Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - Clemson QB CONTROVERSY: Can Christopher Vizzina HOLD OFF Tait Reynolds?

Episode Date: August 10, 2026

Quarterback battles intensify across the ACC as Clemson’s Christopher Vizzina and freshman Tait Reynolds vie for the Tigers’ top spot, prompting questions about Vizzina’s readiness after three years on campus. Can Dabo Swinney’s squad find stability in time for their high-stakes season opener in Baton Rouge? Meanwhile, Duke and North Carolina each face uncertainty at quarterback, with Walker Eget and Dan Mahan competing for the Blue Devils and Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill emerging as frontrunners for the Tar Heels. Julian Council and Kenton Gibbs break down these quarterback showdowns, analyze the fallout from Darian Mensah’s last-minute transfer, and spotlight critical injuries affecting SMU and Louisville. The episode also covers James Franklin’s uncharacteristic four-man competition at Virginia Tech and the Wolfpack’s challenges in rebuilding their defensive line. Which teams will solidify their offensive identity before week one, and who could emerge as a surprise contender in this unpredictable ACC season? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get $10 when you trade $10. . The Game Don't miss this chance to celebrate 40 years of The Game with 40% off your entire order. Visit https://TheGameCaps.com and use promo code LOCKEDON at checkout. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All camps across the ACC have open and quarterback competitions have begun. We'll take you inside those right here on Locked-on ACC. You are Locked-on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome into another edition of the Locked-on ACC podcast. I am Julian Counsel, and he is former NC State Football Letterman, Kenton Gibbs, and we are a part of the lockdown podcast network. Today's episode is brought to you by Kalshi for a limited time.

Download the Kalshi app and use code locked on to get $10 when you trade $10. On today's show, we're going to take you around the ACC as everybody has begun fall camp heading into this 2026 season. There are some notable names like Kevin Jennings and Isaac Brown who are dealing with injuries, a big news item for NC State as they look to rebuild their defensive line this season. Let's focus on some of the quarterback competitions throughout the league that have begun over the course of the last week and a half. We're looking at Clemson, at Duke, North Carolina, in strangely enough, Virginia Tech. Apparently, looking at Tech sideline, Andy Bitter does a great job covering the Hokies. He has a four-man quarterback battle.

I see it as more as a two-man, but we'll get into all of that here over the course of the next couple of segments. What, Kenton, we got to start down in Death Valley as Clemson has. I would say the most high profile quarterback competition ongoing, heading into the season between Christopher Vizina, who has been waiting his time, and then Tate Reynolds, a true freshman who Davos Sweeney was high on after spring, and he really closed the gap in that competition.

But right now, according to Davo, it is Vizina who has the pole position, Reynolds, he's right back there, finding way potentially to take over this job. What's your overall read on this situation that's playing out after Davos said what he said back in the spring? and even kind of doubled down during ACC kickoff last month. You know, Julian, you're married.

I'm sure you're married to a great woman and all that good stuff. But there was an old saying in Dayton. My mother always used to say, if you think you was in love with one woman and then you met a new woman that fall in love, pick the second one. Pick the second one. Because you never really loved the first like that.

If a second woman that came in and made you fall in love that quickly. Vazina had been there for three years. It's been there for three years. How did Reynolds close the first? the gap in three months. What's going on? Hey, I've tried to tell

Clemson fans, and they've been in the comments calling me everything by the child of God. And lookie here. Oh, God. Looky here. Right? I told you all, it's a problem. If a quarterback that's been there for three years

is in a, it shouldn't be no pole position. The race should be over. He should be doing donuts. Go ahead, jump out the car, get your little milk or champagne or your bud lighter. You know, Julie is the NASCAR guy. Not me. I don't know what they drink these days after they win.

But he should be the checker flags that are already flown. The fact that they're still an ongoing race when one of these guys showed up well after the other is a problem. It's a problem. South Carolina, we have a problem. And so I look at that and I say, you can look at this one of two ways. You can look at this as like a great endorsement of Reynolds.

or you could look at it how I'm looking at it, what the hell going on with Vazina? And that's how I'm looking at. That's how I'm looking at, honestly and truly. Because even if Tate Reynolds is the guy of guys, even if he's the next Trevor Lawrence, three years on campus shouldn't be erased that quickly. No, and look, I doubt he's going to be the next Trevor Lawrence,

Deshaun Watson, or even Tage Boyd. And when I say even Tage Boyd, he is one of the all-time leading passers, not just at Clemson University, but in the history of this conference. And he is also the quarterback coach there. Now, speaking of Todd's Boyd, there have been some comparisons to Taj Boyd from some observers of Clemson practices.

I think Paul Streelo and Larry Williams of Tiger Illustrated part of the On Three Network do a great job of covering this program. But according to a contact, they talked about how Taj Boyd had one of the quickest releases that they had ever seen. Apparently, Tate Reynolds is right there, up there, with his mechanics, his release,

just the velocity on the ball that compared him to former Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker, who, like Reynolds, was also a baseball player back in high school, which probably is what brings the arm strength. And there's a little concern about whether Vizina can make those throws to the boundary. He's going to have enough zip if he gets out on time in order to get that first down instead of what could be a pick six. And certainly Saturday night and Bat Rouge come a Liberty weekend. You can't have any of those against that secondary. That is one of the highest paid units in all of college football. So that appears to be the concern. I think Vazina is going to win this job.

It's just a matter of how long will he hold on to the job, really, when you think about in the past with Trevor Lawrence and with Kelly Bryant, we saw a full season of Kelly Brian, what he was not able to do that year in 2017. And then what happened once Trevor took over, they won a national championship, they went undefeated that season. And I'm also curious if this is a Cole stout Deshawn Watson situation where Cole wasn't great to begin. And then Deshawn was that guy.

But again, I don't think Tate Reynolds is likely going to be there. those guys. It's not really fair to use those comparisons when looking at it, but we do know that Davo has it in his nature to make the change if he feels like he has to. But one thing I found interesting from some of the entire red is that Vizina apparently is like beloved in that locker room. It is an open secret at this point in time that K. Klubnick maybe was not dislike that Clemson, but he wasn't maybe the most loved guy there in that locker room. Apparently, everybody is behind Vizina. So I do wonder if Davo goes. with the freshman, does this team stay connected?

Because according to a source, this team is far more connected, 10 times closer than they were a year ago when very clearly that team got off the rails pretty quickly in that season to not go the way we thought it was going to go. So I think Visina probably wins it, but it is interesting all the talk about what Reynolds looks like physically at the ball coming out of his hand. The power of friendship only matters

when players are playing strictly for scholarships. It's a different ballgame now. You got guys that are, and this is not me being funny. Some of the money that some of the gentlemen right now in college are making, they don't ever have to work again in life if they don't choose to. And I mean that. I'm not saying that that's everybody. I'm saying I know that that's a 1% of 1% outcome.

But I'm saying some of the top guys in the nation right now in college, you're done if you don't want to work again. Like if you didn't love football and you were just like, hey, man, I ain't trying to have no Miles Garrett, Jerry, I ain't trying to have Aiden Hutchison and Chase after me, man. I'm all set, actually. I'm done. They could do that, right?

It doesn't matter who that locker room likes. I've seen it firsthand. Oh, this is our guy, and we love our guy, coach. Well, when that coach says, yeah, that's great and all, but this guy can make throws that your guy can't. So I'm going to need you to go out there and block

the best you can for this other guy. Guess what they're going to say? Yes, coach. Yes, sir. And they're going to do their job. Okay? The reality is, again, I'm not a Vazina hater, despite what people would like to believe. I'm not a Vizena hater. I'm just calling balls and strikes. And right now, I am seeing very clearly that if Vizina was loved by the locker room, like you say he is.

And if he had the goods, this would not be a conversation. It wouldn't be a conversation. It would be, hey, this guy has been here for him. three years. He's got the goods. The locker room loves him. He's the guy. Tate's our backup. Actually, there's a competition for backup, maybe. The true freshman, he looks good, but we don't want to dub him quarterback number two right away. Vazina's our guy for now, though, until something miraculous happens. And again, if you are, here's the thing, Julia, that you're putting Clemson in the worst spot than I am, to be honest. Because you're saying, you're saying that you

know that Tate is not the next Trevor Lourdes, the next Deshaal Watson. Well, I don't know. And I don't, and look, Trevor and DeShan, just if you believe in things like recruiting rankings, like they were the top quarterbacks in their class. I mean, riddled by some services is a three star.

And so that's just my thing. Like, I don't think anyone's sitting here thinking he's going to be those guys. He could be. And that's my point. If you don't believe the only way that this could possibly,

the only sliver of hope, the only iota of goodness, if I am in Clemson's in South Carolina, If I love to, if I got a little tiger paw on the side of my helmet memorabilia in my background, if I'm one of those guys, the only hope I have is, oh, Tate is, he's out of this world. He's a freak show. We've seen him and he's different. He's one of those ones, as the kids would say, he is him, right?

That's what you would want to see. But if the belief is, he's pretty good, like, oh, yeah, he's got a quick release. He's got some things to work on, but he'll figure it out over time. When you remember what people talked about Trevor Lawrence like when he first got there? It was like, oh, if he could get drafted tomorrow, he might not be number one, but he'd be a first round for sure. Like when Deshaun got there, it was a little different. But by the time that we like got a good feel for Deshaun, he was like, oh, he's going to be the number one quarterback in the drive. There's no offense about it.

You know, that's just what it was. So to see that we're now talking about Tate like, he could be good, but there's still a conversation with a guy. been there for three years. That's a problem, man. I think it's also a little surprising because you go back to the spring there, Clemson, I mean, Chris Denson, when Chad Morris took over the job, you saw Denson play against Furman last year. And I always caution people to not make too much out of what happens in a game. Again, it's the FCS opponent, especially when the talent disparity is what it was between Clemson and Furman. It was not like Furman was a playoff team last year in the FCS.

But Denson came in late, made some plays, was electric, showed you some things that you hadn't really seen from Cade Clemick as far as being excited about a quarterback. And they went to the offseason. There were contacts saying that, okay, Chad, you're back here. His number one job is to get Chris Denson ready to go next fall. Well, Denson, he didn't figure it out. He's now playing wide receiver there in Death Valley. And he's probably going to be headed to the transfer portal come January.

It was Tate Reynolds, who kind of surprised, even though Dabble liked his quarterback room, didn't want to go out and spend money on a veteran quarterback via the portal, want to stick with Vizina, who he'll tell you, There's a guy who he was only interested in him and Arch Manning when they were recruiting quarterbacks a couple years ago. Clemson famously doesn't really send out a lot of offers anyways. But he went without that room and Reynolds impressed in the spring.

And I think that's something that raised Davos eyebrow, while Vizina just physically, even with arm strength maybe isn't all that impressive. So it would be interesting to see because especially nowadays, receivers like T.J. Moore got paid a lot to be here. Brent Westgo got paid a lot to be back here at Clemson. And if they thought that Vizina was a bum or that the guy was a bum coming in, that being Tate Reynolds, they probably wouldn't still be here. So that's one of the things I always think about with these wide receivers knowing especially this is your money here. This is your chance to go out there, make money, get to the NFL where the real money is at.

If you didn't think you had a guy who could throw the ball and get you there, you probably wouldn't be there. So that's an endorsement I would think also for Vizina. But maybe they just like him so much as a friend. And that's why they're still here as well, which that is not the best way to go about this. if that is the case and he ends up not being very good. But there's other quarterback competitions ongoing in ACC at Duke, at Carolina, and apparently at Virginia Tech. We'll talk about those here in just a moment on Locked-on, ACC.

Before the season even kicks off, everyone's making predictions. Who wins the conference, who makes the playoffs, who's lifting the trophy at season's end. On Calci, America's number one prediction market platform, you can trade those predictions in a live market. Will the Clemson Tigers win the ACC this year? Right now, Clemson is trading at 7%, meaning a 100. trade would pay out $1,341.14.

if Davos-Sweeney and the Tigers win the conference on Calci, you're trading against peers in a live market, meaning there's no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position. Trade the traffic, the game and more on CalShe. Download the Cali app and use code locked on to get to $500 and bonus bets when you trade $25. K-A-L-S-H-I-C-C-T trade on anything 18-over-only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors.

Kalsh products are not available in all jurisdictions, prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see Kalshue.com slash regulatory. We're going around the ACC taking a look at some quarterback competitions. Clemson is by far the most high profile competition. Who will dabble throw out there at the other Death Valley in Baton Rouge on that Saturday night during Labor Day weekend? Who's Manny Diaz going to have to. replace Darian Menta. Dari Mensa left Duke at the final hour of the portal back in January

and put Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils in a terrible situation. And then come ACCC kickoff with saying, oh yeah, the guys didn't make me feel comfortable. I just think it's pretty lame for that to be the rhetoric. You took the money. You went to a better program. No one's going to fault you for doing that if you've just straight up with this and tell us why you wanted to go do that. But Duke now has Walker Eaget to transfer from San Jose State, who last season was, an honorable mention all Mountain West wrecking me, which okay, cool for you, Walker, Eaget. And also have Dan Mahan,

who's back for second season after redshirting last year at Duke. Eaget missed all the spring as he was recovering from both an ACL and an MCL, Terry, which he finally had surgery back in January. And Mahan, he had all the snaps back in the spring. I'm not feeling great about the Duke quarterback situation, Kenton, if I'm being honest with you. Feel bad for the Blue Devils, even though I don't really have much love for them,

but there are certain ways to go about doing your business and didn't really love the way Mintsa did it. So honestly rooting for it, Mani, who's gone out in one games with Malik Murphy, and he has not been a good quarterback at all in this time of Texas, Duke, and Oregon State? You know, the biggest thing I would say here is, I've always talked about you can win in spite of a quarterback

with a quarterback because of a quarterback. Here's the thing. Duke doesn't have the team to have in spite of or with. I just don't, I don't think they have a quarterback, or they have a situation, a team set up, rather, that they'll have to win because of their quarterback. And I think that Walter Egan is on the lower end of width. I think you go in with him. I don't think he's a bad quarterback.

I don't think that he's the type of quarterback that you're like, if that's your guy, you are in trouble. I don't think that. But I am going to say, I mean, hey, you're going to need more. You're going to need him to show up in a meaningful way. Or if Mahan is the guy, he's going to have to show up in a meaningful way. The quarterback play is it's not going to. to be mince-esque.

It's just not. You don't see Gary Minst's walk through the door every day, but you're going to need a guy that is going to be dynamic. You cannot just have a guy I'm hitting plays on time on target. You can't have that.

Not only did you lose your quarterback one late in the midnight hour, but while he was packing his luggage, he packed up wide receiver number one with him. He said, come on, come on here, man. Get on the way from Durham, man. You ain't tried to beat Nick Dougal Terrence. Come on down here to court.

They got something called South Beach. You want to come on and say that. That's the way you want to be. You know, with all due respect to McDougain. I'm just messing with you. But in all seriousness, this is a moment where, I mean, I think that Duke's quarterback battle, regardless of who wins it, I think them making a bowl game this year is a very successful season for them. Because, again, you had your two biggest offensive weapons,

not including your running back shepherd, in the portal right away. Yeah. Or I'm sorry, not right away, at the last moment. So you cannot replace them right away. which you got left in Lurch. And I really do feel for Duke, but the game is the game, man. And it's not really changing.

And I look at the situation to around either one of these quarterbacks. Duke does lose to all ACC performers, Brian Parker being the headliner there, but they do bring back two guys of starting experience from last season and another Bradley Smith, who played in every game and actually started the Sun Bowl for them. So they at least have a little bit of experience there on the offensive line. They still have Jeremiah Haisley,

the tight-in who's one of the best tight-ins in the ACC. It'll be interesting to see what the receivers are able to do for them. And Nate Shepherd's still here. So there are a few weapons offensively to where, yes, you would like for the quarterback to be a little dynamic, but maybe if you can just do your job, you might be able to do enough to where if they win six games this year, that's a hell of a job by Manny Diaz. He's already done a great job so far. He just won the ACC back in December at Duke, which I know how they got there.

I know what happened in a non-conference, but they won the games that they needed to win, and they were ACC champion. So you can't really take it away for them at all. So I think, man, he's a solid coach, tough situation. I would think it's probably a positive for Duke if Mahan wins the job because he was there all spring.

He was there in a system last year, and he's a guy that you did recruit and you've been developing, and he will be, hopefully, for Duke's sake, he'll be here next year that is provided that he is playing well enough and Duke does not want to try to bring somebody else in. So they are splitting reps right now with the first team, that being Walker E at the grad transfer from San Jose State

and at Damahan, the, I guess, homegrown product there at Duke. North Carolina, eight miles down the road, 15501 in Chapel Hill. Billy Edwards and Miles O'Neill, they are fighting for that job. Now, O'Neill 32 times the media has viewed practice there in Chapel Hill, has received the first snaps and throwing drills. But every indication, according to Jason Staples, of inside Carolina part of the On Three network. Billy Edwards is the front runner to be the starter in Chapel Hill.

I said it last week from someone I talked to a coastal program, O'Neill by far is the best thrower of the football, physically the most talented of those quarterbacks. Now, Travis Burgess, who is a guy who was a top-100 recruit, was injured last year towards ACL in his final year there at Grayson High School in Georgia. He may actually have the highest ceiling, but we don't know when he's ever going to get an opportunity. it appears to be O'Neill or Edwards, but likely going to be Edwards, which, again, when Edwards was signed by Carolina, I was not impressed.

I was not encouraged. But this is where apparently it's leading as there's only two more Saturdays that there's no football until Carolina's heading off the aisle that face off gets TCU. Yeah, I better hope that it's O'Neill. You better hope and pray that it's O'Neill. Because the thing about Billy Edwards, we've seen it. We've seen the tape. The tail of the tape is out. With either one of the other guys,

you have at least, you at least have hope. Hey, he can do something. He can be something we haven't seen. We have seen Billy Edwards' definitive ceiling. We've seen it. With all due respect, we've seen it. This ain't a, well, maybe, well, possibly.

No, no, no, we know who you are. In the words of one Sean Carter, you could try to change, but that's just the top player. homie you was who you was when you got here. We know who you are, Billy. Get on out the way. Let O'Neill getting there, spin, do his thing.

Let the young buck getting there, spin, and do his thing. But if I am a North Carolina fan, I am hoping and praying and wishing that Billy Edwards is not QB1 running out of that tunnel. Because, again, Carolina is another team. If you're going to be freshman-led, that means that you're going to need a freak show performance at one of those marquee positions.

You're going to need a freak show quarterback. You're going to need a freak show edge rush. You're going to need a, like, somebody has to be just like, oh, he's different for the rest of us. He's not like the rest of us. I don't see where that comes on this roster. I don't see. Yeah.

And like even reading some of the intel, defensive tackles a spot where you certainly think that's going to be the case. Now, I told you before we're going to find out about the player development. And it's not just identifying players. because they went a different route where they were trying to find diamonds in the rough, which is not really what you're trying to do here in college about talent acquisition, but they believe, and maybe they're going to be right, that they can develop better than anybody else in college because of their background in the NFL.

Different sport, but yes, still football. I understand all of that. So we're going to find out about that. But defensive tackle, there's guys that like Trayshon Ruffin and Vodney Cleveland, who sound like they're going to be having an opportunity. They're running with the fourth team. Now it's very early still in camp. We'll see how the season plays out, but that is something that is going to be interesting.

But yeah, it's not very, I wouldn't say like discouraging that Edwards would end up being the guy. I just think that the ceiling may be a little bit lower while the floor could be higher just because it sounds like a lot of the issues that these other quarterbacks are throw a Tory Newkirk in there. The sophomore, now that we don't have red shirts anymore, sophomore who was actually the handpick quarterback that they wanted last year, Bryce Baker now from Virginia Tech. they've had issues just throwing high. That being O'Neill, it's New Kirk and also Travis Burgess, where Billy Edwards has been a little bit safer with the football. And look, Bill Belichick, we know the thing about him. You're going to turn the ball over.

You're not going to play for him by the Patrino's same kind of way. And the turnovers they dealt with at Arkansas last year is something that Carolina can ill afford to deal with. So if Edwards taking care of the football, the rest aren't, then, I mean, that's who you have to play. Whether fans are excited about that or not, that's the best way to win football game, especially when there's a lot of questions about the talent on the roster in Chapel Hill. One last one before it takes a quick pause here, Virginia Tech, looking at Tech sideline. They have four-man quarterback battle right now. Ethan Grunkumeyer, Bryce Baker, Troy Hoon, and Kelton, Ryan.

And James Franklin said it, that all four of those guys, they're rotating reps every day, and they're tracking every throw, getting a full evaluation. And apparently they're not in any rush to name a starter. Now, all due respect to Troy Hoon and Kelton Ryan and their families and their friends. this is a Ethan Grunkemeyer and Bryce Baker competition with really Grunkumire is going to be the guy who wins this. Like, are you surprised by this? Because I couldn't believe when I read that.

I am because historically, James Franklin hasn't been a quarterback competition guy. He's been a coach that comes out and tells you early, this is our guy. Hey, he's going to take rest with the ones. It just squashes it. So to see that not only is he doing not that, but the complete opposite,

hey, everybody in the quarterback room. You know what I mean? we had a manager sitting in the quarterback room for too long. We thought we gave him some first team reps. We didn't know until we realized he was lefty end, had a noodle arm. He wasn't supposed to be on the field. So that's something that I'm surprised to see from James Franklin. That's something that is very different from him.

But I do agree that I think this is Gruncomeyer's job to lose. I really and truly believe that, hey, he's probably going to be the guy. And the thing about Virginia Tech, we all talked about how much they won the offseason. the recruiting, that, you know, James Franklin is where he is, is where his hotbed of recruiting is. Here's the thing about that. That does not manifest in year one. Same thing that I said about Toslaport. I think that he's a wonderful coach.

I think he's doing a great job on the recruiting trail. That does not manifest in year one in terms of high school recruiting. Now, transfers is a little bit different, but I haven't seen any super impact transfer. Any transfers? I'm like, oh, they got themselves one of those ones and quarterback. Gruncombeyer showed flashes of really good, show flashes of, eh, you know, Bryce Baker, not as much of either. I haven't really seen anything from him, so we'll see there.

But I'm surprised that Gruncomyar is not definitively the guy. Yeah, I think it will be. And just even reading more of the reporting from Andy Bitter, again, from Tech sideline, which is probably like the Virginia Tech website, although, I mean, maybe we're going to have a lockdown John Hokey's here soon, Virginia Tech fans. I know you all have been asking for it, but they do a great job. But yeah, it sounds like James is doing this right now, and he will name a quarterback. They're not going to make this a week one mystery.

People are going to know. So we may know this sooner rather than later, but at least in the interim, they're allowing all for those guys an opportunity. I, as a Carolina fan, am fascinated to see what happens with Bryce Baker, as that was a guy who, when he was getting recruited to Chapel Hill by Mac Brown and that staff, there was a lot of talk about how high they were on him. And they've had some success with some in-state guys recently, Drake May, Sam Howell, not saying that he was going to end up being one of those dudes,

but he was somebody who there was a lot about him and the way he ended up rising, especially in the recruiting ranks, for him to not get an opportunity last season, despite the poor quarterback play was disappointing. And very clearly he was not Belichick's guy. He's now James Franklin, who was fighting tooth and nail to get him to flip, even though Carolina didn't even have a coach at the point. time when Bryce Baker decided that he was going to sign with the impending staff.

So we're interesting to see how that plays out, but I bet it's Grunkumeyer. And I'll be curious to see how Bryce Baker is able to potentially push him if it ends up being a competition between those two. But there's some other news around the ACC. Kevin Jennings is limited right now in practice. Isaac Brown deal with something. And big news on the defensive line front for the Wolfpack. We'll talk about that here in this moment on locked on ACC.

There are more live events than ever we're seeing right now. games, concerts, comedy shows, festivals. The hard part usually isn't deciding what you want to attend. It's actually getting the tickets between long wait times, confusing checkout processes and surprise fees. Buying tickets can sometimes feel harder than it should. That's why so many fans are turning to game time. The app is built to make buying tickets simple with upfront pricing seat views

where you buy and exclusive savings opportunities that help you get to the events you want without the usual hassle. There's just something different about being there live, whether it's a crowd reaction, the energy in the building or a moment that everyone experiences together. It's one of those things that doesn't fully translate through a screen.

Take the guess to work out of buying tickets to every type of event with GameTime, download the GameTime app, create an account and use code Lockdown for $20 off for your first purchase terms of apply. Again, create an account and redeem code L-O-C-E-D-O-N for $20 off. Download the GameTime app today.

One more segment here on this episode of Locked-on ACC, C, going around the conference, some more camp buzz. two key injuries to monitor over the next couple of weeks as we count down the days to week one there on Labor Day weekend. SMU and Louisville both have massive games. SMU on Labor Day night to Tallahassee against Florida State. And then you look at Louisville there the night before on that Sunday against Ole Miss and Nashville.

Really hate that Notre Dame is also playing at the same time because would have liked to have had like last year. Have a game in the afternoon. Have a game in the evening. But that's not what's going to happen. So we're going to have double that one that Sunday. But Kevin Jennings apparently has been limited due to an issue of his throwing hand. Ret lastly saying that apparently the first side of practice in the locker room, he was leaving the door, someone was coming in, got pushed into him,

and hurt tip of his finger. So it doesn't seem to be a serious issue, just a really bad jam, but they're going to take it a week, maybe two, just to make sure he's good to go by game one. Then Isaac Brown apparently was working on to the side with trainers last week. week, but stressful the rest of the team did some end of those work, and they were just trying to get them closer to 100%. So those two injuries, and knowing the opponents that play week one, which one would be more concerning to you, Kenyon? I mean, knowing the full scope of it, Isaac Brown, in terms of knowing the full scope, but if you're talking about which one of these players can at least afford to be injured, it's Kevin Jennings by mile. I mean, you can't take away QB1 and just be like, oh, everything's going to be all right. It's the reason. It's the reason. It's the reason. reason why, Duke is a defending ACC champs and nobody is saying, the championship runs through Durham. You know why? Because their quarterback no longer runs through Durham. He's running through Miami.

He's down there in South Beach. So it's a very different thing there. So Kevin Jennings, he has to. Whatever that problem is, get it figured out. Now, from what I've heard, the Kevin Jennings injury situation is much more precautionary and there's nothing there. It's just like we don't want them to, you know, be thrown. and hit his hand any further or anything like that. Isaac Brown, a little bit more vague, which seems like it's a little bit more substantial. You know, that's something you learned dealing with these college coaches. If they're not obligated to tell you, they're quiet on the creek. You know what I mean?

They keep it real low. So with that being said, you know, I think that Isaac Browns is more substantial in real life. But if you're talking about who could be afforded to be missed less, it's definitely Kevin Jennings. Yeah, absolutely. I think concern level probably not that high with Kevin Jennings. from, you know, what the reporting is and what Latchley had to say. And he has a great opportunity. I mean, SMU has a great opportunity before the nation's eyes.

And look, you look at Florida State a couple of years ago, I think a big reason why Bill O'Brien and Boston College won that game was because they got to see Florida State the week prior. Now, FSU, I think playing like New Mexico State this time around and not a Georgia Tech, so they don't have to show nearly as much you would hope in week zero to where SMU, yes, will get to evaluate until they have the advantage there. But a great opportunity for Kevin, especially knowing that there's the high Heisman campaign that they got going on there.

But Isaac Brown, no one that, I mean, look, Ole Miss, no question about the offensive talent that they have there. Like, that one could be a track meet. Trey Richardson, the transfer from Vanderbilt, he's also been banged up throughout spring. He's back out there ready to go. And appears to be one of their top playmakers. He's been dealing with a foot injury.

So Lincoln Keenholz, who's going to be making his first career start against Ole Miss there on Labor Day weekend, needs to be able to get some continuity with him. And, you know, Isaac Brown was banged up last year as well at Lulul. So they can't have that. and running back is just not a position where you're ever going to be 100% healthy. So you certainly don't want to go in the season, already dealing with something, which it seems to be the case.

They do have Q1-Brown. Brown does allow them to figure out who that third guy could be, provided that Isaac does have something that carries into the season. But that's the one I would consider it the most, just knowing who Louisville plays week one, and that they're going to need every single body out there against the rebels. And again, which is going to be huge, just for the perception, not just Louisville, but this conference.

Please do not get embarrassed. NC State. Big news for the Wolf Pack. They've had two different guys be told that they were no longer eligible. Jalen Hampton, he is not seeming to fight this one at all. But Ketron Evans, who was transferring from Marshall, he is fighting it. And he right now has been declared immediately eligible through August 24th, which the first game is going to be August 29th, correct, on that Saturday.

So we'll have to wait and see whether he's going to get a full injunction, which will make him eligible to play the entire of the season. but reading up on some NC State, just Intel from Michael Clark of Pack Power over on 247 Network. This is a big one. As the Wolfpack are really trying to rebuild that defensive line losing guys like Brandon Cleveland and trying to figure out what exactly they're going to do, especially at that noseguard position. You certainly know far more about that than I do, Kenton. Oh, yeah, absolutely.

And shout out to K Tron, Evers. Baby Tron is one of my favorite rappers. And he spit a bar that reminds me this. Every piece hidden in the store, I'm the Green Lantern. NC State finally got them a win in court. We finally got us a green in court. Smack down in court back to back to back to back. But in all seriousness, this is a massive win for NC State because you look at the defensive

attack position specifically the nose guard position, it's looking thin. It's looking very, very paltry at that noseguard position. And don't get me wrong, Josiah Jojo Victor is somebody that everybody loves. Everybody thinks very highly of them. He's been reported on very highly going into the offseason and now coming out of the off season, there is no defensive tackle. There is no nose guard that can play 80% of the snaps. The nature of that job, the nature of that job is two, 300-pound men are convinced that they're going to move you every play.

That's literally every single play of your life. and you think that a human body can do that 50, 60, 70 times, if you believe that, don't worry about it. I've got some very good oceanfront property in Detroit, Michigan for you to buy. Again, give me the money, we'll talk about it later, but it just doesn't work like that. So there needs to be more depth, and Evans was supposed to supply that.

It seems like he may be able to supply it. So I'm right here to see what happens, and we'll be reporting on it step by step as this thing goes through the courts. Yeah, and looking at it just from the reporting from again, Packpower.com, he's eligible through August 24th, but we'll have another conference on August 18th to set a hearing date for an injunction. So if that goes through, he would then be eligible for the entire 2020 season. And that will be something, I'm sure, over on Lockdown Wolfpack here on the show as well, that we'll be breaking down and trying to monitor heading into what's a very important game going against Virginia that week one or week zero. I mean, you think about it. there's a lot of talk about State.

I want to get into State maybe tomorrow on a show because people are looking at the schedule. We don't really know what any of these teams are going to be, but we do know just based off of some of the brand names and how people have done in the portal, how they've done building. I'm kind of who you would expect to actually be able to carry overseas in the season and have success.

And State not playing a lot of those teams this season. And, of course, Dave Doran, year 14, he's done a great job there, no matter what any NC State fan wants to tell me, the guy's had a lot of success. And CJ Bailey apparently looking like at a different level at this point in time. So big opportunity for the walk back there, week zero in Charlottesville to just get off the mat and to have all that momentum because

Lord knows how your fan base acts when things don't go. And look, there's plenty of things that I've not gone their way, but certainly when, and the Carolina fans do the same thing. But like when you have football, you have a little bit of hype and you lose week one, it's like it's hard to get everybody back on board. And it's going to be all same old Dave, I'm sure if that ends up not going to pack's way. But I can't wait for that game. certainly far more excited about how that one plays out than the game between Carolina and TCU. Because either way, State Virginia, one of them loses, I win because I don't like either one of those schools. I'm mad, that's your doing.

Sometimes you got to root for the asteroid, brother. Sometimes you got to do it. Always rooting for Bain. But that's going to wrap up with this edition of the Lockdown ACC podcast of our Lockdown Podcast Network. We're your host, as always, Julian Counsel and Kit and Gibbs again, subscribe and follow the show for free over on YouTube. and wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. Be sure to follow us over on Twitter X, whatever you want to call it, at Julian Council

and at TGIF underscore Kitten. And it means I'll be safe, be happy, be whole. And we'll talk to you all on Tuesday. We're going to look across the ACC some more at some scrimmages, had one in Raleigh, NC State, down in Tallahassee. Maybe talk a little bit more about the Wolfback. I do look at them as a team that potentially Dark Horse, ECC title contender.

I'm not going to say they all win it, but they can certainly get to show up for the first time, which it is long overdue. All that more coming up here on Tuesday on Locked-on, ACC.