Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - TARGETED? Notre Dame’s Pete Bevacqua CALLS OUT ACC—Jim Phillips’ DEFENSE Ignites Football FURY!

Starting point is 00:00:00 There were so many rumors before Notre Dame's Tuesday news conference. They're going to leave the ACC. They're going to sue the ACC. Here's what they actually said. You are Locked-on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Shout out to the everydayers and thank you so much for making Locked-on ACC your first listen. We're available wherever you get your podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:34 We're on YouTube. We're part of the now number one Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. He is Kenton Gibbs, former NC State defensive linemen and co-host of Lockdown Wolfpack. I am Alex Dono, host of Locked-on Caines, and today's episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create your account, and use code Locked-on College for $20 off your first purchase. We've got all ACC teams to break down for football. We'll talk about the statement that ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, put out in response to the anger that Notre Dame has for the way that the conference, quote, unquote, targeted them.

Starting point is 00:01:14 And let's talk about that, Kenton, because Pete Bavakwa, the athletic director from Notre Dame, just had a news conference here on Tuesday. And, you know, when this newser was announced, I think, on Sunday, speculation ran wild, right? There were people writing up these plans for how Notre Dame is going to be suing the ACC to leave the conference or some people even thought, hey, they're going to announce like a 10-year extension for Marcus Freeman. There were no actual announcements or declarations that were made in this news conference. I think Bavakwa, the AD, I guess, just wanted to kind of clear the air and vent and, you know, do a little bit of complaining about not getting in. But let's start with

Starting point is 00:02:00 what he said about the ACC and Kenton, I'll give you a chance to. react here. So he said, I would tell you we have the utmost respect for the universities in the ACC. It's not about the universities, but what we were surprised and disappointed by was the what the SEC went on a social media campaign attacking our football program. Why would you attack an important business partner? I don't see the logic in that. He continued, we were definitely being targeted, Bavakwa said. For better and for worse, we have a different relationship with the ACC than any other team in college football other than the teams in the ACC. We're in the ACC for 24 sports. We have a scheduling agreement with the ACC, and again, the ACC does

Starting point is 00:02:50 wonderful things for Notre Dame. We bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn't understand why you'd go out of your way to try to damage us in the process. Do you feel, Kenton, that the ACC tried to damage them in any way? I asked Notre Dame fans. I asked Notre Dame podcasters. What should the ACC have said or done? And the only thing that was even close to a semblance of making sense was go after bad one.

Starting point is 00:03:25 That's it. I mean, and that's fair, actually. Yeah. And that's what I'm saying. And logistically, it would not. work. It wouldn't have worked. We all know it wouldn't have worked. You could

Starting point is 00:03:36 scream and shout and go up and down the mountain side about them not deserving to be in. They had the best win of all the two lost teams. It's just a fact. There's no way around that. They had the best win at Georgia. You beat

Starting point is 00:03:52 Georgia in Athens. I don't, there's no way that you can say our best win beats that out. And if your argument is, well, our worst loss is better than there where it's lost, sure, but then you're arguing for Notre Dame to be in front of you still. So that's how that logic works out.

Starting point is 00:04:09 If you follow the trail of this, there is no path for Miami ahead of Alabama. It just isn't. There isn't. However, there was a path over Notre Dame. There was a path and there was a game played head to head. That's just, at the end of the day, the ACC to me was very kind and tame. to Notre Dame in comparison to what they could have said in comparison to some of the things that could have been done here it didn't seem to me at all like they were you know absolutely just dropping

Starting point is 00:04:44 bombs and lobbying disrespect everything said what was playing the game on the loop disrespect it's what happened it's it's that's just what happened they're showing people hey this is what happened when these two teams kicked off the ball and said hey we're going to go at it for at least 60 minutes. And if we ain't got somebody who's leading at the end of 60, we'll go until we can't go no more. How about it? And that's what they played that. And them saying, hey, this team won the head to head. It's a vac. It's a vac. So I don't, I don't understand it. I don't get it. And I honestly, and I'm being very genuine in saying this, I don't understand why Notre Dame is myth about this. Because at every turn, the ACC has given you everything that you wanted plus.

Starting point is 00:05:32 at every single turn. When COVID happened, they let you in the conference, gave you all awards that you did not deserve, and was just like, yeah, it's fine, it's fine, everything's fine, yeah, we're happy to have you. And then after that, you left again. As soon as COVID was over and you could free up your schedule again, you were right back out the door.

Starting point is 00:05:53 So whatever, if there is an infraction, if there is an encroachment on your delicate sensibility, please excuse it, forego your misery on it based on our previous engagement and alignment. And that's all I got to say about it because this is nothing but a 20-minute yack sesh of we're sad. We didn't make it and we're sad so we're mad at everybody, including the ACC. Yeah, and I think the ACC's defense here once they do talk, and apparently Bavacqua has not talked to Jim Phillips since the selection. Like he did call Jim or Jim. Jimmy, as he calls him, like last week before the final CFP to kind of complain about the social media campaign.

Starting point is 00:06:41 So, like, Jim did hear his thoughts, but they haven't spoken since the selection. You know, once they speak again, and I'm sure they probably said this to him when they spoke last week, like they never actually directly said that Notre Dame shouldn't be a playoff team. Like they were obviously using Miami's win against Notre Dame to make an argument for why Miami is a playoff team. but I don't believe the ACC ever directly said that Notre Dame shouldn't be. And on like on the reconciliation. And again, I can't emphasize this enough. A lot of people thought Bavakwa was going to announce today that like we're looking to exit the ACC or we're getting out.

Starting point is 00:07:19 That didn't happen. Like he was asked about a potential meeting and about reconciliation. He said, yeah, I would tell you at this point, we haven't really given all of that a ton of thought. You know, I mean, are we looking for an apology, he said, to be quite frank. I don't think an apology does anything or unwinds what has happened, he said. But at the right time, we'll sit down with the ACC leadership. And I think have hopefully a very frank, honest, hopefully productive conversation. But I tell you that time is not now.

Starting point is 00:07:47 And he was asked if the relationship can be healed. And he said, all things can be healed. I'm not going to be overly dramatic here, he said. But, you know, it did damage. It strained the relationship. It strained the relationship. He repeated. So I guess the damage was done.

Starting point is 00:08:02 Now, Jim Phillips, the ACC, did release a statement this week. And here is the commissioner's side of it. We'll have that for you and how he feels the ACC did not damage or attack or target Notre Dame in any way. You want to keep it locked right here. We're only getting started on this brand new episode of Lockdown ACC. Folks, the holidays come with big goals, two big goals, in fact, feeding people well and finding gifts they'll actually love. And when you want both handled in one move, Omaha Steaks is the way to go. From hosting to gifting, they deliver the world's best steak experience right to your door. Because during their

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Starting point is 00:09:33 See site for details. That's Omaha stakes.com code college. Thank you so much for making Locked on ACC your first listen. And thank you for making locked on the number one sports podcast network. You already live your team every day. Now take it up a level and go ad free. Join the Every Day or Club today and get locked on ACC with no interruptions, members-only Discord access, and more,

Starting point is 00:09:58 all for just $5 a month or $50 a year. go to locked on acc.com or check out the link in the show notes to learn more. Thank you for making us your first listen. Alex Dono from Lockdown Caines alongside Kent and Gibbs from Lockdown, Wolfpack. All right, so here was Commissioner Jim Phillips. He put out a statement just to kind of, I guess, give his take on where the ACC stood in this social media campaign where they promoted Miami. The University of Notre Dame is an incredibly valued member of the ACC, and there is a truly valued member of the ACC. tremendous respect and appreciation for the entire institution. With that said, when it comes to football,

Starting point is 00:10:38 we have a responsibility to support and advocate for all 17 of our football playing member institutions, and I stand behind our conference efforts to do just that leading up to the college football playoff committee selections on Sunday. At no time was it suggested by the ACC that Notre Dame was not a worthy candidate for inclusion in the field. We are thrilled for the university, of Miami while also understanding and appreciating the significant disappointment of the Notre Dame players, coaches, and program. And listen, Phillips laid it out, Kenton, like, there are 17 football members of the conference. Notre Dame is not one of those. And I will remind folks, because I know the Florida state fans haven't forgotten, the ACC two years ago did not do nearly enough to promote Florida

Starting point is 00:11:27 State. And I'm sorry that that happened to them. It should not have happened to them. but the ACC, I would think, learn something from that. And, hey, we've got now a football member that's right on the bubble. We need to help them any way we can. It's just unfortunate that a member of other sports and not football was the team that was on the other end of that campaign. I do not care. Jim Phillips is being much too kind, much too. Oh, we don't want to hurt anybody.

Starting point is 00:12:02 Didn't intend to hurt anybody. Join the conference as a full member, and you enjoy the full benefits, including our full support. If you are a full member, we would have campaigned for you and Miami to be in. If you were a full member, you are not a full member,

Starting point is 00:12:19 therefore you do not get full privileges. I am sorry, mistress, but stop complaining that the wife and I and the kids are in the Maldives. I'm sorry that that is the case, but it is what it is. It is what it is. Why are we still doing this?

Starting point is 00:12:37 Jim Phillips, again, you and I both talked about how there have been many missteps by Billing, right? Coming out with that statement saying, or not statement, but coming out with that graphic saying, Duke belongs in the playoff. Stop it. Stop. Especially before the game was even played. What are we even doing?

Starting point is 00:12:53 Yeah. But we sit here and we argue about who belongs where and, you know, all that type of stuff. You specifically, he is correct. And I look through all the posts. Not a single one said Notre Dame is not a worthy candidate. Their resume was compared to Notre Dame. And again, if a comparison of objective fact hurts your feelings, I don't know what to tell you. Now, granted, fact, statistics, all those things to be manipulated in certain situations. If you take out certain external factors in real life when we're talking about real people when we're talking about millions of people we're not talking about that we're talking about two 85 man rosters we're talking

Starting point is 00:13:42 about two football programs that had 12 opportunities both 12 equally and one of those 12 for both teams happen to be them locking horns happened to be them going in that dark room together having that war together and only one man is left standing. And last time I checked, Miami left that room standing. They left standing. And the ACC made sure to mention that. And Notre Dame's hurt

Starting point is 00:14:10 by that? Oh, I was targeted. Targeted by what? The facts? Oh, we're so sad that we were disrespectful. Disrespected by reality? What? What? What is it? And for those of you saying, Notre Dame is

Starting point is 00:14:28 technically a conference member in all these other sports, and therefore we should still show them respect and decency. We are actually having somebody on tomorrow to get the Notre Dame angle of this thing. So trust and believe, we're going to give Notre Dame their proper respect and credit and give them a proper voice on the show since they are an ACC member. But just be aware of the fact that if you feel disrespected by the facts, if you feel disrespected by things that are not, you know,

Starting point is 00:14:57 this isn't some historical context of Notre Dame constantly being brought. This is not that. This is a context of two teams' metrics were right up against each other, same record, one team had a head to head over the other, the other team jumps. I understand, the only part of this I understand for Notre Dame is, well, we were in front of them the whole way. Sure, I get that part.

Starting point is 00:15:18 You shouldn't have been, but sure, we get that part. We get that part. But Jim Phillips, man, stop it. stop it. You were kind. You could not have been kinder to Notre Dame. You could not have possibly been kinder to a team instead of saying, no, no, my boys are going to get in. I'm going to make sure I get in.

Starting point is 00:15:40 Okay. You couldn't have been kinder. So, you know, stop with all the statements, stop at all the press conferences to say, my fee-fis are hurt and we are taking our phone and we are going home. We don't want any pop-carp. We've got Pop-Tarts in South Bend, Indiana. Have you been to South Bend?

Starting point is 00:15:57 It's a beautiful city. It's wonderful, and we've got our own pop-tarts. We don't need some giant toaster. We've got touchdown cheeses. Stop it. Nobody cares. Get over. Yeah, and, of course, a reminder as to why, you know, the ACC, for,

Starting point is 00:16:14 aside from the obvious reasons why you would promote an actual football member of your conference over someone who's not, you know, Miami gets into the college football playoff. That earns the ACC revenue. Notre Dame gets into the college football playoff. It doesn't. They don't share their TV revenue from football with the ACC. So that's one thing.

Starting point is 00:16:34 And on that note, Kenton, again, the speculation turned out to be untrue. Like we were talking about this yesterday. Hey, we got that big press conference for Notre Dame. People think they're going to announce their exit plan from the ACC. None of that happened today. And then you would think about if this gets to the point where Notre Dame is so angry at the ACC and they do look for an exit ramp away from the con if it does get to that point what's plan B then because guess what um you have this sweet deal with the ACC where you get to be a

Starting point is 00:17:10 member in every other sport because that benefits you that benefits Notre Dame and yet football we get to maintain our independence because you have that sweet TV deal that benefits Notre Dame does the SEC give that to you? I don't think so. so would the Big Ten give that to you, let you maintain your football independence? I don't think so. Maybe you could get that from the Big 12. In fact, I'm pretty sure Locked on Big 12 did an episode today announcing that Notre Dame was going to come to the Big 12 in some way, shape, or form, which certainly hasn't happened yet. Like, okay, maybe the Big 12 would give you that scheduling relationship without the full commitment.

Starting point is 00:17:52 But, you know, you're certainly not going to get that Kenton from the Big Ten. or from the SEC. Didn't Drake Toll also say Miami was going to be in the Big 12 soon? Like two years ago. Miami already debuted. Miami debuted at the Big 12 a couple years ago, apparently. Ah, okay. I mean, listen, Drake, Christopher told, you stop this nonsense.

Starting point is 00:18:17 You stop lying to them people. No such thing has been announced by anybody. No such thing has been announced by anybody. And if the Big 12 were to be in the Big 12, where to be in the similar situation. I genuinely want to know because here's the thing, Dono, for all the things that we say Jim Phillips is good at and all the things that we say,

Starting point is 00:18:37 your mark, who I believe is the commissioner of the Big 12 is good at. You think if it was Notre Dame and a full member of the Big 12 on the bubble, you think your mark would be better? You think he would be kinder? That's a great point. If you believe that, if you believe that I have oceanfront property to sell you in Raleigh and another ocean front property to sell you in Detroit, Michigan.

Starting point is 00:19:03 Don't ask me which ocean is up against. Just give me the money and don't look back because I can get you squared away because you'll believe any damn thing. You'll believe anything. Your mark would have ripped them boys a new one from A to B. He would have found out what Jeremiah loves ACC score was and posted that everywhere. And said, that guy like this, you wanted to playoff. I'm joking.

Starting point is 00:19:27 I don't know what Jeremiah loves, the C.T. score is. I'm sure it was wonderful. But you get the point. You get the point. Like, there is no way under God's greenough. He would have posted every tackle that Freeman missed in his Ohio State career on loop before he said, oh, well, nobody days would have a new.

Starting point is 00:19:46 You know, I mean, I don't know what to tell you. Hey, so what the Oklahoma State has had in a resurgence? I've got nothing for you. Hey, so what? The TCU's great this year. Notre Dame is the other team that gets put out at their end. Yep. Your boy, boy, stop it.

Starting point is 00:20:04 Stop it. Again, the only other conference that you could possibly get this type of deal from will go even harder on your behind if it was time for them to go for a full member as opposed to you. Stop it. Come on, man. Yeah, 100%. Well, meanwhile, in ACC football, we've got. first-team all-conference selections.

Starting point is 00:20:25 It, getting sometimes the pre-season picks don't match up with the postseason picks, because you remember, didn't pre-season Clemson had 11 of the 22 pre-season all-ACC guys. Didn't quite play out that way. We'll tell you how it did. It's a lot more balanced the way it did play out. You want to keep it locked right here. We're not done yet on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. It's a little something called the World Cup, and it's coming back to North America for the first time since 1994.

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Starting point is 00:22:10 All right, so Kenton, first team all ACC offense. Tell me if you like this group. You got Haynes King of Georgia Tech. at quarterback. I know you like this one. Hollywood Smothers, NC State at running back. Jamari Taylor, Virginia at the other running back spot. Wide receivers are Florida States, Deuce Robinson, Louisville's Chris Bell, Miami's Malachi Tony. I think they nailed wide receiver. You could have done any better than that. Justin Jolie, NC State at tight end. All purpose, Jacob DeHesuze from Cal, offensive tackles, Cici Maui Noah from Miami, Blake

Starting point is 00:22:44 Miller from Clemson, Keelan Rutledge, Georgia, at Guard, Logan Parr from SMU at Guard, and Luke Petabon, Florida State, at center. I honestly, I don't know if you have any hot takes on that, but I think that's a pretty darn accurate first team all-ACC. I mean, maybe the Haynes King kind of squeaked it out of quarterback, but I think what Haynes did all purpose-wise, I guess gave him the edge over people like Darien Mensa and Carson Beck, but I think for the most part they got this right. Yeah, I would agree. I don't see too many spots for argument.

Starting point is 00:23:20 I would say this. If I was to argue or if I was to have any trepidations about anything, it wouldn't be the quarterback position. It wouldn't be the wide receiver position. The offensive linemen, some of those selections, I would just say, why? Just to why? Really? How good was this guy? How good?

Starting point is 00:23:36 Because some of the guys never named first team all LACC for offensive line. They not only struggled, their struggles were highlighted. in the middle of ACC play. Yikes. Yowsers. That's tough. But then again, that's the nature of offensive line, right? Nobody ever talks about you when you do your job well. It's only when you do it wrong.

Starting point is 00:23:57 So I'm not really going to complain too much. I think this would be a great group as well. My first team defense. Miami sweeps it at defensive end. Ruben Bain and Akeemezador. Defensive tackles. Jordan Vandenberg from Georgia Tech. Peter Woods from Clems.

Starting point is 00:24:15 linebackers. Caden, Fordham from NC State, Cade, Uluave from Cal, Sammy Brown from Clemson. Cornerbacks are Hezekiah, Massis from California, Avion Terrell from Clemson. There is actually quite a few Clemson guys got on to,

Starting point is 00:24:32 more than I realized got onto this team, offensive events. The safeties are Nick Anderson from Wake Forest, Ahmad Moses from SMU. Your specialists are Aiden Burr, kicker from Georgia Tech. he had some clutch kicks this year. Jack Stonehouse from Syracuse.

Starting point is 00:24:49 That was in a season where everything went wrong for Syracuse. One thing that did not go wrong was the punting game. I've seen Jack Stonehouse. I'm serious. I'm not being tongue in cheek. I have seen Zach Stonehouse punt in person, and that is an NFL punter. So credit to Fran Brown. I know you haven't showered in like four months, but your punter had an awesome season this year.

Starting point is 00:25:13 respect and your Jacob DeHesu's from Cal also made the specialist team so I what do you and I did Kenton there maybe there is too much Clemson on this all-ACC

Starting point is 00:25:28 first team despite the season that they had but I think overall the conference did an okay job. Do you know what I think is surprising? Cal's got their head coach fire Cal got their head coach fired and has a bunch of first team. all ACC guys.

Starting point is 00:25:44 Yeah, that's true. I mean, that's kind of crazy to think about, isn't it? You look up and you're like, man, they got all this talent. And yet, the highlight of the season was knocking SMU out of contention. Other than that, you're up, you're down, you're all around town. You know, what an interesting group? And I told you at the start of the season, 11 was too many for Clinton. I told you at the start of the season, they gave some guys those ranks.

Starting point is 00:26:13 just because they had a paw in their helmet. And did I, was I not wrong? I mean, was I wrong? Was I, is it not shown that, hey, some of those guys, you were just giving the benefit of the doubt and whoopty-do, we get what we get at the end of it. Yeah, I mean, I guess the only guy, if I'm going to put my orange and green glasses on,

Starting point is 00:26:34 that I would have lobbied for. I think Keontay Scott, Miami-DB, Nickel Corner, he made second team, but you could have made the argument for first team. He did miss the final two games of the year, but for 10 games, he was PFF's highest-graded defensive back in the entire country. Like he had a spectacular year. There are some guys who missed time for injury who showed up on that first team. So maybe Kante Scott deserved a little bit better.

Starting point is 00:26:59 But other than that, I don't have much of an argument. Man, time flies Kenton Gibbs. Make sure people check out KG at TGIF underscore Kenton on X and follow him at Lockdown Wolfpack. and by the way, as Kent mentioned, we're going to be talking Notre Dame tomorrow, and we're going to get the ND side of the story. I know Notre Dame fans are probably not fans of our work for the past couple days. In my case, they're not fans of my work for the past couple of months. After that, Head to Head by Amby Win,

Starting point is 00:27:28 you can check me out on Lockedon Cains and at Alex Dono on X. And we'll talk to you again next time on another episode of Lockdown ACC. We are part of the awesome Lockdown Podcast Network, your team, every day.

Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - TARGETED? Notre Dame’s Pete Bevacqua CALLS OUT ACC—Jim Phillips’ DEFENSE Ignites Football FURY!

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