We are barley removed from the 2017 season, and the 2018 season is still many months away, but it's never too soon to look ahead to see who I believe will be worth buying into or selling on next season. I begin by taking a look at the ACC:
The Buy List
Clemson: With so much young talent returning, Dabo Swinney may very well have the best edition of Clemson football yet still ahead of him. The Tigers should be the overwhelming choice to win the AC in what is otherwise a fairly week conference.
NC State: The Pack has a ton of talent coming back on offense in 2017, but does have some holes to fill on defense, including Bradley Chubb. Dave Doeren has the team on the right track, and finishing second behind Clemson in the Atlantic may be a rock solid choice once again.
Florida State: Despite all of the drama, the Seminoles should be on the way to bouncing back in 2018. Deondre Francois is back at QB, and depth should be better across the board, as there seemingly was none this season.
Miami: The Hurricanes may be in a better position to challenge Clemson in 2018 than they were this season. Mark Richt is ahead of schedule with the Canes, and the future is bright for a team that was incredibly young this season.
Virginia Tech: As long as Justin Fuente sticks around, Tech will be very good. Joshua Jackson is back as a sophomore next fall, and that is a good start for a team that will be in a position to challenge Miami in the Coastal next season.
Virginia: Sure, the Cavaliers folded down the stretch in 2017, but nobody expected them to be as competitive as they were in stretches, and nobody saw a bowl bid coming from Bronco Mendenhall's club. Mendenhall did one of the great coaching jobs in 2017, and again, the future is bright.
Duke: The Blue Devils gained more experience this season, and bounced back well enough to go bowling. They are now in a position to push for a better bowl bid, and are looking like a team that can win at least 8 games next fall.
The Sell List
Wake Forest: The Deacons looked good in parts this season, and were much ahead of where most of us expected them to be, but that was also on the back of QB John Wolford, and he won't be there next fall. Wake Forest has never really been able to string successful seasons together, and I fear that may be the case yet again.
Boston College: AJ Dillon is fantastic at RB, and the defense is usually solid. There are just too many other obstacles and issues within the program that have me buying into BC just yet for 2018. They could push for .500 again, and get to another third tier bowl game, but that's not the kind of thing that has me buying in.
Louisville: Lamar Jackson is gone. There is very little exploitable depth. The defense sucks. There is not much else that needs saying here.
Syracuse: I saw all I needed to see in the coaching staff in 2017. I just don't see this current administration being able to take the Orange around any corners that are ahead in the road. Dino Babers is in way over his head here.
Georgia Tech: I have been a fan of the triple option my entire life. I was a triple option QB myself back in the day. That said, it's time to let it die. Paul Johnson has allowed the fundamentals of the game pass him by, and his brand of up again, down again football has drained the excitement out of me for this program. It's simply time to modernize and move on.
Pittsburgh: I was quite hopeful that Pat Narduzzi would get this program running in the right direction, but instead, there have been multiple missteps along the way, and after two seasons, there seems to be no plan other than to hang out somewhere in the middle. I am not buying into that.
North Carolina: I have made it clear that I do not believe in Larry Fedora. He is not a long term, foundation building answer, and has never been. North Carolina seriously underachieved in 2016, and then completely bottomed out in 2017, and I see no real shining star to aim for in 2018 with this program.
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