By Will Vandervort.

This time last year coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference knew who Vic Beasley was, but they did not know how good he could be. In 2012, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end was used primarily as a pass rusher as he totaled eight sacks in 288 snaps.

But the knock on Beasley was his frame. Many did not think he was strong enough to be an every-down defensive end in the ACC. Beasley used those criticisms as motivation. He picked up his weight by more than 10 pounds and got stronger along the way.

With the help of Marion Hobby, the defensive ends coach at Clemson, he improved his techniques and learned a few new moves. Hobby said Beasley was a little wet around the ears, but he was hungry and he could see that he was motivated.

By now everyone knows what Beasley accomplished in 2013. His hunger to be better and to prove all those naysayers wrong drove him to an All-American season. He finished the year with 44 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, six pass breakups, four caused fumbles and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown.

The fumble return—a 13-yard scoop and score—was the game-clinching touchdown in the Tigers’ win over Boston College.

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“I’ve watched him a lot, obviously, because I’m really involved with the O-line. I think he’s dynamic, I think he’s just a phenomenal pass rusher,” Boston College head coach Steve Addazio said. “He’s explosive. His change in direction is unique. I’ve been around some great pass rushers in my day at Florida, and I saw a lot. He is terrific, and he’s a guy that is going to create havoc.”

Beasley disappointed just about everyone in the ACC, but Dabo Swinney, when he announced he was going to return to Clemson for his senior year last January.

“He chose to come back, you know, and he’s not coming back to just kind of go through the motions,” the Clemson coach said. “I mean, he’s coming back to be a great player, so he’s highly motivated. He wants to be a top-15 pick, and he was probably a second-round pick last year, so he’s come back to really improve his stock and to improve his game, so he has a lot to prove.”

One way to improve his stock is to have a breakout game against the defending national champions on national television. Beasley will get that chance when the Tigers visit Florida State on Sept. 20.

Last year, the Seminoles held Beasley in check as he totaled only two tackles in 51 snaps and had no sacks or quarterback pressures.

“Guys like Cameron Erving from Florida State, I have a lot of respect for him,” Beasley said. “He was one of my toughest match-ups last year.”

But don’t think the Seminoles don’t have a lot of respect for Beasley, that’s why they were able to contain him so well last season.

“Vick Beasley is an outstanding player, very athletic, can play the run and can play the pass,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “They have a very dynamic game plan for him because he can stand up and can move around. You’ve got to know where he’s at, at all times and make sure he’s not matched on backs, or you have to slide protection to him.

“But you can’t block him one-on-one. He is one of the most outstanding players in our conference and in the country.”

The game against Florida State last season is just one thing that drives Beasley and keeps him motivated. Some so-called experts wonder, with everyone sliding their protections to double team him, if he can be as productive as he was last season.

“Vic wants to be a more complete player,” Swinney said. “He’s got great people around him, so it’s not like he’s got to be Superman or anything like that. You just want to see him bring it every single week, and hopefully he can stay healthy. If he does, I think that the mission that he’s on, I think he’s going to be a force to deal with.

“The combination that he has of speed, length and strength is unique at his position.”

Even with all that strength, speed and length, some wonder if Beasley will fall into the same trap that caused former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to have such a non-productive year in 2013.

“He is a guy that has a lot of pride. He has good work ethic and he is an excellent football player,” Hobby said. “He has always worked hard. That’s kind of been the deal with him. He has taken the hard road to be a good player at Clemson.

“He did not play his first two years. He was just hanging in there going from running back to linebacker to end. I think that was a humbling experience for him. He has been here the whole summer and is doing what he said he was coming back to do. I have been very pleased with him and teams are going to have to deal with him. If you double there, it is going to leave someone else open.”

And either way that is going to be a mistake.

“If you think you’re going to lead him into a one-on-one match-up, you’re making a big mistake,” Addazio said. “So now, you’ve got to really account for him, with chipping him, with sliding to him, and so now you’ve got a lot of focus on that guy right now, so that’s real.”