ACC Football

Florida State just got a major boost by way of 5-star recruit Sam McCall.

McCall, who is ranked as the No. 5 athlete and No. 35 player in the country in the class of 2022 in 247Sports' composite rankings, announced his commitment to the Seminoles on Sunday. 

The Lakeland, Florida, native was originally committed to Florida, but he reopened his recruitment on Jan. 1. 

A true two-way player, McCall had 18 tackles and four interceptions as well as 52 receptions for 903 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior last fall. The 6'0", 180-pounder helped his team to a state playoff run in an 11-2 season. 

According to Andrew Ivins of 247Sports, McCall has the resume to play at defensive back, cornerback or safety at the collegiate level: 

"Does a nice job of feeling out routes around him and is able to take advantage of the mistakes that quarterbacks make. Superb ball skills also result in takeaways. Smooth in the backpedal with the ability to plant and drive. Doesn’t lack foot speed in any way. Can mirror opposing pass catchers, although man coverage techniques still being developed. Willing tackler, but that’s another area of his game that he can improve."

In addition to FSU and Florida, McCall had offers from 12 other programs, including Alabama, South Carolina and Penn State. 

Clemson Tigers defensive end Justin Foster announced his retirement from football Wednesday because of complications with asthma following a COVID-19 diagnosis. 

"Today is a difficult day for me, but it is also a day of reflection and gratitude," Foster said in a statement poster on Twitter. "With sadness but no regret, I have decided it is in my best interest to call it a career and hang up football."

The senior from North Carolina was unable to participate in the 2020 season but was an honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2019 after posting 41 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 15 games.

Foster was expected to start on the defensive line last year after recording 10.5 tackles for loss as a reserve in 2019. A history of asthma combined with the coronavirus' impact made that impossible. Instead, Foster spent the season consulting with medical experts.

"He had a very tough fall," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters. "He's always had challenges with [asthma and allergies] but when he got COVID last summer, that really set him back."

Foster explained that he was born with asthma and allergies that can make it tough for him to breathe in normal conditions. Contracting the virus "made for a severe difficulty to perform physically" and his focus is now on his long-term recovery. 

"This decision came after months of recovery and treatment," Foster wrote. "Which required asking a lot of difficult questions regarding my future."

Tigers defensive lineman Xavier Thomas also tested positive for COVID-19 last spring and was forced to miss part of the season as he recovered. 

Swinney told reporters he was disappointed in Foster's decision and offered to keep him on the team if he became healthy enough to return to the field. According to Swinney, Foster declined and has a job opportunity available to him outside of Clemson. 

When EA Sports revealed a plan to revive its beloved college football video game, the small print took an understandable backseat to the excitement that accompanied the announcement.

Fans of the NCAA Football series have waited eight years for that news. The official statement sparked a wave of joy across the sport. The initial reports mentioned more than 100 teams have agreed to be featured. Sure, that's not all 130 programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but any school not included in that number would have until at least next year to join the party.

Notre Dame, however, is among the holdouts for a logical reason. Athletic director Jack Swarbrick released a statement Monday explaining why Notre Dame isn't yet on board:

"Notre Dame Athletics welcomes the return of EA Sports College Football, a video game series that has historically helped promote interest in college football. Notre Dame will not, however, participate in the game until such time as rules have been finalized governing the participation of our student-athletes.

"As those rules are developed, it is our strong desire that student-athletes be allowed to benefit directly from allowing their name, image and performance history to be used in the game."

At first glance, a big-name brand holding out may seem senseless. Couldn't this negatively impact recruiting? Will fans ever have a chance to play as the Fighting Irish?

The quick version: Notre Dame is waiting for group licensing.

While there's momentum for reform with regard to college athlete compensation, the timeline for new guidelines is unclear. And there's no guarantee group licensing will be included initially.

Group licensing would allow players to collectively negotiate with EA Sports for use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL). It's a key component of creating the most authentic experience—and a large contributor to why EA Sports paused the series.

It's fair to expect EA Sports will offer the option to download a community-built roster—which may perfectly match reality. That capability is what fueled the survival of NCAA Football 14.

While 100-plus schools have authorized their brand and passively accepted a "backdoor" roster download—which isn't necessarily a bad thing—Notre Dame is taking an all-or-nothing approach. The university is saying it won't permit the use of its name, logo, stadium, etc., unless its players are compensated.

To be clear, this stance may change. Notre Dame's "strong desire" for athletes to directly benefit from a potential video game doesn't mean it absolutely won't participate until then.

But because the game won't be released until 2022 at the earliest, it's a low-risk maneuver that supports Notre Dame's sell of a player-first program.

Additionally, this can apply more pressure to solve the group licensing issue.

The NCAA will soon update its rules regarding NIL deals. But in January, it indefinitely delayed a proposal that would allow athletes to accept endorsement money. This is due in part to the NCAA waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on whether NCAA rules that restrict athlete compensation violate antitrust laws.

Several state and federal lawmakers have introduced or passed legislation governing NIL. But not every proposal allows for group licensing, which complicates the process of, say, a video game. Without group licensing, EA Sports would be limited to generic rosters and downloadable content.

Even as NIL changes are certain, the NCAA is probably hoping to avoid group licensing. In order to protect amateurism—no matter its flawed intent—the NCAA likely doesn't want athletes to formally organize and sell their likenesses as a group. The long-term ramifications might be problematic for the NCAA.

Since those dominoes must start falling first, Notre Dame and others have time to assess the impending changes.

For now, it's fun to consider a generic replacement. Are you ready for the South Bend Shamrocks? They have yellow chrome helmets with the iconic Touchdown Joshua mural looming in the background.

In seriousness, criticism of the holdouts would be premature. The likely result is all of them, most notably Notre Dame, end up a part of the game.

The question is whether it'll be a product of group licensing—the ideal outcome—or the fear of missing out.

Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Notre Dame announced Monday that it will not appear in EA Sports NCAA Football video game series until the name, image and likeness (NIL) rules are further established.   

School athletic director and vice president Jack Swarbrick made the following statement:

"Notre Dame Athletics welcomes the return of EA Sports College Football, a video game series that has historically helped promote interest in college football. Notre Dame will not, however, participate in the game until such time as rules have been finalized governing the participation of our student-athletes.

"As those rules are developed, it is our strong desire that student-athletes be allowed to benefit directly from allowing their name, image and performance history to be used in the game."

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly also commented on the decision via a post on his Twitter account:

The NIL debate remains one of the most pressing issues facing major college sports going forward. Earlier in February, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) and Representative Lori Trahan (D-Massachusetts) co-authored a bill that would make it illegal for the NCAA to put a limit on the amount of money college athletes could make from endorsement deals, per Dan Murphy of ESPN, or determine which sort of deals those athletes could sign.

"Big-time college athletics look no different than professional leagues, and it's time for us to stop denying the right of college athletes to make money off their talents," Murphy said. "If predominantly white coaches and NCAA executives can have unfettered endorsement deals, why shouldn't predominantly black athletes be afforded the same opportunity?"

That potential legislation could also have a major impact on EA's college football video game franchise going forward since it would make it illegal for the NCAA to prevent multiple college athletes from organizing and selling their likeness rights as a group. 

The NCAA and its president, Mark Emmert, want Congress to establish rules and limits on potential endorsement deals, fearing that they could eventually serve as a de facto salary for certain players and affect the amateurism model that has long benefitted the NCAA, individual schools and major conferences. 

"As a former Division I athlete, I'm all too familiar with the NCAA's business model that for decades has utilized the guise of amateurism to justify obscene profitability while student-athletes have struggled to get by," said Trahan, who was a volleyball player at Georgetown. 

Whatever those NIL rules ultimately end up being, don't expect to see Notre Dame in EA Sports' future games until they're established.

Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence will host an NFL showcase ahead of his program's scheduled pro day, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who also reported an injury to Lawrence's non-throwing shoulder.

Lawrence's agents said the event will take place Feb. 12, and surgery to repair his left labrum will follow.

The 2020 Heisman Trophy runner-up has long been expected to become the No. 1 overall draft pick this spring.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Lawrence's doctors are confident he will be ready by training camp.

The star passed for 3,153 yards and 24 touchdowns with five interceptions in 10 games last season despite missing time after testing positive for COVID-19. While lauded more for his passing than running abilities, he ran for 203 yards on 68 carries with eight scores.

It'll be on the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets as the owners of the top two picks to determine whether Lawrence's injury is cause for concern.

The 21-year-old was reliably healthy throughout his college career, playing 15 games during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

The throwing session will give NFL scouts one last opportunity to see Lawrence in person before draft night, but it's hard to imagine he'll show teams anything they don't already know about his game.

The ACC revealed its full 2021 college football schedule Thursday featuring a return to the normal format of eight conference games and four nonconference games:

Notre Dame will return to being an independent after competing as an ACC school in 2020, per Andrea Adelson of ESPN. The team will play five ACC teams as previously agreed, although no games will come against conference favorite Clemson.

The Fighting Irish have games against Florida State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia Tech.

Notre Dame reached the ACC Championship Game in 2020 after going undefeated during the regular season but suffered a 34-10 loss to Clemson, which avenged its earlier defeat to the Fighting Irish.

Clemson secured its sixth straight conference title in the process, a path that could be even easier in 2021 without Notre Dame in the way.

Even without Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers will still have a loaded defense and a talented quarterback in D.J. Uiagalelei.

The biggest challenges for Clemson could come out of the conference, with an opening game against Georgia scheduled for Sept. 4. The team also closes its regular season with a rivalry matchup against South Carolina.

North Carolina and Virginia Tech will help open the season with a Week 1 conference game scheduled for either Sept. 2 or 3.

The ACC Championship Game is set for Dec. 4, with a return to a matchup of the two division winners at the end of the regular season.

For the second time in his college career, Tate Martell intends to transfer with the hope of finding a starting opportunity in 2021. 

Per Matt Zenitz of AL.com and Matt Fortuna of The Athletic, the Miami quarterback has entered the transfer portal. 

Fortuna noted Martell is a graduate transfer, which will make him immediately eligible to play for a new team next season. 

Coming out of Bishop Gorman High School in 2017, Martell was rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback behind Tua Tagovailoa in 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Martell spent his redshirt freshman year as the Buckeyes backup quarterback when Dwayne Haskins won the starting job.

After Justin Fields announced he was transferring from Georgia to Ohio State in January 2019, Martell entered the transfer portal. He wound up landing in Miami, but he was beaten out for the team's starting quarterback job by redshirt freshman Jarren Williams. 

Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz announced in September that Martell was suspended for the team's season opener against UAB for a violation of team rules. He subsequently opted out of playing in 2020. 

Martell has appeared in nine college games over the past three seasons. He's completed 24 of 29 passes for 276 yards with one touchdown between Ohio State and Miami.

The next generation of college football is taking shape. 

On Wednesday, the University of Miami extended offers to a trio of famed recruits, Eden James, Mason Taylor and William Roberts, the sons of Hall of Famers Edgerrin James and Jason Taylor and rapper Rick Ross, respectively.

Roberts, an offensive lineman in the Class of 2024, received offers from both Miami and Syracuse on Wednesday.

Roberts was a member of the varsity team at St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., which won a state title this season. His father, Ross, was also a football talent who went to Albany State on a football scholarship. 

Taylor, a tight end who also attends St. Thomas Aquinas, is the younger son of Miami product Jason Taylor. and part of the 2022 class. He has also reportedly received offers from Illinois, Syracuse and FIU, per 247Sports. As a junior, he collected 133 yards on six passes.

He isn't the only football talent among Taylor's children. The six-time Pro Bowler's older son, Isaiah, committed to Arizona on Jan. 8. 

James is a member of the class of 2022 and competes at the same position as his father. As a junior this year, he posted 751 yards and nine touchdowns on 82 carries for Treasure Coast in Port St. Lucie (Florida), which ended its season in the second round of the postseason. James has also been offered by Howard, per 247Sports.

While it's too soon to predict anything about Roberts and the Class of 2024 as no members have offered verbal commitments, the Hurricanes have landed a four-star recruit in defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland and a three-star defensive end in Jamaal Johnson for the Class of 2022.

Clemson has become synonymous with success in college football. In the last six years, the Tigers have six ACC titles, six trips to the College Football Playoff and two national championships. It won't surprise anyone to read that Clemson will be a good team in 2021.

But as most attention focuses on 2020 5-star signee D.J. Uiagalelei, who's replacing star quarterback Trevor Lawrence—the expected top pick in the 2021 NFL draft—the defense may be overshadowed.

That would be a major mistake.

Yes, the unit played a disastrous game in the season-ending 49-28 loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. However, the Tigers had another strong year defensively to that point. They otherwise allowed just 4.6 yards per play and 17.5 points per game.

Short of two rotational linemen, everyone will return to the defense next season. And we mean everyone.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA determined 2020 wouldn't count as a year of eligibility. As a result, Clemson is set to bring back three key seniors: linebackers Baylon Spector and James Skalski, along with safety Nolan Turner. They finished as three of Clemson's top-five tacklers.

Additionally, draft-eligible cornerback Derion Kendrick returned. He ranked as the No. 21 prospect in the 2021 class, according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller in mid-December.

With two exceptions, freshmen and sophomores composed the rest of the depth chart. Defensive tackles Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams played in 11-plus games but have since transferred. They're the only notable losses from a top-20 defense (that entered bowl season as a top-five defense).

Expectations will be incredibly high for this unit in 2021. Considering the depth of highly recruited talent up front and those players' actual production, that should be the case.

Most importantly, this isn't praising some previous top recruits simply for being on the roster; the front seven is proven.

In 2020, the Tigers finished third nationally in tackles for loss per game (9.1), fifth in sacks per game (3.8) and seventh in yards allowed per carry (3.1).

Freshman end Myles Murphy led Clemson with 11.5 stops for loss. Freshman tackle Bryan Bresee, sophomore end K.J. Henry and freshman linebacker Trenton Simpson each had 6.5 tackles for loss, and all four players were 5-stars. So was Xavier Thomas, who notched 3.5 sacks in a limited role after a long and difficult recovery from COVID-19. Tyler Davis, a 4-star, is a two-year starter at tackle.

At linebacker, Spector notched a team-best 65 tackles this past season. Skalski, who amassed 90 stops in 2019, communicates the defensive calls from coordinator Brent Venables.

Mike Jones Jr. tallied 26 stops at his strong-side linebacker spot, and Jake Venables had 31 tackles. He's a backup for both Jones and Skalski, while Simpson will play behind Jones. For good measure, Kane Patterson and LaVonta Bentley combined to make 31 tackles as reserves too.

While the secondary needs improvement, Clemson should be optimistic.

Kendrick earned first-team All-ACC honors, while Turner and cornerback Andrew Booth landed second-team recognition. Lannden Zanders started alongside Turner at safety, and both Joseph Charleston and Sheridan Jones held significant roles.

Cornerbacks Mario Goodrich, Malcolm Greene and Fred Davis II and safeties Tyler Venables and Ray Thornton III all played regularly too. The secondary is stacked with experience.

Let's be perfectly clear: Development isn't always linear, and experience doesn't guarantee success or even improvement. Yet with eight defensive backs selected in the last five NFL drafts and a top-30 pass defense every season from 2014 to 2019, Clemson has earned some benefit of the doubt.

Plus, as the Tigers lose only two rotational pieces, they're bringing in a new wave of top talent.

Five-star linebacker/safety Barrett Carter headlines the defenders in the 2021 class, which includes six 4-star prospects. Clemson will be even deeper next season.

Best of all, though, this defense will be tested immediately.

Clemson kicks off the campaign against Georgia—a likely Top Five team—in Charlotte on Labor Day weekend. Georgia returns quarterback JT Daniels, running backs Zamir White and James Cook and a host of receivers led by George Pickens.

While anyone can spend several months touting Clemson's defense, the result of that matchup is infinitely more important than offseason hype. But with every starter and practically the entire depth chart returning, the unit is built to thrive immediately.

If this defense plays anywhere near its enormous potential, Clemson will assemble a dominant year that results in a seventh straight trip to the College Football Playoff.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Notre Dame announced Friday that it hired University of Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to fill the same role for the Fighting Irish.

Regarding the hiring, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said:

"As we looked into finding someone to run our defense, it was important to find the right fit for our program and Marcus and his family are just that. He has had great success on the field, both running a defense and in his direct work with his linebackers. Additionally, he is considered among the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks. 

"The work Marcus has done elevating the programs he has been a part of speaks for itself, but equally as important is the exceptional work he has done in building relationships with his staff and players. Marcus was our top choice to become our next defensive coordinator, and we are pleased he and his family will be joining us at Notre Dame."

Freeman will replace Clark Lea, who left Notre Dame after three seasons as defensive coordinator to become the head coach at Vanderbilt.

The 34-year-old Freeman spent the past four seasons as Cincinnati's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under head coach Luke Fickell. Freeman will continue to coach linebackers at Notre Dame in addition to his role as DC.

During his time at Cincinnati, Freeman helped mold the Bearcats defense into one of the best in the nation. That was especially apparent this season when Cincy went 9-1.

With Freeman at the helm, the Bearcats ranked 13th in total defense (324.6 yards per game) and eighth in scoring defense (16.8 points per game). They also ranked 10th in forced turnovers with 21 and 16th in sacks with three per game.

Before joining the staff at Cincinnati, Freeman was a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2010, the linebackers coach at Kent State from 2011 to '12 and the linebackers coach at Purdue from 2013 to '15.

He was also a star linebacker at Ohio State and spent time with the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans during the 2009 season, although he never appeared in a regular-season game.

Freeman was a finalist for the Broyles Award this season, given annually to the best assistant coach in college football.

Next season, he will look to maintain that positive momentum for a Fighting Irish team that reached the College Football Playoff in 2020 and finished 14th in the nation in scoring defense.