ACC Football Kickoff 2012: Live Updates From Greensboro

2012 Preseason All-ACC Football Team Announced

Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina Lead With Four Selections Each; 18 of 25 Earned All-ACC First- or Second-Team Honors in 2011.

Frank Beamer's Hokies Have Familiar Feel With Strong Defense, Questions On Offense

Virginia Tech has long been known for defense and special teams carrying its offense. This year's Hokies are likely to fit that mold, as head coach Frank Beamer discussed during the ACC Football Kickoff.

Emmett Cleary Confident In New Boston College Offense

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Can the Eagles improve on their 89th-rated offense from a year ago?

VIDEO: An Hour With Jimbo Fisher At ACC Football Kickoff

I had the chance to speak with Jimbo Fisher today as part of the ACC Football Kickoff, and Florida State's official site posted the entire interview to its Youtube account. Here are some of the things I asked Fisher about:

• Christian Jones' cover skills, his move to weakside linebacker, and Nick Moody's ability to fill the vacated Sam linebacker spot.
• When is it too early to offer a kid a scholarship?
• The differences between Mike Harris, who graduated, and Tyler Hunter, his replacement at nickelback.
• If fullback/all-purpose back Lonnie Pryor will see more time this season running the football with all the questions surrounding the traditional tailbacks.
• If he had ever had a defense that had four former corners starting in the secondary.
• His feelings from 2011 going into camp compared to his feelings in 2012.
• What does he want to find out about his Seminoles?
• Will the consistent threat/option of Nick O'Leary at tight end make the receivers compete harder knowing fewer balls will be available for them?
• The comfort level with and understanding of EJ's personality and skills, and the need to fit the offense to his skills.

Frank Beamer In Beats By Dre Headphones

Sammy Watkins Tabbed As ACC POTY By Media In Preseason Voting

Clemson sophomore wide receiver Sammy Watkins (Fort Myers, Fla.), who set ACC single-season freshman records for receptions (82), reception yardage (1,219) and receiving touchdowns (12), was the choice for Preseason Player of the Year. Watkins received 25 votes and nudged out Virginia Tech junior quarterback Logan Thomas (Lynchburg, Va.) who had 21 votes. The Preseason Player of the Year ballotting was a close, four-person race with Florida State senior quarterback EJ Manuel (Virginia Beach, Va.) coming in third with 19 votes and Watkins' junior teammate, quarterback Tajh Boyd (Hampton, Va.), finishing fourth with 18.

Here is a breakdown of the voting:

ACC Player of the Year Voting
1. Sammy Watkins, Clemson ...........................25
2. Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech ......................21
3. EJ Manuel, Florida State ...............................19
4. Tajh Boyd, Clemson ......................................18
5. Mike Glennon, NC State .................................. 5
6. David Amerson, NC State ............................... 3
7. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina.....................1
Bryn Renner, North Carolina ............................. .1
Tanner Price, Wake Forest. ............................... .1
Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech ..................................... 1

My selection was Logan Thomas, because I believe that Clemson QB Tahj Boyd will steal some votes from Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins.

FSU Picked To Beat Virginia Tech For Championship By ACC Media

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Florida State is once again the preseason pick to win the ACC Championship according to ACC media members, who voted during the ACC Football Kickoff. The opponent, from the Coastal Division, is the Virginia Tech Hokies.

It is the third consecutive year in which Florida State and Virginia Tech have been selected to play in the game during pre-season voting. The predictions have not been great in those four years. In 2009, Georgia Tech defeated Clemson. In 2010, Virginia Tech defeated Florida State. And in 2011, Clemson defeated Virginia Tech.

Interestingly, Florida State has only been selected to win the ACC twice (2011 and 2005).

The 'Noles have, however, been picked to win the Atlantic Division in six of the last seven years (FSU has won the division twice). This selection makes it seven of eight.

Virginia Tech, on the other hand, has been picked to win its division in six of the last seven seasons, winning it five times. This selection means that Virginia Tech has now been picked to win the Coastal Division in seven of the last eight seasons.

Below is my ballot.

My writing is terrible, but my picks are almost identical. The only difference with the divisions is that I have Boston College above Wake Forest. I chose Thomas over Watkins because I think Watkins will split votes with teammate Tahj Boyd.

VIDEO: Kaleb Ramsey Talks Injury, Rebuilt Boston College Defense

VIDEO: Running Back Perry Jones On Virginia's Offense

VIDEO: Dalton Freeman On Clemson's Rebuilt Offensive Line

VIDEO: Mike James On 'Canes Running Back Competition

VIDEO: Duke Receiver Connor Vernon On Setting Records

VIDEO: Logan Thomas On Increasing Muscle, Expectations

VIDEO: Earl Wolff Thinks N.C. State Can Have ACC's Best Defense

VIDEO: Georgia Tech QB Tevin Washington On Goals For 2012

VIDEO: Virginia Natives EJ Manuel, Mike Glennon On Quarterbacking

VIDEO: UNC QB Bryn Rennr On New Spread Offense

VIDEO: Wake Forest QB Tanner Price On Rebuilt Offensive Line, Expectations

VIDEO: Maryland Defensive Tackle Joe Vellano On New 3-4 Defense

VIDEO: ACC Football Kickoff -- EJ Manuel Talks Homework, Defense

N.C. State Safety Earl Wolff: 'Pack Has ACC's Best Secondary

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- N.C. State safety Earl Wolff certainly doesn't lack for confidence. The 6-foot-tall, 207-pound senior has been one of the better defensive backs in the ACC for the last two years. He had two forced fumbles, two interceptions and mutiple passes defended in 2011 to follow up a stellar 2010 campaign.

Wolff believes N.C. State's secondary is the best in the conference and thinks the Wolfpack can be the best in the nation. With Wolff and corner David Amerson, who intercepted 13 passes in 2011, the 'Pack has an argument for the honor.

He also believes the 'Pack can win the conference this season. N.C. State is currently a longshot to win the ACC according to the boys in Vegas. Wolff indicated that winning the conference would be incredibly meaningful to their fans.

As for difficult quarterbacks to face, Wolff pegged E.J. Manuel of Florida State as the toughest signal caller to face off against.

Follow @SBNRecruiting

For more on Wolfpack football, visit N.C. State blog Backing The Pack.

Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas Doesn't Think He'll Run More In 2012

Virginia Tech had a good offense for the second year in a row in 2011. It helped to make up for a Hokie defense that was, uncharacteristically, good instead of great. The leader of the offense was redshirt sophomore QB Logan Thomas.

Thomas returns for the 2012 season, but many of his important teammates do not. Among the contributors not returning are running backs David Wilson and Josh Oglesby, receiver Danny Coale, receiver Jarrett Boykin, tight end Chris Drager, offensive tackle Andrew Lanier, offensive guard Greg Nosal, offensive guard Jaymes Brooks and offensive tackle Blake DeChristopher.

Incredibly, Logan Thomas isn't expecting a drop-off on the offensive side of the ball. Thomas wants the offense to be just as good and as well known as Virginia Tech's defense.

And he doesn't think he'll have to use his legs as much to make that happen. "I don't think so. I hope I run less, because it means our running backs will be working and out passing game will be better," he said when asked about having to run more often. "But if I have to because I need it to win, I'll be happy because we're winning and I'm a team player."

Thomas also spoke of Virginia Tech being able to replace David Wilson with a three-headed monster at running back. When asked about Virginia Tech playing around with the pistol offensive set during spring, Thomas indicated that the Hokies really didn't use it that much and don't project to use it often during the regular season. He also lamented Virginia Tech's spring game being cancelled due to rain.

Here are some more notes from Thomas's time with the media here at the ACC Football Kickoff 2012

Logan Thomas on uptempo O: "That’s just not how we function on offense. I’m not asking the coaches to change the offensive playbook" #Hokies

— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) July 22, 2012

Mike Glennon Expects Better Running Game From N.C. State

Mike Glennon needs some help. With a rushing attack that ranked 115th in Rushing S&P+, Glennon was forced to do it all through the air in 2011 for the N.C. State Wolfpack. But this year, he expects things will be different.

"I definitely think it will be improved," he said. "We have all of our line back, we have our three running backs back, and it's an extremely important part of our offense, as the run game sets up the passing game. When you look at how we played well last year, we usually had a good run game. I expect it to be much improved," Glennon added.

We want to be in second and six. We want to be in third and three," Glennon said, referring to being in specific situations and keeping the defense off the field.

Glennon threw for more than 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2012. And he doesn't think he'll miss tight end George Bryan, as he says N.C. State has three athletic tight ends to carry the load.

#NCState QB Mike Glennon says #FSU defense will be close to NFL defense due to speed. #ACCKickoff

— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) July 22, 2012

ACC Football Kickoff 2012: Summary Of Commissioner Swofford's Address

Commissioner John Swofford just addressed the media with his opening statement and Q&A session. Here is a recap of the major points.

• Swofford is fully behind the new postseason playoff plan. He says that the ACC has as much access to the playoff system as anyone else. He believes the Orange Bowl agreement is good for the ACC.
• Asked how confident he was in Florida State and Clemson sticking with the ACC, Swofford responded with a one-word answer: "Totally."
• Swofford was reluctant to weigh in on the NCAA punishments for Penn State.
• The ACC needs to win more of its high-profile games, including BCS contests. Swofford is confident that the league will improve in this area.
• The league is quite pleased with the attendance for the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C. The league has had two consecutive sellouts and is expecting two more in 2013 and 2014.
• Swofford indicated that it is important for the conference to change with the times and be more proactive in promoting itself and communicating with its schools in the realm of conference expansion.
• The ACC will not be helping Syracuse or Pitt pay their conference exit fees to the Big East.
• Swofford would not comment on the ongoing scandal and NCAA investigations with the Miami Hurricanes, but indicated that, from an image standpoint, it is something that a conference never wants.
• Swofford indicated that the ACC is totally focused on making 14 teams work (beginning in 2013), that Pitt and Syracuse fit the academic and athletic profile of the existing 12 ACC schools, and that the ACC is not focused on moving to 16 teams. He further cited geography and graduation rates.
• Swofford believes Notre Dame is committed to its independence.
• The nine-game conference schedule will be the norm going forward, unless the athletic directors vote to revisit the issue. The nine-game format was preferred by a supermajority in the latst discussion. Swofford acknowledged that the schools with traditional non-conference rivals (Clemson-South Carolina, Georgia Tech-Georgia and Florida State-Florida) will have more of a challenge in scheduling other non-conference games than the other 11 league members. Swofford indicated that it is important to play the conference members as much as possible with the new expanded format.

ACC Football Kickoff 2012: Questions To Be Answered For ACC Teams

Can the ACC improve its image on the gridiron?