The ACC’s football media days are just around the corner, July 25-July 27 with the schedule of the speakers from theACC.com.
What do I want to see during these three days?
1. Jim Phillips addresses Revenue issues
Jim Phillips doesn’t have to lay out an extensive revenue generation plan, as this week should be about the football players and coaches, but if he simply says we are “looking at options” it would be a missed opportunity to show progress from the contentious spring meetings. While he’s at it Phillips may want to say a few words about the litigation concerning hazing going on at Northwestern where Phillips is named a defendant. You know it’s going to be asked.
2. Unity from the ACC Schools
Whether it’s actually real or manufactured, a repeat of the spring meetings would be a really bad look for the ACC. We know about the revenue gap, we know schools and their administrators are looking out for their best interests already. Another public show of disharmony creates a narrative that can be used against the schools by other conferences in recruiting, not to mention anybody want to invest further in a conference fighting in the open?
3. NIL
I am especially interested in the ACC and their football coaches’ opinions on NIL and its direction of it. This is also something that would make sense for the ACC Football coaches and conference administrators to be aligned on. We know the NCAA would not be able to manage this, and the hope Congress does seems like wishful thinking. The conferences are going to have to end up managing this themselves. I think we all know that’s the eventual outcome.
4. What Jordan Travis, Cade Klubnik, and Drake Maye have to say
I feel like one of these three players will be the face of the ACC in 2023. I’m leaning towards Jordan Travis, who I think has the best ability for an ACC qb to elevate his team through sheer will since Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. I really want to see how Klubnik feels about the new offense at Clemson. UNC’s Drake Maye might be a 1st round NFL pick, but I want to hear how he’s put the end of last season behind him.
