sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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Welcome to Juneteenth!
Although Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it was not until after the war was over that slaves became free in Texas, possibly because the Proclamation could not be enforced there, or because news of the Proclamation had not been spread there. The war ended in April of 1865, but word did not reach Texas until the following month, and it was not until June that the Confederate Army in the area surrendered. On June 19th, Union General Gordon Granger read "General Order No. 3" in Galveston, which said all slaves were free. The next year freed slaves began celebrating not only the proclamation, but the freeing of all slaves in general, and gave the day the name Juneteenth. Over time the celebrations spread to other parts of the country. During the Great Migrations after World War I and World War II, when large amounts of African Americans moved north, they brought Juneteenth traditions with them. Although this helped spread the holiday, in some cases it made it harder for people to celebrate, as it was harder to take time off from work during the week at urban factory jobs than farm jobs. Juneteenth celebrations also were given a boost after the 1968 Poor People's March, when returning attendees brought the tradition back to their communities. By the 1980's and 1990's, Juneteenth celebrations were prevalent all around the country, and almost all states now recognize the day in some way. As of 2021, it has been recognized as a federal holiday.
SU News
PART FOUR: THE SYRACUSE FOOTBALL 44s: "WHERE THEY DON'T PLAY THE GAMES ANYMORE" (youtube.com; video series' Jay Lurie)
This might actually be part 3. I can't find part 3 anywhere...
PART FOUR: THE SYRACUSE FOOTBALL 44S: “WHERE THEY DON’T PLAY THE GAMES ANYMORE”
The Alliance Review
College football recruiting: Alliance quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg commits to Syracuse (cantonrep.com; Holland Jr)
For Alliance quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg, Syracuse was simply the right fit.
Just a week after landing an offer by the Orange, his first from a Power Five school, Zurbrugg announced on social media that he verbally committed to Syracuse.
According to the soon-to-be senior quarterback, Syracuse has been on Zurbrugg since last winter. After his trip to the campus 10 weeks ago, Zurbrugg patiently awaited the official offer.
“I had a message from their assistant quarterback coach back in the winter months,” Zurbrugg told the USA Today Network. “Ever since then we talked and talked. They came to watch me throw. So, it was kind of the offer I really wanted to get because I built a relationship with the coaches and I like them a lot.”
There are mutual connections from the Syracuse coaching staff, and they have a track record of developing dual-threat quarterbacks. Michael Johnson, Cuse’s wide receiver coach, is a former Akron quarterback who has coached NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees, Doug Flutie, Michael Vick and Alex Smith. Jason Beck, the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, developed New Orleans Saints QB Taysom Hill at BYU and Kent Benkert (Green Bay Packers), Bryce Perkins (Los Angeles Rams) and Brennan Armstrong when he was the quarterback coach at Virginia.
“For college, I want to be a starter and play for a championship team,” Zurbrugg said. “The ultimate dream goal is to play in the NFL.”
Last year as a junior, Zurbrugg completed 76% of his passes for 2,184 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 804 yards and 11 TDs. He also earned All-Ohio honors in track as a hurdler.
Zurbrugg, a three-year starter, is entering his senior year at Alliance as one of the top players in Stark County. Before his commitment, he landed his first Big 10 offer from Northwestern last week. He was also recruited by schools in the Mid-American Conference (Akron, Kent State, Miami, Bowling Green, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Ball State), the Ivy League (Dartmouth and Yale) and the FCS (Youngstown State, Colgate, Maine and Leigh). Liberty also offered the All-Ohio performer.
...
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/recruiting/brendan-zurbrugg-commits-to-syracuse-football (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2024 Alliance (OH) High quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg has committed to Syracuse. The 6-4, 185 pounder took an official visit this weekend and that was enough to seal the deal. Zurbrugg picked Syracuse over offers from Northwestern, Akron, Kent State, Toledo and others.
"It just felt like home since the second I got there," Zurbrugg said. "The staff are very good people and coaches that I want to play for. I wouldn't say it was one moment, it was everything over the course of the weekend that made me want to call Syracuse home."
Once Zurbrugg made up his mind, it was time to inform the coaches of his decision.
"They all seemed pretty excited," Zurbrugg said. "We've built a strong relationship this year and it's exciting that I can officially call them my coaches."
On the visit, his player host was current Orange quarterback Garrett Shrader. He also spent time with many other Syracuse players.
"It was a great time," Zurbrugg said. "All the guys seemed to have good relationships and have a lot of fun outside of just football."
...
https://uga./news/syracuse-recruiting-roundup-june-19-2023 (r1vals.com; Sears)
It was another eventful week in the Syracuse recruiting world, with the football team landing several commitments, and the basketball team offering a top 2025 prospect. Let's get right to it...
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NATL
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ST
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POS
CLINTON
ROBINSON
VERBAL COMMIT
6/16/2023
SYRACUSE
6'1" | 196 LBS | S | 2024
KEYSTONE OAKS
PITTSBURGH, PA
5.5
We start with 2024 defensive back
Clinton Robinson
, who committed to Syracuse on Friday after he took an official visit on the June 9 weekend. The Keystone Oaks (PA) High athlete picked the Orange over offers from West Virginia, Akron, Miami (OH) and Temple, among others. He tells our Charles Kang why he committed to the Orange.
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NATL
69
ST
32
POS
JAMIE
TREMBLE
VERBAL COMMIT
6/17/2023
SYRACUSE
6'4" | 205 LBS | TE | 2024
WESLEYAN
NORCROSS, GA
5.7
Another prospect who visited Syracuse with Robinson was 2024 tight end
Jamie Tremble, who announced his commitment the day after, on Saturday. The Wesleyan (GA) athlete picked the Orange over offers from over a dozen offers, including Mississippi State, Duke, and Wake Forest. Read why he committed to the Orange from our Charles Kang.
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NATL
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ST
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POS
BRENDAN
ZURBRUGG
VERBAL COMMIT
6/18/2023
SYRACUSE
6'3" | 185 LBS | QB | 2024
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE, OH
N/A
Syracuse continued its role on Sunday, with Alliance (OH) High quarterback
Brendan Zurbrugg
committing to Syracuse over offers from Northwestern, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Dartmouth, Yale, Kent State and Toledo. He spoke to our Charles Kang about his fit into the Syracuse system.
...
An Early Look At Syracuse's Final Six Opponents (orangefizz.net; Griffin)
The second half of Syracuse’s schedule features games that are either on the road or played in Dino Babers’ least favorite month of November. Last year, the Orange went a mere 1-5 over the final six regular season games before stumbling to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl. So what does the back half have in store this season?
With this as well as the front half, there you have what Syracuse is staring at for the 2023 season. A few super difficult games, a few really difficult games, and a few in between that will likely determine whether the Orange go bowling. With Babers’ job security on the line perhaps more than ever, it will be fascinating to see how it plays out.
ACC News
ACC Football updated recruiting rankings for 2024 (usatoday.com; Turri)
We are in full swing of the 2024 recruiting cycle, with each team in the ACC doing their best to land the top recruits on their boards in an effort to improve their program.
For Clemson, the month of June has been an incredible one that has seen the Tigers’ 2024 class skyrocket into the top ten for 247Sports, and the top ten for On3Sports. For all the doubters Clemson has had recently, Dabo Swinney and the coaching staff have shown up and done an excellent job so far.
Buy Tigers Tickets
The question is, how do they stack up against the rest of the ACC right now?
Here is an early updated look at the ACC football recruiting rankings for 2024 based on 247Sports Composite Rankings.
National Rank: No.10
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 2
Four star: 7
Three star: 2
National Rank: No.13
Total Commits: 19
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 17
National Rank: No.16
Total Commits: 18
Five star: 0
Four star: 1
Three star: 16
National Rank: No.17
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 1
Four star: 7
Three star: 3
National Rank: No.20
Total Commits: 18
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 16
National Rank: No.25
Total Commits: 13
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 10
National Rank: No.26
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 9
National Rank: No.27
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 9
National Rank: No.28
Total Commits: 10
Five star: 0
Four star: 4
Three star: 6
National Rank: No.30
Total Commits: 12
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 11
National Rank: No.48
Total Commits: 8
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 8
National Rank: No.50
Total Commits: 9
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 7
...
Virginia Tech Hokie Football in Transition - The Offense (gobblercountry.com; Schneider)
Face it, in 2022 the Offense was Flat Out Bad
There are just no other ways to describe the 2022 Virginia Tech offense than to say that it was mostly useless. Even when there was some forward momentum it was never sustained. The repeated collapses as opponents realized the basic simplicity of the tactics, or finally overwhelmed the talent level, eventually wore down the Virginia Tech defense. It also wore down Hokie Nation, to a frazzle I might add.
Sometimes you can find squads within failing groups that look like a foundational hope for the future. This time, there were few to none. Well, maybe the tight ends were a bit better than average, but when the offense only deploys them sparingly, that is really no advantage.
It’s time to go through the Tech offense for 2023, and visit each sub-squad to look at what might be addressed and with what. We’ll start with the Offensive Line as the core squad that must have the physical presence and performance in depth enough to control the line of scrimmage and enable both the pass and run games. Then we’ll check in with the receivers because, frankly, we had one above average talent in 2022 and the passing game is the way of modern football. The third section is going to be a combined look at the backfield because of the nature of the supposed Read-Option offense, and then we’ll wrap up with the direct coaching observations as they relate to the last poll results.
Virginia Tech’s offensive line over the past five season has been inconsistent at best. There were good years with several excellent players who are now pros with big paychecks, but that evaporated when Christian Darrisaw was drafted, and the transfer portal and attitude changes melted the remainder. The line hasn’t improved since then. In most cases, it wasn’t completely coaching. Vance Vice was probably the best offensive coach of the prior era. The appearance of Joe Rudolph from Wisconsin was a brilliant flash that we need to talk about because that foop, might have provided a clearer path to consistency.
...
https://collegefootballnews.com/cfn...-season-prediction-win-total-what-will-happen (CFN; Fiutak)
Pitt Panthers Key To The Season
Start running, keep running, and do it effectively. Pitt might have a no-risk-it-no-biscuit style in a whole lot of ways, but it’s relatively simple. With the way the pass rush works, the defense is great at coming up with plenty of third down stops. The big plays from the passing game are nice, but get the ground game going, and win.
Last year’s team passed 170 rushing yards six times - 6-0. 7-1 when getting past 150 yards. Since 2019 Pitt is 26-1 when getting to 143 rushing yards.
Jurkovec is a good veteran presence with all the skills to blow up in his sixth year - the dream is to make the jump like Pickett did - after throwing for over 5,000 yards with 35 touchdowns and 17 picks in his first five seasons at both Notre Dame and Boston College.
Fortunately, there weren’t a whole lot of tough transfers to deal with. Morgan made 14 sacks and 23 tackles for loss over the last four years, and he would’ve played a far bigger role in the rebuilding Pitt defensive front. Instead he’ll be a Hog. That’s why …
With so many changes on the line, Hayes is the Next Pass Rusher Up who should go from good to amazing after steadily amassing nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss in his first three years - at least that’s what the Panthers are hoping for.
...
Miami football has 2 of top 4 ACC returning defensive tackles (caneswarning.com; Rubenstein)
The Miami football program has two of the top four returning defensive tackles in the ACC entering the 2023 season per Pro Football Focus grades. Returning starting DT Leonard Taylor leads ACC returnees at the position with an 87.3 grade from PPF and Thomas Gore is fourth at 84.4.
Taylor had 24 tackles, tied for the Miami football team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss, had three sacks, had one interception and six quarterback hits in 2022. Gore had 38 tackles, eight TFLs, five sacks, six QBHs and two forced fumbles for Georgia State in 2022. Gore adds athleticism and depth for Miami at DT.
Jared Harrison-Hunte is projected as the starting DT for Miami with Taylor. Louisiana-Monroe transfer Anthony Campbell, Purdue transfer Branson Deen, Gore and Jacob Lichtenstein are expected to be the primary backup DTs for Miami in 2023. Max Chadwick of PFF says Taylor has the potential to be the top DT in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Taylor was named honorable mention All-ACC in 2022. To live up the projection of being the first DT taken in the 2024 NFL Draft Taylor needs to exceed the numbers he produced in 2022 and probably earn first-team All-ACC. Athlon Sports named Taylor second-team All-ACC based on how they project he will perform in 2023.
Taylor had excellent metric numbers in 2022. Per PFF via Canes County, Taylor had a 19.5 pass-rush win rate and a 16.2 pressure rate in 2022 which was second to Calijah Kancey of Pittsburgh among interior defensive linemen in 2022. Under new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, expect Taylor to receive more snaps.
Clemson and Virginia Tech are the only programs in the ACC with two interior DL in the top 10 returning in 2023. Miami hosts Clemson on October 18. Miami and Virginia Tech will not play this season for the first time since 1991. If Taylor can become a dominant DL, the Miami defense should have significant improvement.
...
ACC RSN Update 2023 June 16 (RX; HM)
ACC RSN Update 2023 June 16
Betcha didn't see this logo coming back!
From "Will ACC football and basketball games disappear from Bally Sports?" written by Steve Wiseman, published by the News & Observer, here are few juicy bits...
The article mentions that Raycom might sell them to ESPN, but they wouldn't necessarily have to. Maybe they sell them to CBSSN or Peacock or FS1 or even some of the networks the Pac-12 has been talking to, like ION.
Unless Raycom does sell the rights back to ESPN, we're likely looking at the continuation of RSN-type games through the 2026-27 football and basketball seasons.
Delane ranked in top 10 for returning cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Virginia Tech football's Mansoor Delane has received high praise from Pro Football Focus (PFF), with recently being ranked as the eighth-highest-graded cornerback (82.7) for returning Power Five student-athletes.
Delane is coming off of a strong freshman year in 2022, leading Tech in pass breakups (8) and accumulating 38 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception in eight games. As a true freshman, Delane grew into his role as the year progressed and earned both Freshman All-America and All-ACC honorable mention honors.
Starting four games in 2022, Delane broke out in his first start at then-No. 24 NC State, registering a career high in tackles (10) accompanied with a forced fumble and two pass break ups. Two weeks following his first start, Delane had another strong outing against Duke, finishing the game with seven tackles and capturing his first career interception. In the regular-season finale, he forced a fumble and owned a career-high two tackles for loss (TFLs) at Liberty.
Last week, Delane wan named to Athlon Sports' Preseason All-ACC Team, earning second-team honors.
Virginia Tech football: Hokies return two of the ACC’s top defensive tackles in 2023 (gobblercountry; Manning)
How good will the Virginia Tech Hokies be in 2023? There is hope that the Hokies will be much improved in head coach Brent Pry’s second season. After all, the Hokies won just three games in 2022.
Virginia Tech has been aggressive in reshaping the roster this offseason. Several players have transferred out, replaced by multiple transfers who will impact the two deep in 2023.
Tech also has some key players returning this season. While young players, such as Mansoor Delane, Dae’Quan Wright and Tucker Holloway, come to mind, several upperclassmen return. Two names that immediately come to mind are senior defensive tackles Mario Kendricks and Norell Pollard.
Kendricks and Pollard were both members of the 2019 recruiting class. Kendricks [Kissimmee] and Pollard [Apopka] were both from Florida, and each has played a lot of football for the Hokies. Kendricks and Pollard were Bud Foster recruits and played their first season under the legendary former defensive coordinator.
...
Clemson football solves QB recruiting conundrum with 2025 commitment (saturdayblitz.com; Peterson)
for gbo
The Clemson football team struggled to land a quarterback in the 2024 class, so they pushed for Blake Herbert in 2025 and landed him on Friday.
It’s been surprising to see the Clemson football program strike out on quarterback after quarterback in the 2024 class, but that’s exactly what has transpired.
The Tigers have one of the best college football recruiting classes in the country at the moment. They are eighth overall and have 11 verbal pledges — nine of them are ranked as four-star recruits or better.
However, Clemson football doesn’t have a quarterback. It missed on targets such as Jadyn Davis, who wound up at Michigan; Walker White, who chose Auburn over Clemson, and also DJ Lagaway who went to the Florida Gators over Clemson.
Those weren’t the only misses. But it made you wonder if the Tiger were going to pursue another 2024 quarterback — one that wouldn’t be as highly ranked or set their sights on 2025?
Clemson football fans got their answer in recent days — weeks actually — as Dabo Swinney as the Tigers had focused in on four-star 2025 quarterback Blake Herbert.
That focus paid off with a verbal commitment from Herbert on Friday, which is frankly huge for Clemson football. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback is ranked No. 11 at the position in the 2025 class out of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
...
REPORT: Realignment cold war looming between Big Ten, SEC for two ACC schools (basicbluesnation.com; Thomas)
A realignment cold war looms between the “Power Two” in college football. Although it may take years to play out, a growing contingent expects the Big Ten and SEC to raid the remaining Power Five conferences for their most prominent brands. A recent report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel indicates that the two conferences are ready to wage war over the rights of two ACC schools. And while the consequences of this conference expansion would impact Penn State football and the larger college athletics landscape for decades to come, the two schools may not be who you’d expect.
Thamel reports that the Big Ten and SEC are both eyeing the same two ACC schools – North Carolina and Virginia. “Outside of Notre Dame, there are no programs that will be as coveted by the SEC and Big Ten thanks to both geography and market,” Thamel writes.
Thamel explains that the appeal of North Carolina and Virginia is not directly tied to football success. The schools are in contiguous states for both the SEC and the Big Ten, allowing the conferences to expand their geographic footprints without too much extension (not that it matters as much with the new coast-to-coast Big Ten). In addition, both North Carolina and Virginia are among the most populous states in the union, which can help with student recruiting for the entire conference.
However, Thamel notes that with the ACC grant of rights running through 2036, a power grab from the Big Ten or SEC may not happen for some time. “Both leagues are peering at each other from their respective league headquarters,” Thamel writes. “Neither wants to be overtly destructive or accused of tortious interference…But neither league wants to be a step behind the other. So they watch and wait.”
...
ACC 2023 Away TV (so far) (RX; HM)
ACC 2023 Away TV (so far)
One of the reasons teams agree to play a true away game is to get on the other team's TV network - if they have good television exposure, that is. Here are the ACC away games we know about so far which are (or likely will be) telecast nationally.
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Other
youtu.be
First Look: Syracuse’s first and only rooftop bar opens Sunday in Tipp Hill (PS; Miller)
To all the old guys who passed time on a barstool over the years at George O’Dea’s pub: Don’t you worry. There’s still a spot for you here at 1333 W. Fayette St. In fact, your stool is still here, and the old wooden bar that served as a resting place for your pint of Utica Club has a new life.
That bar now sits on a newly built rooftop, and it’s about to hold snazzy new cocktails such as Venom, Temptation and Lotus.
Welcome to the Emerald Cocktail Kitchen, Syracuse’s first and only rooftop bar. After 350 days of massive construction and four nights of private test runs this week, Emerald will open to the public at noon Sunday.
“I grew up in this bar. I know what it’s meant to people and the neighborhood over the years,” said owner Michele Roesch. “I kept a lot of the elements from the old bar to keep that spirit alive. You’re not going to come in and say, ‘I don’t fit in.’”
A one-story bar had sat at this triangular plot on the eastern edge of the Tipperary Hill neighborhood since the early 1900s. What once was called Val’s later became Dooley’s, and then Dublin’s. Michele’s father, Jerry “Bonez” Roesch, bought the building in 2000 and opened O’Dea’s. He retired in 2016, leaving the bar to Michele.
...
Guinness Blonde, also known as Baltimore Blonde, will be brewed at the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, N.Y. under a deal announced this week.
In its newest deal, Utica’s F.X. Matt / Saranac brewery will produce a beer for Guinness (PS; Cazentre)
The F.X. Matt (Saranac) brewery in Utica has acquired the rights to produce Guinness Blonde, a beer that has been brewed in Baltimore for the past decade.
It’s the second big beer industry deal in the past month for the Utica brewery, and both involve beers formerly made in Maryland. In May, Matt / Saranac announced it had purchased Flying Dog Brewing Co, of Frederick, Md., and would move production of its beers to Utica.
The more recent deal involves a beer brand owned by Diageo, the London-based parent company of the world-famous Guinness Brewery of Dublin, Ireland. In the past ten years, Guinness had opened a production brewery and visitor’s center / taproom, called the Open Gate Brewery, just outside Baltimore.
The flagship beer brewed at the Maryland brewery was Guinness Blonde, also known as Baltimore Blonde. It is a light and citrusy lager that is much paler in color than the more famous Guinness Stout.
But Diageo announced in April it was closing its large production brewery in Baltimore, while keeping the visitor’s center and taproom open, along with a small pilot brewhouse.
In the new deal, confirmed by CEO Fred Matt, the Utica brewery has agreed to a contract to brew Guinness Blonde for Diageo.
...
Although Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it was not until after the war was over that slaves became free in Texas, possibly because the Proclamation could not be enforced there, or because news of the Proclamation had not been spread there. The war ended in April of 1865, but word did not reach Texas until the following month, and it was not until June that the Confederate Army in the area surrendered. On June 19th, Union General Gordon Granger read "General Order No. 3" in Galveston, which said all slaves were free. The next year freed slaves began celebrating not only the proclamation, but the freeing of all slaves in general, and gave the day the name Juneteenth. Over time the celebrations spread to other parts of the country. During the Great Migrations after World War I and World War II, when large amounts of African Americans moved north, they brought Juneteenth traditions with them. Although this helped spread the holiday, in some cases it made it harder for people to celebrate, as it was harder to take time off from work during the week at urban factory jobs than farm jobs. Juneteenth celebrations also were given a boost after the 1968 Poor People's March, when returning attendees brought the tradition back to their communities. By the 1980's and 1990's, Juneteenth celebrations were prevalent all around the country, and almost all states now recognize the day in some way. As of 2021, it has been recognized as a federal holiday.
SU News
PART FOUR: THE SYRACUSE FOOTBALL 44s: "WHERE THEY DON'T PLAY THE GAMES ANYMORE" (youtube.com; video series' Jay Lurie)
This might actually be part 3. I can't find part 3 anywhere...
PART FOUR: THE SYRACUSE FOOTBALL 44S: “WHERE THEY DON’T PLAY THE GAMES ANYMORE”
The Alliance Review
College football recruiting: Alliance quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg commits to Syracuse (cantonrep.com; Holland Jr)
For Alliance quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg, Syracuse was simply the right fit.
Just a week after landing an offer by the Orange, his first from a Power Five school, Zurbrugg announced on social media that he verbally committed to Syracuse.
According to the soon-to-be senior quarterback, Syracuse has been on Zurbrugg since last winter. After his trip to the campus 10 weeks ago, Zurbrugg patiently awaited the official offer.
“I had a message from their assistant quarterback coach back in the winter months,” Zurbrugg told the USA Today Network. “Ever since then we talked and talked. They came to watch me throw. So, it was kind of the offer I really wanted to get because I built a relationship with the coaches and I like them a lot.”
There are mutual connections from the Syracuse coaching staff, and they have a track record of developing dual-threat quarterbacks. Michael Johnson, Cuse’s wide receiver coach, is a former Akron quarterback who has coached NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees, Doug Flutie, Michael Vick and Alex Smith. Jason Beck, the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, developed New Orleans Saints QB Taysom Hill at BYU and Kent Benkert (Green Bay Packers), Bryce Perkins (Los Angeles Rams) and Brennan Armstrong when he was the quarterback coach at Virginia.
“For college, I want to be a starter and play for a championship team,” Zurbrugg said. “The ultimate dream goal is to play in the NFL.”
Last year as a junior, Zurbrugg completed 76% of his passes for 2,184 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 804 yards and 11 TDs. He also earned All-Ohio honors in track as a hurdler.
Zurbrugg, a three-year starter, is entering his senior year at Alliance as one of the top players in Stark County. Before his commitment, he landed his first Big 10 offer from Northwestern last week. He was also recruited by schools in the Mid-American Conference (Akron, Kent State, Miami, Bowling Green, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Ball State), the Ivy League (Dartmouth and Yale) and the FCS (Youngstown State, Colgate, Maine and Leigh). Liberty also offered the All-Ohio performer.
...
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/recruiting/brendan-zurbrugg-commits-to-syracuse-football (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2024 Alliance (OH) High quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg has committed to Syracuse. The 6-4, 185 pounder took an official visit this weekend and that was enough to seal the deal. Zurbrugg picked Syracuse over offers from Northwestern, Akron, Kent State, Toledo and others.
"It just felt like home since the second I got there," Zurbrugg said. "The staff are very good people and coaches that I want to play for. I wouldn't say it was one moment, it was everything over the course of the weekend that made me want to call Syracuse home."
Once Zurbrugg made up his mind, it was time to inform the coaches of his decision.
"They all seemed pretty excited," Zurbrugg said. "We've built a strong relationship this year and it's exciting that I can officially call them my coaches."
On the visit, his player host was current Orange quarterback Garrett Shrader. He also spent time with many other Syracuse players.
"It was a great time," Zurbrugg said. "All the guys seemed to have good relationships and have a lot of fun outside of just football."
...
https://uga./news/syracuse-recruiting-roundup-june-19-2023 (r1vals.com; Sears)
It was another eventful week in the Syracuse recruiting world, with the football team landing several commitments, and the basketball team offering a top 2025 prospect. Let's get right to it...
-
NATL
-
ST
-
POS
CLINTON
ROBINSON
VERBAL COMMIT
6/16/2023
SYRACUSE
6'1" | 196 LBS | S | 2024
KEYSTONE OAKS
PITTSBURGH, PA
5.5
We start with 2024 defensive back
Clinton Robinson
, who committed to Syracuse on Friday after he took an official visit on the June 9 weekend. The Keystone Oaks (PA) High athlete picked the Orange over offers from West Virginia, Akron, Miami (OH) and Temple, among others. He tells our Charles Kang why he committed to the Orange.
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NATL
69
ST
32
POS
JAMIE
TREMBLE
VERBAL COMMIT
6/17/2023
SYRACUSE
6'4" | 205 LBS | TE | 2024
WESLEYAN
NORCROSS, GA
5.7
Another prospect who visited Syracuse with Robinson was 2024 tight end
Jamie Tremble, who announced his commitment the day after, on Saturday. The Wesleyan (GA) athlete picked the Orange over offers from over a dozen offers, including Mississippi State, Duke, and Wake Forest. Read why he committed to the Orange from our Charles Kang.
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NATL
-
ST
-
POS
BRENDAN
ZURBRUGG
VERBAL COMMIT
6/18/2023
SYRACUSE
6'3" | 185 LBS | QB | 2024
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE, OH
N/A
Syracuse continued its role on Sunday, with Alliance (OH) High quarterback
Brendan Zurbrugg
committing to Syracuse over offers from Northwestern, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Dartmouth, Yale, Kent State and Toledo. He spoke to our Charles Kang about his fit into the Syracuse system.
...
An Early Look At Syracuse's Final Six Opponents (orangefizz.net; Griffin)
The second half of Syracuse’s schedule features games that are either on the road or played in Dino Babers’ least favorite month of November. Last year, the Orange went a mere 1-5 over the final six regular season games before stumbling to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl. So what does the back half have in store this season?
OCTOBER 14- AT FLORIDA STATE
Perhaps the best team the Orange will face this season. The Seminoles are going to be really good. Potential College Football Playoff contender good. Jordan Travis is among the most dynamic quarterbacks Syracuse will get a look at- he demonstrated that in the Dome last year with a completion percentage over 90% and a touchdown run. That helped propel FSU to a 38-3 demolition of SU. Mike Norvell has Florida State trending way up, so winning on the road will be a tall task.OCTOBER 26- AT VIRGINIA TECH
The first of two consecutive primetime games, and the last matchup between the Orange and Hokies justifies its status as such. SU rallied from a late deficit as Garrett Shrader found Damien Alford for a 45-yard score with well under a minute to play in a 41-36 thriller. VT stumbled to a 3-8 record in 2022, but despite those struggles winning at Lane Stadium again will be no easy task. Hokies fans are as rabid as any (Enter Sandman, anyone?). This is one of the games Syracuse may have to win if it wants to make a bowl game.NOVEMBER 3- BOSTON COLLEGE
This one should be spicy. We won’t soon forget the crazy showdown in the regular season finale between the Orange and Eagles last November. A very sudden SU rally was overshadowed by Enrique Cruz’s ejection and a scuffle postgame after the visitors tried to plant a flag multiple times (unsuccessfully) at Alumni Stadium. BC took a major step back to 3-9 last season after six straight years of bowl eligibility. It should still be a fiery clash at the Dome this year.NOVEMBER 11- PITTSBURGH
Start spreading the news! Syracuse gave up a seventh home game to honor the 100th anniversary of the first football game ever played at Yankee Stadium. It’s a shame that the Orange played the Panthers in that contest a century ago because today you couldn’t ask for a worse opponent to play down the stretch. Pitt owns SU. There’s no way around it. The Orange haven’t found a victory in this matchup since 2017, and haven’t beaten the Panthers away from home since 2001. This week on the calendar has corresponded with two big blowouts the last two years, let’s hope that’s not the case this year.NOVEMBER 18- AT GEORGIA TECH
It’ll have been over 10 years in between visits to Atlanta for Syracuse. On that fateful 2013 day, the Yellow Jackets stung the Orange 56-0. More recently, Georgia Tech’s five wins in 2022 were a step in the right direction after back-to-back three-win campaigns (one of which included a loss to SU in 2020, the only game it won that season). New Head Coach Brent Key seeks to get Georgia Tech back to a bowl game this year, so don’t be surprised if this one has big stakes for both teams involved.NOVEMBER 25- WAKE FOREST
The engineer behind the Demon Deacons’ lethal offense over the past few seasons is gone. Quarterback Sam Hartman, who has been arguably the ACC’s best, transferred to Notre Dame this offseason. That’s great news for an Orange defense that has given up a combined 85 points in their last two meetings with Wake Forest. That being said, Dave Clawson has emerged as one of the best coaches in the ACC. Imagine SU sitting at 5-6- very possible- needing a win over the Demon Deacons to qualify for a bowl game. Nerve-racking, isn’t it?With this as well as the front half, there you have what Syracuse is staring at for the 2023 season. A few super difficult games, a few really difficult games, and a few in between that will likely determine whether the Orange go bowling. With Babers’ job security on the line perhaps more than ever, it will be fascinating to see how it plays out.
ACC News
ACC Football updated recruiting rankings for 2024 (usatoday.com; Turri)
We are in full swing of the 2024 recruiting cycle, with each team in the ACC doing their best to land the top recruits on their boards in an effort to improve their program.
For Clemson, the month of June has been an incredible one that has seen the Tigers’ 2024 class skyrocket into the top ten for 247Sports, and the top ten for On3Sports. For all the doubters Clemson has had recently, Dabo Swinney and the coaching staff have shown up and done an excellent job so far.
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The question is, how do they stack up against the rest of the ACC right now?
Here is an early updated look at the ACC football recruiting rankings for 2024 based on 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Clemson Tigers
National Rank: No.10
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 2
Four star: 7
Three star: 2
Pittsburgh Panthers
National Rank: No.13
Total Commits: 19
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 17
North Carolina Tar Heels
National Rank: No.16
Total Commits: 18
Five star: 0
Four star: 1
Three star: 16
Florida State Seminoles
National Rank: No.17
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 1
Four star: 7
Three star: 3
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
National Rank: No.20
Total Commits: 18
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 16
Duke Blue Devils
National Rank: No.25
Total Commits: 13
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 10
Virginia Tech Hokies
National Rank: No.26
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 9
Miami Hurricanes
National Rank: No.27
Total Commits: 11
Five star: 0
Four star: 2
Three star: 9
Louisville Cardinals
National Rank: No.28
Total Commits: 10
Five star: 0
Four star: 4
Three star: 6
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
National Rank: No.30
Total Commits: 12
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 11
Virginia Cavaliers
National Rank: No.48
Total Commits: 8
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 8
Syracuse Orange
National Rank: No.50
Total Commits: 9
Five star: 0
Four star: 0
Three star: 7
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Virginia Tech Hokie Football in Transition - The Offense (gobblercountry.com; Schneider)
Face it, in 2022 the Offense was Flat Out Bad
There are just no other ways to describe the 2022 Virginia Tech offense than to say that it was mostly useless. Even when there was some forward momentum it was never sustained. The repeated collapses as opponents realized the basic simplicity of the tactics, or finally overwhelmed the talent level, eventually wore down the Virginia Tech defense. It also wore down Hokie Nation, to a frazzle I might add.
Sometimes you can find squads within failing groups that look like a foundational hope for the future. This time, there were few to none. Well, maybe the tight ends were a bit better than average, but when the offense only deploys them sparingly, that is really no advantage.
It’s time to go through the Tech offense for 2023, and visit each sub-squad to look at what might be addressed and with what. We’ll start with the Offensive Line as the core squad that must have the physical presence and performance in depth enough to control the line of scrimmage and enable both the pass and run games. Then we’ll check in with the receivers because, frankly, we had one above average talent in 2022 and the passing game is the way of modern football. The third section is going to be a combined look at the backfield because of the nature of the supposed Read-Option offense, and then we’ll wrap up with the direct coaching observations as they relate to the last poll results.
Jumping into the Trenches
The one unit in any football program that you absolutely have to guarantee coaching stability and an orderly replacement process is the offensive line. The Gobbler Country Football Rule #3 is that the O-Line is 85% of the running game and 65% of the passing game has never been contradicted. If your line cannot block, nothing else is going to happen on the offense, regardless of play calling or skill position superstardom.Virginia Tech’s offensive line over the past five season has been inconsistent at best. There were good years with several excellent players who are now pros with big paychecks, but that evaporated when Christian Darrisaw was drafted, and the transfer portal and attitude changes melted the remainder. The line hasn’t improved since then. In most cases, it wasn’t completely coaching. Vance Vice was probably the best offensive coach of the prior era. The appearance of Joe Rudolph from Wisconsin was a brilliant flash that we need to talk about because that foop, might have provided a clearer path to consistency.
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https://collegefootballnews.com/cfn...-season-prediction-win-total-what-will-happen (CFN; Fiutak)
Pitt Panthers Key To The Season
Start running, keep running, and do it effectively. Pitt might have a no-risk-it-no-biscuit style in a whole lot of ways, but it’s relatively simple. With the way the pass rush works, the defense is great at coming up with plenty of third down stops. The big plays from the passing game are nice, but get the ground game going, and win.
Last year’s team passed 170 rushing yards six times - 6-0. 7-1 when getting past 150 yards. Since 2019 Pitt is 26-1 when getting to 143 rushing yards.
Pitt Panthers Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
QB Phil Jurkovec in from Boston College, DE John Morgan to Arkansas. Kedon Slovis was supposed to step in from USC and be another Kenny Pickett - at least the 2021 version - but it didn’t happen. He was okay, but the passing game wasn’t close to being as strong.Jurkovec is a good veteran presence with all the skills to blow up in his sixth year - the dream is to make the jump like Pickett did - after throwing for over 5,000 yards with 35 touchdowns and 17 picks in his first five seasons at both Notre Dame and Boston College.
Fortunately, there weren’t a whole lot of tough transfers to deal with. Morgan made 14 sacks and 23 tackles for loss over the last four years, and he would’ve played a far bigger role in the rebuilding Pitt defensive front. Instead he’ll be a Hog. That’s why …
Pitt Panthers Key Player
DE Dayon Hayes, Sr. The 6-3, 265-pounder looks the part. Pitt is fantastic at recruiting to a type for the defensive front, getting terrific hybrid prospects who know how to rip into the backfield.With so many changes on the line, Hayes is the Next Pass Rusher Up who should go from good to amazing after steadily amassing nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss in his first three years - at least that’s what the Panthers are hoping for.
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Miami football has 2 of top 4 ACC returning defensive tackles (caneswarning.com; Rubenstein)
The Miami football program has two of the top four returning defensive tackles in the ACC entering the 2023 season per Pro Football Focus grades. Returning starting DT Leonard Taylor leads ACC returnees at the position with an 87.3 grade from PPF and Thomas Gore is fourth at 84.4.
Taylor had 24 tackles, tied for the Miami football team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss, had three sacks, had one interception and six quarterback hits in 2022. Gore had 38 tackles, eight TFLs, five sacks, six QBHs and two forced fumbles for Georgia State in 2022. Gore adds athleticism and depth for Miami at DT.
Jared Harrison-Hunte is projected as the starting DT for Miami with Taylor. Louisiana-Monroe transfer Anthony Campbell, Purdue transfer Branson Deen, Gore and Jacob Lichtenstein are expected to be the primary backup DTs for Miami in 2023. Max Chadwick of PFF says Taylor has the potential to be the top DT in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Taylor was named honorable mention All-ACC in 2022. To live up the projection of being the first DT taken in the 2024 NFL Draft Taylor needs to exceed the numbers he produced in 2022 and probably earn first-team All-ACC. Athlon Sports named Taylor second-team All-ACC based on how they project he will perform in 2023.
Taylor had excellent metric numbers in 2022. Per PFF via Canes County, Taylor had a 19.5 pass-rush win rate and a 16.2 pressure rate in 2022 which was second to Calijah Kancey of Pittsburgh among interior defensive linemen in 2022. Under new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, expect Taylor to receive more snaps.
Clemson and Virginia Tech are the only programs in the ACC with two interior DL in the top 10 returning in 2023. Miami hosts Clemson on October 18. Miami and Virginia Tech will not play this season for the first time since 1991. If Taylor can become a dominant DL, the Miami defense should have significant improvement.
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ACC RSN Update 2023 June 16 (RX; HM)
ACC RSN Update 2023 June 16
Betcha didn't see this logo coming back!
From "Will ACC football and basketball games disappear from Bally Sports?" written by Steve Wiseman, published by the News & Observer, here are few juicy bits...
The article mentions that Raycom might sell them to ESPN, but they wouldn't necessarily have to. Maybe they sell them to CBSSN or Peacock or FS1 or even some of the networks the Pac-12 has been talking to, like ION.
Unless Raycom does sell the rights back to ESPN, we're likely looking at the continuation of RSN-type games through the 2026-27 football and basketball seasons.
Delane ranked in top 10 for returning cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Virginia Tech football's Mansoor Delane has received high praise from Pro Football Focus (PFF), with recently being ranked as the eighth-highest-graded cornerback (82.7) for returning Power Five student-athletes.
Delane is coming off of a strong freshman year in 2022, leading Tech in pass breakups (8) and accumulating 38 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception in eight games. As a true freshman, Delane grew into his role as the year progressed and earned both Freshman All-America and All-ACC honorable mention honors.
Starting four games in 2022, Delane broke out in his first start at then-No. 24 NC State, registering a career high in tackles (10) accompanied with a forced fumble and two pass break ups. Two weeks following his first start, Delane had another strong outing against Duke, finishing the game with seven tackles and capturing his first career interception. In the regular-season finale, he forced a fumble and owned a career-high two tackles for loss (TFLs) at Liberty.
Last week, Delane wan named to Athlon Sports' Preseason All-ACC Team, earning second-team honors.
Virginia Tech football: Hokies return two of the ACC’s top defensive tackles in 2023 (gobblercountry; Manning)
How good will the Virginia Tech Hokies be in 2023? There is hope that the Hokies will be much improved in head coach Brent Pry’s second season. After all, the Hokies won just three games in 2022.
Virginia Tech has been aggressive in reshaping the roster this offseason. Several players have transferred out, replaced by multiple transfers who will impact the two deep in 2023.
Tech also has some key players returning this season. While young players, such as Mansoor Delane, Dae’Quan Wright and Tucker Holloway, come to mind, several upperclassmen return. Two names that immediately come to mind are senior defensive tackles Mario Kendricks and Norell Pollard.
Kendricks and Pollard were both members of the 2019 recruiting class. Kendricks [Kissimmee] and Pollard [Apopka] were both from Florida, and each has played a lot of football for the Hokies. Kendricks and Pollard were Bud Foster recruits and played their first season under the legendary former defensive coordinator.
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Clemson football solves QB recruiting conundrum with 2025 commitment (saturdayblitz.com; Peterson)
for gbo
The Clemson football team struggled to land a quarterback in the 2024 class, so they pushed for Blake Herbert in 2025 and landed him on Friday.
It’s been surprising to see the Clemson football program strike out on quarterback after quarterback in the 2024 class, but that’s exactly what has transpired.
The Tigers have one of the best college football recruiting classes in the country at the moment. They are eighth overall and have 11 verbal pledges — nine of them are ranked as four-star recruits or better.
However, Clemson football doesn’t have a quarterback. It missed on targets such as Jadyn Davis, who wound up at Michigan; Walker White, who chose Auburn over Clemson, and also DJ Lagaway who went to the Florida Gators over Clemson.
Those weren’t the only misses. But it made you wonder if the Tiger were going to pursue another 2024 quarterback — one that wouldn’t be as highly ranked or set their sights on 2025?
Clemson football fans got their answer in recent days — weeks actually — as Dabo Swinney as the Tigers had focused in on four-star 2025 quarterback Blake Herbert.
That focus paid off with a verbal commitment from Herbert on Friday, which is frankly huge for Clemson football. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback is ranked No. 11 at the position in the 2025 class out of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
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REPORT: Realignment cold war looming between Big Ten, SEC for two ACC schools (basicbluesnation.com; Thomas)
A realignment cold war looms between the “Power Two” in college football. Although it may take years to play out, a growing contingent expects the Big Ten and SEC to raid the remaining Power Five conferences for their most prominent brands. A recent report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel indicates that the two conferences are ready to wage war over the rights of two ACC schools. And while the consequences of this conference expansion would impact Penn State football and the larger college athletics landscape for decades to come, the two schools may not be who you’d expect.
Big Ten and SEC both want to add these two ACC schools
This week, Pete Thamel of ESPN wrote a piece covering the latest developments in conference realignment. After discussing the latest happenings with realignment issues with Colorado, the Big 12, and the PAC 12, the piece moved on to the impending turf war between the SEC and the Big Ten.Thamel reports that the Big Ten and SEC are both eyeing the same two ACC schools – North Carolina and Virginia. “Outside of Notre Dame, there are no programs that will be as coveted by the SEC and Big Ten thanks to both geography and market,” Thamel writes.
Thamel explains that the appeal of North Carolina and Virginia is not directly tied to football success. The schools are in contiguous states for both the SEC and the Big Ten, allowing the conferences to expand their geographic footprints without too much extension (not that it matters as much with the new coast-to-coast Big Ten). In addition, both North Carolina and Virginia are among the most populous states in the union, which can help with student recruiting for the entire conference.
However, Thamel notes that with the ACC grant of rights running through 2036, a power grab from the Big Ten or SEC may not happen for some time. “Both leagues are peering at each other from their respective league headquarters,” Thamel writes. “Neither wants to be overtly destructive or accused of tortious interference…But neither league wants to be a step behind the other. So they watch and wait.”
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ACC 2023 Away TV (so far) (RX; HM)
ACC 2023 Away TV (so far)
One of the reasons teams agree to play a true away game is to get on the other team's TV network - if they have good television exposure, that is. Here are the ACC away games we know about so far which are (or likely will be) telecast nationally.
| Friday, September 15 | ||
| Virginia at Maryland | 7:00pm | FS1 |
| Saturday, September 16 | ||
| Wake Forest at Old Dominion | 12:00pm | ESPN2/U |
| Louisville vs. Indiana | 12:00pm | BTN |
| (in Indianapolis, IN) | ||
| Virginia Tech at Rutgers | 3:30pm | BTN |
| Georgia Tech at 22 Ole Miss | 7:30pm | SECN |
| Pitt at West Virginia | 7:30pm | ABC |
| Syracuse at Purdue | 7:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Saturday, September 23 | ||
| Duke at UConn | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| Miami (FL) at Temple | TBA | ESPN family |
| Virginia Tech at Marshall | TBA | ESPN family |
| Saturday, October 7 | ||
| Boston College at Army | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| Saturday, October 28 | ||
| Pitt at 13 Notre Dame | 3:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Saturday, November 18 | ||
| Wake Forest at 13 Notre Dame | 3:30pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Saturday, November 25 | ||
| 9 Clemson at South Carolina | TBA | ESPN family |
| 3 Florida State at Florida | TBA | ESPN family |
Other
First Look: Emerald Cocktail Kitchen
What once George O'Dea's pub, a self-described old-man bar, is now Emerald Cocktail Kitchen. It's Syracuse's first-ever rooftop bar, and it will open Sunday...
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First Look: Syracuse’s first and only rooftop bar opens Sunday in Tipp Hill (PS; Miller)
To all the old guys who passed time on a barstool over the years at George O’Dea’s pub: Don’t you worry. There’s still a spot for you here at 1333 W. Fayette St. In fact, your stool is still here, and the old wooden bar that served as a resting place for your pint of Utica Club has a new life.
That bar now sits on a newly built rooftop, and it’s about to hold snazzy new cocktails such as Venom, Temptation and Lotus.
Welcome to the Emerald Cocktail Kitchen, Syracuse’s first and only rooftop bar. After 350 days of massive construction and four nights of private test runs this week, Emerald will open to the public at noon Sunday.
“I grew up in this bar. I know what it’s meant to people and the neighborhood over the years,” said owner Michele Roesch. “I kept a lot of the elements from the old bar to keep that spirit alive. You’re not going to come in and say, ‘I don’t fit in.’”
A one-story bar had sat at this triangular plot on the eastern edge of the Tipperary Hill neighborhood since the early 1900s. What once was called Val’s later became Dooley’s, and then Dublin’s. Michele’s father, Jerry “Bonez” Roesch, bought the building in 2000 and opened O’Dea’s. He retired in 2016, leaving the bar to Michele.
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Guinness Blonde, also known as Baltimore Blonde, will be brewed at the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, N.Y. under a deal announced this week.
In its newest deal, Utica’s F.X. Matt / Saranac brewery will produce a beer for Guinness (PS; Cazentre)
The F.X. Matt (Saranac) brewery in Utica has acquired the rights to produce Guinness Blonde, a beer that has been brewed in Baltimore for the past decade.
It’s the second big beer industry deal in the past month for the Utica brewery, and both involve beers formerly made in Maryland. In May, Matt / Saranac announced it had purchased Flying Dog Brewing Co, of Frederick, Md., and would move production of its beers to Utica.
The more recent deal involves a beer brand owned by Diageo, the London-based parent company of the world-famous Guinness Brewery of Dublin, Ireland. In the past ten years, Guinness had opened a production brewery and visitor’s center / taproom, called the Open Gate Brewery, just outside Baltimore.
The flagship beer brewed at the Maryland brewery was Guinness Blonde, also known as Baltimore Blonde. It is a light and citrusy lager that is much paler in color than the more famous Guinness Stout.
But Diageo announced in April it was closing its large production brewery in Baltimore, while keeping the visitor’s center and taproom open, along with a small pilot brewhouse.
In the new deal, confirmed by CEO Fred Matt, the Utica brewery has agreed to a contract to brew Guinness Blonde for Diageo.
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