By David Glenn, ACCSports.com

Most ACC coaches will tell you that there is an ideal way to develop a reliable quarterback within the cyclical nature of college football.

Year one: watch, learn and redshirt. Year two: watch, learn and run the scout team. Year three: watch, learn, play in mop-up situations, get some limited exposure under pressure, and maybe -- if he's really, really good -- start. Year four: start or play a lot as a backup. Year five: start.

Reggie Ball, a rare four-year starter, has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his first three seasons. (Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech Athletics)

Some quarterbacks progress more quickly than others and many never progress at all. But if a coach wants to give a young quarterback a chance to work his way through the complex minefield of leadership, directory-sized playbooks, clock management, quick-thinking audibles and increasingly creative defenses; time, film study and practice repetitions are the kid's best friends.

"Ultimately, that's where we would like to go with our quarterback situation," Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. "They play some when they're younger, but by the time they're in their fourth of fifth year, they're the guy."

At the position many have called the most difficult in sports, that's the most dependable road map to success.

Ten ACC teams entered the 2006 season with third-, fourth- or fifth-year players starting at quarterback. After two weeks of play, those teams were a combined 15-5. Two ACC teams (Duke, North Carolina) started quarterbacks who are in their first or second year in the program. Combined record: 0-4.

Mere coincidence? No.

"The game has evolved, in my opinion, to where the quarterback's play determines the outcome of the game in most cases," Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "If the quarterback plays well, your team wins. If the quarterback doesn't play well, your team doesn't win."

In theory, ACC teams should be competing in 2006 with quarterbacks they signed in 2002 or 2003. In reality, a stunning 75 percent (24 of 32) of those 2002 and 2003 quarterback signees are not available this fall -- via transfers, dismissals, injuries, quitting, graduation, moves to other positions, or other circumstances.

The ACC took some image hits in early September, with losses by Duke (Richmond), UNC (Rutgers), N.C. State (Akron) and Virginia (Pittsburgh). Many of the problems in those games could be traced to poor quarterback play, in some cases by experienced players.

Boston College's Matt Ryan is on the NFL's radar this year. (Photo courtesy of Boston College Athletics)

Only three ACC quarterbacks -- third-year sophomore Drew Weatherford of Florida State, and fourth-year juniors Kyle Wright of Miami and Matt Ryan of Boston College -- are on the NFL's radar this fall. Even they rank behind at least a dozen other veteran quarterbacks nationally, in the eyes of most scouts.

Georgia Tech senior Reggie Ball, a rare four-year starter, probably qualifies as one of the league's top five quarterbacks, but that tag has a hollow ring to it this season. Ball threw more interceptions than touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, and he completed a higher percentage of passes as a freshman than he did over the last two years.

In other ways, however, the four-year learning curve is paying off for Ball. He cut his interceptions by a third and took just eight sacks in 11 games last season. He still doesn't make a lot of great plays, but he's avoiding the horrible ones, too. This year, in the ACC, that's a big accomplishment.

"We've seen (Ball) make small steps of improvement, and he wants to and is poised to make the next big step," Gailey said. "What we'd like him to do is continue with that: cut down on the interceptions and the sacks, while increasing the completion percentage. That would be ideal."

Maryland senior Sam Hollenbach has followed the ideal quarterback blueprint perfectly. After almost three years of practice work and film study, however, he was buried so far down the Terps' depth chart that he seriously considered a transfer. When he finally became the team's full-time starter in 2005, as a fourth-year junior, he threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13).

"Sam knows what he needs to work on," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "He's got to make quicker reads and more accurate decisions, and his pocket presence needs to be better."

Not a single quarterback who signed with UNC over a three-year period (2002-04) is still playing the position for the Tar Heels. The result? The team's two-man rotation consists of a transfer and a redshirt freshman, and crucial interceptions cost them chances to win their first two games.

Virginia Tech visited Chapel Hill on Sept. 9 with the following game plan after watching UNC's quarterbacks on film: Simply avoid mistakes on offense, and let those shaky quarterbacks on the other team decide. Sure enough, the Hokies had four easy, right-at-them interceptions -- one for a touchdown, another setting up a one-yard touchdown drive -- in a 35-10 Tech victory.

Regardless of what it did on defense and special teams, UNC didn't have a chance. Without a quarterback, nobody does.

Just ask the ACC.

Issue 1.22: September 21, 2006