Podcast co-host @AllSportsDACC started talking about the ACC COY candidates on Twitter. That got me thinking, it’s time to list our candidates again. Amazing, we’ve reached mid-November of the college football season already. Who’s leading the ACC COY race?
Let’s take a look.
1) Tony Elliot – Virginia
Tony Elliot has turned Virginia into arguably the ACC’s most resilient team. Pre-season picked #14 in the ACC, Elliot has Virginia 9-2 (6-1) and in position to reach the ACC Championship game. Following a tough loss to Wake Forest, Virginia responded with their best game of the yea,r thumping Duke in Durham. If they beat arch-rival Virginia Tech, they may find themselves in Charlotte with a chance to reach the playoffs.
2) Brent Key – Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech is 9-1 (6-1) and having a special season, but I’m giving Elliot the edge, because this is starting to feel like, without QB Haynes King the Jackets are a 5-5, 6-4 team. Georgia Tech’s defense is getting worse as the season progresses, and the issues are not getting addressed properly. Key as head coach deserves credit for the record, but I feel like Elliot is doing a better job navigating things in the month of November so far. It might be decided on the winner of the ACC championship game.
3) Jake Dickert – Wake Forest
If either Elliot or Key slips down the stretch, it’s Dickert’s award, and don’t count him out, even if they don’.t Wake Forest is 7-3 (4-3) and has exceeded all expectations. If they finished 9-3, Dicket might very well win ACC COY. Dickert has done an amazing job, and the Deacs are getting better with each passing week.
4) Mario Cristobal – Miami
It’s a big drop off from Dickert to Cristobal, and would take something extraordinary for the ACC COY not to be one of Elliot, Key or Dickert. Now, should some upsets happen, and Miami win out to finish 10-2 there might be a longshot path to ACC COY as well as to the playoffs for Cristobal, but the losses to SMU and Louisville hold him back.
5) Rhett Lashlee – SMU, Pat Narduzzi – Pittsburgh
Lashlee and Narduzzi need help, but both can still reach the ACC Title game. At the moment, both teams are 7-3 with just one ACC loss, but the 0-3 record to the Big 12 keeps them behind the others. Narduzzi de-emphasizing the Notre Dame game publicly, then getting trounced, was a bad look. They are in the picture, but need a lot of help.
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