Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast · Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner

ACC Offseason Vibe Check: Just How Pre-Fired Is Mike Norvell?

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Duke's two best players just transferred to the same conference rival, leaving fans with no juice for the season.

This episode of Split Zone Duo is an ACC offseason review, hosted by Alex Kirshner and Richard Johnson. They assess each team's current trajectory by examining coaching changes, transfer portal activity, and recruiting. The hosts begin with the Miami Hurricanes, who reached the national championship last season. Miami is replacing first-round draft pick Francis Maunoa on the offensive line with five-star Jackson Cantwell and added receivers Cooper Barcate from Duke and Cam Vaughn from West Virginia. The hosts question Miami's decision to pursue transfer quarterback Will Mensa over developing Emory Williams, arguing this trend limits quarterback growth. Duke's offseason is defined by losing its two best players, quarterback Darian Mensa and receiver Cooper Barcate, to Miami after expecting both to stay. The hosts note Duke also lost key players like Chandler Rivers and Brian Parker to the portal or NFL, creating very bad vibes for the program. Georgia Tech is on its fourth defensive coordinator under coach Brent Key and lost offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to Florida along with several players. The team adds running back Justice Haynes from Michigan, but quarterback Alberto Mendoza's arrival from Indiana is met with skepticism by the hosts. At SMU, quarterback Kevin Jennings returns but loses his top five pass-catchers and offensive coordinator Casey Woods, creating major questions about the offense's support system. Stanford's new head coach is Tavita Pritchard, a former Stanford quarterback and NFL coach, tasked with rebuilding a depleted roster with minimal portal help. Virginia retains almost its entire offensive line and adds quarterbacks Eli Holstein and Beau Pribula, creating optimism for continued growth. California kept star freshman quarterback Jaron Kavi by retaining coach Nick Rolovich and added skill players like receiver Ian Strong from Rutgers. NC State's consistent eight-win seasons feel stale to the hosts, who see little evidence of a breakthrough despite retaining quarterback C.J. Bailey. Louisville added impact transfers like receiver Trey Richardson from Vanderbilt and edge rusher Tyler Thompson from UNC, but quarterback Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State is an unknown. Wake Forest must replace star running back Demond Claiborne, which the hosts believe will be very difficult. Boston College followed a promising first year under Bill O'Brien with a poor second season and lost several players to the portal. Syracuse's recruiting improved under Fran Brown, highlighted by two-sport signee Calvin Russell, but the quarterback situation remains unclear. North Carolina signed a large, highly-rated high school class to move past last year's portal failures, with a bowl game as a realistic goal. The hosts frame Clemson's season as a potential last stand for coach Dabo Swinney, questioning if the program can adapt to the portal era after years of diminishing returns. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending specific roster details with broader program assessments. This episode is ideal for ACC fans seeking a detailed, team-by-team offseason breakdown. Listeners preferring national narratives or draft analysis might find it too conference-specific.

As heard by us

A brisk ACC checkup that turns offseason noise into concrete team by team context.

Split Zone Duo's ACC offseason vibe check is a quick, useful tour through the conference's mood swings, moving from the teams with real uncertainty to the ones that feel stuck in place.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want an ACC offseason vibe check that keeps the football talk moving and skips the extra noise.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast