News-Record.com

So I was contemplating this strange ACC football season - one in which it's still hard to tell who's headed to the Orange Bowl and who's headed to Boise - when it occurred to me that I have no idea who should be conference coach of the year.

Let's start with who's out of the running. Take Friedgen, Amato, Grobe and Roof out. Can't have a losing record and be coach of the year. Take out Larry Coker as well. Yes, Miami could very well win the conference, but did anyone think they'd lose more than one conference game? Bobby Bowden? This guy still thinks Chris Rix can help. So he's out. Tommy Bowden? He had a shot, until he lost at Duke. Al Groh? For a team that was supposed to be the best threat to the conference's Florida supremacy, Virginia has looked very ordinary against those very same Florida teams.

That leaves us with these three - Chan Gailey, Frank Beamer and John Bunting. Gailey's lead his Yellow Jackets to a suprising 6-3 mark, but with games left against UVA and Georgia, Tech is likely to finish 6-5. If that happens, he's out.

Beamer's taken a team with a lot of flaws and put it in first place in the ACC. If the Hokies stay there, he's the guy. If the Hokies win one of their last two - against UVA and Miami - he might still be the guy.

But if Va Tech loses both? Well that just might open the door for the man who was supposed to be fired already - John Bunting. If the Tar Heels win at Duke - and certainly they should - then UNC finishes 6-5 and a stunning 5-3 in the conference. A bowl game for a team predicted to finish 10th in the ACC? Sounds like coach of the year material to me.

What do you think? If someone gave you a ballot, who would you select as ACC coach of the year?