1. Florida State

What you need to know about the offense: After losing Jameis Winston, last year’s top two receivers and four starting linemen, the Florida State offense will have a very different look in 2015. While there’s no easy way to replace Winston, who lost just one game in two years, the Noles did land Everett Golson from Notre Dame in a stopgap measure. Golson is certainly not without his flaws, but he represents a sizable upgrade to last year’s backup, Sean Maguire. Golson has a live arm and will team with emerging young receivers, like Travis Rudolph, Jesus Wilson, Ja’Von Harrison and Ermon Lane. Making matters tougher is the suspension of star RB Dalvin Cook, but the gifted backfield tandem of Jacques Patrick and Mario Pender should be able to pick up the slack. The development of the O-line ought to be monitored very closely. Yeah, there’s natural concern about the revamped unit. Yet, there’s also optimism, particularly related to tackles Roderick Johnson and Chad Mavety, and guards Kareem Are and Wilson Bell. If crackerjack assistant Rick Trickett can address depth and the pivot this summer, the front wall is liable to surprise the rest of the ACC.

What you need to know about the defense: The coordinator handoff from Jeremy Pruitt to Charles Kelly was a colossal flop in 2014, pressuring the latter to turn things around immediately. The Noles were a shell of their 2013 selves, going south in every major statistical category, including sacks, scoring, yards per play and third-down stops. There’s way too much talent and natural ability in Tallahassee for a repeat of last season’s relative futility. Florida State will be fine at linebacker as long as Reggie Northrup and Mathew Thomas are healthy enough to join the star, Terrance Smith. It’s up front and in the secondary where the team is replacing four NFL draft picks, linemen Mario Edwards and Eddie Goldman, and DBs P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby. But while the defensive backfield can rally around the likes of Jalen Ramsey, Nate Andrews and Tyler Hunter, the line is hungry for sparkplugs. After feebly generating 17 sacks in 14 games, Kelly desperately needs some combination of Lorenzo Featherston, Jacob Pugh, Demarcus Walker, Rick Leonard and Chris Casher to impact the opposing pocket.

2. NC State

What you need to know about the offense: The ground-inspired spread is off and running under Dave Doeren and his coordinator, Matt Canada. And the best may be just up ahead for the Wolfpack. The Pack experienced some hiccups in 2014, but closed on a tear and averaged 30 points for the first time since 2010. Now, the program plans to take another step forward, with QB Jacoby Brissett spearheading the charge. Brissett is poised for the kind of breakout senior season that attracts NFL scouts’ attention. And he’ll get plenty of help in the backfield from Shadrach Thornton, uber-versatile Matt Dayes and ballyhooed rookie Reggie Gallaspy II, who rushed for 131 yards in the spring game. Where there’s a need for improvement is in the passing game. Not only must Brissett smooth out the wrinkles as a pocket passer, but a new starting left tackle and a few reliable receivers other than TE David Grinnage have to emerge. Since last year’s leading receiver, Bo Hines, transferred to Yale, it’s incumbent upon juniors Bra’Lon Cherry, Johnathan Alston and Jumichael Ramos to develop into legitimate go-to targets for Brissett.

What you need to know about the defense: The Pack D improved incrementally under Dave Huxtable in 2014, but not quite enough. The unit was fine against average opponents, yet downright miserable against the quality ones. And while the staff is not without talented individual cogs, it’s got to find a way to get them working together as a cohesive, fundamentally-sound ensemble. There’s undeniable upside and hope at every level, emanating from the likes of DE Mike Rose, CB Jack Tocho and FS Hakim Jones. The 2015 edition, though, will be defined on how much of an impact comes from underclassmen and wild cards, such as now-healthy LB M.J. Salahuddin. Tackles Kentavius Street and B.J. Hill, linebackers Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore and SS Josh Jones are all sophomores with considerable room for growth. If Huxtable and his assistants can bring out the best in the young kids, NC State will have a shot to gradually advance as the season unfolds.

3. Louisville

What you need to know about the offense: Most of the offensive chatter this offseason has been reserved for the quarterback derby involving Reggie Bonnafon, Tyler Ferguson and Kyle Bolin. And yes, the outcome of that battle will directly impact Louisville’s 2015 bottom line. But quarterback is just one of numerous issues that must be addressed by an offense that sputtered in its first year without QB Teddy Bridgewater. The Cards are also adjusting to life without WR DeVante Parker, a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins, and much of an O-line that underachieved a year ago. Transfers Ja’Quay Savage (Texas A&M) and Jamari Staples (UAB) have joined James Quick at wide receiver, and TE Keith Towbridge is set to be a factor in the passing game. Up front, Louisville lost a ton to graduation, leaving OT Aaron Epps to headline an iffy unit. If the blockers don’t block, especially against quality defenses, it’s going to hamper the ability of emerging RB Brandon Radcliff to pick up where he left off late last year. Bobby Petrino is an offensive wiz, but he’ll have his hands full again this summer.

What you need to know about the defense: It’s a little-known fact that Louisville has ranked in the top 25 in total D five straight years, a run of uncommon consistency. And while Charlie Strong was the architect before taking the Texas job, current coordinator Todd Grantham did a solid job of keeping the unit on track in 2014. But now he’s overseeing a fair amount of changes, including the insertion of seven new starters into the lineup. Grantham is banking on instant contributions from three high-profile transfers, OLB Devonte Fields, S Josh Harvey-Clemons and CB Shaq Wiggins. He’s also counting on a few holdovers, like DE Pio Vatuvei, LB Keith Brown and S Chucky Williams, to capitalize on starting opportunities. As the secondary gels, the Cardinals can lean heavily on a dynamite front seven that’s dotted with All-ACC candidates and will be stifling versus the run. The personnel may be changing in Louisville, but all indications point to a continuation of the stout defensive effort that’s become customary on this campus. There’s just too much individual talent for this unit to endure a significant setback.

4. Clemson

What you need to know about the offense: It’s the dawn of a new era for the Clemson offense. Sophomore QB Deshaun Watson is set to assume the role of the franchise, but he’ll do so without esteemed coordinator Chad Morris, who’s now the SMU head coach. The architect of the Tigers’ offensive resurgence has been supplanted by Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott, who’ll have the good fortune of mentoring Watson for at least the next two seasons. The co-coordinators don’t plan to mess with success, maintaining the up-tempo, no-huddle attack that’s been so potent the past four years. Clemson, though, will need to improve at the line of scrimmage to fully unlock the abilities of Watson and a terrific supporting cast led by RB Wayne Gallman, TE Jordan Leggett and dynamite wide receivers Mike Williams, Artavis Scott and Charone Peake. LT Isaiah Battle is poised for a strong final year, but the rest of the line has plenty to prove in 2015. And for Clemson to get back to being a 40-point-a-game unit, it’ll have to become more assertive at the line of scrimmage.

What you need to know about the defense: Coordinator Brent Venables has been a godsend for a defense that needed some divine intervention when he was hired in 2012. But he and his assistants will be tested this fall. The year after leading the nation in yards per play allowed, Clemson is replacing eight starters, four of whom were drafted in the spring. Fortunately, the Tigers recruit well and used a deep rotation in recent seasons. DE Shaq Lawson, CB Mackensie Alexander and S Jayron Kearse are prepared to become the new leading men, but staying the course hinges on those veterans being promoted this fall. Up front, tackles Carlos Watkins and D.J. Reader must reach their potential, while DE Kevin Dodd pounces when Lawson is doubled. The staff expects Ben Boulware to pick up where he left off in the Russell Athletic Bowl and become the new leader of the linebackers. And CB Cordrea Tankersley and safeties Jadar Johnson and T.J. Green have to victimize those offenses that try to avoid Alexander and Kearse. Clemson remains flush in next-level talent. If Venables can turn this reassembled group into another brick wall, he could be swimming in head coaching opportunities by December.

5. Boston College

What you need to know about the offense: Boston College is going to run the ball. Boston College always seems to be able to run the ball. And even with a made-over offensive line, the Eagles still figure to grind out yards between the tackles with the capable trio of Jon Hilliman, Myles Willis and Tyler Rouse. However, if newly-minted offensive coordinator Todd Fitch is to have early success on the job, he must get more production from a passing game that was dormant in 2014. Fitch is seeking a more textured attack, one that can keep defenses from fixating on stopping Hilliman, Myles and Rouse. But for that to happen, a first-time starting quarterback, likely Darius Wade, and an unremarkable set of receivers will have to exceed expectations. And then there’s the issues with the front wall, a work-in-progress pinning hopes on veterans Harris Williams, Dave Bowen and Frank Taylor to serve as leaders of a two-deep that’s going to be unusually green and expected to feature rookies.

What you need to know about the defense: Stop the pass. That’s the mandate being laid down by coordinator Don Brown this offseason. The Eagles have the whole run-stuffing thing down pat. They finished No. 2 nationally a year ago, and will be stout up the middle with LB Steven Daniels and tackles Connor Wujciak, Mehdi Adbesmad and Truman Gutapfel. But it won’t be difficult game-planning for BC if the secondary remains a flashing liability. Two starters must be replaced from a unit that ranked in the bottom half of the ACC in completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns allowed, picks and, of course, passer rating. This area has to be addressed, which is why veteran CB John Johnson will be under the microscope in 2015. Two starting linebackers must be replaced as well. But Daniels is a solid anchor, and this program has excelled recently at coaching up the position. The Eagles will be young at the second level, but Matt Milano, Connor Strachan and Ty Schwab are being reared on the Heights to embrace this opportunity.

6. Syracuse

What you need to know about the offense: The offense was nothing short of deplorable in 2014. If it could have wrong, it did, from injuries and poor execution to ‘next man in’ only sounding good in theory. But there’s hope, and not just because the only direction from here is up. The Orange didn’t have dual-threat QB Terrel Hunt—or coordinator Tim Lester—in charge for an entire season. Hunt broke his leg on Oct. 3, while Lester succeeded the demoted George McDonald a week later. Hunt plus Lester for a full year has brought optimism, though there are still plenty of caveats to be addressed. Lester, naturally, wants to open up the attack with more downhill running and shots downfield. However, the coach needs complements to WR Steve Ishmael, an emerging star, and for backs Devante McFarlane and George Morris II to become the latest one-two punch on the ground. Plus, the O-line is retooling without star LT Sean Hickey and C John Miller. Syracuse will be better on offense this season, but by how much is a subject of great debate that hinges on the play of the quarterback.

What you need to know about the defense: Under coordinator Chuck Bullough and head coach Scott Shafer, Syracuse has been an attacking, overachieving D that often outperforms its individual talent. Maintaining that trend, though, is going to require a lot of sweat equity this offseason. Gone from last season are eight starters and the top five tacklers, creating opportunities … and pressure. The back seven took a particular beating, with the graduation of LB Cameron Lynch and the early departure of S Durell Eskridge. Bullough now needs his next generation of playmakers to step to the forefront and seize the opening for a starring role. DE Ron Thompson is poised to erupt this season, with Isaiah Johnson serving as the strongside end on the opposite side. Linebackers Zaire Franklin and Marqez Hodge won’t be Lynch and Dyshawn Davis overnight, but their ceilings are high. However, the fulcrum will be senior CB Julian Whigham, the lone returning starter to a defensive backfield that was singed for a league-high 65.2% completion percentage in 2014.

7. Wake Forest

What you need to know about the offense: The Demon Deacon offense hit rock bottom in 2014. But then again, that was the same mantra muttered following the 2012 and 2013 campaigns, too. A young and physically inferior unit was feeble last fall, averaging a league-low 14.8 points per game, while yielding more sacks and tackles for loss than any FBS squad. It was a disaster, yet hardly unexpected considering the youth that dotted the two-deep. The upshot is that just about everyone who played is back, and they’re bigger and stronger following a dedicated offseason in the weight room. The offense will be better, though, fireworks are a long way off. Wake is still extremely green, and that nagging issue of blocking will be an ongoing sore spot. The hope of Dave Clawson and coordinator Warren Ruggiero is that second-year quarterback John Wolford gets enough time to locate open receivers, like TE Cam Serigne, and that backs Isaiah Robinson and Dezmond Wortham enjoy a sliver of daylight. If this group raises its average to 20 points per game for the first time since 2011, it’ll qualify as progress.

What you need to know about the defense: If there’s going to be a rebirth at Wake Forest, as Dave Clawson hopes, it’ll be driven in the early going by the D. Mike Elko is simply one of the most underrated coordinators in America, proving it again last year in Winston-Salem. His kids fought and scrapped and played with boundless intensity to help keep the Demon Deacons in a lot of games in which it was otherwise overmatched. And the unit will be feisty again this year, provided the new cornerbacks aren’t routinely exposed. Besides the need to replace Kevin Johnson and Merrill Noel in the secondary, the defense is in good shape. The linebackers will be among the best in the ACC. The Ryan Janvion-led safeties are vastly underrated. And the D-line has come a long way in a short period of time. A liability at this time last year, the front wall has birthed playmakers in NT Tylor Harris, DT Josh Banks and drop end Wendell Dunn. And testament to the unit’s ascent, even Harris, an all-star, is being pushed for reps at the nose by emerging sophomore Zeek Rodney.