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Duke thrived in Mike Elko’s debut season. A tough schedule will be a Year 2 obstacle

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Mike Elko had a fast start in reviving Duke’s teetering program. The challenge in Year 2 is building on success while facing a schedule that will make it difficult to show gains in the Atlantic Coast Conference.The Blue Devils (9-4, 5-3 ACC) nearly matched their win total (10) of the last three seasons under David Cutcliffe, whose program had faded after a lengthy run of success. Elko led the Blue Devils to their best win total in eight years while its four losses were by a combined 16 points.There’s reason for optimism with eight offensive and defensive starters back, including rising quarterback Riley Leonard. But a schedule featuring ninth-ranked league favorite Clemson and No. 8 Florida State in a new division-less ACC along with No. 13 Notre Dame will test that.“Everything this offseason has just been about elevation, and we didn’t come in to have one good season,” Elko said. “We didn’t come in to have one positive moment and then kind of let it ...

Georgia Tech’s Brent Key aims high following encouraging 4-4 introduction

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech’s string of four consecutive losing seasons may have made Brent Key’s 4-4 record after taking over for Geoff Collins last season look promising to some observers.Key wasn’t impressed. The former Georgia Tech lineman and offensive assistant who took over as interim coach before landing the full-time job wants to make it clear he’s aiming higher than .500. Key, entering his first full season as the Yellow Jackets’ coach, wants Georgia Tech to be bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.Georgia Tech’s encouraging finish under Key included road wins over two Top 25 teams, Pittsburgh and North Carolina.“I was extremely proud of those guys for some of the things they overcame, the way they worked,” Key said. “But there’s not … one guy on our team that tells you that 4-4 is acceptable. Let’s be real. We finished 4-4. That’s .500. That doesn’t get you anything in this game nowadays. It really doesn’t.”Georgia Tech, 1-3...

Wake Forest hopes a new QB and restocked lineup keep Demon Deacons rolling along

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

Much of Wake Forest’s recent identity had been tied to Sam Hartman leading a passing attack so prolific that it carried the Demon Deacons to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game and top-10 national rankings.Now it’s Mitch Griffis’ turn to lead the offense for a team facing the latest test of its ability to develop talent and restock the depth chart with players ready to contribute.The Demon Deacons (8-5, 3-5 ACC in 2022) return five offensive starters and four on defense with numerous losses, none more glaring than Hartman’s transfer to Notre Dame. Yet under Dave Clawson, Wake Forest has been a consistent winner, including 19 the past two seasons.“We have guys that maybe haven’t played a lot,” the 10th-year coach said, “but they’ve been in our program for three, four, five years, and now they’re having their opportunity to play. ”That’s why Clawson has confidence despite losing a talent like two-time 1,000-yard receiver A.T....

Coach Dino Babers and Syracuse had holes to fill on the roster and the staff to get ready for season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse is carrying plenty of momentum into the 2023 season. Some of it, unfortunately, is heading in the wrong direction for head coach Dino Babers.Entering his eighth season, Babers has been challenged to fill several key holes on both his roster and staff following a year in which the Orange turned an encouraging and unexpected 6-0 start into a 7-6 finish, ending with a loss to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl.While the bowl berth and winning record were the Atlantic Coast Conference program’s first since 2018, and the Orange climbed as high as No. 14 in the rankings, their second-half flop is what stands out, with injuries and a stiffer schedule playing contributing factors.The ups then downs led to athletic director John Wildhack having to answer what’s become a familiar offseason question regarding the long-term status of Babers, who is believed to be signed through 2024.“If we have success in 2023 and beyond, I hope coach Babers is here for a long time,”...

NC State won with defense last year. Now the Wolfpack’s new offense will take center stage

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State relied on defense to get through a season in which its offense started four quarterbacks due to injuries. Both units look different for Dave Doeren’s 11th season.Last year’s Wolfpack (8-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) reached eight wins for the fifth time in six years. The defense was one of the nation’s top units while the offense was inconsistent even before injuries hammered the most important position — notably by sidelining preseason ACC player of the year Devin Leary.Lessons linger for how this year’s team can succeed.“The team changes a lot when you lose a quarterback, another quarterback, another quarterback,” Doeren said. “So the fact that our complementary football played into it — the defense was No. 1 in the league in scoring defense, the special teams were No. 1 in the league, our offense did not turn the football over and kept us in games — that’s how we won.”Picked fourth in the ACC, N.C. State ...

No. 9 Clemson hopes changes at quarterback, coordinator lead the Tigers back to the CFP

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney hopes changes at quarterback and offensive coordinator lead his ninth-ranked Tigers back to the College Football Playoff. It looked like the program’s run of success — six straight Atlantic Coast Conference titles, two national titles from 2015 to 2020 —- had fizzled out when they missed the league championship game in 2021. But the Tigers rebounded last season for their seventh ACC crown in eight years, although they missed out on college football’s final four for a second straight season. Now, with sophomore Cade Klubnick entering his first full season as starter and offensive innovator Garrett Riley leading the attack, Swinney believes Clemson can return to the playoff. “Maybe we can get back there this year and be able to say we went seven out of the last nine years,” Swinney said. “That would be a pretty cool accomplishment.”It took a couple of uncomfortable decisions by Swinney to put the Tigers back in championship p...

Pick Six: From UCLA to Miami, some of the freshmen with high expectations to watch in 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

As one of the top-rated quarterbacks in this year’s class of incoming freshmen, Dante Moore might have been thought of as a lock to start for UCLA.Coach Chip Kelly isn’t making it so easy, not with transfer Collin Schlee from Kent State arriving on campus with ample starting experience, including against national champion Georgia, Washington and Oklahoma last year. Moore also will have to beat Ethan Garbers, the Bruins’ backup to Dorian Thompson-Robinson last season.“Our job has never been to keep people happy,” Kelly said. “I think the way you keep your entire team happy is that you’re fair with everybody and then things are won on the field, not just because someone came in and they’ve got better accolades than somebody else.”Moore and countless other first-year college players arrive with expectations nonetheless, not only of themselves, but also rabid fan bases. Here are a few that hope to meet those expectations.DANTE MOORE, QB, UCLAKelly has said that t...

No. 21 Tar Heels aim to contend in the ACC with QB Drake Maye. A step up defensively would help, too

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina didn’t make things easy last year, surviving a shaky defense on a wild ride that reached the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.Mack Brown would love his team to take a steadier route this season as an ACC contender led by a star quarterback in Drake Maye.The 21st-ranked Tar Heels (9-5, 6-2 ACC in 2022) had a six-game winning streak that ultimately helped them claim the final Coastal Division championship before the ACC’s move to a division-less format this season. But UNC lost its last four games, including the ACC title game against Clemson and the Holiday Bowl against Oregon.Brown, in Year 5 of his second stint here, has eight returning offensive starters — including Maye as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate — and seven on defense. That’s enough to have the Tar Heels picked to finish third in the ACC behind ninth-ranked favorite Clemson and No. 8 Florida State.“You want expectations,” Brown said. “And if you don...

World Cup winner Paredes returns to Roma on a 2-year deal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

ROME (AP) — World Cup winner Leandro Paredes returned to Roma on Wednesday, signing a two-year deal with the Serie A club.Paredes joins from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of around 4 million euros ($4.4 million) and the Argentina midfielder will wear the iconic No. 16 shirt, that previously belonged to retired Roma legend Daniele De Rossi.“I never would’ve allowed it to happen without Daniele’s permission,” Paredes said. “He sent me a message to say he would be thrilled for me to wear that number.”Paredes was teammates with De Rossi during his first spell at Roma.“Coming back to Rome is always a special thing, but doing so now as a Roma player is even more special,” Paredes said. “I’d like to thank the fans for welcoming me and Roma for bringing me back to the club where I launched my career in Europe.“Last year was an incredibly happy one for me with the World Cup, so now I want to keep tasting success and I’m convinced I can do just that with this team.”Having come through the you...

Denver weather: Summer heat is here to stay

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:22:51 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The hot temperatures continue along the Front Range with abundant sunshine on Wednesday in the Denver weather forecast.Weather today: Sunny and hotWith mostly sunny skies on Wednesday, Denver will see highs topping out in the middle 90s, keeping temperatures above average for this time of the year. Colorado man: ‘The post office thinks I’m dead’ Clouds increase in the high country with a few showers in the afternoon.Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on Aug. 16. Weather tonight: Mild and clearThe skies will stay mostly clear Wednesday night with a slower wind. Overnight lows will be mild but still above average as they dip into the low 60s.Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on Aug. 16.Looking ahead: Small storm chances and lots of 90sThe heat stays through Thursday afternoon with highs in the low 90s and sunny skies. Friday has a small chance for some late-day showers or storms. Highs will once again reach the middle 90s. Colorado River water cuts eased for 202...