The only ACC team to rank in the FBS top 40 in both non-blitz pressure rate allowed and yards-before-contact/rush on first and second down last year? That'd be your Duke Blue Devils. Graham Barton was ACC's top-ranked tackle; Hoitink, Monk & Hornibrook all ranked high at OG, too.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Last year, BC had a blown block on more than half its snaps, allowed pressure on more than 40% of its dropbacks and created just 0.32 yards before contact per rush. BC returns pretty much everyone though & gets C. Mahogany back. Plus, nowhere to go but up. I'm semi-optimistic.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Another thing to note on BC though: The Eagles had the third-highest time before pass average in the ACC trailing only run-heavy Pitt and delayed mesh Wake. The QBs didn't really do the OL many favors by getting rid of the ball quickly.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
I can't believe I'm typing this, but does FSU have the best OL in the ACC? In truth, the pass blocking was pretty bad last year — 71st by PFF; 101st in non-blitz pressure rate. Jordan Travis' ability to move negated the flaws quite a bit.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
On the other hand, FSU is healthier & added some real talent via the portal. Their 2nd unit would prob be top-half of ACC right now. @BSonnone had All-ACC caliber guys like Scott & Emmanuel as 2nd team post-spring (for varying reasons). And in person, they *look* imposing.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Of note on FSU on non-blitz downs…
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
In 10 wins: 3.5% sack rate, 3.2 seconds to first pressure
In 3 losses: 4.3% sack rate, 2.7 seconds to first pressure
Louisville's OL played well by the numbers last year but it's hard to know how much Malik C'ham's mobility played into that.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
For example, pressure% allowed
w/Malik: 29.9%
w/o: 42.2%
Answer is prob somewhere in middle. Plummer won't be Malik, but he's far better than last year's non-Malik options. Lville also had 2nd-lowest blown block% in the ACC last year, however, and they return some solid starters. Depth is my bigger issue here. Can't afford injuries.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Virginia converted just 37.1% of its third-and-short plays last year – worst in FBS by a wide margin. Hoos blew a block on 12% of designed runs, worst in ACC. They're 2.7 seconds to first pressure tied BC for last in ACC. Brian Stevens graded well though, so there's that.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Despite UVA's youth movement (by necessity) on the OL last year, the Hoos still return the lowest % of 2022 OL snaps for 2023. But perhaps if everyone was that bad last year = addition by subtraction.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Syracuse led the ACC in average time to first pressure but Shrader needs to work on getting rid of the ball. 29% of pressures vs the Orange led to a sack, worst rate in ACC. Result: Cuse was 5th in ACC in pressure rate, 14th in sack rate.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
No team blew fewer blocks last year than NC State; Wake had a 43% success rate on obvious passing downs; UNC allowed pressure in less than 2.5 seconds on 19.6% of dropbacks last year — worse even than Virginia or Georgia Tech.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
BTW… looking at how bad the UNC DBs and OL were so far this year… did we under-appreciate how insanely good Drake Maye was to get the Heels to the ACCCG?
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
GT's ACC rank in pressure rate by year
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
2022 – 8th (!)
2021 – 14th
2020 – 15th
2019 – 14th
2018 – 14th
So, progress right? Well, PFF had GT 119th in pass blocking (with only UVA worse in ACC).
NC State's yards-per-rush before contact FBS rank by year
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
2022 – 117th
2021 – 97th
2020 – 113th
2019 – 105th
2018 – 119th
It's hard to pin it on personnel (they've had really good players) or coaching (multiple OL coaches in that span) or scheme (multiple PCs). Robert Anae ain't exactly a run-first play-caller but this still needs to get much better.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Miami is a unit that could go either way. HUGE talent brought in this offseason from both the portal and recruiting. Zion Nelson is a potential first-rounder. More stability at QB and friendlier scheme will help (theoretically). Talent-wise, this is a top-4 unit.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Pitt returns four OL with 300+ snaps and adds a QB who'll (theoretically) make some better/quicker decisions in the pocket. They also added transfer Jackson Brown from Cal, and I really like "Running on Empty" and "Somebody's Baby."
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
Tentative OL rankings (breaks for tiers):
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
1. Clemson
2. Florida St
–
3. Duke
4. Pitt
5. Wake
–
6. Miami
7. Louisville
8. NC State
–
9. Cuse
10. BC
11. GT
–
12. UNC
13. VT
–
14. UVA
Tentative All-ACC picks
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 29, 2023
First team
OT Barton, Duke
OG Mahogany, BC
C Hudson, Louisville
OG Tate, Clemson
OT Nelson, Miami
Second team
OT Byers, FSU
OG Jurgens, Wake
C Monk, Duke
OG Emmanuel, FSU
OT Gonclaves, Pitt
by David M. Hale 