boyd is a heck of a ballplayer. Entering year two under Chad Morris, I expect him to improve plenty. That said, there really is not much more for the kid to do from a statistical standpoint: 3,828 through the air; 33-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. I mean, the kid absolutely balled a season ago.

He just has to be more consistent and that is not going to come in the numbers, but with comfort on the field and in the scheme. Year two should bring more comfort and with that, more consistency.

I hate that he loses Dwayne Allen, one of my favorite guys to watch when he wanted to play, but Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins are going to cause serious problems for the opposition.

"

From Matt: Who are 5 under the radar ‪#acc‬ football players that will be household names by year's end?

"

Good question and I'm not sure how far "under the radar" you want me to go, so I'll try and just shoot some names out rapid fire-like.

Marcus Davis at Virginia Tech is one guy I expect to blow up. Merrill Noel should be a household name from the Demon Deacons at the cornerback spot. Eric Ebron at North Carolina, a tight end, is a guy who can really pop into the spotlight for the Tar Heels in this new offense. 

For my last two guys, I think I'll go with a Seminoles. Christian Jones, a linebacker, is a guy I expect to make a big splash on the national scene. The kid is an absolutely hoss, he can play against the run and is capable in pass coverage.

On the other side of the ball, I'll take Nick O'Leary. The freshman tight end, who legitimately looks like the most standard video game player ever, only caught 12 balls last season. Look for Jimbo Fisher to get him more involved in year two and use him to really stress defenses.

"

@InTheBleachers Which ACC player(s) has the best chance at an invite to NYC for the Heisman Award show?

— Randy Gyorko (@gyorkocfn) May 31, 2012"

Heisman candidate from the ACC? I honestly have not believed that a league guy was going to win it since, like, Joe Hamilton, and he lost. No, I do not count Chris Weinke.

So when I look at the league now and the landscape of the Heisman trophy, I think about high-profile schools and high-profile positions. The first requirement knocks out about 75 percent of the league in football. Then we can take Sammy Watkins out, because wide receivers don't win the Heisman in the modern era; their quarterbacks do.

Give me Tajh Boyd, Logan Thomas and E.J. Manuel as the guys with the best chance to get to New York. Boyd is going to have the stats. Thomas is going to put together enough wins most likely and Manuel is at enough of a high-profile location that if he can get them to December undefeated, he will be the only guy on that team people will look at as a "star."

"

@InTheBleachers whats your opinion on the ACC and others scheduling 9 conf games. Does it hurt their out of conference schedule?

— jp8816 (@jp8816) May 31, 2012"

Final ACC question. The league has gotten destroyed in non-conference for quite sometime. Outside of Florida State beating a bad Florida team, I really cannot think of a legitimate, quality win in the league from the last couple seasons.

So, with that said, limiting their ability to schedule tough non-conference opponents does not necessarily worry me. Everyone should get, at the very least, their one tough non-conference, one light non-conference and then one throw-away, easy-win game.

The real problem is that in a league where everyone beats everyone because no one is actually good, they just added another game that is going to be a loss for half of the teams. That's not a good thing for schools that are scrambling to get to six or seven wins to make a bowl. Especially after the ACC failed to fill their requirements for bowls a season ago. 

"

@InTheBleachers what are the chances we will see lane kiffin and his #Trojans in the BCS Championship?

— Stuart D. Davis™ (@stu623) May 31, 2012"

High. Out of all the teams that are going to start in the top 10 or so, the Trojans have the best schedule setup, the best passing game coming back and one of the best returning defensive core groups.

"

@InTheBleachers prob not mailbag worthy but does Stanford have a decent qb to replace Luck or job up for grabs?

— Greg B (@gjb512) May 31, 2012"

They have two. Josh Nunes and Brett Nottingham. Both were big-time prospects coming out of high school.

Neither has much in the way of experience. Nottingham has thrown eight passes to Nunes' two pass attempts.

They were even coming out of spring and we'll see how the competition progresses, as Nunes worked with the ones for the spring game and Nottingham ran with the twos.

"

@InTheBleachers Which teams do you believe the Big12 will poach to get back to having a championship game?

— Justin Davis (@jersymikejr) May 31, 2012"

Right now? None. The Big 12 has decided they don't want to get all biggified on everyone for the time being. 

"

@InTheBleachers True or false: Nebraska has a legitimate shot to reach a BCS bowl in 2012

— Brandon Cavanaugh (@eightlaces) May 31, 2012"

Better shot than Ohio State and North Carolina.

On a serious note, there are four or five very "losable" football games for the Cornhuskers. They would have to successfully navigate those to get into the BCS Bowl game, and given the holes on defense and the ongoing issue that is quarterback Taylor Martinez, I'm going to have to say false to "legitimate."

"

@InTheBleachers possible 3 five stars in VA next year, what’s the chance we keep them all home? Or at least 2 of 3

— Kevin Sparks (@Sully_sparks) May 31, 2012"

A little recruiting talk and on the news of Matt Rolin committing from Virginia to play at South Carolina, I was wondering about the Commonwealth losing players. Turns out Rolin has some intense family ties to South Carolina, so it made sense for him to leave.

As for the three rising juniors for the 2014 cycle, this is a crapshoot at this point. They haven't taken any of their official visits yet and after they camp this summer, they might have a better idea of where they would like to end up.

I think the odds are good; the Wahoos are really pushing hard in recruiting and no one maximized the in-state talent like Virginia Tech. That said, we've seen other, bigger programs invade the Commonwealth, so it wouldn't shock me to see big names scoop up just one, or all three.

"

@InTheBleachers besides staying out of trouble, What is the one thing can a player can do in the summer that most helps the team in the fall

— Mac B from Tennessee (@mac_b_from_tn) May 31, 2012"

Honestly, staying out of trouble was my first answer, but since I have to go another route I'll say team-building.

I'm not talking about the stupid mandatory-voluntary pass skel sessions or the dumb team activities set up by the coach in an informal fashion; I mean legitimately getting to know your teammates outside of football and outside of organized activities: pool parties; take a trip to a nearby city or town; hit up a minor-league baseball game; go to the beach; do stuff with your teammates that is not required and you'd be surprised how much it can enrich you as a person and help you all as a team.

College football exposed me to people I never would have met in my normal life. It helps span socioeconomic barriers that exist naturally. When you get a chance to learn one of your teammate's stories and how they got to the school or what their goals are, it is truly special.

It helps build that "brotherhood" and "family" bond that teams and coaches are always selling.

"

@InTheBleachers q:did you have nightmares about the hawk last night?

— Mike McFarland (@mkmcfrlnd) May 31, 2012"

For those of you who did not follow the #Hawkstage incident yesterday, this makes no sense. I'm deathly terrified of birds and a hawk took down a dove on my porch yesterday, then hovered outside my deck area for awhile.

I had to get the bird's body off my porch; it was a disaster that included my homemade suit of armor.

To answer this question, no. I dreamed about the pedicure that I got today. We'll be back next Thursday with plenty of answers to life's pressing questions in the Your Best 11 Maiilbag.