The Drive with Josh Graham - ACC Kickoff Day 2

I drive have been in uptown Charlotte kickoff things really get crazy fast for 15 minutes. The head coach of the Miami hurricanes Mattie Diaz will be here. Once upon a time he was on coach Chuck Amato Stafford and Cisse will talk to him about the hurricanes and maybe get some Amato and Philip Rivers stories, 10 minutes after that it will be massive around the new head coach at North Carolina dropping by Bryce Hall from Virginia might be the highest draft sick and next year's draft from the ACs be he will be joining us to however and wherever you're listening appreciate that. And speaking of back ground often at events like this. We start thinking about prominence and when there are so many people we have access to and so little time for us to squeeze these guest into timeslots here on the sports we start think we start prioritizing and it was crazy to think last week when we were putting together a list of gas. Here the day that Jan Dabo Sweeney of Clemson won the national title for a second time that Matt Brown is easily the second biggest star in the ACC.

The second most prominent name in this come as a coach who is been out of the game for five years and a coach who is new in the league at a program that is it the traditional football power. It's not really even close.

Either we can accept the Dabo Sweeney is the biggest game. This conference has to offer. Who would be in that discussion with background that Johnson's back in our Kernersville studio. Your thoughts welcome on twitter at sports triad on twitter beyond background. Is it David Cutler do with this background of the Mannings Daniel Jones being drafted in the top 10. Could it be possibly manning the sense he had one of the top defenses in college football last year at Miami and just being the head coach of the you carries a certain type of way. Mack Brown being this prominent public figure all ready for the ACC coming after not being in the lead for decades not be in college fall for theirs. It doesn't help the deception are not the ACC. They don't get the same love, the SEC will win its act and Miami are having down years.

The traditional programs need to be respect you feel like you deserve and with them being down last year the nation wasn't ready to jump on board the Eric Dunn GT no papers and Syracuse bandwagon to get behind Virginia and what Ronco Mendenhall has built get out of the guts to put fair because I published two very good programs open the top five Syracuse finishing 15th in the nation. In the final AP poll results. It's not completely fair, but that's what we do. Maybe not in the SEC is much remember when Kentucky had success of the coach stoops last year everybody was applauding how great Kentucky what they were making fun of the SEC when down traditional programs like LSU was struggling. No, no, no, they were saying how great Kentucky was how great of a story. What we didn't see the same stories with Erica. We didn't see that with Virginia. I don't know if we'd see it would North Carolina even with background that so is it because Kentucky is not much better than Virginia and better than Syracuse. Probably not bought when people talk about SEC buyers. That's what they go through.

Speaking of SEC by that's one of the squares in our ACC kickoff bingo card and then as I got this Joe we've got a Bengal bingo. I already tell you the five that we have across starting with the FBI.

Thanks to look for can't be assessed from the news and Observer spine columnist asking John Swofford about that yesterday at the commissioners forum footprints swath is due to expression. We knew it was coming and he ran up the score with that yesterday return of the Mac background on Michelle but believe me I've heard that a few times today. It's just an easy thing to do with low hanging fruit like talking about. The lion King or the 50th anniversary of the moonwalk 50th anniversary. By the way, will be Saturday.

How about Notre Dame Notre Dame scratching that one off since they were in the college football playoff last year, Duke has the face both Alabama and Notre Dame Notre Dame on their schedule this year to things that were in the playoffs.

Unfortunately they don't have Clemson Dabo to Alabama made and that gave us the bingo five for five on our ACC kickoff bingo card so were almost through our days here in Charlotte thanks to everybody who's made it possible for yes IDs the folks back in Kernersville and lining up all the greatness that we visited with client.

What do you think has been the highlight of what we've done so far.

Among the do we have the T-shirts being made is that is that motion already talk you about that together made a once the logo were putting on the T-shirt with this letter. These letters I'm undefeated, undefeated, my man, facial shot coach Dave Dorn just just smiling because he rarely ever see Dave Dorn's flashing a smile not either one clapping or liking some motion dance and Dorn.

Or maybe like his hands up in the air and edited in the shot is a red solo cup in his hand, undefeated baby. Glenn was really excited about the idea T-shirts show starts at likes the idea. Like Dave Doran, David Glenn show here on the sports art also was undefeated at noon. I like what you think Dave Doran, undefeated, I get it. It was sassy.

Dave Doran and he also said that if there aren't any passout at Carter Finley Stadium. As a result of the new beer legislation being passed being allowed to sell alcohol again that he would chug the year of sorts, and he's not a light beer guy Dave Doran loves the IPAs we learn so what were talking about IPAs potential with being chug on the sidelight of Dave Doran.

If NC State can't stay in their seats. Don't leave to go to the parking lot and uniformity that something that could actually happen was according to Raleigh radio host spoke with Doran yesterday pretty goodbye got to go down. I didn't even realize last two years.

Dorn's 118 games on 11 five and the ACC might be 172 most under appreciated coaches entire conference.

It's just crazy to think going back to Mack Brown and being probably the second biggest star in the league right now. The ACC was the best league in college football three years ago there was any question about it. SEC fans would be upset to hear that but think about just what the 2017 season was make the 2016 season Clemson won its first national title under Dabo. You had North Carolina coming off of 15 and 111 in one season little risky quarterbacks who were soon to become the number two pick in the NFL draft Virginia Tech won the coastal and Justin Fuentes first year Clemson won the national title. Miami had Mark Rick and Miami fans.

The very next thought you was back for real Georgia Tech continued to win at a high clip of Paul Johnson the more bleeping Jackson in the league winning the Heisman Trophy. That was just a few years ago. Now look at the way I'm not saying it's incredibly down. I'm just saying that it's completely different and it happened just a few years. Florida State no longer having Jimbo Fisher, Mark Rick not being around Paul Johnson.

As mentioned, no more Frank Beamer, albeit I still have faith in Justin Fuentes is just completely different and it hasn't helped the national perception of things and it's all happened in a very quick period of time. Like I said there are a lot of things happening here at ACC kickoff. It's going to be Mark Rick and Manny Diaz joining us in moments the drive is not being broadcast today in the law offices to be wellborn studios.

You can learn more@timwellborn.com and the ways that they can help you.

You'll know when you need us get ready to popcorn ready to say both Miami coach Manny Diaz and North Carolina head coach background will join Michelle the drive force 609 20 now were being joined by the head coach of the Miami hurricanes got enough to be here, and there's a number of things I want to talk to you about with your program, but I actually want to start with your time in the state of North Carolina on Chuck Amato staff Philip Rivers was the quarterback of the team. What was your first impression of Philip Rivers when you first met. So Philip came in as a major role leave me visited the exact same time that we got hired at NC State so we all really almost came in at the same time and morale for spring practice and it didn't take long to realize that Philip was of your God will undergo the true freshman Corvette which today doesn't sound quite so crazy in their trouble. More fuel back then giving the reins to Richard freshman was almost unheard of, but phobic procedures had at maturity about him in and had a great freshman year and we had some magical might even that your that at Carter Finley and and was fun to watch Philip mature and watchful grow all four years as competitive a guy is ever been around and I'll take a quick 24 verse torso. It's after his careers up at NC State and he's a lot a guys now go away trying to draft and filled with such a great got folk stay in training Raleigh with a string staff so it was March madness time came, so we had a racquetball court and are in the stores in the facility at NC State suicide of a March madness staff likable turn. So we make up a bracket and worn the strength or the sprinkler dissolves in the weight room and filled box and Phil goes here. We got is like 16 person likable bracket like on the storm racquetball March madness bracket and Philip said he goes where my like Philip like the draft is likened for weeks like you're not playing much of us right and felt like no way man is a put me on the on the on the bracket likes looking up plan is like saying that there was a calm on the bracket okay feels like J often put filters on low and behold we have in the final four and it's me and Philip Rivers putting a semifinal and all I'm thinking is him to hit a racquetball and hit Philip in the eye and end his NFL career, you mean like this is like literally the worst thing that could ever happen. So as you imagine it didn't happen, but that was that was never my fear going in what the best Chuck Amato story you can think of getting your talk about somebody what a lot of energy Chuck Amato the same way seems like the yeah Chuck Chuck had a ton of energy and still does to stay in the know his love for NC State and and his passion to to take a place somewhere had been was special and you know I think that the metal year we had in 02 111 games. No beating Clemson on the on the Thursday night were the infamous white glasses which you know Chuck's truck was doing those things because he was highly highly superstitious.

Everybody thought was I got a semi-fashion sense like you want to wear sunglasses at night. We had been playing. We are a no I think we are playing all the games during the day and he sunglasses will go play Thursday to Clemson. He was knocking a play again without sunglasses on. It was not a fashion statement was because he was so superstitious he can play without him and that's that's were ultimately was born.

How superstitious are you my superstition. I got it right when my supposition is that I want my team to play really, really hard. And when we do we normally when we don't, it sometimes goes sideways so I actually become probably less superstitious as time goes on a coaching, probably because all your servers on that you finally lose right like they always wear the socks all damn I lost a like you want out of like lucky things right so you begin to realize you know what want to focus on get the guys to play as hard as I can play, where is the turnover chain right now. Right now it is an underground layer in the Everglades guarded by python snakes.

Okay okay that's were keeping our season okay who has access to Thursday old man with a cane and a long white beard sits out from the layer can talk to snakes and lets people in so I can tell you're really good at this here media Manny Diaz with a smiley head coach were to chat with background in a second.

Another guy was very good at this media thing he's had experience in 20 years ago you were somebody who would probably go to an event like this as a production assistant in television.

What's it like now. I'd imagine a little surreal being here at ACC kickoff and you're the subject and on top of it.

You're the head coach of the Miami hurricanes. It's completely surreal and even though that's how my life before I got a coaching when I was ESPN you as you get older that time become the smaller fraction of your life but when you're young you're still very known impressionable. So a lot of my instinct a lot of things I think about. I still think about from those that time when I was at ESPN and when I sort of got my start coming up through the journals around and I think it's always told me. Have a good relationship with our media because I understand their job understand what they're trying to do and because I was trying to be that that that guy at one point my life Manny we wish you the best of luck and I got a lot to do today. Thank you. First critics economy Greensboro and Winston-Salem yeah think you have, that's Manny Diaz, coach of the Miami hurricanes 620 hanging out with us today and gone to visit from background in a little bit from North Carolina just so much going on here in Charlotte you enjoy your time behind and pulled here, pulled their man. I'm also an open sea shop near Memphis know you are closer to the guy would go to out of the bullpen and you can prohibit like Trevor, I can do it now.

You put me on the mile. I was normally a stronger but I never ever hated the fact if you had to close your own netmail is pretty sweet right yet is an I was on. I'm ready for football to start so I started I subscribe to ESPN plus and a show I been binging detail in there isn't the coach that it makes more.

My friend Matt Brown's coming by to see if we get you both. That would be a neat thing as we can get both David chocolate and background together will figure it out but in the detail program. Peyton Manning references you time and time again when it comes to you can't put the ball on the ground under any circumstances, any of that. Have you seen the show all yes he would send me the role copies all before you say anything you see, you don't lie so you talking about joy.

I would get uncut version located could take a little bit.

Send anybody I'm not trying to sell descriptions to ESPN plus if you haven't seen you like football your mission you know it's excellent stuff. Also in your somebody is known for your quarterback expertise so facing Alabama in game one to what's on the viola and this is somebody people are projected to be the top quarterback on the board next year and examining what Alabama brings in. Specifically, 13 what makes them so special is really quiet more meaning does not does not take much for him to get the ball quarterback mechanism, not just where you're going or how things are happening when and why does the study law is very difficult to make a decision will have no reminds me of Dan Marino and Lisa left, but he is so accurate, so gifted his balance is phenomenal is one of the reasons so consistent.

We hear when you're drafted to play for New York Giants, different kind of pressure with that media seemed sure you coached Eli Manning was drafted into that one Super Bowl that Alex Daniel Jones was drafted in the top 10 and with the world when that comes with being picked by that team in that city in the top 10 of the draft. What advice have you had for Daniel for how we should handle itself well the first thing I told them when the noise started started quickly. Daniel is so also should you get for what else is going on your get reality welcome." You're going to be able to train your mentality right now understand that it's not. It's not supposed to be easy.

Should the thing that you focus on the Führer.

If you make in athletics or career coach shortly. As a professional you worry about think about you ever heard Tom Brady at like worried about what people think about your and so if you're going to be successful you're going to be Crimson. How much is 12 Super Bowl MVPs for Super Bowl.

It doesn't matter, and I just went through the park at the gift of all gifts you teach like you, Manny already has a good relationship with you comes to our place to work Bridges receivership annually some other point, so I should listen to everything he says work like you work compete to be. I would tell you the same thing compete to be weak to begin for to cat coach David chocolate was with us your current quarterback is Quentin Harris who we saw really slice and dice a big 12 defense last year. Baylor really nice job in Daniel Jones's absence in September. What makes his skill set unique versus other quarterbacks you coached him great releases is a lot like what to his relationship so effortless he's he's going to get better and better with play brilliant baseball players got great vision does a great job which a lot of quarterback struggle with going downfield reading I typed great job of reading his way back down so these pieces each will be an aggressive form of ChildLine blessing for you.

If you notice, by Saturday March the 50 year anniversary of the landing with Neil Armstrong. I wonder, do you have any memories of when it happened 15 years old and in our little small house very small to my dad was born in 1950 were watching this happen to black and white and it frightened me should. God did not pay for this some as a 15-year-old sister lost mother very next year, but I'll never forget that, I was just all fired no person and that was his reaction. I wonder if other people out there had parents born in a similar time with their parents might've had that same while that spirit. The people have about the way we weren't there. No, I think that would of been the best-kept secret of all time. A very vivid and I'm a member of the bile. No, I will never live vividly coach.

I can't wait to catch up with you when the season gets closer. Thank you for being closer and coming into getting the out David chocolate illicit sports of life. Charlotte 925 radio baby crazy things happen.

Schedule a little bit from my now racing in their background on the sale of earlier carwash you a lot different.

So I wonder how does your time and yes that change your perspective on things like this it makes me come in and have a lot more fun. I got so many friends here that I got people that been doing the same thing you've been doing for the last five years at media today and I used to laugh and so you say anything here and hearing my well we had a good summer is working hard to get good leadership? Somewhere that I used to laugh it coaches about what they say and I was thinking yesterday as is, Dennis talked to her grandkids and said the way you think should be different for solicitation rates.

But, let's go down Hampshire rates when asking a question about pretty cool. We can try that, but so many coaches are miserable and they're worried about environment worried about losing and I were to get in trouble and the truth is I'm have fun. I've already done my worrying and worried about some media gadgets after you not after anybody or print a good job and I was able to say that is trying to be thinking about being the liaison to the audience and we can go into your quarterback situation, but quite frankly I don't think you really know all the answers at this present moment so instead, David chocolate series talking about the moon landing 50 years of years ago Saturday. What his father told him he was 15 years old. You remember the moon landing 50 years ago. No line is very young was fighting something exciting notified other than the moon. So I remember when you are at your opening Prescott that sticks with me that you want to make North Carolina your home base recruiting, that's the big thing this this state in your mind what you knew to be the biggest competition where you have national programs coming into getting these kids is it the in-state schools with the ones in the out side that your biggest All of the in-state schools, including us, need to really work to keep all the kids in-state if we can do that then we have our competition between each other and spine to limit playing and will all get enough of them, but we can't continue to do is let the top players by the state. We gotta make football important enough in the state that they will stay. Does it bother you when they leave. Yes, if there for. Sometimes it looks like they should stay and and maybe there academically that they can't come to your place. Maybe they're not good character, but by and large it if these great young man with great grades. Obviously it really bothers you that he leaves you, you think kids would rather stay around their parents and render high school coaches in the Franzen and you need to be the cool place to be. So these kids want to stay and let everybody that's important in their lives simpler talk Virginia corner price hauling just one of the finer players in the league.

It is funny to name your ESPN some for you might get this when Miami Virginia Tech Florida State down and it's characters, Virginia having nice years.

Everyone's taking shots at the league while the ACC's is not what it used to be.

And then when the SEC has some of its top programs down in Kentucky say have a great year. It's all about open Outlook Kentucky what they're doing.

What you make of the national perception of the Atlantic Coast conference and how these other teams of road risen up including some of the programs that don't have story football pedigree never felt like the ACCs got the respect that it deserved and including when I was in the media and you look at Clemson now.

It should have.

And you look at the ACC in general hemi national championships this league one this year it's important to note that football is never gotten the credit and I think partially because basketball was so big, and Virginia won the national championship also when you start looking at it but to me it should be a real plus.

When we were here before basketball was a huge plus for us and it's good to be a huge plus again and you can be really good in both sports. It's it's been proven across the country. In it, and we proved it when we were here before my thing for you. What's the ratio between players saying all background from television versus background Hall of Fame national champion. That's a good question. I really can't answer and I will say that both helped.

I think TV was first because when the first that came out this people recognize Joan TV and I was in their homes so that all of that and then after I was inducted into the Hall of Fame after I took the job that was pretty cool to them to because they be in office and see the Hall of Fame running lights of the stuff in. So I think both of been a really good combination and really good timing. We look forward to seeing you September 13 in the Triad to Greensboro with an Salem coach. Congratulations on getting the job.

Once again have some fun before the start of the year. Thanks thanks for having me fat is background. Go to the North Carolina Tar Heels 609 20 earlier on W. REL. Bradley's reaction about caught up with Matt hassle back though.

Yesterday, former NFL quarterback told ESPN Sunday NFL countdown is going to be working Thursday night football yesterday and with our good friend had been a lot of hassle back if I said it want to set a million times better than one hassle back to hassle back is to be a big part of the ACC network on the lead broadcast team for the network when it launches on August 22.

He will be paired with Dave O'Brien. You might know the voice of the Boston Red Sox nested so a lot of ACC network news over the last two days here at ACC kickoff uptown Charlotte in the Westin but we talked college ball and we talked a little bit of NFL what's going on with the Carolina Panthers. Specifically, Gerald McCoy and cam Newton with Matt, hassle back in years on that conversation sounded now by Matt hassle back from ESPN we get to college because word ACC click on Carolina Panthers getting set to start training camp and talk about a team that was six into the healthy cam Newton and then has the losing streak after the fact when he goes down just how essential do you think that disorder is the entire landscape of the sound really been playing football and then goes before the money in the Monday Night Football game last last game and put them on the shelf just throws that you know that he would normally make himself having shoulder injury that you get it right so it sounds like they learn from master surgery ready to go no better way than he was dark this year but I like this team. I really love Christian Caffrey. I think that their running game there, and their passing game running it through the running back really dangerous really know that his vision I think Carolina had a chance bolstering the bringing in preserving and also bringing you the way you see differently in terms of how they might be able to contend thing, the Carolinas, they have a blueprint they know what they want to be.

They had had so much success, like Ron Rivera knows what. I remember playing against them. When it was Sean McDermott is the coordinator and Ron Rivera's head coach got a little bit about time you get that Ron Rivera he works to get home with four guys playing solid on the backend times. Maybe 1/3 down you get that Sean McDermott crazy… Coming from everywhere so I think the kind that they understand how to do both of those things and they understand what kind of players they want God. I think that is going to be more sound and if the offense is a little bit more consistent to see more complementary football see them. I think the secret about Carolina that no one really talks about on a national level. They have always been such an amazing running team which really has helped them. Have such a great defense when the running game is not working struggle and so I think that I think they haven't figured out at least a plan now does everyone say healthy. That's a big part. Cam Newton important super important.

But they've also invested in just in case situation with a backup quarterback. So I think the defense will be the storyline because what you said get home four guys allows the back seven. It's no secret that Ron is coordinating going back to your playing days whether it was San Diego what you remember about going up against him or what he was the Chicago Bears.

I think he's got to be more in that Brian Lacher, Lance Briggs hey it's all about the four guys up front that our linebackers run let them play ball. Let them be instinctive playmakers kind of that Junior say how deeply mentality mentioned Lance Briggs like you see the ball go get the ball make a play in. He's got a special, special linebackers, so I just all the teams I've ever played against the NFL teams that you feared the modes with the teams that knew how to get a pass rush. Just forgot they didn't have to created a gimmick let's or something like that so they can pull that off. Guys like Bruce Irvin, the new draft that I think they got they got the rest of the pieces to be a great zone defense since were at a specific ACC storyline fascinates you most going to season well you know there's there's a few there's a few I think you'll be a guy from Boston, Anthony Brown, a three-year starter packs obviously got a Heisman Trophy candidate running back in EJ Dillon if she stays healthy. I think BC could be a team to take next. That I think Syracuse is a dangerous team.

They had Clemson on the ropes. Really, I think the question is who cannot set Clemson in the NFL. You see it all the time. The patriots was the Dolphins and the Rams show up in Chicago and look like they don't know how to play offense yet one of the best offenses in the game in college football. You don't have an opportunity to just lay an egg on a on a given Saturday or Thursday night for that matter, you do need to show up every time in its football game seven series so the challenge we can. Can anybody upset Clemson this year because that would be shocked the world. Thursday night Adam remained yourself to be doing Thursday night games we saw you last year on Thursday night and hassle back in Matt, hassle back on the call for Wake Forest, NC State this today.

Your brother getting big news today announcing that he is part of the ACC network filling is to work with your brother in the way you have is really really fun and I can't tell if I left on college football Thursday night games or if I love the brother I think was probably a little bit about, but also coming in and get on campus and talking to these coaches talking players. It's a lot of fun and the atmosphere in a college stadium is special and I think there's there's an electricity in the momentum right now for the ACC network.

I think this is a conference. Obviously Clemson's lead in the way that I think I know Tim will do a great job is working great rising star in Katie George's assignment reporter Dave O'Brien is the voice of the Red Sox where I live.

Jesus died so that's an All-Star team. I'm looking forward to working with Adam, I mean he's blast really funny guy Molly McGrath, another Boston College girl as our sideline reporter know I think that's probably the thing that I would say going from playing quarterback working at ESPN thought about the team that you're working with. Doesn't matter if your throne spirals and touchdowns are you talking about other people doing it team so I'm excited about the team that I haven't and I got to meet his team and he's got a great one as well, forcing North Carolina fans Friday, September 13 first time you see Matt BB&T Field in Winston-Salem see them out all right.

Thank you