Tag: NC State Football

Former Ohio State defensive back visits ACC school

Former Ohio State defensive back visits ACC school. #GoBucks

My hopes were high when Ja’Had Carter originally arrived in Columbus to play for Ohio State after dominating for the Syracuse Orange. But after one season of limited playing time and spring practices showing what was likely going to be the same result, Carter felt it was time to move on once again.

Carter entered the transfer portal for the second time during his collegiate career and apparently is looking to move back to the ACC. The Virginia native is visiting North Carolina State today and this looks like a great landing spot for Carter.

He has one year of eligibility left after spending his first three seasons at Syracuse and one at Ohio State and playing for the Wolfpack looks like a really good fit.

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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

Formern Commanders DE James Smith-Williams signs with Falcons

Smith-Williams’ departure makes it official. The book on the 2020 NFL draft is closed in Washington.

In the latest free agent signings, James Smith-Williams has departed the Commanders to join the Falcons on a one-year deal.

Drafted in the seventh round (No. 229) in the 2020 draft by Washington, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end played four seasons for the Burgundy and Gold.

When Chase Young went down in 2021 with a season-ending knee injury, Smith-Williams noticeably improved the Commanders defense for the remainder of the season. His defense against the run proved to be a contributing factor to the team winning four consecutive games when he entered the lineup.

He started the last six games of that 2021 season, recording 30 tackles (11 solo, 19 assisted), including four for a loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and five additional QB hits.

Smith-Williams started 14 games in the 2022 season, contributing 23 tackles (12 solo, 11 assisted), including five tackles for a loss, three QB sacks and 16 QB hits.

In his final season (2023) in Washington, injuries limited him to 13 games (7 starts), 22 tackles (11 solo, 11 assists), two tackles for a loss, one quarterback sack, and eight quarterback hits.

Here are highlights from his last two Washington seasons.

When the 2024  free agent signing period launched in March, the Commanders new administration determined to sign Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Dante Fowler Jr. both defensive ends who had played for new head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas.

Then, the Commanders signed Clelin Ferrell, a former 49ers defensive end, whom new GM Adam Peters knew from his time as the assistant general manager in San Francisco.

The Commanders had also determined, this offseason, to re-sign Efe Obada over Smith-Williams. Obada has played both inside and outside on passing downs, accumulating 15 career sacks in his 74 NFL games played.

A couple of things are noteworthy. New Falcons free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins has the same agent as Smith-Williams (Priority Sports & Entertainment), and current Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith was with Washington and ran the draft board during the 2020 draft, Ron Rivera’s first with Washington.

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

A look at Clemson football’s complete 2024 schedule

Here is a look at Clemson football’s entire 2024 schedule.

After a long wait, we finally have a complete look at the Clemson football team’s 2024 schedule.

While we have known who the Tigers will be facing for some time, we now have the date and week for each game. Times are yet to be determined, as many factors go into the time choices for each game. Even so, we know what week each game will take place, so Clemson fans can now plan accordingly.

With the release of the schedule, we put together a week-by-week schedule of our own for you to see who Clemson will face each week and where it will be. Take a look at Clemson’s complete 2024 schedule below.

Updated 3/31

Florida defensive lineman Derry Norris talks upcoming visits

Derry Norris breaks down his upcoming official visits.

Derry Norris has three official visits lined up, the Florida defensive lineman beginning to schedule out the next step in his recruitment.

A name to watch, Norris is a three-star and ranked as the No. 51 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 69 player in Florida in 2025 class. He is from Spruce Creek (Port Orange, Florida).

At 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, he already intriguing has Power Five size.

In late May, he will take an official visit to Georgia Tech followed by North Carolina State the next weekend and Purdue on June 20. Purdue is trending well, Norris said, because of “The relationship outside of football.”

“Everything is great,” Norris told USA TODAY High School Sports.

“The bond gets stronger and stronger every week. It feels like family.”

Another program making inroads with Norris is North Carolina State. Last year, the Wolfpack landed two Florida players in their 2024 recruiting class.

“What makes NC State stick out to me is the amount of experience coach Wiles (offensive line coach Charles Wiles) has the guys he’s had a chance to coach,” Norris said.

“They’re always checking on me and my family making sure things are great.”

Recently, Wiles was offered by Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano along with Colin Ferrell (defensive line coach) and Julian Campenni (defensive ends coach).

“It started with a great conversation with coach Ferrell and coach Camp,” Norris said.

“During the conversation, they talked to me about their backgrounds and the meaning of coach Schiano’s saying F.A.M.I.L.Y. and CHOP.

“It was a great feeling knowing that Rutgers offered me because the system they have where the staff has to go through the head coach to offer a kid instead of them just being handed out.”

Every ACC football team’s ESPN preseason SP+ ranking

The ACC has some strong teams heading into the 2024 season, according to ESPN’s SP+.

The 2024 college football season is months away, but we all know that football remains on the mind throughout the offseason. 

Early rankings have been released all over the place, with ESPN’s Bill Connelly recently releasing the preseason ESPN SP+ rankings ($$$) for the 2024 season. These SP+ rankings consider multiple key factors regarding a football team, including returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history. A strong model; here is a bit more of what Connelly had to say about the rankings. 

“It’s a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking. Along those same lines, these projections aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the season. These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.”

Straightforward and to the point, these are power rankings based on what we know right now. So, how do Clemson and the rest of the ACC stack up in the first SP+ rankings for 2024? Check it out below.

Updated 2/16

Every ACC Football Team’s 2024 Recruiting Class Ranking After National Signing Day

Here is a look at every ACC team’s final 2024 recruiting class ranking.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff showcased their recruiting prowess in the 2024 class, adding considerable talent to their roster. However, the burning question remains: how does Clemson’s recruiting effort compare to other ACC powerhouses following National Signing Day?

Today, we delve into the post-National Signing Day landscape, dissecting each ACC football team’s 2024 recruiting team ranking according to 247Sports. While Clemson remains a formidable force in ACC recruiting circles, they find themselves not at the summit for this particular recruiting cycle. Another program is poised for a significant resurgence, and the 2024 class appears to be the catalyst for their potential return to past glory.

From perennial ACC contenders to emerging teams within the conference, let’s examine the 2024 recruiting team ranking for each ACC program, shedding light on the evolving dynamics within the conference.

–Updated 2/13

The 11 best moments from the Pop-Tarts Bowl that had nothing to do with the game

POP-TARTS EVERYWHERE.

Some college football bowl games massively disappoint. Some exceed your wildest expectations. And Thursday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando was definitely the latter.

Yes, Kansas State topped NC State, 28-19, and that’s great for the Wildcats.

But let’s face it: The real winners of the Pop-Tarts Bowl were fans who watched the game and got treated to an abundance of Pop-Tarts-themed fun and mayhem. And the sponsorship and product placement worked because if you watched any part of this game, chances are you ended up craving Pop-Tarts at some point.

RELATED: The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot menacingly creeping behind a referee became an instant meme

While the matchup itself was exciting, the scene around the Pop-Tarts Bowl was exceptional and seemingly shot this game up to one of the favorite bowls among college football fans (RIP Cheez-It Bowl).

So here are our favorite moments from the bowl that had absolutely nothing to do with the game.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

ACC Football 2024 Team Recruiting Rankings After Early Signing Day

Here is a full look at how the ACC stands in team recruiting rankings after early signing day.

Early signing day was, as it should be for every college football program nationwide, a very busy day.

High school players across the country signed their national letters of intent and secured the next step in their football careers as they prepare to join their new teams. The ACC had some good success on early signing day, with multiple ACC programs landing in the top 25 of class team rankings following the day. 

So, how does the ACC stack up against each other? That’s what we’re going to take a look at today. Here is a look at every ACC team’s 2024 team recruiting ranking according to 247Sports following early signing day.

Updated 12/25