Clemson

ACC Player Grades

In a powerhouse conference like the ACC, high-quality talent is everywhere to be found. Unfortunately, many do not look past the Tyler Hansbroughs, the Tyrese Rices, or the Jack McClintons when acknowledging such talent. We take a look at five players who, to this point, have been largely uncelebrated in the conference but will be difference-makers for their teams in the 2008-2009 season.

This is the first of my annual six statistical projections of BCS conference starters. The lineups are based on the Starting Fives series of articles released two weeks ago, along with a couple of changes due to recent developments.

#23 USF @ Cincinnati 7:30PM EST on ESPN

Clemson Tigers

Overall Rank: #23

ATLANTA, GA – For a second-straight year North Carolina was a unanimous choice to finish first atop the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball race in voting by 40 media members at the league’s annual Basketball Media Day.

Duke was picked for second, while Wake Forest was voted third. Miami was fourth, followed by Clemson (fifth) and Virginia Tech (sixth).

ACC FIVE-YEAR STANDINGS

This ranking tries to answer a simple question: Who has been the best team in the ACC over the last five years?

Well, Monday marked the time for someone else to take the heat for Clemson's disappointing 3-3 start to 2008. In two meetings with athletic director Terry Don Phillips this morning, Tommy Bowden came to this basic conclusion:

It was best for the program that he step down as head coach of the Clemson Tigers.