sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Forgive Your Foe Day!
Try to find enough forgiveness in your heart to alleviate any anger you may be feeling towards other people or even towards yourself. This can be difficult, but it's extremely necessary. Forgiving someone who has hurt you is difficult. Forgiving yourself is difficult. By not trying to forgive we only add to the problem.
SU News
DeVito, Shrader react to Dino Babers’ two-quarterback plan (PS; Carlson)
Dino Babers announced earlier this week that Syracuse will use two quarterbacks this season.
The revelation came as a surprise given Babers’ traditional preference for keeping every aspect of his gameplan a secret for as long as possible.
The declaration, of course, did omit many of the details critical to understanding Syracuse’s intentions, such as how that playing time will be distributed, whether a rotation will be planned or improvised and what might prompt any switching between Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader.
On Thursday, the quarterbacks met with reporters for the first time since the head coach’s announcement. Both seemed mostly unbothered by it.
DeVito said he had a good understanding of what Babers plans to do with his quarterbacks, although he declined to share it. Shrader said he envisioned the plan becoming clear as the Orange enters a week of actual game preparation.
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Syracuse football eager to make the Carrier Dome the Loud House again: ‘You can’t let down your fans’ (PS; $; Carlson)
When Syracuse football coach Dino Babers runs out of the Carrier Dome tunnel before each game, he often turns his head and looks into the crowd.
Coaches must weigh all sorts of things. The direction the wind is going. The possibility of rain or snow. Where the sun is located. And how much any of that will change as the game goes on.
In these moments it often seems like Babers is calculating how big an edge the building is about to provide him. Will it be one of those memorable days when 45,000 fans under a Dome roof raise their voices and resemble 90,000? Or will it be a normal day when 20,000 simply sounds like 20,000?
This year, after playing last year’s home schedule with no fans in the stands thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the Orange will be especially appreciative of everything its home field provides.
“I came here because of the Dome,” Babers said. “You’re looking for advantages and the home experience is an advantage. We had no advantage last year. You can say everybody else didn’t have an advantage either and that’s great. We love our advantage. We play to our advantage. It’s going to be exciting to get them back in the stands and for these young men – the major majority of whom are freshmen and redshirt freshmen -- to have an opportunity to play in front of Syracuse fans for the very first time.”
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7 SU football players to watch going into 2021 season (PS; Curtis)
The Syracuse football program enters the 2021 season with its deepest roster in school history.
The NCAA’s ruling to grant players an extra year of eligibility works in Syracuse’s favor because of last year’s plethora of injuries, but who’s going to stand out this season?
Fans will have a chance to see some of their favorite players up close during an open practice during Friday’s Fan Fest at the Carrier Dome
Syracuse.com has compiled a list of players expected to be major contributors in 2021.
DT Josh Black
Few players anticipated the return of Syracuse football like defensive lineman Josh Black. Last season’s 1-10 result left a bad taste in his mouth, so he took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to strengthen the Orange’s leadership room and end his college football career on a positive note. Black started all 11 games at defensive tackle last season, totaling 38 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and his first collegiate interception. He’s just one part of a veteran D-line that also includes “super seniors” Kingsley Jonathan and McKinley Williams, but he’s an important piece for the Orange’s defense.
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Offensive linemen Matthew Bergeron gets a drink. With a little over a week to go before the Syracuse football team plays its first football game against Ohio University , the team practices Aug 26, 2021
With a little over a week to go before the Syracuse football team plays its first football game against Ohio University (PS; photo gallery; Nett)
Syracuse Orange football practice
#3 wide receiver Taj Harris. With a little over a week to go before the Syracuse football team plays its first football game against Ohio University , the team practices Aug 26, 2021
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The Fizz’s Syracuse Football 2021 Season Record Predictions – Orange Fizz – Daily Syracuse Recruiting News & Team Coverage (orangefizz.net; May)
It’s finally here. After a disappointing 2020 season, Syracuse kicks off its 2021 campaign on September 4 at Ohio. Before the season gets underway, we at Orange Fizz broke out the crystal balls to predict the Orange’s record.
JARON: 3-9
It pains me to say this, but this is actually an optimistic prediction. There is a real possibility that this team doesn’t hit even the three win mark.
The simple truth is, there are just too many question marks surrounding this team. Will the offensive line be better? Who will be QB1 and can he hold on to the position? Will the defensive line and linebackers be able to stop a running attack? Does SU have the DB personnel to fill some open gaps?
Most of my answers to those questions are negative, so I can’t have too positive of an outlook on the season. Syracuse will benefit from a pretty easy non-conference schedule, which I have them winning two games in. Then the Orange will pull out one surprising ACC win and that’s how you get to three wins. I’d love to say there are more out there, but realistically there just isn’t.
BRAD: 3-9
All these record predictions come down to how many ACC wins Syracuse will pick up. Despite how bad the Orange were last season with just one win, there’s no denying an all-ACC schedule with the exception of one game against a really good Liberty team was a bad break. Now, unlike last year, there are a few games fans can look at on the schedule and expect to win. Albany is one of them. Ohio is another (probably). From there it just comes down to stealing a win in conference. The November 13th matchup at Louisville seems like the most likely conference win, despite SU’s 30-0 loss on the road against UL last year. The harsh truth about this schedule is a lot of the beatable teams like Florida State and Louisville are scheduled on the road. So, the deck is stacked against Syracuse in contending in the ACC this year.
From an X’s and O’s standpoint, there’s no reason Syracuse shouldn’t be better than they were last season. Between the injuries on the offensive line, behind center, secondary, and inconsistency from the receivers Syracuse should get better by default. That’s not to say the offense won’t struggle. All signs point to Tommy DeVito starting the season simply because of his mental head start on Garrett Shrader. The Mississippi State transfer has a lot of ground to make up. The biggest question is how much better the defense will be. When Tony White’s 3-3-5 struggled last year, injuries and inexperience (no spring ball) were scapegoats. Neither of those will be valid excuses this season with all the young defensive backs being thrown into the fire last year and learning on the fly while Garrett Williams emerged as a bonafide star. If the Orange win games, it will likely be on the back of the defense.
JOHN: 4-8
Depending on who you ask, this is a better season than expected for SU. Many pundits don’t think the Orange will claim any ACC wins in 2021. I believe Syracuse triumphs over Florida State and Louisville both on the road. Perhaps the ‘Loud House’ can propel Dino Babers and Company to an upset win. If you want to circle your calendar, that scenario could arise against Wake Forest, Rutgers, or Pittsburgh but I’m not predicting it.
Top to bottom, the conference is very competitive and SU could easily lose to both the Seminoles and the Cardinals. However, I think ‘Cuse steals those games while still failing to make a bowl including losses in six of its last seven games. As you could probably infer, I think Syracuse takes down Ohio in the opener and UAlbany in the I-90 rivalry.
As far as FSU and UL, I think both programs are in a tough spot with a lot of young talent that has to replace a lot of departed production. Additionally, both teams are still trying to dig themselves out of some deep mudpools from previous coaching tenures. I like Syracuse to get revenge against the Noles after a 2019 beatdown and steal its lunch money back from Scott Satterfield and Company coming off a bye week in November.
Is this enough for Babers to keep his job and afford a year six? I think so but the seat is absolutely scorching like it’s in the middle of Death Valley.
IAN: 3-9
Syracuse football is at a crossroads right now. Either two-year incumbent signal-caller Tommy DeVito finally figures it out, and all of the 315 breathes a sigh of relief, or Dino Babers has to turn to some relatively unproven commodities. If DeVito flops for the third straight season, all eyes turn towards Babers. Bigger questions must be asked of Dino if “TD-13” can’t lead the offense, but those are going to be saved for later in the season. Back to the gridiron, I do firmly believe in Garrett Shrader. I think his athleticism and running ability are going to provide a dynamic that the Orange offense sorely needs, even if his O-Line struggles again. Sean Tucker is an NFL-caliber back, and with the support of Abdul Adams and Jarveon Howard, the backfield is the best position group Syracuse has. It would be nice to have a third guy behind Taj Harris and Anthony Queeley (it could be Luke Benson if Sterling Gilbert has a change of heart). I expect the defense to be solid this year, as all 11 starters should have ACC experience. Mikel Jones is an All-ACC candidate from day one, and we could also see serious flashes of multi-dimensional ability from Duce Chestnut. Special teams are a lock to be great.
To circle back around, everything depends on QB play. If DeVito is throwing dimes through the non-conference, this team could be a pain in the backsides of the ACC. If not, Shrader probably takes the starting job by week four or five, and things either start to turn around, or it turns into a mess like 2020. I’ve got SU beating Ohio, UAlbany, and NC State this year. The first two should be because of pure talent differential, and Syracuse needs revenge after last year’s debacle against the Wolfpack.
CAM: 4-8
Let’s play the biggest hypothetical game of them all. Tommy Devito will start the opening two games and flop against Rutgers, which ultimately gives the reins to Garrett Shrader. That is a condition that will guide Syracuse to a mediocre season rather than an abysmal one. Sean Tucker is going to improve in his sophomore season while the receiving core will as well. Without a clear number one, Taj Harrs and Anthony Queeley should rake in a majority of the receptions which plays to the advantage of SU.
Everything boils down to the offensive line though. If the front five can do its job, good things, or at least a better chance at a good result, will come. That being said, the O-line won’t have a stellar 2021 campaign in my opinion. They’ll do better than last year, but the sacks will be plenty. Watch for the wins to come against Ohio, Albany, Liberty (tightest game of the year) and Louisville. In the end, the ACC will run all over the Orange… again. It’s tough to pick SU over Pitt or NC State or any other close to comparable opponent because of how strong those program’s defenses are.
CARTER: 2-10
It really speaks to the dismal state of Syracuse’s program when you have to take a good hard look at SU’s schedule and do mental gymnastics to try and somehow award them a 3rd win, but I just couldn’t do it. This is a team that lost its chance to gain the benefit of the doubt after last season’s debacle. A program’s second one-win season since World War II tends to do that.
My main reason for lack of enthusiasm is that Syracuse has major problems regarding its players and how they fit into the team’s schemes. On offense, Dino Babers showed last year that he was willing to go down guns-a-blazin’ on the hill of his up-tempo, no-huddle system by hiring the guy who’s been with him since the beginning in OC Sterlin Gilbert. I have zero confidence in Gilbert at this point, and I think he shoulders quite a bit of blame for an offense that finished 11th worst in the nation in points scored last year. This season, Gilbert gets a full year of RB Sean Tucker and some offensive line help, but the flaws here are awfully deep.
On the other side of the ball, DC Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense showed progress toward the end of last season, but 60% of his secondary just departed for the NFL. Apart from last year’s breakout star in CB Garrett Williams, there’s new faces littered across a defensive backfield playing behind a front six that gave up 209 rushing yards per game last year. That’s a calamitous recipe if White can’t find a way to use guys like DT Josh Black and LB Mikel Jones effectively to protect his inexperienced secondary.
Syracuse has the talent to win more than two games. However, that talent is stuck in systems that can’t utilize ability to its full potential, and that’s why I can only see SU beating Ohio and UAlbany this season before dropping nine straight to end the year.
Our comprehensive 2021 Syracuse football preview - The Juice Online (the juice; Staff)
We’re less than two weeks away from the start of the Syracuse football season, and while summer’s ending, there’s still plenty to be excited about as fall approaches. With that in mind, here is our annual comprehensive Syracuse football preview.
It all begins with our position-by-position breakdown of the offense:
- Quarterbacks: Who will be under center when the season starts?
- Running Backs: Could this be the deepest unit on the team?
- Wide Receivers: Who will step up to fill the No. 2 receiver role?
- Offensive Line: Can they improve over a woeful 2020?
- Defensive Line: The three starters have a combined 12 years of experience.
- Linebackers: Mikel Jones headlines this talented, but relatively shallow, group
- Secondary: How will SU fare after losing three players to the NFL?
- Special Teams: Can James Williams carry on the tradition of great Syracuse punters?
- Ohio Bobcats
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Liberty Flames
- Florida State Seminoles
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Clemson Tigers
- Virginia Tech Hokies
- Boston College Eagles
- Louisville Cardinals
- NC State Wolfpack
- Pittsburgh Panthers
Editor in chief Brad Bierman weighs in, and thinks not only will Syracuse improve, but they’ll get back to six wins and a bowl game. Check out both Part I and Part II of his game-by-game predictions to see why he thinks so.
But don’t just take his word for it. We’ve asked some other experts in the media, and former players on our weekly podcast, The Juice on the Cuse about their thoughts on this year’s Orange team as well:
- Former Syracuse stars Brendan Carney and Dowayne Davis agree with Brad, and are predicting a bowl game appearance in 2021
- Speaking of Orange greats, ex-quarterback Eric Dungey says that any offense with a weapon like Taj Harris will be dangerous
- ESPN’s Andrea Adelson stresses the importance of Syracuse getting to the 6-win mark, while also breaking down the latest round of conference realignment
- Syracuse.com | The Post Standard’s Chris Carlson says that SU is definitely in for an improvement, and will end up with around 4-5 wins, enough to save Dino Babers job for the time being
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Mehki Wall Schedules Syracuse Official Visit (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2022 Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley wide receiver Mehki Wall will taken an official visit to Syracuse the weekend of the home opener against Rutgers, he tells AllSyracuse.com. Wall is listed at 5-10, 165 pounds, also holds offers from Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Liberty, Louisville, NC State, North Carolina, Rutgers, Wake Forest and West Virginia, among others. The Orange offered back in February, and Wall says he has developed a strong relationship with wide receivers coach Terrence Samuel ever since.
"It's been great," Wall said of the relationship. "He's been upfront and honest about his expectations."
Wall is a playmaking receiver who can play in the slot or outside. He is also a skilled return man. He believes all of those attributes would allow him to be successful within the Syracuse offense.
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Listen to Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball on TuneIn (tunein.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Dino Babers noted that Tommy DeVito has the edge in the QB derby, but wants to see Garrett Shrader used in game action. Is the schedule going to impede the ability to see the QB battle play out? Also, the ACC formally announced its alliance with the Big Ten and PAC-12. How will the merger impact Syracuse? Also, we continue to count down SU's most important defensive backs. Today, the guys unveil #4 and #3 on their list: Ja'Had Carter and Jason Simmons. Tyler Aki and Tim Leonard discuss it...
8/25 - Syracuse football looks to turn page to Game Week (infornny.com; video)
SU fans can get their first look at the Orange on Friday at FanFest inside the Dome at 6:30 p.m.
This is the tenth simulation of the 2021 Syracuse Football Simulation hosted by Orange Fizz. 'Cuse opened the season with an impressive 29-0 win on the road at Ohio. Dino Babers and Company dropped the Dome Opener to Rutgers 57-40 in a shootout. SU responded with a 30-7 win over in-state foe UAlbany. The monentum gained from that victory was halted just one week later when Syracuse fell to Liberty 34-28. The loss to the Flames marked the end of non-conference play and unfortunately things didn't get off to a good start in ACC play. Syracuse was stagnant in a 23-13 loss against Florida State. Perhaps another quarterback change can jumpstart the offense? Well it did but not how you would've expected it to play out against Wake Forest. Tommy DeVito replaced Garrett Shrader in the fourth quarter after the MSU transfer was knocked out of the game with a concussion. DeVito proceeded to lead three touchdown drives including the game winning series with a minute to go. TD13 led SU to its first ACC win with a 36-32 triumph. Unfortunately the momentum stopped and ended with the win over Wake. Clemson came to the Dome and thrashed the 'Cuse 44-13. SU wasn't very competitive against the Tigers but they're the class of the ACC. Virginia Tech was thought to have been a more winnable game for Syracuse but that was in fact not the case, VT actually beat the Orange worse than Clemson in a 51-20 decision. So two consecutive conference losses for SU, can the slump end with Boston College? The answer was no as the Eagles embarrassed the Orange on the Ernie Davis Legends Field. SU is now 3-6 and needs to win out to make a bowl game. Can Dino Babers and Company stay alive? Let's find out if 'Cuse can get the win.
Syracuse Football: Waxing poetic as we do the Hokie Pokey in Blacksburg (itlh; Fiello)
Our football guru is dancing to his own beat in previewing Syracuse football at Virginia Tech.
It’s week eight so you put your Syracuse football in,
you take your Orange football out
You play the Virginia Tech Hokies and you turn your program around
That’s what it’s all about
You put the Orange offense in, you put the Orange defense out
You pass the ball to Harris or handoff to Tucker and they turn it into a touchdown
That’s what it’s all about
You put the Orange defense in, you pull the Orange offense out
You pressure Hokies quarterback Burmeister, you pressure in the air and on the ground
And that’s what it’s all about
You blitz with McKinley Williams in, you blitz with Rob Hanna out
You shut down their offense and escape Blacksburg with a win
And that’s what it’s all about
You put October 23rd in your calendar, you order Pavone’s Pizza for take out
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ACC expert picks 2021: Most overrated and underrated teams, projected order of finish, bold predictions (cbssports.com; Patterson)
Putting together expert picks and preseason predictions for the ACC starts as a fairly easy exercise. Write Clemson in as the pick to win the Atlantic in pen, not pencil. Then, unless you are feeling really frisky about one particular team from the Coastal -- a division that produced seven different winners in seven years between 2013-20 -- repeat the process with the Tigers as the pick to win the conference.
Clemson winning in Charlotte has become a staple of ACC football, and as we preview the 2021 season, Dabo Swinney and the Tigers are yet again the pick to win what would be the program's seventh-straight conference championship. It's hard to doubt this team even in the wake of the departures of Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, considering what we've seen from D.J. Uiagalelei already and what we expect from a defense that returns significant talent and experience at all three levels.
After Clemson, there's little that you can feel certain about in the ACC. There's plenty of excitement for Coastal favorites North Carolina and Miami, but while each is led by a quarterback who has proven to be a difference-maker, both teams have questions to answer. The spots below Clemson in the Atlantic are undetermined as well with as many as four or five teams battling it out for conference wins that will likely determine postseason futures. And it should be noted that North Carolina and Miami are not to Clemson-level status with their position atop the Coastal as teams like Virginia Tech and Pitt are capable of handling themselves and sending the division into chaos.
So while picking the champion is easy -- and in 2021, unanimous -- the rest is up for debate. Our CBS Sports college football experts have provided their picks and predictions for the ACC ahead of the 2021 season below.
Most Overrated Team
North Carolina: My main concern with North Carolina is how overmatched it looked in games against Notre Dame and Texas A&M last season. The Tar Heels defense was overwhelmed in the trenches. While I think the defense is getting bigger and stronger, I'm not sure it's closed the gap enough to warrant the top 10 spot the Heels currently hold. I can see this team being just as good as last season yet still losing 3-4 games in the process. -- Tom Fornelli (also Barrett Sallee, David Cobb, Jerry Palm)
Miami: The two-team preseason race out of the ACC Coastal has featured the Hurricanes and Heels, but I'm not buying MIami as the real challenger to Clemson in the conference. For the record, I'm a big D'Eriq King fan, and he has some weapons around him. But the schedule has some tough spots even though the Canes don't get Clemson in the regular season. Opening up against Alabama will give us a real look at whether Miami is even a borderline playoff-caliber team. The follow-up against Appalachian State isn't a gimme, either. The midseason back-to-back at North Carolina and then against NC State is difficult, too. Make no mistake, Miami will be good, but the path out of the Coastal is typically chaotic. -- Ben Kercheval (also Chip Patterson)
Florida State: Everyone wants FSU to be good again. I'm among them in the college-football-is-better-with-(traditional power)-on-top crowd. I know the offensive line is better, and I'm hoping McKenzie Milton finishes off the best comeback story ever. But there's just too many question marks. I'm still not convinced Mike Norvell can pull this off. He's a good coach, but it's possible FSU is sinking to Nebraska levels where the brand is now damaged. Oh, and for FSU to make progress this season, it will have to beat some combination of Notre Dame, North Carolina, Clemson, Miami and Florida. This has 5-7 written all over it. -- Dennis Dodd
Most underrated team
Boston College: BC has been more consistently good in recent years than any team in the ACC except for the juggernaut that is Clemson. The Eagles have qualified for bowl games seven of the last eight seasons, although they opted out of participating last year. With 20 starters returning and a favorable schedule, Boston College has a chance to be better than simply good. Nine or even 10 wins would not be a surprise. -- Palm (also Dodd, Kercheval)NC State: It's the same every season. Nobody expects much of anything from NC State, but at the end of the season, there's the Wolfpack, comfortably settled in as the second-best team in the Atlantic. Dave Doeren's program has done an excellent job of capitalizing on the recent struggles of Florida State and Louisville, and I can once again see the 'Pack flirting with the top 25 all season long. -- Fornelli
Pittsburgh: The Panthers have become a model of Power Five stability that often gets overlooked in preseason projections. Pat Narduzzi is entering his seventh year at the helm, and in the six seasons under his guidance, Pitt has never had a losing record and carries a 29-20 record against ACC opponents with a Coastal title in 2018. The 2021 Panthers are a consistent ground game away from having one of the better offenses in the ACC with Kenny Pickett and a talented wide receiver room already in place and proven. That with the usual Narduzzi defense makes the Panthers a threat to anyone (yes, anyone) in the conference on any given Saturday. -- Patterson
ACC football: Predicting 10 future stars (247sports.com; Gates)
One of the only things that rivals college football itself for fans is the process of recruiting in college football. Nothing gets the juices flowing in the offseason like speculation about how good a school’s incoming players can be once they get into the program and adapt to the new system that they are now a part of. But there is a bit of a wait period before that all comes true.
In football, more than any other sport, recruits need time — often an entire season of redshirting — before they are at the proper physical stature to compete at a high level. So while the excitement is tough to contain on signing day, the wait often pays off in the long run. This is the case for a lot of young college football players in the ACC right now.
With teams like Clemson, North Carolina and others being contenders on the national level, top recruits continue to be funneled into the ACC. Even at some of the smaller schools in the league, there are some exciting players that you might not know of right now, but will likely be familiar with later on down the road.
So, who are some of those players to be in on early? Here is a shot at predicting 10 players that will be future stars in the ACC.
AARON MCLAUGHLIN, QB, NC STATE
NC State has had some strong success recently at the quarterback position and McLaughlin can be expected to be the next one in line to have that success. As a senior last season, McLaughlin threw for 1,505 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also running for 652 yards and six scores on the ground. The four-star quarterback held offers from Alabama, Florida, Michigan and many others, but ended up choosing the Wolfpack. If he sits and learns well in the quarterback room this year, McLaughlin can develop into a strong quarterback for the future.JOSH MCCARRON, DE, VIRGINIA
...States Pick 2021 Nat'l Champ (RX; HM)
States Pick 2021 Nat'l Champ
America predicting a repeat college football champ
College football kicks off on Saturday, but most of America isn’t expecting much in the way of parity this season.BetOnline.ag, a sports betting website, geo-tracked more than 250,000 keyword associations on Twitter over the last two weeks related to the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship. Associations included keywords such as "2022 national championship" and "2022 CFP champ.”
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Links, news, and rumors - 2021 Aug 27th (RX; HM)
Links, news, and rumors - 2021 Aug 27th
ACC is considering leaving Greensboro and its headquarters of 68 yearsby Luke DeCock, News & Observer
The ACC will explore moving its headquarters from Greensboro as part of a comprehensive review of league operations, according to a letter from new ACC commissioner Jim Phillips to the 15 member schools and the city of Greensboro.
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Insights from 2019-20 EADA Numbers (RX; HM)
Insights from 2019-20 EADA Numbers
This post is based on old data - it's EADA revenue and expenses reported for the 2019-20 fiscal year, public schools only - but I'm looking at it again to get some insight into changes that need to be made this year. First, let's look at income...Total Revenue
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https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/...-cote/article253755713.html(miamihearald.com; Cote)
How to summarize the shifting of tectonic plates in the Power 5 college conferences? Here it is in a nutshell (and I use the word with care because this whole thing seems a little nutty):
▪ The Southeastern Conference , already reigning and preening on account of the Alabama dynasty, gets appreciably stronger, more prestigious and richer by poaching traditional powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 effective in 2025 at latest.
▪ The suckerpunched Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten and Pac-12, scrambling in the wake of the SEC’s audacious power grab, meet and quickly form an “alliance” as everybody else scrambles to figure out exactly what that will mean.
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Boston College Football: Who I Am Most Excited to Watch in 2021 (bcinterruption.com; Bagz)
Who I am most excited to watch as BC football returns to the field in 2021? Well that would be Redshirt-Senior Brandon Sebastian.
There are an awful lot of expectations surrounding this BC football team. When you say the phrase most excited or most anticipated in reference to BC football players for the upcoming season there are quite a few that probably come to mind. Phil Jurkovec, Zay Flowers, maybe even Travis Levy, but Brandon Sebastian is a name BC fans should know if they don’t already.
On a defense that has some question marks surrounding it entering 2021, Sebastian is one of the unit’s dependable assets. Sebastian has gradually built a name for himself on the Heights, after being a highly rated recruit out of Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. Sebastian definitely was put through the crucible early in his BC career, the pass-happy ACC will do that, but he has established himself more and more with each passing season. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, Sebastian has led the team in pass break-ups with 9 in 2019 and 10 in 2020. His 10 pass break-ups were tied for 11th in the nation according to ESPN. Not just good against the pass, Sebastian has been an effective tackler in open space, averaging 42 tackles per season including 32.3 solo tackles over his BC career. In 2020, Brandon faced down some of the ACC’s top wideouts including UNC’s Dyami Brown who was a All-ACC First Team wideout and NFL draftee. Even if BC fans don’t know Brandon Sebastian for his stats they should know him as BC’s defensive human highlight reel.
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ACC Preview: Clemson came from nowhere a decade ago ... and isn't going anywhere | FOX Sports (foxsports.com; Young)
Editor's Note: The story of the 2021 college football season, like several of the seasons before it, is David vs. Goliath. In each of the Power 5 conferences, there is a very familiar prohibitive favorite and defending champion. As he previews the five conferences this week, RJ Young breaks down the behemoth in each league and identifies the potential Davids who could shake up the College Football Playoff race this fall. RJ has covered the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. Now, he previews the ACC.
Florida State fondly remembers what it was like to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that FSU won the first one ever in 2005.
In 2013, the Seminoles lifted the national championship trophy amid a run of three consecutive ACC title wins.
They were used to facing the likes of Virginia Tech, representing the Coastal Division. Then, for a few years, Boston College usurped FSU as the Atlantic Division champ.
It wasn’t until 2009 that Florida State, let alone the conference at large, had to actually pay attention to lil, ol’ Clemson.
When the Tigers finally won the ACC title for the first time in 20 years in 2011, most folks thought they were due. Heck, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
FSU restored order — as far as college football fans were concerned — for the next three seasons. Then Clemson showed up again. And the Tigers won the whole thing again. And then Clemson won another one. And another one. And [DJ KHALED!] anotha one.
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Other
The Irish flag at the upside-down traffic light on Syracuse's Tipperary Hill was lowered to half-staff on Thursday in honor of Peter Coleman. Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com
Telling stories by and about the late Peter Coleman: Some of them may be true! (PS; Cazentre)
Peter Coleman, the long-time publican, or proprietor, of Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub on Tipperary Hill, told many tales over the course of his life. Often, the tales coming off of this West End apologist’s tongue grew taller with each telling.
“Like any good Irishman,” said former Onondaga County Court Judge Bill Walsh, whose stories of Coleman and his bar date back many decades. “He had lots of stories.”
Coleman, 84, died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer. See information on services and other details.
He grew up on Tipp Hill and attended St. Patrick’s School. In 1955, when he was 18, he took over the corner bar that his father, Peter A. Coleman, had opened in 1933. Through the years, he tripled its size and made it the centerpiece of life and culture on Tipperary Hill. He also dedicated his life to improving the neighborhood.
But he always told stories, and became the subject of many.
“Oh boy, could he tell stories,” said Marty Masterpole, Onondaga County’s comptroller who lives a few blocks away from the Coleman family on Tipp Hill. “This has been a tough day for everybody. Wherever you go, whatever you’re doing, it’s all coming back to Peter Coleman. This one hurts. But everybody has a story.”
Yes, they do. Here are a few.
Youthful indiscretion
John Francis McCarthy, a noted photographer and authority on local Irish history, recalls hearing a story about Coleman’s time at St. Patrick’s while they were standing at the famed upside-down traffic light on Tipp Hill.“Sundays, after the Children’s Mass at St. Patrick’s, senior boys would recap their weekend to the delight of their Jrs.” McCarthy recalled. “A group had booked a room at a motel on Thompson Road. During their stay, several of them including Pete, decided to ‘cannonball’ into the pool naked from the second-floor balconies. They never realized the motels’ first-floor restaurant’s windows looked out on the pool! Later, Pete did a swan dive into the narrow end of the pool and ended his day with several stitches. I remember the story like it was yesterday.”
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