2014 Football Preseason Discussion Thread

[CameronBornAndBred]

Jamison Crowder checks in at #65 on ESPN's top 100.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...op-100-players

[Bob Green]

In any event, I would have figured a senior QB coming off a 400+ yard bowl game against a top 20 team, and having shed a goal line platoon system, would not be in the mid-40's in a ranking of players from a not SEC/Pac conference, I guess. Whatever.

Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with what you are saying. I was just offering up a possible explanation of their thinking. And you are spot on that this is excellent bulletin board material for Boone to use as motivation to show them they're wrong.

[Bob Green]

Here is a link to a Thomas Sirk article:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...DB_OEM_ID=4200

At our leadership meeting we talked about ‘All in, all the time’ as our motto for this year. Whether you are the best in any area, you can always go all in, all the time, on the field, in the classroom. I just want to be all in all the time. I am going to push myself to be better than the guy beside me in the weight room, in conditioning, in everything I do. That’s just the standard I hold myself to each and every day.

There is a laundry list of reasons why I am so looking forward to the 2014 season, with the opportunity to see Thomas Sirk perform on the field being one of them. He is going to push his teammates to be their best all the time.

[roywhite]

UNC coach shows off 6-pack abs. NC State and Duke respond with *other* 6-packs

Hah.

I prefer Coach Cut's version.

[wilson]

UNC coach shows off 6-pack abs. NC State and Duke respond with *other* 6-packs

Hah.

I prefer Coach Cut's version.

Ozzie loves Coach Cut's version.
Mods, relocate to "Ymm, Beer" if necessary...

[budwom]

True enough, but they actually acknowledge Connette won't be stealing TD's and yards from him this year, so clearly part of this is based on expectations, too. There's no point in publishing a list of "top 50 seasons by players in the ACC last season who didn't subsequently graduate." They're trying to sell this season, and Boone's going to be getting plenty of ink in the coming months. Part of my point was that, despite the stated premise of listing "best" and comparing across all positions, with the importance and hype surrounding quarterbacks circa 2014, you'd expect to see a list like this top-heavy with them.

In any event, I would have figured a senior QB coming off a 400+ yard bowl game against a top 20 team, and having shed a goal line platoon system, would not be in the mid-40's in a ranking of players from a not SEC/Pac conference, I guess. Whatever. I still hope Boone sees stuff like this and thinks to himself "Seriously, they think some OG at UNC is better than me? I better prove 'em all wrong."

I'm not sure I get your reference correctly, Mal, but if you're saying we won't be using another QB in short yardage situations this year, Cut disagrees with you. He had a pretty long interview
on ESPN yesterday, and he said we'd definitely be going with the short yardage package....said that Sirk, Boehme and Pierre are all strong runners and he looked forward to
that competition...(this all apropos to a question about how much we'd miss Connette).

[CameronBornAndBred]

Ozzie loves Coach Cut's version.
Mods, relocate to "Ymm, Beer" if necessary...

Ozzie has vastly improved his tastes in beer the last couple seasons.

[jimsumner]

I'm not sure I get your reference correctly, Mal, but if you're saying we won't be using another QB in short yardage situations this year, Cut disagrees with you. He had a pretty long interview
on ESPN yesterday, and he said we'd definitely be going with the short yardage package....said that Sirk, Boehme and Pierre are all strong runners and he looked forward to
that competition...(this all apropos to a question about how much we'd miss Connette).

Cut said the same thing at the ACC Media event last week. Said that Connette was gone but the Connette package would still be around and that Boone would not be the Connette.

[budwom]

Quite a saga, the Connette Package. Like many others, I wasn't too keen on it several years ago. While it worked against lesser teams, it became
pretty predictable against better foes. However, as our offensive line progressed from mediocrity to excellence, The Package was far more effective.
It was obviously pretty outstanding last year.

Our line should be very strong this year. Nonetheless, I do have a bit of trepidation since I think your QB has to be at least
a threat to throw the ball down at the goal line, and Sirk/Pierre/Boehme have combined for zero college passes thus far.

The most interesting thing for me to watch during the Elon game is which backup QBs play. I'd like to think we'd see
at least one of them before halftime, even in "non Package" situations.

[Olympic Fan]

Got to understand there are three QB roles:

(1) Starting quarterback (Boone has this locked up)

(2) Backup QB (up for grabs)

(3) Short-yardage QB (could be the same as No. 2)

A year ago, Cut planned to go into the season with Boone as the starter, Sirk as the backup and Connette as the short-yardage specialist. Obviously, when Sirk was hurt, Connette took over both (2) and (3) ... and when Boone was hurt at Memphis, he handled all three roles (for three games, he took ever snap at QB).

I would feel very confident about (2) if I could be assured that Sirk was 100 percent physically. He looked okay last spring, but he was not the explosive runner he was before his injury. I'm not sure he'll be as powerful in short yardage as Connette was -- but with 4.5 speed (before the injury) he was much more likely to turn in a big play.

I think Boehme is a bit more powerful ... Pierre, I know only by reputation which is that of a top-flight dual threat QB.

If I had to guess (and it's only a guess), I think it works out this way:

Boone -- starter
Sirk -- backup
Boehme -- short yardage QB
Pierre -- redshirt

[uh_no]

Quite a saga, the Connette Package. Like many others, I wasn't too keen on it several years ago. While it worked against lesser teams, it became
pretty predictable against better foes. However, as our offensive line progressed from mediocrity to excellence, The Package was far more effective.
It was obviously pretty outstanding last year.

Our line should be very strong this year. Nonetheless, I do have a bit of trepidation since I think your QB has to be at least
a threat to throw the ball down at the goal line, and Sirk/Pierre/Boehme have combined for zero college passes thus far.

The most interesting thing for me to watch during the Elon game is which backup QBs play. I'd like to think we'd see
at least one of them before halftime, even in "non Package" situations.

my favorite stat from last year was that we had a 100% conversion rate on 1st and goal situations during the regular season.

[Bob Green]

Laken Tomlinson checks in at number 24 on the ACC Sports Journal's Top 50 Players list:

http://www.accsports.com/articles/th...-numbers-30-21

[Bob Green]

Laura Keeley ranks Jamison Crowder number two on her top 10 list:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/...9/103/119/269/

[Duvall]

Coaches poll is out.

Appropriately enough, the Amway-sponsored poll found a spot for UNC. FSU #1, Clemson at #16.

[Olympic Fan]

Duke is 34th ... which is about where I would expect.

The Devils are third in the Coastal Division by this poll -- UNC at No. 23 nationally, Miami at 33rd and Duke at 34th.

That's not surprising -- except for the continuous national love for a UNC program that has done nothing since Mack Brown left. When you think about where we were in the recent past -- getting one sympathy vote from Steve Spurrier every year -- 34th nationally is not that bad.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I am completely fine with our number. It is the first time in recent memory that we will be going into the pre-season even listed. It's a spot this team earned, and it will be fun to watch them move up.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Duke is 34th ... which is about where I would expect.

Not that it is a big difference, just a correction, we are 35th.

While the Heels got actually ranked, it was not good news across the board in Chapel Hill today. (Sniffle.)
Article from Greg Barnes listing the Heels that won't be on the field this year. A total of 15 scholarship players with eligibility remaining are not returning.
Side note, who was advising Darius Lipford? He must have been facing academic issues too.
http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/1427796.html

[Olympic Fan]

Not that it is a big difference, just a correction, we are 35th.

While the Heels got actually ranked, it was not good news across the board in Chapel Hill today. (Sniffle.)
Article from Greg Barnes listing the Heels that won't be on the field this year. A total of 15 scholarship players with eligibility remaining are not returning.
Side note, who was advising Darius Lipford? He must have been facing academic issues too.
http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/1427796.html

I see this as evidence that UNC is serious about clearing up their act in Chapel Hill. Butch Davis never loses a player he wants to academic issues (which is why several of these guys are out).

However, Butch did run a waiver wire system -- forcing out kids that didn't make the grade. I have no idea if that's still going on or not.

[Bob Green]

At the ACC Sports Journal, Jeremy Cash is #19 and Kelby Brown is #12:

http://www.accsports.com/articles/th...-numbers-20-11

Our linebackers and secondary are very strong! If the defensive line steps up and plays solid football, our defense has the potential to be very good this coming season.

Over at the N&O, Laura Keeley has named Anthony Boone the most important player on the team:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/...9/103/119/269/

[OldPhiKap]

At the ACC Sports Journal, Jeremy Cash is #19 and Kelby Brown is #12:

http://www.accsports.com/articles/th...-numbers-20-11

Our linebackers and secondary are very strong! If the defensive line steps up and plays solid football, our defense has the potential to be very good this coming season.

Over at the N&O, Laura Keeley has named Anthony Boone the most important player on the team:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/...9/103/119/269/

Looking for improvement on the D line, which will hopefully let the secondary be opportunist on second/third and long.