CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When the ACC’s predicted order of end comes out within the coming days, Clemson will nearly definitely be on the prime. And that, maybe, is simply the beginning.
The Tigers are being mentioned as nationwide championship contenders thanks partly to a key place group that’s beginning to look title-worthy once more: large receiver.
“We haven’t had this case shortly,” head coach Dabo Swinney stated.
When Clemson joined Alabama as the game’s juggernauts from 2015 to 2018, that place was dominant for the Tigers. The 2016 nationwide champions had a half-dozen receivers who at the very least made an NFL apply squad. Two (Hunter Renfrow and Ray-Ray McCloud III) are nonetheless within the league, and a 3rd (Mike Williams) retired this month because the Tenth-most prolific cross catcher in Chargers historical past. The 2018 title workforce had stars Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross. However from 2021 to 2023, the Tigers had zero receivers earn all-conference recognition.
This yr, nonetheless, seems completely different. Antonio Williams was an all-ACC performer final season. Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore mixed for 10 landing catches and greater than 1,300 yards as freshmen. Southeast Missouri State switch Tristan Smith joined as the primary large portal pickup of Swinney’s tenure, giving the Tigers one other fast contributor.
“We’re in a a lot completely different place than we’ve been actually within the final couple years as a result of now we have six guys that actually can begin,” Swinney stated. “I believe hopefully we will actually have two waves of terror to the place we will play these guys.”
If he’s proper, it’s straightforward to examine Clemson rising from Faculty Soccer Playoff qualifiers to contenders this season.
Just a few different issues we realized after three days of reporting on the Hilton Uptown Charlotte:
Tommy Castellanos isn’t backing down at Florida State
Florida State’s presumptive beginning quarterback made headlines this offseason when he informed On3 he didn’t envision the Seminoles’ Week 1 opponent, Alabama, stopping him with out Nick Saban to “save them.”
Castellanos was requested a number of instances about that comment. Every time, he stated a model of, “We stand on what I stated” (whereas including that he was not attempting to disrespect the Crimson Tide).
🗣️ “Being part of Florida State is a dream come true.” – Tommy Castellanos
📺 @accnetwork pic.twitter.com/TvHICBTzTn
— ACC Soccer (@ACCFootball) July 23, 2025
Castellanos, a switch from Boston Faculty, stated he has the boldness to make that declare due to the expertise round him.
“I’m round a variety of actual dudes that — we’re all determined,” Castellanos stated. “When a person’s determined, it’s scary.”
The opposite switch quarterbacks are fascinating
Miami’s Carson Beck (from Georgia), Duke’s Darian Mensah (Tulane), North Carolina’s Gio Lopez (South Alabama) and Castellanos are most likely the 4 most high-profile switch quarterbacks within the convention. Two others are equally intriguing.
Virginia’s Chandler Morris is on the fourth and remaining cease of a wild faculty profession. He scored the primary landing of the 2020 Huge 12 championship for Oklahoma, beat out eventual Heisman runner-up Max Duggan for the beginning job at TCU and was one of many nation’s prime passers final season at North Texas. That final vacation spot wasn’t the most important, however it was essential after accidents derailed him in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“Generally, when the sport doesn’t love you again, it’s laborious to like the sport,” Morris stated. “I used to be hurting. I simply didn’t have that fireside in me anymore.”
“You’ll be able to’t coach expertise.”
📺 ACC Community pic.twitter.com/Mo388YmusP
— Virginia Soccer (@UVAFootball) July 22, 2025
Final season’s success at North Texas (31 landing passes and a school-record 314.5 passing yards per recreation) reignited the hearth that accidents had taken away. Morris stated he fell in love with the sport once more and longed to get again to the Energy 4 stage.
“I simply need to get again to it and get again on that large stage,” Morris stated. “I need to get again to it and show to myself that if I can go play a full season, I’m going to be up there with a few of the finest quarterbacks within the nation.”
Miller Moss’ journey to Louisville had fewer stops however a distinct twist. The previous top-100 nationwide recruit signed with USC in December 2020 and broke out three years later in his first begin with 372 yards and a Vacation Bowl report six landing passes in opposition to… Louisville.
“It’s form of a random coincidence or full-circle second, no matter you need to name it,” Moss stated. “Followers will come up and say stuff to me. I’ll simply allow them to know that we’re going to make up for it this yr.”
Miller will be a part of an offense that already has a dynamic run recreation led by final season’s ACC rookie of the yr, Isaac Brown (1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns). If Miller performs nicely sufficient to make it as much as Cardinals followers, Louisville may problem for its second journey to the convention championship in three seasons.
Invoice Belichick is humorous?
North Carolina’s new coach had reporters laughing a number of instances throughout Thursday’s breakout session. If that was a shock to the media or outsiders, it wasn’t to his gamers.
“The primary time I ever met him, he really cracked a joke,” stated Tar Heels defensive again Thaddeus Dixon, a switch from Washington.
Alas, it was not a joke Dixon stated he may repeat.
“Competitors is what makes us all higher.” 🗣️
Coach Belichick is aware of iron sharpens iron.
📺 @accnetwork pic.twitter.com/38zRJDbo4c
— ACC Soccer (@ACCFootball) July 24, 2025
Lopez stated Belichick “does demand greatness out of you,” however makes loads of sly jokes alongside the way in which.
“He’ll be watching movie, and he’ll say one thing that’s utterly out of left area,” Lopez stated. “You’re like, ‘The place did that come from?’ You simply begin laughing. He’s a humorous man.”
Stanford’s lame-duck, former NFL coach
When Stanford fired Troy Taylor after investigations into his therapy of athletic division staff within the spring, Cardinal normal supervisor Andrew Luck couldn’t conduct a training search through the regular timeframe. Luck selected his former Indianapolis Colts head coach, Frank Reich, as this system’s interim head coach.
4 months later, Reich stated he’s positive that is solely a one-season gig. If there’s no probability Reich can be teaching the Cardinal past this fall, what does success appear to be for a bridge season?
“That’s an ideal query,” Reich stated. “Definitely a part of that success goes to be making a tradition that could be a championship-type tradition, actually putting in a mindset into a gaggle of younger gamers that can carry over after this yr…
“This workforce has been down for various years, so how a lot progress can we make in a single yr? I’m optimistic. Due to the form of gamers we’ve acquired, I do know we’re going to win both manner. We’ll have it arrange for (the) long run.”
(Picture: Jim Dedmon / USA At this time)
