The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ACC moving from flash to smash
League lost top QBs to NFL but features strong D-line group.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Typi-cally it’s a time of rest and relaxation, something to be savored. For Deondre Fran
cois, it was the least enjoyable day of the week.
“I didn’t like Sundays, man,” he said.
Those were painful mornings for Florida State’s quarterback, and he wasn’t alone. Quarterbacks across the ACC could be in a world of hurt this fall.
The league that boasts the defending national champion and Heisman Trophy winner can also claim the game’s most fearsome collection of defensive lines. Francois and the Heisman winner, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, scrambled for their lives at times last year. Since they are far and away the best returning quarterbacks in the league, and stars such as Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and Miami’s Brad Kaaya left for the NFL, this could be the ACC’s Year of Defensive Linemen.
If only we could settle on who’s the best.
“Boston College, No. 7 (Harold Landry), he caused a lot of trouble,” Francois said. “He’s a great athlete. That’s a hard question. There’s a lot of good defensive linemen. N.C. State, Louisville, Syra
cuse. ... Miami’s D-line was always real stout.”
North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, like BC’s Landry a future highround NFL draft pick, thinks
the Wolfpack have the best D-line in the league. Who, in his view, is No. 2?
“There’s so many great defensive lines. I couldn’t call out one,” said Chubb, who graduated from Hillgrove High School and is the cousin of Georgia running
back Nick Chubb. “Definitely Clemson and Florida State, Boston College, Louisville, Syracuse. ... Virginia, Virginia Tech. I definitely feel like we’re the best.”
Clemson strongly disagrees. Its group, which calls itself the “Power Rangers,” features defensive tackles Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence and end Clelin Ferrell, who form the core of arguably the nation’s best D-line.
Wilkins, a senior, had an unheard-of 10 pass breakups from the middle. As a true freshman, Lawrence (6-foot-5, 346) looked like a future No. 1 overall draft pick. Ferrell was a star late in the Tigers’ national title run.
“Hopefully the good Lord will keep those guys healthy,” coach Dabo Swinney said, “because if they’re healthy for the course of a season, we’re going to be tough in the trenches.”
Like Clemson, Miami has a dominating duo in the middle — juniors Kendrick Norton and R.J. McIntosh — but might be deeper at end, with senior Chad Thomas
and sophomore Joe Jackson (team-high 8.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss in his debut). Florida State loses rugged end Demarcus Walker but
replaces him with former five-star recruit Josh Sweat, and tackle Derrick Nnadi — who squats 725 pounds and benches 525 — is as mean as
they come.
BC’s Landry led the nation in sacks (16.5) and was fifth in tackles for loss (22). N.C. State’s Chubb wasn’t far
behind (tied for sixth in TFL, 21.5; 10 sacks). Wake Forest defensive end Duke Ejiofor had 17 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
Francois had to face all of them but said the toughest group was Miami. On Oct. 9, following his team’s 20-19 win at Hard Rock Stadium, he recalls waking up feeling “like I got hit by a bus.”
Kaaya had a tooth — a molar, to be specific — rattled loose from his head in that game. Seems like he, Watson, Trubisky and Co. hit the road at the right time.