If you were ranking talent on roster where would we fall in the ACC?

[Pyle]

I dont think after you get by FSU/Clemson that the rosters of the rest of the teams differ all that much for the middle 60%. I think we are behind at the top 20% and who knows about the bottom 20%

What SU has been unable to find for over a decade is a difference maker at any one spot. We find solid guys but not game changers. All the other teams , even Wake have seemed to find a guy or 2 that makes plays beyond the scheme. that guy covers up the mistakes in the roster.

You dont need a Freeney/mcnabb/harrison but you need a Kevin Johnson/ismail once in awhile.

You don't feel that guys like Delone Carter, Nassib, Lemon, Jones Bros, Hogue, Mike Williams, etc fit that mold? The problem isn't that we don't get game changers, we do. The problem is the rest of the team isn't what it was back then so our game changers aren't as likely to actually change a game that's completely out of control.

 

[upperdeck]

You don't feel that guys like Delone Carter, Nassib, Lemon, Jones Bros, Hogue, Mike Williams, etc fit that mold? The problem isn't that we don't get game changers, we do. The problem is the rest of the team isn't what it was back then so our game changers aren't as likely to actually change a game that's completely out of control.

nope. not one guy on that list that scared anyone. Williams had the talent but not the head/heart so he never got to his potential and still got into the NFL. No body doubles Jones on the end.. they triple teams freeney. Nassib/Lemon was all scheme. Carter might have been but he ended up a one move 10 yd runner.

 

[CUSU]

Not sure how you can say that an NFL first stringer isn't a game changer in college..

 

[TheCusian]

I am not bringing coaching into this I am talking about talent and talent only.

Yeah, I get that. But you said it helps you see how the season will shake out.

I'm saying leaving out a staffs ability to coach that talent is a pretty big blind spot. Virginia and USF have both demonstrated an ability to recruit talent and leave it untapped.

Like ranking the fastest cars but leaving out 2 of the bunch have a history of engine trouble.

 

[upperdeck]

Not sure how you can say that an NFL first stringer isn't a game changer in college..

can you point to more than 1-2 games his whole career that he made the difference.. Arthur had a better career at DT by far. Conley was probably the next best talent on D after freeney and that was 20 years ago.

 

[anomander]

I went 5-7 in my prediction so I would agree with you. I can see us beating UVA or Pitt though because UVA has bad coaching and Pitt is at home.

If we are talking actual results I think we can beat Pitt at home as well. But for the purpose of this discussion, if we are talking specifically talent, then Pitt would be more talented then us. We don't have a James Connor, or Tyler Boyd. Even Chad Voytik is a solid ACC QB.

 

[kcsu]

I think that we have the following players that would start for most of the other teams in the ACC
Our QB, DE, WR, Express back, Middle LB, Punter. 7 out of 22 positions not including specials

 

[billsin01]

nope. not one guy on that list that scared anyone. Williams had the talent but not the head/heart so he never got to his potential and still got into the NFL. No body doubles Jones on the end.. they triple teams freeney. Nassib/Lemon was all scheme. Carter might have been but he ended up a one move 10 yd runner.

Disagree on Williams. Dude put up a 60 catch, 837 yard season with 10 TDs as a sophomore in '07. He did that in a completely disfunctional offense with a the dynamic duo of Andrew Robinson and Cam Dantley and the esteemed Bob Wylie handling the offensive line (I think). I'm pretty sure you could make a convincing argument that the only reason we scored any touchdowns that season was Williams.

Outside of that your point is probably valid. I'd stop short of agreeing as I feel like there's been a lot of holes that may have ultimately hurt our overall ability to compete (playmakers clearly being one of those issues). I just think we've had too many problems to point to lack of a playmaker as the primary issue.

 

[Briancuse]

Hard to say, I would say in the bottom tier of the acc, but having a senior qb can make up for that in many ways. But its still early, maybe the talent is better than I anticipate.

 

[Ozcuse]

I think that Ishmael and Franklin could be that good. I'm talking 1st team ACC.

Everyone thinks Sugar Bear is good but he needs to stay healthy first.

Overall, I think we are bottom third of ACC for overall talent with a few bright spots.

Over everything else we need a talented, healthy QB.

A star QB can make average receivers look like all-stars, minimize weaknesses, bail his defense out, and show leadership during adversity.

 

[Stevenson]

I think that we have the following players that would start for most of the other teams in the ACC Our QB, DE, WR, Express back, Middle LB, Punter. 7 out of 22 positions not including specials

You think Hunt would start for most other ACC teams?

 

[Orange4]

Yeah it's hard to tell based on the fact we have a bunch of new players filling in this year. You obviously have players like Ishmael, Trudo, and Franklin who could probably play anywhere in the ACC. But then you have players like Rodney Williams, Antwan Cordy, Fredericks, and Slayton who have been basically unseen but have been raved about. A lot of factors.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Disagree on Williams. Dude put up a 60 catch, 837 yard season with 10 TDs as a sophomore in '07. He did that in a completely disfunctional offense with a the dynamic duo of Andrew Robinson and Cam Dantley and the esteemed Bob Wylie handling the offensive line (I think). I'm pretty sure you could make a convincing argument that the only reason we scored any touchdowns that season was Williams.

Outside of that your point is probably valid. I'd stop short of agreeing as I feel like there's been a lot of holes that may have ultimately hurt our overall ability to compete (playmakers clearly being one of those issues). I just think we've had too many problems to point to lack of a playmaker as the primary issue.

Funny thing. Was just discussing Williams and Decker going back and forth in the 09 Minnesota game at lunch today with Greg Paulus throwing "darts". Williams only played 7 games in 09 and was already at 49 catches 746 yards and 6 TDs which still was good enough for top 10 in the big east in all 3 catagories... after not playing in 2008.

 

[Ringostar57]

Yes we would fall. Where? Bottom half.....but then talent isn't everything. Coaching and heart matter.

 

[qdawgg]

I don't think we are in the top half, talent wise but I don't that we are too far off from middle of the pack. The offensive talent is the hardest to rank because of how bad the offense was last year. I've said it since last year, I didn't think our offensive talent was as bad as what we saw on the field. I think we have a lot of average to above average players and we didn't get to see the talent that they have. The defense has some depth issues but I think we have a very solid unit. Not as good as the best ACC defenses but our first team is as good as 2/3 of the ACC IMO.