sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Look at the Leaves Day!
As we get deeper into fall, more leaves are changing color and starting to fall off of trees. In many areas the leaves are beautiful this time of year, making it fitting that today is Look at the Leaves Day. Leaves provide energy for trees and plants by converting sunlight into sugars and starches with a process called photosynthesis. During the spring and summer, leaves appear green because of a chemical called chlorophyll that allows them to photosynthesize. As it begins to get cooler and the sun is out less as days shorten, trees start to store up energy for the winter, and the chlorophyll breaks down. Energy begins to be stored inside of trees instead of inside their leaves. Then colors such as orange, yellow, brown, red, and purple appear, some of which the chlorophyll had hid from being seen before. Chemicals create these pigments as well: carotenoids make leaves orange, yellow, and brown and are always present in leaves, and anthocyanins are in some leaves and bring out red and purple hues. Anthocyanins are created when sugars get trapped in leaves after chlorophyll is gone. A seal is created between branches and leaves, which protects the tree during the winter months and causes the leaves to fall to the ground.
SU News
Film Review: How Cade Klubnik, receivers tore up Syracuse’s secondary (DO; Alandt)
Cade Klubnik entered Saturday’s game against Syracuse as one of the most efficient passers in the country. His 66% completion rate kept the Tigers within a touchdown of then-No. 4 Florida State and allowed them to beat Duke in nearly all statistical categories except for the final score. Entering the JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse knew it would have a tough task taking down a pure pocket passer — something the Orange were facing for the first time.
Klubnik finished the win with two touchdowns and no interceptions for the third straight start, completing 23 of his 37 passes while throwing for 263 yards. By the fourth quarter, Klubnik barely needed to throw. His elusiveness in the pocket and ability to extend plays allowed Clemson to hand the Orange their first loss of the season.
Here’s what SU’s secondary did wrong to lead to the successful day for Klubnik:
Syracuse corners falter as Klubnik scrambles
Syracuse sold out on this 3rd-and-7 play, doing what it’s done best all year and dialing up a blitz, bringing Marlowe Wax off the edge for a delayed rush. It nearly worked, as Wax is essentially lined up in zone coverage on the outside and Clemson’s right tackle doesn’t even see him. But Klubnik spun off of Wax and broke free. Without any other help on the right side from the Orange — all of their linebackers dropped back — Klubnik had time to survey and scramble.
Tigers receiver Troy Stellato ran a pretty simple post route. But with the breakdown and Jeremiah Wilson acting as the free safety on the left side, Stellato moved through the defense untouched.
Meanwhile, Beaux Collins ran a 10-yard hitch route up the right side and already juked Jason Simmons Jr. out of position. When Collins saw Klubnik in trouble, he spun upfield and burned Simmons Jr., leading to two open receivers.
Klubnik did the rest, throwing a dart on the run before Caleb Okechukwu could get to him, hitting the wide open Stellato for the touchdown. It looked as if it was intended for Collins, who would’ve had an easy catch too.
Everyone’s open
Clemson vs. Syracuse Condensed Game | 2023 ACC Football
Clemson battled on the road to pick up a 31-14 victory in the JMA Dome. Cade Klubnik had a solid game, picking up 263 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23-37 passing...
youtu.be
SU football bowl watch: Next 2 games will shape Playoff picture (PS; Carlson)
The ACC lost two of its six unbeaten teams last week as both Syracuse and Duke fell from the list.
The Orange lost its first conference game and Game 1 of a difficult three-game gauntlet. Duke lost a close game against Notre Dame and, perhaps worse, lost star quarterback Riley Leonard for at least a few weeks to an ankle injury.
The league’s best playoff bet, Florida State, didn’t play last weekend. Neither did two of the favorites for the Orange Bowl spot, North Carolina and Miami. Louisville is the league’s fourth unbeaten team heading into Week 6.
The Orange will hope to knock the Tar Heels from this list on Saturday and then do the same to the Seminoles next week. Both will be difficult tasks.
Despite the loss to Clemson, Syracuse’s odds of making a bowl game are largely unchanged from last week according to ESPN’s Football Power Index rankings. The metric still gives the Orange a 99.6% chance to win six games and projects Syracuse to match the 2018 season with nine regular-season wins.
After playing unbeaten North Carolina and Florida State the next two weeks, Syracuse faces five teams ranked 50 or below in ESPN’s SP+ rankings. The Orange is ranked No. 35.
The most common projections from national experts have Syracuse heading west for a bowl game, with two experts predicting the Holiday Bowl in San Diego and two others projecting the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
Athlon’s Steve Lassan has the Orange heading to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, with Syracuse giving the North Carolina teams a break from hosting.
One expert predicts another Pinstripe Bowl appearance, which would likely infuriate a major portion of the fan base.
Here’s a look at how the ACC bowl picture could shake out.
College Football Playoff Tier
Sugar Bowl vs. CFP semifinalist in New Orleans: Florida State. If the Seminoles win out they ought to be playoff-bound and should be an option to stick close to home.Orange Bowl tier
Orange Bowl vs. CFP ranked in Miami: North Carolina. Duke’s loss to Notre Dame further solidifies the Tar Heels as the favorite for the moment. Miami, Duke, Louisville and Clemson are waiting in the wings.Tier 1
ReliaQuest Bowl vs. SEC in Tampa, Florida: Clemson. This spot goes to the ACC if the Big Ten gets an Orange Bowl bid. With Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State looking great that seems likely. I’ve switched from Notre Dame to Clemson this week because the Fighting Irish are ranked among the Top 12, making them a New Year’s Six candidate.Gator Bowl vs. SEC in Jacksonville: Miami. This one is a natural geographic choice and would create a good matchup of strong football brands. Miami hasn’t played here since 2000.
Pop Tarts Bowl vs. Big-12 in Orlando: Louisville. The ACC has sent a ranked team to this game in five-straight seasons. The Cardinals are unbeaten, ranked and don’t have to play Florida State or Clemson.
Pinstripe Bowl vs. Big Ten in New York City: Duke. Of the three private schools that look like options, Duke hasn’t played in the Pinstripe in the longest stretch. The Blue Devils seem likely to lose a few games without quarterback Riley Leonard.
Holiday Bowl vs. Pac-12 in San Diego: Syracuse. Private schools are more natural choices to send out west because of their far-flung alumni bases. The Orange has played better than the other candidates and deserves the more prominent game.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. SEC in Charlotte, North Carolina: Wake Forest. There are two natural geographic fits for this game. North Carolina State played here last year. Wake Forest played in 2020. It would be the third visit in seven years for the Demon Deacons.
Sun Bowl vs. Pac-12 in El Paso, Texas: North Carolina State. Nothing is coming easy for the Wolfpack this season, but they should scratch their way to bowl eligibility.
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Dino Babers offers injury updates, praises Drake Maye ahead of No. 14 UNC (DO; O'Brien)
After Syracuse’s first loss of the season — a mistake-filled 31-14 home loss to Clemson — Dino Babers spent his weekly press conference telling various stories. Babers hasn’t usually opened up during pressers, but in both stories, he talked about Syracuse linebackers.
Babers spoke about former SU linebacker Zaire Franklin, who now plays for the Indianapolis Colts and leads his team in tackles. Babers said that before he had even met Franklin, a fan had come up to him and said the linebacker would be a captain. About two or three weeks later, Franklin was captain. Babers also talked about current Syracuse linebacker Leon Lowery during the presser. After Syracuse’s loss on Saturday, Lowery’s mother saw Babers. He said to her that “he’s doing really good.”
When Babers wasn’t telling tales about his linebackers, he got asked questions about SU’s loss to the Tigers and its next opponent, No. 14 North Carolina. Syracuse now embarks on a stretch of the schedule where it will only have one home game (Nov. 3 versus Boston College) until Thanksgiving.
“We’re going to have to adjust and improvise,” Babers said. “We’re 4-1 and we’re almost halfway done with the season. We’re not perfect, but we almost won.”
Here are some more takeaways from Babers’ presser ahead of Syracuse’s (4-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) matchup with North Carolina (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference):
Plenty of injury questions
There was plenty of concern for SU quarterback Garrett Shrader. The third-year starter took a big hit from Clemson’s Justin Mascoll, leading to a fumble and an eventual Tigers touchdown....
Syracuse football gets silenced in the Loud House in 31-14 loss to Clemson (waer.org; Antimarino)
Syracuse football (4-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) received its first blemish of the year to Clemson (3-2, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) at home on Saturday. The Orange fell 31-14 to the Tigers. Dino Babers’ crew encountered the same adversity they faced all season long. SU was plagued by penalties and a poor start. Clemson was the first team this year to make Syracuse pay for its mistakes.
SU’s introduction to the matchup was substandard, giving up a turnover in its first drive of the game. Quarterback Garrett Shrader decided to keep the ball for a 19-yard rush before getting blindsided by defensive end Justin Mascoll. The signal-caller for the Orange could not hang on to the pigskin and the Tigers pounced on the loose ball. About three minutes and eight plays later, Clemson found the endzone to strike first.
The Tigers stayed with the momentum on defense. Shrader got sacked twice in his first two plays after the CU score. Syracuse had to punt after going three-and-out. On the punt, the Orange were guilty of a kick catch interference penalty which put the Clemson ball at mid-field.
“I think some of those penalties really shaped the game,” head coach Dino Babers said. “But penalties are a part of the game and we understand and they understand that you’re not going to get every call. You have to learn to deal with it. That’s just part of the momentum and the adversity that goes along with the game. Penalties will never be used as an excuse whether you win or lose football games.”
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Syracuse alum Zaire Franklin leads NFL in tackles, on record pace (SU, CNY in NFL) (PS; Herbert)
Former Syracuse football star Zaire Franklin is leading the NFL in tackles so far this season.
The Indianapolis Colts linebacker has 57 total tackles and 36 solo tackles through four games this season, including 12 tackles recorded over the weekend against the Los Angeles Rams. The Chicago Bears’ T.J. Edwards is second in the league in total tackles with 51, while New York Jets’ Quincy Watts is second in solo tackles with 33.
The 27-year-old team captain finished last season with 167 tackles — a new Colts record and fourth-most in the league. If he’s healthy for all 17 games this year, Franklin would be on pace for more than 240 total tackles this season, which would be an all-time NFL record, and 153 solo tackles. (Hardy Nickerson holds the record for combined tackles with 214 in 1993 and Ray Lewis is the all-time leader for solo tackles with 156 in 1997, according to Pro Football Reference; both were 16-game seasons.)
Franklin left Sunday’s game with a back injury in the third quarter, but later returned to the game. The team has not said if his status may be affected for Week 5.
Franklin, a seventh round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was a standout at Syracuse University with 311 career tackles over 48 college football games. He was an All-ACC selection twice and the Orange’s first three-time team captain since 1896; now he wears SU’s legendary No. 44 for the Colts.
“I learned the most about leadership at Syracuse,” Franklin said earlier this year.
Here’s how football players with Syracuse and Central New York ties did during Week 4:
Chandler Jones, LB, formerly Las Vegas Raiders
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Dino Babers expects UNC’s Drake Maye, a top NFL Draft prospect, to look deep against Orange defense (PS; $; Carlson)
Set to face the best quarterback Syracuse will have seen this year, Orange coach Dino Babers said he expects his team’s ability to defend the deep pass to play a key role against Drake Maye and North Carolina.
Maye is widely considered a first-round NFL draft prospect. ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Maye as the No. 3 overall prospect on his Big Board. Only USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. are higher.
If Maye is taken that early he would become the first first-round quarterback the Orange has faced since Kenny Pickett in 2021. Purdue’s Aiden O’Connell, who the Orange faced last year, went on to become a fourth-round selection.
Syracuse’s 3-3-5 defense and the chaos the Orange likes to create around the line of scrimmage means SU defensive backs are often be placed in man-to-man coverage, where deep passes become a tempting option to the offense.
“It’s going to be fun because they’re going to throw it deep and we’re going to cover them deep and we’re going to have to find a way to get that done,” Babers said during his weekly Monday press conference. “That’s part of the game. That’s part of our style. That’s part of their style. I don’t think they are going to deviate and I know we’re not going to.”
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Takeaways from Syracuse football's 31-14 loss to Clemson (cnycentral.com; Hodges)
Well that was a bit of a rude awakening wasn't it? After a 4-0 start Syracuse football faltered in a 31-14 loss in their ACC opener against the Clemson Tigers.
Mistakes, both in the form of penalties and ill-timed turnovers, plagued the Orange in a game that otherwise seemed their for the taking, but the team that took advantage and control of the game was the other team in orange. Now as Clemson has seemingly righted the ship and showed they are still a force to be reckoned with in the ACC, Syracuse is forced to turn around for a pair of tough road games against a pair of other conference powers.
More on those games is coming later in the week, but for now here are our Orange Zone team's takeaways from the Cuse's first loss of the season.
Tommy Sladek's Takeaways:
Simply put, the Orange shot itself in the foot on Saturday and Clemson capitalized on just about every mistake. Overall, the defense still played a solid game. Had Clemson not started with the ball at midfield or closer I highly doubt we would've seen more than 20 points scored by either team. Garrett Shrader was 'off' throwing down field. He'll need to be accurate if SU wants any chance of competing with UNC this weekend.
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Syracuse Football Should Stay Creative on Offense (orangefizz.net; Aitken)
In Syracuse football’s 31-14 loss to Clemson on Saturday, the Orange’s offense wasn’t particularly inspiring. SU turned the ball over three times, quarterback Garrett Shrader just barely completed 50% of his passes, and running back LeQuint Allen led the team in rushing with just 52 yards.
Many Syracuse fans might point to QB-turned-tight end Dan Villari as the lone bright spot on the team. He tallied 65 receiving yards, including a 28-yard touchdown.
However, the real positive is more general than just one player. Syracuse football’s offense is better when it’s creative with everyone, not just one player.
Now, in the matchup with Clemson, Dan Villari was the player that offensive coordinator Jason Beck channeled his unique play calling through. During two trick plays, the Michigan transfer received backwards passes then threw the ball. One was dropped by Donovan Brown. The other resulted in Damien Alford drawing a pass interference call.
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Clemson Avoids 'Perfect Storm for a Disaster' (theclemsoninsider.com; Oliver)
During his weekly radio show Monday night, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said last Saturday’s game at Syracuse was “a perfect storm for a disaster.”
Swinney’s team was coming off a heartbreaking 31-24 overtime loss at home against Florida State, which had a significant impact on the Tigers’ season, and they had to get ready to face a 4-0 Syracuse team at its place.
But instead of experiencing a disaster in the JMA Wireless Dome against the Orange, the Tigers bounced back with a dominant 31-14 victory for their first ACC win of the 2023 campaign.
“You saw who we are. You saw the heart, the character, the resiliency of Clemson. Our staff and our players, again, kind of everything against you if you will,” Swinney said. “What I mean in perfect storm, you are coming off as gut-wrenching a loss as you can have, especially with the way we lost, the implications of the season, all of those things, the negativity. All of those things, you have to pick yourself back up and then on top of that, oh by the way, you have to go play a team at their place that is undefeated.
“They have a top 10 defense, a top 10 offense, scoring offense and defense in the country. They have another great quarterback. It is a very tough place to play, and we go in there and we played a heck of a ballgame. We played physical. We set the tone early. Again, you saw the character, heart and culture of Clemson football.”
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https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article280031374.html (newsobserver.com; Alexander)
North Carolina did not have a football game last Saturday, but the players had a little football homework.
UNC coach Mack Brown said Monday the players were instructed to closely watch the Syracuse-Clemson game on television, and take notes while doing it.
“We gave them things to do, things to look for in the game and write down like a review, like a study plan for your test,” Brown said.
The No. 14 Tar Heels, off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1997, host the Orange on Saturday at Kenan Stadium coming off an open date. Syracuse also won its first four games before being undone by turnovers and other mistakes Saturday in a 31-14 loss to the Tigers at the Orange’s JMA Wireless Dome.
The Heels worked in three practices last week that Brown called energetic and productive while the staff analyzed all facets of their play in the first four games.
“You start over,” Brown said. “I told the coaches to act like they’re 0-4. Be really hard on yourself. It’s obvious what we’re doing good. What are we not doing well? And what do we need to fix and how do we fix it?
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Newhouse after Noon 10-2-23 (ESPN; radio; Newhouse After Noon)
Shane Holcombe and Jacob Charnow start things off discussing why Syracuse football’s loss to Clemson felt familiar to years past. Then, Jacob Kaye and Michael Ostrowski focus on how the Orange can turn things around against the North Carolina Tar Heels this weekend.
Keeping Up With The 315 10-2-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins opens the show reacting to the Clemson game on Saturday. Then, several callers chime in with their thoughts on the game, expectations for the rest of the season and a weather report for Saturday.
Adam Terry "The 315" 10-2-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Syracuse football color analyst Adam Terry joins the show to recap the loss to Clemson, discuss the major story lines around the team and look ahead to the UNC game on Saturday.
ACC announces ESPN six-day hold for start time for Florida State football vs. Syracuse (tallahassee.com; Kassim)
While Florida State football is preparing to face Virginia Tech this week after returning from its Week 5 bye, the Seminoles learned about potential start times for their contest against Syracuse in Week 6.
Per an ACC press release, ESPN has elected to use a six-day selection for the FSU-Syracuse and Miami-North Carolina games which will fill the noon and 7:30 p.m. ET windows on ABC.
The Hurricanes and Tar Heels, like the Seminoles, are off to 4-0 starts to the season. The Orange are coming off a Week 5 loss to Clemson (31-14). UNC and Syracuse face off this week, with the result likely determining which game will fit each slot.
The Seminoles are coming off a Week 4 31-24 overtime victory over Clemson in Death Valley. It was the first win on the road against Clemson since 2013 and the first one overall since 2014.
This week, FSU takes on Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-0) in the ACC home opener at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Doak Campbell Field.
The Seminoles have played two noon games and two night games this season. The Seminoles 3:30 p.m. game against the Hokies this week is the lone mid-afternoon on the schedule so far.
Other ACC games in Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 14
- Wake Forest at Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network
- Louisville at Pitt, 6:30 p.m. ET on The CW Network
- NC State at Duke, 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/football/bleav-in-syracuse-podcast-episode-80 (SI; podcast; The Bleav)
Breaking down the loss to the Tigers and looking ahead to the matchup with North Carolina.
Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball: Clemson Capitalizes On Syracuse Mistakes + Hands 'Cuse Its First Loss Of The Season on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Clemson Capitalizes On Syracuse Mistakes + Hands 'Cuse Its First Loss Of The Season
Syracuse football: Game five grades vs Clemson (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
Let’s remember: many of us thought that Syracuse would lose this game before the season started. I know that doesn’t make the game sting any less, but it’s all a matter of perspective.
The Syracuse Orange had opportunities to win against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday, but numerous mistakes derailed any chance of a Syracuse upset. Penalties and turnovers essentially killed off the Orange before they could ever get going against the Tigers. Syracuse’s undefeated run to start the season is over, and it doesn’t get any easier with ranked games against UNC and Florida State on the horizon.
Here’s our grades from Syracuse’s first loss of the season:
Quarterbacks: D
Garrett Shrader needed to be nearly perfect for Syracuse to have a fighting chance against Clemson. Unfortunately, the quarterback suffered through his first bad performance of the season. It’s unclear if the big hit he endured at the beginning of the game affected his performance, but Shrader was off throughout the contest. His sideline accuracy left a lot to be desired and he seemed a touch slow escaping from the pressure. Essentially three of Syracuse’s turnovers came directly from Shrader, which gave Clemson all the momentum it needed to seize control of the game from the start. Shrader couldn’t use his legs to support the passing game, which in total led to a disappointing performance from a great season so far.
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https://www.si.com/college/syracuse...otball-week-six-depth-chart-vs-north-carolina (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse football faces its first conference road test of the season as it travels south to face #14 North Carolina. Ahead of its ACC road opener, the Orange released its depth chart for week six. It is as follows.
OFFENSE
| Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Garrett Shrader | Carlos Del Rio-Wilson |
| RB | LeQuint Allen | Juwaun Price |
| TE | Max Mang OR | Dan Villari |
| WR | Damien Alford | Darrell Gill |
| WR | Donovan Brown | Kendall Long |
| WR | Umari Hatcher | D'Marcus Adams |
| LT | Enrique Cruz | Joe Cruz |
| LG | Chris Bleich | Kalan Ellis |
| C | J'Onre Reed | Josh Ilaoa |
| RG | Jakob Bradford | Joe More |
| RT | Mark Petry | Joe Cruz |
DEFENSE
| Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Caleb Okechukwu | Kevin Jobity |
| DT | Kevon Darton | Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff |
| DE | Denis Jaquez OR | Terry Lockett |
| LB | Leon Lowery | Stefon Thompson |
| LB | Marlowe Wax | Anwar Sparrow OR Austin Roon |
| LB | Derek McDonald | Kadin Bailey |
| CB | Isaiah Johnson | Greg Delaine |
| BS | Alijah Clark | Jaeden Gould |
| ROV | Justin Barron | Myles Farmer |
| FS | Jason Simmons | Aman Greenwood |
| CB | Jeremiah Wilson | Jayden Bellamy |
SPECIAL TEAMS
| Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Brady Denaburg | Jayden Oh |
| P | Jack Stonehouse | Max von Marburg |
| LS | Tom Callahan | Mike Midkiff |
| Hold | Justin Barron | Jack Stonehouse |
| KR | D'Marcus Adams | Donovan Brown |
| PR | D'Marcus Adams | Donovan Brown |
Who are the announcers for UNC Football vs. Syracuse? (keepingitheel.com; Delahanty)
Find out which broadcasting team will be calling the UNC football program’s second conference game against Syracuse on Saturday afternoon.
After having the weekend off, Mack Brown and the UNC football program are back at it this weekend as they host Syracuse for their second conference battle of the 2023 regular season.
The Tar Heels will look to improve to 5-0 on the season, while Syracuse will be attempting to get back on track after losing its first ACC contest this past weekend against Clemson. This one is important for both clubs, as a loss could drastically hurt their chances of making a run at an ACC title game bid.
An ESPN televised game, kickoff for the battle between the UNC football program and Syracuse is scheduled for 3:30 PM EST. We also were made aware of who the broadcast team will consist of.
Dave Pasch will handle play-by-play duties, while Dusty Dvoracek will be the analyst in the broadcast booth. Tom Lunginbill will serve as the on-field reporter for the game.
Syracuse fans will be familiar with this trio, as they were the same crew that worked the Orange’s contest against Clemson. Even though that game was broadcast on ABC, the crew will be the same, just working on a different channel.
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Syracuse Football: Breaking down H0T Takes after Cuse loss to Clemson (itlh; Fiello)
Sadly the Syracuse football team lost to the Clemson Tigers, 31-14, over the weekend. This loss hurt as many hoped Syracuse could win it, especially at home.
And after the loss, social media as usual was a place to vent frustration. Some said, “We will get them next time,” while others considered this the beginning of the end of the season with many somewhere in between.
Social media allows us to vent in real-time and react. Sometimes in that moment, we say things or just rage and that’s just life sometimes. But it’s also fair to remember it’s okay to breathe, step away from your device and calm down a bit before sharing your thoughts.
See the thing is, the coaches and players all (or many at least) have access to it as well. They’re feeling down too and frustrated. What they don’t need to see though is some negative things that oftentimes were just said temporarily out of frustration. Don’t forget that no matter your level of fandom, these players and staff are the ones out there and tried their hardest but know they fell short. So we should lift them up and reassure them that we stand with them.
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1959 Syracuse football national champion Bob Stem dead at 84 (DO; Alandt)
Former Syracuse football player Bob Stem, a center and linebacker for the Orange’s 1959 National Championship team, died Friday night. Stem had been suffering from a long illness and was in hospice care in New Jersey. He was 84.
Stem, originally from Phillipsburg, New Jersey, was a member of SU’s football team from 1958-61 and a letterwinner in his last three seasons with the program. Following his time with the Orange, he was drafted in the 25th round of the 1962 NFL Draft by the Boston Patriots and the 19th round by the New York Giants. He went on to play defensive line, offensive guard and center for a season with the Mohawk Valley Falcons of the Atlantic Coast Football League.
Stem then had a historic run as a high school football coach at Phillipsburg and Bethlehem Catholic High Schools in Pennsylvania, finishing his 34-year career with a 285-96-5 record. In 2014, he was honored at the university’s 50th annual Letterwinner of Distinction awards alongside five former SU athletes, including Pearl Washington.
“It was really the greatest honor I’ve ever received when you consider all of the great athletes and coaches that come through Syracuse,” Stem said to reporters at the event. “Next to marrying my wife [Janice] and the birth of my children and grandchildren, this was maybe the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
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ACC News
ACC Football Power Rankings - Week 5 (backingthepack.com; PW)
VT ahead of Syracuse. LOL.
1. Florida State (last week: Bye)
Quite a well-timed bye week for the Seminoles. Coming off a pair of close wins, Jordan Travis can use the extra time to get healthier, especially with Virginia Tech coming to town, a team that’s coming off their best performance of the season.
2. Miami (last week: Bye)
The Hurricanes have done everything they hoped to do at this point. Now ACC play starts for them. Not to look too far ahead, but that Nov. 11th date at Florida State is looking like the ACC Game-of-the-Year right now.
3. Duke (last week: 14-21 L vs Notre Dame)
So based on the last two weeks, you can say that Ohio State is barely better than Notre Dame, who is barely better than Duke. Hard to knock the Blue Devils too much for that loss. The real hope for Duke is that QB Riley Leonard’s ankle injury isn’t too severe. If Florida State had a well-timed bye week, this coming bye week for Duke is perfectly timed. After that, they take on the Wolfpack, then three ranked opponents over four weeks.
4. Clemson (last week: 31-14 W @ Syracuse)
The Tigers went up to whatever the name of the Carrier Dome is now and handled business. The defense was great in holding Syracuse to 281 yards, with the only possible gripe being that they allowed the Orange to convert 9-of-17 third down attempts, but Clemson firmly controlled this game. QB Cade Klubnik put together another solid outing while the offense seems to be moving away from only utilizing RB Will Shipley. That’s a good thing.
5. Louisville (last week: 13-10 W @ NC State)
The question coming into the Cardinals’ game with NC State wasn’t whether or not the offense was legit, it was whether the defense could keep up. Coming out of that game, it might be the other way around. NC State’s offense was horrendous, but Louisville’s defense didn’t give them any opportunities to capitalize on their own defensive gem. Have to give credit where it’s due there. The Louisville offense, on the other hand, might not be what it was billed to be going into last week. They lit up bad Murray State and Boston College teams and had one good half of football against a Georgia Tech team that flips like a coin between being good and being atrociously bad. The two other games (Indiana, NC State) saw the offense score a combined 34 points.
6. North Carolina (last week: Bye)
If a bye week could have broken its winless streak, why couldn’t it have been last week at UNC? The Tar Heels get Miami in two weeks, but goodness does that schedule look about as light as it could possibly be? I hope you’re prepared for UNC in the ACC Championship Game (I’m not), because there’s at most two ACC losses on that schedule barring the team completely falling on its face.
7. Virginia Tech (last week: 38-21 W vs Pittsburgh)
The Hokies just scored the best win of the Brent Pry era (not saying much, really), beating a bad Pitt team. Outside of a pair of “whoopsie” long Pitt TD passes, the VT defense was impressive (Pitt’s other TD was a defensive score, because of course it was). The Hokies hit the road against Florida State next, so the happy-go-fun-times are going to come to a quick end, but for one glorious week in Blacksburg, VT is undefeated in ACC play.
8. Syracuse (14-31 L vs Clemson)
Absolutely no shame in losing to Clemson, but Syracuse fans probably would have liked to see a bit more out of their offense to provide some confidence heading into the next two games against North Carolina and Florida State. If the Orange can survive those two, or even go 1-1 in them (please let that win come in the first game, if you don’t mind), the final five ACC games are all very winnable.
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Week 6 ACC football power poll (dailyprogress.com; Madia)
there are four unbeatens left in the ACC as the calendar flips from September to October.
Only one of those four perfect squads is 5-0, though. Louisville’s 13-10 win at N.C. State this past Friday night sent the Cardinals to their first 5-0 start since 2013 and made first-year coach Jeff Brohm just the second headman in program history to rattle off five straight victories to begin his tenure at the school.
For that victory, and for beating four Power Five opponents during September, the Cardinals are up to No. 4 in this week’s Lee Enterprises ACC Power Poll.
This season’s voters are: Mike Barber and David Teel (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Greg Madia and John Shifflett (Charlottesville Daily Progress), Damien Sordelett (Roanoke Times) and John Dell (Winston-Salem Journal).
Louisville's Jimmy Calloway (7) tries to avoid the tackle of North Carolina State's Shyheim Battle (7) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.
Karl B DeBlaker, Associated Press
1. Florida State (4-0, No. 1 last week): The Seminoles were off this past weekend, but through the first third of the campaign, QB Jordan Travis has completed 61% of his throws for 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns compared to only one interception. He’s on pace for more touchdown passes and fewer interceptions than he had in his breakout season last fall. This week: vs. Virginia Tech, Saturday
2. North Carolina (4-0, No. 4 last week): Off its bye week, also, Carolina enters October with an improved defense from last year. The Tar Heels are yielding 22 points per game after giving up 30.7 points per game last fall. They’re stingier against the run, too, while surrendering only 124.3 rushing yards per contest compared to 165.2 on the ground per game in 2022. UNC’s three sacks per game this season are tied for the fourth most in the ACC. This week: vs. Syracuse, Saturday3. Miami (4-0, t-2. last week): The lone ACC team yet to play a league game, the Hurricanes come out of their off week after having dominated their non-conference competition. Miami outscored its non-ACC foes 175-50 and scored 22 touchdowns in those four victories while only giving up six touchdowns. This week: vs. Georgia Tech, Saturday
4. Louisville (5-0, No. 5 last week): To beat N.C. State, the Cardinals limited the Wolfpack to 201 total yards, which were their fewest in a game since only tallying 198 on Oct. 8, 2016 against Notre Dame. UL defensive end Ashton Gillotte recorded his fifth sack of the year in the win and those five are tied for the most in the conference. This week: vs. Notre Dame, Saturday
5. Duke (4-1, t-2. last week): The Blue Devils’ bid for, perhaps, their biggest win in school history was undone by Notre Dame in the final minute when Irish quarterback Sam Hartman converted a fourth-and-16 with a 17-yard run that set up the game-winning touchdown. To make matters worse for Duke, standout QB Riley Leonard was injured on the Blue Devils’ last offensive snap. This week: Idle
6. Clemson (3-2, t-6. last week): The Tigers’ defense played its best game of the year to this point while sacking Syracuse quarterback Garett Shrader five times. And linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s fourth-quarter interception of Shrader set up running back Phil Mafah's 32-yard touchdown, which came on the ensuing snap, to give Clemson the 31-14 score it’d win by. This week: vs. Wake Forest, Saturday
7. Syracuse (4-1, t-6. last week): Syracuse managed only 281 total yards of offense on Saturday against Clemson after averaging 507.8 total yards per game through its first four games as the step up in competition level proved stiff. This week: at North Carolina, Saturday
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ACC Announces Football Game Times & Networks for Oct. 14 (theacc.com)
The Atlantic Coast Conference and its television partners announced the following football game times and networks for Oct. 14.
Saturday, Oct. 14
- Wake Forest at Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network
- Louisville at Pitt, 6:30 p.m. ET on The CW Network
- NC State at Duke, 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
- Syracuse at Florida State
- Miami at North Carolina
- Through the first five weeks of the season, the ACC has four undefeated teams in Florida State (4-0), Louisville (5-0), Miami (4-0) and North Carolina (4-0) – tied for the most among any FBS conference.
- The ACC had six teams start the season at 4-0, which tied the SEC in 2012 for the most teams in a Power 5 conference to start 4-0 in a single season in the AP Poll Era (since 1936).
- With two more games announced for ABC for Week 7 (Oct. 14), the ACC will have five games on ABC’s “Saturday Night Football,” as well as 24 appearances on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 over the first seven weeks of the season.
- In total to date, 17 ACC contests are scheduled for national ABC broadcasts, while the ACC Network will also feature 23 games.
- Of the 17 full national ABC telecasts, 12 different league programs will be featured.
- ACC football led the Power 5 in windows and average viewership on ABC through the first four weeks of the season.
- In Week 1 of the 2023 season, the ACC captivated the national audience, averaging 5.1 million viewers – more than double all other conferences in the highest average per game viewership for the week.
- Overall, the ACC was part of three of the top seven most-watched games for Week 1.
- Through Week 2, the ACC had three home broadcasts with 4M+ viewers – no other conference had more than one.
NC State names MJ Morris starting quarterback :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; Murphy)
Sophomore MJ Morris is the NC State's new starting quarterback, replacing Brennan Armstrong, the graduate transfer from Virginia who has started the first five games of the season for the Wolfpack.
Head coach Dave Doeren announced the change Monday morning ahead of NC State's nonconference game with Marshall.
The move comes after NC State (3-2) failed to score in the second half of Friday night's 13-10 home loss to Louisville. Armstrong was intercepted two times and lost a fumble in the game. Fans were calling for Morris, who planned to redshirt the season, during that game.
"It's clear that we need a spark on that side of the ball, and MJ Morris is going to take over as our starting quarterback," Doeren said at his weekly press conference. "He is ready to lead the offense. ... Plans sometimes need to change. The time is now because it's what's best for our team. MJ's excited for the opportunity lead the football team. I do believe that he's ready."
The 6-foot-2 Morris played in five games last year as a freshman. He completed 52 of 86 passes for 648 yards and seven touchdowns. He threw one interception. Morris threw three touchdowns in victories against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
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Sportswrap: Football drops nail-biter to Notre Dame, men's soccer downs reigning national champion Syracuse (dukechronicle.com; Staff)
Sportswrap is your one-stop shop for everything Duke athletics, where we’ll recap how each of Duke’s sports currently in competition performed over the last week and give a brief look ahead. Here’s our recap for the week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1:
Football
No. 17 Duke came ever so close to knocking off No. 11 Notre Dame in front of a capacity crowd Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium, taking a 14-13 lead into the final minute before Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish drove 95 yards to steal away a 21-14 win. Junior quarterback Riley Leonard, who went 12-for-27 with 134 yards and led the Blue Devils (4-1, 1-0 in the ACC) on the ground with 88 yards, left Brooks Field on crutches after suffering a right ankle injury on Duke’s final offensive snap. While there is no official word on the severity of the injury, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Sunday afternoon that Leonard is expected to miss several weeks with a high ankle sprain, and the program confirmed that the injury is not season-ending. That means that Duke, now down to No. 19 after its first loss since November 2022, will head into the bye week and its subsequent Oct. 14 matchup against N.C. State without its star under center. -Jonathan Levitan...
https://www.si.com/college/georgiatech/football/acc-football-predictions-for-every-week-six-game (SI; Caudell)
Week five has wrapped up and now it is on to week six and the first weekend of college football in October.
It was not the best week five for the ACC. Duke lost its marquee matchup against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech suffered a terrible loss to Bowling Green, but there were some bright spots. Virginia Tech picked up its first conference win of the year, Clemson looked like Clemson, and Louisville remained undefeated ahead of their big matchup.
This week, a lot of the big contenders in the ACC are back in action. Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina were all off last week, but return to action on Saturday.
I am 41-8 on picks this year, but only had a 3-2 week in week five.
Note: I will have a full breakdown and prediction for Georgia Tech vs. Miami later this week.
Let's predict the week six slate in the ACC.
Saturday, Oct. 7th
Boston College at Army (-4) (12:00 p.m. CBS Sports Network)Yes, you read that right. Army is a home favorite against Boston College this Saturday. The Eagles rebounded from a blowout loss to Louisville and were able to rally to beat Virginia. The Eagles could use a win here against Army and I think they find a way to do just that. It will be a close game, but the Eagles will get some plays from quarterback Thomas Castellanos to get the road win.
Final Score: Boston College 28, Army 23
William and Mary at Virginia (12:00 ACC Network)
Virginia is 0-5 heading into this game, but they will get their first win of the year on Saturday at home. It has been a tough year for Tony Elliott, but UVA will win with ease on Saturday.
Final Score: Virginia 35, William and Mary 17
Marshall at NC State (-6) (2:00 C.W. Network)
This is a very tricky game for NC State. They are coming off of a home loss to Louisville last Friday and their offense does not seem to be clicking right now. The defense played lights out against the Cardinals, but Brennan Armstrong has struggled to throw the ball. Marshall already has one win over an ACC team when they beat Virginia Tech and head coach Charles Huff is quickly rising up in the coaching rankings. I think Marshall keeps it close, but NC State's defense pulls it out for them.
Final Score: NC State 21, Marshall 17
Virginia Tech at Florida State (-25.5) (3:30 p.m. ABC)
Virginia Tech got their first ACC win last weekend by beating Pitt and quarterback Kyron Drones played a good game. This is a whole different animal though and fresh off of a bye week, Florida State is going to look to remain the top team in the ACC and a college football playoff contender. This game is in Tallahassee and I think the Seminoles will come out focused and handle business against the Hokies.
Final Score: Florida State 38, Virginia Tech 14
Syracuse at North Carolina (-9) (3:30 p.m. ESPN)
North Carolina was off last week, but they return to action looking to remain undefeated and not looking ahead to a massive matchup against Miami next week. Syracuse got handled at home against Clemson last week and their offense has a lot of injuries right now and is overreliant on quarterback Garrett Shrader. I think North Carolina will be fresh off of a bye week and quarterback Drake Maye will have a great game to get the Tar Heels to 5-0.
Final Score: North Carolina 31, Syracuse 17
Wake Forest at Clemson (-20) (3:30 p.m. ACC Network)
When we last saw Wake Forest, they were giving up eight sacks and committing five turnovers in a loss to Georgia Tech, who then got blown out by Bowling Green. It is tough to figure out if Wake is any good, but the signs so far have not been good. Clemson looked really good against the Orange and I think their defensive line will handle the Wake Forest up front. Clemson wins going away.
Final Score: Clemson 41, Wake Forest 14
Notre Dame (-6.5) at Louisville (7:30 p.m. ABC)
Notre Dame is coming off of two tough and physical games against Ohio State and Duke and will now need to go on the road to Louisville to play the undefeated Cardinals. Louisville did not play well against NC State on Friday night, but this offense has explosive potential with wide receiver Jamari Thrash and quarterback Jack Plummer. This Notre Dame offense has not been able to score much these past couple of games and I am curious to see if they can get their passing attack going again. I don't have a lot of faith in Louisville after that performance last week and Notre Dame is the better team, even on the road. Fighting Irish win.
Final Score: Notre Dame 28, Louisville 14
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10 things I'm absolutely overreacting to after Week 5 in the ACC - Saturday Road (saturdayroad.com; Friedlander)
Dear America,
I’d like to introduce you to the Duke Blue Devils.
No, not those Duke Blue Devils, the ones you love to hate on the basketball court. But the much more likable football team you were introduced to on College GameDay this Saturday.
They’re a gritty, hard-working group that’s being portrayed as a plucky underdog. But don’t be deceived by the narrative. Their performances against Clemson and Notre Dame are no fluke. They’re a talented, experienced, well-coached group that deserves all the attention they finally began to receive last week.
So don’t dismiss them even though they lost a close game in the last minute to a higher-ranked nonconference opponent.
If quarterback Riley Leonard is healthy and available, they’re going to be a factor in the race for the ACC Championship Game right to the end.
OK, that might not be such a big of an overreaction. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So buckle up and get ready for everything else I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 5 in and around the ACC:
10. Does anybody really know what targeting is or isn’t?
The powers that be in college football are doing everything they can to make the game safer by discouraging and preventing helmet-to-helmet contact. Anyone who saw the collision between Boston College’s Ryan O’Keefe and Virginia’s Malcolm Greene on Saturday understands how important a pursuit that is.But for crying out loud, can we please do something about defining what targeting is? And be more consistent in how it’s called?
I don’t think anyone, including those doing the reviews and making the determinations, has any idea what exactly constitutes targeting. There were 2 egregious examples of that in the ACC this weekend.
On Friday night, NC State’s Sean Brown was called for targeting, ejected and suspended for the 1st half of next week’s game for making what appeared to be a perfect form tackle on Louisville tight end Josh Lifson. What made the call all the more head-scratching is that a Cardinals player was not penalized for a similar hit on the Wolfpack’s Bradley Rozner.
Then Saturday, Notre Dame’s Jordan Botelho was flagged and disqualified for “appearing to lead with his head,” even though he actually made contact with Duke’s Riley Leonard at hip level.
If you want to call 15-yard penalties on plays like that, fine. But there should be some discretion involved. Ejection and suspension are far too harsh of a punishment for a majority of plays defined as targeting.
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2023 Private School Enrollment Numbers (RX; HM)
2023 Private School Enrollment Numbers
Which are the biggest private universities? Tony Altimore has the answer in this tweet:
The University of Southern California is very big (49k)... but New York University is bigger (58k)! To be honest, I was surprised to see how large the Ivy League schools are now.
Then there are the ACC private schools, which range from small-ish to downright tiny (shown here are Tony's attendance numbers, along with total enrollment from Wikipedia and undergraduate enrollment from EADA):
| Institution Name | Tony's | Total | Undergrad |
| Syracuse University | 22k | 21322 | 14072 |
| University of Miami | 19k | 17811 | 11495 |
| Stanford University | 18k | n/a | n/a |
| Duke University | 18k | 16780 | 6789 |
| Boston College | 16k | 14890 | 9658 |
| U. of Notre Dame | n/a | 12681 | 8933 |
| Southern Methodist U. | n/a | 11739 | n/a |
| Wake Forest University | n/a | 8789 | 5387 |
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Links, News and Rumors 2023 Oct 2nd (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2023 Oct 2nd
From AP AP Top 25 Reality Check:
Here's an interesting comment after one month of college football:By the way, the four new Big XII teams this year are winless against the legacy Big XII teams so far.
Here are their comments on the five (!) ranked ACC teams...
No. 5 Florida State (4-0)
No. 10 Notre Dame (5-1)
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Realignment Moves through 2023 (RX; HM)
Realignment Moves through 2023
For a while, it was the AQ6... then it was the P5... now it's down to four big conferences...
P4 Realignment
How have the remaining four* power conferences been shaped by realignment over the years? Here's a look at the former members who have left and the new members which have joined the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big XII conferences (with schools who stepped down or up in italics):
| Former | Newbies | Former | Newbies |
| B1G | SEC | ||
| Chicago | Penn State | Sewanee | Arkansas |
| Nebraska | Tulane | S Carolina | |
| Maryland | Georgia Tech | Texas A&M | |
| Rutgers | Missouri | ||
| USC | Texas | ||
| UCLA | Oklahoma | ||
| Washington | |||
| Oregon | |||
| -1 | 8 | -3 | 6 |
| Former | Newbies | Former | Newbies |
| ACC | Big XII | ||
| S Carolina | Georgia Tech | Nebraska | W Virginia |
| Maryland | Florida State | Colorado** | TCU |
| Miami | Texas A&M | BYU | |
| Virginia Tech | Missouri | Cincinnati | |
| Boston College | Texas | Houston | |
| Pittsburgh | Oklahoma | UCF | |
| Syracuse | Colorado** | ||
| Louisville | Arizona | ||
| Stanford | Arizona State | ||
| California | Utah | ||
| SMU |
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What did the ACC office tell Notre Dame football about improper replay review at Duke? (southbendtribune.com; Berardino)
Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman said he appreciated the transparency from the Atlantic Coast Conference office.
The timeline was another matter.
As it turns out, replay review should not have been allowed on Bryce McFerson’s coffin-corner punt early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 21-14 win at Duke. Instead of having to drive 99 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, the Blue Devils began their journey at the 20-yard-line when the original call was overturned and a touchback awarded.
McFerson’s punt was deemed to have bounced over the pylon.
“They owned it and said it shouldn’t have been reviewed,” Freeman said of the ACC. “We appreciate the honesty. What can you do now? the game’s over.”
Winners of 30 straight regular-season ACC games, dating to 2017, Notre Dame is 2-0 this season against members of its football scheduling partner. Four ACC games remain on this year’s schedule, starting Saturday night at 25th-ranked and unbeaten Louisville.
Referee Riley Johnson’s crew stepped off a season-high 12 penalties against the Irish in Durham, N.C., for a combined 70 yards. That included a fourth-quarter targeting ejection against Vyper end Jordan Botelho, who must sit out the first half this week against the Cardinals.
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ACC QB Rankings 2023: Drake Maye Stays At the Top (CFN; Mellor)
What a fun race it will be to the end in our ACC QB Rankings as Drake Maye, Jordan Travis, and potentially Tyler Van Dyke are set to duke it out for the throne. Maye and Travis have been the pinnacle of excellence, and there’s plenty of movement behind them in these rankings.
Our weekly iteration of our 2023 ACC QB Rankings is here, taking a look at where they stack up through the first five weeks of the season.
2023 ACC QB Rankings
As with all of our conference rankings and our national quarterback evaluations, the ACC QB rankings below consider everything involved with quarterbacking at the major college football level.While statistics will be mentioned, they were not the lone deciding factor in ranking the athletes. The list below prefers programs with a solidified quarterback situation and one signal-caller who plays significant snaps against top-tier competition. Two-quarterback systems will always be looked down upon, especially in those cases where an answer has not yet been provided for the long term.
Other factors in these rankings include but are not limited to game film, injury history, play-calling, offensive system knowledge and continuity, general quarterbacking mechanics, level of competition, the elevation of supporting casts, and several other influential factors.
Tier 1: The Elite ACC QBs
1) Drake Maye | North Carolina
Last Week’s Ranking: 1st (no change)Yards: 1,187 | TDs: 5 | INT: 4 | Comp. %: 72.7% | YPA: 9.0
A bye in Week 5 let Drake Maye and the North Carolina Tar Heels rest ahead of a visit from Syracuse. Maye has shown he can be the elite leader of this Tar Heels team and has led them to a 4-0 record so far in 2023.
And what’s scary about this team is the fact that Maye hasn’t quite performed as well as you’d expect him to. He’s had some throws in the red zone that he likely wants back and he’s missed a receiver or two downfield.
Still, he’s quietly put his team in position to win and is seeing the field brilliantly in his first year in this offensive system. The best may be yet to come for Maye this season.
2) Jordan Travis | Florida State
Last Week’s Ranking: 2nd (no change)Yards: 1,028 | TDs: 10 | INT: 1 | Comp. %: 61.2% | YPA: 8.5
A bye week to get healthy for No. 2 on our ACC QB Rankings, and Jordan Travis needed that bye week more than most. Bloodied, bruised, battle-tested, and simply beaten, Travis rallied against Clemson and brought his Florida State Seminoles team to 4-0 with a gutsy performance against the Tigers.
Travis has played his heart out for this FSU team so far and has wins over LSU and Clemson, proving to be the Tiger King indeed. With a healthy return in Week 6, Virginia Tech’s secondary may be no match for his rare blend of accuracy, zip, and athleticism.
Tier 2: Well-Above-Average ACC QBs
3) Riley Leonard | Duke
Last Week’s Ranking: 3rd (no change)Yards: 912 | TDs: 3 | INT: 1 | Comp. %: 62.7% | YPA: 7.2
We feel for Riley Leonard, Duke, and the whole Blue Devils nation for how their game against Notre Dame ended. As he was rolled up on and their chances for a victory vanished, Leonard’s season was put in jeopardy on the final play from scrimmage against the Fighting Irish, but make no mistake about it, Leonard made believers out of the naysayers against a stout ND defense.
Leonard hasn’t shown his full capability as a passer because he hasn’t quite needed to, but he’s put his stamp on the 2023 season without question. His return to health in question, how will his game change as his dual-threat ability is what separates him from the rest of the quarterbacks in the second tier in our ACC QB Rankings.
4) Tyler Van Dyke | Miami
Last Week’s Ranking: 5th (+1)Yards: 1,042 | TDs: 11 | INT: 1 | Comp. %: 74.7% | YPA: 10.5
Tyler Van Dyke’s bye week in Week 5 only saw him move up yet another spot as there are few holes in his game so far this season. Sure, the Hurricanes’ have had a single real test this year, but Van Dyke played his best against the Texas A&M Aggies.
With a difficult road ahead, if Van Dyke can keep this level of play for a consistent three-game stretch of ACC opponents, there is no doubt he’ll move up to the Elite Tier in our ACC QB Rankings. Until then, we’re still cautiously optimistic that he’s returned to form in 2023.
5) Garrett Shrader | Syracuse
Last Week’s Ranking: 4th (-1)Yards: 1,148 | TDs: 8 | INT: 4 | Comp. %: 63.5% | YPA: 8.4
A valiant effort against a tough Clemson defense saw Garrett Shrader fall just short and slip down a ranking here. Shrader has proven himself a much better passer this season, both inside of the structure and with his eyes maintaining vision downfield on scrambles.
He’s dynamic on the ground, we all know that, but if he can take that dual-threat ability and harness it more consistently as a passer, the sky is the limit.
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Other
The original Nottingham School, built in 1924. Onondaga Historical Association Onondaga Historical Association Onondaga Historical Association
Finished in 1953, Syracuse’s Nottingham High School, was considered ‘state of the art’ when it opened (PS; Searing)
Approximately 27,000 students returned to school in Syracuse on Monday September 14, 1953, a crisp fall morning.
The beginning of this new school year, the 105th in the history of the City School District, was a particularly significant one, as the much anticipated, and somewhat controversial, William Nottingham High School officially opened its very expensive doors to 1,150 students on a massive lot off of Meadowbrook and Kimber Drives.
Inside, students found a state-of-the art school outfitted with the most modern technology available.
The school boasted 47 enormous classrooms, five scientific laboratories, a home economics wing with the latest kitchen appliances, a beautiful wood-paneled 1,350 seat auditorium, and a gymnasium with bleacher seating for a 1,000 - The Post Standard featured them lauding their “telescoping” design.
Nicknamed “The Monster” by some in the local press, the sprawling new 145,000 square feet educational edifice took a little over a year to build and cost $4.5 million ($51 million in 2023).
Though the cost of the building was the source of some consternation for many, it was a necessary expenditure.
In many respects, the new high school was the physical manifestation of a community reaching its apex of growth and economic vitality.
By 1953, Syracuse’s population reached its peak at nearly 225,000 people. Pulled here by myriad factors, including the influx of thousands of veterans of the Second World War attending or employed at nearby Syracuse University as a result of the G.I. Bill, but primarily by the nearly limitless economic opportunities in the city’s booming manufacturing sector, the near east side witnessed a generational transformation that mirrored the larger city-wide trend.
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