Four days of ACC Football Media Days are in the books in Charlotte and now all 17 teams have headed back home to begin preparations for the 2024 season. Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry and three players, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Kyron Drones, and Dorian Strong all spoke with the media on Tuesday about the upcoming season.
With the week behind us and teams back on campus getting ready for the 2024 campaign, here are three takeaways from the week in North Carolina.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips opens up about the conference
As everyone knows by now, Florida State and Clemson are looking to get out of the ACC at some point. Things have got somewhat ugly between the schools and the conference and Phillips spoke about all schools either being all in or not.
"This is a really important time for the conference,'' Phillips said. "Either you believe in what’s been signed or you don’t. We’re going to do everything we can to protect and fight for the league."
There was also a report from Pete Thamel of ESPN on Monday that FSU and Clemson were not going to notify the conference by Aug. 15 that they were going to leave by next season. If they don't then the league will stick together for another season, but you would have to think that realignment talk will not go away for some time.
Brent Pry was laid back while speaking
Pry was kind of laid back this week while at the mic answering questions, but as usual, he did have some funny moments when answering some questions, while also being honest about where his team ends this season.
First and foremost, the third-year head coach would be "disappointed" if his team was not in Charlotte in early December in the ACC Championship Game. They have a schedule that is doable with a road game at Miami and a home November game against Clemson being the two that stick out. Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and Duke will be tough, but the Hokies should be favored in at least six, if not seven, of their ACC games this fall.
He also thinks that his wide receiver room is going to be one of their strengths this season and it's hard to argue with all the retainment they got with Ali Jennings, Da'Quan Felton, Stephen Gosnell, and Jaylin Lane all coming back.
On the lighter side, he thanked a reporter who said that Lane Stadium has the greatest gameday experience, "Thank you, you're right'' he said smiling, while also not falling for a question about being the flagship school in Virginia, which was a shot at UVA. Pry quickly said, "He said that, I didn't,'' while smiling again.
Dabo Swinney says he would be the "greatest transfer portal recruiter ever''
Clemson did not add any players through the transfer portal this offseason, which is something that head coach Dabo Swinney has taken some heat for. However, on Thursday, he said that if he left the Tigers and went to another school, he would be the greatest transfer portal recruiter ever.
"If I took another job tomorrow, I’d be the greatest portal recruiter ever because I’d have to replace half my roster."Dabo Swinney
He's correct, he would likely have to replace half of his roster and I'm sure he'd be a good transfer portal recruiter, but maybe not the best. His lack of transfer portal activity currently has some pressure on him this upcoming season and Swinney is a good recruiter of high school players as the results speak for themselves, but a transfer portal recruiter? Who knows, but it was a statement that caught some eyeballs.
Now that the kickoff week is in the books, it's almost time for the season begin and it can't begin soon enough.