Tag: Mark Packer

Watch: Mark Packer vents during Ivey Coach of the Year announcement

Take our advice and don’t be like Mark Packer.

If you don’t agree with Notre Dame’s [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag] being named the ACC Coach of the Year, that’s fine. Like anyone else, you’re entitled to your opinion. But that opinion should wait until after the award winner has been announced, not during. This piece of advice was either lost on or ignored by the ACC Network’s Mark Packer as Ivey’s honor was announced on live TV, and thanks to Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka, his bitterness now is on Twitter for all to see:

Look, you definitely can make a case for Duke’s Kara Lawson to have won the award. After all, her Blue Devils proved a formidable foe for the Irish all the way to the end, even winning at Purcell Pavilion. But again, why does this have to happen during the moment of truth?

This reflects poorly on Packer and doesn’t help the notion of ESPN’s alleged bias towards all things Duke. If he’s going to throw a tantrum while the ACC awards are being announced, someone else needs to emcee this show in the future. You cannot and should not display this egregious lack of professionalism at the wrong time. All young broadcasters should note this is what not to do during an awards show.

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Packer goes on rant in response to ‘foolish nonsense clown act and tweet’ from Joel Klatt

During Monday’s ACC PM show on ACC Network, Mark Packer went on a rant in response to Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, who tweeted that he doesn’t think Clemson (8-0, 6-0 ACC) would finish better than third in the SEC East or Big Ten …

During Monday’s ACC PM show on ACC Network, Mark Packer went on a rant in response to Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, who tweeted that he doesn’t think Clemson (8-0, 6-0 ACC) would finish better than third in the SEC East or Big Ten East.

“Joel, let me help you out – and again, I’m a big Joel Klatt fan, I like him a lot – Joel, I’m going to help you out,” Packer said. “Joel is actually a hundred percent right. Joel is one thousand percent right, and why I say that is Clemson’s been playing football since 1896, and this is the 126th  year of football. They’ve never won the SEC or the Big Ten, ever. Since 1896 they’ve been playing, and they’re not going to win it this year. You know why? Because they don’t have to. So, to come up with some foolish nonsense clown act and tweet just so you can get some clicks, good for you. Hopefully people clicked on it, and we’re giving you a bunch of love here on national TV.”

“I’m a big Joel Klatt fan,” Packer added. “But dude, hey man, ask Alabama and Ohio State if Clemson can compete in the College Football Playoff.”

Packer continued, saying talk is meaningless in the month of October and the month of November is when teams have to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“Because you know what, you can talk about whatever you want in October, it really doesn’t matter. Now you’ve got to go earn it in November, and that includes Clemson, that includes anybody in the Big Ten, that includes Alabama and Tennessee, Georgia or anybody else,” Packer said. “You’ve got to go earn it, and you know what, if you end the day with a zero in the loss column and you’re conference champ, I like your chances of getting in. And if you get in, there’s only four, you roll it out there and see where it goes. Is Clemson good enough to do that? We’ll see. I know this much. They’re 8-0. That I do know.”

Packer went on to say that teams just need to go out and handle their business on the field, and everything will take care of itself as far as the playoff is concerned.

“You know what, Ohio State is going to play Michigan. Somebody’s losing. Somebody’s losing. Somebody’s not going to get to a conference championship game,” he said. “I’m going to see Georgia play Tennessee. One of those two’s not going to get to a conference championship game. I’m going to see Alabama play LSU. I tell you what, Bama better win out or else they’re going to be on the couch or going to Duke’s Mayonnaise Bowl or something like that. So, all of this stuff’s going to take care of itself, and if Clemson’s good enough, we’ll see. You don’t have to talk about it in October. They’ve got to go win at Notre Dame, then they’ve got to go close out the deal and beat Louisville, they’ve got to beat Miami and they’ve got to beat all of a sudden South Carolina, who somehow cracked the top 25 this week. And if you’re good enough to get to Charlotte, you’re going to have to probably play maybe North Carolina, who could be ranked.

“So, there’s no need to talk about it in October. The best part of the season’s coming up, and that’s true whether you’re in the Big Ten – who by the way is Joel’s league – or if you’re in the SEC or anybody else for that matter. … Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. My dogs have an opinion. It means just as much as anything else. So, go win your games. I say it all the time. People start worrying about the playoffs and all this. Just go win your games, man. You go win, it takes care of itself.”

–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images 

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Packer almost throws up watching College GameDay

Mark Packer was “mortified” watching ESPN’s College GameDay show this past Saturday when they talked about Clemson and asked this question about the Tigers. ” College GameDay – and I love those guys – had a topic, ‘Is Clemson a contender?’ And I …

Mark Packer was “mortified” watching ESPN’s College GameDay show this past Saturday when they talked about Clemson and asked this question about the Tigers.

“College GameDay – and I love those guys – had a topic, ‘Is Clemson a contender?’ And I about fell off the couch going, what are you talking about?” Packer said this week on ACC PM on ACC Network.

“Are they a contender? Of course they’re a contender. Number one, they’re undefeated. Other than Alabama, nobody on the planet Earth has had more success in the College Football Playoff era than Clemson. They’re unbeaten. They’re the only team in the top 15 that’s got a pair of top-15 wins, and that was a topic on College GameDay Saturday, and I almost wanted to throw up, thinking oh I’m sorry, if that was an SEC school, are we having this conversation? No, we’re not.”

Packer pointed out a stat that Clemson has four true conference road wins, and the only other school in the conference that’s been able to pull off multiple road wins so far is North Carolina with two.

“And then I give you this stat about being able to win on the road, and they’re, by the way, in a division, in the Atlantic Division, that’s based on the rankings, as good as anybody,” Packer said. “There’s always three or four teams in the top 25. It’s ridiculous.”

“Sometimes the narrative, you wonder what in the world is the agenda by some people?” he added. “That was ridiculous this weekend.”

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Packer: Clemson is still the king

Mark Packer returned to the basement and ACC PM Thursday after battling COVID. The former Tiger wasted no time talking about the atmosphere in Death Valley Saturday night and the big win from the Tigers. “Death Valley is no joke man,” Packer said to …

Mark Packer returned to the basement and ACC PM Thursday after battling COVID.

The former Tiger wasted no time talking about the atmosphere in Death Valley Saturday night and the big win from the Tigers.

“Death Valley is no joke man,” Packer said to start the show.  “37 in a row.  When those folks down there in the Upstate circle the date and they circle the calendar and they go hey this is a big deal.  And it is a night game and you throw in ABC. Forget it.  It is just a special place.”

The Tigers left no doubt who the team to beat in the ACC is again this season.

“I thought NC State hung in there but Clemson really said guess what we are still the king.  Come get us if you can,” said Packer.

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Packer goes off on reporter for ‘crazy statement’ about Clemson

During ACC Network’s new daily studio show, ACC PM, Mark Packer on Thursday called out David Ubben of The Athletic. Packer went off on Ubben for thinking that Clemson could easily lose six and potentially eight games this season. “One of the …

During ACC Network’s new daily studio show, ACC PM, Mark Packer on Thursday called out David Ubben of The Athletic.

Packer went off on Ubben for thinking that Clemson could easily lose six and potentially eight games this season.

“One of the questions – he has one of these mailbag things – and one of the questions was give me a couple teams in the top 10 that you might be a little iffy,” Packer said.

“He starts going off on obviously DJ U and the inconsistencies last year, which makes sense. I get that. But, this is where he lost me and this is where I’m going to go off. And this is, again, cheap shots towards the league based on zero content. He was talking about the trend of DJ U, if that happens, what could happen to Clemson. He says that if that trend continues, he says you know what, in years past, Clemson would only have about two or three games that they could possibly lose. But if the trend continues, that DJ U can’t play dead in a cowboy movie, he says it’s realistic that they could easily lose up to six games and could maybe lose eight.”

Packer then proceeded to hit Ubben with some facts regarding the Tiger s, including their record over the last five seasons and how many times they’ve lost eight games in a season in the last 50 years.

“Now, for crying out loud, are we just throwing up stuff so somebody can get their name mentioned? Because I’m going to give David all the props he wants,” Packer said. “Let me put things in perspective. Again, maybe a little factoid, just do a little research, and this is free Packer information. Clemson in the last five years is 61-8. 61-8. I emphasize the eight part because this dude thinks they could easily lose six, maybe up to eight, this year. I mean, c’mon, man. In the last 50 years of college football – 50 years, five decades – Clemson has lost eight games twice. Twice. One time in 1975, and the last time they did it was in 1998, they lost eight games. Now, they haven’t done it this century.

“But if you think that team – you know what, I’ll give you a hot take on the equal of how stupid this guy’s comment was – I’m not so sure that I could be the quarterback with the boot and they wouldn’t lose eight games. That defense is going to be as good as anybody in college football. You’re telling me you think they easily could lose six. Now granted, I think their schedule is tougher, but they’re not playing the Carolina Panthers’ schedule, no disrespect. They are still playing college football. I mean, 17 times in the last 50 years, Clemson’s won double digits. Eight additional times they’ve won nine games. So, 25 of the last 50 years they’ve won at least nine games.”

Packer says it wouldn’t shock him if Clemson doesn’t make it to the ACC Championship Game or win the conference title, but he of course “would be beyond shocked” if the Tigers go 4-8 as Ubben suggests they could.

“You know what the non-conference schedule is,” he said. “South Carolina at the end is always a good thing, Clemson has owned them. There’s a road trip to Notre Dame, which certainly is a losable game. The Irish are really good. The league is certainly better. Miami comes to Death Valley where the Tigers have won 34 in a row. NC State comes to Death Valley where the Tigers have won 34 in a row. They go to Wake Forest, and the Deacons have won, what, 0 of the last 13. So, are there chances where they could stub their toe? Without question. There’s no doubt. If Clemson does not win the ACC Championship or is in the ACC title game, would it stun me? No. If they go 4-8, would it stun me? I would be beyond shocked.

“So to make a statement as crazy as this guy was in The Athletic that they could easily lose six and up to eight, I’m like dude, c’mon. Enough of the hot takes. I’m tired of the cheap shots at ACC programs. … I’m just going to say it. I’m so sick and tired of the cheap shots by national media to the league that quite frankly I’m just going to call you out. I mean, Clemson is 61-8 in the last five years and this guy thinks they could lose eight games this year. C’mon, man, get in the real world.”

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Packer gives his picks for Atlantic, Coastal Division winners, ACC champion

During ACC Network’s new daily studio show, ACC PM, Mark Packer gave his conference predictions for the upcoming season. Packer is picking Clemson and Miami to win the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions, respectively, and he’s going with the Tigers to …

During ACC Network’s new daily studio show, ACC PM, Mark Packer gave his conference predictions for the upcoming season.

Packer is picking Clemson and Miami to win the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions, respectively, and he’s going with the Tigers to win the conference title.

Packer provided an explanation for predicting Clemson to claim the Atlantic crown, pointing to the Tigers’ early season matchup against defending Atlantic champion Wake Forest on Sept. 24 in Winston-Salem, and the status of Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman, who is out indefinitely with what the school described as a “non-football related medical condition.”

Packer also talked about what he thinks is likely the biggest game in the ACC this season — Clemson’s matchup against NC State on Oct. 1 at Death Valley, where the Tigers ride a 34-game winning streak entering the 2022 campaign and where the Wolfpack haven’t won since 2002.

In the contest against NC State, Clemson will be looking to avenge its 27-21, double-overtime loss in Raleigh last September.

“I’m going to pick Clemson for two reasons — number one, they catch Wake Forest early, and I don’t know about Sam Hartman,” Packer said. “Even with Sam Hartman on the field, that’s still going to be an uphill climb. It’s what, 13 straight, I think, Clemson’s beaten Wake. So, Hartman early, even if he hasn’t played, to see that defensive line, good luck.

“And NC State, I think this is Dave Doeren’s best team, and if there’s going to be a time for NC State, it’s now. But man, you’ve got to win at Clemson, and I’ve got to see that to believe it. They are just so good at home. 34 straight at home… But I’ve got to see it to believe it, and I think NC State beating them last year is great for the Wolfpack’s psyche. But even though they dominated that game, it still was an overtime game, and Clemson at home, coming off last year, ‘hey, we remember that’ — I’ll take Clemson at home. NC State-Clemson, everybody’s circled it, October the 1st, saying, ‘Man, that’s the biggest game in the ACC.’ I think it probably is.”

As for the second-biggest game in the conference this season?

Packer believes it’s defending ACC champion Pittsburgh’s road tilt at Miami on Nov. 26, the final week of the regular season — the game he believes will decide who represents the Coastal in the ACC Championship Game.

“I’m going to tell you what the second-biggest game in the league is — it’s Pitt and Miami, and it’s the last game of the regular season,” Packer said. “I think those are the two best teams in the Coastal Division. I do. No disrespect to Virginia Tech or North Carolina or Georgia Tech or Duke. To me, those are the two best teams.

“And I know Miami has to go to Clemson the week before, which could be a preview (of the ACC Championship Game). In my opinion, it will be. But man, Pittsburgh and Miami, the last weekend in November, just sounds about right for me, for the Coastal. And I do think Clemson and NC State, in my opinion, are the two best teams in the Atlantic.”

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Packer reflects on Clemson’s ‘absolute butt kicking’ of Bama, calls out ‘SEC talking heads’

On the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network this past week, Mark Packer and ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill, who was filling in for Wes Durham to co-host the show with Packer, discussed the topic of what the most dominant season in Clemson football …

On the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network this past week, Mark Packer and ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill, who was filling in for Wes Durham to co-host the show with Packer, discussed the topic of what the most dominant season in Clemson football history is.

Packer and Luginbill agreed that it’s unquestionably the 2018 season during which the Tigers ran the table and finished the season with a perfect 15-0 record to become the first major college football team in the modern era to go 15-0.

That Tiger squad, of course, capped the 2018 campaign by throttling Alabama, 44-16, to win the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 7, 2019, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Trevor Lawrence went 20 of 32 passing for 347 yards and three touchdowns in that contest, which really wasn’t a contest considering the outcome. Justyn Ross racked up 153 yards and a touchdown on six catches, while Travis Etienne also added a couple of scores on the ground and tallied 86 yards on 14 carries.

Clemson’s defense held Alabama’s offense, which had averaged nearly 48 points per game coming in, to just 16 first-half points.

Here’s what Packer and Luginbill had to say about that game against Alabama and the most dominant season in Clemson football history:

Packer: “You have to just go back a couple years, right — 2018, 15-0, going to play Alabama. I still remember all the SEC talking heads that are still upset to this day. ‘Oh, Alabama’s going to beat them sideways, Trevor Lawrence has never seen a defense like this.’ OK, that’s cute. How about them taking a knee to make sure they didn’t put a half a hundred on Nick Saban that night. That was an absolute butt kicking. What a great team.”

Luginbill: “You could make an argument that team is comparable, I think, to the 2019 LSU team.”

Packer: “I think we had a run here — Clemson in ’18, LSU in ’19, I think Georgia’s team last year was special, Alabama the year before during the COVID year. We really had kind of a crazy run here over the last four or five years where you’ve just seen teams for the ages, right, for the ages. That LSU team in ’19, which beat, ironically, Clemson in the national championship game, what they were doing offensively — did to everyone that year — was spectacular. But it really kind of started with the ’18 Clemson team, in my opinion.”

Luginbill: “I agree. I don’t even think that’s a debate.”

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Packer on the ‘most transitive time in the history of college sports’

When news broke Thursday that Southern Cal and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten in 2024, it sent shockwaves through the college sports landscape. Mark Packer and Wes Durham had plenty to talk about on the final edition of the Packer …

When news broke Thursday that Southern Cal and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten in 2024, it sent shockwaves through the college sports landscape.

Mark Packer and Wes Durham had plenty to talk about on the final edition of the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network on Friday, and Packer gave his thoughts on the latest wave of conference realignment, which follows the eventual move of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC.

“We’re sitting on the front row of the most transitive time in the history of college sports, and there’s no doubt,” Packer said. “100 years from now, whatever college sports looks like, assuming it’s even in existence anymore, they will look back at this run — between COVID, name, image and likeness, this move in terms of Oklahoma, Texas, USC — and all of this will be in history as far as what happened with college sports.”

Packer also spoke about what this all means for the ACC and talked about the “temptations” that current members of the league now face amid the latest wave of realignment.

“As far as the ACC goes, it’s a really, really important time,” he said. “It’s going to be fascinating to see how this plays out. The conference as a whole has got to be buttoned up, and if there’s some people that are thinking about it… I’m telling you, there’s going to be all kinds of temptations here left and right.”

The ball is now in the court of Notre Dame, which has long been an independent, and reports indicate that the Big Ten is waiting on a decision from the Irish.

Packer says the Irish will have to make a decision one way or another, sooner or later.

“So, I’m kind of curious to see how the league moves forward, and I’m really interested to see Notre Dame,” he said. “Notre Dame is sitting there going, OK, now what? I’m just telling ya, at some point in time, you’re going to have to make a decision if you’re the Irish — whether it be tomorrow, whether it be five years down the road. You can bark about independence all you want, but we’re just going in a different universe, man. Independence is going to be like a foreign language, in my opinion.”

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Clemson star calls in to Packer and Durham, updates rehab

A Clemson standout called in to the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network on Thursday. The Clemson basketball team’s leading scorer from the 2021-22 season, forward/center PJ Hall, phoned in to the show with Mark Packer and Wes Durham after hearing …

A Clemson standout called in to the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network on Thursday.

The Clemson basketball team’s leading scorer from the 2021-22 season, forward/center PJ Hall, phoned in to the show with Mark Packer and Wes Durham after hearing the news Wednesday that the program will be taken off the air at the end of this week.

“I heard the news and I had to call in and say what’s up, y’all,” Hall said.

“I know why you’re calling — you want to host the show now,” Packer joked. “I know how it goes.”

“I’ve put my application in,” Hall joked back.

“It’s going to be called ‘Hall and Durham,’ is what it’s now going to be called moving forward,” Packer said.

On a more serious note, during the call, Hall gave an update on his rehab following the foot surgery he underwent earlier this offseason.

As evidenced by multiple social media posts, Hall is out of the walking boot he initially wore after having surgery to repair a fracture in the fourth metatarsal of his left foot. He posted a story to his Instagram account in early June that showed the 6-foot-10, 240-pounder doing some simulated running for the first time since the operation in March.

“It’s feeling good. I’ve been sprinting a little bit, doing more rehab,” Hall said to Packer and Durham. “So, it was just a slow process to be able to get back up and doing more basketball stuff. Forever it was like you were on one foot, shooting one-foot hooks and barely walking around. So now that I’m running around more, I can jump. I’ve been doing semi-basketball workouts. So, it’s definitely coming along, but it was slow, for sure.”

Hall averaged a team-high 15.5 points despite dealing with painful flareups throughout last season, earning all-ACC honorable mention honors.

You can watch Hall’s call to Packer and Durham below:

Congratulations! You did it! You graduated! Now is the time to preserve your diploma in a custom frame. Here at Clemson Variety & Frame, we build all our frames in-house – from the frame to the mats and etchings to the installation – to guarantee the quality. You worked hard for your degree. Trust us to show your diploma in the best light possible.

Packer believes Clemson’s defense will be ‘really, really special’ in 2022

On Packer and Durham on ACC Network this past week, after talking about golf, Mark Packer and Wes Durham brought up the following tweet from Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas: Hit the course for the first time today. 240 yards out, double bogey …

On Packer and Durham on ACC Network this past week, after talking about golf, Mark Packer and Wes Durham brought up the following tweet from Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas:

Durham pointed out that Thomas (listed at 6-foot-2, 265 pounds on his official Clemson bio) is one big man on the golf course, and Packer replied, “He is a big, strong dude, is who he is… a heat-seeking missile.”

Packer then went on to talk about Thomas deciding to come back for his fifth year with the Tigers in 2022 — along with fellow Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry opting to return for his fifth year as well — and how good Packer believes Clemson’s defense will be this season.

“I tell you what, that was a big deal for him coming back,” Packer said of Thomas. “He and KJ Henry are the two guys on the defensive side – and Clemson’s got so much talent on that side, it’s stupid – but those are two dudes that you almost thought, ‘Well, they’ll be gone, it’s catch ya later.’ The fact that they both decided to come back, in addition to all that defensive line talent – I think they’re going to be filthy on the defensive side. I mean, really, really special.”

Last season, Clemson’s defense ranked first in the ACC and second nationally behind only national champion Georgia in scoring defense, with the Tigers allowing only 14.8 points per game.

A third-team All-ACC selection in 2021, Thomas tallied 27 tackles (5.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup over 12 games (10 starts) and was credited with a team-high 17 quarterback pressures.

Henry put together a career year with a strong finish in 2021, ending the season credited with 28 tackles (6.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery over 13 games (four starts).

Thomas and Henry will join forces on Clemson’s defensive front with players such as 2021 first-team All-ACC selection Tyler Davis, 2021 second-team All-ACC selection Myles Murphy and 2021 third-team all-conference pick Bryan Bresee.

Congratulations! You did it! You graduated! Now is the time to preserve your diploma in a custom frame. Here at Clemson Variety & Frame, we build all our frames in-house – from the frame to the mats and etchings to the installation – to guarantee the quality. You worked hard for your degree. Trust us to show your diploma in the best light possible.