2008 Woodie Awards
ACC holds preseason meetings in Georgia
Virginia Tech expected to take the Coastal Division
AP
Issue date: 7/23/08 Section: Sports
And those struggles beg the constant question in Tallahassee: Can the 'Noles regain the stature they've lost?
"I understand the history and I understand the tradition that we have at Florida State," Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford said. "I was a fan long way before I became a player and I would be asking the same questions. We've been working extremely hard, but we just haven't gotten it done. That's what it comes down to."
Boston College, Maryland and North Carolina State rounded out the Atlantic Division preseason list; Georgia Tech, Virginia and Duke had the last three spots in the Coastal Division.
Over the last seven years, the preseason favorite has gone on to win the ACC title only four times.
"It always changes," said Miami coach Randy Shannon, whose team was tabbed to finish third in the Coastal for the second straight season. "It's a starting block for us to know where we're at, to see what people think about Miami."
There's even hope for the teams picked to finish last in the ACC: Two years ago, Wake Forest was tabbed to finish sixth in the Atlantic Division and ended up winning the conference's overall title.
But the veterans on coach Jim Grobe's team downplayed all the preseason hype, remembering that it was worthless two years ago and seeing no reason to change their thinking now.
"It's preseason," Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith said. "It's scary in the sense that the young guys on the team might buy into it. ... Us old guys, we understand how this thing goes. It really doesn't matter."
"I understand the history and I understand the tradition that we have at Florida State," Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford said. "I was a fan long way before I became a player and I would be asking the same questions. We've been working extremely hard, but we just haven't gotten it done. That's what it comes down to."
Boston College, Maryland and North Carolina State rounded out the Atlantic Division preseason list; Georgia Tech, Virginia and Duke had the last three spots in the Coastal Division.
Over the last seven years, the preseason favorite has gone on to win the ACC title only four times.
"It always changes," said Miami coach Randy Shannon, whose team was tabbed to finish third in the Coastal for the second straight season. "It's a starting block for us to know where we're at, to see what people think about Miami."
There's even hope for the teams picked to finish last in the ACC: Two years ago, Wake Forest was tabbed to finish sixth in the Atlantic Division and ended up winning the conference's overall title.
But the veterans on coach Jim Grobe's team downplayed all the preseason hype, remembering that it was worthless two years ago and seeing no reason to change their thinking now.
"It's preseason," Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith said. "It's scary in the sense that the young guys on the team might buy into it. ... Us old guys, we understand how this thing goes. It really doesn't matter."
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