sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Rainforest Day!
Rainforest Day celebrates the positive impact of rainforests, brings awareness to their plight, and aims to reduce humankind's negative impact on them. Found in South and Central America, West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia, rainforests make up just 2% of the Earth's surface area. They usually are lush, humid, and hot, with an average temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 68 degrees Fahrenheit at night. They tend to receive rain year-round, usually more than 70 inches. Not all rainforests are the same, however, with tropical, temperate, mangrove, and monsoon rainforests differing from each other.
Rainforests are essential because they absorb carbon dioxide from human activity, produce oxygen, provide fresh water, provide a home for half of the world's animal and plant species, are the source of medicines, and stabilize climate patterns. Their loss—of which approximately 40 football fields worth disappear each minute—threatens biodiversity and the overall health of the Earth.
SU News
Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer
After being buried on depth charts, Dan Villari has carved out a starting role (DO; Alandt)
A tall man with slicked back black hair and diamond earrings approached Alan Bowman after his first day of practice. It was 2021, and Bowman was preparing for his first season as a quarterback at Michigan after transferring from Texas Tech. All nine rostered quarterbacks were throwing, and it was hard to miss Dan Villari’s “Italian-esque physique” and friendly nature.
After redshirting his freshman year, Villari was trying to climb an 11-man quarterback room, helmed by J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara.
Villari and Bowman grew close while battling for the third-string job. The two received limited playing time, each appearing in less than five games. Because the room was so deep, Michigan head coach John Harbaugh allowed quarterbacks to be hit, which most programs outlawed during practice.
Later that season during a scrimmage, Villari led his team to the 20-yard line. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore called a read option that Villari pulled in, setting up a one-on-one with a safety downfield. Villari hurdled the safety and took off for the end zone. Bowman said the sideline went “nuts.” From then on, Villari was always eligible to be hit.
“Dan is a football junkie,” Bowman said. “Dan was always running through people’s faces. He was looking for contact.”
Despite being a three-star dual-threat quarterback out of Plainedge (N.Y.) High School who won a Class III State Championship in 2019, Villari couldn’t break through the depth chart. Syracuse provided an opportunity to break through as a starting quarterback and allowed him to move closer to his family just outside of Long Island. But after another year buried on the depth chart, he switched positions, first as a wide receiver and now as a tight end.
Plainedge head coach Robert Shaver knew Villari could be a Power Five-level player when he was in 10th grade. Over the last 30 years, Shaver’s told parents that if their child can be picked out among a group of other players, they have the framework to be a high-level athlete. Villari easily stood out after a growth spurt between ninth and 10th grade that filled out his frame by nearly 50 pounds. He was a three-sport athlete, starting for Plainedge’s lacrosse and basketball teams.
In 10th grade, Villari backed up an All-state quarterback. There, Villari first found himself buried on a quarterback depth chart. Shaver said Villari came in on short yardage run plays as someone who could power through the line of scrimmage. He didn’t play quarterback until freshman year, switching from running back when quarterback Dion Kuinlan was pulled up to varsity. There was a void, and a chance for Villari to play consistently.
Once opponents saw Villari’s film from the wildcat, Shaver worked in a few passing plays for him. While playing behind a pass-heavy starter his sophomore year, Villari began showcasing his dual-threat ability.
“One of the best things he could do is when we had passing concepts that were vertical and they weren’t open right away, he could take off,” Shaver said. “If he got in the open field it was over.”
But he was still competing with the All-State quarterback and Kuinlan. Villari knew he wanted to play at the Power Five level and began training himself to reach that level. He started taking a “holistic” approach to his health so he could recover faster. Plainedge had ice baths and a sauna that Villari frequently used.
Villari started acupuncture and saw a chiropractor to loosen his muscles and become more flexible on the field. He tried red light therapy and stayed away from preservatives. “Whatever’s on the Joe Rogan show,” Shaver said Villari tried.
He won the starting job, using his scrambling ability to extend plays. Villari led Plainedge to a 12-0 start and the Long Island Championship. Plainedge lost 34-6, but Villari exited early after breaking the growth plate in his arm. Shaver said if Villari got to finish, the Red Devils would have won.
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ORANGE ZONE: SU FOOTBALL stumbles into the BYE WEEK (cnycentral.com; podcast; Orange Zone)
Syracuse football's roller coaster of a season has come to a temporary halt with the Orange coming to their Week 8 bye and there's plenty to look at that needs to be fixed.
The Ostrom Avenue Podcast Episode 155: Where Does SU Stand Now? (waer.org; podcast; Ostrom Avenue)
Ethan Frank and Jordan Leonard react to Syracuse football's 41-3 loss at No. 4 Florida State and just how demoralizing the contest was. Then, Tom Luginbill of ESPN and SiriusXM joins the show to discuss what he's seen from the SU program, how they can build a sustainable winner, how the Orange fit in the current college football landscape, and more. Finally, Jordan and Ethan close it out with some breaking news about Jim Boeheim and his new media roles, plus some big questions regarding Syracuse men's basketball with the season just around the corner.
Axe: Is it a Dino Babers problem or a Syracuse problem? (podcast) (PS; podcast; Axe)
Syracuse football still has a chance to salvage the 2023 season with the easiest schedule remaining in the Power 5, according to an ESPN metric.
But if a scenario comes where Syracuse University decides to make a change at head football coach, what’s the plan?
ESPN’s David Hale and I discussed that and how you would split up the blame between Babers and some challenges Syracuse football has to overcome no matter who the coach is on the latest episode of Syracuse Sports.
Hale and I also discussed what the ACC really gained by adding Cal, Stanford and SMU and if there is a real solution to bring name, image and likeness in college sports under control.
Amanda Christovich "The 315" 10-8-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Amanda Christovich of Front Office Sports hops on to update on the latest news around NIL after the senate hearings involving NCAA President Charlie Baker this week.
Keeping Up With The 315 10-18-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian begins the show discussing the news that Jim Boeheim will be joining the ESPN and WestWood One Broadcast team this season. Then, he goes over the names that will be in attendance at ACC Media Day, including an old friend. Lastly, Brian takes a closer look at the end of season schedule for football.
Syracuse Football: 4-star quarterback target in Md. putting up big numbers (itlh; Adler)
We’ve moved into the second half of the 2023 season for many high-school teams around the country, and to date in the current term, Syracuse football recruit Malik Washington from Maryland is having himself a stellar junior year after also shining in 2022 as a sophomore.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Washington, a 2025 four-star quarterback who received a scholarship offer from the Orange coaching staff in late September, is a standout at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Md., where he has also excelled in basketball.
To date, in his football recruitment, Washington holds offers from a variety of high-major programs beyond Syracuse football, including Virginia, Boston College, Duke, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, James Madison, Marshall, Temple, Toledo and Western Michigan, among others.
Multiple recruiting services, at present, rank Washington as a top-250 national prospect, a top-15 pro-style quarterback, and a top-10 player in Maryland within the 2025 class.
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Syracuse football looks to regroup during bye week (cbssports.com; video; Finneral)
247Sports' James Finneral discusses the outlook for Syracuse football heading into the bye week.
Orange in the NFL: Recapping week 6 for Syracuse football alumni (TNIAAM; Tamaiuolo)
One-third of the 2023 NFL season is in the books. While the current Syracuse Orange football team hasn’t had success in recent weeks, many alums are shining under the bright lights for their professional teams. Let’s see how your former Orangemen are doing at the next level.
Nolan Cooney, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals cut the rookie punter after four games, opting to roll with veteran Blake Gillikan instead. Cooney finished his first NFL stint averaging 45.5 yards across 13 punts, two of which landed inside the 20-yard line.
Garrett Williams, Arizona Cardinals
Williams still hasn’t been activated from the reserve/NFI list as he rehabs his torn ACL from last season. The good news is that he’s participated in practice for three straight weeks, so the former SU cornerback should make his NFL debut soon.
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ACC News
Rivalry games, travel demands are top concerns as ACC officials plan to tackle new scheduling format :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsports.com; Odum)
Atlantic Coast Conference officials are headed to North Carolina this week for their fall meetings. Perhaps Dallas or one of two California spots — Stanford or Berkeley — would have been a more appropriate location as a new scheduling format is discussed to accommodate the league’s expansion.
Travel to those locations would have given athletic directors and administrators a preview of what they will be asking of their teams and fans when SMU, Stanford and Cal join the league in 2024.
League officials are expected to discuss a new scheduling format for next year’s debut of the 17-team football conference. North Carolina coach Mack Brown and others are concerned about possibly losing rivalry games — a concern that other leagues, like the Big Ten, are also grappling with among all the changes.
“With all this realignment going on, it’s kind of crazy,” Brown said Monday. “I’m a traditionalist and I love rivalries. I think championships and rivalries are the two things that this sport has been built on. And rivalries are about fans picking at each other and loving it.”
Another new format must be devised only one year after the ACC dropped its Coastal and Atlantic divisions. Moving away from divisions enabled each school to be assigned three annual scheduling partners for this season.
For Brown’s Tar Heels, that meant the ability to protect annual rivalries with North Carolina State, Duke and Virginia, even though he bemoaned not playing Wake Forest and Virginia Tech this year.
Expansion meant this season’s “3-5-5” format will last only one year, possibly leaving some rivalry games at risk in the deliberations on Thursday and Friday in Charlotte.
Even if state rivalries such as Miami-Florida State and Virginia-Virginia Tech are preserved, some painful decisions may be necessary to make room for the three new schools. For example, will Georgia Tech keep its annual game against Clemson, a short drive up I-85?
Dropping the divisions enabled N.C. State to make its first visit to No. 16 Duke since 2013 on Saturday, a 24-3 win for the Blue Devils. This week’s meetings could help determine how long the Wolfpack will have to wait for a return visit.
“I think having a team 30 minutes from your campus that you never face is kind of strange,” said N.C. State coach Dave Doeren. “Getting a chance to play Duke in the rotation, whether it’s every year or at least every two years home and away, would be outstanding.”
Duke coach Mike Elko says there is value in “keeping the conferences a little bit more regional, making sure we keep in mind this part of football a little bit.”
“These games are a lot of fun for the kids, when they get to go and play the schools that are right down the road, and the kids that they’re going to bump into all spring when they’re out in Raleigh, and vice versa,” Elko said. “Those things matter.”
Some ACC teams don’t have conference rivals “down the road.” Will those teams be asked to accept more travel?
Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi will have his eye on how the North Carolina and Virginia schools fare in comparison to such other teams as Boston College, Syracuse and his Panthers, to say nothing of SMU.
“I think we’ve just got to make sure that there’s some people that aren’t traveling too much and some people are not traveling at all,” Narduzzi said. “That would be my biggest concern, not the rivals but who’s traveling, who’s taking buses every week.
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https://www.si.com/college/georgiat...ers-to-watch-in-the-second-half-of-the-season (SI; Caudell)
Georgia Tech is 3-3 and will begin their second half of the season on Saturday against Boston College. It has been an eventful first half of the season for Georgia Tech, from the opening loss to Louisville to beating Wake Forest on the road to losing at home to Bowling Green, and then two weeks ago scoring a touchdown in the final seconds to beat Miami. Head coach Brent Key finds himself needing three wins to get Georgia Tech to a bowl game in his first season and that would mark Georgia Tech's first appearance in a bowl game since 2018.
Georgia Tech has seen some big breakout stars in the first half of this season that have helped them win games. Quarterback Haynes King has been one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC and is one of the leading passers. He has emerged as a leader for the Yellow Jackets and is tied for the lead in the ACC in touchdown passes with Miami's Tyler Van Dyke.
Another player that has emerged in this first half of the season has been
True freshman Eric Singleton Jr. leads the Yellow Jackets in receiving with 355 yards on 20 catches and he has five touchdowns this season, averaging nearly 18 yards per catch. He is currently seventh in the ACC in receiving yards and second in touchdowns. He has given this team much-needed speed at the position and looks like a future superstar. Singleton is the second-highest-graded player on the Georgia Tech offense according to PFF and has a 73.7 grade.
King and Singleton have emerged as two stars from the first half of the season, but who are guys to watch in the second half of the season?
1. RB Jamal Haynes
Haynes is already having a good season, but I think he is capable of producing more than he already has and becoming more of a threat in the passing game, which is something to watch in the second half of the season. Georgia Tech started the year being able to run the ball successfully and Haynes is one of the ten leading rushers in the ACC, but the running game has ground to a halt in games against Bowling Green and Miami.If you look at the basic stats and the advanced ones, they do not paint a pretty picture for the Georgia Tech running game right now. The Yellow Jackets are 10th in the ACC in rushing offense, averaging 156 yards per game (63rd nationally). In total rushing EPA (Expected Points Added), Georgia Tech is -7.05 (103rd nationally), 110th in rushing EPA/play (-0.07), 104th in rushing EPA/game (-1.76), and 111th in rushing success rate (37.1%).
Haynes has been an explosive player for the Yellow Jackets' offense and is currently the fifth-leading rusher in the ACC, with 409 yards and three touchdowns this season, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Haynes has also reeled in 12 passes for 112 yards. His ability to cut back and run the zone stretches in this offense has been very good and I think Haynes could make the case for an All-ACC team with a big second half of the season.
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Scouting the opponent: Duke football's defense must be ready for Florida State's lethal Travis-Coleman duo (dukechronicle.com; Dudley)
In its first game after the bye week, Duke once again proved its mettle, decimating N.C. State 24-3 in a defensive clinic to move to 5-1 overall on the year and 2-0 in ACC play. The Blue Devils were once again recognized by the media as one of the top teams in the country, coming in at No. 16 in this week’s AP poll. But Saturday, head coach Mike Elko’s squad will face likely its best opponent of the season, as Duke will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on presumed ACC favorite No. 4 Florida State.
Let’s take a look at what makes the Seminoles so dangerous.
Florida State, coming off a 10-3 season in 2022, is even better this season. Not many schools have used a better combination of in-house player development and the transfer portal than head coach Mike Norvell and the Seminoles, as they have jumped out to a dominant 6-0 start overall with a 4-0 conference record. Norvell’s group has been impressive from the start this season, knocking off then-No. 5 LSU in college football’s opening weekend, an impressive performance that cemented Florida State as a national title contender. The Seminoles also took down Clemson 31-24 away from home in Death Valley, a notoriously tough place to play and a possible signal for a changing of the guard in the conference.
Meanwhile, a loss to Florida State would hardly be a knock on Duke. But a victory would dramatically change its outlook for the remainder of the season, putting the Blue Devils in the driver’s seat to make the ACC championship and possibly contend for a College Football Playoff spot.
“They are an extremely talented football team. Ton of respect for the job that Mike Norvell has done down there,” Elko said at his weekly press conference Monday. “I think he has built a program, not just a team, but a program. You can see it with how those kids play and the energy and passion that they play the game with.”
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Watch: 2023 ACC Football Midseason Stats Leaders (yardbarker.com; video; ACC DN)
We've reached the midway point of the 2023 ACC Football season and it's time to take a look at who's leading the way in the conference. You'll see familiar names as well as surprise leaders in some of the top individual statistics categories.. Who tops the lists in the ACC? Find out right here, courtesy of the ACC Digital Network.
Who Is Better: Florida State or North Carolina; Week 7 ACC Football Power Rankings (13newnow.com; podcast; Locked on the ACC)
The ACC is pretty steady at the top 3 spots, but what about everyone else? Candace & Kenton talk Week 7 Power Rankings on today's episode.
No. 16 Duke gets an ACC measuring-stick game with a visit to No. 4 Florida State in Week 8 (usatoday.com; Iacobelli)
Things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 8:
No. 16 Duke at No. 4 Florida State. The Seminoles (6-0, 4-0 ACC) are off to their best start since 2015 and look to add another marquee win when they face the Blue Devils (5-1, 2-0), among four league teams in the AP Top 25 this week.
The Seminoles are favored by more than two touchdowns, but Duke's prospects in a sold-out stadium could improve if QB Riley Leonard returns from a high-ankle sprain. Coach Mike Elko said Leonard remains day-to-day, but teased on his weekly call-in show that “there is a chance we’re able to get him back healthy on Saturday.”
Duke will need all it's got — it's 0-21 against Florida State — with the Seminoles leading the ACC in scoring and giving up the second-fewest points in the league. Veteran quarterback Jordan Travis is humming along with receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson.
Clemson at Miami. The Tigers (4-2, 2-2) have won their past two games after falling in OT to Florida State. The team has a stout defense (fifth nationally at 261.8 yards allowed) and sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik appears to be growing with each sequence he plays.
The Hurricanes (4-2, 0-2) were in the rankings much of the first month of the season until its stunning loss to Georgia Tech when a knee to the ground late in the game might've saved things for the home team. Miami followed that with a 41-31 loss at North Carolina last week.
Neither Clemson nor Miami wants a third ACC defeat midway through the schedule.
Virginia will be hard pressed to get its first ACC victory this season when it heads to No. 10 North Carolina (6-0, 3-0).
The Cavaliers (1-5, 0-2) ended their five-game losing streak with a 27-13 win over FCS opponent William & Mary a week ago. But the Tar Heels are off to their best start since 1997 when coach Mack Brown was in his first stint with the team and rolling behind last year's ACC player of the year in quarterback Drake Maye.
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ACC Announces 2023 UNITE Award Recipients (theacc)
As part of the 2023 Fall Unity Week, the Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the recipients of the 2023 ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league’s member institutions who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice. The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplify ACC CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes.
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community.
We are humbled to once again honor an amazing and inspirational collection of ACC UNITE Award recipients,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “This year’s class of honorees deserve to be recognized for their incredible contributions in affecting change by promoting racial equity and social justice. Each of these pioneers are tremendous examples of what can be accomplished when you remain committed to steadfast prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are proud of CORE’s steadfast efforts with what will remain a prominent conference priority.”
The UNITE Award recipients were recognized as part of a one-hour show on SiriusXM ACC Radio, Channel 371 hosted by Roddy Jones and Dalen Cuff.
2023 UNITE Award Recipients
Boston College: John Austin & Joana Maynard
Clemson: Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr. & Dr. Rhondda Thomas
Duke: Dr. Kevin White & Marissa Young
Florida State: Angel Gray & Corey Simon
Georgia Tech: Charles Easley & Carla Gilson
Louisville: Wade Houston & Alyssa Murphy
Miami: Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood & Dr. Donald Spivey
North Carolina: Ricky Lanier & Karen Stevenson
NC State: Chavonda Jacobs-Young & Cullen Jones
Notre Dame: JP Abercrumbie & Justin Morrow
Pitt: Ron Idoko & Sheila I. Velez Martinez
Syracuse: Clothilde Ewing & Noah Singlemann
Virginia: Milla Ciprian & Craig Littlepage
Virginia Tech: Kahlil Dover & Jacelyn Lazore
Wake Forest: Dr. Larry Hopkins & Professor Muriel “Beth” Hopkins
Boston College
John Austin holds the distinction of being Boston College’s first African-American basketball player. Austin starred as a point guard for the Eagles from 1963 to 1966, while playing for the legendary coach Bob Cousy. During Austin’s three varsity seasons on the Heights, he scored a school-record 1,845 career points and averaged 27.1 points per game. His scoring average remains the highest in program history.
Widely considered the greatest Boston College men’s basketball player of all time, Austin was a two-time All-American and the program’s first-ever All-American. After graduating from Boston College, Austin was drafted by the Boston Celtics. Before retiring from playing, he had a successful professional career with the Celtics and the New Jersey Americans of the American Basketball Association.
In addition to breaking barriers in Chestnut Hill, Austin was the first African-American player at the famed DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. Austin was a trailblazer and program changer at DeMatha Catholic High School, where he led the Staggs to back-to-back conference championships in 1961 and 1962.
Inducted into the Boston College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1972, Austin was a pioneer who helped pave the way for African-American student-athletes at Boston College and DeMatha Catholic, many of whom have utilized the game of basketball to make enduring impacts in their communities and the world around them.
Joana Maynard has been a mainstay on the Boston College campus for the past 38 years. She is currently serving as the senior assistant director for the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC) after working as the former program director of the Options Through Education Transitional Summer Program (OTE). Maynard exemplifies the values of the ACC Unite Award as someone whose efforts encouraged racial equality through education, partnership, engagement, and advocacy.
Arriving at Boston College in 1985, Maynard served as the OTE program director for 20 years, significantly impacting the lives of incoming first-year students of color, including many student-athletes. Through OTE, a six-week summer bridge program that prepares first-year students of color in their transition from high school to college, Maynard and the BAIC team prepared countless student-athletes of color for the academic rigors and social acclimation of Boston College by fostering academic, social, cultural, and spiritual development.
Due to Maynard’s leadership and collaboration with the Athletics department, Boston College developed a foundation as one of the nation’s leaders in student-athlete retention and graduation rates. Countless former student-athletes and non-student-athletes credit Maynard for preparing them for success at Boston College and in life beyond the Heights.
To that effect, Maynard continues to be instrumental in the lives of students of color by fostering formative educational experiences such as service-learning trips to the Dominican Republic, leading the Bowman Scholars program, and numerous academic advising, spiritual engagement, community building, and outreach initiatives. Boston College is welcoming and supportive of students of color who graduate and set the world aflame for other men and women due to the work of Maynard and the BAIC team.
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Syracuse
Clothilde Ewing is a dedicated and accomplished professional who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to promoting unity and inclusivity within the areas of racial equity and social justice. With a strong background in social advocacy and community development, Ewing has consistently worked to bring people together and foster a sense of belonging among diverse groups. As an editor and producer at CBS News, a producer at The Oprah Winfrey Show, and a member of the press team for President Obama’s 2012 re-election, Ewing has made strides in many different industries.
Born and raised in a multicultural environment, Ewing’s early life experiences instilled in her a deep appreciation for the value of diversity and the power of unity. She pursued her education in sociology, specializing in intercultural relations, to gain a deeper understanding of how to bridge gaps and promote harmony amongst people from various backgrounds.
Ewing has actively engaged in initiatives that aim to break down barriers and promote dialogue among different communities. Her book series including Stella and the Mystery of the Mission Tooth and Stella Keeps the Sun Up, are a reflection of her work. Her tireless efforts have contributed to a more inclusive and harmonious society where people from all walks of life can come together to collaborate.
She has been involved in campaigns addressing issues such as racial inequality, gender discrimination, and economic disparity. Her passion for social change and her ability to mobilize individuals toward a common goal have had a lasting impact on the communities she serves.
Noah Singlemann is a three-time captain for the Syracuse men’s soccer team and the defending National Champions. Only the third player in program history to hold the captaincy title in three seasons at Syracuse, Singlemann has displayed an unwavering commitment to excellence in athletics and a deep
dedication to making a positive impact within our community.
Beyond his athletic achievements, Singlemann has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. He has been actively participating in numerous volunteer initiatives, including the Boys and Girls Club, Team Impact, and other team-related community activities. he has shown a remarkable ability to balance the demands of being a student-athlete while making a positive difference in the lives of the youth surrounding Syracuse.
His impact has not only excelled in his sport and community but also on the campus of Syracuse University. He has been an advocate for inclusivity and sportsmanship, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie among students.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article280679285.html (thestate.com; Fowler)
Dabo Swinney on Tuesday walked back some of the comments he made on his radio show criticizing the “terrible mindset” of Clemson football fans.
The Tigers’ longtime coach, though, still maintained that 1.5% of the fans of his program “create a lot of the problems” and are “part of the problem, not part of the solution” when it comes to supporting a Clemson team that is 4-2 and unranked at the halfway point of the 2023 season.
“98.5% of our fans are amazing, but we’ve got 1.5% that they’re with you win or win,” Swinney said Tuesday at his weekly news conference, later adding: “A little adversity in this world is sometimes good. … I think sometimes you can win so much you lose appreciation for the blessing. That’s just a reality. And it’s hard to win. It’s freaking hard to win and to win consistently is almost impossible. People don’t understand that. I can’t help them.”
Swinney had faced online criticism from fans and media members after comments he made on his Monday radio show, “Tiger Calls,” in response to a caller who thanked Swinney for what he’d done for Clemson and said some fans didn’t fully appreciate the program.
Clemson spent the offseason talking openly about its goals for contending for a 2023 national championship with 15 of last year’s 22 starters returning, a promising young quarterback (Cade Klubnik) and a flashy new offensive coordinator (Garrett Riley, formerly of TCU).
But the Tigers, ranked No. 9 in the preseason AP Top 25, stumbled out of the gates with a season-opening loss at then-unranked Duke that laid bare a number of lingering issues, especially when it came to red zone execution, tackling and wide receiver play.
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https://chopchat.com/2023/10/18/fsu-football-3-areas-that-led-to-florida-state-win-over-syracuse/ (chopchat.com; Johnson)
In a team-effort fashion, FSU football got the job done once again by earning a huge 41-3 victory against Syracuse to remain undefeated at 6-0. Though there is always room for improvement, the Seminoles continue to find success. Multiple players contributed to this one, which made it special. The overall team chemistry has come along very well, with the Seminoles playing unselfishly. When breaking down the game summary, three key areas lead to a Florida State win over Syracuse.
3. Special Teams
Special teams have been on the rise for the Seminoles in recent years, and they showed up again in this substantial Florida State win over Syracuse. All three areas were on fire from start to finish. Ryan Fitzgerald had a perfect game with 2-2 100% FG and 5-5 XP. Those two field goals were extremely important as they stretched the lead for the Seminoles, which made it more difficult for the Orange to come back.Alex Mastromanno was terrific as usual, with booming punts to pin the Syracuse offense deep. Mastromanno deserves way more credit for this team’s success, and his powerhouse punting makes a huge difference in the outcome of games.
Of course, Keon Coleman dominated at wide receiver and as a punt returner. Returning a huge punt to the red zone was one of the many highlights for Coleman in this game, and he will have many more great returns as the season progresses. From start to finish, Keon Coleman was one of the key players in this Florida State win.
Special teams can make or break a team. For the Seminoles, this unit has been a pivotal part of their success.
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https://www.backingthepack.com/nc-s...-in-sp-week-7-a-merciful-bye-descends-upon-us (backingthepack.com; PW)
Well, this has been a depressing series so far, but we will forge ahead regardless...
The ACC After Week 7
| Team | Week 4 SP+ (Rank) | Rank Change | Offense (Rank) | Defense (Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida State | 18.5 (11) | 4 | 36.5 (15) | 18.4 (16) |
| Clemson | 17.3 (13) | -2 | 32.8 (28) | 15.5 (9) |
| North Carolina | 15.8 (15) | 3 | 38.5 (6) | 22.9 (42) |
| Miami | 15.1 (16) | 1 | 34.0 (23) | 19.2 (19) |
| Duke | 14.1 (22) | 6 | 31.5 (32) | 17.2 (14) |
| Louisville | 10.7 (29) | -9 | 31.1 (35) | 20.5 (24) |
| Pittsburgh | 4.7 (44) | 9 | 27.6 (63) | 22.7 (40) |
| Syracuse | 3.7 (50) | -12 | 26.5 (68) | 22.9 (41) |
| NC State | 3.2 (54) | -7 | 24.2 (82) | 21.3 (29) |
| Wake Forest | 1.3 (64) | -13 | 26.4 (69) | 25.3 (57) |
| Virginia Tech | 0.6 (69) | 7 | 22.9 (93) | 22.6 (37) |
| Georgia Tech | -0.6 (70) | 0 | 27.8 (59) | 28.2 (77) |
| Virginia | -5.3 (84) | 2 | 19.8 (108) | 25.0 (55) |
| Boston College | -7.5 (93) | 1 | 23.1 (91) | 30.6 (93) |
In terms of the largest jump in ratings, Duke moved up 2.6 points, FSU up 2.2 points.
With their loss to Pittsburgh, Louisville rightfully lost all the progress they made the prior week in the win over Notre Dame. The Cardinals’ rating drop 3.6 points, the largest drop of the week in the conference. Syracuse had the second largest drop in ratings at 3.0 points.
For the Panthers, the win over Louisville continued their upward swing; they’ve now moved up 16 spots over the last two weeks. Going the other way, Syracuse has dropped 15 spots in the rankings over the last two weeks while Wake Forest, with a 14 spot drop in that same span, is trying to keep pace with them on the downward trajectory.
The week saw the ACC push from two to four teams with ratings above 15.0, while the bottom three teams in the conference from last week all moved up this week. That’s good news from a conference strength perspective.
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https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rn-vs-no-4-florida-state-in-key-acc-showdown/ (cbssports.com; Jeyarajah)
Duke star quarterback Riley Leonard could return for Week 8's road trip to No. 4 Florida State. Mike Elko, coach of the No. 16 Blue Devils, said this week that Leonard is "day to day" recovering from a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss a Week 7 victory over NC State.
"I've said this to everybody, we will not put him in position to put that ankle at risk," Elko said on his weekly radio show. "But I do think there is a chance we're able to get him back healthy on Saturday and able to be playing at the level he's capable of playing."
Leonard landed awkwardly on his ankle on the last play of the Blue Devils' 21-14 loss against Notre Dame on Sept. 30. The star signal-caller was on crutches after the game.
The junior from Fairhope, Alabama, has been a critical part of Duke's incredible rise over the past two seasons. In 18 starts, Leonard has 3,879 yards passing and 1,025 yards rushing with 40 total touchdowns. In a 28-7 upset victory over Clemson, Leonard threw for 175 yards and rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/10/tv-poll-2023-oct.html (RX; HM)
TV Poll 2023 Oct
The Athletic took a poll in which they mostly asked about college football on television - the viewing experience, favorite pregame show, etc. Here are some highlights from "How readers watch college football: Network comparisons, realignment, viewing habits":
Q: What network do you prefer for national game broadcasts?
| ESPN/ABC: | 57.7% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |
| CBS: | 20.3% | |||||||||||||||||||| |
| Fox/FS1: | 18.3% | |||||||||||||||||| |
| NBC: | 3.7% | ||| |
We know you have to watch whichever network has rights to the game you want to see, but which network do you wish the game was on? For most people, it's ESPN or ABC.
Q: What is your favorite conference network for games?
| BTN: | 41.30% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |
| SECN: | 39.80% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |
| ACCN: | 11.50% | ||||||||||| |
| PTN: | 7.50% | ||||| |
No surprise that the two oldest conference networks, representing the leagues with the most overall fans, are the most popular. This is not necessarily about quality. McDonalds is the most popular restaurant chain, too. Sometimes favorite is another way of saying "most familiar".
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/10/jhowells-picks-2023-week-8.html (RX; HM)
JHowell's Picks 2023 Week 8
JHowell.net has posted projections for Week #8 of the 2023 season. Below are JHowell's ACC football game projections through the games of 10-21-23 (including future ACC teams), followed by some commentary of my own; let's see if his computer can pick the "dogs"...
Friday, October 20, 2023
#48-Southern Methodist (-18) @ #128-Temple (TP=55 Odds=.757)Saturday, October 21, 2023
#9-Florida State (-11) vs. #26-Duke (TP=51 Odds=.675)#11-North Carolina (-30) vs. #117-Virginia (TP=58 Odds=.871)
#23-Clemson (-1.5) @ #41-Miami (Florida) (TP=51 Odds=.527)
#33-UCLA (-14.5) @ #113-Stanford (TP=53 Odds=.718)
#75-Georgia Tech (-6.5) vs. #92-Boston College (TP=57 Odds=.594)
#78-Wake Forest (-2.5) vs. #77-Pittsburgh (TP=51 Odds=.542)
COMMENTS:
ACC Underdogs, more than 14: UVa (to UNC), Stanford (to UCLA)...
(youtube.com; video; ACC DN)
The Hokies defeated the Demon Deacons, 30-13 in ACC Football action. Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 59 additional yards to lead the offense. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane caught 3 passes for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Hokies. The Hokies defense registered 7 sacks, 1 interception and recovered 2 Demon Deacon fumbles in the win. Wake WR Taylor Morin caught 7 passes for 102 yards to highlight the Deacons’ offense.
Other
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2023/...se-is-sued-for-lingering-code-violations.html (PS; Cazentre)
The owner of a city property cited last month for allowing an illegal nightclub to operate has now been sued by the city for failure to correct code violations on the site.
The city filed a lawsuit in State Supreme Court Tuesday against Cashe LLC, the landlord for the property at 400 Burnet Ave. Court records show the property owner, and owner of Cashe, is Tom Hornstein, a developer who also operates the Horn Cos. The lawsuit seeks a court order for the landlord to fix the violations and asks for fines for failure to comply.
The citation against the nightclub is just the latest flashpoint in a long-running feud between Hornstein and his neighbors over conditions on the Burnet Avenue property, which runs from the back of the former New York Central Railroad station to Catherine Street.
The city’s lawsuit contends the landlord, Cashe, has failed to correct or address several violations in what it describes as an industrial storage space at 400 Burnet. On Sept. 25, the city codes enforcement office declared the building “unfit for for human occupancy” after discovering tenants were operating a bar and club there without proper licenses (and no rest rooms).
An affidavit filed by a codes inspector indicates that issues remained on the property during a reinspection on Oct. 11. “Respondent failed to provide and maintain the premises in a manner that is safe and lawful in that the premises was being occupied contrary to law,” the codes officer reported.
The city’s lawsuit, dated Oct. 17, asks a judge to issue a court order requiring the landlord to address the code violations and pay fines of $100 per day for failing to do so for at least 20 days after the original notice. The original deadline to fix the violations was Sept. 27, the lawsuit says.
“The City respectfully submits that the issuance of an order compelling Respondent to correct the violations along with the imposition of penalties is appropriate considering that the Respondent has received notice of the violations and has continued to fail to address the cited violations,” the city’s complaint says.
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Syracuse homeless families struggle to get to school, find a place to sleep
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2023/...-motels-syracuses-homeless-family-crisis.html (PS; $; Eisenstadt)
Destry is ready to go. His Mario Kart backpack is strapped on and his shoelaces are tied.
The 4-year-old steps into the predawn darkness and begins a 3-mile walk to preschool from the Budget Inn in Syracuse.
Destry is homeless.
For a week, his mom, Karli Roberts, and her boyfriend, Sebastian Howe, have watched the sun rise as they trek on foot more than an hour to his school. They start out pushing the stroller because Destry wants to walk, but at some point he needs a ride and a snack. He calls out the names of the restaurants and stores they pass. Thankfully, his mother says, most of the places he wants to stop at are still closed. There’s no money for extras.
The preschooler is one of more than a thousand Syracuse children who are homeless.
Family homelessness has exploded this year in Onondaga County. The numbers are staggering — triple what they were at this time last year and five times what they were before Covid-19, according to the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York.
The county’s one homeless shelter has been full for two years, so dozens of families live in hotels paid for by the county.
Roughly two children in every class in the Syracuse school district are homeless. How do you learn when you’re not sure how you’ll get to school or where you’ll sleep?
Janyla is 5; she has not been to school yet this year. Her family went from one hotel to the next for more than a week, squeezing into the available beds. When that became too expensive, her mom paid to stay at a relative’s house. When her welcome wore out, she paid more to stay at a friend’s house. They have all slept on floors while roaches scurry by. The children picked up lice somewhere.
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