Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - ACC SQUAD - Analyzing Duke's EPIC COLLAPSE | How this Impacts the ACC

Episode Date: April 2, 2026

Duke Blue Devils collapse in Elite Eight, blowing a 19-point lead as freshman Cayden Boozer’s late-game turnover sparks a momentum shift for UConn. ACC experts break down Duke’s heartbreaking exit, Jon Scheyer’s growing reputation for tournament collapses, and the looming decisions facing star players like Boozer. How will injuries and leadership questions shape Duke’s future, and which ACC contenders are poised to capitalize next season? The squad delivers inside reports on quarterback battles at Florida State, Miami’s roster retooling, Georgia Tech’s search for a Haynes King successor, and NC State’s stabilized offense behind C.J. Bailey. Heated debate surrounds the NCAA’s “shadow portal,” looming transfer regulations, and Gus Malzahn’s controversial addition to the College Football Playoff committee. Is the CFP headed for less drama, or is reality TV chaos here to stay? Don’t miss the most comprehensive ACC basketball and football analysis anywhere. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Duke Blue Devils were the ACC's last hope, but then they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Let's bring in the squad. You're talking ball with the ACC squad. From Florida State to North Carolina, from Syracuse to Miami, and from NC State to California, it's the local experts of the Locked-on podcast network, bringing you scoops, breakdowns, and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming ACC weekend. Hang on, it could get loud, it could get heated, and it will definitely be fun. Squad up, you're part of the ACCC squad. I am Alex Dono from Lockdown Cainz.

We got JJ Jackson from Lockdown Blue Devils. We'll call him the Man of the Hour for this episode. Brian Smith from Locked on Seminels and from the Portal. Grayson Boone from Lockdown Wolfpack and Jarvis Davis from Lockdown, Georgia Tech. And on this loaded episode of the ACC squad, we're going to talk about Gus Malzahn, And a former most recently Florida State Offensive Coordinator, he is, I guess, no longer officially retired because he's joining the college football playoff committee. Is he going to revamp that thing into something respectable? We'll talk about it.

We'll talk about ACC quarterback competitions that are going on right now during spring football. And is there going to be a shadow portal with transfers this April, even though there's not another transfer portal technically? but I'm so sorry, JJ Jackson. We have to talk about what happened in the Elite 8. Your Blue Devils, they're up 19 points in the game. They're up 15 at halftime. I don't know exactly what Caden Boozer was thinking when he threw up that pass for the turning point turnover. Talk me through those final sequences, JJ Jackson, and how Duke for the second straight year manages to choke in the tournament.

I'm still trying to process it all, and so much so that I don't have a voice these days, fellas, trying to figure out how this happened. And unfortunately, Duke, the last hope within the ACC to get back to the final four. And it just couldn't happen. I think that sequence at the end was so chaotic with Caden Boozer trying to just hold on to the ball. Dribble across half court, whatever you want to do, kind of play tag. He saw a breakaway opportunity of slam dunk photo finish because you call. had pulled up so many guys into the front court.

It looked like the win was right there until it wasn't. And credit to the shot that Brayland Mullins was ultimately able to make at the end, and Yukon punches a ticket onto the final four. Yeah, a 98% chance to win at one point, according to the ESPN analytics, much like you had a year ago in the Houston game. So brutal, brutal for a team that finishes 35 and 3 and lost three games by a combined five points. unreal the season that they had.

And unfortunately, it's not able to continue going into the final four. I'm at a loss for words, guys. It's just, it's heartbreaking, absolute collapse and absolute heartbreak from the Duke side of things. Well, you know, JJ, this is one of those instances where, like, at least college basketball, the tournament is back, right? That was a moment because I know my 60-year-old was down in the basement and I'm sitting on the main floor and I'm watching the game and everything.

And next thing, you know, Rayleigh mother hit that shot. I was like, oh, stop! And then my daughter came up the stairs crying because she's like, Daddy scared me. I'm like, I'm sorry. I haven't experienced anything like this in quite some time. So yeah, it was a true March Madness moment.

But yeah, man, that was tough. That was brutal to watch, man. Because you look at the way Duke was playing, you got Cam Boozer trying to do his thing and trying to carry the team to victory. And then, you know, the brother ended up mess it up. I don't know about y'all. I have a brother. And if my brother actually did some crap like that, man, we probably would have fought for at least probably about 10 seconds. Just a little.

There was a boozer brawl after the game. Right. Yeah, man, we got a fight. We got to square up. You know what I'm saying. We'll be cool afterwards, but we got to square up, man. After that one, because like, you messed it up, man. You messed up for the own team. And that's been some of the mix throughout the year, guys. And I like that perspective you're sharing Jarvis because I also have a brother who's, you know, really close to my best friend, you know, two years. separate us, unlike minutes with the Boozer Twins laying it out, right? But for Caden to always be in the shadows, right? Because Cam has always been the star of the sport. He's also literally six inches taller than his brother is, which in itself alone is interesting for the twin

dynamic that's there. But yeah, you just hate to see something like that happened. The injuries that Duke was battling to Patrick Gongbun, Caleb Foster, Malik Brown, they were in Foucher. trouble there late. And so you're trying not to be overly aggressive with Terris Reed Jr. I mean, Yukon did everything they needed to in that second half, punching Duke in the face and making things really difficult there. So apparently Dan Hurley's able to go face-to-face, cheek-to-cheek, nose-to-nose with officials after a game ends, and it's totally fine. Any other coach, the technical's happening there. I will say, though, because obviously, like, in a vacuum, you could say that that's

technical worthy, but can you imagine had the referee called a technical there? I mean, it's just context does matter. I mean, if you let Duke potentially tie the game with a technical free throw, I don't know what the reaction would have been nationwide. But it's Han Hurley. You know, he's been justified and the fact that Dan Hurley had already been given him. That is crazy. Yeah. He had already been given a wild man within the game. And yet that It just means nothing. Yeah. If they teed him up on that, Hurley might have thrown a punch.

Like, it would have been something to be. Oh, yeah. It would have been the malice in the palace all over again 20 years later. Here's the thing. Duke should not have blown a 19-point lead. They should not have blown a 15-point lead. One seats had been 134 and zero, zero, when leading by 15-plus points at halftime in the NCAA tournament.

That should have never happened. But the fact that Dan Hurley is able to get away with these. things is also ludicrous. I tell you what, on some level, I'm starting to really feel for John Shire here, because to be this dominant of a team, not just the year, but also last year, and you feel like you're doing your job, maybe outside of allowing a 19-point comeback, but like, you're doing the things you're supposed to do, you're winning these games, you're getting to the elite eight, and then all of a sudden you just suffer brain melt of your team in the last

minute, minute and a half. How do you escape this now? I think the old only way to escape this is to cross the finish line and win a national championship, because otherwise, this reputation just now follows him. And that is bizarre a world that to be this dominant of a team year in and year out, but just to get the crunch time moment and you just, you just melt. Oh, my God. I, I genuinely feel awful. Well, well, let me ask JJ, because obviously, you know, Duke, Duke, these last couple of years, when they've blown these big tournament leads, they've been teams where many, if not most of the key players, have been freshmen. So with these, and I thought it was a great term by Grayson, like the mind melt or

the brain melt, I mean, if Duke had like more senior leadership, which I know doesn't really fit with the type of talent they recruit out of high school, maybe you wouldn't be blowing 15 point or 14 point leads last year to Houston at a 19 point lead this year. Yeah, maybe so. but maybe you also wouldn't be in these positions playing in these big time games and having the records that you have. Because the reality is Duke has lost four games within one calendar year. Four. Every other program in America, I think, would make a case that they want to be able to play that type of basketball. No coaches had more wins than John Shire in his first four years on the job.

I thought Shire earlier this season after one of the losses that Duke had against North Carolina, He joked with reporters when they were asking him about these collapses because it's real that they're happening. But he'd ask him, well, how do you want me to lose these games if we're going to, you know, and kind of snap. Because they just, they don't lose that often. And I like winning. And so if it means you're going through some torture, I'll sign up for it. If it means you're winning and you're hanging banners, one of the ACC. Because I know at some point the law of averages will play out and Duke should be the final team cutting down the nets.

Mike Soshefsky didn't win a championship until his 11th season. This was only year four. Let me ask you if they'd have had any of the guys that have been banged up 100%. I mean, is there any chance they don't cut down the nets this year? No. I don't think so either. Because at the end of the year, you're not really freshman anymore. Boozer aside, like he's probably the best part of college basketball, like all around.

I don't think they'd have lost a game if they'd have had their point guard. No doubt. I don't. At the end, I think they don't won the ACC, and then I think they would have went in the tournament and probably not had a game within five points. Yeah, and I hate it because this is how people are remembering, Caden Boozer. He's actually been great filling in for Caleb Foster. Like he has really ramped it up. He's got a major decision to make in terms of, does he want to test the NBA waters? I don't think he's ready to do that yet, but he's going to have a heavy suitors that want to, you know, put him to suit up for the next year.

Cough, Cough, Cough, Miami. Don't you guys? That's why I'm trying to be polite to Caden. I don't want to piss them off too much because I want to see him in Coral Gables. That's real. That there's smoke there. Hopefully he makes a decision. We got to do something about this.

Donalds, Miami, man, they're just going around just stealing everybody. Like, pipeline. Everybody from Duke. I already took his quarterback, his top receiver. Now I'm taking his point guard. The Soviet head coach to run your program. Yeah, that's right. side of things.

So, John Lucas, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. You got some thieves down there. What's going on in my own? I don't know. Blue today just despite JJ. Oh, for sure. Yeah.

Well, and you know what? I want to get when we come back, spring football reports on the Blue Devils, on the hurricanes, on the Seminals, the Yellow Jackets, the Wolfpack. You know, some of us have quarterback competitions.

Some of us don't. But there are certainly competitions happening all over the field. You want to keep it locked right here. We're only getting started on the ACC squad. Yeah, it's tax time. But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot. Trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient. Sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers, emailing back and forth and wondering if they really get your situation. But this year, you're getting a major upgrade. Into a TurboTax now has

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We have got the ACC squad assembled. Let me have Brian Smith from Locked on Seminoles by the first round on this one, because last I've seen, Brian, with I think Florida State Spring Balls a little bit over halfway at this point. Sounds like a legit quarterback competition. Am I characterizing that correctly with

Ashton Daniels being the experienced incoming transfer and Kevin Sperry, the second year upstart, does Sperry have a shot or does this ultimately go to the guy with that mileage on the odometer in Daniels? Oh, you're muted. Ashton Daniels is the guy. 100% from what I've heard, they're going to work Sperry in, but I'm told it's Daniels. I don't know if that's the smart way or not. They're not allowing anything, really.

they've went Mario Cristobal style with practice access. So it's probably, you know, you paid for a veteran, you're going to let him play. But here's the thing, like the practice the other day, the media got to go a little bit, and there was some news that came out of it. Two things. Number one, people think Daniels is the guy. Number two, the running game, they do have a really good running back room, not quite in Miami's, but it's really good.

they ran the ball well, but there was also some disruption. We need to figure out the line play. So it may not matter who the quarterback is because he may not be healthy. Like they're putting together a line. We'll see how it goes. But then the biggest thing, I don't know if anybody here saw it, on Monday's press conference, a certain Tony White, the defense coordinator went off.

Did you all see that? I did. This is right up Brian Smith, Alley. I can assure you. I'm sure. I did a full podcast on it on one basic premise. If you're going to be an idiot, I'm glad somebody's going to call it out. Tony White didn't even get asked.

Unsolicited. He's a defense coordinator for the Knowles. He's back again this year. You want some entertainment, go look it up. Anybody's got it. He said that he's glad a whole bunch of guys are gone from last year's team. I was like, oh, whoa. That takes a lot of guts to say that.

And I golf clap multiple times on my show because I'm glad somebody has the guts to say because that's political. Because a lot of those kids are from high schools. They got to recruit. It's touchy. That's my realm. But I still get the golf clap because you got kids that don't want to be there. We heard all kinds of stuff in the media about, hey, kids aren't paying attention when Norville is speaking to the team and this and that. I'm like, whoa.

Like, I'm not a Norville guy. If you're on a team, like, look, there's a measuring stick here. at least eyes up, pay attention to the man at the top of the podium there. That stuff wasn't going on and all that. And Tony called them out. They may not be the most talented team in the country this year by any means. They certainly aren't like Dono's Keynes in terms of depth. But if they play focused and play together, they'll at least be competitive.

I mean, they lost about five games last year that they were in it in the fourth. They found ways to lose. And that kind of stuff that Tony was talking about, 100% is a big problem. It's why you've won seven games. in two years at Florida State. That's really hard. So I give them more credit for that than anything else. And while I think the Ashton Daniels situation, I'm okay with it.

I'd like Spry to get a shot, but I don't think that's really the case. I'm just glad that they're getting rid of the problems. Well, because like with Sperry, you know, Florida State fans wouldn't they rather? And listen, he's got to win the competition because you can't just hand it to a guy who's not as you. that's bad for the culture. But wouldn't Florida state fans much rather Spary win the competition? Because, you know, Daniels, he's a rental. You already know what his ceiling is.

Sparry could actually be your future. So I would guess that the Lockdown Seminoles listeners would be a lot more excited if Sparry finds a way to win that competition. That's what I pitched before. And I like Daniels. I know the kid. He's a great guy. I think, I don't know what his ceiling is.

I'm going to push back a little bit because he had the two road games in the end of last year. it's so weird with him. They get rid of the head coach who was the play caller. And all of a sudden, Ashton Daniels is a good quarterback. Shocker. But at the same time, I still can't say he's great because he had turnover problems prior to that. But he was at an awful Stanford program.

So I don't know how you'd grade him. But the biggest point is what Donald has talked about. If you start Sparry this year and let's say you go five and seven, six and six, you got him for two more years. If you go six and six this year with the fifth year senior quarterback and you start all over, that blows. I mean, there's just nothing good about that. So, yeah, I think they're trying as coaches, they're not going to admit this, just to tread water, just to stay afloat and go that direction.

And keep their jobs if they can. Yeah, like if they were in year one, this would be a real competition in my opinion. It's not. It's year seven. So the only reason he has a job is because that contract and everybody in America that follows football knows it. To that end, media access has been all been eliminated because of that. We're all hammering him. Even War Chant doesn't get anything.

They're the OG of sites. So, yeah, I think that this is basically Ashton's team unless he just goes into the drink. And by the way, do you ever look to head? Florida State's second game this year? SMU comes to town. If Ashton sucks, and again, I don't think he will. SMU runs them over, then all kinds of things happen because they get it by. And then they play this other team that's in Tuscaloosa, Alabama the week after that.

So Kevin might be in the game sooner than you think. Just that. Fair. Now I'll mention, I'll pick up, you know, Brian was mentioning Miami in their depth. I've been at Miami's first week plus of spring practices. And yeah, that's very much been the story. I know the big position group we've been looking at because they lost four. starters from last year on the offensive line. That's been a big one. Very impressed early on

with Jackson Cantwell, who I know Brian covered coming out of high school, was the number one player in the 2026 recruiting class. He's actually trending to possibly start at left tackle. I mean, it's very early in the process for him, but I mean, he's a generational type player coming out of high school. It's just going to be about developing that maturity and that consistency. So I think the offensive line is doing about as well as you can with so many new starters because that's Mario Cristobal's bread and butter is recruiting great offensive linemen and his offensive line coach Alex Mirabal does a great job. And then of course, defensive end, you know, you're replacing Rubin Bain and Akeem Mesidor.

Part of that transition is going to be pretty smooth because they brought in Damon Wilson from Missou who had nine and a half sacks and 54 pressures last year. He seems to be doing really well. And then on the other side, it's going to be a battle between guys like Marquise Lightfoot, who got a lot of playing time last year. He's a little on the smaller side, though. He's tall, but he's only about 2.30, 2.35. And then you've got Hayden Lowe, who was a former five-star recruit coming out of high school, who was injured last year, didn't play as a true freshman because of his injury. He's 65-255, 255, and he's practicing like the five-star that he was coming out of high school. so he's going to have an opportunity.

I'm sorry to tell you, JJ, but Darian Mensis seems to be doing very well so far at quarterback from Miami. The expectations for him or high. Don't know, Missa was looking a little chubby last time. I saw him on video, man. What's going on there? He was eating out in L.A. working out. He was hitting up those taco stands out there in Los Angeles.

It'll be fine. He's fully in the spring ball routine. He'll trim that waist down. I appreciate you asking, though. You know, I just look chubby, man. You know, I want to ask, you know what I'm saying? Loving food. I get that.

I get that point. I've gotten to the point where I'm unfamiliar with Dary and Mints's game. I don't know anything about them. You know, we've moved on. Who is this guy? Yeah, it's just, it's been heavy basketball mode. Like, you guys actually are doing spring practice and things. Yeah.

The traditional basketball school, we're not used to the high. In Miami, basketball season doesn't. start in Miami unless you get to the elite eight like it doesn't even like you know that's when people get interested so it's always football season down here and yet the last time i checked i thought duke won the ac c championship how about it fellas they did he got me on that one yep it's walker walker he gets going to be the quarterback for duke this year he is not healthy enough though to be going through uh spring practice right now the transfer that they got from st hose state who did get another year of eligibility granted.

And then even the incoming freshman and Terry Walker, the third that a lot of people are really high on, he's out for spring ball with some injuries. So Dan Mayhan and then Ari Payto, who's another transfer that they got from North Alabama, they've been kind of taking the big reps there for spring ball. So Manny Diaz is going to have him coming. But the whole outlook on Duke football unfortunately really, really did change once you see Derry and Mintsa and his number one wide receiver, Cooper Barcate, decide to head to South Beach.

So, yeah, enough football from the Duke side of things, fellas. What about, what about from the Georgia Tech side of things, Jarvis? You got a starting quarterback in town with a familiar last name. I mean, his older brother just won the Heisman trophy last year and a national championship. What's the word on Alberto Mendoza? Well, I think when you look at the traits that Brent Key is looking for, obviously it's leadership because when you have a guy like Haynes King,

walk out of their door, it's just like, hey, man, I want to at least smell leader on you when I'm having conversations with you. And from what I gather, he liked the conversation that he had when you finally got a chance to sit down and talk to Alberta. You say, he talked for about two hours, like, hey, man, understanding, like, hey, I need you to be a leader. I need you to be at least similar to Haynes because Haynes, was, it's a legend on the flat.

So it's going to be hard to follow that up. But when you think about, that's why I feel like this is not really a competition, because you got Graham knows, who's a red surre sophomore, 6, 7, 2.30. He looks the part. But, you know, it's hard for him to complete, like, normal stuff, right? So that's not going to fly in a game like this because when you got a new offensive coordinator and you pay a little change to, you know, a certain running back. you know, that came from Michigan and Justice Haynes, you know, the offense is going to be centered around him.

And you're going to be able to have to complete, make easy to completions because like if they're able to get some continuity up front on the officer line, justice is going to go off. And you got to be able to take advantage of the other opportunities you're going to get, you know, with a successful running game. But yeah, man, Alberto Mendoza, to me, it looks like he's going to be the guy. And because I just don't think there's enough talent behind him to push him. It's a true freshman Cole Bergeron out of Louisiana. He had some talent. It was like it might be something there, but I don't think it's going to be hard for a true freshman to come in

and to plan a guy like Mendoza, just based off of what he's established already since he's been on campus. Bergeron's a really talented kid. I've been around for a couple of years. Down the road, I think he's got a chance. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He got talent. It's there.

It's something there for sure. Absolutely. Now, Grace, how's, of course, C.J. Bailey, no quarterback controversy there. at NC State. Not only how is that offense looking, but that defense, is NC State going to be able to make a few stops this year? Certainly glad to have no quarterback controversy for the second year in a row.

It's been a kind of tumultuous waters in NC State a couple years before that, but it's been very quiet. And in my estimation, no news is good news. Apparently, C.J. Bailey is doing very well in terms of leadership. He's a bit more vocal than he has been the last two years. And so his progression is kind of taking over the program and taking it on as his own. has been great to see and hear about obviously so far. The wide receiving room is going to be a big question mark.

We've lost our top five pass catchers coming out of last season. So a lot of snaps will be up for grabs quite literally in that department. The defense so far, I'm hearing a lot of positive buzz there. It might be a little bit stiffer than it was last year, which is not exactly saying much. But yeah, it should be better in all estimations. Got a big linebacker from Miami. That's Popo Aguirre. Probably going to be your middle linebacker there.

Yeah, very well liked. I've heard already. extremely hard worker. A lot of guys are already looking up to him, even though he's only been here a number of months. So it's coming along very nicely, kind of like JJ, have been kind of focused on fiascos on the hard court. But for football, like I said, I think no news right now is good news. Yeah. And by the way, as far as fiascoes on the hard court go, make sure you're watching and listening to Locked on Wolfpack and also locked on ACC, because there have been a few Will Wade conversations that have taken place within the last few

episodes of those shows. What did you do? Did you know that that was under the works over a year ago? Well, I'm now privy to more information than I was, say, a week, a week and a half ago. So, and, yeah, it's very clearly that this was going on for well over a year. In fact, I think he knew what he was doing before he even signed with NC State. It goes that deep. So, yeah, none too pleased in Raleigh over that.

Didn't he close on a house before, like a month before he took the job? That's, that's been somewhat debunk. There was a Zillow post that apparently his old house was purchased on February the 23rd. Apparently, it was not purchased by him. I would probably believe maybe a booster handled that for him. Oh, yeah. Basically, when he was fired from LSU back and was that 22, he actually sold the house. This is public record.

Sold that house for $100. That's it. $100. So, you all had the same expression. Red flag immediately goes up. Something's going on here. This has been in the works for a while.

I mean, I'm pretty sure. We'll bring you back when it's time. Exactly. That's what it was. Yeah. I mean, there may have been laws broken there.

I mean, I'm pretty sure if, like, if I sold my house for $100, like I'd have like a Fed knocking on my door the following day. Like, what sort of shenanigans are you up to? But when we come back, sorry.

Yeah. No, no, you're good. Speaking of shenanigans, is there going to be what we refer to as a shadow portal taking place this spring? And a new gig for Gus Malzon. You want to keep it locked right here. This is the ACC squad. Hey, what if sports were traded like markets? Now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robin Hood prediction markets.

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All right, before we get into a revamped kind of college football playoff committee, when we refer to the shadow portal, this is the idea that and Brian Smith, you'll run point on this topic, even though the NCAA has done away with the second transfer portal window. They consolidated to just one January transfer portal, which is coming past. Players are not allowed to enter a transfer portal this spring. There seems to be a suspicion out there. In fact, the NCAA is trying to lay down potential punishments that players are just going to transfer anyway. Do you expect a lot of that to be going on this?

spring, Brian. I was told that there's some players at my name, school that ADs already know that they're going to leave. So to be a preemptive strike to that because schools are already trying to cheat. I don't know who's starting it. I'm not even making those phone calls. I don't want to know that it's make me mad. But the point is still the same.

Here's the deal. Players are not employees because they're not, they don't have a lot of control. You can on a row and go, let's say, from Duke to NC State or whatever. However, the way they're going to try to make this work, they're trying to pass this legislation in CA, where if you enroll, that's fine somewhere else. But as soon as you play one second, practice, whatever, the coach gets suspended for six games. He's not allowed to recruit. He's not allowed in the facility. He's not allowed to coach in anything.

That right there, you're dead man walking. Six games. That's obviously a problem. And then on top of that, you're going to lose 20% of all that NIL funding from like the TV revenue and all that. the 20 million or so jackpot. Let's say it's 20 million, just for easy math. 20% of that's $4 million. Nobody wants to lose $4 million.

And on top of it, if your coach is not there for six games, doing that stuff, you're going to get hammered. Like, it's not going to work. So can they pass all that? I don't know. But they just don't have control over the players, and this is their workaround. I'm not going to lie.

I make fun of the NCAA almost, every day. They've done so many dumb things. It's not even countable. It's pretty smart. It's the way around the player problem because they don't want to make them employees. We all know why. It's a whole another rabbit hole. But this is how you get around the shadow portal. And it's probably going to make a lot of agents bad. They're probably still going to try to sue the NCAA over it, because the agents, the ones that really lose on this. They want them transferring around because they got a chance to make money on NIL. It's not kid ourselves. You know, there are certain teams I won't name any names like Miami that might be going towards, you know, JJ's, Jay Jays, Blue Devils or something,

you know, but just say it. I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah, that everybody was watching this, notice that Donno has a blue shirt on. That is just not an accident. We all know what team he's trying to hint at here. I don't know if there's a good offensive tackle or something, but whatever. The point is still. They don't have any good players left.

We took them all. Well, that may be. They may be looking and scouting for the year after. Yeah. Miami tries to get ahead of the game. So I don't know who it's going to be, but otherwise, like, there's some SEC schools that I know for expecting certain guys to leave. Like, they do this in February. That's not good, brother.

So, I mean, the players can leave, but they're not going to be able to play so that it just mitigates it. You're not going to go somewhere and just go to school. It's going to be awkward. And by the way, I don't know who it's going to be, and I'm not voting for this. I haven't heard of it yet. It's going to be a team that either. they're A, the quarterback is sucks, and that coach is going to be on that hot seat, and he's going to be like, uh-oh, we got to get, oh, we can't get somebody.

Or B, the quarterback they had got hurt. Without a spring window, there's going to be a team that's in a really awkward spot. It's going to happen. I don't know, like, obviously, Grayson's not worried about. They got C.J. Bailey, but not everybody's got a C.J. Bailey. That, whoever that team ends up being, it might be JJ's team. They're kind of going, I mean, J.J.'s are talked about it. and like, this year may not be perfect on the football side of things,

but there's going to be a team that, you know, this is year three, year four, and they're kind of on that teeter-totter line with the coach getting canned. Not having a spring window could be the end-all-ve-all. Yeah, I think it's going to be really interesting, though, because, you know, like, you obviously can go to the Juko route if you want to go there, some guys sitting right there. And, you know, I just, I think that's something of it. very harsh punishment and for it to be able to pass as, as it, as is actually happening,

I don't think that's going to happen, man. I think these guys are lawyering up so quickly and we know the NCAA is over when they go to court. So Trinidad Chambers out here doing post-practice pressers and the NCAA sent up to like, how did this happen? Oh, yeah, maybe the judge is an Ole Miss alarm and, you know, you know, magically he was able to rule on that thing. But yeah, this is, I don't, I don't think that thing is going to pass like that.

But, you know, when you look at. It doesn't, though, there is no, then there is just nothing but straight free agency. True. That's the problem. That can't work. Yeah. There has to be a limit. So if it goes to the federal level, I think it'll actually stick because there has to be a

mandate. And players, I know this ain't going to be friendly. A lot of folks, at some point, they have to be told what they can and can't do because they're not. Absolutely. And that's the problem. I don't know how you do that because it's not going to be friendly regardless. It's unfortunate.

Yeah, this year-to-year stuff is crazy. I mean, it's good for us because, you know, we get to talk about it. But it's just I can't imagine being a head coach having to recruit your roster and recruit new players every single year, man. Like you're talking about blood pressure, anxiety, all that stuff, man. For a year, it feels like it's every day that you're having to think about this thing. Absolutely. You can't wait to the end of the year to say, hey, man, we want you to come back.

Yeah, but talking to me. So I want to throw out one more topic here, and that is a few, three new members of the college football playoff committee, the highest profile ones, Jeff Tedford and Gus Malzahn. Now, let me say this in the plus column. I think we need as many former coaches and former players on the CFP committee as possible. Because when the CFP committee, if it has too many administrators and athletic directors who don't necessarily have a straight up football background, not to mention, if you're a sitting AD, I'm pretty sure you have a lot of other stuff to focus on than every single game being played in any given college football week.

So give me as many former coaches as possible. So I'm going to assume Gus Malzahn is going to do a really. good job on this college football playoff committee. And I guess I'm a little disappointed, guys, that Hunter Eurecheck, the AD from Arkansas, is still the chair of the committee. Like, I kind of wish they could just revamp the entire thing. Because I want next year, I don't want this CFP reveal show to be the Bachelorette every single week. Like, I don't need it to be played up for reality TV. Just tell me who, you know, the 12 best teams are and don't change it up just for views. and clicks the final weekend.

Because even though I was on the positive end of that with Miami, my blood pressure was at an unhealthy rate thinking Miami wasn't going to get in. So just give it to me on the level every single week. But, Grace, I'll start with you on this one. I mean, do you think, do you think the CFP committee is going to be less drama next year? No, I think drama is always going to be woven into this, unfortunately. I do think it's rather ironic that Florida State is seeing a former, or I guess a relatively former face on that committee being what happened to them just a couple years ago,

that I'm getting screwed by. But he's also, he's got Auburn allegiances and yeah. Ironic that NC State's booke Oregon was actually the spokesman when Florida State got held out. But is there going to be drama? Yeah, there's always going to be drama. It's college football. It's part of the reason we all love it so much. But I certainly do agree with your point on wanting more coaches on that committee.

The coaches are going to get it. They're going to get the process. They're going to get what these teams are going through to get up to that point and be in contention. That makes a ton of sense to me. But, you know, kind of back on the note that the NCAA can't get out of their own way, the CFP committee's kind of been on the same foot these last couple of years. It's always one thing this way, one thing, another way, can't seem to get it right from year to year. I'll be very intrigued to see how this goes down.

But on its face, I do think more coaches in the committee is certainly positive. I just want to see, honey, you're a check not look like he's in a hostage video when he's asking questions. Always. Looks uncomfortable. We just figured out a way for Miami to be able to get in because of the head to head. And that was a really good win back when it happened. It just didn't matter up until that point. Like, what are you doing, man?

You know somebody else's a shotgun to your head. So yeah, that's the only thing I, because that was pure comedy for me. Like, every time I sat there and watched that show when I kind of was intrigued by who was going to be in because, you know, they got a little predictable towards the end there. but yeah, this is, like, they got to take him out, man. Like, let somebody else speak or give him some training or something on how to look on TV. Like, don't have your eyes locked like this. He's look crazy, man. You like you're on some drugs and stuff, you know.

Need your little P test before you come up in front of the camera. I think the football coach part is the most important thing here when we're deciding who are the best football teams, right? Like, I respect that the people making these decisions would be able to have. conversations about passing concepts to run against a cover three versus guys who that's not what they're talking about each and every day when they're running athletic departments and whatnot. So I think this is a good move to add to more former coaches. Because AD is all about what? Money. Most money I got to work with. Yeah. And you know, these city, especially you sitting

at the point. Oh, yeah. I want to get my cut. Let me make sure this big 10 school get in. You know, man. Come on, man. Yeah. Give me the call. coaches all day. I'm with you alone. I agree with everybody. My only question is, are we ever going to get to a point where there's definitively more coaches and ones we trust than everybody else? I'm not confident on that. Yeah, that's a good point. I don't think there's never not going to be ADs or sitting ADs just the way things, how things been going. I don't think we're not going to see those guys on the committee. So yeah, I'm with you on that. Plus, I don't understand. Like, I, I don't understand. I, I, I don't understand what purpose an AD serves on the selection. Like it doesn't make sense. Like they've always been on it since the committee was first formed. I just don't understand why. Yeah.

The almighty dollar. I mean, Sabin's an obvious one, but there are several other coaches that you could put in there too. Like, I mean, you know, it doesn't have to be somebody that's got multiple titles or something. But like, there has to be a few other guys they can put on. there instead of some AD that's just looking out for the wallet. It's pretty common sense.

Yeah, for sure. Hopefully we get to that point. But we appreciate everybody making the ACC squad your first listen. Make sure you join the Every Day or Club. Click the link in the show notes below. You get special features and content, including ad-free versions of our shows, Discord chat, access, where you can talk to all these hosts and to other listeners and fans of your favorite shows.

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