Tag Archives: Jamison Crowder

Way-Too-Early 2013 ACC Football Power Rankings (May 6)

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Do Vic Beasley and the Clemson D Decide Whether or Not the Tigers Contend for a Title?

Will Vic Beasley & the Clemson D Decide Whether or Not the Tigers Contend for a Title?

As SB Nation so aptly pointed out today, we are halfway through college football’s offseason; which means that as of right now, it’s just 115 days ’till kickoff, one of the most magical days on the sporting calendar. For the ACC, hope springs eternal at the moment, with at least one real national title contender and a collection of up-and-comers looking to crack the polls, too. Obviously, it’s all speculation, but what else do we have to get us through the next few months?

1. Clemson Tigers (Last: 1): We’ll know all we need to about Clemson after the first game against Georgia — a matchup that’s likely to pit two top-10 teams against one another in a national showcase. The Tigers offense will be fine, but were the glimmers of hope the defense provided come the end of 2012 a flash in the pan, or an indication of better things to come? I’m tempted to think the latter, actually.

2. Louisville Cardinals (Last: 2): The Cardinals’ schedule is a joke consisting of the depleted Big East American Athletic Conference, so running through it with 11 or 12 wins should not be a problem at all. What observers will find truly intriguing about Louisville this year will mostly revolve around whether voters will give the Cards enough credit in the national title conversation, and/or how much Heisman hype Teddy Bridgewater can amass.

3. Florida State Seminoles (Last: 3): New starting quarterback Jameis Winston appears to be the real deal, but we won’t know the extent of the young passer’s growing pains until the real games begin. Though the ‘Noles lost plenty to the draft (11 players in all), the last few recruiting classes still leave plenty of talent to keep this team hovering among the top 15-20, nationally.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (Last: 5): On paper, the Heels lost quite a bit with the departures of Giovani Bernard and Jonathan Cooper, but that discounts the extent of the offense’s evolution under coach Larry Fedora much too heavily. As a senior, QB Bryn Renner‘s poised for his best year yet, and after a strong part-time campaign last year, running back A.J. Blue could be one of the conference’s biggest surprises.

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ACC 2013 Spring Football Preview: Duke Blue Devils

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Anthony Boone Looks Prepared to Lead Duke at Quarterback This Spring

Anthony Boone Looks Prepared to Lead Duke at Quarterback This Spring

As the ACC‘s spring practices get under way, we’ll be previewing the big storylines for each of the league’s 14 (15, in this case) teams. Check back on weekdays for what to look out for during your school’s spring practices and spring game.

Team: Duke Blue Devils

Spring Practice Start Date: March 4

Spring Game Date: April 13

Following Duke’s bowl bid in 18 years, 2012 ended with a lot of question marks for the Blue Devils. Was this the end goal? If not, could this be sustained? And would they be able to quickly rebuild without program cornerstones Sean Renfree and Conner Vernon? Well, after one day of spring practice, it looks as if David Cutcliffe’s program may actually be just fine.

For all the naysayers regarding what this offense would be without the aforementioned Renfree and Vernon, they seemingly forgot about who’s stuck around for Duke. Former backup QB Anthony Boone is already more than capable of stepping into the role as starter, as evidenced by the limited time he spent under center last season. In the only game he started (a win over Virginia) he threw for 212 yards and four touchdowns. And yet, despite performances like that, he’s not taking his role as favorite for granted either, as evidenced by yesterday’s feature in the Durham Herald-Sun. Similarly, former second-option Jamison Crowder also has an opportunity to be one of the ACC’s standout receivers (some would say he already was last year). Both Crowder and Boone will have the advantage of dealing with an experienced offensive line (returning four of five starters), so now the big challenge revolves around the effectiveness of the new(ish) offense. If they can put in some solid work in the more sped-up, athletic attack this spring, it could be a surprising new fold against conference defenses come the fall.

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2012 ACC Football Season Recap: Duke Blue Devils

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Thanks to Conner Vernon (And Others), Duke's 18-Year Bowl Drought Was Put to an End in 2012

Thanks to Conner Vernon (And Others), Duke’s 18-Year Bowl Drought Was Put to an End in 2012

Team: Duke Blue Devils

W-L: 6-7 (3-5)

Postseason: 48-34 Belk Bowl loss to Cincinnati

Top Offensive Performer: Conner Vernon, WR

Top Defensive Performer: Ross Cockrell, CB

It almost feels like two separate seasons for Duke. First there was the 6-2 start, culminating in their exciting last-minute victory over archrival North Carolina that gave the Blue Devils their first six-win season since 1994. And then there was the rest; an 0-5 finish that saw them outscored by a combined score of 246-130. So while we’ll certainly commend Duke for ending an 18-year postseason drought, it’s also difficult to look upon 2012 as a complete success in hindsight, considering how disappointing the end was. But when looking at the successful part of the equation, you don’t have to look past the offense.

Under David Cutcliffe, Duke’s program has mostly grown gradually as a result of their passing offense and the star tandem of QB Sean Renfree and WR Conner Vernon. However, in 2012, that improvement was sped up immensely, as the team scored 31.5 points per game (versus just 22.4 last season). The Blue Devils scored 35 points or more five different times, and most importantly, possessed one of the country’s best passing attacks. Whether it was Renfree or backup (and 2013 starter) Anthony Boone, Duke’s quarterbacks averaged over 280 yards per game through the air (good for 31st in the country). And while the passers were/are certainly a big part of that, there’s also plenty of credit due to the team’s expert wide receivers. Vernon and Jamison Crowder were outstanding this season, even by their elevated standards. Combined, they had 161 catches, 2,148 yards and 16 touchdowns — all among the most impressive figures in the country for a receiving duo. The running game, while underwhelming overall (ranked 100th in the FBS), also showed marked improvement over 2011 (115th), and was a big part of many of the team’s big victories this time around.

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Way-Too-Early 2013 ACC Football Power Rankings

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An Early Look at 2013 Shows Clemson to Be at the Head of the Class in the ACC

An Early Look at 2013 Shows Clemson to Be at the Head of the Class in the ACC

When we last left our teams, there appeared to be hope on the horizon. Though the 2012 season was a difficult one, the bowls showed some real glimmers of great things to come, as the ACC racked up its first winning postseason record in seven years. Beyond some long-awaited hope for greater success, 2013 also brings some change to these rankings. Syracuse and Pittsburgh will now actually be participating in the conference, after two seasons appearing in the power rankings despite not doing so. And Louisville, our newest pals set to join in 2014, will also be joining the party — meaning 15 teams will be listed for the remainder of this calendar year (and slightly beyond into bowl season 2014). Cheer up! It’s less than 230 days ’till kickoff.

1. Clemson Tigers (Last Year: 2): Tajh Boyd‘s back, and the defense is improving steadily. So even without DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Ellington, this team will still be fine in 2013. In year two under defensive coordinator Brent Venables, expect an even more aggressive front-seven as the coach works on improving linebacker play in particular. That secondary will still get burned, but be certain they’ve also learned some lessons from last year, too.

2. Louisville Cardinals (LY: NR): After the show Teddy Bridgewater put on during the Sugar Bowl this year, the Cardinals are an extremely hot commodity, and are likely to start strong in their final season of Big East football. It’ll be interesting to see how coach Charlie Strong and his team respond to having a target on their backs from week one, when they’ll likely be handed a top-10 ranking to start the year.

3. Florida State Seminoles (LY: 1): They’re losing a lot on the defensive side of the football, along with QB and senior leader, EJ Manuel. But like those old, Bobby Bowden-coached teams of teams of the 90s, this ‘Noles squad has already reloaded. The offense may take a few to warm up, but the defense will still be very much their strength heading into next season.

4. Miami (FL) Hurricanes (LY: 5): After sitting out two straight years of postseason berths, the ‘Canes are really hoping they’re given a break from the NCAA in terms of leniency. With a ton of young talent eager to get a shot at a conference title, and arguably the best QB/RB tandem in the ACC in Stephen Morris and Duke Johnson, Miami could very well be out for blood come opening kickoff this fall.

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Top 10 ACC Football Games of 2012

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Could Jamison Crowder and the Blue Devils Claim the Top Spot For Duke's Impressive Win Over UNC?

Could Jamison Crowder and the Blue Devils Claim the Top Spot For Duke’s Impressive Win Over UNC?

In a season full of parity, it’s understandable that the ACC had so many memorable contests to choose from when compiling this list. So many last-second scores, one-possession ball games and overtime battles, it was truly difficult to decipher which really were the “best” the league had to offer. Nonetheless, we make an attempt below, nodding to the 10 contests that — more than any others the ACC gave us this season — really gave us a reason to remember them. Agree or disagree with our picks? Share away in the comments.

Top 10 Games of 2012

10. Syracuse 37, USF 36: Down 20 points at the half, this was supposed to be the tombstone in another disappointing Syracuse season. And yet, as they did all year, this Orange squad refused to quit, and battled all the way back in the second half. Down five with just seconds on the clock, Ryan Nassib delivered a gutsy touchdown pass to Alec Lemon on fourth-and-goal, sealing the win and adding to his reputation as a master of the comeback.

9. Syracuse 31, Missouri 27: We promise this is the last you hear about Syracuse on this list. Once again facing a late deficit — this time 27-24 — Nassib and Lemon would complete their furious comeback with a wide-open 17-yard touchdown pass. The strike, with just 20 seconds remaining, would end up being the game-winner, sending ‘Cuse bowling for the second time in three seasons.

8. Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 22: From sloppy, to boring, to inexplicable and then miraculous, this game truly ran the gambit of emotions for players and fans. What should have been a quick win over a lackluster Hokies squad would turn into a struggle for FSU; one they were certainly lucky to come away with. Even now, the final few minutes rush by like a blur: Devonta Freeman‘s idiotic safety, EJ Manuel‘s easy 39-yard TD pass, and then Logan Thomas‘s ultimate hero-turned-goat act. Just another Thursday night ACC showdown.

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ACC Football Player of the Week, Week 13: Sean Renfree, Duke

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Duke QB Sean Renfree Was the ACC Player of the Week for Week 13

Each week, we’ll be identifying the best ACC player from that weekend’s games. As always, it’s a completely arbitrary award with no specific criteria beyond the vague concept of “excellence.” No, we don’t take write-ins.

ACC Player of the Week, Week 13: Sean Renfree, QB/Duke

While Renfree’s team failed to win the last regular season game of Renfree’s career, that fact is far from his fault. The senior threw 36 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns, all with zero turnovers in their tough loss to Miami on Saturday. In an odd way, it’s sort of indicative of his entire career at Duke, too. When looking at the losses they’ve piled up during Renfree’s time as the starter, it’s a rarity to view him as culpable, and more often than not, he was putting up numbers like this in the process. Obviously, it doesn’t excuse this defeat, nor the free-fall the Blue Devils have experienced since getting to bowl eligibility at 6-2, but it’s worth noting the quarterback’s consistent effort in the face of superior opponents and a lagging defense on his own side. I’d also be remiss not to mention his 99-yard touchdown connection with Jamison Crowder on Saturday (no video unfortunately), which ended up being the longest play in school history.

Honorable Mention:

Bryn Renner, WR/North Carolina (28/39 passing, 305 yards, 5 TD)

Jamison Crowder, WR/Duke (8 catches, 203 yards, 2 TD)

Bjoern Werner, DE/Florida State (6 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)

Duke Johnson, RB/Miami (277 all-purpose yards, 3 TD)

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ACC Football Goat of the Week, Week 8: North Carolina Tar Heels Defense

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Following an Upset Loss to Duke, North Carolina’s Defense is the ACC Goat of the Week for Week 8

No one enjoys piling on when things go wrong. But nonetheless, we’ve got to call out the ACC players who were counter-productive in helping their teams grab a victory this weekend. On the bright side for them, they can always get off this list next week. And for their sake, let’s hope they do.

ACC Goat of the Week, Week 8: North Carolina Tar Heels Defense

Up to this point, North Carolina’s defensive numbers have been deceptive; the result of two poor opponents getting shut out as a means to lower their points-per-game allowed. On Saturday, though, the Heels were exposed. Duke, whose run game ranks among the worst in the nation, posted 234 yards on the ground. Coupled with the Blue Devils’ typically strong passing attack, UNC’s D was lit up for 510 yards in total. They were beat the entire game, and if not for Carolina’s offense mounting a strong comeback in the fourth, the difference in this one would become much more obvious. Though in a nutshell, the game comes down to that very last drive by Duke. Getting the ball at their own 13, they drove 87 yards in 14 plays over two minutes and 59 seconds. The final play, a converted fourth-and-two, showed Blue Devils’ QB Sean Renfree a wide-open Jamsion Crowder in the end zone for the go-ahead score. During the drive, Renfree had no trouble finding receivers at all, going 8-for-11, for 79 yards passing — an utter failure on UNC’s part.

Honorable Mention:

Logan Thomas, QB/Virginia Tech (306 total yards, 53.6-percent passing, 2 TD, 2 INT)

Kevin Parks/Perry Jones, RBs/Virginia (32 combined rushing yards, 2 lost fumbles)

Boston College run defense (391 rushing yards, 4 rushing TD allowed)

Andre Williams, RB/Boston College (51 rushing yards, 2 fumbles, 1 lost)

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