sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Holocaust Remembrace Day!
Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, Holocaust Day, and Yom HaShoah, is being observed today! It was observed on December 28th in 1949. It was observed on December 19th in 1950. It has been observed the 27th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar since 1951.
SU News
AmeriCU Spring Game is Friday! - Syracuse University Athletics (cuse.com)
It's game week for Syracuse football!
The AmeriCU Spring Game is Friday at 7 p.m., which will be fans' only chance this spring to catch the team in the JMA Wireless Dome as they prepare for the season. There's still time for fans to claim their free tickets, and watch the team scrimmage.
To claim your ticket, visit Cuse.com/Tickets.
The game will be the 15th practice of the spring for the Orange and third of their three allowable scrimmages, concluding spring ball. After a brief warmup on Friday night, the game will pit the offense and defense against each other in 11-on-11 football for the remainder of the event.
At the game's conclusion, fans are invited down to the railings of the JMA Dome, where they'll have opportunities to meet their favorite players.
Members of the Syracuse ticket sales staff will also be conducting Select-A-Seat, for potential ticket buyers and those partaking in the renewal process to try out different seats in the JMA Dome.
...
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker (34) on a long first quarter run against N.C. State on Oct. 15. Tucker will have his own Pro Day at SU on April 24 after being medically cleared by the NFL. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker to have own Pro Day three days before NFL Draft (report) (PS; Leiker)
Sean Tucker will have a last-minute shot to impress NFL scouts after being medically cleared over the weekend at the NFL Combine medical re-check.
The former Syracuse football running back is set to participate in his own personal Pro Day at SU on April 24, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
That’s just three days before the 2023 NFL Draft begins in Kansas City.
The proximity of the workout to the draft itself begs the question of how many teams will send scouts to examine Tucker. The teams that do show up will give insight into who is seriously considering the running back.
...
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse...leared-will-have-separate-pro-day-at-syracuse (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse football star running back Sean Tucker has been medically cleared during a combine medical re-check and will have a Pro Day at Syracuse on April 24th, according to a report from Adam Schefter. Tucker was not medically cleared to participate in the NFL Draft Combine. This will give him a chance to perform in front of NFL scouts by doing drills such as the 40-yard dash. Tucker is third all time in Syracuse history in rushing yards (3,182) and holds the single season record for his 1,496 yard performance in 2021.
In 2022, Tucker ran for 1,060 yards, had 1,314 all purpose yards and scored 13 total touchdowns as he helped the Orange to a 7-5 record. Highlights of his 2022 campaign are in the video above.
Tucker signed with Syracuse as part of the Orange's 2020 recruiting class out of Calvert Hall College in Maryland. He picked SU over offers from Rutgers, Wisconsin and several non power five opportunities. Tucker quickly established himself as a playmaker during his true freshman season, becoming the starter just four games in. Tucker ran for 626 yards, the third most for a true freshman at SU.
...
Syracuse Football: RB Sean Tucker is cleared and ready to be draft steal (itlh; Fiello)
Syracuse football fans, star running back Sean Tucker is healthy and ready to impress the NFL!!!
That’s right, Mr. PL34SED Sean Tucker, the former star Orange running back, has been cleared and, according to a tweet from ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, will have a Pro Day on Monday April 24, at Syracuse after missing the last one due to health issues.
This brings me so much joy. I love Sean Tucker. I previously wrote a post about how he was the guy worthy of restoring the 44 jersey and that was before his record-breaking sophomore season.
At one point, Sean was projected to be a first or second-round draft choice but with injury concerns and some questioning he wasn’t utilized enough last season, some thought he’d drop. The 2023 NFL Draft, by the way, will take place from April 27 to April 29.
I’ll say this though, the Sean Tucker I’ve followed has a strong work ethic. When he was projected to be deep on the depth chart and others opted out during Covid, he took advantage and captured the imagination and love of Syracuse football fans.
When he wanted to improve himself, he didn’t just share his highlight reel, he joined the track team and worked to be faster and better. Watch his workout video in his tweet below, and you can’t tell me he’s a guy who rests on his laurels.
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse (thehuddle.com; Bonini)
A Maryland prep product who was expected to redshirt in 2020, Syracuse running back Sean Tucker instead racked up 739 offensive yards as a true freshman during the pandemic-impacted season. He would take full command of the backfield in ’21, racking up seven straight 100-yard rushing efforts on his way to garnering first-team All-ACC and second-team Associated Press All-American honors.
Height: 5-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 207 pounds
40 time: N/A
In 2022, Tucker’s rushing production dipped, though his aerial offerings improved, and he still managed to turn in a second-team All-ACC campaign. His last two years show an NFL belonging, but he’s probably facing a draft placement no earlier than Round 4.
Table: Sean Tucker stats (2020-22)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
In the right situation, he certainly can offer RB2 results here and there, but Tucker will most likely be a career backup with the occasional appearance worthy of spot duty in fantasy football lineups.
...
Former ACC starting quarterback enters transfer portal (on3.com; McVeigh)
According to On3’s Matt Zenitz, Syracuse quarterback JaCobian Morgan has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Morgan does have starting experience during his time with the ACC program, getting the nod in two games during the 2020 season.
Morgan was a true freshman during those two starts but has played sparingly since. He did not make an appearance during the 2022 season and got reserve time in the year prior. In total, Morgan has 288 passing yards to his name.
Morgan played high school football at Canton (MS) High School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 2,143 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
ACC News
ACC football QB rankings 2023: UNC's Drake Maye, FSU's Jordan Travis jostle for top spot on post-spring list (247sports.com; Hughes)
It's never too early to look ahead, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye — along with Florida State’s Jordan Travis and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik — will be among the favorites to bring home ACC Player of the Year honors next season after stellar 2022 campaigns. Outside of the big three, the conclusion of spring practice around the conference has provided a clearer view of which passers could enter their names into the league’s upper echelon.
At least six of the 14 ACC schools will have a new starting quarterback next year, while over half return their expected starter. Several ACC signal callers stirred up drama with cross-conference transfers this offseason, including Phil Jurkovec’s jump from Boston College to Pittsburgh and Brennan Armstong’s defection from Virginia to NC State.
On top of that, many of the league's lower-level teams supplemented their rosters with competent outside transfers. While there could be one or two teams with some issues at quarterback, right now it looks like a major strength for the conference barring injuries.
Here’s every ACC quarterback ranked after the conclusion of spring ball:
Muskett appears to have a slight edge in Virginia's quarterbacks room but is facing stiff competition from Jay Woolfolk and early enrollee Anthony Colandrea, who impressed at Virginia's spring game, according to Wahoos247.
Wells completed 59.0% of his passes for 2,171 yards and nine touchdowns against nine interceptions in 11 games for the Hokies last season.
"He's been a great addition," Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said of Jurkovec to College Sports on Sirius XM. "He's big. He's mature. This guy is a leader. He's going rack to rack, motivating people in the weight room. We haven't had that since Kenny Pickett. Haven't had that guy that can bring everybody together. He's that emotional leader."
"He is one of the greatest play-callers, and as a quarterback, you want to play in an offense where you are going to shine, and you are going to be taught how to play the position at a high level," Plummer said, via Cardinal Authority.
...
Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (M & G; podcast)
Mac and Kelly recap the Clemson, UNC, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Boston College spring games and look ahead to the Duke & Louisville spring games this coming weekend. Presented by Ingles Markets.
Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (M & G; podcast)
Other people may sleep on the Pitt Panthers, but we never do! We talk about the new-look Panthers with QB Phil Jurkovec at the helm and the new era of QBK on defense. Plus we talk to former Pitt RB Izzy Abanikanda about his future, what Pitt means to him and his upcoming transition to the NFL. Presented by Ingles Markets
Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 17 (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 17
Quite a bit of information was released last week about upcoming changes to the NCAA recruiting rules. As soon as I get my head around it all I'll post my observations.
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There were a whole lot of ACC football teams playing their Spring Games this weekend. All Sports Discussion put together a nice recap...
http://allsportsdiscussion.com/2023/04/15/highlights-from-saturdays-acc-spring-games/
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From ESPN: College football spring transfer tracker 2023: Latest news, updates
College football's transfer portal is now open for the next 15 days. More than 6,000 NCAA football players have entered the portal since the beginning of the 2022 season, including 2,179 last December alone -- the most of any month since the transfer portal was created in fall 2018...
Here are some of the top names in the portal, according to ESPN:
Cincinnati LB Jaheim Thomas (6'4", 245 lbs, 2 years of eligibility remaining).
Houston OL Cam'Ron Johnson (First-team All-AAC; 6'4", 305 lbs)
Texas A&M C Matthew Wykoff (started 9 games last year, allowed one sack in 545 total snaps).
Oregon CB Jalil Tucker (4-star recruit in the 2022 class, ranked #137 in the ESPN 300)
Auburn LB Desmond Tisdol (played 24 games in 3 seasons; 12 tackles, 6 solo, in six games last season; was #210 in the 2020 class ESPN 300).
...
NCAA Recruiting Changes for 2023 (RX; HM)
NCAA Recruiting Changes for 2023
The NCAA actually approved quite a few rule changes affecting recruiting, but the one most people are talking about is allowing prospects to take an unlimited number of official recruiting visits. From the article posted on CBS Sports.com,
Mike Elko on Saturday’s spring game: ‘Come on out and check out this new version of Duke football’ :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; Bergin)
Duke head football coach Mike Elko is hoping to build on the success of his first season after earning recognition as the 2022 ACC Coach of the Year.
Duke is hosting its Blue and White Game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The event is free for the public to attend.
"It’s just a cool opportunity for the fans and people in the area,” Elko said. “I think we’re the only show in town on Saturday …
“So, come on out and check out this new version of Duke football. The kids have been working really hard this offseason.”
Duke has 18 returning starters for the 2023 season: Eight offensive players, eight defensive players and two special teams players.
...
What if the ACC adds 4 from the Gulf Coast(ish) (RX; HM)
What if the ACC adds 4 from the Gulf Coast(ish)
I've said before: the ACC should've raided the Big XII when it had the chance (i.e. shortly after Texas and OU announced they were leaving). Now that conference has a new TV contract, a new GoR, and 4 new members (some of whom were themselves on the ACC expansion short list).
That failing, the next logical move was (is?) to add some of the best teams from the Pac-12 (err, 10).
But if none of that works out... which teams can the ACC realistically pull?
What if the ACC decided to expand along the Gulf Coast / Mississippi River? If the selections were Memphis, SMU, Tulane, and possibly USF, the new conference map might look something like this...
What does that really bring for the ACC, you ask?
Theoretically, it results in...
Four more games in the Sunshine State every year, including...
...some ESPN Saturday-night-worthy rivalry games between FSU, Miami, and USF.
Better access to Texas and Louisiana recruiting.
Puts the ACC Network into Dallas, New Orleans, and Memphis (and strengthens it in Tampa).
...
The Texas Triangle (RX; HM)
You've heard of the Bermuda Triangle, but how about this?
This explains why Texas and Texas A&M are a SEC material, but Texas Tech not so much... or why the Cotton Bowl is a New Year's Six Bowl, but the Sun Bowl not so much.
...
Other
From left, Gary Richards and Chris O’Hara of CME Associates put a PVC tube in place to bring up soil for testing on the site on Caughdenoy Road, in the town of Clay, where Micron Technology plans to build a massive semiconductor manufacturing plant. At right is engineer Anas Anasthas. April 16, 2023. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Micron takes first visible step to building its mega chip plant in Clay (PS; $; Coin)
Micron Technology has taken the first visible step toward construction what could be a $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant in the town of Clay.
Engineers from an East Syracuse company today started drilling holes to test the soil composition on the empty field off Caughdenoy Road. They used an auger and PVC pipes to extract soil, which will be sent to a lab for further testing. Much of what they extracted today, fittingly enough, was clay.
The soil testing is the first tangible evidence of Micron’s building plans, which were announced in October. Micron said it had selected the 1,400-acre White Pine Commerce Park, in Clay, for a massive computer memory chip plant, the largest in the nation, that will cost up to $100 billion over 20 years and employ up to 9,000 people.
The soil drilling today marks the start of the field studies phase of the project, said Tate Tran, speaking for Micron.
“This geotechnical survey involves drilling small holes to take core samples of the ground so we can understand the composition of it, which is important data for designing the planned fabs,” Tran said in an email to syracuse.com.
The company taking the soil samples is CME Associates, in East Syracuse. CME, established in 1983, is a state-certified woman owned business enterprise, which Micron has said it is committed to hiring. A CME representative did not return a phone call today.
...
Employees and visitors help mark Lotte Biologics' acquisition of the Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical plant in East Syracuse following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 17, 2023. Lotte bought the facility for $160 million on Jan. 1, 2023. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)
500 people help South Korea’s Lotte celebrate arrival in East Syracuse (PS; Moriarty)
More than 500 people came to the former Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical plant in East Syracuse Monday to help Lotte celebrate its takeover of the site and the South Korean conglomerate’s plans to expand manufacturing at the facility.
Lotte Biologics CEO Richard Lee told the audience gathered under a giant tent at the plant off Thompson Road that the company plans to make the facility a “premier” manufacturing hub for biologics and antibody-drug conjugates, a new type of drugs that targets cancers like guided missiles.
Lotte executives from as far away as South Korea and Japan joined employees and Central New York business leaders at the event, which included a ribbon cutting.
Lotte Biologics, a newly formed subsidiary of Seoul-based Lotte, bought the Thompson Road plant from Bristol Myers Squibb on Jan. 1 for $160 million.
Lotte plans to make the plant its U.S. headquarters for manufacturing biologics, which are medications derived from a variety of natural sources (human, animal or microorganisms) rather than from chemicals.
In addition, the company plans to turn a long-idle building on the former Bristol campus into a manufacturing center for antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, which target cancers by using antibodies to carry chemotherapy agents directly to the site of a tumor.
...
Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, Holocaust Day, and Yom HaShoah, is being observed today! It was observed on December 28th in 1949. It was observed on December 19th in 1950. It has been observed the 27th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar since 1951.
SU News
AmeriCU Spring Game is Friday! - Syracuse University Athletics (cuse.com)
It's game week for Syracuse football!
The AmeriCU Spring Game is Friday at 7 p.m., which will be fans' only chance this spring to catch the team in the JMA Wireless Dome as they prepare for the season. There's still time for fans to claim their free tickets, and watch the team scrimmage.
To claim your ticket, visit Cuse.com/Tickets.
The game will be the 15th practice of the spring for the Orange and third of their three allowable scrimmages, concluding spring ball. After a brief warmup on Friday night, the game will pit the offense and defense against each other in 11-on-11 football for the remainder of the event.
At the game's conclusion, fans are invited down to the railings of the JMA Dome, where they'll have opportunities to meet their favorite players.
Members of the Syracuse ticket sales staff will also be conducting Select-A-Seat, for potential ticket buyers and those partaking in the renewal process to try out different seats in the JMA Dome.
...
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker (34) on a long first quarter run against N.C. State on Oct. 15. Tucker will have his own Pro Day at SU on April 24 after being medically cleared by the NFL. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker to have own Pro Day three days before NFL Draft (report) (PS; Leiker)
Sean Tucker will have a last-minute shot to impress NFL scouts after being medically cleared over the weekend at the NFL Combine medical re-check.
The former Syracuse football running back is set to participate in his own personal Pro Day at SU on April 24, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
That’s just three days before the 2023 NFL Draft begins in Kansas City.
The proximity of the workout to the draft itself begs the question of how many teams will send scouts to examine Tucker. The teams that do show up will give insight into who is seriously considering the running back.
...
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse...leared-will-have-separate-pro-day-at-syracuse (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse football star running back Sean Tucker has been medically cleared during a combine medical re-check and will have a Pro Day at Syracuse on April 24th, according to a report from Adam Schefter. Tucker was not medically cleared to participate in the NFL Draft Combine. This will give him a chance to perform in front of NFL scouts by doing drills such as the 40-yard dash. Tucker is third all time in Syracuse history in rushing yards (3,182) and holds the single season record for his 1,496 yard performance in 2021.
In 2022, Tucker ran for 1,060 yards, had 1,314 all purpose yards and scored 13 total touchdowns as he helped the Orange to a 7-5 record. Highlights of his 2022 campaign are in the video above.
Tucker signed with Syracuse as part of the Orange's 2020 recruiting class out of Calvert Hall College in Maryland. He picked SU over offers from Rutgers, Wisconsin and several non power five opportunities. Tucker quickly established himself as a playmaker during his true freshman season, becoming the starter just four games in. Tucker ran for 626 yards, the third most for a true freshman at SU.
...
Syracuse Football: RB Sean Tucker is cleared and ready to be draft steal (itlh; Fiello)
Syracuse football fans, star running back Sean Tucker is healthy and ready to impress the NFL!!!
That’s right, Mr. PL34SED Sean Tucker, the former star Orange running back, has been cleared and, according to a tweet from ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, will have a Pro Day on Monday April 24, at Syracuse after missing the last one due to health issues.
This brings me so much joy. I love Sean Tucker. I previously wrote a post about how he was the guy worthy of restoring the 44 jersey and that was before his record-breaking sophomore season.
At one point, Sean was projected to be a first or second-round draft choice but with injury concerns and some questioning he wasn’t utilized enough last season, some thought he’d drop. The 2023 NFL Draft, by the way, will take place from April 27 to April 29.
Former Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker is ready to be a 2023 NFL Draft steal.
I am not an NFL GM nor have I even played at that level so for me to sit here and tell you where he should be drafted is ridiculous. Every organization in the NFL does things differently so what one person thinks is a first-rounder, some might think not.I’ll say this though, the Sean Tucker I’ve followed has a strong work ethic. When he was projected to be deep on the depth chart and others opted out during Covid, he took advantage and captured the imagination and love of Syracuse football fans.
When he wanted to improve himself, he didn’t just share his highlight reel, he joined the track team and worked to be faster and better. Watch his workout video in his tweet below, and you can’t tell me he’s a guy who rests on his laurels.
...
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse (thehuddle.com; Bonini)
A Maryland prep product who was expected to redshirt in 2020, Syracuse running back Sean Tucker instead racked up 739 offensive yards as a true freshman during the pandemic-impacted season. He would take full command of the backfield in ’21, racking up seven straight 100-yard rushing efforts on his way to garnering first-team All-ACC and second-team Associated Press All-American honors.
Height: 5-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 207 pounds
40 time: N/A
In 2022, Tucker’s rushing production dipped, though his aerial offerings improved, and he still managed to turn in a second-team All-ACC campaign. His last two years show an NFL belonging, but he’s probably facing a draft placement no earlier than Round 4.
Table: Sean Tucker stats (2020-22)
| Year | School | Class | G | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 2020 | Syracuse | Fr | 9 | 137 | 626 | 4.6 | 4 | 8 | 113 | 14.1 | 0 |
| 2021 | Syracuse | So | 12 | 246 | 1,496 | 6.1 | 12 | 20 | 255 | 12.8 | 2 |
| *2022 | Syracuse | Jr | 12 | 206 | 1,060 | 5.1 | 11 | 36 | 254 | 7.1 | 2 |
Pros
- Explosive lower body to produce elite speed — 41 1/2-inch vertical jump and ran in the 4.3s during his last clocked 40 time coming out of high school. Tucker is a two-time Maryland state 55-meter dash champion, plus winner of 100- and 200-meter sprints.
- Quality vision and patience to hit the cutback lane
- Unafraid of lowering his pads if he cannot get around a defender
- Dangerous in the short-area passing game
- Built for a zone-blocking system but can fit most designs
- Competitive with a grinder mentality who can wear on defenses if given ample carries
Cons
- Sometimes appears to be indecisive if probed in the backfield or forced off-script
- Despite having excellent long speed, his initial burst isn’t impressive, which can cause issues exploding through tight quarters
- Inconsistent hands as a receiver and has one fumble in each of the last three seasons
- Leaves plenty to be desired as a pass blocker — launches too frequently into chip blocks and needs to better anchor against bull rushes
- Doesn’t create much on his own — most of his best runs came with superior line play
Fantasy football outlook
Tucker will be at his best in a zone-blocking scheme and during outsize stretch plays, and his average receiving skills will have him facing a two-down role in most offenses. He won’t manufacture much on his own without quality line play, so the upside for fantasy success is quite limited.In the right situation, he certainly can offer RB2 results here and there, but Tucker will most likely be a career backup with the occasional appearance worthy of spot duty in fantasy football lineups.
...
Former ACC starting quarterback enters transfer portal (on3.com; McVeigh)
According to On3’s Matt Zenitz, Syracuse quarterback JaCobian Morgan has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Morgan does have starting experience during his time with the ACC program, getting the nod in two games during the 2020 season.
Morgan was a true freshman during those two starts but has played sparingly since. He did not make an appearance during the 2022 season and got reserve time in the year prior. In total, Morgan has 288 passing yards to his name.
Morgan played high school football at Canton (MS) High School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 2,143 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
ACC News
ACC football QB rankings 2023: UNC's Drake Maye, FSU's Jordan Travis jostle for top spot on post-spring list (247sports.com; Hughes)
It's never too early to look ahead, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye — along with Florida State’s Jordan Travis and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik — will be among the favorites to bring home ACC Player of the Year honors next season after stellar 2022 campaigns. Outside of the big three, the conclusion of spring practice around the conference has provided a clearer view of which passers could enter their names into the league’s upper echelon.
At least six of the 14 ACC schools will have a new starting quarterback next year, while over half return their expected starter. Several ACC signal callers stirred up drama with cross-conference transfers this offseason, including Phil Jurkovec’s jump from Boston College to Pittsburgh and Brennan Armstong’s defection from Virginia to NC State.
On top of that, many of the league's lower-level teams supplemented their rosters with competent outside transfers. While there could be one or two teams with some issues at quarterback, right now it looks like a major strength for the conference barring injuries.
Here’s every ACC quarterback ranked after the conclusion of spring ball:
14. TONY MUSKETT, VIRGINIA
With Brennan Armstrong transferring to NC State, Virginia coach Tony Elliott needed a new signal caller and found one in Muskett, a transfer from Monmouth, who completed 64.1% of his passes for 1,997 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games last season.Muskett appears to have a slight edge in Virginia's quarterbacks room but is facing stiff competition from Jay Woolfolk and early enrollee Anthony Colandrea, who impressed at Virginia's spring game, according to Wahoos247.
13. GRANT WELLS, VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech's quarterback battle is still wide open, but we are giving a slight edge to Wells over Baylor transfer Kyron Drones after the former vastly outperformed the latter in the Hokies' spring game. During the scrimmage, Wells tossed a touchdown and ran for another during his first two possessions for the Maroon team. Drones failed to get his team into the end zone during the matchup, and his White team dropped the contest 34-0.Wells completed 59.0% of his passes for 2,171 yards and nine touchdowns against nine interceptions in 11 games for the Hokies last season.
12. MITCH GRIFFIS, WAKE FOREST
Wake Forest and coach Dave Clawson look to replace star quarterback Sam Hartman, who transferred to Notre Dame. Griffis started in place of Hartman in the 2022 season opener against VMI and completed 72.4% of his passes for 288 yards and three scores (zero interceptions). However, the Keydets went just 1-11 on the season at the FCS level, and Griffis' only other action came in mop-up duty against Army and Louisville.11. EMMETT MOREHEAD, BOSTON COLLEGE
Morehead, a three-star prospect in the Class of 2021, saw action in place of an injured Phil Jurkovec last season and completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,254 yards and 10 touchdowns against six interceptions, which included an impressive 330-yard, three-touchdown outing in a road win against N.C. State. Jurkovec's departure to Pittsburgh this offseason left the door open for Morehead to seize the starting job. However, he left some to be desired during the Eagles' spring game with two interceptions.10. HAYNES KING, GEORGIA TECH
A former four-star recruit, King ranked No. 110 nationally overall when he committed to Texas A&M in the class of 2021. He was the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback and would go on to play 10 games in his Aggies career, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He was Texas A&M's starter for the first six games in 2022 before injuries and poor play sent him to the bench in favor of freshman Conner Weigman. He threw for 1,120 yards this season with seven touchdowns to six interceptions.9. PHIL JURKOVEC, PITTSBURGH
Jurkovec transferred from Boston College to Pittsburgh this offseason after a 2022 campaign in which he completed 60% of his passes for 1,711 yards and 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He replaces 2022 starter Kedon Slovis, who transferred to BYU."He's been a great addition," Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said of Jurkovec to College Sports on Sirius XM. "He's big. He's mature. This guy is a leader. He's going rack to rack, motivating people in the weight room. We haven't had that since Kenny Pickett. Haven't had that guy that can bring everybody together. He's that emotional leader."
8. JACK PLUMMER, LOUISVILLE
Louisville marks Plummer's third collegiate stop after three years at Purdue (2019-21) and one year at California (2022). In his first full season as a starter, Plummer threw for 3,095 yards and 21 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 12 games with the Golden Bears last season. His decision to transfer to Louisville was supported by the Cardinals' hire of Jeff Brohm, his former head coach at Purdue."He is one of the greatest play-callers, and as a quarterback, you want to play in an offense where you are going to shine, and you are going to be taught how to play the position at a high level," Plummer said, via Cardinal Authority.
7. GARRETT SHRADER, SYRACUSE
Shrader enjoyed his best year as a passer in 2022, connecting on 64.8% of his passes for 2,645 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions, guiding Syracuse into the postseason with a 6-6 record. He also rushed for 444 yards and nine touchdowns. In Shrader's last game out, a 28-20 loss to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl, he completed 33-of-52 passes for 335 yards and an interception, rushing for 38 yards and two touchdowns. Shrader will look to continue his upward trajectory under a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck after Robert Anae left for NC State this offseason....
Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (M & G; podcast)
Mac and Kelly recap the Clemson, UNC, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Boston College spring games and look ahead to the Duke & Louisville spring games this coming weekend. Presented by Ingles Markets.
Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain talk ACC football - Gramlich and Mac Lain (M & G; podcast)
Other people may sleep on the Pitt Panthers, but we never do! We talk about the new-look Panthers with QB Phil Jurkovec at the helm and the new era of QBK on defense. Plus we talk to former Pitt RB Izzy Abanikanda about his future, what Pitt means to him and his upcoming transition to the NFL. Presented by Ingles Markets
Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 17 (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 17
Quite a bit of information was released last week about upcoming changes to the NCAA recruiting rules. As soon as I get my head around it all I'll post my observations.
__________
There were a whole lot of ACC football teams playing their Spring Games this weekend. All Sports Discussion put together a nice recap...
http://allsportsdiscussion.com/2023/04/15/highlights-from-saturdays-acc-spring-games/
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From ESPN: College football spring transfer tracker 2023: Latest news, updates
College football's transfer portal is now open for the next 15 days. More than 6,000 NCAA football players have entered the portal since the beginning of the 2022 season, including 2,179 last December alone -- the most of any month since the transfer portal was created in fall 2018...
Here are some of the top names in the portal, according to ESPN:
Cincinnati LB Jaheim Thomas (6'4", 245 lbs, 2 years of eligibility remaining).
Houston OL Cam'Ron Johnson (First-team All-AAC; 6'4", 305 lbs)
Texas A&M C Matthew Wykoff (started 9 games last year, allowed one sack in 545 total snaps).
Oregon CB Jalil Tucker (4-star recruit in the 2022 class, ranked #137 in the ESPN 300)
Auburn LB Desmond Tisdol (played 24 games in 3 seasons; 12 tackles, 6 solo, in six games last season; was #210 in the 2020 class ESPN 300).
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NCAA Recruiting Changes for 2023 (RX; HM)
NCAA Recruiting Changes for 2023
The NCAA actually approved quite a few rule changes affecting recruiting, but the one most people are talking about is allowing prospects to take an unlimited number of official recruiting visits. From the article posted on CBS Sports.com,
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Mike Elko on Saturday’s spring game: ‘Come on out and check out this new version of Duke football’ :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; Bergin)
Duke head football coach Mike Elko is hoping to build on the success of his first season after earning recognition as the 2022 ACC Coach of the Year.
Duke is hosting its Blue and White Game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The event is free for the public to attend.
"It’s just a cool opportunity for the fans and people in the area,” Elko said. “I think we’re the only show in town on Saturday …
“So, come on out and check out this new version of Duke football. The kids have been working really hard this offseason.”
Duke has 18 returning starters for the 2023 season: Eight offensive players, eight defensive players and two special teams players.
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What if the ACC adds 4 from the Gulf Coast(ish) (RX; HM)
What if the ACC adds 4 from the Gulf Coast(ish)
I've said before: the ACC should've raided the Big XII when it had the chance (i.e. shortly after Texas and OU announced they were leaving). Now that conference has a new TV contract, a new GoR, and 4 new members (some of whom were themselves on the ACC expansion short list).
That failing, the next logical move was (is?) to add some of the best teams from the Pac-12 (err, 10).
But if none of that works out... which teams can the ACC realistically pull?
What if the ACC decided to expand along the Gulf Coast / Mississippi River? If the selections were Memphis, SMU, Tulane, and possibly USF, the new conference map might look something like this...
What does that really bring for the ACC, you ask?
Theoretically, it results in...
Four more games in the Sunshine State every year, including...
...some ESPN Saturday-night-worthy rivalry games between FSU, Miami, and USF.
Better access to Texas and Louisiana recruiting.
Puts the ACC Network into Dallas, New Orleans, and Memphis (and strengthens it in Tampa).
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The Texas Triangle (RX; HM)
The Texas Triangle
You've heard of the Bermuda Triangle, but how about this?
...or this?
The East Texas vs. West Texas divide.
This explains why Texas and Texas A&M are a SEC material, but Texas Tech not so much... or why the Cotton Bowl is a New Year's Six Bowl, but the Sun Bowl not so much.
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Other
From left, Gary Richards and Chris O’Hara of CME Associates put a PVC tube in place to bring up soil for testing on the site on Caughdenoy Road, in the town of Clay, where Micron Technology plans to build a massive semiconductor manufacturing plant. At right is engineer Anas Anasthas. April 16, 2023. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Micron takes first visible step to building its mega chip plant in Clay (PS; $; Coin)
Micron Technology has taken the first visible step toward construction what could be a $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant in the town of Clay.
Engineers from an East Syracuse company today started drilling holes to test the soil composition on the empty field off Caughdenoy Road. They used an auger and PVC pipes to extract soil, which will be sent to a lab for further testing. Much of what they extracted today, fittingly enough, was clay.
The soil testing is the first tangible evidence of Micron’s building plans, which were announced in October. Micron said it had selected the 1,400-acre White Pine Commerce Park, in Clay, for a massive computer memory chip plant, the largest in the nation, that will cost up to $100 billion over 20 years and employ up to 9,000 people.
The soil drilling today marks the start of the field studies phase of the project, said Tate Tran, speaking for Micron.
“This geotechnical survey involves drilling small holes to take core samples of the ground so we can understand the composition of it, which is important data for designing the planned fabs,” Tran said in an email to syracuse.com.
The company taking the soil samples is CME Associates, in East Syracuse. CME, established in 1983, is a state-certified woman owned business enterprise, which Micron has said it is committed to hiring. A CME representative did not return a phone call today.
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Employees and visitors help mark Lotte Biologics' acquisition of the Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical plant in East Syracuse following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 17, 2023. Lotte bought the facility for $160 million on Jan. 1, 2023. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)
500 people help South Korea’s Lotte celebrate arrival in East Syracuse (PS; Moriarty)
More than 500 people came to the former Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical plant in East Syracuse Monday to help Lotte celebrate its takeover of the site and the South Korean conglomerate’s plans to expand manufacturing at the facility.
Lotte Biologics CEO Richard Lee told the audience gathered under a giant tent at the plant off Thompson Road that the company plans to make the facility a “premier” manufacturing hub for biologics and antibody-drug conjugates, a new type of drugs that targets cancers like guided missiles.
Lotte executives from as far away as South Korea and Japan joined employees and Central New York business leaders at the event, which included a ribbon cutting.
Lotte Biologics, a newly formed subsidiary of Seoul-based Lotte, bought the Thompson Road plant from Bristol Myers Squibb on Jan. 1 for $160 million.
Lotte plans to make the plant its U.S. headquarters for manufacturing biologics, which are medications derived from a variety of natural sources (human, animal or microorganisms) rather than from chemicals.
In addition, the company plans to turn a long-idle building on the former Bristol campus into a manufacturing center for antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, which target cancers by using antibodies to carry chemotherapy agents directly to the site of a tumor.
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