sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 25,215
- Like
- 108,669
Welcome to Saint-Jean-Bastiste Day!
A national holiday in the Canadian province of Quebec and celebrated by French Canadians worldwide, especially in Canada and the United States, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day honors the traditional feast day of the Nativity — or birth — of St. John the Baptist. The religious nature of the holiday has been de-emphasized for civic events, and “la St-Jean” is now mainly a celebration of francophone culture and history filled with public events, parades, barbecues, picnics and fireworks. Bonne Saint-Jean-Baptiste!
SU News
Syracuse football recruiting: 3-star Alabama QB Brett Nezat emerges as target (PS; Bailey)
A new quarterback target has emerged for Syracuse football in the 2020 class.
Brett Nezat, a rising senior at Saraland High School in Alabama, threw in front of the Orange coaching staff at camp last weekend and sat down with SU head coach Dino Babers.
Nezat spoke over the phone with quarterbacks coach Kirk Martin on Thursday night and was told that he’s at the top of the program’s board, though an offer has yet to be extended.
“He informed me that right now I’m their top guy, but there’s another guy that’s close so they may decide to wait until a couple of games into the season before they offer one of us,” Nezat said. " I guess I’m in a wait-and-see period now."
The 6-foot-4.5, 224-pound Nezat is rated thee stars and the No. 48 pro-style signal-caller this cycle by 247Sports.com’s composite rankings. His offers include Idaho, Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Arkansas State, North Alabama and South Alabama while Nezat said LSU and Duke have also expressed strong interest.
Syracuse prioritized two quarterbacks early in the cycle. Tyler Van Dyke has committed to Miami while Christian Veilleux has yet to announce whether he’ll reclassify to 2021. In total, 10 of the 14 signal-callers offered in the Class of 2020 are pledged elsewhere, per 247Sports.com (the site lists Veilleux) in the 2021 class).
...
https://insidetheloudhouse.com/2019/06/23/syracuse-football-jim-nagy-senior-bowl-looking-alton-robinson-kendall-coleman/ (itlh; Esden Jr)
Executive Director of the Senior Bowl Jim Nagy shared some of his 2020 targets. Here’s why Kendall Coleman, Alton Robinson made the list and what’s next.
The Syracuse football squad has been in the news recently for all the right reasons:
- Tommy DeVito Heisman buzz.
- Experts considering Syracuse for the 2019-20 College Football Playoff.
- Winning double-digit games again in 2019.
The Orange have arguably the best pass rushing duo in all of college football returning with Kendall Coleman and Alton Robinson at the helm. Both are seniors and both registered 10 sacks last season.
Not only did the pair help Syracuse win a bunch of games last year, but they also increased their own popularity around college football. So much so in fact that the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl Jim Nagy has both of their names circled on his big board. He joined Boy Green on The Jets Zone recently to share his take:
On Alton Robinson
“Alton is a really interesting player. There was a bunch of really good edge players in this past year’s NFL Draft and Alton is at the top of our board heading into 2020. He’s long and he has pass rush production. To me that’s one big thing, pass rush production does carry over from college to the pros. Everyone wants those guys who can get after the quarterback. When you put on the tape, Alton is a twitchy athlete and he knows how to rush the quarterback. Some guys are just athletic and don’t know what they’re doing, Alton seems to have a pretty good feel as a rusher. He’s really a guy we’re interested in and we’re excited to watch his progress.”
...
Syracuse Football: Tale of the Tape, SU commit OL Garth Barclay (itlh; Carey)
Another Syracuse football commit is in the books. Here is a full film breakdown from our recruiting expert on what he can bring to the table.
Syracuse football stayed hot on the recruiting trail this week. After picking up two commits last weekend from Leon Lowery and Justin Barron, the Orange hauled in two more players. One is Kicker/Punter, James Williams and the other is offensive lineman, Garth Barclay.
Barclay is a 6-foot-7 250-pound offensive lineman. He is a large human being and fits the mold of tall tackles that Dino Babers and his staff like to recruit.
According to 247sports.com, Barclay is rated a 3-star prospect with offers from Central Michigan, Temple, and Virginia. Barclay is also ranked the 110th best offensive tackle in the 2020 class and 17th best player in the Keystone State.
Credit Mike Lynch and Mike Cavanaugh as the two primary recruiters for Barclay. The York, PA native also plays defensive end but is being recruited as an Offensive Lineman.
He announced his commitment via twitter:
...
Did Syracuse just rip off the Cleveland Browns uniforms? (dawgpounddaily.com;Gurzi)
Um, Syracuse is returning to its traditional uniform. They have had a football since since 1944. The newbie Browns have only been around since 1944. And brown is not the same as blue.
The Syracuse Orange unveiled their new uniforms this weekend and they seem rather close to the ones being sported currently by the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns current uniform has gotten a lot of attention since being unveiled in 2015 — and most of that attention hasn’t been pleasant. The Browns tweaked their uniform and the critics let their voices be heard.
And the staff that makes the decisions on the team’s look seemed to agree as it’s been reported that the Browns will again have a new look in 2020. Nothing has been released yet, but it feels as though the general consensus is that they need to go to something closer to their traditional look.
However, it doesn’t seem like everyone hates the Cleveland jersey. That’s because the Syracuse Orange just unveiled their new uniform and there are some shocking similarities between their new look and the one the Browns are ready to ditch.
As you can see in the above tweet, the orange on brown and white on white jerseys look an awful lot like the ones Cleveland has been sporting — even down to the shoulder stripes.
...
https://www.tomahawknation.com/2019/6/24/18715038/florida-state-football-recruiting-news-fsu-leads-bryan-robinson-derwin-james-taggart-briles-dugans (tomahawknation.com; Krypton)
Recruiting:
Bryan Robinson decommitted from Miami and now it looks like he might be headed to Florida State.
Coach Dugans is a prolific recruiter & it looks like he’s starting to make his mark early in short tenure so far at FSU.
FSU needs to lands offensive tackles and three-star offensive tackle Thomas Shrader is close to making a decision.
Another offensive tackle, three-star Michael Rankins was on campus on Friday. FSU offered him in mid-May:
...
https://bigredlouie.com/2019/06/23/why-louisville-football/ (bigredlouie.com; Meyer)
Perhaps the most disappointing part of a down 2018 season for Louisville football was the defensive line. How the Cards could see immediate improvement from their guys up front.
There’s not much positive to take away from the 2018 Louisville football season- particularly on defense and along the defensive line. However, with every new start comes a chance at redemption.
Though the Cards lose defensive linemen Jon Greenard and Michael Boykin to transfer, they spent much of last season without Boykin and the would-be Senior Greenard sat out the entire season after being injured on the first drive of the game against Alabama.
Louisville brings back a talented young core of players and will bring in some new talent to help supplement their losses in the offseason.
Now, heading into 2019, the Cards could have the ability to have a massive break-out season from their defensive front.
We break down the weapons in head coach Scott Satterfield’s arsenal and what the game plan will be for this Louisville squad.
...
http://www.espncharlotte.net/acc-breakout-receivers-for-2019-season/ (espncharlotte.com; O'Brien)
Last year, the ACC was loaded with several veteran and play-making receivers all throughout the conference. This year though, the conference returns only one 1,000-yard receiver but it provides an opportunity of new names to emerge.
Clemson brings the obvious intrigue at receiver, with proven, young players in Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross. Outside the Tigers though, teams from around the conference hope to have a few new names step up to the big stage.
Here are a few names to watch that could ultimately take over in the receiving game.
D.J. Matthews (Florida State)
Tamorrion Terry is the big name the Seminoles will lean on with his big-play ability but junior DJ Matthews is another name to keep in mind. He was second on the team in receptions and provided a nice escape receiver in the slot position. At 5’10 and only averaging 9.1 yards per reception, Matthews could look like a receiver that simply moves the chain and earn short receptions in bunches.
Taj Harris (Syracuse)
With Jamal Custis gone, Harris could be a player to watch along the outside. As a freshman last year, he ranked third on the team in receiving yards with 565 yards and averaged 14.1 yards per reception. In fact, it was the most receiving yards and catches by a freshman in Syracuse history. He started seven games last year, so the experience is there but now he could become a prime target in the red zone with his 6’2 frame.
Emeka Emezie (NC State)
Even though he finished third in receiving for the Wolfpack last year, the offense’s focus in the passing game was with Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers. Now, both are gone and Emezie has a chance to display his true talent, along with his size. He has the experience and with him now being the primary option, could NC State find another 1,000-yard receiver this season?
Sage Surratt (Wake Forest)
Surratt was tremendous as a freshman, racking up 581 yards and four touchdowns for the Demon Deacons. Now, with Dortch gone, Surratt immediately becomes the No. 1 option in the passing game. Standing out 6’3, Surratt has fantastic hands and knows how to go up and get the ball in the air.
...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2019/06/home-and-home-with-sec-teams.html (RX; HM)
Has SEC football finally had its fill of cupcakes?
It's not news to find out that many SEC teams are padding their schedules with, not one, not two, not even three, but in some cases as many as FOUR easy non-conference wins...
Now I'm not going to be too hard on Arkansas - they were what, 2-10 last year? - but Alabama: come on!
Things may be changing, however... as pointed out by David Teel:
__________
How is this affecting ACC schools? We already mentioned Clemson having series scheduled with Georgia and LSU, and Florida State set to play Georgia for the first time in the regular season since 1965!
Now Virginia Tech is trying to get in on the SEC-vs-P5 Home-and-home market.
...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2019/06/best-2019-d-lines.html (RX; HM)
From BR: Ranking the 10 Best Defensive Lines for the 2019 College Football Season
Two of the top 10 are ACC teams. You'll guess one of them...
1. Michigan State
2. Utah
3. Clemson
Key players: Xavier Thomas (35 tackles, 3.5 sacks), Justin Foster (18 tackles, 2.0 sacks), Nyles Pinckney (23 tackles), Jordan Williams (11 tackles, 1.5 sacks), Xavier Kelly (8 tackles, 1.0 sacks), Logan Rudolph (11 tackles), K.J. Henry (6 tackles—redshirt freshman), Justin Mascoll (redshirt freshman), Tyler Davis (true freshman)
The star: The Tigers don't have a returning starter on the defensive line, but Xavier Thomas got a lot of great experience as the fifth man behind Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant. The No. 3 overall recruit in last year's class averaged around 20 snaps per game and recorded multiple tackles in the ACC title game as well as both of Clemson's games in the College Football Playoff. He will immediately become the leader and anchor of this group as a true sophomore.
Synopsis: Clemson had three defensive linemen go in the first 17 picks of the 2019 NFL draft, and a fourth was taken in the fourth round. But do you know who didn't go to the NFL? Defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who has coached the Tigers to five consecutive seasons with at least 45 sacks.
Clemson led the nation in yards allowed per carry and ranked second in sacks per game last year. Given how well head coach Dabo Swinney has been able to recruit and develop defensive linemen in recent years, we almost have to assume more of the same is on the horizon. There aren't any household names on the roster yet, but Thomas, Justin Foster, Jordan Williams and K.J. Henry will be well-known commodities in short order.
4. Alabama
5. Penn State
6. Syracuse
Key players: Alton Robinson (39 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles), Kendall Coleman (32 tackles, 10.0 sacks), Kingsley Jonathan (21 tackles, 5.0 sacks), Tyrell Richards (16 tackles, 3.0 sacks), Kenneth Ruff (19 tackles, 2.0 sacks), McKinley Williams (17 tackles), Josh Black (14 tackles)
The star: Both Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman racked up 10 sacks last year and will return as seniors. It's hard to call either one a bigger star than the other, but Coleman had two sacks and seven total tackles against Clemson, as well as three sacks in the Camping World Bowl win over West Virginia. In Syracuse's biggest games, he was the bigger factor.
Synopsis: If Syracuse isn't the first team that comes to mind when thinking about defense, you aren't alone. In 2016, the Orange had one of the worst defenses in the nation, allowing more than 500 yards per game. But how could we not include a team that has two returning players with double-digit sacks last year?
Anchored by Robinson, Coleman and—to a lesser degree—Kingsley Jonathan, the Orange ranked sixth with 3.31 sacks per game in 2018. They're in a great position to repeat that feat, even though their overall defense may suffer from the departure of leading tacklers Ryan Guthrie and Kielan Whitner. Aside from the home game against Clemson, though, Syracuse doesn't face any elite offenses. As such, this unit should put up great numbers.
Links, news and rumors - Sunday 6/23/19 (RX; HM)
Links, news and rumors - Sunday 6/23/19
Here's an interesting factoid I found on twitter:
In 5 years at Penn State, James Franklin has beaten 4 ranked teams (2016 Ohio State, Wisconsin; 2017 Michigan; 2018 Iowa). Pat Narduzzi has the same number of ranked wins in 4 years at Pitt (2016 Penn State, Clemson; 2017 Miami, 2018 Virginia).
from https://twitter.com/PickSixPreviews/status/1142142471750766593
I may have to come back to that later - perhaps in the lead up to their game this Fall.
__________
Interesting but weird news from the Hartford Courant:
Honestly, I've heard rumors about this for over a year, but I thought they were bluffing... (more on this later in the week).
__________
Finally, someone on CSNBBS did a little unscientific poll asking "Which ACC school do you HATE the most, and why?" The comments indicated that most fans don't really "hate" any ACC foe as much as teams from the SEC and Big Ten, but the poll results did show a pretty consistent dislike for one ACC team in particular:
| N. Carolina | 34.48% |
| Duke | 13.79% |
| Notre Dame | 13.79% |
| Louisville | 10.34% |
| Miami | 6.90% |
| NC State | 6.90% |
| Virginia* | 6.90% |
| Georgia Tech | 3.45% |
| Syracuse | 3.45% |
...
Best-case Recruiting Scenarios for top 10 teams (as of 6/19/19) (RX; HM)
Best-case Recruiting Scenarios for top 10 teams (as of 6/19/19)
Last week Bleacher Report posted an article called Dream Scenario for Every Top-10 CFB Recruiting Class. At the time there were 4 ACC teams in the top 10 of 2020 team recruiting rankings, and they had some dream scenarios (which may or may not still come true). Honestly, it's not unusual to see a bunch of ACC teams in the top-10 recruiting rankings this time of year, but what do they need to do to hold on to those high rankings? Here are some ideas from Bleacher Report, followed by a few more ideas of my own below...
10. Florida State Seminoles
Dream scenario: Steal a 5-star
Optimism surrounded Willie Taggart's first year in Tallahassee, but his second season arrives with a whole bunch of questions.
At least on the recruiting trail, though, one prized commitment can reshape the team's perception. While the 'Noles have eight 4-stars in the 2020 fold, they're still waiting on that marquee player. Florida State is working to land 5-star linebacker Sav'ell Smalls, who is considered the No. 4 prospect in the nation. The cross-country connection gets a boost from wide receiver Tre'Shaun Harrison, a former teammate of Smalls and a current sophomore at FSU. Reeling in Smalls would reaffirm the Seminoles' place as a destination for top recruits and give Taggart a cornerstone piece.
9. North Carolina Tar Heels
Dream scenario: Add talent, talent, talent
As a program, North Carolina isn't in a position to worry about missing on a local 5-star or another highly regarded player. The Tar Heels simply need whatever talent they can get. Good thing Mack Brown is an outstanding salesman anyway. The Tar Heels own a quartet of verbal pledges from 4-stars, including dual-threat quarterback Malik Hornsby. But they're also a primary contender in the race for 5-star defensive end Desmond Evans, who's the top-rated prospect in the state. Other nearby 4-star players to monitor are Ze'Vian Capers (112th), Myles Murphy (117th), Jacolbe Cowan (152nd), Kedrick Bingley-Jones (167th) and Ja'Qurious Conley (259th). For a program with a combined 5-18 record over the last two seasons, UNC couldn't ask for a better position in recruiting.
6. Miami Hurricanes
Dream scenario: Stockpile top-200 prospects
While the 15-man class features plenty of quality, that volume is helping Miami cling to a top-six class. Recruiting rankings don't mean everything, but the 'Canes only have three top-200 players. On paper, that's passable for the ACC Coastal. It's not enough to compete nationally. Current targets who fit the mold include Keshawn Lawrence (63rd), wide receiver Mookie Cooper (64th), running back Jaylan Knighton (108th), wide receiver Michael Redding III (131st) and South Carolina commit Issiah Walker (149th), among a few others. Also, Miami recently lost a commitment from Donell Harris, a 5-star defensive end who intends to reclassify. If he returns to the fold, the 'Canes will have a marquee recruit on both sides of the football. Running back Don Chaney is a 5-star rated 28th overall.
...
Better ACC Scheduling: Swap 3 (RX; HM)
Better ACC Scheduling: Swap 3
Is there a way to improve the quality of ACC matchups under the current NCAA rules for divisions? Yes there is, and it's been a while since we discussed this here at ACCFootballRx, so maybe it's a good time to revisit the idea of pods...
The ACC can't have true "quads" with only 14 teams, but what it can do is keep four teams in each division and swap the other three every couple of seasons (i.e. a modified "pod" approach).
For example, these might be the four teams to keep in the divisions:
Meaning these sets of three would be swapped every other year:
Note that all of these keep the permanent cross-over pairs together.
This way you get the current Atlantic/Coastal divisions for 2 years, followed by 2 years of this:
...
Other
60-Second Syracuse: Music, mud and a dud (PS; Croyle)
On paper, the Great American Music Fair, Syracuse’s first-ever attempt at an all-day rock music festival, seemed like a good idea.
In the end it was a debacle.
Scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23, 1975 at the New York State Fairgrounds, the concert would feature music for 12 hours, from such acts as The Beach Boys, the Doobie Brothers, America, Jefferson Starship and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Concert promoters hoped that as many as 100,000 music fans would purchase tickets, sold in advance for $11.
But the editorial board of the Herald-Journal, and to a lesser extent the Post-Standard, saw a problem.
The concert was to take place just three days before the start of the New York State Fair.
In a July 22, 1975 editorial entitled “Rock to Wreck Fair?” the paper said, “Scheduling a 12-hour rock music festival at the fairgrounds just three days before the 1975 Fair opens is an invitation to disaster.”
The sentiment was good enough for state officials who changed the date of the concert to the day after the State Fair ended, Tuesday, September 2.
It was thought to be a win-win.
People could enjoy the Fair through Labor Day then come for the concert the next day, lengthening their holiday weekend one more day.
Cleaning crews would only have to clean up one mess. Maybe vendors would stick around another day.
But tickets sales slowed. By the time of the concert only 30,000 had been sold, just half the number of tickets sold that promoter John Scher needed to break even.
...
Last edited:
