NC Schools Hunting for Bowls

By Chris Bunn
SouthernPigskin.com

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While none of the North Carolina schools are prestigious football powers, each has had its turn in the glory of the ACC.

Growing up in North Carolina, football is typically put on the back burner compared to the attention that basketball receives. For the few that place football first, the Tar Heel state can be a fascinating one to examine. While none of the schools are prestigious football powers, each has had its turn in the glory of the ACC.

Wake Forest, a squad usually cast aside and usually playing the role of football's cinderella, has reached the highest peak of success most recently among the Big Four schools with it's 2006 ACC championship and Orange Bowl berth. Since 2001, Wake has gone 68-67, with that 2006 title the only ACC championship to reach the Tar Heel state since Steve Spurrier brought one to Durham in 1989. Now, at this point, NC State readers are angrily typing comments about NC State's 74-58 record in the same time frame, best of the Big Four. You might also be saying, "We are 5-2 in bowl games since 2001!" The Wolfpack have benefited from some great players and while we may disagree on the coaching acumen of Chuck Amato, there is no doubt that the best quarterbacks have worn red and white, you will receive your due credit.

The blue schools, while dominating on the hardwood, have had the opposite results on the gridiron. UNC has been markedly better than Duke, owning the head to head, but both are falling behind their Big Four counterparts. North Carolina is just 2-4 in bowl games since 2001 but, hey, at least they've been bowling. Duke would be ecstatic with a bowl bid in Boise with five feet of snow. I'm not even making a joke there. They would.

Since 1999, Duke is 25-114 with 0 bowl bids. However, they appear to be trending upwards (last years step back, notwithstanding). Moving on.

Looking towards spring practices, each team has something to pay extra close attention to going forward.

NC State - The running game has a lot of room for improvement. Last season was essentially a one man show in James Washington, as the Wolfpack finished 109th in rushing yards per game. Enter Des Kitchings, the former running game coordinator at Air Force. The Falcons ranked third in the country last season in rushing with 314 yards per game and 43 touchdowns. While much of this can be attributed to the triple option, the tactical blocking schemes and reliance on speed and execution should mean a huge step forward in this department. The application of these techniques this spring will set the expectations for the Wolfpack to build on last year's 9-win season.

Wake Forest - Defensively, the Demon Deacons left a lot to be desired. Statistically, they were terrible against the run allowing 175 yards or more in 7 of their last 8 games. They should return nine defensive starters including nose guard, Nikita Whitlock. Whitlock has played in all but one game of his career and will be the key cog in developing the run defense. His ability to fill the gaps and disrupt the run blocking schemes, forcing backs out into space against the 3-4, should go a long way in helping the defense improve.

Duke - Replacing Matt Daniels might be the toughest job in the ACC this season. Daniels was constantly in three places at once in the secondary for Duke last year and was always influential on the play. With his departure, Duke will be looking for anyone and everyone to fill the void. Walt Canty and Auggie Campbell will be the front runners, but in a defense that has so much parity across the secondary, whoever steps up and takes the job could hold the key to how the defense develops this season. Regardless, it will be a void that will be next to impossible to completely fill.

North Carolina - Frankly, I think it is unjust that the NCAA is stringing along the investigation without any indication of what is coming. UNC is operating with a brand new head coach and, as unsettling as it is to come into a new job, its even more unsettling with some kind of punishment peering over your shoulder. Frankly, I think it is unfair for the coaches, players, and recruits to be completely in the dark about this. This spring will be all about the transition. How well Larry Fedora adapts to the pressures of BCS football (pretty well I'm expecting, he's a stone cold winner), and, most importantly, how the university handles whatever punishments the NCAA deems fit.

Each team has a legitimate shot at a bowl game this season, but each of these key aspects will go a long way in determining the validity of those bowl chances.

Spring Practice Start Dates:

NC State - March 23
Wake Forest - March 1
Duke - February 22
UNC - March 14

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