Two 3,000-yard passers return to the ACC this season: Deshaun Watson and Brad Kaaya. Will they end up as the only 3,000-yard passers in the league this season?
My prediction is no. Not exactly going out on a limb with that one. But trying to figure out which ACC quarterbacks will hit 3,000 or more yards makes the exercise a little more difficult. Here is my best guess at who will hit 3,000-yards passing, starting with the most likely.
1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson. Last season, Watson was the only 4,000-yard passer in the ACC, throwing for 4,104 yards to lead the Tigers to the national championship game. He had a few more games than the other ACC quarterbacks to hit that number -- but he did hit 3,000 yards in the final game of the regular season. With nearly all his top receivers back, plus a healthy Mike Williams, it would be an absolute stunner if Watson fails to hit 3,000 yards again.
2. Brad Kaaya, Miami. Kaaya has cleared 3,000 yards in each of his first two seasons with the Hurricanes. Now, he has a head coach in Mark Richt who runs a quarterback-friendly scheme that should allow Kaaya to post the best numbers of his career. He should be as close a lock for 3,000 yards as Watson.
3. Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina. Last season, Marquise Williams threw for over 3,000 yards running the Tar Heels offense. Trubisky has an opportunity to better what Williams did through the air for a few reasons. Though this is his first year as a starter, he is a veteran in the system. He can launch the ball. And he has a deep group of receivers and running backs returning, along with a strong offensive line.
4. Lamar Jackson, Louisville. We have pegged Jackson as a dark horse in the Heisman, and Louisville as a dark horse College Football Playoff contender. For those two things to become reality, the Cards need a monster year from Jackson. He has the potential to get to 3,000 yards considering the type of offense he is in, and the improvement coach Bobby Petrino said Jackson made during the spring in the passing game. With a deep and talented group of receivers returning, the pieces are there. But he is going to need better play from the offensive line, for starters.
5. Eric Dungey, Syracuse. Coach Dino Babers has yet to name a starter, but here is betting Dungey emerges as the starter. We saw glimpses of his potential when he was healthy last season. If he can stay healthy and start all 12 games, he has a good shot at 3,000 based on history alone. In four years as a head coach (Eastern Illinois, Bowling Green), Babers has always had a 3,000-yard passer. In fact, his starting quarterbacks have averaged 4,248 yards.
6. Deondre Francois, Florida State. Best guess here is both Sean Maguire and Francois will play for the Seminoles this season, and Francois eventually emerges as the starter. I am banking on him getting enough attempts to be able to make it to 3,000 yards -- though I remain uncertain he gets there because we have no idea how coach Jimbo Fisher will handle the QBs for the fall.
Keep an eye on:
Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech. Coach Justin Fuente has not named a starter, but the best guess is he will go with the quarterback he recruited to Tech. Evans threw for over 3,000 yards at Trinity Valley Community College last season, and Fuente is bringing a more up-tempo offense to the Hokies. But do they have the experience and depth at receiver beyond Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips to put up such prolific numbers?
