Tag: ACC football

ACC starting quarterback rankings for 2024

Here are our ACC quarterback rankings for 2024, with projected starters.

We are still some time away from the start of the 2024 college football season, but that doesn’t stop us from looking ahead.

Today, we are looking at the ACC starting quarterbacks for 2024 and ranking them ahead of the season. This is just a preview, as it is still many months from the season, and things can change fast. While every team doesn’t have a starting quarterback on paper, we are making projections on these starters based on what we know right now.

The ACC is a bit different now, with the addition of new programs and new faces to the conference. Try not to get mad with these, they’re subjective! That said, here are our ACC starting quarterback rankings heading into the 2024 season.

– Updated 4/19

ACC Football Teams Ranked by Returning Production for 2024

A look at each ACC team’s returning production for the upcoming 2024 season.

Forecasting which teams will rise to greatness in college football in any given season can prove challenging. However, a key indicator often lies in the roster’s returning players.

From seasoned fifth-year senior linebackers to up-and-coming junior quarterbacks, the presence of experienced athletes opting to continue with their respective programs can significantly bolster a team’s competitive advantage. This continuity becomes particularly crucial as other teams contend with talent depletion due to NFL draft selections, transfers, or eligibility regulations.

ESPN recently released a list of all 134 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams, with each ACC team naturally being listed. Here is a look at each ACC team’s returning production on offense, defense, and total.

Updated 4/7

Cade Klubnik is this analyst’s biggest question mark for Clemson football

Clemson Tigers football: Cade Klubnik is the Tigers’ biggest question mark in spring practice and entering the 2024 season, according to this college football analyst.

After a 4-4 start last season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik faced more than his share of doubts from fans and pundits alike.

A five-game winning streak that included a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback and 38-35 win against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl to close the season isn’t enough to quell all of Klubnik’s critics, either.

In fact, CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson lists Klubnik as the Tigers’ biggest question mark in spring practice and heading into the 2024 season.

Asking if Klubnik can up his performance from a season ago, Patterson writes:

“Clemson’s coaching staff is challenging Klubnik, the former five-star prospect who enters his junior season with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a Tiger, and looking for him to improve in several ways in order to unlock the offense’s full potential. They want Klubnik to get stronger and have more pocket awareness (he took 28 sacks in 2023) as well as get a better feel for situational football after some of his more disappointing moments came in key spots of close losses.”

Patterson notes that the burden doesn’t fall squarely on Klubnik’s throwing shoulder and highlights coach Dabo Swinney’s program’s need to develop solid receivers.

To that end, incoming freshman and five-star recruit Bryant Wesco has been on many lists of players turning heads in spring practice this year.

Per Patterson:

“This is not a one-man scenario, though; Clemson needs pass catchers and a solid offensive line to help Klubnik in those efforts. Given his blue-chip pedigree, it’s fair to look for a big step forward from the Tigers quarterback in his second full season as a starter.”

Klubnik finished his sophomore season with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He completed 64 percent of his passes and threw for 2,844 yards in 13 games.

On3 identifies Clemson and Florida State as the only ACC legitimate College Football Playoff contenders

Clemson and Florida State are expected to be the top dogs in the ACC.

As college football teams prepare for the upcoming 2024 season, they’re busy recruiting new players and looking at transfers to strengthen their squads.

One team, the Clemson Tigers, is known for their history in the College Football Playoff era. They’re aiming high for the upcoming season, hoping to make it to the College Football Playoff. To do that, they need to play really well in 2024. That might mean winning the ACC Championship to secure a playoff spot, or getting picked as one of the best teams overall.

This year, the playoffs are bigger, with 12 teams instead of just a few. This is a big deal for college football because it gives more teams, like Clemson, a better chance to show what they’ve got and maybe even make it to the playoffs.

On3 recently evaluated the legitimate College Football Playoff contenders in the ACC, with Clemson and Florida State being the two schools mentioned.

“Let’s talk about the ACC and the Big 12 because we’ve only mentioned SEC and Big Ten teams so far,” Andy Staples said. “The supposition is that the national champ will come from one of those two leagues. Perfectly understandable. I think the ACC and the Big 12 are different in this respect, because in the ACC I do think Florida State and Clemson can do this.”

“They can be deep enough. I worry about Clemson for the same reason you do, I don’t think their roster is as efficiently built as everybody else’s because Dabo [Swinney] doesn’t use the Transfer Portal. Florida State is a more efficient roster. It may not have as much top-end talent that you signed out of high school, but they probably have a more functionally talented roster because they’ve been evaluating as they go and changing pieces as they go.”

Once again, it is the transfer portal that people are bringing up with the Tigers, which is understandable when comparing Clemson’s complete roster to others. While some are filling holes in the portal, the Tigers are doing it in recruiting.

That doesn’t mean the roster won’t be complete… if the Tigers hit on their recruits and the outstanding 2023 class continues to develop, Clemson could be a powerhouse in the ACC. It will be interesting to see how they and Florida State compete in 2024 with how differently they’ve built there squads.

Last season, Florida State proved that fully utilizing the transfer portal can work. This season, it’s Clemson’s turn to prove that you can still be elite solely through recruiting.

247Sports projects where Clemson will land in college football’s realignment

With Clemson and FSU’s lawsuits against the ACC, college football realignment remains a hot topic.

College football’s conference realignment seemingly happened quickly, and expectations are that more moves will be made at some point. 

This felt evident with the Florida State Seminoles suing the ACC, but things got even more clear when the Clemson Tigers did the same. With the two top members of the ACC showing they want change or want out of the conference as a whole, things get even more interesting. 

One of the biggest questions surrounding Clemson and realignment revolves around where the Tigers would land if they were to leave the ACC. Recently, 247Sports made their prediction. 

Projection: SEC

Clemson’s made it clear it doesn’t want to be left behind as a revenue-driver in the ACC and the SEC best seems like a fit.”

Clemson routinely comes up in SEC conversations as one of the league’s next primary targets. The Tigers are one of the “Big 3” football powers in the ACC, joining Florida State and Miami, and they’re the only ones with national championship hardware to show for it in recent years.

Clemson to the SEC would make the most sense, considering all of the factors of location, teams in the conference, and history they have with some of those teams. While you can’t count the Big Ten out, there is a strong likelihood it would be the SEC who landed the Tigers.

This is all speculation, but it could be reality before we know it.

Miami looks to fill the gap left by Henry Parrish’s Transfer

Henry Parrish’s transfer leaves Miami searching for a new star in the backfield, with TreVonte’ Citizen and Chris Johnson poised to step up.

In the carousel of college football, where loyalty swings like a pendulum, Miami’s backfield finds itself a man short. Henry Parrish, the Hurricanes’ steadfast rusher, has thrown his cleats into the transfer portal ring, sparking a domino effect in the team’s lineup. This decision has opened a wide gap in the running back room. Led by standout sophomore Mark Fletcher Jr.

Parrish, a Miami native, had a collegiate journey akin to a nomad’s tale. Initially donning the Ole Miss jersey, he racked up respectable stats before the allure of home turf beckoned him to Miami. With 1,242 yards and ten touchdowns under his Hurricanes belt, his departure leaves a void not easily filled. He led the team in rushing the last two seasons. His knack for breaking the 100-yard barrier, including a memorable 139-yard game against Temple, showed his added value to the Hurricanes team.

For Miami, the 2023 season saw Parrish as a key contributor with 625 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 100 attempts, averaging a steady 6.3 yards per carry.

Kevin Smith, the former Miami and current Ole Miss running backs coach, adds an interesting angle to Parrish’s transfer. Smith’s brief tenure at Miami, followed by his return to Ole Miss, where he and Parrish previously crossed paths, raises questions about the influence of coaching relationships on player moves.

With Parrish’s departure, the Hurricanes are left to navigate the spring games with a depleted arsenal. The stage is now set for TreVonte’ Citizen, Chris Johnson, and Chris Wheatley-Humphrey to vie for the spotlight. The Hurricanes will need to find a new number two back and carve a new path, sprinting through the uncertainties and tackling the expectations head-on.

This summer, Jordan Lyle, a gem from Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas, is poised to join the fray. Ranked as the 15th tailback by 247Sports, Lyle’s arrival is anticipated like the first rain after a drought, promising rejuvenation and perhaps, a new era for Miami’s running back lineage.

The situation is a clear signal for the younger players to seize the opportunity. Miami’s backfield dynamics are shifting, and the upcoming season will be a proving ground for these emerging talents. As Parrish moves on, Miami’s running game is set for a new chapter, with fresh faces aiming to make their mark.

Conference realignment: Where does Clemson land in potential post-ACC world?

If Clemson University and its lawyers are successfully able to challenge the ACC’s Grant of Rights and leave the league, where would the Tigers most likely join in the next wave of conference realignment?

What happens if Clemson and Florida State are successful in their respective attempts to leave the ACC?

Does Miami, North Carolina, Duke and others follow them to one of the new “Power 2” conferences or to the Big 12?

Does the ACC continue on in a watered-down way without its biggest football powers and perhaps become a basketball-only league, à la the Big East?

Most importantly to Clemson fans and others looking at a potential/inevitable ACC collapse with a vested interest, what conference would the Tigers be most likely to join?

247Sports’ Brad Crawford and others have pondered that last question and posited that the SEC is the most likely landing spot for Clemson, if the school and its attorneys are able to break the ACC’s Grant of Rights agreement.

A potential Clemson move to the SEC would hardly come as a shock. The Tigers offer the league a lot in terms of recent on-field success — namely, they’re the only ACC program that played in the four-team College Football Playoff from 2015-2023.

Clemson would also be a natural fit in the SEC both geographically and culturally, as would another ACC school that 247Sports predicts would land in commissioner Greg Sankey’s league.

ACC responds with a countersuit against Clemson

The ACC has their response to Clemson’s lawsuit.

In a new legal development, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has taken action following Clemson University’s recent lawsuit against it.

The ACC has retaliated by filing a counter lawsuit against Clemson, opting to pursue legal proceedings in Mecklenburg County. The Athletic’s Chris Vannini was the first to report on the situation on X (formerly known as Twitter). This move echoes the conference’s previous legal action against Florida State, filed in the same county last December.

Last year, on December 21, Florida State initiated legal proceedings against the ACC. Now, with Clemson joining FSU in contesting the league, both universities are challenging the ACC in court regarding its Grant of Rights deal and the substantial $130 million exit fee. Now it is Clemson who is officially joining the battle.

Here is some of what the records had to say:

Consequently, the ACC seeks (1) a declaration that the withdrawal payment is a valid and enforceable contract term applicable to Clemson (2) a declaration that the plain language of the Grant of Rights means what it says and that Clemson’s grant of rights is exclusive and irrevocable through the term, regardless of whether Clemson remains a Member Institution (3) a declaration that by accepting millions of dollars of benefits under the Grant of Rights and as a Member Institution that has operated under the Grant of Rights for more than a decade, Clemson is equitably estopped from attacking the validity of the withdrawal payment or the Grant of Rights or, in the alternative, has waived any right to do so (4) a declaration that Clemson owes fiduciary duties to the ACC as a Member Institution (5) damages for Clemson’s breach of the Grant of Rights and (6) damages for Clemson’s breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

The ACC responds to Clemson’s lawsuit against the conference

The ACC has released a response to Clemson’s lawsuit against the conference.

In an unexpected legal development, Clemson has thrown its hat into the ring with a lawsuit against the ACC, mirroring Florida State’s earlier legal maneuver. Filed in Pickens County, S.C., this lawsuit adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal battle.

Central to Clemson’s and Florida State’s legal challenges is the ACC’s grant of rights agreement, which binds member schools and ESPN to the conference until 2036. By contesting these agreements, both universities are taking on the ACC’s formidable position, which imposes a staggering exit fee of around $140 million for any member seeking to terminate the grant of rights.

With this news, the ACC responded on Tuesday. Here is the statement from Jim Ryan, Chair of the ACC Board of Directors, and ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips:

The ACC remains confident that its agreements with all its members will be affirmed by the courts. Clemson, along with all ACC members, voluntarily signed and re-signed the 2013 and 2016 Grant of Rights, which is binding through 2036. In addition, Clemson agreed to the process and procedures for withdrawal. The Conference’s legal counsel will vigorously enforce the agreement and bylaws in the best interests of the ACC’s current and incoming members.

Clemson files lawsuit against ACC

Three months after Florida State filed a similar lawsuit in open court against the ACC in Tallahassee, Fla. comes word that Clemson has done something similar in South Carolina.

Three months after Florida State filed a lawsuit in open court against the ACC in state court in Tallahassee, Fla. comes news that Clemson has filed its own suit against the league in state court in Pickens County, S.C.

Both Clemson and Florida State’s lawsuits challenge the ACC’s grant of rights agreement, which binds current conference members and broadcast partner ESPN to the league through 2036.

It schools want to break the grant of rights agreements, the ACC contends those schools must pay an exorbitant exit fee of roughly $140 million.

According to Clemson’s suit:

“Clemson makes this motion on the grounds that the Complaint refers to and describes portions of agreements between the ACC on the one hand, and ESPN, Inc. and ESPN Enterprises, Inc. (together, “ESPN”) on the other hand—specifically, the Amended Multimedia Agreement and the Network Agreement (together, the “ESPN Agreements”)—and that the parties to these agreements maintain that the terms thereof are confidential and constitute trade secrets.”

Veteran college football reporter Ross Dellenger reported in 2023 that Clemson and Florida State were two of seven ACC schools that met to discuss a possible exit strategy from the league. Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech were the other five schools that met to explore ways to challenge the legality of the ACC’s grant of rights document.

In Tuesday’s court filing, Clemson claims that it “cannot protect and advance its interests, or the interests of its student-athletes, in current and ongoing negotiations within the Conference, with the Conference’s existing media partner ESPN, and in collegiate athletics more generally.”

Per the suit:

“The ACC’s actions interfere with Clemson’s free exercise of its rights and are fatally detrimental to Clemson’s efforts to ensure that its athletic programs can continue to compete at the highest level, which is critically important to Clemson even beyond athletics.” Clemson has been a charter member of the ACC since the league’s creation in 1953.

Clemson has been a charter member of the ACC since the league was founded in 1953.

You can read the school’s full lawsuit here.