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First-year starting quarterbacks abound in the A.C.C., a conference that features little in the way of certainty at this all-important position. Perhaps it says much about the A.C.C.’s status under center that several conference members might be jealous of Miami (Fla.), of all places — home to a turnover-prone senior and a largely untested sophomore. The spring practice period and summer months will therefore be vital at the majority of A.C.C. stops, only a handful of which can say it knows — and is confident in — what it holds at quarterback.

Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas is one such example. He’s a redshirt sophomore, one who earned only mop-up duty behind Tyrod Taylor a season ago. In some ways he’s similar to his predecessor; like Taylor, Thomas is an athletically gifted quarterback whose non-passing abilities should play well in new coordinator Mike O’Cain’s picture for what the Hokies want to achieve offensively.

Unlike Taylor, however, Thomas enters his sophomore campaign without having taken any meaningful snaps. Taylor brought several starts into his sophomore campaign, even if — think back all those years ago — Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech wanted him to take a redshirt season behind Sean Glennon. One advantage Thomas does hold over Taylor’s sophomore campaign is that Thomas already used his redshirt — he was Virginia Tech’s scout team quarterback in 2009.

Other quarterbacks who stand in a similar situation: Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Georgia Tech’s Tevin Washington and North Carolina’s Bryn Renner. Like Thomas, each enters 2011 as their respective team’s clear choice to supplant a departed starter at quarterback: Boyd will step in for Kyle Parker, who underachieved mightily before ending his college career; Washington will replace Joshua Nesbitt, as he did down the stretch in 2010; while Renner replaces T.J. Yates, who had a marvelous senior season.

Just because this quartet of sophomore quarterbacks will be handed the keys to the offense does not mean the spotlight won’t be bright. It will especially be so in September, when the 2011 season gets underway, but each quarterback begins the process of stepping into a starting role over the next month, when their respective teams begin spring practice.

This is when a rapport is developed on and off the field, in the huddle and in the locker room, between the offensive line and receivers — the types of relationships that help a quarterback go from trespasser to team leader. It’s obvious that an offense needs a steady hand at quarterback in order to succeed in the A.C.C.: recent conference history has shown that teams led by a veteran quarterback are far more likely to succeed than those breaking in a first-year starter, regardless of talent found elsewhere on the field.

Thomas inherits the most enviable situation, that of a team destined for a double-digit win season, but he also faces the most scrutiny. That’s the negative drawback to taking over at Virginia Tech: he’ll be surrounded by the second-best team in the conference — and have the easiest schedule in the conference — but his team’s expectations will be high.

The same might be said of Renner, who likewise replaces a multiple-year, successful starter, but it’s somewhat different: U.N.C. won’t share Virginia Tech’s title aspirations. In another slight deviation from the situation in Blacksburg, Renner’s ascension has been highly anticipated, to the point where some wanted the then-redshirt freshman to bypass Yates, a senior, and start last September.

Slight differences, but the similarities shared between Thomas, Renner, Boyd and Washington make how the four fare in the spring one of the key storylines of the A.C.C. season. Each needs a big one, if only to show their respective coaches and teammates that they are deserving of being the next line under center.

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