ACC Kickoff: League storylines

If the conference media days are an early indicator that college football camps are just around the corner, then we’re almost there. The three-day ACC Kickoff event begins Tuesday morning with coaches and players from all 14 schools speaking to the media. First up will be a state of the league address by commissioner Jim Phillips on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Look for extensive coverage of interviews with Mike Norvell as well as FSU players Jordan Travis, Jared Verse and Kalen DeLoach on theOsceola.com on Wednesday. We’ll have live updates each day from other ACC teams on our message board as well as stories from the expanded format, which has grown from two days. The ACC Network also plans live coverage all three days.

Here are some storylines to watch at ACC Kickoff:

This is where we should remind that historically the ACC Kickoff address from the commissioner is more of a “state of the league” and less of a time where Phillips announces news. He took some shots in July 2022 at the SEC and Big Ten with comments about gated communities that largely landed flat. If you’re expecting fireworks, instead set the standard at sparklers.

An implosion of the Pac-12, which still hasn't announced a media rights agreement, would have created some fireworks on Tobacco Road. Would the ACC be tempted to expand and grab a group of schools from the Pac-12 now that USC and UCLA are on the move to the Big Ten? Perhaps eventually another Pac-12 school could break off and jump to the Big 12 or ACC. But the ACC has played this game (hello, West Virginia) and none of the available options move the needle from the standpoint of conference distribution (read: $$) for the current ACC schools.

Except for Notre Dame, long a partner with the ACC as a member in every sport but football but also a school that values its independence, a payday from NBC and has had a wandering eye for the Big Ten. Phillips will be asked again if there is any interest from Notre Dame about joining the league, but it’s more than likely the Fighting Irish are pursuing more money from NBC in their TV deal. And a 12-team playoff could offer a good route for an independent – so does Notre Dame need to join the ACC?

Let’s get right to it. Is there more money for schools that win a conference title? Yes, likely. But how much? "Success initiatives" were the buzz words at the ACC’s spring meetings in Amelia Island in May. It remains to be seen if there will be any announcements. We know the ACC’s presidents and chancellors agreed to something, in concept, but details about the proposals remain on the table.

“Still working through it,” FSU athletics director Michael Alford told the Osceola earlier this month. “The president is on that committee. … They've put out some concepts that we're working through. We like some better than others. There's still several meetings taking place, but hopefully we'll be closer to where we are to get some kind of consensus amongst the conference on this one topic.

“It still doesn't solve everything. It helps, but it's not the solution and he's aware of that, but it is a step in the right direction. At least the conference is being proactive instead of just keeping the status quo.”

Phillips could address any additional details related to football and basketball games airing on the CW Network (moving away from the Raycom deal). There could also be updates on the ACC Network in regards to programming.

The ACC also hired Fish Bait Solutions in August 2022 to "serve as the league’s Chief Revenue and Business Innovation Consultant." But no additional partnerships or deals have been announced.

Phillips was the athletics director at Northwestern from 2008-2021 before being hired as the ACC’s commissioner. Football coach Pat Fitzgerald was dismissed by Northwestern on July 11 as part of a hazing scandal.

How much did Phillips know about the hazing? He has been named in a few lawsuits but Phillips said last week, “Any allegation that I ever condoned or tolerated inappropriate conduct against student-athletes is absolutely false. I will vigorously defend myself against any suggestion to the contrary.”

Still, Phillips will be talking on Tuesday for the first time since the scandal has surfaced and he has been connected by lawyers for former Northwestern athletes.

Voting will be done during the event and media could be swayed by what they hear from coaches and players. We likely won’t hear the final results of a conference champion until a few days after the event. And the media won’t have to suffer through another round of throwing darts at the board and picking a Coastal Division champion. We’ve failed miserably the last few years (Miami was the 2022 pick) and “Coastal Chaos” is now likely a fun memory.

There is optimism that an ACC without two divisions will produce the best two teams facing off in the ACC Championship game, with a champion that could be more attractive in the eyes of the College Football Playoff selection committee. Could FSU-Clemson in September be round 1 with FSU and Clemson facing off in round 2 in Charlotte?

Without the division format, it will be fun to listen in on interviews with opposing coaches who the Seminoles haven’t faced regularly. Mike Elko is a familiar face as a coordinator at Wake and Notre Dame who has guided the rebuild for Duke. Pat Narduzzi is also an entertaining interview and FSU will make its first road trip to Pittsburgh since 2013.

How much optimism does Miami’s Mario Cristobal have going into year 2? UNC’s Mack Brown always holds court with a largely Carolina-centric media corps, speaking not just on his team but topics of concern across college football. Louisville’s Jeff Brohm makes his debut in the ACC at his alma mater following a six-year run at Purdue. (A full list of player attendees are here.)

Who will win the conference’s player of the year honors on offense or defense? Verse is definitely a contender, perhaps along with Clemson star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. On offense, Travis should be in the mix with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and Clemson running back Will Shipley.

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