"I think it was a crime that he wasn't all-conference," said Vanderlinden.

"He's not running behind the same offensive line as Travis Minor at Florida State. But LaMont was second in the league in rushing, and he only played in 10 games."

Jordan, who helped the Terps finish third in the ACC in rushing last season, is dangerous because of his versatility.

"He combines size and speed, and he's got the ability to wear you down as the game goes on," said Vanderlinden. "One of the things I've learned about LaMont is that if you give him the ball 25 times a game, he's going to break a couple for scores."

So what else can Jordan do? According to Vanderlinden, the Terps will try to get him more involved in the passing game. Last season, Jordan made only 14 receptions for 87 yards.

After enduring those difficult years, how close is Maryland to returning to the glory days it enjoyed from 1983-85, when it won three straight ACC titles?

"I hope it's not far," said Vanderlinden. "I really think the worst two years are over in our rebuilding process."

Fortunately for the Terps, time is one their side.

"I feel like we have a chance to have a decent ballclub," said Vanderlinden. "We have 10 starters back on offense. We were the youngest team in the country a year ago. Seventy-six percent of our scoring took place by freshmen or sophomores."

Just as his young players are learning, so is Vanderlinden in his role as coach.

"I wish I would have approached this much more cautiously two years ago," said Vanderlinden. "I came down here predicting a winning season. I've learned a lot. I was young and dumb."

"We were a program that was still learning to do the right thing at all times," said Vanderlinden of the group he inherited two years ago.

"One of the things that makes me feel good about our program and that I am proud of is that we really have changed the culture of our team in two years. I think there is a correlation between handling yourself off the field, in the classroom, at night and in the workouts. A lot of the same steps -- the same painful steps in some cases -- have been taken, and I see us closing the gap."

"I feel like that's the biggest challenge we'll have," said Vanderlinden. "But were have good players at those positions. They're young and inexperienced, but good players.

Although three or four players are vying for Barton's slot, Vanderlinden is excited about the sophomore who has inherited Ogle's role.

"Marlon Moore was Kendall Ogle's backup a year ago," said Vanderlinden. "He has a lot of Kendall's qualities -- he runs well, he's aggressive, he has natural instincts."

CARL TORBUSH, UNC

After a bumpy start, Curry faired pretty well, setting UNC freshman records for passing yards, touchdowns and total yards before earning MVP honors at the Las Vegas Bowl.

So what does Torbush expect for an encore? Not a sophomore slump, that's for sure.

"I felt like in the spring, he made tremendous strides and became a lot better quarterback," said Torbush. "I saw him become a leader, understand what we're trying to do on offense, make the correct throws at the right time and still have the same athletic ability and instincts so that if things weren't there, he could make a play on his own."

So will Curry depend less on his breathtaking athleticism?

"I think he'll rely less, but I don't want him to quit relying on it, because that's what made him what he is," said Torbush. "What he needs to do is make quick decisions. If it's there, great. If not, use your athletic ability to make something else happen."

"A lot of people say, 'Well, he isn't going to be as good as he could be,'" said Torbush. "Well, I know this, he can be good enough for us to win a bunch of football games, and he can be good enough for our basketball team to win a bunch of games.

I would hate for him to pick one sport and (football) not to be that sport. But quite honestly, I also want to see him play basketball, and I don't say that to be politically correct."

"We're really, really scared about something happening to one of them," said Torbush of his young QBs. "There will be a freshman, a walk-on probably, who will end up being the third quarterback."

Torbush will waste no time in getting Huard's feet wet, saying he "would be shocked" if he didn't play in Carolina's season-opener against Virginia. By the way, Torbush also said Huard was UNC's "most improved player in spring practice."

"Right now, if I had to say yes or no, I'd say yes, I think he's going to play," said Torbush.

With only two scholarship cornerbacks in spring practice, one might assume that Godwin would play there if he returns. Not so, said Torbush.

"First of all, he'd be a kick returner," said Torbush. "Second, possibly a wide receiver. Now, if we get in a tough spot, he'd play whatever we ask him to play. But he also understands that a lot of his future is in baseball. So we have the benefit of his athletic ability, but I don't want to do anything to endanger his future."

"If we went out there today, it would be Rufus (Brown), Anthony (Saunders) and Domonique," said Torbush.

MIKE O'CAIN, NC STATE

"I'm not a proponent of playing it over there every year," said O'Cain. "I was an advocate of playing it there last year. I thought it was a great opportunity and a great environment, and it was an advantage for both schools. But I think for our fans and students, the arch-rival game needs to be on the campuses.

"But I like playing a game in Charlotte every year. It probably needs to be a non-conference game."

Last season, while Holt was re-writing the ACC record book, Coleman ranked sixth in the ACC in receiving yardage per game (79.6) and eighth in receptions per game (4.7).

O'Cain has even higher hopes for Coleman this year. In the offseason, Coleman worked on improving his speed by running sprints while attached to a parachute.

"We've done that with a lot of players, working on developing speed," said O'Cain. "He's probably gone from mid-4.6 (in the 40-yard dash) to 4.5, maybe a little bit under that. In terms of speed, that's quite a leap.

"But that was just one of the many things Chris did. He's also gotten stronger, he's gotten lighter, he's more experienced, he's worked harder. His maturity and work ethic have been outstanding."

Now, Coleman must adjust to being the focal point of the opposing defense, a phenomenon he never experienced when Holt was on the field.

"I think we've got to do a good job, as we did with Torry, of moving Chris around," said O'Cain. "We have to make sure that we don't line him up in the same spot every time. And then somebody has to emerge -- hopefully another wide receiver, but not necessarily -- to be a tremendous threat. Maybe Koren Robinson or Ryan Hamrick, somebody that other people will have to be very aware of where he is. Maybe it will be a tailback. But last year, Torry was double-teamed very seldom because Chris could hurt you."

Even if that scenario plays out perfectly, though, O'Cain sees this year's offense being different from last season.

"I don't see us necessarily see us being the big play offense we were last year," said O'Cain. "We may be more of a nickel-and-dime offense, maybe even in the passing game. Instead of throwing downfield a lot, we may have to take some underneath stuff and get our backs involved."

Indeed, O'Cain plans to be creative in his use of Ray Robinson and Rahshon Spikes.

"We've looked at a lot of different things," said O'Cain. There will be times when you see Ray and Rahshon in the backfield at the same time, and all combinations thereof."

"We know so little about them," said O'Cain. "Other than on film, I've never seen either one of them throw a football. I've never seen them throw a ball in person, due to recruiting rules. But Jatavis is on campus now and he's working, which is going to help him."

O'Cain has decided to cast his lot with the freshmen, rather than move an upperclassman under center from another position.

"The only advantage to moving a guy would be that he would be more mature, but he would have absolutely no more game experience than one of these freshmen," said O'Cain. "So you just take a chance with these guys and help them develop and become the best they can be."

GEORGE WELSH, VIRGINIA

"I'm comfortable with Ellis right now," said Welsh. "He's not going to make some of the plays that Brooks made, especially this year. Brooks was faster and probably had a stronger arm, but we're capable of winning with Ellis. He's got poise and he can execute, and he's smart."

A great deal of pressure will be taken off Ellis by his stellar surrounding cast.

"Ellis has a good offensive line in front of him, good backs behind him and good wideouts," said Welsh. "I like our offense. The guys I saw out there in the spring, the way they executed -- I like it."

Although he questioned whether suspended tailback Antwoine Womack would return this season, Welsh confirmed that the Cavaliers will continue to predicate their offense on the running game, which is powered by the ACC's leading rusher in Thomas Jones.

"We're still going to try to run the ball until they stop it, and throw enough to keep them honest," said Welsh.

Shortly after saying that he hoped to coach through 2002, Welsh downplayed talk of his retirement.

"This retirement stuff...," he said, dismissing the notion with a wave of his hand. "I'm going for 300 wins, like (Bobby) Bowden."

When asked how many wins he need to reach that plateau, he said, "About 125."

Actually, Welsh was being modest -- with 176 career wins, he only needs 124 more. Incidentally, Bowden currently has 292 wins.

"The computer spits out two or three schedules for the conference, then the athletic directors vote on it," said Welsh. "I was told that this was the majority vote, the schedule that we have right now, and that only one AD voted against this schedule -- ours.

Welsh was stunned when he initially saw the schedule.

"I thought it was a mistake," said Welsh. "I don't like the idea of playing at UNC and at Clemson back-to-back. We should never open with Carolina."

However, Welsh pointed out that UVa is not the only squad facing a difficult early slate.

"North Carolina plays us, Florida State, at Clemson and at Georgia Tech all in September and early October," said Welsh. "It seems strange."

JIM CALDWELL, WAKE FOREST

"We're going to be a better football team this year," said Caldwell.

"Even last year, decimated as we were, we were still in every ballgame but two. Now what we have to do is not only be in them, but we have to win more than we lose.

"There's a very, very small margin from being 3-8 to 8-3. It's a bounce of the ball, it's one more drive, it's one more catch, it's a tackle, an interception, just a little bit more effort in some cases. That's what we have to overcome. We have to make that very small stride that's going to get us over the hump and into the upper echelon of our conference."

One of the reasons for Caldwell's optimism is the Deacs' improved team speed.

"I don't know if you took note of the ACC Championships in track this spring," said Caldwell. "The 4-by-100 meter relay team? Those were four Wake Forest football players that won the conference title. The guy who won the 100 meters? He's a Wake Forest football player. The guy who won the 200 meters? He's a Wake Forest football player. The guy who got second in the 100 meters? He's a Wake Forest football player.

"And aside from those six guys who ran track this spring, we probably had four guys just as fast who didn't run. So when I talk about improved speed, there's tangible proof. We have the potential to have big plays every single snap of the ball."

"I wouldn't call it a two-quarterback offense," said Caldwell. "I have never done it that way, because sometimes it interrupts the flow of the game and familiarity and other things that are important to playing consistently. But we're going to give (Leak) an opportunity to play, see how quickly we can bring him along and at some point let him compete for the job."

Caldwell acknowledged that true freshmen rarely make a big impact, but Leak is no ordinary freshman.

"He's very talented," said Caldwell. "He's a 6-4, 220-pound 17-year-old. He runs extremely well, has a nice arm and a tremendous desire to excel. He loves football and is very eager. This guys will be a very, very good player if he continues to progress."

"He chose the school that he felt was best for him, not what everybody else thought," said Caldwell. "That, to me, shows quite a bit about a guy who isn't afraid to go against the norm and isn't worried about being popular. He's committed to doing what's best for him."

One of the factors which attracted Leak was Wake Forest's outstanding academic reputation. Caldwell said that's indicative of the type of student-athlete Wake Forest has always attracted.

"One of the things you have to understand about our school is that athletics will never get out of hand with academics," said Caldwell.