Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - ACC SQUAD - HOT TAKES: SMU Mustangs & Clemson Tigers CFP Hopes, FSU Hires Staff

Episode Date: December 12, 2024

Welcome back to ACC Squad, the ultimate roundtable podcast for all things Atlantic Coast Conference! Hosted by Alex Donno of Locked On ACC, this week’s episode features top insights, expert analysis, and bold predictions from Locked On podcast hosts covering your favorite ACC teams.We break down the hottest topics, recent performances, and upcoming games for every ACC school, including the Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, NC State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Syracuse Orange, California Golden Bears, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Pittsburgh Panthers, SMU Mustangs, Stanford Cardinal, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. If you love ACC football, this episode is packed with everything you need to know!In This Episode:In-depth analysis of the latest ACC matchupsKey takeaways and standout player performancesBold predictions for upcoming gamesDiscussions on conference standings and playoff scenariosDon’t miss out on the latest ACC football coverage! Join the conversation in the comments below and let us know your thoughts, predictions, and which teams you’re keeping an eye on this week.#ACCSquad #ACCFootball #LockedOnACC #CollegeFootball #ACC2024 #BostonCollegeEagles #ClemsonTigers #DukeBlueDevils #FloridaStateSeminoles #LouisvilleCardinals #MiamiHurricanes #NCStateWolfpack #NorthCarolinaTarHeels #SyracuseOrange #CaliforniaGoldenBears #GeorgiaTechYellowJackets #PittsburghPanthers #SMUMustangs #StanfordCardinal #VirginiaCavaliers #VirginiaTechHokies #WakeForestDemonDeacons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Well, what do you know? We got two teams in the college football playoff after all. Roll Tad, baby. Let's bring in the squad. You're talking ball with the ACC squad, sponsored by game time. 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 ACC Squad. Hey, what's up? Welcome into the ACC Squad. We got a beautiful quartet of gentlemen coming at you today. I'm Isaac Shade stepping in for our intrepid leader, Mr. Alex Dono, the host of Lockton Tar Hills. We're joined by Jackson Holzer from Locktown Syracuse and our dudes from Locktown Wolfpack, Mr. Grayson Boone, and Mr. Kenton Gibbs. We're holding it down today on the Locked-on ACC Squad.

This episode's brought to you by game time. Download the app, create an account, and use code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase. I'm telling you right now, you're going to need that to get the Clemson at Texas because those ticket prices are stupid already. We'll look at that all coming up here on the show today. fellas, we got two teams in the playoff. It ain't Dono's Miami Hurricanes, but you got the Clemson Tigers winning the ACC championship. took a little more difficult than maybe we thought it was going to be as that game wore on on Saturday. SMU sneaks in and somehow, some way, the college football playoff committee decided that they could say no to Alabama about something anytime ever.

Who's buying the first round, fellows? Let's get into it. I mean, listen, I'll gladly by the first round because I was the one who had to take the blowback and the cursing out from my grandmother for talking bad about her tide, as if the committee listens to me on what the do here. So I think that I'm more than qualified to start this off by saying, I think that the committee show that strength of schedule matters in a meaningful way. And I really do because in any other situation is a three-loss team even considered. Let's be very serious and very honest about that. There's not a world in which you can lose 25% of your games and be considered one of the best 12 teams in the nation unless there is deep consideration and reverence to who you paid played rabbit. That's just a very serious kind of part of that. And then on the other end of it,

the reality is simple. When and you're in, period. I don't care who you are. When and you're in. And if anything, if there is any team, by the way, who has an argument for we should have scheduled easy. If there's any team who has an argument for that, it's the Clemson Tigers. They would be a hosting team if instead of playing Georgia, they play Georgia State in game one. Instead of playing South Carolina, they played South Carolina State in game third or 12 rather. That would have been the case. They would be a two-loss

conference champion and they would be revered as this dominant team that, oh, I'm sorry, they'd be a one-lost conference champion, rather. That would be revered as this over-dominant team that had one hiccup. So, if anything, Bama fans sitting up here screaming, we need to schedule easier. Y'all weren't the ones to schedule tough. It wasn't you. I'm sorry to tell you this.

Mercer is not a team that boosts your strength of schedule. Sorry to tell you, friends. Oh, no, no, no, it was USF. I love me some Byron Brown as much as anybody. He's a Riley guy. I was covering high school football when he was coming through the ranks. I love the guy. I thought NC State should have been harder up for.

Still doesn't do it. Sorry. Sorry to tell you. The American conference team that's not even in their championship doesn't do it. So again, if anybody needs to be pound the table, it's Clemson. And by the way, shut out the Clemson because even though their path was a little bit more difficult, they took the scenic route to the ACC championship. They still come out on top.

They prove me wrong in the regards of their national relevance being done. They're still, they seem like they're here to stay. But again, I'm glad the committee got it somewhat right because I believe Miami should be in as well. Jackson. You can thank Syracuse, you know, thanks Syracuse a little bit for Clemson. You mean, if not for Syracuse beating Miami, I mean, Clemson's out. So I just want to point that out, but the committee got it right. You are living.

You are living on that, Jackson. That's that. That's what, sweetie is, too. Davos Sweeney is like, thank Syracuse for it. But in all seriousness, they got it right. with SMU, I don't care if they lost the game by 50 points. I don't care if they lost three of their quarterbacks. They still, in my opinion, should have been in the college football playoff.

Do you know why? Because they were playing in their conference championship game. Alabama was not playing in their conference championship game. And you should not be rewarded for sitting on your couch. And you should not be penalized for being forced to play another game. SMU is forced to play in it. like what sort of logic is that, right? You're going to take them out because they got blown out.

And they didn't even get blown out. They lost on the last second field. There was no conversation between SMU and Alabama because the committee had already spoke in the week before that SMU was ahead of Alabama. And by the way, this is not anti-SEC bias. If Miami was in the slot instead of Alabama, I would have said the same thing. Miami, sorry, tough luck. You didn't play in your conference championship game.

I don't care if SMU gets blown out by 100 points. Clemson's going to steal your spot if they win. And that's exactly what happened. Yeah, there's nobody that got screwed this year. If you're complaining, then your team should have one more games than they did. It's crazy to hear Alabama complaining when they went nine in three. Alabama went nine and three. That's all that needs to be said there.

And the same can go for Miami, whoever else. I do want to congratulate Clemson. They made the most of this opportunity. Shout out Jackson and Syracuse. and I'm very proud of the committee that they did get it right because SMU deserves to be in the field. If SMU got penalized for losing in the conference championship, all conference championships in the future would have been in complete jeopardy. You would probably see teams opt to not play in it, and that would have been chaos.

So I'm glad that they got it right. SMU deserves to be in. Clemson is the champion of the conference. They deserve to be in. Two teams are in for the ACC. By the way, can we? Go ahead. Can we have a really quick.

conversation about the the conversation that keeps coming up about well you all want the most deserving teams and we want the best what the hell was that even me are we sure Alabama like are we sure like they've won the hypotheticals and that and that's the thing that's the thing again here at lock on ACC we do the knowledge okay and doing the knowledge tells us that the hypothetical uh you know the hypothetical Ole Miss Rebels of this year, oh, let me tell you something, if they were to play the greatest team that had ever been assembled in terms of football, they'd win that game, despite the fact that they can't beat a four and eight Kentucky. They ain't with that game by lot.

You know, if any ACC team, it doesn't matter if you bring back those Clemson teams with Trevor Lawrence and ETIN on those squads. They get destroyed by anybody in the SEC, even band. belt, even the Mississippi states of the world, because it just means more to them. But then there's a thing. You know, Anita Baker was said in the song, fairy tales, reality sets in. The fairy tale is over, and now real life begins. That is where we are. Real life has to set in for those jokers in the SEC at some point in time to say,

well, damn, you can't lose to a team that lost to Georgia State, and we ignore that. What hell? You can't put up three points against you. a five-win team, and we ignore that. And here's the other thing for me with that whole conversation, Kenton. The SEC freaking authored this whole mega-conference thing, made their own conference so insanely difficult. You all have made this bed, go lie your butt in it and sleep until next season starts.

I got no time for you to feel like to weep and moan and feel sorry for you, Greg Sanky. Keep on adding to your conference. It's going to make it all the more difficult for you to get in. while, here we sit with Clemson and SMU, as should be the case because they won on the field, which is why Florida State should have been in last year. I don't care what happened to Jordan Travis. The product on the field is what won the games, and I know they would have lost in playoffs, fine, whatever. I still think they should have been in. And we kind of make up for it this year. That said, you think we're getting some respect, or is it just like Alabama shouldn't have been in

SMU is the team that squeaks in? I mean, it's a start. It's a start for respect. But I mean, at the same time, I think that it should have been Miami ahead of Alabama. And the debate should have been technically Miami and SMU. Having said that, I said off the top, I don't, it's not anti-SEC for me. Because if the committee had put Alabama or if they had swapped Alabama in Miami, and we were talking in the final day about SMU versus Miami, I would have said the same thing.

SMU deserves to be in. They were in their conference championship game. Sorry, tough luck. You don't get to be rewarded. It's like the data points thing. We have no more data points on you. And if you're in your conference championship game, you shouldn't be penalized.

See, last year with the Florida state getting left out, right? At least the saving grace. And if you want to call it, if you want to be mad at me still, you can be mad at me. But at least the saving grace was Alabama played in their SEC title game. They played in an SEC championship game.

So they also had another data point. if they had penalized SMU for playing in a conference championship game while Alabama is sitting on their butts like the rest of us, that is a thousand times worse. Are you, it would have eliminated conference championship games. We would have just said, nope, just send a regular season champion and call it a day. Everyone sit out. Done. I'm done.

Yeah, a thousand percent. And another thing that I think is fairly clear here is we are looking at a situation where we're debating on who should be in, who should be out in terms of bubble teams, I think there are multiple teams that are in the middle of the pack, that there are very good arguments for, wait, who the hell did they be in a very similar vein to an SMU? Well, you guys, there's so much more to talk about. How about SMU doing this in their first year in the ACC? We're going to see maybe some other ACC teams finally get their junk together and get things

figured out. let's make this conference grow and get awesome and see if we can compete with these other conferences, the power two so called. We'll talk about that coming up in just a second. Right after I'd tell you about our good friends at game time, look, college basketball season is here. There's absolutely nothing better than the atmosphere of a college basketball game. We just had our first ACC games this weekend, all 18 teams in action. You never know what's going to happen.

Great anticipation. Well, good news is that when you're wanting to get to one of these games, game time has got you covered with the new feature called game time picks makes getting to see your favorite team play even easier what it does is it filters out all the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste time searching through everything else and it's not just for basketball you can find stuff for the bowl games that are upcoming concerts comedy theater and so much more i just used game time just the other day to get some tickets for my family so whether it's game time ticket coverage lowest price guarantee or the panoramic views from your seat

in the app game time has got you covered. How about the two CFP games that the ACC is in? SMU at Penn State. Tickets for as low as $97 to get you in the door. They're in Happy Valley. But as I said earlier, Clemson at Texas, you're going to have to fork over nearly $300 to get in. I found them for as cheap as 283 at game time.

So take the guesswork out of buying tickets and download GameTime app. Create an account. Use Code Lockton College for $20 off your first purchase. Again, create an account and redeem code locked on college for $20 off. Terms apply. Download the Game Time app today. What time is it? It's game time. All right, SMU, just slides right on into our conference, not taking any bit of our conference money. Thank you very much. But then they're going to earn us some money wonderfully and thank youfully.

What does it say about Ret Lashley and the Mustangs? We called them the pony bros earlier this year, that they're able to just step right in and take control of the conference here along with Clemson. I mean, I think it says a ton in terms of this. I think that this should destroy a narrative that some people say hurts the ACC. Some people say it helps the ACC at this point. But what are we looking at in terms of how, what's the actual difference between the different levels of ball? How many teams have we seen go to new conferences and make it happen right away? I don't think this is an indictment of the ACC.

I do want to give credit to SMU, but look across. all of the different conferences and look what teams have done in their first year, first two years in their new conferences. You just talked about Texas going to a new conference in terms of the SEC and making it happen. But did you know that Texas A&M in Missouri did similar things when they went to the SEC? So the question for me becomes, at what point do we accept football is football is football? And we stopped trying to create these delineations, these drastic gaps that don't exist. because again, in every hypothetical, oh yeah, yeah, we win by 20, we'd win by 20. This team would win by 20.

Well, last time I checked, especially in the SEC. And again, Granny, I'm sorry, the committee doesn't listen to me. There was, in fact, a team that was favored by 20 in a game against a fellow SEC team and lost that football. And actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure there were multiple times that that happened because Kentucky against Old Miss was another one where I believe that spread had to be at least for. team plus. So I sit here and I very simply say the reality is they're showing why the games matter on the field. I thought SMU at best upsets to Applecart. They knocked a couple of teams off and out of contention. I didn't think that they were going to be a team that would be in the ACC championship. Lo and behold, here they are. Everybody knows how much I love Sherwood Blunt and

company, free the guys. They didn't do nothing wrong. They just had NIL in the 80s. Ain't nothing wrong with being a little bit early to the party. I mean, hey, I thought this was America. But in all seriousness, again, shout out to SMU, shout out to all the teams that have moved into new conferences and have done great things because this goes to show, oh, the PAC 12 is so lowly. And yet, Oregon's first year away from the PAC 12,

what are they doing in the Big Ten? Hmm, that looks interesting. Oh, the American conference is so lowly. And yet SMU comes over and what are they doing? Oh, the Big 12 could never compete with the SEC. Lo and behold, a team that ain't pissed a drop in the Big 12 in a decade, damn near goes over and is in the SEC championship right away.

So again, let's stop having a referendum about, well, these individual teams, and let's just say, ball is ball as ball as ball. Put the damn ball down and let's get it wrong. Grayson Jackson, I mean, you know, we're sitting here talking about this. It's not just our conference. All four power conferences had at least one new team in their championship game, two of which, one and the other two, SMU and Texas, were darn near close

to doing the same thing themselves. Well, I just think it really shows the parity in college football now. I think there's more parity than ever, which is why the hypothetical argument needs to go away. It already wasn't a great argument. Like hypothetically, it's a 20 point spread, but it's so much, there's so much more parity now, guys. Like, and a lot of it, I'm not saying it's necessarily because of SMU, but a lot of it is because of the transfer portal because these kids want to play. They want to play. So the days of teams like a Georgia and Alabama being able to hoard all the talent, they're gone because those kids are like, well, we have no path to playing time here.

I'm just going to go play for insert random team. I'm going to play for SMU. Okay. And now all of a sudden they're a starter at SMU. And you might be singing yourself, well, they were a backup at, insert big school, they surely can't be good. Well, news flash, sometimes you can be wrong. You can be wrong about guys.

I can use my, I can use my team's own example, a guy like Jackson Meeks, three years at Georgia, nothing, absolutely can't get on the field, doesn't play at all. All of a sudden he comes to Syracuse, second team all ACC. Hello? Like, there's just more parity now. That's just, that's my biggest takeaway is these teams are moving conferences, but also the portal is allowing the talent to kind of just level out a little bit. Grayson.

Yeah, there's certainly more parody. And also to Kenton's point, this is why we play the games. I think one of the most fascinating things about SMU is not only do they enter the conference and make the conference championship, they relatively ran through their ACC schedule. Outside of Duke where they probably should have lost but still found a way to win, they went through their schedule and they dominated all the way up to the championship game in which they almost found a way to win that one as well. Mighty Clemson in the championship game almost took them down.

So I'm proud of SMU. I think they've proved themselves as more than a worthy member of this conference. And so much was made of SMU and Stanford and Cal, what could they possibly bring to the table in the ACC? Here we are. SMU, the conference championship, not taking any of the ACC money,

but in fact providing more money to the ACC. So, hey, I mean, got a shout out the Mustangs. Look, I'm not Alex Dono and nor am I Tony Realli, but man, you guys are just dropping great points all over the place.

I wish I could be giving you all the up votes like around the horn. It would be great. Look, here's what's interesting to me. back to Jackson's point, I don't think it's that Georgia or Ohio State or Bama, like it's not that their ones are any fewer, but it's like they're going to have less depth at the two and three. I think that's probably what we're looking at across the board there. And their depth is really good. That's the point. They recruit really well in high school.

They get all the five stars. They got all the four stars, but only so many, there's only so much playing time to go around. They want to play. So they end up leaving. I know we're eventually going to get to like more in-depth look at the conference, excuse me, the college football playoff games that we're in. Looking ahead to SMU at Penn State and to Clemson at Texas, we'll get to the lines for those in our next break with the fan duel read. But do you give either of these teams not just against the spread, but a straight up shot to win either of those games?

James Franklin is a professional bed where they're absolutely. Absolutely. You're so right. James Franklin needs rubber sheets, and I hate to go against the Casteck guy. And I know that Cailene King is still there, all Big Ten linebacker. You know, I love you, baby. All the green guys got all my love, you know what I mean? Cascat number one second and none.

But when you look at the totality of what James Franklin has done in every big game to quote Carl Withers in the comebacks, that's what you do? You lose. That's it. I look at James Franklin. I said, what do you do in big games? You lose. They are the Chrysler 300 C of college football.

They look like a phantom. Every single year. And then the real phantom pulls up and the doors swing out the other way. And all of a sudden, somebody starts saying, do it smell broken here, y'all? Because they get dominated every single time. So I have no doubt in my mind that once again, they'll be exposed to be a 300 C.

I have no doubt in my mind about that. And speaking of Jackson's point about the. transfer portal. Number one, people call SMU Miami West because of all the Miami guys that they got there. And number two, a big part of why the transfer portal is so prevalent is because it destigmatized leaving. Back in the day,

if you transferred, that was like a scarlet letter going into the NFL and teams were apprehensive about, oh, does this kid have to stick to to this? Now, what team in the NFL doesn't have guys that transferred all over the place? And we love him. Don't you dare take James and Williams away from our lines? And he didn't start off at Alabama.

He was an Ohio State guy who couldn't get on the field. So absolutely, Penn State is in trouble. Alexa played dance because them brothers in trouble. Well, I was going to give you another example. How about Joe Burrow? Hey now. You're a big transfer. Hey now. You know, we ain't going to talk about Russell Wilson. Jade and Daniels. But, you know, be a transfer. I'm not wrong with it. Grayson, what about Clemson heading to Austin? What do you think about that one? I think you should take the over if you dabble on Fan duel. But now I think that's going to be a really tough environment. Obviously, it's a homecoming game for Cade Clubnick, but that Texas defense is real, and I think they're going to show up.

Clemson, I mean, I don't know. I take the under. That's all I got. I think the best chance of an upset within the conference has got to be SMU. I don't buy Penn State. I don't think anyone buys Penn State. And that is the game, I think, where we can see an upset. I mean, do you give Clemson a puncher's chance against Texas? Maybe they lay an egg at home. Like maybe, maybe. Sure, that's why there's no hypotheticals. That's why you play the games. You play the game, right?

Let's just see what happens. But, yeah, I don't think Clemson's going to win. The only shot I'm giving Penn State is because it is at home in Happy Valley. And SMU is very likely going into a snow game or a very, very cold weather game. And I can tell you something about that northern cold. It's a different type of cold. You know, I lived in Texas for a little bit. I've lived in North Carolina a little bit lower.

The code down here is respectful and taps on the shoulder and says wear a jacket. The code up north like the trail's free will. It just get up on your choking. It just get up on you. You know, you don't want that in your life. So that's why I would say that Penn State has a fighting chance there. I mean, those running backs are amazing. But guess who stops to run at a higher clip than anybody except three teams in the nation?

Who's that, Kent and Gibbs? Oh, the Pony Express, of course. The boys from Dallas. You know, the Big D means defense on their helmets. because they can stop the run at a very, very high clip. And they take the ball away when you decide to put it in the head. So, you know, I believe that Red Lashley is the better coach in that game. I believe that they will have a roster that has slightly less talent,

but have they not figured it out and shown us all year? It doesn't matter how many stars I had in recruiting. What matters is when you put the damn ball down, who wants it more? And SMU has wanted more every game. I think they'll want it more in this game. I'm just not sure if those guys from Miami and Florida and Texas can adjust to like, oh, the windshield might be 10 degrees that day. How are you going to be acting?

You know, that's tough. I think everything we know about SMU might say they're comfortable in a whiteout, if you know what I'm saying. Let's go, Grayson. All right, look, I know my Wolfpack Brethren half of this show today are very, very interested in this next conversation. We're going to figure out who's ready to turn those long-sleeve hoodies into some short-sleeve hoodies. we're going to get a little bit grumpy and see if we can enroll our 24-year-old girlfriend in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

That's all coming up in just a second. Right after I tell you about Fandall, get ready to tackle the NFL action with Fandle. It's America's number one sportsbook because right now new customers, you can bet $5. And if you win, you get $150 back in bonus bets. The Fandall Sportsbook app gives you everything. You need to place live bets all in one place. Maybe you get a hunch in the middle of a game where you can check out the latest stats. You can view live play by play and so much more all right there on that same page where you place your bets.

We're just talking about the two CFP games the ACC is involved in. SMU going to Penn State. They are right now eight and a half point underdogs at Fandulc. Clemson, even longer odds 11.5. If you believe in either of those teams to stay within those points, man, go check it out at Fandle. They've also got parlays. They've got hypothetical quarterfinal matchups where SMU would be favored over Boise State and Clemson over Arizona. state if they can survive these first round games.

Check it all out today at fanduel.com. Never waste a hunch and make every moment more with Fandul, an official sportsbook partner of the NFL. All right, boys, we've got to timestamp this next conversation because it is fluid and changing seemingly by the second. So the clock says to me 632 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in the year of our Lord 2024. And the reason we do that is because North Carolina and Bill Belichick are involved in this

crazy back and forth. is he going to be their next head coach after Matt Brown went away? Matt Campbell is out on this conversation from Iowa State, John Sumerall from Tulane. That's off the books. So right now, as we talk on Tuesday evening around supper time, it sounds like it's Bill Belichick or not. Kent Gibbs is smiling the biggest Cheshire cat grin I have ever seen in my life. My man, I'm just going to shut up and let you talk to me about my team here. Let's go. I'm excited. I'm happy. You're not happy, Isaac, he's the goat. He's, you know,

only guy with more Winston, him is Don Shula. I'm so excited that a sleeping giant like UNC is finally about to be awakened. You know, they said he's got a 400-page football Bible.

I made a joke about Isaac being a pastor. Next thing you know, we're bringing football bibles into this thing. You're locked the code. It's better than the Trump Bible. It's better than the Trump Bible. It's better than the Trump. Bible, at least. Let's do the knowledge. I got a better Bible. It's taught who's got more money. How about that? That's a Bible. Let's the money. Let's do the knowledge. Let's talk about that money.

Let's talk about that money. Is this a real thing that North, because North Carolina has not proven itself to, shall I say, care enough about football to invest this level of money in both the coaching at the head coach level, the assistant coach level, and now at the NIA. level. With that said, do you guys think that North Carolina cares enough about the football product at a basketball school to invest in this? Well, they didn't get the BYU kid. So maybe all that money that they were going to be willing to pay him to be used for Belichick, right? That's a great point, Jackson. But what I don't understand about this whole conversation is so we're, of course, recording this on Tuesday and by now we'll know when you're watching this.

But what I don't understand about this. We better know because I would hold, I was told Sunday this was going to be done. And it's 48 hours later. Bill Belichick, Bill Belichick has agreed to become the next head coach at North Carolina. We are currently waiting to find out if you would see it agrees as well. What is that headline? What? Yeah, you know what, guys? I've agreed to host first take tomorrow. Don't worry. Jackson, I'm right there with you. I'm going on first take tomorrow. I mean, I haven't been offered the job, but I've accepted the job. Okay. If that gets Stephen A out the way, man, we'll do whatever we are. Screw him, you know.

I'll come at a discount. I'll come. Instead of $20 million or whatever his next contract, I'll take $10 million. All right. Hey, hey, I'm not going to lie. I ain't coming at that bunch of a discount. You got to give me $15. But I will say this.

I will say this. Has UNC shown the proclivity to spend the money to do it? In some regards, yes. A few years ago, they had the third biggest recruiting budget in the ACC behind only FSU and Clemson. So they've shown the proclivity to spend some money. They just need a coach in there who's going to be a fantastic recruiter. And who's a better recruiter than Bill Fulichick?

Who have we seen that you would sit up here and say he has a more effusive personality? He's a charmer. He can sell you on the program like a Bill Belichick. I mean, you know, his former players were on Fox talking about whether or not he'd be able to recruit. And all four of them, I believe it was Brady, Edelman, and Graeme, oh, three of them, rather. Who? Never heard of any of those guys. Who are they?

Hey, listen, all three of them said, hell no, he wouldn't be a good coach. But I want to do the knowledge a little bit on the Bible, the Belichick Bible. Is the book of Brady in the Old Testament or the New Testament in the Belichick Book of Football Bible? Where do y'all think it is? What would you say? I'd say it's definitely the New Testament. I think it's like 95% of the book. It doesn't matter what testament you're talking.

It doesn't, you can write the third, the fourth, the fifth testament. I don't care what testament a book it is. It's, it's mostly Brady. Congratulations. Hey, listen. This is the stupidest thing. What is North Carolina thinking? I could be totally wrong, but this is stupid.

I'm telling you right now the worst report that I've heard out of this, which I will not, I'm not saying that this is 100% true. This is just what was reported. The head coach from Toulade apparently got scared off by how unsirious. all of this is. That's what I had heard, at least. And I was just like, are y'all, did you just miss out on one of the best rising stars in the game for a 70-two year? They said, we're going to get rid of Matt Brown, and we're going to bring in a real spring chicken. Somebody rid of real fervor for this thing. Somebody is real, you know, Steve got simulac on his breath a little bit. Come on down. Bill Belichick.

Because look, my hope this whole season, because North Carolina said, we've been like, basically since the JMU debacle, the James Madison lost. They've known they were going to do this. So, A, why you didn't already have a plan in place is beyond me. But given what Indiana showed us this year, what you just said, that John Sumroll route, that was the no-brainer. Pay the man what he's looking for because that's why he said he was out is because the offer was underwhelming.

And it's like, it's frustrating. It is very frustrating. And now because of the delay, whereas we said we're two days in, to this point, as we've talked, Carolina has lost. three-fifths of their starting line, offensive line to the transfer portal, plus Amari Campbell, one of their starting linebackers. And it's just, I know you guys are happy as Larks over there, but it's fine. You've already got a multi-game winning street going. Let's just stretch it to four at this point. Wait, I don't want this to happen. Like, do you want them to get

Bill Belichick? Here, I'll say this. At this point, North Carolina has not been a football entity at any sort of national level. Like for me, when I do a football show, as opposed to a basketball show on Locked on Tar Heels, the numbers are about a third as strong, even in like the Drake May era, right? And so I think there is a way in which, like, if you heard the interview we did on Pat McAfee,

where he's basically talking about being, you know, if we're thinking in basketball terms, like what Kentucky has been or what Duke has been as a kind of one and done factory, that's kind of what he's pitching, right? is like that's what I want to do is have a serious NFL like finishing school basically. So I'm at least like, why not try it and see what happens at worst. You're going to go six and six.

Oh, wait, that's what happened this year. Right. So I mean, it's whatever. What? Exactly, Jackson. Exactly. Hey, listen. I say this.

He wants to be a one and done school in football? Well, well, listen. You can be one and you. You can be three and. I'm just saying he's talking about like being like a professional. team at the college level. Let me do the knowledge one more time before we get out of here. Let me do the knowledge one more time, okay?

I got it. Everybody said that USC did Mac Brown dirty on his way out, and that would scare coaches away. And now we're talking about bringing Belichick in, and that's scaring coaches away. I got it. So apparently they want to do two sides of this thing. The football side, the recruiting and GM side.

You get Matt Brown to be your GM, run everything on the recruiting side, and get Belichick to run everything on the football side. side. What could go wrong? I'm so excited for this. I am so happy for UNC. I am sure that they will now run up a long string of wins against multiple people, particularly a rival that is 30 minutes away. I am petrified as a Wolfpack fan, and I would be very sad if Bill Belichick signed the contract. Don't do it. I mean, don't do it, Bill. Grayson, I got to give you a word because I know you're happy about this. Just hit it.

I'll help them unpack. I want this to happen so bad because this is an absolute disaster. This is a publicity stunt gone wrong. I think this is originally an idea for positive PR. And then they scared off all the other coaches. Now they're looking around like Will Smith and Fresh Prince. They're the only one standing there and it's still Bill Belichick. I think they have simply no choice but to hire him now because they're in too deep.

I could not be eating this up more than I possibly am right now. One more analogy, and then I'll leave this where it is. You know, like when you're at a bar and then the lights turn on, you're kind of looking, yeah, never mind. You know where I'm heading with that. This is a disaster. I love it. Go pack.

All I'll say is, you know, Bill Belichick has agreed to become the head coach, but we don't know if North Carolina has yet. This is stupidest headline ever. This is Emmett Smith to the Cardinals, but in college football edition. Look, I'm, I feel like Donna last week when Miami was taking all this to happen. Do you understand how many views you're going to get with Bill Belichick? Oh my goodness, for a business standpoint, you should totally want this. Yes, yeah.

And from my standpoint, I want to see Bill Belichick in the dome because they're going. North Carolina is going to Syracuse next year. I want this would be hilarious. From a content standpoint, I am over the moon and this is fantastic and I can't wait. All right, boys, uh, that's enough. I'm going to just go cry my tears and eat some Brunswick stew or so I don't know what we're going to do. But maybe I'll just go to a nursing home and find Bill and Mac and see what's going on. At least, Cal, he's undefeated.

All right, y'all, for Jackson Holtz are locked on Syracuse, Ken Gibbs locked on Wolfpack, Grayson Boone locked on Wolfpack, our guy Jarvis Davis, behind the scenes holding it down. We appreciate your brother. Dono, everybody else, we missed you this week. Can't wait to be back together soon. Thanks so much for joining us on the ACC squad. to hear your takes folks on this whole Belichick situation. Obviously, again, this was Tuesday. You're listening to this on Thursday, and you already hopefully know how this has resolved.

We'll be back with you next week. Until then, it's been good. Rounding up with the squad. Stick it here always. Peace.