I’m excited for a full-length college football season and a full-length ACC season. There are so many players worth following, but if you asked me to reduce a list to just three players, these would be the choices, in no particular order:
McKENZIE MILTON, QB, FLORIDA STATE
Welcome back, McKenzie Milton! The quarterback who burst onto the scene and enabled UCF to become a Group of Five powerhouse before suffering a gruesome injury which required a lengthy recovery process is back on the gridiron. Regardless of how well he performs, the simple fact that he is returning to football is poignant and a triumph. He will certainly be featured on the season premiere episode of College GameDay.
How Milton fares on a Florida State team which has had problems protecting the passer in recent seasons is an obvious and significant point of intrigue in the ACC Atlantic this year. This might be a smash hit, it might be a flop, but it won’t be boring.
CHARLESTON RAMBO, WR, MIAMI
The transfer from Oklahoma gets to catch passes from D’Eriq King. Miami lost a lot of high-end talent on defense this offseason, and the Canes gave up 62 points to North Carolina last season in spite of having multiple top-50 NFL draft picks on their defense. This means Miami needs to score a ton against the Tar Heels and — most likely — a few other ACC opponents who can light up The U’s defense. Enter Rambo, who needs to turbo-charge this offense if Miami gets roped into a shootout this fall.
ZONOVAN KNIGHT, RB, N.C. STATE
It’s very important that North Carolina State keeps pressure off quarterback Devin Leary. Knight is equipped to do precisely that. If State establishes a formidable ground game, Leary won’t have to make overly risky throws, and the Wolfpack offense can purr this year. If the Pack are the foremost contender to Clemson in the Atlantic (and I think they are), Knight will have a strong season.
