Duke running backs anticipate better season

DURHAM - Duke junior Desmond Scott arrived at fall football camp without the anxiety he carried as a freshman. He felt comfortable with his surroundings, a veteran familiar with process.

"Third year around, you're not new to the program any more," he said. "You're all ready to go."

The Blue Devils hope Scott and the other backs in camp emerge at the start of the season with as much gusto and turnaround the program's inept running game.

The Devils were last in the conference in rushing offense, producing just 110.0 yards per game.

Scott, who on Monday ran with the first team, gained 530 yards last season, averaging 44.2 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry.

"I didn't live up to my expectations my freshman and sophomore year," Scott said. "I'm setting the bar high for my junior year."

Duke is primarily a pass-first team, though a strong running game is required to keep a defense off balance. On Monday, the Devils used three running backs and sophomore backup quarterback Brandon Connette to carry the ball during its intrasquad scrimmage.

Thompson, a sophomore, led all rushers with six carries for 47 yards, while Connette rushed eight times for 39 yards.

Scott rushed seven times for 31 yards and sophomore Josh Snead carried seven times for 28 yards.

The Devils started with six running backs in camp, but due to injuries to senior Jay Hollingsworth and junior Greg DeLuca, they are down to four to split drill reps.

During the scrimmage, the Devils used their running backs out of the back field and spread outside. Each had their moments, yet there were few extraordinary rushes, outside of an open field play from quarterback Sean Renfree.

The backs, however, all appear stronger and capable of busting through defensive linemen for large gains.

"We're just proving we can do both," Thompson said. "We can pass and run. Play-fakes. We can do it all. We can go out the backfield and take it all the way. We can pretty much do everything. Everyone is doubting us about our game, but we're improving every year and this year is going to that year."

- Edward G. Robinson III

Pack gets in some end-of-game work

RALEIGH - N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien gave out some dismal offensive statistics Tuesday after the Wolfpack's third preseason football scrimmage at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The offense had four passes intercepted and allowed seven sacks. There were 15 tackles for losses by the defense, which limited the offense to 98 rushing yards on 38 carries.

But O'Brien had no sooner read off the stats than he all but dismissed them. It was a situational scrimmage, he said. There was a lot of work on end-of-game drives.

"You're playing end of the game and you're always in two-minute situations, where you've got to throw the ball regardless," he said. "I think most of them were long throws at the end of time, fourth down or whatever heaves.

"That's not good for the offense, because in those situations you've got to go up and get the football. But it's positive for the defense. They got the ball and turned it over."

There again were no individual stats released, but O'Brien generally praised the play of starting quarterback Mike Glennon while noting "he's no finished product by any stretch of the imagination."

"I think he did well," O'Brien said. "I don't know what his breakdown is but (the offense) made some plays tonight they haven't the first two scrimmages. That's positive for the offense. ...

"I think the offense caught up a little bit in these situations. It's a little confidence-builder for the offense and knocks the defense a peg or two, which is pretty good, too."

Other srimmage highlights: freshman punter Wil Baumann averaged 43.4 yards on five kicks and freshman placekicker Niklas Sade booted field goals of 38 and 53 yards.

"Those freshmen have been impressive thus far," O'Brien said. "We keep putting them under pressure. The 53-yarder ... He actually had to run on the field and kick it as time expired."

O'Brien said he reminded the team that the Pack lost three games last season in the final minute.

"I said that's why we do these things," he said. "You learn how to be in these situations so you don't panic and you have confidence in your ability to win the football game. That's real reason you do it."

BRIEFLY: O'Brien said sophomore wide receiver Everett Proctor had left the program and would transfer. O'Brien said Proctor, from Fayetteville, had not been a "champion in the classroom."

O'Brien would not comment on reports offensive lineman Cameron Fordham transferred to NCSU this week from LSU. Fordham is from Duluth, Ga.

The offense finished 22 of 41 passing for 261 yards, with one touchdown. There were four offensive penalties and three defensive infractions. ... O'Brien said there appeared to be no major injuries.

-- Chip Alexander

UNC's Houston eager to ditch orange jersey

North Carolina tailback Ryan Houston continues to wear a precautionary orange don't-hit-me jersey in practice, but said he can't wait to take it off.

"So eager, I just can't wait to go to my metal locker and see, ‘blue jersey!'" Houston, a redshirt senior, said today. "Know what I'm saying? I just can't wait for the day. It [will] be like Christmas, whenever they give me that blue jersey."

Houston, who had shoulder surgery after fracturing his right scapula during the Spring Game, is extra eager because he hasn't played for more than a year. After sitting out the first five games of last season as the NCAA investigated the football program for academic misconduct and impermissible benefits, Houston was cleared, but opted to redshirt the rest of the season.

"It was real hard, especially during the bowl game, on the 1-yard line, screaming like, ‘Forget it, I don't care, I just want to help my team,"' Houston said. " ... But now ... it just makes me hungrier for this year."

He said he holds no resentment about having to sit out those five games: "No, they did what they had to do, and I applaud the University for getting my back, and trying to help, and doing the best things possible for me, and I feel like they made a good decision," he said. "They didn't know what was going on, I didn't know what was going on, and I feel like they made a great decision."

Houston said his shoulder feels good, and that he will be ready for the Sept. 3 season opener. He said he thinks the team is being extra cautious with him, especially after redshirt freshman tailback Gio Bernard suffered a non-displaced fracture to his left hand Saturday. Bernard is being held out of contact drills this week, but could play if there was a game tomorrow, interim head coach Everett Withers said.

"I'm ready -- they just don't want me to to go in there and [mess] something up, because then it would be like, 'Dang, we're down two running backs,"' Houston said. "So it's just more of a precautionary thing. ... They know that I know the plays and I've just got to take my time, and whenever they're ready to let me go forward, I'll be ready."

-- Robbi Pickeral

Titans' Thornton joins UNC's football staff

Former All-ACC selection David Thornton, who recently retired from the NFL's Tennessee Titans, has officially returned to the UNC football team as a member of the player development staff.

According to a team spokesman, that means he can splice and analyze UNC or opponent video, attend meetings and work with athletes in football-specific strength and conditioning drills -- but he cannot coach or provide instruction to the athletes.

"Here's a guy that's been around this program," UNC interim head coach Everett Withers said today. "He played here, came here as a walk-on, earned a scholarship, struggled academically early, got his academic situation in hand, was drafted and played in the NFL. So he's done what all of these guys are trying to do.

"We're going to use him in ways with player development with being a mentor to some of these guys that have that same path working for them. We'll use David in a lot of different ways."

-- Robbi Pickeral

Academics may help ACC avoid poaching

Sports talk radio hosts have lots of time to fill right now.

The NFL and college football seasons haven’t started yet. The NBA is in a labor stoppage and NASCAR just isn’t as interesting as it used to be.

So when talk of the SEC raiding the ACC starts crackling through the airwaves, there is reason to be cautious.

But talk of Texas A&M leaving the Big 12 seems legitimate. Texas A&M has a legitimate reason to bolt because the Big 12 has sold its soul to keep the Aggies’ rival, Texas, in the conference.

If the SEC takes Texas A&M, the conference would be looking for a 14th member, and some attractive options exist in the ACC:

- Florida State has a national following and a top-25 program even after Bobby Bowden’s ouster.

- Virginia Tech has a football program that’s without peer in the ACC.

- Clemson is Auburn with a lake. As a small-town, football-crazed state-supported school, Clemson has a lot in common with Auburn, Georgia, Florida and other SEC schools. So why not join a conference with schools that have similar demographics?

This point has been made before, but it’s worth making again.

In each case, it’s instructive to remember who makes the decision to switch athletic conferences. University chancellors, presidents and boards of trustees usually are charged with that task.

And while the SEC has won the past five national championships in football, the ACC has finished first among BCS conferences in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Ratings in each of those academic years.

Chancellors like to be aligned with other schools that possess highly regarded academic reputations. The big dollars of the SEC are enticing, but having an association with Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Virginia is not to be underestimated when evaluating chancellors’ motivations.

Another point is that in terms of football, the ACC schools would put themselves in danger of being considerably less competitive if they joined the SEC. Virginia Tech dominates the ACC, but loses almost every time it plays a nonconference opponent of any estimation, with recent defeats coming to Boise State, East Carolina and even James Madison. Florida State gets thumped every year by Florida; why join the SEC and get clobbered by a bunch of other football powers, too?

Bottom line, except for the money in the SEC – which is enticing – there aren’t many reasons to leave the ACC.

"As I've said previously, we'll continue to be mindful of the collegiate landscape and what's best for the ACC and its member institutions," ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement today. "With that said, I've received no indication from any of our 12 presidents that they have any intention of being affiliated with any conference other than the ACC."

As for the idea that the North Carolina schools might leave, you can forget it. UNC’s rivalry with Duke in basketball is far too important for the Tar Heels to leave for the SEC. (The SEC would not be interested in Duke as a package deal). N.C. State’s culture and tradition as the first home of the ACC tournament, and rivalries with UNC, Duke and Wake Forest would make it difficult to leave.

If somebody does leave the ACC, though, it would be fascinating to see who got an invitation to become the new 12th member. Keep in mind, the academic profile of the new school would remain critically important to the ACC. Here would be some likely candidates:

1. Rutgers: A New Jersey presence would deliver a new TV market and bridge the geographical gap in the ACC between Maryland and Boston College. Rutgers has a decent football program and a basketball program that should be better than it is with a location so close to New York City.

2. Pittsburgh: This is another geographical bridge school that would help the ACC in football and basketball. The TV market isn’t huge, but it’s bigger than the one Virginia Tech brought to the ACC a few years ago.

3. Connecticut: The basketball program would add a lot to the ACC, and the football program is coming off a BCS appearance. The Huskies would provide a local rival for Boston College as well.

4. East Carolina: Perhaps this is a sentimental choice as the only non-BCS conference member on this list. The Pirates wouldn’t add anything in basketball and don’t contribute a TV market. But East Carolina has demonstrated that it can compete with ACC teams in football, and if North Carolina politicians are courted in the right way (remember Virginia Tech in the last ACC expansion), the school could get a shot at ACC membership.
Again, though, this is getting way ahead of the game. It will take a bold move by a chancellor for a school to leave the ACC, especially with the college athletics hierarchy suddenly at least paying lip service to the importance of academics.

Ken Tysiac

VIDEOS: Texas A&M, FSU headed for SEC?

Two videos on the potential shakeup in college football:

First, Sporting News college football writer Matt Hayes on what could happen to the Big 12 if Texas A&M leaves for the SEC:






And the Orlando Sentinel's Coley Harvey on whether Florida State could be on its way to the SEC as well:

UNC system president, Board of Governors back Thorp

CHAPEL HILL - UNC system president Tom Ross and UNC Board of Governors chair Hannah Gage this morning issued a joint statement proclaiming the board's full support of chancellor Holden Thorp's leadership at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Many fans have voiced criticism of Thorp for firing football coach Butch Davis with the Tar Heels facing NCAA allegations of nine major violations. Fans have been upset with Thorp for firing Davis even though he wasn't personally cited in the violations, and for the timing of the dismissal nine days before the start of preseason camp.

"We are well aware that there are some alumni and other friends of UNC-Chapel Hill who strongly support the decision to make a coaching change, some who vehemently oppose it, and others who support the decision, but not its timing," the statement read. "We also know that making difficult and unpopular decisions comes with the job of being a university chancellor, and that Chancellor Thorp is committed to doing everything possible to maintain both academic integrity and athletic success at Carolina."

During a news conference following the end of the Board of Governors' regularly scheduled meeting this morning, Ross said it's important to look at the full body of Thorp's work when evaluating his performance.

"I think if you look at the overall responsibilities of a chancellor and consider all of those, he has done an extremely good job," Ross said. "I know there are a lot of people who disagree with this decision and there are a lot who support this decision. The board looks at the broader picture and supports his leadership."

Thorp spoke to reporters following Thursday's Board of Governors committee meetings; a UNC spokesman said he won't be available for interviews today. On Thursday, Thorp said he intends to continue leading UNC and said the Board of Governors has been "great" as the school has dealt with the NCAA investigation.

Ken Tysiac

Thorp has no plans to step down at UNC

Holden Thorp said today that he has no plans to step down as the University of North Carolina’s chancellor and that the UNC system Board of Governors “has been great through this” NCAA investigation of UNC’s football program.

“Carolina is a great research university,” Thorp said. “We’re getting a great class next week coming in. We have great students coming back. We’ll have the faculty continue to make discoveries. Our research grants continue very, very strong, and fund raising continues very, very strong. This is a great, great public university.

“I feel inspired by the way our faculty has responded to the economic crisis, and I’m proud to be their leader.”

Thorp spoke to reporters today after giving the Board of Governors Committee on University Governance an update on the NCAA investigation. UNC is charged with nine major rules violations and must respond to the NCAA by Sept. 19.

University officials will take the full 90 days to respond to the NCAA, Thorp said. UNC is scheduled to appear in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions on Oct. 28. Today, Thorp spoke publicly in front of the Board of Governors committee for only about 90 seconds before the meeting went into closed session to discuss personnel matters.

On July 27, Thorp fired football coach Butch Davis, saying he could not stand for the damage UNC’s reputation was sustaining because of the investigation. Many fans have called for Thorp’s ouster, saying Davis wasn’t directly responsible for the violations and that nine days before the start of preseason training camp was bad timing for the decision.

But a Public Policy Polling survey of 317 UNC fans in North Carolina found that 36 percent agreed with Davis’ firing, while 27 percent disagreed.

Board of Governors chair Hannah Gage said she supports Thorp.

“He did the right thing,” Gage said. “He made the right decision, and I think it took a lot of courage. He’s the first one who said the timing wasn’t perfect, but it took a lot of courage.”

Ken Tysiac and Anne Blythe

UNC will use full 90 days to respond to NCAA

University of North Carolina officials plan to take the full 90 days allotted to them to respond to an NCAA Notice of Allegations charging the school with nine major violations, UNC chancellor Holden Thorp said this afternoon.

UNC’s written response to the NCAA is due Sept. 19, and school officials have an Oct. 28 meeting in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

Thorp spoke publicly only for about 90 seconds in front of the UNC system Board of Governors Committee on University Governance this afternoon. Board of Governors members quickly went into closed session for the purpose of discussing personnel matters.

Fifteen days ago, Thorp fired UNC football coach Butch Davis with controversy over the violations continuing to grip the campus.

“I held a press conference about that, and I’ve talked to the media about that,” Thorp said this afternoon, “so I don’t have a great deal more to add about that in open session.”

Ken Tysiac

Thorp to address BOG committee

University of North Carolina chancellor Holden Thorp is scheduled this afternoon to give an update on the school's athletics program to a UNC system Board of Governors committee in Chapel Hill.

Thorp will address the Board of Governors Committee on University Governance. Fifteen days ago, with UNC preparing a response to allegations of nine major violations from the NCAA, Thorp fired football coach Butch Davis.

Some fans have reacted angrily to the firing, but the faculty and UNC Board of Trustees have backed Thorp.

Ken Tysiac