ACC Football: 5 storylines to watch in spring 2019
By Dana Becker
The reigning national champions call ACC football home, as Clemson is set to being its quest to repeat with spring practice on the horizon.
Can the Tigers secure their third national title in four seasons? Will they be able to replace all that star power lost on the defensive side of the football? Can Trevor Lawrence duplicate his incredible performance vs. Alabama and achieve something Deshaun Watson couldn’t in winning the Heisman?
The spotlight will be placed squarely on the shoulders of Lawrence, a sophomore, this year. How will he handle it all being “the man” each week?
While Clemson is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the ACC, that doesn’t mean a viable challenger cannot rise up and give them fits.
Florida State is coming off a 5-7 season that saw its 36-year bowl streak come to an end. Willie Taggart has done this before, hitting the bottom before climbing quickly out.
Taggart and the Seminoles enlisted graduate transfer Alex Hornibrook from Wisconsin to resurrect an anemic offense. And with plenty of skill talent around, Hornibrook just might be the guy to do it.
A few miles away sits Miami, which saw Mark Richt announce his retirement and the return of Manny Diaz who had accepted another head coaching position. Like Florida State, “The U” will be focused on getting Tate Martell eligible immediately after transferring from Ohio State.
Georgia Tech has a new coach for the first time in years with the retirement of Paul Johnson. Same goes for Louisville which moved on from Bobby Petrino to Appalachian State’s Scott Satterfield.
Mack Brown is back, as the former Texas head coach returns to North Carolina to try and resurrect the Tar Heels, while the rest of the ACC sits in a holding pattern awaiting their shot.
As spring practices hits the fields around the league, here are five storylines to watch for as things play out: