ACC Football

Pressuring the quarterback has never been more imperative than in today's pass-happy climate. To that end, Clemson added a key piece to its defensive line for 2023 with a commitment from Peter Woods.

The Alabaster, Alabama, native is the No. 3 defensive lineman in 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the 23rd-best player in the country.

In March 2021, Gabe Brooks of 247Sports compared Woods to former Michigan standout Rashan Gary, who was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft:

Stout defensive line prospect with potential for personnel flexibility across multiple schemes. Good height and enough frame space to add more mass. ... Flashes impressive suddenness and functional athleticism relative to size and age. Displays consistent disengaging ability to shed vs. run. Flashes some pass-rush nuance beyond his years. Athletic enough to be a threat from the backside. Strong at the point of attack and arrives at the ball with conviction. Seems like an extremely high-floor prospect with plenty of long-term potential as well.

A leg injury cost Woods all but six games of the 2020 season with Thompson High School. The squad still reached the state title game, where he had five tackles.

The Warriors were back in the state championship again in 2021. Getting to enjoy a full season, Woods posted 92 total tackles, 11 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He was a terror for opposing players.

Thompson boasted another 5-star talent on defense in Jeremiah Alexander. Alexander, an Alabama commit, was the top edge defender in 247Sports' 2022 composite rankings. Pairing Alexander and Woods together almost wasn't fair.

With the former moving on to the Crimson Tide, the latter has the opportunity to showcase himself in an even bigger way. Tigers fans will be eager to see what he does in 2022 before arriving in Clemson.

As much as Clemson has benefited from stellar quarterback play to become a perennial College Football Playoff contender, the front seven has often set the tone for the Tigers.

The program didn't have a single defensive lineman selected in the 2020, 2021 or 2022 NFL drafts, though. It's not entirely a coincidence Clemson has had slowly diminishing returns since winning a national championship in 2018.

Perhaps Woods can help the Tigers return to the point where they boast one of the most fearsome front sevens in FBS.

Francis Mauigoa, one of the top offensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting class, announced Monday he's committed to Miami.

Keegan Pope of On3 reported the 5-star prospect's choice.

Mauigoa has made a few stops in his high school career. He played in his native American Samoa and at Aquinas High School in California before landing with national powerhouse IMG Academy, and he's looked like an elite prospect on every step of the journey.

The 6'5", 330-pound rising star rates as the No. 9 overall player and the best offensive tackle in the class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Mauigoa also played along the defensive line in high school, but his best long-term outlook comes if he can solidify himself as a high-end left tackle in college.

"They like the way I dominate on the line. They like how ruthless and unstoppable I am on the line," he told Ryan Wright of Recruiting News Guru in February 2021 about his conversations with college coaches.

The standout two-way lineman attracted attention from top programs around the country during his recruiting process before making his college choice.

Mauigoa is a high-floor prospect because he's a strong bet to become a force at offensive tackle, but other options exist should that not work out at Miami.

He's got the size to shift inside to guard, or he could flip back to the defensive line to play tackle. He has several paths to success, and his baseline talent makes it likely that he succeeds.

It's a nice win on the recruiting trail for Mario Cristobal and the Canes, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Mauigoa earns a spot in the starting lineup early in his college career.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has clarified the comments he made about academic standards at Ohio State.

Appearing on Morning Juice on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus on Wednesday (h/t ESPN's Adam Rittenberg), Freeman said he would "never discredit the quality of education" at Ohio State.

Freeman caused a stir in an interview with CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd that was published June 10.

"I'm not saying from top to bottom, but the majority of our kids, they—I want to say this the right way—are pushed to learn and their study habits are formulated every day. You can't cheat academics at Notre Dame," he said.

To emphasize his point, Freeman mentioned his alma mater of Ohio State as an academic institution where there were more avenues available to students to pass classes.

"If you don't go to class [at those places], OK. Take some online classes. Show up for your final," Freeman said rhetorically. "At Notre Dame, you're forced every day to go to class."

Freeman clarified he wasn't talking specifically about Ohio State as much as every big school in the country.

"When you really look, what exactly I said, I was talking about if you don't go to class at these big schools that have 60,000, 40,000 students, OK, you can take online classes," he told Morning Juice. "We can't. The majority of our kids cannot take online classes here because it's a smaller school and you're forced to have in-class attendance. That's what I wanted to get cleared up."

Freeman played linebacker for the Buckeyes from 2004 to 2008. He was a two-time All-Big Ten second-team selection in his final two seasons at the program. The 36-year-old also earned two degrees from Ohio State.

After a heart condition forced Freeman to retire as a player in 2010, then-Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel hired him as a graduate assistant.

Freeman went on to be an assistant at Kent State, Purdue and Cincinnati before Brian Kelly hired him as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2021.

After Kelly left the Fighting Irish to become LSU's head coach, Freeman was named his replacement in December.

Buckeyes fans will have the opportunity to let Freeman know they don't appreciate his comments, even if something was lost in translation.

Ohio State will host Notre Dame in the season opener for both teams Sept. 3. This will be the first meeting between the two storied programs since the Buckeyes' 44-28 win in the Fiesta Bowl in the 2015 season.

NCAA has begun an inquiry into the University of Miami regarding name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated.

Enforcement staff members visited Miami to conduct interviews and spoke with billionaire booster John Ruiz, per Dellenger. They were in Coral Gables, Florida for two days.

"I'm extremely comfortable with what we are doing. I have nothing to hide,” Ruiz told Dellenger regarding what he said was an "interview" with investigators. "It went super well. The NCAA is trying to wrap their hands around this sudden change of environment. They’re trying to figure out how the landscape is working."

Ruiz's remarks would seem to align with a report from Manny Navarro and Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic:

The NCAA's NIL policy went into effect on July 1, 2021.

Per Dellenger, Ruiz has signed 115 athletes to NIL deals. Most attend Miami, but he's also inked deals with players from North Carolina and FIU. The NIL deals total $7 million.

Ruiz notably signed Kansas State transfer and Hurricanes guard Nijel Pack to a two-year, $800,000 deal to endorse two of his companies, LifeWallet and the Cigarette Racing Team.

Ruiz spoke more on the matter:

A lot of NCAA bylaws are hard to reconcile with the ability and right to enter into NIL deals. I think that the NCAA is starting to get a handle on the fact that it's not capable of navigating within the [state] NIL laws and their own bylaws. There is an internal conflict.

I felt the people from the NCAA were extremely pleasant. They are tasked with the job of making sure they gather enough information and create a functioning standard for everybody. There has to be better regulation.

A Miami spokesperson released a statement declining comment on the "specifics of the matter."

The news comes amid an exciting time for Miami athletics. The Hurricanes football team hired alum Mario Cristobal away from the University of Oregon to lead its program, the men's basketball team reached the 2022 Elite Eight and the women's basketball and baseball teams made the NCAA tournament as well.

A Montgomery County Circuit Court found former Virginia Tech linebacker Isimemen Etute not guilty in the May 2021 beating death of Blacksburg resident Jerry Smith, according to ESPN's David M. Hale and Tonya Simpson.

Smith and Etute initially met in April 2021 on the dating app Tinder.

According to testimony, Smith, who was an out gay man, presented himself on the app as a 21-year-old woman named Angie Renee. Etute, who thought he was meeting a woman, met Smith at his apartment on April 10. 

One of Etute's teammates, who went to Smith's apartment with him, testified that Smith hid his real identity during their encounter. Etute also testified that he received oral sex from Smith, in addition to a $50 gift, though he said he still believed Smith to be a woman. 

In May 2021, Etute and a few of his teammates returned to Smith's apartment to determine if he was who he said he was—Angie Renee, a 21-year-old woman. While his teammates waited outside, Etute determined Smith was not a woman and confronted him. 

During the confrontation, Etute testified that he believed Smith was reaching for a weapon under his bed, so he began hitting him in self-defense. When police later searched the apartment, they found a knife under Smith's mattress.

That said, Etute testified that he never saw the knife nor did he tell police in his initial June 2021 interview that he thought his life was in danger. 

Etute testified that he stomped on Smith's face as he was leaving but Smith was still breathing when he left. Security footage showed that Etute spent three minutes in Smith's apartment.

As a result of the attack, Smith ended up with nearly all of his facial bones broken, missing teeth fragments and suffered brain bleeding, according to the autopsy report. 

After the trial concluded, Etute's lawyer said that his client has "earned the right to go back to school and further his academic and sports career," adding, "I think the school that ends up taking him is going to get probably a lot wiser and a much smarter and an exceptional athlete."

Etute committed to Virginia Tech in July 2020 as a three-star prospect and the 39th overall ranked player in the 2021 class out of Virginia, per 247Sports Composite Rankings. He also had offers from Boston College and Liberty, among others. 

Alonzo Highsmith is returning to his alma mater to become the general manager of football operations at Miami.

"Alonzo is a true Miami Hurricane," head coach Mario Cristobal said in Thursday's announcement. "He understands the commitment and sacrifice it takes to be a champion on and off the field. His tremendous passion for the University of Miami and this city is unparalleled."

The school said Highsmith "will work directly with Cristobal to support all administrative functions of the football program, including budget-related items, culture building, program imaging and working directly with staff members both on and off the field."

Previously, he had worked within the front offices of the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and most recently the Seattle Seahawks, in addition to playing six years in the NFL.

As Cristobal noted, Highsmith is revered among Hurricanes fans.

The 57-year-old had 2,850 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns in four years at Miami. He helped the program win a national championship in 1983 and usher in the era of "The U."

Cristobal's predecessor, Manny Diaz, did something similar with his staff when he hired Ed Reed as Miami's chief of staff in January 2020. Highsmith's executive experience creates a distinction between the two, however.

There's no question his return will excite the fanbase by playing on the nostalgia of the Hurricanes' most successful era. He's also uniquely equipped to both reestablish the culture that will separate Miami from its competitors.

More than anything, though, hiring a defined general manager is becoming more important with name, image and likeness legislation and the one-time transfer rule changing the college landscape.

Poaching Cristobal from Oregon was a coup for Miami, but recent history has shown the head coach alone can only do so much to return the program to prominence.

Bringing Highsmith back to Coral Gables, Florida, continues the wider moves the university has made to bring in the necessary infrastructure behind the scenes.

The only quarterback selected in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday was Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, whom the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted with the No. 20 pick. That said, let's take a look at where North Carolina's Sam Howell and Ole Miss' Matt Corral could end up on Day 2. 

Peter Schrager of Fox Sports reported before the draft began that the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions were "most often linked as potential quarterback teams" in Round 1. 

That said, those teams could be looking for a quarterback in the second round. In terms of specifics, the Lions could select Corral with the No. 46 overall pick, and the Saints could select Howell with the 49th overall pick.

The Lions aren't necessarily confident that Jared Goff can be their quarterback of the future, so it would not be surprising if the franchise selected a quarterback in Round 2. 

Detroit acquired Goff in the deal that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, and he didn't show much improvement from his inconsistent days out west. The 27-year-old completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,245 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 14 games. 

That said, Corral could be an intriguing option for the Lions. The 23-year-old was impressive in his fourth season at Ole Miss, which was his second under head coach Lane Kiffin. He completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions, in addition to rushing for 614 yards and 11 scores. 

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t Sports Illustrated) noted in March that he didn't see Goff being Detroit's future and projected the Lions to select Corral in the draft. He added that the Rebels quarterback "throws a ball with some zip" and "is extremely tough," but mentioned a concern being that college coaches didn't ask him to make a lot of reads, which would be an adjustment for him at the NFL level.

Even if the Lions were to select Corral, he would likely spend at least one year learning and developing under Goff. He is nowhere near ready to be a starter in the NFL and would benefit from a year on the sidelines.

Moving on to Howell, he would be a good fit for a New Orleans team looking for a quarterback for the future following Drew Brees' retirement after the 2020 season. 

The Saints relied on Jameis Winston for seven games in 2021 until he suffered a torn ACL. They then tried Ian Book, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill under center, but none thrived for the franchise. 

Winston is back for the 2022 season and will likely start regardless if the team drafts a quarterback. However, it's unclear if the Saints view him as their long-term quarterback. 

Howell was viewed as one of the better passers in this year's draft, but his 2021 performance caused some concern. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,056 yards and 24 touchdowns against nine interceptions, all of which are down from his 2020 performance. 

That said, Howell has tremendous upside and might be worth taking a chance on. 

B/R's NFL Scouting Department notes that Howell has a "good build," is a tough runner, has good arm strength and above-average accuracy. Those traits would help him fit in well in New Orleans. 

North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell is drawing comparison to one former NFL quarterback leading up to the 2022 draft, and that might not be a great thing. 

The Athletic's Jeff Howe interviewed one general manager, four executives and two offensive coaches in his Monday article, and one said Howell "reminds me of Tim Tebow."

While Howell is considered one of the better quarterbacks available in the 2022 draft, he's ranked behind Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder and Malik Willis in ESPN's latest quarterback projections. 

The 21-year-old was a starter in each of his three seasons for the Tar Heels, but he took a step backward as a passer during the 2021 season. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,056 yards and 24 touchdowns against nine interceptions in 12 games. 

For comparison, Howell completed 68.1 percent of his passes in 2020 for 3,586 yards and 30 touchdowns against seven interceptions in the same number of games. 

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department notes that Howell's strengths are his arm strength, accuracy, deep passing skills. He also has great athleticism and can run the ball well.

B/R's Scouting Department lists Howell's height (6'0⅝") and throwing motion as some of the negatives of his game. 

Tebow had some of the same strengths and weaknesses after four seasons with the Florida Gators. He had an awkward throwing motion but good strength and running ability. 

The No. 25 overall draft pick in 2010, Tebow's NFL career was short as he struggled to adapt at the next level. In 35 games across three seasons with the Denver Broncos and New York Jets, he completed just 47.9 percent of his passes for 2,422 yards and 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He was much better with his legs, rushing for 989 yards and 12 scores. 

If Howell is unable to adjust, he could find himself in a similar situation. That said, he's drawing a good amount of interest entering the draft, having met with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. 

Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney commented Saturday on his hefty salary, one day after opposing any movement to "professionalize" college sports.

According to ESPN's Chris Low, Swinney said the following when asked about those who bring up high coaching salaries as a reason  college athletes should be paid:

"Well, [Alabama head football coach] Nick Saban is 70 years old. I'm 52 years old. None of us set markets on what we do. We live in a capitalist society. The head of Delta probably makes a lot more than the people who are checking your baggage in, but those people are as vital as anybody. None of us set markets on what we do. It's a free market we live in, in anything. It's just that our jobs are so visible and so public. I can tell you this: None of us got into coaching to make money, but I don't apologize for being successful."

Per Low, Swinney said Friday that while he isn't against the NCAA's name, image and likeness (NIL) rules allowing college athletes to make money, he has concerns about what it could lead to:

"I am against anything that devalues education. That's what I'm against. I am for anything that incentivizes education. People will come after me because I've always said that I'm against the professionalism of college athletics, and I am. Kids don't know what they don't know. That's a slippery slope if you professionalize college athletics, and now you've got salaries and taxes and you can fire kids on the spot and they've got to pay for their tuition and they pay for their housing and everything else. Athletic directors would sign up for that in a heartbeat. They'd save money."

When USA Today released its list of the highest-paid head coaches in college football in November, Swinney was fourth on the list with an average annual salary of over $8.3 million.

Swinney suggested to Low that his greatest concern with regard to the NIL guidelines is they will be used as a recruiting tool, calling the lack of rules "out of control" and "unsustainable," as well as "an absolute mess and a train wreck."

When asked by Low if he felt college football coaches make too much money, Swinney didn't provide a definitive answer, but he brought up the impact that Saban has had on the University of Alabama and expressed his belief that Saban is "probably underpaid" despite being the highest-paid college football coach.

In terms of impact, there is no denying that Swinney has been hugely positive for the Clemson football program during his 14 years at the helm.

The Tigers are a remarkable 150-36 under him, having won seven ACC titles and two national championships.

Clemson has also won 10 or more games in each of the past 11 seasons. Before the start of that streak, the Tigers hadn't won 10 or more games in a season since 1990.

Given that Clemson reached the national title game in four of five seasons from 2015 to 2019, it was considered something of a step back when the team missed the College Football Playoff and went "only" 10-3 in 2021.

That speaks to the winning culture Swinney has created at Clemson, and it underscores why he is one of the most well-compensated coaches in collegiate athletics.