ACC Football

Caleb Farley, the Virginia Tech cornerback who opted out of the 2020 college football season, says he has no regrets after making the "toughest decision" of his life.

"This was the toughest decision of my life. I live for football. But now that I've made the decision, I am totally at peace. I know I've done the right thing," Farley wrote for NBC Sports.

Farley is expected to be a first-round pick and was the first major collegiate star to opt out of the season over COVID-19 concerns.

A combination of unsafe conditions, including a lack of testing and teammates not wearing masks, led to Farley's decision:

"This year at Virginia Tech, at our workouts, I started having deep concerns about staying healthy. Guys were going home, going to Myrtle Beach, coming back to campus, and we weren't getting tested. We're all together, working out, close to each other, and you have no real idea who might have it, if anybody might have it. One day, I looked around, and we were like 100-deep in our indoor facility, no masks. My concern grew more and more.

"I started being really conflicted about playing. What this came down to is, I lost one parent. My dad is so important to me. Growing old with him means so much to me, more than football. I don't know what I would do if I contracted it and gave it to him, and he passed. I couldn't live with that. Part of me thought 'I put all my eggs into this basket since I was 6 years old...just suck it up and play. Try to stay safe.' But I couldn’t ignore all the doubts in my head."

Because college football players are not employees, NCAA teams have no recourse to punish players who make unsafe decisions. The players also do not have rights to demand safer working conditions, consistent testing and other measures that would potentially allow them to play the 2020 season without an outbreak.

A group of Pac-12 players are threatening to boycott the 2020 season if the conference does not adopt stringent safety protocols and revenue sharing, among other demands. It's unclear if players from other major conferences will make similar demands, but if anything, the pandemic has made it clear the level of value players provide to their schools. 

If changes aren't made to college football's structure soon, it's likely several stars will follow in Farley's footsteps. 

ACC commissioner John Swofford said allowing Notre Dame to be part of the ACC for the 2020 college football season is a "win-win" on Friday. 

According to ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Swofford said the following regarding the decision:

"This simply—as it has been with other aspects of the ACC-Notre Dame relationship—is a win-win. We're in a difficult situation, all of us in this country and in sports, and in the ACC we're trying to find the best path. We've said over and over again, we're in it together. It was the best thing for the ACC, it was the best thing for Notre Dame, and that makes it pretty easy when you know that."

The ACC followed in the footsteps of other Power 5 conferences by announcing that it will primarily play a conference-only schedule in 2020 to cut down on travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Officially, the ACC will play a 10-plus-1 schedule, meaning each team will play 10 conference games and one non-conference game. Notre Dame, which is an FBS independent, will play the same schedule and be eligible to play in the ACC Championship Game should it earn a spot.

Swofford called the arrangement a "one-off for this year" and noted that it was an easy deal to finalize:

"It was not hard for us to come to an agreement on that in terms of the television money. It was not hard for us to come to an agreement that if they were coming in, they were bringing their NBC games, they would play the same number of games as everybody else in the league, then they would be eligible to play in the ACC football championship game as well as the Orange Bowl, if they turned out to be our representative in the Orange Bowl ... and obviously the College Football Playoff."

Notre Dame is already a member of the ACC in all sports besides football and men's hockey, so it was a natural fit for the Fighting Irish to be welcomed in this season for football in an effort to give one of the biggest brands in college football a chance to compete for a spot in the CFP after many conferences have eliminated most of their nonconference games.

The Irish are coming off an 11-2 season that ended with a win over Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl. They have won 10 or more games in three straight seasons and four times in the past five years, including a trip to the CFP in 2018.

Clemson has dominated the ACC in recent years, winning the ACC Championship Game in each of the past five seasons, but Notre Dame arguably becomes one of the biggest threats to interrupt the Tigers' string of success.

Last season, no ACC team won double-digit games aside from Clemson. The Virginia Cavaliers had the second-best record among ACC teams at 9-5.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in multiple Power 5 conferences pushing back the start of the season and most have gone to conference-only or conference-plus-one schedules, both of which should help to cut down travel and potentially limit possible exposure to the coronavirus.

Notre Dame is independent no more—at least temporarily.

The ACC announced Wednesday that the Fighting Irish will join the conference for the 2020 season and play 10 games against ACC teams. Notre Dame will be eligible to compete for the conference championship as well.

The move comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced Power Five conferences to amend their schedules for the upcoming year. The Big Ten was the first to announce a conference-only slate, and the Pac-12 followed the move a day later.

ACC teams will play 11 games, 10 of which will be against conference teams.

ESPN's Andrea Adelson reported July 24 that this idea was under consideration. Notre Dame has remained independent in football throughout its history, but a move to the ACC was the most sensible move for all parties involved.

The Fighting Irish already lost games against Stanford, USC and Wisconsin when the Big Ten and Pac-12 altered their schedules. Being an independent school when Power Five conferences are pulling up the drawbridge wasn't an advantageous position. Now, Notre Dame needs to find only one nonconference opponent to reach the 11-game threshold.

Adelson explained how welcoming Notre Dame as a member for football—the school is already affiliated with the ACC for all other sports—would allow the ACC to avoid a major scheduling headache as well.

Conference officials were looking at an approach that allowed teams to have one nonconference game to maintain annual rivalries. Had Notre Dame balked at joining the ACC for 2020, it would've potentially jeopardized the ability for Clemson (South Carolina), Louisville (Kentucky) and Georgia Tech (Georgia) to face off against their biggest rivals from the SEC.

The ACC will begin its football season during the week of Sept. 7-12, and the conference championship will be on either Dec. 12 or 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley will opt out of the 2020 season and instead train for the 2021 NFL draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

"Though the competitor in me badly wants to play this season, I cannot ignore what's going on in my heart and I must make the decision that brings me the most peace," Farley said.

The redshirt junior also noted his mother died of an illness in 2018 and he "can not afford to lose another parent or loved on."

He joins Illinois running back Ra'Von Bonner among the first college football players to choose not to play this year. Over two dozen NFL players have already opted out for both voluntary reasons or being at high-risk of contracting COVID-19.

There have been several notable adjustments to the 2020 college football season due to the coronavirus, including canceled games and limited or no fans allowed at stadiums. The Pac-12 and Big Ten are both taking part in conference-only schedules.

The ACC announced Wednesday it has also altered its schedule with 10 conference games and one non-conference game.

Farley's decision will affect Virginia Tech, which will also now have to compete without one of its best players.

Farley is a two-year starter and is coming off a huge sophomore season where he was named first-team All-ACC. He matched up against some of the best receivers in the conference, totaling four interceptions and an ACC-high 16 passes defended.

Not only was he added to the Thorpe Award watch list for the best defensive backs in the country, but he also was ranked the No. 16 overall player in college football by 247Sports.

He will now skip the season and instead prepare for the draft, where he will hope to be a first-round pick. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller listed him as his top cornerback in the class going into the season.

The ACC is weighing a plan that would allow Notre Dame to compete for a conference championship in 2020, according to ESPN's Andrea Adelson. 

"Sources indicated that was only one of various scheduling models under discussion, and changes continue to be made to models and proposed schedules," per Adelson. "Any scheduling model needs approval from the ACC board of directors, made up of all 15 presidents and chancellors."

The Big Ten announced on July 9 it was adopting a conference-only schedule for fall sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pac-12 followed suit one day later.

Adelson reported those inside the ACC have had "no appetite" for adopting a conference-only format. Instead, teams would be allowed one nonconference game in addition to their ACC slates.

Notre Dame remains independent in football but joined the ACC for all other sports in 2012. Under the terms of the deal, however, the Fighting Irish plays roughly half of its football schedule against ACC teams.

Affiliating itself more formally with the ACC would make sense for Notre Dame, but Adelson noted the move isn't necessarily straightforward from the conference's perspective.

The Fighting Irish play Clemson, Georgia Tech and Louisville over their final three games. Those teams all have annual rivalries with SEC teams: South Carolina for Clemson; Georgia for Georgia Tech; and Kentucky for Louisville.

Adding Notre Dame to the schedule would then potentially jeopardize those encounters if ACC teams are allowed just the one nonconference game. Making the Fighting Irish a temporary ACC member would be a solution to that problem.

As an independent, Notre Dame would be significantly impacted if more Power Five conferences go the way of the Big Ten and Pac-12. The Fighting Irish have already lost out on marquee matchups with Stanford, Wisconsin and USC.

Notre Dame football's independent status has extended for more than a century, but the program might have to settle for what amounts to a marriage of convenience.

Highly touted safety James Williams re-committed to Miami on Tuesday.

Williams is the No. 1 athlete and No. 9 player in the 2021 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Opa Locka native is also the best player in the state of Florida.

He originally committed to Miami but reversed his decision last May.

Williams told the Sun Sentinel's Adam Lichtenstein last June that 2020 recruit Justin Hodges, who had committed to Miami, was doing his best to lobby on the Hurricanes' behalf.

"He calls my phone at random times: 'Commit back, man,'" he said. "But I'm just enjoying the process."

Williams' decision looked prescient as the Hurricanes labored to a 6-7 record in 2019, a season that included an embarrassing loss to Florida International and a shutout at the hands of Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.

Hodges decommitted from Miami as well and signed with UCF.

Patrick Surtain, a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback in the NFL, coached Williams as a sophomore at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida, before the 5-star safety transferred to Western High School. He has since moved back to Heritage.

At 6'5" and 218 pounds, Williams has great size for his position, and Surtain explained to The Athletic's Manny Navarro how his skills go well beyond that:

"I think the thing that separates him is his football IQ. I know he has all the measurables, but his understanding of football at this age is something pretty special and you rarely see it in high school. With all the defense we run, he's the head, he's talking with everybody, putting them in the right position and that's rare for a guy who just turned 16 years old. He's the team leader. I've seen him grow in that aspect."

Former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons represents the best of what Williams could become at the next level.

Coming out of high school, Simmons was a 3-star recruit and the No. 25 safety in the 2016 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Clemson turned him into a linebacker/safety hybrid who terrorized opposing offenses. Simmons led the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, and he was second in interceptions.

That's the kind of impact Williams can have for Miami's defense, and don't be surprised if he makes an immediate impact for the Hurricanes in 2021.

Williams told InsideTheU's Andrew Ivins that Miami remained an option despite his having already spurned the school.

The program hired former star Ed Reed as its chief of staff in January, which allowed him to serve a wide range of duties in an official capacity. Even though Williams wasn't born when Reed prowled the Hurricanes secondary, his on-field exploits are legendary to fans young and old.

Williams had also said to Ivins by joining Miami he "could learn from the greatest," referring to Reed.

Bringing the Hall of Famer into the fold appears to be paying dividends for the Canes.

Rings are typically awarded at the end of a college football season. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence decided to hand one out just a little early. 

Lawrence announced Friday on Instagram that he and longtime girlfriend Marissa Mowry are engaged. 

The quarterback proposed at the famed Death Valley stadium in midfield. 

"Easiest YES of my life!!!" Mowry wrote on Instagram.

The two began dating in high school in Cartersville, Georgia, and have stayed together long-distance since.

Mowry stars on the soccer team at Anderson University in South Carolina, while Lawrence is heading into his junior year with the Tigers.        

A group of protesters are calling on the University of North Carolina to change its nickname from the Tar Heels, citing its relationship to the Confederacy.

William Thorpe, the director of the Union Soldier Campaign, says the term "tar heels" celebrated Confederate soldiers who held their ground against Union troops during the Civil War.

"They stood their ground as if they had tar on their heels...if you call yourself a Tar Heel…you're cheering for the essence of white supremacy," Thorpe said, per the News & Observer. 

The Union Soldier Campaign is asking North Carolina to change its name to the Rams, which would allow them to keep the same logo and color scheme.

North Carolina history professor Jim Leloudis said the term was meant to demean slaves or poor white people. 

"It's hard to untangle," Leloudis said. "The term, at first, is derogatory in terms of race and class, then gets turned into a symbol of Confederate pride and loyalty."

The original origins of the Tar Heel nickname are unknown. North Carolina chose its name in the 1880s, not long after the end of the Civil War and during a time when the term was still colloquially known as an insult. 

The Clemson athletic department asked Thursday in a fan outlook survey whether supporters would prefer the 2020 college football season to take place in fall without fans or in spring with spectators in attendance.

Scott Keepfer of the Greenville News reported Friday the inquiry was included as a possible worst-case scenario amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Why do it without fans? I'm 50 years into this and I love Clemson football, but I have to be realistic," Tigers season ticket holder Dennis Wilson said. "The athletic department is trying to figure out what to do. Sounds like they are trying to please everybody, but they won't be able to do that."

Other survey topics included fans' comfort levels with attending games during the pandemic, whether they'd continue tailgating traditions and what they'd expect to see inside Memorial Stadium for safety measures.

It was sent to the school's IPTAY fundraising campaign season ticket holders. Athletic department spokesperson Jeff Kallin explained its purpose to Keepfer.

"As critical decisions are made in the weeks and months ahead, input from our IPTAY donors and season ticket holders is an important piece in informing those decisions," he said. "Deliberate and careful thought was put into the creation of the survey, which captures a set of beliefs during a select period of time. We will continue to evaluate a number of options related to stadium capacity, parking and ticketing."

Clemson is scheduled to open the season Sept. 3 against Georgia Tech. But the Big Ten and Pac-12 recently announced they will play only conference games.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford released a statement Friday saying the conference will make a decision in late July:

"The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and administrators remains the ACC's top priority. As we continue to work on the best possible path forward for the return of competition, we will do so in a way that appropriately coincides with our universities' academic missions. Over the last few months, our conference has prepared numerous scenarios related to the fall athletics season. The league membership and our medical advisory group will make every effort to be as prepared as possible during these unprecedented times, and we anticipate a decision by our Board of Directors in late July."

The Tigers are heavy favorites (-600) to win the ACC title, according to Caesars Palace.

It's unclear how possibly playing games in the spring would affect the NFL draft, which is scheduled to begin April 29.

The ACC is reportedly expected to only play in-conference games during the 2020 college football season.

Brett McMurphy of Stadium reported the news, with the ACC joining the Big Ten as major conferences to eliminate nonconference play. 

Power conferences are seemingly beginning to align in believing this is the best way to move forward with the 2020 football season. 

The plan's feasibility seems questionable, though. While the elimination of nonconference games may mitigate some risk, players will still fly on planes, stay in hotels and take other potential safety risks. A Boston College-Miami matchup would require a flight that takes three-and-a-half hours.

The schools' plan to keep in-conference games is overwhelmingly motivated by the desire to preserve revenue from television deals. Every major conference has its own television network, along with rights deals with networks to broadcast their games.

Conferences would take massive revenue hits if networks are unable to broadcast games.

Despite the announcement of plans to hold games, the college football season remains up in the air. The NCAA has maintained it will not allow member schools to play if students are not allowed on campuses.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc in the United States, it's difficult to imagine full attendance for the nation's universities by the beginning of football season.