Posted by J.J. Greenstein on May 14, 2012 under ACC Football | 
Things started slowly on the recruiting trail for Head Coach Tom O’Brien and company, but the Pack have now reeled in four commitments for the class of 2013.
Mocksville (NC) Davie County offensive lineman Cole Blankenship got the ball rolling for the Pack in late April. The 6-3, 275 pound center committed to State just two days after being offered by the coaching staff. Blankenship took a visit to Raleigh in February, and he said the success of the visit made his decision an easy one.
Richmond County (NC) running back Dakwa Nichols kept things going on the offensive side of the ball, committing to run with the Pack May 1. At 5-10 and 182 pounds, Nichols is not the most intimidating tailback you will see, but his speed makes him an absolute game-changer. He’s been measured at a 4.4 forty yard dash, and has proven that he can break games open on kick-off and punt returns. Nichols chose the Pack over an offer from Air Force.
After landing a pair of offensive talents, State pulled in two defensive players.
Memphis (TN) University linebacker Ford Howell was receiving interest from all over the place, and had already held offers from Lehigh and Western Kentucky when NC State showed up with an offer in hand back in March. The 6-1.5, 225 pound outside linebacker chose State the first week of May.
State’s most recent commitment came from Miami (FL) Central defensive back Da’Wan Hunte. The 5-10, 185 corner impressed the Wolfpack coaches with his physicality and his ability to tackle in the open field. It is important for the Pack to successfully recruit talent hotbeds like Miami, so this was an impressive get for the staff.
NC State still has a lot of work to do to bring together a solid 2013 class, and some of the bigger names should start to make their decisions during the summer as the schools hosts their camps.
That’s all I’ve got for now. As always, for up to date news about Wolfpack recruiting, follow me on Twitter @TheJJGreenstein.
Posted by Brandon Rink on February 27, 2012 under ACC Football |
Sammy Watkins' Tigers travel to Wake Forest for a Thursday nighter on Oct. 25, which could be a good after the two battled for the Atlantic to a 31-28 Clemson win in Death Valley last November. (Pic per OrangeandWhite.com)
Breaking down the schedule with what you should like (and what I like) and dislike on your team’s schedule and things to note…
Check out my top-10 ACC games to watch on Southern Pigskin here as well.
Boston College Eagles
Likes: ACC opener with Miami on the opening weekend, bye week before hosting Clemson, and a FCS opponent sandwiched between Miami and going to Northwestern.
Dislikes: The FSU to Georgia Tech back-to-back road trips and hosting Virginia Tech and traveling to NC State to finish the season..
Strength Ranking in ACC: 9th.
Oddity: Three-straight road games in October.
Toughest Game: Florida State, Oct. 13.
Eagles Full Schedule
Sept. 1 MIAMI
Sept. 8 MAINE
Sept. 15 at Northwestern
Sept. 22 OPEN
Sept. 29 CLEMSON
Oct. 6 at Army
Oct. 13 at Florida State
Oct. 20 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 27 MARYLAND
Nov. 3 at Wake Forest
Nov. 10 NOTRE DAME
Nov. 17 VIRGINIA TECH
Nov. 24 at NC State
Clemson Tigers
Likes: Rubber match with Auburn in the Georgia Dome after splitting the home-and-home series in 2010 and 2011, Thursday nighter at Wake Forest, and three home games to close November.
Dislikes: Back-to-back ACC road games with FSU and BC (BC coming off a bye), short turnaround off a tough Virginia Tech game to a Thursday trip to Wake and playing NC State before South Carolina.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 4th.
Oddity: Play only four road games, and they’re paired back-to-back with FSU-BC and Wake-Duke.
Toughest Game: at FSU, Sept. 22.
Tigers Full Schedule
Sept. 1 AUBURN (Georgia Dome)
Sept. 8 BALL STATE
Sept. 15 FURMAN
Sept. 22 at Florida State
Sept. 29 at Boston College
Oct. 6 GEORGIA TECH
Oct. 13 OPEN
Oct. 20 VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 25 at Wake Forest (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 3 at Duke
Nov. 10 MARYLAND
Nov. 17 NC STATE
Nov. 24 SOUTH CAROLINA
Duke Blue Devils
Likes: Tough, but winnable stretch in September with FIU, North Carolina Central and Memphis all coming to town, chance to play spoiler with UNC, Virginia, Clemson and Miami hitting Durham and a bye before Georgia Tech.
Dislikes: Trip to Stanford, trip to Virginia Tech, Clemson and FSU on the schedule and a trip to Georgia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 3rd.
Oddity: No bye until week 12.
Toughest Game: at Stanford, Sept. 8.
Devils Full Schedule
Sept. 1 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
Sept. 8 at Stanford
Sept. 15 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
Sept. 22 MEMPHIS
Sept. 29 at Wake Forest
Oct. 6 VIRGINIA
Oct. 13 at Virginia Tech
Oct. 20 NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 27 at Florida State
Nov. 3 CLEMSON
Nov. 10 OPEN
Nov. 17 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 24 MIAMI
Florida State Seminoles
Likes: Four home-game start (back end with Atlantic contenders Wake and Clemson), bye before Thursday game at Lane Stadium and Florida coming to Tallahassee.
Dislikes: Underrated-ly tough back-to-back first road trips to South Florida and NC State, a Thursday game in Lane Stadium coupled with an ACC finale at Maryland.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 8th.
Oddity: The ‘Noles start with four homes games this season.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech, Nov. 8.
Seminoles Full Schedule
Sept. 1 MURRAY STATE
Sept. 8 SAVANNAH STATE
Sept. 15 WAKE FOREST
Sept. 22 CLEMSON
Sept. 29 at South Florida
Oct. 6 at NC State
Oct. 13 BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 20 at Miami
Oct. 27 DUKE
Nov. 3 OPEN
Nov. 8 at Virginia Tech (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 17 at Maryland
Nov. 24 FLORIDA
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Likes: Easy landing with Presbyterian off the Labor Day opener at Virginia Tech starting a 4-game homestand, Duke to close ACC play.
Dislikes: Having Virginia Tech with a full offseason to prepare for the Labor Day road game, back-to-back road trip with Maryland/UNC and traveling to Georgia.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 6th.
Oddity: Has to be the Labor Day game to Saturday matchup with Presbyterian.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech, Sept. 3.
Yellow Jackets Full Schedule
Sept. 3 at Virginia Tech (Monday), ESPN, 8 pm
Sept. 8 PRESBYTERIAN
Sept. 15 VIRGINIA
Sept. 22 MIAMI
Sept. 29 MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Oct. 6 at Clemson
Oct. 13 OPEN
Oct. 20 BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 27 BYU
Nov. 3 at Maryland
Nov. 10 at North Carolina
Nov. 17 DUKE
Nov. 24 at Georgia
Maryland Terrapins
Likes: Edsall v. old school matchup with UConn in week three in College Park, bye before conference play starts against Wake, alternating home and road games the whole season.
Dislikes: Trips to WVU, Virginia and Clemson.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 5th.
Oddity: First ACC game on Oct. 6.
Toughest Game: at West Virginia, Sept. 22.
Terps Full Schedule
Sept. 1 WILLIAM & MARY
Sept. 8 at Temple
Sept. 15 CONNECTICUT
Sept. 22 at West Virginia
Sept. 29 OPEN
Oct. 6 WAKE FOREST
Oct. 13 at Virginia
Oct. 20 NC STATE
Oct. 27 at Boston College
Nov. 3 GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 10 at Clemson
Nov. 17 FLORIDA STATE
Nov. 24 at North Carolina
Miami Hurricanes
Likes: Neutral site game in Chicago with Notre Dame, FSU and Virginia Tech (Thursday) coming to them in September.
Dislikes: At BC and Kansas State then an FCS opponent before a trip to Georgia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 7th.
Oddity: Three of their first four games on the road and the next four games at home or at a neutral site.
Toughest Game: Florida State, Oct. 20.
Hurricanes Full Schedule
Sept. 1 at Boston College
Sept. 8 at Kansas State
Sept. 15 BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Sept. 22 at Georgia Tech
Sept. 29 NC STATE
Oct. 6 at Notre Dame (Chicago, Ill.)
Oct. 13 NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 20 FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 27 OPEN
Nov. 1 VIRGINIA TECH (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 10 at Virginia
Nov. 17 SOUTH FLORIDA
Nov. 24 at Duke
North Carolina Tar Heels
Likes: Easing into the first divisional game with ECU and Idaho before hosting Virginia Tech, and finishing the season with Maryland.
Dislikes: At Wake and Louisville in weeks two and three won’t be easy, nor will the back-to-back roadie to Miami and Duke before hosting NC State.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 10th.
Oddity: A late bye of Nov. 3 and a short turnaround from Georgia Tech to at Virginia on a Thursday night.
Toughest Game: at Virginia, Nov. 15 (because of the above fact).
Heels Full Schedule
Sept. 1 ELON
Sept. 8 at Wake Forest
Sept. 15 at Louisville
Sept. 22 EAST CAROLINA
Sept. 29 IDAHO
Oct. 6 VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 13 at Miami
Oct. 20 at Duke
Oct. 27 NC STATE
Nov. 3 OPEN
Nov. 10 GEORGIA TECH
Nov. 15 at Virginia (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 24 MARYLAND
NC State Wolfpack
Likes: Tennessee Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game, easing into the first conference game with a couple FCS games (at Miami, Sept. 29), bye before back-to-back road trips (Maryland and UNC), and closing with three of four at home.
Dislikes: None.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 11th.
Oddity: Play three of four on the road in the middle of the season and three of four at home in their final four.
Toughest Game: at Clemson, Nov. 17.
Wolfpack Full Schedule
Aug. 31 TENNESSEE (Georgia Dome)
Sept. 8 at Connecticut
Sept. 15 SOUTH ALABAMA
Sept. 22 THE CITADEL
Sept. 29 at Miami
Oct. 6 FLORIDA STATE
Oct. 13 OPEN
Oct. 20 at Maryland
Oct. 27 at North Carolina
Nov. 3 VIRGINIA
Nov. 10 WAKE FOREST
Nov. 17 at Clemson
Nov. 24 BOSTON COLLEGE
Virginia Cavaliers
Likes: Richmond leading into the Penn State home game, bye before the trip to NC State, Miami and UNC (Thurs.) coming to Scott Stadium in November.
Dislikes: Penn State-at Georgia Tech-at TCU stretch in September and finishing at Virginia Tech.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 2nd.
Oddity: They’ll have a little extra prep time on Virginia Tech with a Thursday night game the week before versus UNC.
Toughest Game: at Virginia Tech on Nov. 24.
‘Hoos Full Schedule
Sept. 1 RICHMOND
Sept. 8 PENN STATE
Sept. 15 at Georgia Tech
Sept. 22 at TCU
Sept. 29 LOUISIANA TECH
Oct. 6 at Duke
Oct. 13 MARYLAND
Oct. 20 WAKE FOREST
Oct. 27 OPEN
Nov. 3 at NC State
Nov. 10 MIAMI
Nov. 15 NORTH CAROLINA (Thur.), ESPN
Nov. 24 at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies
Likes: Getting the offseason to prepare for Georgia Tech at home, bye before Miami Thursday night road trip, hosting FSU on a Thursday and getting Virginia at home.
Dislikes: At Clemson before a bye with a trip to Miami, home with FSU and traveling to BC right afterwards.
Strength in ACC Ranking: 1st.
Oddity: Clemson, Miami and FSU all come off byes going into their game with the Hokies.
Toughest Game: at Clemson, Oct. 20.
Hokies Full Schedule
Sept. 3 GEORGIA TECH (Monday)
Sept. 8 AUSTIN PEAY
Sept. 15 at Pittsburgh
Sept. 22 BOWLING GREEN
Sept. 29 at Cincinnati (FedEx Field)
Oct. 6 at North Carolina
Oct. 13 DUKE
Oct. 20 at Clemson
Oct. 27 OPEN
Nov. 1 at Miami (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 8 FLORIDA STATE (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 17 at Boston College
Nov. 24 VIRGINIA
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Likes: UNC as an early home opener, bye before trip to Virginia, hosting Clemson on a Thursday then BC at home as well.
Dislikes: At FSU in week three, short turnaround from at Virginia to Clemson (5 days) and back-to-back November road trips to NC State and Notre Dame.
Strength Ranking in ACC: 12th.
Oddity: They wrap up conference play on Nov. 10 at NC State before the road game at Notre Dame and coming back home to face Vandy.
Toughest Game: at FSU, Sept. 15.
Deacs Full Schedule
Sept. 1 LIBERTY
Sept. 8 NORTH CAROLINA
Sept. 15 at Florida State
Sept. 22 ARMY
Sept. 29 DUKE
Oct. 6 at Maryland
Oct. 13 OPEN
Oct. 20 at Virginia
Oct. 25 CLEMSON (Thursday), ESPN
Nov. 3 BOSTON COLLEGE
Nov. 10 at NC State
Nov. 17 at Notre Dame
Nov. 24 VANDERBILT
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Check out my top-10 ACC games to watch on Southern Pigskin here as well.
Posted by Brandon Rink on February 3, 2012 under ACC Baseball, ACC Basketball, ACC Football, Other ACC Coverage |
With a change in the ACC map, is coming even more that aren't sitting well with some ACC fans (Pic per OrangeandWhite.com).
Boom – the ACC is going to a 9-game football conference schedule when Pittsburgh and Syracuse join on a date TBD.
It’s an interesting move, following in the footsteps of the PAC-12, and in the end, it’s probably the right one.
If you’re adding teams, adding conference games makes sense – cutting the OOC down to three games.
Obviously, it’ll limit the amount of prime non-conference games, but let’s be honest, that can only help the ACC.
I’ve said for a while that Syracuse to the Atlantic and Pitt to the Coastal makes the most sense. The Orange rekindles the yearly matchup with regional neighbor Boston College, and plays Pitt in cross-divisional action.
It appears that was the main idea from what commish John Swofford told David Teel of the Daily Press:
Swofford said the “overriding factors” in the division assignments were keeping Virginia Tech and Boston College as partners, and rekindling the Boston College-Syracuse and Virginia Tech-Pitt rivalries that waned when the Hokies and Eagles left the Big East for the ACC.
In my estimation, there just wasn’t a way to feasibly blow up the divisional structure and piece it back together North-South or otherwise. They made the right call here.
The other main point of contention from the ACC announcement was the structure of the new 18-game basketball conference schedule, having just one guaranteed home-and-home series and a 14-team ACC Tourney. From the release:
The scheduling model will be based on a three-year cycle during which teams will play every league opponent at least once with the primary partners playing home and away annually while the other 12 rotate in groups of four: one year both home and away; one year at home only; and one year away only. Over the course of the three-year cycle primary partners play a total of six times and all other conference opponents play four times.
This is where most folks are freaking out, mostly in one particular state. How else can you really do it when throwing the ‘Cuse and Pitt into the mix? It’s not Tobacco Road-friendly from a historical standpoint, but there’s 10 other conference schools now.
From Teel again, Swofford says the new basketball-schedule style passed with majority support:
“The (basketball) coaches were very supportive of the one-partner scheduling,” Swofford said, “and as it turned out, so were the athletic directors.”
So, the plan is finally in place – when does this all go down? Looks like we’re not any closer to knowing.
From CBS’ Brett McMurphy…
ACC commissioner John Swofford wouldn’t speculate on Pittsburgh and Syracuse joining the ACC before 2014. “First of all, (that decision) is between Pitt and Syracuse and the Big East,” Swofford said.
However, if the Panthers and Orange can leave before 2014, the ACC will be ready.
“The fact we made our decision how we will schedule and compete certainly helps us (when they join),” Swofford said. “In terms of when that time may come, I don’t want to get into a hypothetical of this or that. Our position continues to be that we want to prepare ourselves when they’re ready and it’s appropriate for them to join us.”
The Big East won’t really still hold Pitt and Syracuse until 2014, right? (Right??) Who knows, but it’s not happening in 2012, and beyond that, the courts and whatever precedent West Virginia sets in its departure to Big XII will determine if there can be epic clashes like Clemson-Syracuse in 2013.
The sooner this will all go down the better, but probably by then, the ACC will get raided or add 10 more teams just to mess with us.
