Tag: Mark Packer

Mark Packer: Tennessee win ‘biggest ACC accomplishment for Notre Dame’

Even the talking heads are praising the Irish.

By now, you’ve heard nearly universal acclaim for Notre Dame’s upset of top-ranked Tennessee to advance to the College World Series. The Volunteers had rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with their boastful and often vulgar antics such as flipping opponents the bird during home-run trots.

But where does this rank as far as everything Notre Dame has done since joining the ACC for most sports? Mark Packer of the ACC Network had no problem expressing what he feels is the magnitude of the moment:

It’s hard to argue against Packer. Almost everybody, myself included, thought the Irish had no chance against a Volunteers team that looked to be unstoppable. To beat that team the way they did on its home field is extraordinary.

What’s more, it’s hard for college sports fans in general to get behind Notre Dame in anything, and the Volunteers made it incredibly easy for them to do that. How silly do they have to feel about that right now? It’s gotta be karma for them to be watching the rest of the season on the couch while the Irish are off to Omaha. Maybe they’ll think about that next time.

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ACC analyst: Tigers ‘legit to win the national title,’ if…

On Packer and Durham on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed PFF’s way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2022 college football season, which slots Clemson in at No. 4. “That’s not a stunner,” Packer said. “I mean, we’ve seen …

On Packer and DurhamĀ on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed PFF’s way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2022 college football season, which slots Clemson in at No. 4.

“That’s not a stunner,” Packer said. “I mean, we’ve seen the Tigers in that neighborhood before.”

Clemson (10-3, 6-2 ACC) saw its streak of six consecutive College Football Playoff appearances and six consecutive ACC Championships come to an end last season, but still managed to win at least 10 games for a school-record 11th straight season despite an offense that ranked ninth in the ACC in points per game (26.3) and second-to-last in the conference in total yards per game (359.2).

However, the Tigers’ defense was stellar in 2021, finishing first in the league in points per game allowed (14.8) and yards per game allowed (305.5).

Packer has high expectations for Clemson’s D in 2022 but believes the Tigers can’t experience similar woes offensively if they hope to get back to the playoff and win another national championship.

“Listen, offensively, they’ve got to get some answers,” he said. “If you tell me, the Tigers in ’22 have the same kind of offensive issues they had in ’21, they’ll be hard-pressed to find double-digits in wins again. They did a brilliant job getting to 10 last year when offensively they were a mess.

“So, they’ve got to get better on that side if you’re thinking about hey, they’re a top-five College Football Playoff team. Now, if their offense finds it, hey, that defense is going to be as good as anybody in the country. They’re legit to win the national title, if the offense can find it.”

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Packer calls out ‘some of those idiots’ pushing Clemson narrative

Mark Packer didn’t hold back this week on Packer and Durham on ACC Network when talking about the people that were “trashing” Clemson following its 10-3 loss to eventual national champion Georgia in the two teams’ season-opener at Bank of America …

Mark Packer didn’t hold back this week onĀ Packer and DurhamĀ on ACC Network when talking about the people that were “trashing” Clemson following its 10-3 loss to eventual national champion Georgia in the two teams’ season-opener at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Sept. 4, 2021.

“Let’s be completely transparent. There were people trashing Clemson after Week 1 because they had a bias,” Packer said. “They had a narrative that they wanted to sell, and it had nothing to do with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Let’s be completely honest.”

Clemson (10-3, 6-2 ACC) rebounded from a 2-2 start in the month of September and finished the season on a six-game winning streak to record at least 10 wins for a school-record 11th consecutive season.

Clemson became only the third program in history to post 11 consecutive 10-win seasons, joining Florida State (14 from 1987-2000) and Alabama (14 from 2008-21). Clemson is the first school to win 10 games in 11 straight seasons as a member of the ACC, as only the final nine of Florida State’s 14 straight 10-win seasons came during the Seminoles’ tenure in the ACC.

With a 20-13 victory over Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl to conclude the 2021 campaign, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney earned his 150th career win in his 14th season (including an interim stint in 2008) to move past Barry Switzer (149) for sole possession of the third-most wins through the first 15 seasons of a coaching career in FBS history, while Swinney also joined Urban Meyer (165) and Bob Stoops (160) as the only coaches in FBS history to win 150 games in the first 15 seasons of a head coaching career.

Under Swinney, the Tigers have won seven ACC Championships, made the College Football Playoff six times in the eight years of the playoff’s existence and captured national titles in 2016 and 2018.

Despite all of the accomplishments, some still have an agenda against Swinney and Clemson, and Packer called out the people that like to bash Swinney and the program he has built out of “spite.”

“And you know what, some of those idiots are still beating that same drum, and it’s laughable,” Packer said. “Dabo Swinney has built a power. That’s what it is. You don’t have to love them. You don’t have to have the pom-poms out for them. But some of the trash comments that are made are done out of spite, and being really quite frankly, stupid.”

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Analysts react to Clemson’s chances of winning Atlantic Division, ACC

On Thursday, ESPN released its preseason FPI (Football Power Index) rankings. According to the ESPN FPI, Clemson has by far the best chance to win the ACC this season at 58.7%, with defending conference champion Pittsburgh owning the second-best …

On Thursday, ESPN released its preseason FPI (Football Power Index) rankings.

According to the ESPN FPI, Clemson has by far the best chance to win the ACC this season at 58.7%, with defending conference champion Pittsburgh owning the second-best chances at 15.8% ahead of Miami (8.6%), North Carolina (6.0%), Wake Forest (3.1%) and NC State (3.0%).

The Tigers also have a whopping 74.7% chance to win the ACC Atlantic Division, according to the ESPN FPI, which gives Wake Forest a 7.7% chance to claim the division title and NC State a 7.0% chance to come out on top in the division, followed by Florida State (6.3%), Louisville (3.4%), Boston College (0.7%) and Syracuse (0.2%).

OnĀ Packer and DurhamĀ on ACC Network, Mark Packer and Wes Durham reacted to the FPI preseason projections and gave their thoughts on the Tigers being the heavy favorites to win the Atlantic and ACC title.

You can check out their commentary in the following videos:

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ACC analyst gives his take on ‘the intriguing question’ in Death Valley

On Packer and Durham on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham weighed in on the quarterback battles they’re most intrigued to see play out in the conference this year. For Packer, it’s Clemson’s quarterback competition between rising …

OnĀ Packer and DurhamĀ on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham weighed in on the quarterback battles they’re most intrigued to see play out in the conference this year.

For Packer, it’s Clemson’s quarterback competition between rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei and freshman Cade Klubnik.

“It’s your highest-profile team with the highest-profile position, and it needs to be right,” Packer said. “Because their defense is national-championship good. The question is, can offensively they be more than adequate? So, to me, the intriguing question is in Death Valley.”

Durham asked Packer what he learned last Saturday during Clemson’s Orange & White Spring Game — a defensive display that saw the two sides totalĀ nine sacks in the first half alone.

“Nothing,” Packer said in response to Durham’s question. “I learned that the defense is going to be maybe as good as we’re ever going to see out of this group. I think their linebacker corps is already improved, even though that’s a position that they lost (personnel) from a year ago. They have got size and speed and ferocity at linebacker. I think this defense is going to be filthy good.”

As extraordinary as he expects Clemson’s defense to be in 2022, Packer says the Tigers have to get more production from the quarterback position and that their offense must be better than it was a year ago — when they ranked ninth in the ACC in points per game (26.3) and second-to-last in the conference in total yards per game (359.2) — if they hope to return to the College Football Playoff again after seeing their streak of six straight CFP appearances come to an end last season.

“But their question is, offensively. You can’t be inept,” Packer said. “And if their quarterback play gets answered in some shape or way or form — D.J. takes it up a notch, Cade pushes him, takes over the job — I don’t know how that’s going to play out. But that’s got to happen for Clemson to get back to their standard of hey, College Football Playoff, let’s go.”

In the spring game, Uiagalelei went 17-of-36 passing for 175 yards and threw an interception, while Klubnik completed 15-of-23 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Head coach Dabo Swinney said Uiagalelei is “definitely” the Tigers’ starter coming out of the spring, but there is still uncertainty surrounding Clemson’s QB situation heading into the summer, fall camp and the 2022 season.

“The beautiful thing about football is it’s not justĀ a guy,” Packer said. “It’s a true team effort. But that quarterback answer has to be figured out by Dabo.”

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ACC analyst thinks this is ‘what it’s all about’ for Clemson Football in 2022

On Packer and Durham on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham have been discussing “questions you want answered in spring football” for each ACC team. When looking at Clemson, Durham posed the following question to Packer: “Is it as …

OnĀ Packer and DurhamĀ on ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham have been discussing “questions you want answered in spring football” for each ACC team.

When looking at Clemson, Durham posed the following question to Packer:

“Is it as simple as quarterback and line play for the Tigers?”

“Yes. I think it’s that simple,” Packer said. “And again, we’re treating this like they’re coming off a really disappointing 4-8 season. They won 10 games last year. So, the standard by which Clemson is measured is different than everybody else in the league. When the question is hey, is it as simple as quarterback play and line play, the answer is yes as far as being in the College Football Playoff.”

Clemson (10-3, 6-2 ACC) saw its streak of six consecutive College Football Playoff appearances and six consecutive ACC Championships come to an end last season, but still managed to win at least 10 games for a school-record 11th straight season despite an offense that ranked ninth in the ACC in points per game (26.3) and second-to-last in the conference in total yards per game (359.2).

However, the Tigers’ defense was stellar in 2021, finishing first in the league in points per game allowed (14.8) and yards per game allowed (305.5).

Packer has high expectations for Clemson’s D in 2022.

“Listen, their offense was mediocre at best last year, and they won 10 games,” he said. “I think defensively, they’re going to be unbelievably good. Unbelievably good. I know they lost some dudes, but I think they may be more athletic in spots that they lost talent from a year ago, for this upcoming season.”

Of course, Clemson’s quarterback competition has garnered plenty of attention this spring, and all eyes will be on rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei and freshman Cade Klubnik during Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium (1 p.m., ACC Network).

“And of course the question’s going to be, Klubnik, freshman, rookie coming from Texas,” Packer said. “I’ve heard good things about him already during practices. … But D.J.’s lost (weight), he’s on the Mark Packer Wellness Plan. He’s cut back, and he’s a spokesperson for Bojangles. That’s hard to do. He’s got to have a better year, simple as that.

“But that’ll be a fun thing to watch, is the quarterback, offensive line. I think that’s what it’s all about.”

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Atlantic chaos? ACC analyst believes Atlantic Division will be ‘very intriguing’

The phrase “Coastal chaos” has been fitting in the last decade when describing the volatility of the ACC’s Coastal Division, which saw each of the division’s seven teams win the division title from 2013-19. But while the Coastal has rightfully …

The phrase “Coastal chaos” has been fitting in the last decade when describing the volatility of the ACC’s Coastal Division, which saw each of the division’s seven teams win the division title from 2013-19.

But while the Coastal has rightfully become known for its craziness, Mark Packer is already looking forward to seeing what he believes will be a really interesting race in the ACC’s Atlantic Division next season.

“We always talk about Coastal chaos,” Packer said recently on the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network. “I’m just going to make this point now. It’s February, so keep it in mind, it can change a gazillion times and probably will. We always talk about how crazy the Coastal is. That Atlantic Division is really going to be good. I’m just telling ya. There’s some teams with a lot of dudes back.”

In the Atlantic, there is defending division champion Wake Forest, which lost to Pittsburgh in the conference championship game but appears poised to contend for the division title again with returning quarterback Sam Hartman, who led an offense that averaged 41.0 points per game last season, second in the ACC behind only Pitt (41.4).

Then there is NC State, which also returns its starting quarterback, Devin Leary, to go with a defense that ranked No. 2 in the ACC last season in points per game allowed (19.7) behind only Clemson (14.8). The Wolfpack, like the Demon Deacons, figure to be ranked among the nation’s top 15 or 20 teams in the preseason.

Other Atlantic Division foes Florida State (Jordan Travis), Louisville (Malik Cunningham), Boston College (Phil Jurkovec) and Syracuse (Garrett Shrader) all return their starting quarterbacks as well.

Of course, Clemson’s quarterback situation is yet to be determined heading into the spring, with rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei and five-star freshman Cade Klubnik set to compete for the reigns of a Tigers team hoping to get back on top of the Atlantic and win the ACC again in 2022 after seeing their streak of six straight conference titles snapped last season.

“NC State’s going to get so much national love in the offseason, it’s not even funny,” Packer said. “(Louisville head coach Scott) Satterfield was on with us the other day. You got a sense, hey I love my offensive line, I got Malik Cunningham back, I like what we got on the perimeter, defense should be better. You’ve got storylines along that front. You’ve got the whole Clemson situation. Obviously, that’s a given. And what happens with their quarterback, who knows. We’ll watch that in the spring. That’ll be a fun thing to watch.”

Packer is excited to see how it all unfolds next season.

“That Atlantic Division in the ACC is going to be very intriguing,” he said.

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Packer on ‘million-dollar question’ at Clemson, stretch of games that will determine its 2022 season

On the Packer and Durham show this week on ACC Network, Mark Packer and Wes Durham weighed in on Clemson’s 2022 schedule, which was released Monday. Durham pointed to the conclusion of Clemson’s 2022 campaign – the three consecutive home games …

On the Packer and DurhamĀ show this week on ACC Network, Mark Packer and Wes Durham weighed in on Clemson’s 2022 schedule, which was released Monday.

Durham pointed to the conclusion of Clemson’s 2022 campaign — the three consecutive home games against Louisville, Miami and South Carolina to end the regular season — as what jumps out to him about the Tigers’ 2022 slate.

It will represent Clemson’s first time ending a regular season with three consecutive home games since 2012, when the Tigers hosted Maryland, NC State and South Carolina to end the regular season.

“The thing that pops off the page about Clemson’s schedule is the three home games in a row to finish at the end,” Durham said. “It’s been a while, Pack, since that’s happened.”

Packer, though, has a different perspective about Clemson’s schedule next season. He is circling the stretch of four straight games at Wake Forest (Sept. 24), vs. NC State (Oct. 1), at Boston College (Oct. 8) and at Florida State (Oct. 15).

Packer believes Clemson must figure out its quarterback situation with rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei and five-star freshman Cade Klubnik prior to that stretch of games, which he thinks will go a long way toward determining what type of season the Tigers have.

“It doesn’t pop at me, Wes. You’ve got a different view than I do,” he said. “I think this. To me — I could be a thousand-percent wrong — the million-dollar question at Clemson is what happens at quarterback, right. D.J. Uiagalelei, does he improve? Does the Klubnik kid come in from Texas and just steal the thunder? I don’t know how that’s going to play out.

“Clemson better figure out the quarterback answer, though, early, because I think the stretch of four consecutive at Wake, the showdown with NC State, at BC, at Florida State — that’s four consecutive weeks, three on the road, and it’s early — to me, determines what the Tigers are all about.”

Packer added that the Tigers will “be a problem” at Death Valley if they’re undefeated at home heading into the month of November with those three straight home games to end the season.

“They get through the middle of that schedule, and if they’re still rocking and rolling, I think they take their chances at Notre Dame and they welcome everybody to Death Valley,” he said. “I mean, listen — if we get to November and the Tigers still haven’t been beaten at home and they cruise away and find a way through the mines there, they’ll be a problem in November in Death Valley.”

Durham pointed out that next season will mark the first time since 2006, and just the second time since 1996, that the Tigers will have only one road game after Oct. 15 — the date at Notre Dame on Nov. 5.

Clemson enters the 2022 season with a 34-game win streak at home — a school record for both the longest home winning streak and longest home unbeaten streak in school history (as well as the nationā€™s longest active home winning streak).

“How many in a row have they won at home? 300 in a row?” Packer quipped. “Good luck with that.”

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ACC analysts discuss which former Tiger would be the best addition to Clemson’s staff

On the Packer and Durham show on the ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed which former ACC football players would be the best additions to the coaching staffs at their alma maters. When thinking about Clemson, their choice was …

On theĀ Packer and DurhamĀ show on the ACC Network this week, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed which former ACC football players would be the best additions to the coaching staffs at their alma maters.

When thinking about Clemson, their choice was a no-brainer — 2021 first-team All-ACC selection James Skalski, a two-year team captain who completed his decorated six-year career as a linebacker (2016-21) credited with 310 career tackles (20.5 tackles for loss), 10.0 sacks, 12 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries (including one he returned 17 yards for a touchdown) and a forced fumble in 1,920 snaps over 69 games (38 starts).

Check out the following dialogue from Packer and Durham about Skalski and why they think the five-time ACC Champion and two-time national champ would be a great coach:

Durham: ā€œThis guyā€™s gonna coach. I keep waiting to see, somehow, heā€™s involved for next year.ā€

Packer: ā€œHeā€™s going to be a coach.ā€

Durham: ā€œHeā€™s gonna be. He was a coach last spring.ā€

Packer: ā€œHe was a coach in his last game after he got hurt at halftime of the Cheez-It Bowl.ā€

Durham: ā€œThis is like the easiest one of all time.ā€

Packer: ā€œJames Skalski at Clemson, gotta be on the list. Has to be.ā€

Durham: ā€œI just envision Skalski with a get-back coach. Thatā€™s the thing. Because (Brent) Venables… Skalski and those guys, Baylon Spector and that crowd, they used to laugh at Venables with the get-back coach, right. Well, see, I envision Skalski with a get-back coach, and Skalski and the get-back coach getting into it on the sideline because of how fired up heā€™ll be. And I told Dabo this last year, and I said this to Skalski when Roddy (Jones) and I did the spring game ā€“ I think heā€™ll be a terffic coach. I think heā€™ll be a terrific coach, because it means something to him.ā€

Packer: ā€œTrue passion.ā€

Durham: ā€œAnd heā€™s been to the top of the mountain. He knows what the price is you have to pay.ā€

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Packer calls out ESPN for knocking ACC, Clemson

On the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network on Wednesday, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed the final AP Top 25 Poll, which was released Tuesday. The final AP Poll features three ACC teams in the top 15 (No. 13 Pittsburgh, No. 14 Clemson, No. 15 …

On the Packer and Durham show on ACC Network on Wednesday, Mark Packer and Wes Durham discussed the final AP Top 25 Poll, which was released Tuesday.

The final AP Poll features three ACC teams in the top 15 (No. 13 Pittsburgh, No. 14 Clemson, No. 15 Wake Forest) and four ACC teams in the top 20 (No. 20 NC State).

ā€œWait a minute, (ESPN analyst) Joey Galloway said the league stinks,ā€ Packer said, when Durham mentioned the ACC having three teams in the top 15. ā€œIā€™m not going to let that go away, because he was wrong when he said it eight months ago, and heā€™s been proven wrong again. So, Iā€™m just going to reiterate, theyā€™ve got three in the top 15. The league stinks, right?ā€

Durham pointed out that this year marks the second time in the last six seasons the ACC finished with four teams ranked in the AP top 20 (2016).

ā€œThe league stinks, remember,ā€ Packer sarcastically responded. ā€œFour in the top 20, three in the top 15, and weā€™re just going to bury the league before we see any games this year. Thatā€™s what I learned this year at ESPN. OK, I keep saying, can we just play the games and see where this goes? Iā€™m just asking. Just asking. We ended up having four teams in the final AP top 10 (No. 3 Michigan, No. 5 Baylor, No. 7 Oklahoma State, No. 9 Michigan State) that you couldnā€™t find them when the season started ā€“ four in the top 10. You gotta play the games. All that hype, all that nonsense, talking heads throwing stuff against the wall, wanting to be heard, put it on Twitter, social media, all that garbage ā€“ youā€™ve got to play the games, man. Thatā€™s why we love the sports.ā€

Durham also brought up the fact that Clemson (10-3, 6-2 ACC) finished No. 14 in the AP Poll despite a 2-2 start and three losses before the month of November, thanks to six straight wins to end the season.

Packer called out those at ESPN who said early in the season that Dabo Swinneyā€™s dynasty at Clemson is over.

ā€œBoy, the programā€™s dead, right? Thatā€™s what I heard on ESPN,ā€ Packer said. ā€œYouā€™re afraid to say it. Iā€™m going to say it. There were people on ESPN after the first week of the season that said, ā€˜Itā€™s over.ā€™ They finished what, Wes? How many wins they have? Double digits. ā€˜Programā€™s over. They stink. Forget about ā€˜em. Stick a fork in them, theyā€™re done. Dynastyā€™s over.ā€™ At some point, are we not held accountable for some of the garbage thatā€™s spewed on radio and television? Iā€™m just asking. I am asking that question. ā€¦ I do have an answer. If I gave it to you, itā€™d be my last day at ESPN.ā€

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