ACC media days: Top 5 storylines from Greensboro
1. The league reacts to Monday's sanctions brought down by the NCAA on Penn State. Two ACC coaches are Penn State graduates who played for Joe Paterno, Boston College's Frank Spaziani and Miami's Al Golden. In fact, Spaziani was the last player recruited to Penn State by Paterno as an assistant coach. Now, we'll have to wait and see which ACC teams will take on Penn State players who can transfer without penalty.
2. John Swofford has no worries about the ACC in the evolving college landscape. “In a word, totally.” That was Swofford's response when asked if he felt Clemson was committed to staying in the league. Swofford made a trip to Clemson on Friday and met with president James Barker and the board of trustees. After an offseason filled with conference realignment chatter that centered on Clemson and Florida State, Swofford made it clear that the ACC is secure moving forward. Citing the additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse , the new Orange Bowl deal, and the ACC's access to a playoff, Swofford said, “There's just plus after plus after plus.”
3. Al Golden and Miami are dealing with more fallout from the Nevin Shapiro scandal. This time, however, it is Golden's coaching staff that is alleged to have committed recruiting violations in Yahoo! Sports' latest story on the Hurricanes. As Golden tries to rebuild Miami, this story doesn't seem to stop. "What we need is to get everybody away from our program and let us go to work,” Golden said. “We don't need help. Let the coaches and players sell the program and everybody else get away."
4. The annual question: When will the ACC be more competitive on the national stage? Florida State is the overwhelming favorite to win the league, and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said his team is ready to take on the high expectations. Swofford pointed out that there are plenty of opportunities in non-league games for the ACC to earn some respect. He also acknowledged the league's 3-12 record in BCS games, “I believe the day will come when 3-12 becomes 12-3.”
5. What will happen with Clemson wide receiver and preseason player of the year Sammy Watkins? Watkins ran into some off-field trouble with two misdemeanor possession charges in May, and coach Dabo Swinney has said that Watkins will miss time. Clemson opens up with Auburn in Atlanta on Sept. 1 but then faces Ball State and Furman. Will Swinney elect to sit Watkins against Auburn? Or will he sit him in the more winnable games the following weeks? Swinney is taking his time and said a decision will come “shortly after we start camp.”
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from ACC bloggers Shawn Krest and Sean Bielawski, follow @CBSSportsACC
