Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Former Tar Heels coach Torbush retiring

Former North Carolina football coach Carl Torbush, now the defensive coordinator at Kansas, is retiring to deal with prostate cancer, the school announced.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Ex-Colorado DE transfers to N.C. State

Defensive end Forrest West, who ranked second on Colorado's team with with 5 1/2 sacks as a sophomore last season, is transferring to N.C. State, Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien announced today.

West will sit out the 2011 season and has two years of eligibility remaining. O'Brien also announced that linebacker E.J. Carter - a Syracuse transfer who has never played a down for N.C. State - has left the school.

In addition, running back Curtis Underwood has decided to return for his final year of eligibility.

West, who's 6-foot-1 and 260 pounds, played in all 12 games for Colorado in 2009 and made 10 tackles, broke up two passes and forced a fumble. He was honored as the team's most outstanding freshman after that season.

Last season, West made 19 tackles, including 8 1/2 behind the line of scrimmage.

West apparently left Colorado on good terms. In a statement meant to defuse "speculation and inaccurate rumors" earlier this month, Buffaloes coach Jon Embree said that West's departure had nothing to do with academic or disciplinary issues, a lack of commitment to the team, or questions about his ability to make substantial contributions to the team.

West is a native of Canton, Conn.

Underwood appeared in 10 games last season, carrying 15 times for 62 yards and catching a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Ken Tysiac

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Our top 25 ACC quarterbacks of all time

Raleigh News & Observer columnist Caulton Tudor picks his Top 25 all-time ACC quarterbacks.

Player (last season)     NFL impact     ht.       
1. Philip Rivers (NCSU ’03)     Major     6-5       
2. Charlie Ward (FSU ’93)     None     6-2       
3. Chris Weinke (FSU ’00)     Minor     6-4       
4. Boomer Esiason (Md ’83)     Major     6-5       
5. Homer Jordan (CU ’82)     None     6-0       
6. Shawn Jones (GT ’92)     None     6-1       
7. Matt Ryan (BC ’07)     Major     6-4       
8. Russell Wilson (NCSU ’10)     TBD     5-11       
9. Joe Hamilton (GT ’99)     None     5-10       
10. Shawn Moore (Va ’90)     Minor     6-2       
11. Norm Snead (WF ’60)     Major     6-3       
12. Ben Bennett (DU ’83)     None     6-1       
13. Danny Kanell (FSU ’95)     Minor     6-3       
14. Roman Gabriel (NCSU ’61)     Major     6-4       
15. Steve Fuller (CU ’78)     Minor     6-4       
16. Matt Schaub (Va ’03)     Major     6-5       
17. Tyrod Taylor (VT ’10)     TBD     6-1       
18. Aaron Brooks (Va ’98)     Major     6-4       
19. Darian Durant (UNC ’04)     None     5-11       
20. Jamie Barnette (NCSU ’99)     None     5-11       
21. Thad Busby (FS ’97)     None     6-3       
22. Woody Danzler (CU ’01)     None     6-0       
23. Chris Rix (FS ’04)     None     6-4       
24. Leo Hart (DU ’70)     Minor     6-3       
25. Rod Elkins (UNC ’82)     None     6-1   

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ACC title game gets prime time kickoff

The ACC championship game will have a prime time kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, the conference announced today.

In its second year in Charlotte, the game will kick off at 8 p.m. on Dec. 3. An announced crowd of 72,739 watched at Bank of America Stadium last year as Virginia Tech defeated Florida State to win the ACC title.

The ACC also announced kickoffs and television assignments for the first three weeks of conference play. On Sept. 3, North Carolina plays host to James Madison at 3:30 p.m. in a Raycom broadcast; N.C. State opens at home against Liberty at 6 p.m. on ESPN3.com; Duke has a 7 p.m. home game against Richmond on ESPN3.com; and Appalachian State at Virginia Tech at 12:30 p.m. will be the ACC Network broadcast.

On Sept. 10, North Carolina's home game against Rutgers will be on the ACC Network at 12:30 p.m.; N.C. State plays at Wake Forest at 3:30 p.m. on Raycom; and Duke plays host to Stanford at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

On Sept. 17, Duke visits Boston College at 12:30 p.m. on the ACC Network; North Carolina's home game against Virginia starts at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU; and N.C. State plays host to South Alabama at 6 p.m. on ESPN3.com.

Ken Tysiac

ACC: At least 18 football games on national TV

 The ACC championship football game will be played Dec. 3, with kickoff at 8 p.m. at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium, the ACC announced Wednesday.

The game will be televised live by ESPN.

It's one of at least 18 nationally televised games for the conference in 2011.

  In addition, the conference announced that ACC network games will kick off later this season, at 12:30 p.m., and regional sports network package games will kick off no earlier than 12:30, with several starting at 3:30 p.m. or later.

 ABC has committed to televising three games nationally: Two are on Sept. 17 with defending national champion Auburn visiting Clemson (Noon), plus either Oklahoma visiting Florida State or Ohio State at Miami (either ABC or ESPN, to be determined on Sept. 6). The third was previously announced, Boston College at Miami 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 25.

All the TV games announced by the league Wednesday:

(All times Eastern)
Date        Game                                                   Network         Gametime
Sept. 1    W. Carolina at Georgia Tech         ESPN3.com    7:30 pm
Sept. 3    Northwestern at Boston Coll.           ESPNU            Noon
Sept. 3    Appalachian St. at Virginia Tech        ACC Network 12:30 pm
Sept. 3    Troy at Clemson                                  ESPN3.com      3:30 pm
Sept. 3    La. Monroe at Florida St.               ESPNU            3:30 pm
Sept. 3    James Madison at N. Carolina        RSN                 3:30 pm
Sept. 3    Liberty at N.C. State                             ESPN3.com     6 pm
Sept. 3    William & Mary at Virginia                  ESPN3.com      6 pm
Sept. 3    Richmond at Duke                              ESPN3.com      7 pm
Sept. 3    Wake Forest at Syracuse                   TBA                  TBA
Sept. 5    Miami at Maryland                             ESPN               8 pm
Sept. 10    Rutgers at North Carolina               ACC Network    12:30 pm
Sept. 10    NC State at Wake Forest               RSN                   3:30 pm
Sept. 10    Stanford at Duke                            ESPNU             3:30 pm
Sept. 10    Wofford at Clemson                       ESPN3.com       3:30 pm
Sept. 10    Charleston Southern at Florida State    ESPN3.com    6 pm
Sept. 10    Georgia Tech at Middle Tennessee    TBA        TBA
Sept. 10    Boston College at UCF                    TBA        TBA
Sept. 10    Virginia at Indiana                             TBA         TBA
Sept. 10    Virginia Tech at East Carolina           TBA          TBA
Sept. 17    Auburn at Clemson              ABC (National)                    Noon
Sept. 17    W. Virginia at Maryland      ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU    Noon
Sept. 17    Duke at Boston College                   ACC Network      12:30 pm
Sept. 17    Kansas at Georgia Tech                   RSN        12:30  pm
Sept. 17    Arkansas St. at Virginia Tech        RSN        4 pm
Sept. 17    Virginia at N. Carolina        ESPNU    3:30 pm
Sept. 17    S. Alabama at N.C. State        ESPN3.com    6 pm
Sept. 17    Gardner-Webb at Wake Forest        ESPN3.com    6:30 pm
Sept. 17    Ohio State at Miami        ESPN or ABC (National)    7:30/8 pm
Sept. 17    Oklahoma at Florida St.        ESPN or ABC (National)    7:30/8 pm
Sept. 22    N.C. State at Cincinnati        ESPN        8 pm
Oct. 27    Virginia at Miami        ESPN        8 pm
Nov.   3    Florida St. at Boston Coll.        ESPN        8 pm
Nov. 10    Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech        ESPN        8 pm
Nov. 12    Maryland vs. Notre Dame (Landover, Md.)    NBC        7:30 pm
Nov. 17    N. Carolina at Virginia Tech        ESPN        8 pm
Nov. 19    Boston Coll. at Notre Dame        NBC        4 pm
Nov. 25.    Boston Coll. at Miami        ABC (National)    3:30 pm
Dec. 3    .ACC .Championship Game    ESPN        8 pm

Thursday, May 5, 2011

BC, Miami to meet on Thanksgiving Friday

Boston College and Miami have agreed to play their football game this season on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the ACC announced today.

Kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m. at Miami Gardens, Fla. ABC will televise the game nationally.

This will be the first time Boston College and Miami have met on a Friday since the famous game in 1984 that Eagles Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie won with a desperation, last play pass to Gerard Phelan for a touchdown and a 47-45 decision.

Ken Tysiac