sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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In Canada, over 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were forced to attend residential schools from the 1880s to 1990s. Shortly following the country's founding in 1867, there was an effort to create a Canadian national identity. This meant that the indigenous population would have to assimilate, to the point that their culture would be eradicated. A report released in 1879 said that the only way assimilation could be accomplished would be by taking children from their parents and putting them in residential schools. The report recommended that the government work with Christian churches to open the schools. The Canadian government started funding them in 1883, with the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church being the main organizations running them. The schools did away with indigenous language and culture and replaced them with English and Christianity.
There was resistance from the indigenous population, so, in 1894, the Canadian government made attendance compulsory, and gave the Royal Canadian Mounted Police the authority to take children from reservations and bring them to schools. The schools were underfunded and were rampant with diseases, forced labor, and sexual abuse. Students who spoke in their native language were beaten. When students died, their parents often weren't told about it, and the children were buried in unmarked graves. The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report estimated that 6,000 children died while attending the schools.
SU News
Aerial photo of Archbold Stadium in the late 1930s. Archbold Gymnasium, which was completed in 1908 and was connected to the stadium by a tunnel, is directly behind the endzone with the scoreboard. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association
In 1907, Syracuse University opens Archbold Stadium, called then the ‘greatest athletic arena in America’ (PS; Searing)
On September 25, 1907, the Syracuse Orange varsity football team took the field to play rival Hobart, drubbing them by a score of 28-0.
That beautiful autumn day in Central New York marked the official opening of Archbold Stadium, the new 30,000 seat concrete stadium, called the “greatest athletic arena in America,” by some in the national press. It covered over six acres, contained over 20,000 cubic yards of concrete, cost approximately $400,000 (nearly $12 million in 2020) and took just over a year to build.
Archbold displaced Harvard Stadium as the nation’s largest concrete stadium and was a true testament to the growing popularity and success Syracuse University, and of collegiate sports and their place in the Syracuse community. The vaunted arched entry way became an iconic part of the university’s landscape for the next seven decades.
John D. Archbold in the stadium that bore his name, circa 1908. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association
This magnificent new structure, the first complete concrete oval sports stadium in America, was John D. Archbold’s latest gift to Syracuse University.
As the Vice-President and one of the original nine trustees of Standard Oil, Archbold ranked amongst the wealthiest men in the nation, having worked side by side with John D. Rockefeller since 1872.
A life-long Methodist (Syracuse University was founded by Methodists in 1870), Archbold had served on the Syracuse University Board of Trustees since 1886, becoming its President in 1892. Around this time, the he became acquainted with Rev. James Roscoe Day when Day became the pastor at Archbold’s home church, Calvary Methodist, in New York City in the late 1880s.
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Tucker is a man of few words, but his mission and his tweets say it all (PS; $; Mink)
Sean Tucker has a mission.
It’s why he talks as if he’s paying by the word when swarmed by cameras after practice on a Tuesday morning before running to history class.
It’s why he rarely shows emotion after scoring a touchdown or ripping off a long run through the first month of a season that hasn’t been seen around these parts in nearly 20 years.
The mission has never been to bring back Syracuse’s most famous number, even though he said he’d wear it.
It was never to reach a milestone, even though he’s already more than halfway to 1,000 yards after four games, or to break any records, even though he’s on pace to blast by Joe Morris’ single-season mark of 1,372 in 1979.
The mission, at this stage, is getting drafted into the NFL, something no Syracuse running back has done in a decade.
Doubt he can get there?
Tucker has completed two prior missions since he started playing football at 6 years old.
He wanted to be recruited to play at a private high school, proving his worth as one of the top prep players in the greater Baltimore area.
Then he wanted to be recruited to play at a Division I program, reaching the highest level of college football.
His goals are meticulously set with his father, Steve, who has coached him in youth football, trained him in the offseason and been in lockstep throughout his life while working as a network engineer.
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Barron's World (SI; Milliner)
The conversion from wide receiver to defensive back has paid off, Justin Barron said. The 6’4, 215lb, defensive back is known as the Rover in the Orange’s 3-3-5 defense. With the frame of a linebacker and stride of a gazelle, Barron’s transition to the secondary has been an eyeful.
“Being able to see stuff before it happens,” Barron said. “Whether that being screen passes, combinations, just being able to recognize splits and formations is very helpful.”
Barron, once playing wide receiver, translates well to the Orange secondary. The switch made Barron nervous at first because the difference at safety in high school is completely different from safety in college. Barron credits his teammates for welcoming him to the secondary and spring ball for getting him comfortable at the position.
Coming from an athletic family, Barron’s parents made an impact on his athletic career. His mother, Sara, played soccer at Hartwick College and his father, Jason, played football at UConn. His parents till this day are still open to him playing sports or not playing sports, Barron said. The unwavering support from his parents is what makes playing the sport of football easier.
“The genes from my parents are very helpful,” Barron said. “But just being able to talk to them about sports is good too.”
With the Orange playing Florida State this weekend, Barron’s role increases drastically in helping the Orange get a win. Although Florida State’s record is 0-4, Barron warns the Orange community that the Seminoles team is better than their record says.
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Andre Fernandez "On The Block" 9-29 (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Andre Fernandez, FSU beat writer for the Tallahassee Democrat, joins Brent to preview the Seminoles ahead of Saturday’s big game with SU looking to eclipse their predicted season win total.
Exit 31 09-29-21 (ESPN; radio; Rain & Spencer)
On today’s Exit 31, Rain and Spencer talk to Mario Sacco and Alex Sims from NewsChannel 9, Mark Larson from Spectrum Sports and Jacob Payne, plus more!
On The Block On Demand 9-29 (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Brent tells you about a big problem that Florida State has dealt with to start the season that Orange fans know all too well. Later, he explains why Syracuse needs to play aggressively in order to avoid a letdown.Sean Tucker, Syracuse aim to rush past winless Florida State (sportsnaut.com)
Only 18 yards separate Syracuse running back Sean Tucker from being the most prolific rusher in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Next up for Tucker and the rest of the Orange is a visit to Tallahassee, Fla. Tucker and Syracuse hope of another big day on Saturday against winless Florida State, which is off to its worst start since 1974.
The Orange (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are seeking their third straight win after posting victories over Albany and Liberty.
Tucker enters this week with 536 rushing yards, which is second in the FBS behind Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III. Tucker is averaging 6.5 yards per carry, numbers that are prolific enough for former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III to include Tucker in the Top 5 of his Heisman Watch.
In Friday’s 24-21 win over Liberty, Tucker rushed for 169 yards on 32 attempts against an opponent who entered 10th nationally in rushing yards per game allowed. Syracuse survived blowing a 14-point lead when Andre Szmyt kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired.
Florida State (0-4, 0-2) have committed 11 turnovers and dropped three games by eight points or less.
On Saturday, Florida State gave up the game’s first 17 points, trailed by 24 late in the first half and took a 31-23 home loss to Louisville. Quarterback McKenzie Milton completed 24 of 39 passes for 248 yards while Jashaun Corbin had a 75-yard touchdown run and Treshaun Ward contributed a 20-yard scoring run.
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The Jeff Cameron Show talks FSU Football | FSU-Syracuse | Ryder Cup | Richard Sherman
FSU football: 3 huge keys to Noles defeating Syracuse (chopchat.com; Hunt)
FSU football heads into week five 0-4, looking for their first win against the Syracuse Orange. The Noles enter the contest as -4.5 betting favorites, which will surprise casual fans since Syracuse is 3-1.
However, once you look at the respective schedules of both teams, it makes more sense. The Orange have played(and lost) to the lone Power Five team on their schedule (Rutgers) while dominating a host of lower-level programs.
Yes, I know FSU lost to Jacksonville State, but that’s on the coaches. I’d easily guarantee a win if they lined up to play again tomorrow. Anyways, that’s the crux of the storyline going into the game.
Just how good is Syracuse after beating up on non-Power Five programs compared to FSU, who could easily be 3-1 instead of 0-4?
Syracuse avenged a loss from last year by defeating Liberty last week. The Noles blasted the Orange the last time the two teams met in 2019. It’s a favorable matchup for the Noles when it comes to strengths and weaknesses.
It’s likely why the Noles are the betting favorites, along with it being a road game for the Orange. Here are three key things the Noles must do to secure victory for the first time Saturday afternoon.
Avoiding Negative Plays
One of the stats heavily skewed by the level of competition is the number of tackles for loss and sacks by the Syracuse Orange.They have 39 tackles for loss and 18 sacks. The bulk of that production came in two games(27 tackles for loss), including 13 tackles for loss against Rutgers. However, when you look at Rutgers, they allowed seven tackles for loss against Temple and five against the Delaware Blue Hens.
I think the truth about Syracuse’s defense lies somewhere in the middle. They do play an aggressive 3-3-5 attacking style predicated on stopping the run at all cost. They do a good job of getting after the quarterback, and the health of FSU’s offensive line could be a factor.
The FSU offense has gotten better with avoiding negative plays with McKenzie Milton at quarterback.
They only allowed five tackles for loss against Louisville, and two of those were McKenzie Milton falling out of nowhere behind the line of scrimmage.
This key is important for FSU’s offense no matter who the opponent is since they are not good enough to overcome getting behind the chains.
Effective Pass To Set Up The Run
I know FSU football fans want the coaches to get the ball to Jashaun Corbin and Treshaun Ward in the running game.However, teams have been loading the box, trying to make the Noles beat them through the air. It’s why we saw the Noles open up with three consecutive pass plays against Louisville last week. Syracuse will likely use the same concept since their main goal is to eliminate the run first and foremost.
Rutgers had some success with screens in the flats, and mesh routes should be effective with their linebackers coming downhill hard. However, FSU has to execute these plays instead of hoping Jashaun Corbin can continue breaking 75-yard runs against loaded boxes.
McKenzie Milton is the most capable QB to execute these types of short to intermediate throws.
They had several plays available last week, and receivers dropped passes, or Milton was off the mark. Teams complete 73 percent of their passes against the Orange with five touchdowns and one interception.
If the Noles can find some success through the air early that should open the running back up and make them less predictable on a down-to-down basis.
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FSU football practice report: Jordan Travis, Lawrance Toafili progressing from injuries (tallahassee.com; Fernandez)
Florida State’s football team may have multiple key players available Saturday when it takes on Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium, searching for its first victory of the season.
Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said quarterback Jordan Travis is progressing from an injury that kept him out against Louisville last week.
Travis saw a lot of first team reps in practice on Wednesday and appeared to be moving well and made some solid throws on short and deep routes.
Travis is listed as a co-backup on this week’s depth chart along with Chubba Purdy.
McKenzie Milton has started the past three games, but last week he took all 75 offensive snaps marking the first time this season the Seminoles used only one quarterback with Travis unavailable.
“He's been working his tail off and trying to get back out on the field,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said of Travis. “He really stepped up and was pleased to see that. You want him to take what he's hearing in the meeting rooms and be able to translate that to the field. Yesterday, he was extremely limited in what we did. Today he really pushed it and it was great to see him do that. So we'll see how he responds.”
Other injury updates
Redshirt freshman running back Lawrance Toafili also had a strong practice as he tries to work his way back from injury after sitting out against Louisville.Toafili, who accumulated 476 all-purpose yards last season, hasn’t been able to replicate the same effectiveness so far this season. Toafili has been limited to 58 yards rushing on 18 carries and three catches for 25 yards with no touchdowns.
“He's an explosive player. He has not had some of those explosive plays that we've been used to from a year ago, but I feel like it's coming,” Norvell said. “I really liked what I've seen. We had a couple of great runs (from him) today.”
The Seminoles are also hoping to have center Maurice Smith as well as defensive tackle Fabien Lovett available this coming week. Smith has not played since FSU’s opener. Lovett sat out last week against Louisville.
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Syracuse Football Travels to Florida State to Open ACC Play in Tallahassee (bcsnn.com)
Syracuse hits the road to open ACC play for the first of eight-straight league games to close the year. Here's five things to know about the Orange as the team heads to Tallahassee.
1. Tucker Watch
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker is turning heads this season, ranked in the top-five nationally of seven different statistical categories in the NCAA.
Only one back in program history has more rushing yards through the first-four games of a season than Tucker's 536. Walter Reyes had 631 through the first four games of the 2003 campaign. He finished the season with 1,347, which is second to Joe Morris' record of 1,372 in a single season.
Tucker has been so productive in his young career, that in just 13 collegiate games, he enters Saturday's game at Florida State ranked 40th in career rushing yards in program history (1,162).
2. Roscoe Dash for the Sack
Despite the Orange defense not recording a sack in the season opener, the Orange defense has found itself atop the ACC and tied for second nationally with 4.5 sacks per game.
The effort has been led by ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week Cody Roscoe, who has 5.5 sacks on the year and five in the last two games alone. Roscoe, who transferred in from McNeese State prior to the 2020 season, has come on of late. He also ranks third nationally with eight tackles for loss.
3. Hot Start
A win Saturday would move 'Cuse to 4-1 and tie for the best start the Orange have posted under head coach Dino Babers. The Orange were also 4-1 in 2018, when the team finished 10-3 and won the Camping World Bowl.
In the last 25 years (1996-2021), Syracuse has started 4-1 or better on three other occasions. 2018 under Babers, 2010 and 1999.
4. Homecoming
Syracuse has heavily recruited Florida under head coach Dino Babers. With 11 players on the Orange roster from Florida, more players hail from the Sunshine State than any other state on the 'Cuse roster (Pennsylvania – 10; New York – 9; New Jersey - 9) are next.
Syracuse players Adrian Cole, Oronde Gadsden, Rob Hanna, Sharod Johnson, Mikel Jones, Isaiah Jones, Latarie Kinsler, Neil Nunn, Anthony Queeley, Ja'Vontae Williams and McKinley Williams will all head to their home state for the game this weekend.
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Syracuse Football: Here’s why Sean Tucker is a legit Heisman contender (itlh; Fiello)
The ongoing debate surrounding Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker lately had been centered on whether he should wear the iconic Orange number 44 (yes he should).
But recently it seems Sean Tucker isn’t just a name to watch in regards to restoring that tradition, but also maybe according to Robert Griffin III, he is worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration as well.
The above tweet from the former Heisman winner himself in 2011 at least indicates that he’s on peoples’ radar now. Oftentimes, the best way to even be considered is if someone like RGIII notices you and shares his opinions with others. His vote and his voice carry some weight when it’s time to discuss the candidates for the prestigious award.
It also doesn’t hurt that Sean Tucker leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in total rushing yards, and he is second in the country with 536 rushing yards on 83 attempts and averaging over 6 yards per carry. He’s already got 7 rushing touchdowns compared to the 4 he had all season last year, plus over 100 yards receiving and a TD that way as well.
Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker is having a fabulous 2021 season to date.
I think the improvements on the offensive line play a role in that as well but Tucker deserves a lot of the credit. Tucker reminds me very much of Syracuse football legend Joe Morris in that there are times when you see him run and think he’s about to be tackled, only for him to kick it into a higher gear and go off for a good run and possibly a touchdown.
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Drew Carter Returns to Newhouse to Give Advice to Students (SI; McAllister)
Just hours shy of announcing the Syracuse Orange vs Liberty football game Friday night, SU alum and ESPN Sports Broadcaster Drew Carter returned to Newhouse for some words of wisdom. Carter gave a room full of students exclusive insight on how he reached success so quickly, in such a competitive industry and credits the ACC Network (ACCN) for providing a strong foundation for television.
“I grew more as a person than I did as a broadcaster in my first 2 years out of school and I think you’ll all probably find that as well,” Carter said.
After graduating from SU, Carter accepted a position as a Sports Reporter for CBS 42 in Birmingham, Al. Carter covered college football for CBS 42 and warned students when you enter the professional industry, the stakes are higher and there is more pressure to produce quality programming for the audience you are serving.
“It is hard when you are going right out of school into a market like that and a lot of people are watching,” Carter said. “For us, we were the CBS affiliate in Birmingham, Al...We had a lot of eyeballs, so that took a while to get used to, but I would say it was worth it.”
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Syracuse Football: 44 reasons why the Orange can win the ACC (itlh; Fiello)
When your friend presents an idea about Syracuse football, you initially laugh at it only to realize that it might be fun to do, challenges you, and you like his idea so much that you attempt it:
After a long Twitter exchange with my friend Jeff and my brother from another mother and site bro Neil Adler, I put together a list and sure enough, I could easily find 44 reasons why I think Syracuse football could win the ACC championship.
I know many lost faith after the Rutgers loss but not me. I preached patience and said an 8-9 win season was still possible and I see no reason to back down now. I said let’s see what the next couple of games gave us and Syracuse football won them. So while I am not saying run to WynnBet and wage all of your paycheck, I am simply saying from what I have seen so far this season, I think it’s possible and I believe in the Orange!
Here are 44 reasons why Syracuse football can win the ACC in 2021.
- #WhyNotCuse
- Sean Tucker deserves number 44, is a possible Heisman contender and a potential future first-round draft pick
- Mikel Jones: Leader of the ‘Cuse defense
- The Loud House
- Taj Harris
- Coach Dino Babers
- 3-3-5 defense is working out really well
- Dome Dogs
- Andre Szmyt
- Garrett Shrader/Tommy DeVito
- Cody Roscoe – Riveting quarterback hunter
- Blue Tusk is closed and we’re sad about it
- Return of the Rhino
- Garrett Williams
- Penalties can be minimized
- Duce Chestnut is young but full of potential
- Kingsley Jonathan
- Clemson is struggling
- FSU is struggling
- Syracuse residents love Charlotte and enough live in the area to fill the stadium
Boston College Football Banter: ACC Thoughts (bcinterruption.com; Staff)
Arthur: Well that game was freaking awesome! How are we all feeling?
Grant: YEAHHHHHHH. When was the last time we had a game that fun? It’s been a while!
Arthur: I don’t know if it was USC level just because it wasn’t as big an upset, (to wit, it wasn’t even an upset at all) but perhaps the Friday night Miami game we had a few years ago.
Curtis: I’ve only been watching BC football for about 6 years now, and I have to say I think that was the most exciting BC game I can remember. The Miami game in 2018(?) was fun, the drubbing we gave FSU in 2017 was a blast, and the College Gameday game against Clemson was a great atmosphere even if the game was just ok. But this one tops it all in my opinion.
Will: I think Hafley said it best. We finally finished late and came through in the clutch. If we can keep doing that, I think there’s still a lot of opportunity out there. Grosel will still be the key, in terms of whether he can keep us in games. For sure Clemson is beatable this year even if it will still take a Herculean effort
Arthur: I mean, maybe it will? I don’t think we are giving BC enough credit and perhaps too much credit to Clemson. That offense hasn’t moved well at all this year. The defense has been stingy, and Garwo isn’t going to be able to run over the Clemson defense the way he did against Mizzou, but Clemson is about average-to-above average on its run defense, and BC has shown ability to compete. Not exactly an insurmountable mountain to climb.
Laura: How do you all feel heading into conference play compared to years past?
Arthur: I feel great. The team looks solid and the conference is trash. We may have something here.
Will: The ACC is wide open. We could win our division or we could lose to not just Clemson but Louisville, Georgia Tech, and NC State. Anybody could beat anybody.
Grant: On the one hand, the ACC is trash, so we can win any game. On the other hand, the ACC is trash, so we must be trash, so we, as an ACC team, will probably lose. Science.
Curtis: BC could theoretically win by 10+ against any team in the conference right now. Will it happen every time? No. But this game against Clemson will tell us a lot about their ability to compete down the stretch.
Will: Well, the question I have is how do we compare to NC State?
Arthur: I don’t know enough about NC State. Is the Clemson win more indicative, or is the loss to Mississippi State the team that will come into Chestnut Hill. They’ve been hot and cold all year.
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Teams poised to win the ACC football championship with Clemson vulnerable and the conference up for grabs (cbssports.com; Patterson)
Only eight of the 56 regular-season ACC league games scheduled have been played, and already the preseason favorites in the Atlantic (Clemson) and Coastal (North Carolina) Divisions have combined for three losses. Suddenly the league that appeared to have a predetermined championship game with two top-10 teams is wide open, and there's more than a handful of schools that are thrilled for the opportunity to snap Clemson's streak of six-straight ACC championships.
It's important we note that Clemson remains the overwhelming betting favorite to win the ACC championship, even as they tumble in the rankings at 2-2 and have key injuries stacking up on both sides of the ball. Caesars still has Clemson listed with better than even odds (-160) to win the league heading into Week 5 with the next best picks on the board being NC State (+800), followed by Wake Forest and Virginia Tech (+1000).
With those implied odds, the is telling us there's a 61.5% chance Clemson still wins the ACC. Given the head-to-head loss to a good division foe and the quality of offensive football on the field, 61.5% seems too high; also these prices are set with the market in mind and whatever exposure exists from preseason wagers. The point remains, however, that despite how poorly things have gone for Clemson, it remains the team to beat.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article254627892.html (thestate.com; Bezjak)
The Clemson Tigers and most of the Atlantic Coast Conference are having a rough start to the football season. SEC Network pundit Paul Finebaum has noticed..
Finebaum, who works for ESPN and hosts a daily radio show on the SEC Network, suggested that Clemson’s run of success over the past decade under Dabo Swinney might be coming to an end.
“Dabo’s dynasty is done,” Finebaum said Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up” show. “I don’t like anything I see there. … They lost one coach (Jeff Scott) to South Florida and that was a big loss. This is a staff that has always been together but I think it has gotten stale. Yes, recruiting is still good, but will it be elite after what we got through watching? It just doesn’t look like Clemson is part of the cool kids anymore. I think they will pay for it in recruiting and play in a terrible league (ACC) and will pay for it even more.”
Clemson is off to a 2-2 start following the loss at North Carolina State on Saturday. The Tigers have fallen in the rankings, down to No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25. CBS Sports has the Tigers ranked No. 29 in their list of Top 130 teams in the country.
Former Clemson receiver Amari Rodgers, who is a rookie for the Green Bay Packers, fired back at Finebaum on Twitter.
“Bro been waiting to say this for 10 years,” Rodgers posted.
This wasn’t the first time Finebaum has been outspoken about Clemson’s program this week.
On ESPN Radio’s “Keyshawn JWill & Max” show, he said he thought Clemson might have peaked and their run over the past decade could be over. The Tigers have made it to the playoffs every year since 2015 and won two national championships in that span.
“You have to think it is over for this run,” Finebaum said.
The topic of the Tigers and the ACC came up again Wednesday afternoon on the “Paul Finebaum Show.” A caller made the case that the sport is better when the ACC has a “legitimate contender,” then asked Finebaum how many SEC teams he thought could win the ACC this year.
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Georgia and ACC school line up home-and-home football series into the 2030s (onlineathens.com; Weiszer)
Georgia has scheduled a home-and-home football series with an ACC school well into the next decade.
The Bulldogs will host N.C. State on Sept. 17, 2033 and play the Wolfpack in Raleigh on Sept. 16, 2034, according to a contract obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald Wednesday in an open records request.
The teams haven’t played since 1973 and Georgia has played the Wolfpack in Raleigh just once in a 13-0 win in 1935. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 6-1-1.
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks signed the contract on May 18 and N.C. State’s Boo Corrigan on April 27.
N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium has a capacity of 58,000. Each visiting school is allotted 4,000 tickets for the game.
Georgia is also scheduled to play in 2033 at Clemson in on Sept. 3.
The addition of N.C. State continues Georgia adding power nonconference five conference opponents to future schedules beyond the annual game with Georgia Tech.
Georgia has lined up games also with Oregon, UCLA, Florida State, Louisville, Ohio State as well as Oklahoma and Texas who are joining the SEC in 2025 at the latest.
New Approaches to Roster Building Creating ACC Parity (247sports.com; Barnes)
North Carolina’s pipeline for talent infusion has come through the high school ranks as the program is on track to land a third consecutive Top-15 recruiting class on National Signing Day. Mack Brown prefers the organic program-building approach that begins about the time kids start shaving and receive their learner’s permits.
While the Tar Heels have been busy battling Clemson and Miami for ACC recruiting supremacy in recent years, the NCAA’s decision to grant an additional year of eligibility for all football players due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its creation of the transfer portal, has been a boon for other Power 5 programs that lack the firepower to consistently compete on the recruiting trail.
No. 24 Wake Forest (4-0, 1-0 ACC) signed the nation’s No. 66 recruiting class last February before bringing in six transfers to complement nine super seniors to solidify this season’s roster. Coastal Division rival Pittsburgh (3-1) returned 13 super seniors in addition to adding four transfers this offseason, while Duke (3-1) - UNC’s opponent on Saturday – has 10 transfers, 16 players with at least 30 games of playing experience and 19 graduate students on its roster.
Talented experience is the ideal roster makeup, although until that goal is achieved, UNC is striving to match talent and experience as efficiently as possible to achieve better consistency on a weekly basis.
“Duke has more graduate transfers than I realized when I started looking at their roster,” Brown said on Wednesday. “So we've probably got to do a better job with graduate transfers. We need to grow up, and we need to grow up fast.”
The crux of the matter, especially on the defensive side of the ball, is that a youth movement is inevitable as the majority of UNC’s four- and five-star talents are underclassmen. However, throwing the young players into the fire before they are ready could be detrimental for both their confidence and for the scoreboard. That balancing act in the early stages of program-building can be the difference in how quickly a team finds its identity and excels on the field.
“We've come a long way in a short period of time, but we're not there yet,” Brown said. “And we’ve got to get more consistent in a year where we've played four good teams, they're tough teams, with a lot of our guys banged up. I told the coaches, ‘We weren't getting into the excuse mode; you've recruited well, get another guy ready to play.’ And that's just it. We've been playing some guys that are hobbled and we need to quit doing that. Play other guys. That's important.
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2021 Campbell Trophy Finalists (RX; HM)
2021 Campbell Trophy Finalists
From the official ACC release of Sept. 29, 2021...Nine From ACC Named Semifinalists for William V. Campbell Trophy
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - Nine student-athletes from the Atlantic Coast Conference have been named semifinalists for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy®, announced Wednesday by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF). Celebrating its 32nd year in 2021, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
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Another 8-Team CFP Scenario: 5+3 (RX; HM)
Another 8-Team CFP Scenario: 5+3
I ran a twitter poll where you, the readers, told me you wanted to see what the playoffs would've looked like with top 5 champs plus 3 at-large bids, so here you go......
Factoids - 2021 Week 5 (RX; HM)
Factoids - 2021 Week 5
From the ACC Football Weekly Release:ACC - THE CONFERENCE OF QUARTERBACKS
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Links, news, and rumors - 2021-09-30 (RX; HM)
Links, news, and rumors - 2021-09-30
From CBS Sports: College athletes at private schools are employees who can unionize, NLRB general counsel says...Which ACC schools are private, you ask? Here you go...
- Boston College
- Duke
- Miami
- Notre Dame
- Syracuse
- Wake Forest
Just one more 'earthquake' striking the college football system!
Other
Onondaga County is marketing its White Pine Commerce Park in Clay to semiconductor manufacturers. The 1,250-acre site is in a prime spot near high-capacity water, power and sewage lines needed for a chip plant. Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com
NY officials grow optimistic about luring semiconductor chip plant to Clay, lawmaker says (PS; $; Weiner)
Onondaga County believes it is close to striking a deal to land a semiconductor chip manufacturer that would invest billions of dollars to open a plant in Clay and employ 3,000 to 5,000 people, a state lawmaker said.
Negotiations with two chip manufacturers intensified over the past two weeks, and Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on a package of state incentives aimed at closing a deal with one of the companies, said Assemblyman Al Stirpe, who was briefed on the talks Tuesday.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie traveled to Onondaga County on Tuesday for a private briefing about the project from state and local government and business leaders, Stirpe said.
Heastie’s support is considered critical because he might have to act quickly to push through the incentive package in the state Assembly as early as January, said Stirpe, D-Cicero, who helped arrange the meeting.
The chip manufacturers are expected to decide by the end of 2021 whether they want to build at White Pine Commerce Park in Clay, Stirpe said.
Onondaga County, which owns the 1,250-acre site, has been talking to multiple prospects about building a chip fabrication plant in Clay, County Executive Ryan McMahon said in June.
McMahon and Robert Petrovich, the county’s economic development director, told officials at the briefing Tuesday that two companies have emerged as finalists, according to Stirpe.
“They’re down to two, and we’re on the 1-yard line with one of them, and the 10-yard line with the other one,” Stirpe said county officials told those at the briefing. “One is very, very close.”
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