ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 7: Pitt making serious noise
By Dante Pryor
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 3-2, 0-1. Last Week: 11. 11. player. Syracuse Orange. 827
Exemplars of outstanding work are always a positive for any situation, but sometimes an example of what not to do is the most powerful tool you can have. In the case of the Syracuse Orange, watching the Miami Hurricanes serves as a powerful example of what not to do after a bye week.
They won’t have the advantage of being at home after their bye, but they are taking on an NC State — also coming off a bye — team that seems to have some issues at quarterback, and the Orange need to prove they can beat a Power Five team.
2-3, 0-2. Miami Hurricanes. 10. 834. Pick Analysis. Last Week: 7. player. Scouting Report
The Hurricanes are young and inexperienced. They are starting three freshmen at key positions on offense. First-year head coach Manny Diaz shut down practice during their bye week because of how poorly they were performing. All understandable; young players make young mistakes. However, the Hurricanes came out flatter than five-day old Dr. Pepper against Virginia Tech. The same Tech team that laid down and died against Duke the week before. Respect the comeback they made, but it would have been moot if they wouldn’t have dug that first half hole. Those three freshmen offensive starters? Quarterback, guard and tackle. Good luck against Virginia this weekend.
One major change happening in Raleigh is the starting quarterback. Freshman starter Matthew McKay has been demoted to third string and sophomore quarterback Bailey Hockman will start at quarterback against the Orange with freshman Devin Leary backing him up. Syracuse and its abysmal defense could be just what the doctor ordered for Dave Doeren and his offensive staff to get the quarterback position together.