sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Made in the USA Day!
Taking place right before another patriotic holiday, Independence Day, Made in the USA Day encourages the manufacturing of goods in the United States and the purchasing of these American-made goods. It celebrates the companies and brands that manufacture their products in the United States, and gives consumers the opportunity to support them. Some sources point to Joel Joseph of the Made in the USA Foundation as the creator of the day, and lists the day as having its start in 1989.
SU News
Monday Musings: What is left for Syracuse football in the 2025 recruiting class? (247sports.com; $; McAllister)
Syracuse football had another busy recruiting weekend, losing two players from its 2025 class while adding one in Peach State athlete Gabe Daniels. With the Orange's class sitting at 26 total prospects, what is left for the rest of the cycle? Here is a full breakdown of targets deciding in the near future, priority positions, long-term plans and more.
ELIJAH CRAWFORD
Elijah Crawford is a 2025 defensive lineman who officially visited Syracuse, Rutgers and West Virginia last month. He has a commitment date set for July 5th. All three schools remain in the mix, but...
Syracuse Football Preview: Linebackers (waer.org; Bloomstein)
At the conclusion of the 2023 season, there was a lot of change within the Syracuse football program. Along with new defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson from Texas A&M, head coach Fran Brown brought in Robert Wright. The former University of Buffalo defensive coordinator was named co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for the Orange. Wright coached alongside Robinson at College Station from 2019-2020. He has high praise for his former and current colleague.
“As I've moved around, you think about people you'd want to work for in the future, and he was one of those people,” Wright said.
Heading into the 2024 campaign, SU's new staff has put an emphasis on physicality. Coach Wright zoned in on tackling.
"We got to be the best tackling position group on the field,” Wright added.
The competitiveness day-to-day within the team is an aspect to practice that top teams in the country utilize and has been missing from Syracuse in recent years. The linebacking group will look different from 2023, starting with the scheme (4-2-5) that allows for more off-ball action because of the 4 linemen. In addition to a different alignment, the transfer portal snatched away four linebackers, of which two had a large impact for SU. Stefon Thompson secured 169 tackles and over 10 sacks in 36 games for the Orange and committed to Nebraska after Syracuse lost to South Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl. Leon Lowry committed to Wisconsin. Lowry started all 12 regular season games at linebacker for Syracuse last year.
Marlowe Wax, Senior
One of the biggest questions going into the offseason was whether Junior Marlowe Wax would return for his senior season. If Fran Brown wanted to have success defensively, keeping the second-team All-ACC linebacker would be a vital component. The Oragne’s captain led the team in tackles with 110, forced fumbles (four), and tackles for loss (11.5). Wax was draft-eligible and could have entered the transfer portal where he would have been highly sought out. Thankfully for the ‘Cuse, it returns college football’s second-highest returning tackler among active power conference players. Wax was recently named to the 2024 preseason All-ACC team.
Derek McDonald, Redshirt Junior
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(youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football landed three three-star recruits recently: quarterback Rich Belin, wide receiver Gabe Daniels, and defensive lineman Nathan Nyandoro. However, Fran Brown missed out on four-star quarterback Malik Washington, who went to Maryland, and two players decommited: Sharlandiin Strange and Amari Colon. The Orange are still in the hunt for four-star edge CJ May.Jackson Holzer recaps the recent highs and lows of Syracuse Football recruiting on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Syracuse Football Recruiting HIGHS & LOWS - Fran Brown Secures 3 '25 recruits BUT Loses 3 Others (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football landed three three-star recruits recently: quarterback Rich Belin, wide receiver Gabe Daniels, and defensive lineman Nathan Nyandoro. However, Fran Brown missed out on four-star quarterback Malik Washington, who went to Maryland, and two players decommited: Sharlandiin Strange and Amari Colon. The Orange are still in the hunt for four-star edge CJ May.Jackson Holzer recaps the recent highs and lows of Syracuse Football recruiting on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Mike McAllister "Orange Nation'" 7-1-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
247Sports Producer Mike McAllister joins #OrangeNation LIVE to discuss WLAX's latest de-commits, 'Cuse football's newest commit, bowl predictions, and more!
30 Minutes in Orange Nation 7-1-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Steve and Paulie discuss people on Twitter getting upset about women’s LAX. They then get into Bobby Bonilla day and talk other athletes getting paid. Finally, they react to Brad Crawford from 247Sports putting Syracuse in the Mayo Bowl.
Keeping Up With The 315 7-1-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian starts off with Bobby Bonilla day, goes over women’s LAX de-commitments, new Syracuse football commitments, and more.
Miami at Syracuse - Week 14 Simulation (2024 Rosters for NCAA 14) (youtube; extremely accurate simulator; SG1 Sports)
Syracuse hosts Miami in this week fourteen 2024 college football simulation on NCAA 25. (NCAA Football 14 with updated rosters for the upcoming 2024 college football season)
Should College Athletes Have Contracts? I Watch D.A. Live
Sportsradio host Thom Abraham joins Damon Amendolara to discuss the new look of college sports. Abraham has spent decades covering college football and he be...
youtu.be
Should College Athletes Have Contracts? (orangefizz.net; podcast; DA)
With a new landscape in college sports, the time has come to ask a pertinent question: Should college players have contracts? Fizz founder Damon Amendolara discussed this on a recent episode of “Watch D.A. Live” on YouTube. The transfer portal spins feverishly, with some players hopping from school to school every year. While there’s a feeling of “all is fair in love and sports” in the game, it may be a time where schools start asking for more of a guarantee.
Thom Abraham is a sports talk host in Alabama, the epicenter of college football passion and SEC dominance. He says not only did the SEC lead us to a place where college football is now headed, but it’s the time to ask for college players to have contracts.
It’s a fair position to take. If Fran Brown promises a certain amount of NIL money to a recruit, why shouldn’t the recruit also have some responsibility on his side? To this point it’s been a Wild West situation with players and NIL money, but it seems like we’ll be getting some structure around it in the coming years.
...
Syracuse football recruiting: 2025 WR Gabe Daniels commits to the Orange (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange football recruiting wheel keeps spinning. Despite news that the Orange are likely losing two of the 2025 commits, Fran Brown keeps keeping on.
On Saturday night, wide receiver Gabe Daniels committed to Syracuse over NC State and Kansas.
The 6’2” 180 lb Daniels is a consensus three-star recruit competes for the Greater Atlanta Christian School and ranks as a top-100 player in Georgia in his class. Last season he caught 31 passes for 531 yards and 3 TD.
Like a lot of recent commits at the skill positions, Daniels also excels on the track. He clocked a school record time of 21.37 in the 200m this spring and his 10.57 in the 100m is 2nd in school history behind Darius Slayton.
Here’s a look at him in action:
Syracuse now has 26 commitments for the 2025 class which is ranked 25th by 247.
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Four-star prospect, who would have been Syracuse football’s highest-ranked commit in 2025, opts for ACC rival (PS; $; Carlson)
Matthew Outten, a four-star prospect from Virginia, committed to Virginia Tech on Monday, appearing to pass on a scholarship offer from Syracuse football after listing the Orange as a finalist.
His commitment was reported by a number of reporters who cover Virginia Tech including, 247 Sports’ Evan Watkins.
Along with Syracuse and Virginia Tech, Outten listed Maryland and Penn State as his finalists.
Outten, who plays for I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, Virginia, is ranked the No. 338 prospect in the country by the 247 Sports composite rankings. Among the four major recruiting websites, he is listed as high as No. 139 in the country by 247 Sports.
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AirOrangeX Upgrade: Wi-Fi for All (syr.edu; Ferguson)
On Tuesday, July 9, the AirOrangeX wireless network will transition to a new model that does not require users to log in with a username and password. In addition to offering the largest private wireless network in higher education, with enhanced connectivity for AT&T and T-Mobile customers, providing Wi-Fi free of authentication will make Syracuse University the most connected campus in the country.
What to Expect
Based on tests conducted this summer, Information Technology Services (ITS) expects many existing AirOrangeX-connected devices to reconnect to the upgraded network automatically. Other users might be asked to “Connect” or receive a prompt to acknowledge the changes by clicking “OK.” New devices, including those not previously supported such as Apple TV, Roku Sticks and other “Internet of Things” devices, can select AirOrangeX from the list of available Wi-Fi networks and connect freely.As a result of the upgrade, ITS will remove the Gadgets&Games, AirOrangeGuest, SUAD and AirOrangeHelp wireless networks from the airspace around campus. Users who previously connected to those networks will connect directly to AirOrangeX instead. Other Syracuse University locations around the world will also shift to a new AirOrangeGlobal network, which will boast enhanced device compatibility and ease of access at all locations.
Convenient, Secure Access
The new iteration of AirOrangeX makes it easier to join the network without compromising security.For decades, most organizations have secured their Wi-Fi networks by requiring some form of authentication or registration. Over the last eight years, ITS has made significant investments to shift toward a security model that ensures users are secure on any network, anywhere in the world—including those that do not require authentication.
While one might think a Wi-Fi network without authentication could introduce significant security risks, the University’s information systems (e.g., MySlice or Blackboard) require cloud-based multi-factor authentication using HTTPS encryption as required by all modern web browsers. The upgraded AirOrangeX network will also utilize Opportunistic Wireless Encryption to further enhance security on most modern devices made in the last five years.
Multiple virtual private networks will further enhance access to datacenter and cloud resources around the globe while also limiting users who do not authenticate to the underlying information services to internet access only, ensuring the campus community remains protected.
With questions about this or any other technology-related topic, please contact the ITS Service Center at help or 315.443.2677.
Get to Know Your Orange Man: #32, WR Nick Armentano (TNIAAM; Wall)
It’s time to start preparing for the 2024 Syracuse Orange football season. We’re going through the roster to take a look at each Syracuse player as we get to know a lot of new faces to kick off the Fran Brown Era.
Next up is...
Name: Nick Armentano
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Redshirt Freshman
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 171 lbs.
Hometown: Westport, CT
High School: Staples/IMG
2023 stats: Redshirt season
2024 projections: Armentano is probably headed for another season of scout team duties as a slot receiver. We don’t know Fran Brown’s approach to handling the FCS games so we’ll see if there’s more opportunity for walk-ons to play this year.
How’d he get here?: Accepted a preferred walk-on opportunity from the Orange
What’d recruiting sites say?: No rankings
Twitter feed: @NicholasArmen10
Instagram feed: @nickarmentano
...
ACC News
Finally Back: Lashlee Prepared for What SMU is Facing in ACC (SI; Hodges)
The SMU Mustangs are back playing in a big-time conference, officially todat. They came into the ACC alone because Stanford and Cal won't be coming until the first of August due to existing contracts.
The celebration ran late Monday afternoon in downtown Dallas and the ACC Network was there interviewing everybody involved, but a big chunk of the time was devoted to football. That brought Ponies coach Rhett Lashlee in.
He likes where the team is situated going into the first season, particularly at what many people consider the most important position group on the field, the offensive line. This group often spells problems for teams moving up in level of competition. It's an area where Lashlee has developed preparing for the move to the ACC.
"I've been in this league before," Lashlee, the former offensive coordinator at Miami, said on ACC PM on ACCN. "We knew what to expect and started preparing for that."
Lashlee spoke with Mark Packer and Taylor Tannebaum from the ACC Network, and they were joined for football by former Clemson offensive lineman Eric Mac Lane.
It was a day-long celebration of SMU returning to a major conference since the old Southwest Conference dissolved in 1995. The Mustangs weren't invited to join any other big conference and dropped down to what became the Group of 5, which is a lower-rung division.
"This is special when you think of our fan base and what they went through for 29 years," Lashlee said "SMU was in a top conference. The SWC is as good as any conference in the country. They were at the top then."
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SMU football gets pair of California commitments on ACC entry day (lonestarlive.com; Richman)
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee made it evident on social media Monday morning that he thought July 1 would end up being a good day.
Lashlee along with the rest of SMU were already riding pretty high upon waking up as the Mustangs made their official entry into the ACC, making them a power school for the first time in nearly 30 years.
But Lashlee probably knew that the future for his football program was going to get even stronger thanks to a pair of commitments that his team would secure before the end of the day.
Four-star edge rusher Chinedu Onyeagoro (King Drew Medical Magnet, CA) and four-star linebacker Mark Iheanachor (Narbonne, CA) announced their commitments to the Mustangs on Monday, adding strength to what is shaping up to be the best recruiting class for SMU in decades.
Onyeagoro had 19 scholarship offers and picked SMU over a final group that included UCLA, Washington and Florida. Iheanachor chose the Mustangs over 21 other offers, including his other final two school — Oklahoma.
Each of the commits is among the top-31 recruits out of California for the 2025 class by 247Sports.
Iheanachor and Onyeagoro continue a good trend for the Mustangs in getting recruits out of California, having logged a third straight year with a commit from the state.
O-line coach Garin Justice has brought in Sean Scott (West Ranch) and King Large (St. John Bosco) in the past two cycles for his position group and already has commitments from Drew Hill (Centennial) and Jacob Maiava (Santa Margarita Catholic).
Now that the Mustangs are getting commitments from defensive players out of California — and in Onyeagoro’s case, poaching them from hometown schools — it’s opening up a lot more possibilities for SMU out West.
Where Cal, SMU, Stanford stack up with ACC football teams in 2024 (yahoo.com; Baxley)
The ACC is officially a coast-to-coast league.
As of July 1, Cal brings the ACC’s total schools to 16. SMU and Stanford will officially join the fold on August 2 and all three schools begin conference competition this fall.
“This summer marks a momentous occasion for the ACC with the addition of three prestigious institutions — Cal, SMU, and Stanford,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in a league-issued statement, which was released Monday.
“Since our announcement last September, the conference has been diligently preparing to become an 18-member league that spans from coast to coast. We look forward to the future of this incredible league and extend a warm welcome to the student-athletes, coaches, staff, campus communities, alumni, and supporters of Cal, SMU, and Stanford into the ACC.”
ACC Kickoff, the conference’s annual preseason football event, begins July 22 in Charlotte with SMU kicking things off for the new programs. Cal and Stanford are scheduled to provide their head coach and athletes on July 23.
Before those teams head to Charlotte, here’s a look at each of them and what their arrivals mean for Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State. The Tar Heels aren’t scheduled to play one of the three arrivals until 2025.
ACC football predictions, odds for Cal, SMU, Stanford
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
Here’s a brief breakdown of the schedules, win totals and ACC championship odds for Cal, SMU and Stanford in 2024.
Cal football to host NC State
The Golden Bears host N.C. State (Oct. 19), but aren’t scheduled to play the other two Triangle teams in their inaugural ACC season. It’ll be the Wolfpack’s first regular season game on the west coast since 1960. Cal is coming off four straight seasons with a losing record, but the Bears have the 17th-best transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. BetMGM has Cal’s over/under regular season win total at 6 ½ with the 10th-best odds (+5000) to win the ACC championship.
SMU football traveling to Duke
Like Cal, SMU is scheduled to face one school from the Triangle in its debut season in the league. The Mustangs will play Duke on Oct. 26 for the first time since 1956. Coming off an 11-win season, which included a championship run in the American Athletic Conference, SMU is projected to field the best team among the newcomers. The Mustangs have posted a winning record in five straight seasons, including two with double-digit wins. BetMGM has SMU’s over/under regular season win total at 7 ½ with the eighth-best odds (+1600) to win the ACC championship.
Stanford football to face NC State for first time
The Cardinal and N.C. State will meet for the first time on Nov. 2 at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack is the only Triangle team scheduled to play multiple teams from the expansion. Stanford, which hasn’t won more than four games in a season since 2018, is projected to have the worst team among the newcomers. BetMGM has the Cardinal’s over/under regular season win total at 3 ½ with the longest odds (+50000) to win the ACC.
Rumors Claim FSU Could Announce ACC Exit THIS MONTH? | Cal, Stanford and SMU Join ACC Officially (youtube; podcast; Locked on ACC)
Could Florida State officially declare their exit from the ACC this month? There have been hints dropped from college football reporters and analysts, including Josh Pate from 247Sports, that something big could happen this month within the ACC. Another CFB personality claims Florida State could make some sort of move on July 13th. But what can really happen this month? The ACC and FSU seem nowhere near a settlement or a court ruling. It seems impossible that FSU could announce they are accepting a bid to a different conference without confirming tampering. Could something this big happen so quickly?Hosts Alex Donno and Kenton Gibbs discuss the latest on the rumor mill. The guys also talk about SMU, Cal, and Stanford officially joining the conference as of July 1st. Kenton takes a victory lap at the rumors claiming the ACC would collapse by June 30th. That date came and went! The guys break down which of the new schools brings the most value. Kenton explains why SMU is the clear choice despite a rich history from Stanford and Cal.
Can They Win The ACC | ACC Football 2024 | College Football Podcast (youtube; podcast; ROC Boys)
The Louisville Cardinals, NC State Wolfpack, and the Virginia Tech Hokies have dangerous teams heading into the 2024 college football season. Taking a look at these three teams and their chances at winning an ACC championship.
One On One With SMU Head Football Coach Rhett Lashlee | ACC Football 2024 (youtube; video; ACC DN)
The SMU Mustangs enter their first season in the ACC as one of the most talented teams in the league under first year head coach Rhett Lashlee. They are coming off an 11-3 season and return 14 starters total led by phenomenal quarterback Preston Stone. SMU finished last season with a point differential of 20.9 points per game behind a high-flying offense (38.7 PPG), and a stingy defense (17.8 OPP. PPG). Rhett Lashlee is no stranger to ACC football as he was Miami's offensive coordinator during the 2020 and 2021 seasons in which he had their offense as one of the best in the conference. ACC Digital Network Host Wes Bryant caught up with Coach Lashlee to discuss expectations in their first season, talent in the state of Texas, and the challenges that lie ahead.
Incredible 2024 CFB Truths (RX; HM)
Incredible 2024 CFB Truths
Things which, in 2024, are incredibly, true:
Cal, Stanford, and SMU are - or soon will be - members of the ACC. You'll soon be able to ride a bicylce to the Pacific Ocean from a school that's in the Atlantic Coast Conference!
USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon are all members of the Big Ten, which now has 18 members. Counting past 10 with their shoes on was never a strong suit, I guess.
The Pac-12 now has only two member schools: Oregon State and Washington State. Those two schools will play a mostly Mountain West schedule - but don't call them members of the MWC (yet)!
Texas and Oklahoma are no longer in the same conference as Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, but they are in a league with South Carolina and Kentucky. Also, the SouthEastern conference now has five teams West of the Mississippi River (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M).
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Links, News and Rumors 2024 July 2nd (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2024 July 2nd
Preseason predictions, and a story of redemption...
From Athlon Sports: ACC Football 2024 Predictions
Predicted order of finish:
For details and explanation, click the title link above.
_____
From SaturdayBlitz: Realistic expectations for Miami football in 2024
By Connor Muldowney | Jun 30, 2024
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Official ACC Welcome 2024 (RX; HM)
Official ACC Welcome 2024
From the official ACC release of Monday, July 1, 2024...
ACC Officially Welcomes Cal, SMU and Stanford to the League
All three institutions will begin league competition this fall
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference continues to ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS with the addition of three world-class institutions in the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Stanford University as full members with full voting participation. SMU’s first official day in the ACC is July 1, 2024, while Cal and Stanford will become official members on August 2, 2024. All three institutions will begin conference competition this fall.
The additions of Cal, SMU and Stanford enhance and strengthen the ACC academically, athletically and financially as well as create a true national conference that spans coast to coast. The incoming universities enrich the league’s competitiveness in all sports and further demonstrate the ACC’s commitment to broad-based programs for both women and men. More than 2,200 student-athletes from Cal, SMU and Stanford will join the nearly 10,000 current ACC student-athletes competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.
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Tribute to Pac-12 Sports (RX; HM)
Tribute to Pac-12 Sports
Should old acquaintance be forgot... so long, Pac-12; we're going to miss you!
Here's a table showing all Pac-12 national championships in the big three sports (football, men's basketball, and baseball), with future ACC members Cal and Stanford in bold:
| Pac-12 National Champions (in 3 major sports) | |||
| From Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 1920 | California | ||
| 1921 | California | ||
| 1922 | California | ||
| 1923 | California | ||
| 1924 | |||
| 1925 | |||
| 1926 | Stanford | ||
| 1927 | |||
| 1928 | USC | ||
| 1929 | |||
| 1930 | |||
| 1931 | USC | ||
| 1932 | USC | ||
| 1933 | |||
| 1934 | |||
| 1935 | |||
| 1936 | |||
| 1937 | California | ||
| 1938 | |||
| 1939 | USC | Oregon | |
| Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 1940 | Stanford | ||
| 1941 | |||
| 1942 | Stanford | ||
| 1943 | |||
| 1944 | Utah* | ||
| 1945 | |||
| 1946 | |||
| 1947 | California | ||
| 1948 | USC | ||
| 1949 | |||
| 1950 | |||
| 1951 | |||
| 1952 | |||
| 1953 | |||
| 1954 | UCLA | ||
| 1955 | |||
| 1956 | |||
| 1957 | California | ||
| 1958 | USC | ||
| 1959 | California | ||
| Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 1960 | Washington | ||
| 1961 | USC | ||
| 1962 | USC | ||
| 1963 | USC | ||
| 1964 | UCLA | ||
| 1965 | UCLA | Arizona St* | |
| 1966 | |||
| 1967 | USC | UCLA | Arizona St* |
| 1968 | UCLA | USC | |
| 1969 | UCLA | Arizona St* | |
| 1970 | UCLA | USC | |
| 1971 | UCLA | USC | |
| 1972 | USC | UCLA | USC |
| 1973 | UCLA | USC | |
| 1974 | USC | USC | |
| 1975 | UCLA | ||
| 1976 | Arizona* | ||
| 1977 | Arizona St* | ||
| 1978 | USC | USC | |
| 1979 | |||
| Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 1980 | Arizona | ||
| 1981 | Arizona St | ||
| 1982 | |||
| 1983 | |||
| 1984 | Washington | ||
| 1985 | |||
| 1986 | Arizona | ||
| 1987 | Stanford | ||
| 1988 | Stanford | ||
| 1989 | |||
| 1990 | Colorado* | ||
| 1991 | Washington | ||
| 1992 | |||
| 1993 | |||
| 1994 | |||
| 1995 | UCLA | ||
| 1996 | |||
| 1997 | Arizona | ||
| 1998 | USC | ||
| 1999 | |||
| Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 2000 | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 2002 | |||
| 2003 | USC | ||
| 2004 | USC | ||
| 2005 | |||
| 2006 | Oregon St | ||
| 2007 | Oregon St | ||
| 2008 | |||
| 2009 | |||
| 2010 | |||
| 2011 | |||
| 2012 | Arizona | ||
| 2013 | UCLA | ||
| 2014 | |||
| 2015 | |||
| 2016 | |||
| 2017 | |||
| 2018 | Oregon St | ||
| 2019 | |||
| Year | Football | Basketball | Baseball |
| 2020 | |||
| 2021 | |||
| 2022 | |||
| 2023 |
In the 1960's, the Pac-10 as it was then called was truly the "Conference of Champions". However, a big reason for its demise was a focus on Director's Cup points and non-revenue sports, to the detriment of the money-making sports. No Pac-12 team has won a national championship in football in nearly 20 years, and it's been over a quarter of a century since the last Pac-12 title in men's basketball.
...
Ranking ACC quarterbacks: How Clemson football's Cade Klubnik rates vs ex-Tiger DJ Uiagalelei (blufftontoday.com; Carter)
If Clemson football is to return to prominence, quarterback Cade Klubnik must elevate his game.
Coach Dabo Swinney had immense success in the College Football Playoff era with former Clemson quarterbacks Deshaun Watson (2014-16), Kelly Bryant (2017) and Trevor Lawrence (2018-20). These quarterbacks spoiled Clemson fans with two national championships, six College Football Playoff appearances and six ACC championships.
After an inconsistent 2023, Klubnik is under pressure to deliver in 2024. He will have to drive the Tigers through an expanded ACC that includes teams with a quality quarterback returning and others who've bolstered the position via the transfer portal.
Here's where Klubnik ranks among the top 10 ACC quarterbacks ahead of the 2024 season:
1. Cam Ward, Miami
The Washington State transfer joins the Hurricanes after a season in which he finished eighth in the nation in passing yards with 3,736. The senior increased his passing yards, touchdowns (23 to 25), completion percentage (.648 to .667) and lowered his interceptions (9 to 7) from his junior season.Ward enters the 2024 season as a projected Day 1 or 2 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. One of his strengths is his ability to push the ball down the field, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, and he has the athletic receivers in Miami to be the best quarterback in the ACC.
2. DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State
Uiagalelei returns to the ACC after spending a season with Oregon State. After struggling as a starter for two seasons at Clemson, he rebounded with the Beavers, setting career highs in passing yards (2,638) and passer rating (145.0) despite completing only 57.1% of his throws.Uiagalelei joins FSU coach Mike Norvell and the reigning ACC champions, who flourished with last year's ACC player of the year, Jordan Travis. Norvell is hoping the two-time transfer, who recorded a career-high 8.4 yards per attempt in 2023, can have similar success.
3. Preston Stone, SMU
Stone is coming off a 3,197-yard, 28-touchdown season during which he earned third-team all-American Athletic Conference honors. He loves the deep ball with most of his passing attempts meeting at least 20 yards last season.On a 0-100 scale, Stone had a 91.0 passing grade last year, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking him only behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and finalist Bo Nix. The redshirt junior is returning from a broken leg in SMU's regular-season finale last year, so how he returns will shape how the Mustangs do in their new conference.
4. Haynes King, Georgia Tech
A dual-threat quarterback, King led the ACC in passing touchdowns and finished second among quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns last season. The 2023 Texas A&M transfer has a turnover problem though, leading the ACC in interceptions with 16.Entering his second year as a full-time starter, King can be more dangerous on an experienced Georgia Tech team if he limits his turnovers.
5. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
McCord won his first 11 games as the starting quarterback at Ohio State before losing to Michigan to conclude the 2023 regular season. He joins the Orange after throwing for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions.McCord won't have the wealth of talent around him like he had with Ohio State, but he will boost the Orange's passing game under first-year coach Fran Brown after Syracuse recorded the fewest passing yards in the ACC with 2,223 in 2023.
6. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
...Virginia Tech football: Four-star WR Matthew Outten commits to the Hokies (gobblercountry.con; Manning)
The Virginia Tech Hokies kicked off the holiday week with a bang Monday, landing their biggest recruit yet. Four-star wide receiver Matthew Outten committed to the Hokies over his other finalists, Penn State, Syracuse and Maryland.
This is a massive recruiting win for head coach Brent Pry and wide receivers coach/ace recruiter Fontel Mines. Outten was at the top of Virginia Tech's board, and to defeat Penn State for a player it badly wanted was huge. Outten’s commitment was similar to Keylen “Brodie” Adams’ recruitment from last summer. Adams, the top receiver — and arguably the top player in the state — picked the Hokies over a host of other interested schools, such as Alabama, Ohio State and others.
The 6-foot-0, 200-pound Norcom plays at I.C. Norcom in Portsmouth and is ranked as the No. 6 overall player in Virginia and the 139th-ranked player in the country for 2025, according to 247Sports.
If you watch Outten’s highlights, you see a player who looks like he can be a Day 1 contributor for the Hokies. He has good size and speed and is electric with the ball in his hands. Outten plays defensive back and returns kicks and is also a track star at Norcom.
The Hokies are absolutely loaded at wide receiver right now — and for the foreseeable future. Outten is the second receiver the Hokies have committed for 2025, following Jayden Anderson of Green Run (Virginia Beach). Last year, in addition to Adams, the Hokies also signed Chanz Wiggins. Tech will lose its top four wide receivers after the upcoming season (Quan Felton, Ali Jennings, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell), so there will be plenty of playing time available in 2025.
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Clemson Football: More conference realignment could be on the horizon (rubbingtherock.com; Chancey)
Today is the day that California, SMU, and Stanford are officially members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Meanwhile, two programs – Clemson and Florida State – are currently suing the league while being countersued by the league.
The two subjects are tied together. One of the most often reported reasons that the ACC ultimately decided to approve the addition of the three new members was because the league would need new members if Clemson and Florida State left. ESPN could force a renegotiation of the ACC contract if league membership fell below a minimum level.
Now that the league has hit a high-water mark of seventeen full members (with non-football playing member Notre Dame on top of that), the next question is whether any schools could be leaving soon.
We might get that answer within the next few weeks. The deadline for programs to leave the ACC at the end of the 2024-25 athletic season is in mid-August 2024. The deadline last year fell on August 15th.
We now stand roughly six weeks from that deadline. We are not likely to see any resolutions to the legal entanglements between the schools and the league, but it is possible that either Clemson or Florida State could decide that early rulings and discovery favor their positions against the ACC.
If the Tigers or Seminoles feel confident in their ability to challenge the Grant of Rights or negotiate a settlement, it is realistic that either school could give the ACC notice that they intend to leave.
Josh Pate from CBS Sports hosts The Late Kick Podcast, and he discussed the potential changes that could be coming in the next few weeks.
While Pate couldn’t point at specific evidence that a change could be coming, he said he does have contacts within the legal community that have insight on the subject and they have suggested that movement could begin sooner rather than later.
Pate has been hinting at such things for a couple of weeks on X.
Pate is a well-known name in the college football talk industry but he isn’t an insider, and he is upfront about that during his podcast. He is not, however, an X account that throws random things against the wall in the hopes that something will stick and they can later claim to be the person who predicted all along.
Pate is also quite clear about the most likely move. He mentions Florida State possibly leaving the ACC. He does not specifically refer to Clemson. This does fit with past patterns. FSU has always been bolder about its desire to exit the ACC. The Seminoles launched their lawsuits against the ACC before Clemson.
It is also important to note that just because Pate has sources on the legal side that suggest a move is imminent, plans could change. All it could take is a decision in either school’s case against the conference that could change their perceptions of their positions.
If the bombshell move by either school does not happen before mid-August, it could be several months before we hear anything else on the subject.
Josh Pate On FSU Leaving The ACC - July Bombshell Coming? (Late Kick Cut) (youtube; podcast; Late Kick)
FSU is in the ACC for now. How long will that be the case? On Late Kick Live Ep 526 Josh Pate responded to several recent rumblings that big news could be coming RE: the future of the program and the ACC. Will we see clarity on the future of FSU and other programs around the ACC in July? Let us know what you think in the comments below and be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the channel and CLICK THE BELL for notifications as we bring you multiple live shows per week!
Josh Pate Drops MAJOR Update About ACC and Florida State (youtube; podcast; Couz's Corner)
In this college football podcast episode, Couz reacts to recent comments made by Josh Pate with @LateKickwithJoshPate about the ACC and conference realignment. Couz will give his key takeaways from Josh's comments and talk about how it could impact the power four conferences, including the Big 12.With Florida State and Clemson involved in lawsuits trying to get out of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), speculation has run wild for months over how and when those schools could get out of the ACC and to what conference they would move to. Well, Josh Pate continues to pour salt on the wound of the ACC by sharing the latest info he's getting from his sources about the situation. He now knows how soon we could hear news. Couz shares the news and reacts with his own thoughts on the matter.
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Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester get $40 million to promote Upstate NY tech corridor, Schumer says (PS; $; Coin)
A regional collaboration of Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo has won a $40 million federal grant to boost the semiconductor industry in Upstate New York, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer will formally announce today.
The award to the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub follows the designation last year of the three cities as a national tech hub, a move that Schumer and others said could help unleash billions of dollars in new investment in Upstate New York and persuade more semiconductor-related companies to locate here. Upstate New York is the first award to be announced.
The $40 million will be used for training workers to build and work in semiconductor plants, build and expand semiconductor supply chains, and subsidize laboratories and testing equipment for small and minority-owned businesses.
“This isn’t just a national spotlight on Upstate New York. This is the federal government saying that the I-90 corridor is America’s semiconductor superhighway,” Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.
Schumer led the push for Congress to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, which included $52 billion in federal incentives for semiconductor manufacturers to expand in the United States.
Today’s award comes nearly two years after New York beat out other states to lure Micron Technology to Syracuse’s northern suburbs, where the company plans to invest up to $100 billion over 20 years in a computer chip manufacturing campus. It would be the largest memory chip manufacturing site in the United States and could employ 9,000 people within 20 years.
The goal of the tech hub program is to give an economic jolt to Rust Belt communities like Upstate New York and other places where economies have sputtered in recent decades. In turn, the federal investment is expected to drive the development of new technologies that give the U.S. a competitive edge against other nations, driving economic growth and helping to train a new workforce of tech workers.
The Upstate hub, formally called the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor, or NY SMART I-Corridor, was put together by economic development agencies in each region: Buffalo Niagara Partnership in Buffalo, ROC2025 in Rochester, and CenterState CEO in Syracuse.
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Micron Technology would destroy more than 200 acres of wetlands, like these along Burnet Road in the town of Clay, to build a semiconductor manufacturing complex.Glenn Coin | gcoin@syracuse.com
Feds extend time for comments on Micron plans to fill in 200 acres of wetlands (PS; Coin)
The public will get another month to comment on Micron Technology’s plans to cover over more than 200 acres of wetlands to build a massive chipmaking plant in the town of Clay.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees federally designated wetlands, has extended the public comment period on Micron’s proposal to July 31. The deadline had originally been today.
Micron’s construction of four fabrication plants, or fabs, at Route 31 and Caughdenoy Road would permanently destroy more than 200 acres of wetlands and 6,716 feet of stream banks, the corps said in a public notice. (See maps below.)
Micron would need approval of the Army Corps to fill in those wetlands and streams. The company would be obligated to buy or create wetlands property nearby to offset the losses caused by construction of the complex. Micron is working with the nonprofit Wetland Trust, in Ithaca, to find and set aside wetlands, the corps said.
Micron would avoid building on about half of the wetlands on the 1,400-acre White Pine Commerce Park, the corps said.
“The decision to approve or deny this permit request will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact, including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest,” the Army corps said its original public notice. “That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources.”
The summary of Micron’s application can be found on the website of the agency’s Buffalo office.
Micron plans to start construction in 2025 and open the first fab in 2028. The fourth fab would be done in 2041.
About 40% of the $48 billion cost for the first two fabs will be subsidized by taxpayers.
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Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band performs at the Railbird Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Lexington, Ky.Amy Harris/Invision/AP
7 must-see concerts in Upstate NY this July 4 week (PS; Kemeny)
Fireworks are fun and all, but for many, local live concerts are pivotal to the July 4 holiday. Celebrate your independence this week with these seven must-see concerts coming to Upstate New York.
Whether you’re a fan of rock, pop, jazz, jam bands or country, there’s something for everyone.
1. Story of the Year & Plain White T’s
Where: Albany, NY @ Empire LiveWhen: Monday, July 1 @ 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: Vivid Seats | SeatGeek | StubHub
The early 2000s are back with alternative rock bands Story of the Year (”Until the Day I Die”) and The Plain White T’s (”Hey There Delilah”) joining forces for a concert at Empire Live in Albany, NY. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
2. Tyler Childers
Where: Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts CenterWhen: Wednesday, July 3 @ 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: Vivid Seats | SeatGeek | StubHub
Grammy-nominated country music artist Tyler Childers, best known for hits like “In Your Love” and “All Your’n,” will perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Saratoga Springs, NY on Wednesday, July 3 (7/3/2024) as part of his 2024 “Mule Pull Tour.”
The concert starts at 7:00 p.m. with special guests S.G. Goodman and Wayne Graham opening.
3. Third Eye Blind & Yellowcard
Where: Darien Lake, NY @ Darien Lake AmphitheaterWhen: Wednesday, July 3 @ 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: Vivid Seats | SeatGeek | StubHub
Third Eye Blind, the ’90s pop-rock band best known for hits like “Semi-Charmed Life” and “Jumper,” is bringing their 2024 “Summer Gods Tour” to the Darien Lake Amphitheater on Wednesday, July 3.
The concert starts at 6:30 p.m., with with special guests Yellowcard and A R I Z O N A opening.
4. Alanis Morissette
Where: Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the ArtsWhen: Friday, July 5 @ 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: Vivid Seats | SeatGeek | StubHub
Alanis Morissette, best known for hits like “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know,” is bringing her “Triple Moon” tour to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, NY on Friday, July 5.
The concert starts at 7:00 p.m., with special guests Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Morgan Wade opening.
Related: Summer concerts in Upstate NY: A huge list of shows for 2024 (tickets, info)
5. Dave Matthews Band
Where: Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts CenterWhen: Friday, July 5 & Saturday, July 6 @ 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: Vivid Seats | SeatGeek | StubHub
The jam/rock band, Dave Matthews Band, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album, “Under the Table and Dreaming,” with a 2024 tour that includes two stops in Upstate New York.
DMB will perform two nights at the Broadview Stage at SPAC in Saratoga Springs on Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6. Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m.
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Central NY Regional Market Authority fires executive director after criticism from state auditors (PS; $; Moriarty)
The Central New York Regional Market Authority voted Monday to fire Executive Director Amanda Vitale, just six weeks after a state audit found poor financial management at the Syracuse market.
Authority board President Anthony Emmi announced the vote to terminate Vitale’s employment at the authority’s meeting Monday evening, Spectrum News reported.
Vitale declined after the meeting to comment on her firing.
“It is my son’s birthday, so I will be spending the rest of the night with him,” she said in a text message to syracuse.com.
Emmi did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment Monday night.
The board also voted to create a new position of chief executive officer who will oversee the future executive director, according to the report. Former Onondaga County Deputy Executive Bill Fisher was appointed to fill that role at a salary of $58,468.
Vitale was appointed executive director in 2019, succeeding her father, Ben Vitale, who had served in the role for 22 years. She was paid a salary of $106,000.
An audit released in May by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli heavily criticized the authority’s financial management.
Among other things, DiNapoli blasted the authority for paying Vitale’s father more than $200,000 over three years following his retirement as executive director to handle “special projects” and other duties such as snowplowing without a clear job description or work hours.
In addition, it said market officials did not adequately monitor and control payroll expenses. DiNapoli also criticized the authority for buying a $2.3 million warehouse on Hiawatha Boulevard that is currently vacant and not generating any income because of roof leaks.
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