<body><div><h2>Cardinal Authority is on location in Charlotte for the ACC Kickoff</h2>CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The second day of the ACC Kickoff is underway at the Hilton Uptown in Charlotte. Day one saw ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips provide a status report on the league and <a href="https://247sports.com/college/louisville/longformarticle/transcript-acc-commissioner-jim-phillips-at-acc-kickoff-234059582/">take questions from members of the media</a>. The opening day also saw defending league champ Florida State, along with Georgia Tech and ACC newcomer SMU visit with the media.Tuesday's ScheduleAlso: Rich Clark, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff, will take the main stage for media availability at 9 a.m.Rest of the WeekWednesday, July 24 - Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Miami, Wake ForestNOTE: Louisville will be in the press conference room from 11:00-11:30am.Thursday, July 25 - Clemson, North Carolina, NC State, SyracuseDay One Content:** <a href="https://247sports.com/college/louisville/longformarticle/acc-kickoff-day-one-notebook-234041981/">ACC Kickoff: Day one notebook</a>** <a href="https://247sports.com/college/louisville/longformarticle/transcript-acc-commissioner-jim-phillips-at-acc-kickoff-234059582/">Transcript: Commissioner Jim Phillips visits with the media</a>How to WatchThe ACC Network will have a live broadcast that will include highlights from the daily coaches and student-athlete interviews.<h2>ACC Kickoff Storylines to Watch</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4WNgM2_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4WNgM2_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: ACC media, 247Sports)</figcaption></figure>Here's a few storylines that Cardinal Authority will be tracking at the ACC Kickoff:Jody Demling, Publisher** The newcomers are in - California, Stanford, and SMU - but are others out? Clemson? Florida State? What a time to be getting everyone together for a few days. There's a lot of uncertainty and a lot of questions but for now, the talk will be football and it should be a really good football year. The league should be better than it was last season and there are plenty of good QBs and players to go around. It will be fun to chat with a few of them.** What's the narrative surrounding the Louisville team this season? Last year, the expectation was that Louisville would be pretty good and the schedule was easy. The Cards finished 10-3 and went to the ACC Championship game and now in year two of the Brohm-era there are a lot of new faces. What's the narrative with others around the league?Michael McCammon, Senior Writer** Conference changes are certainly going to be a hot topic at the four-day league event. The ACC welcomes a trio of new members - California, Stanford and SMU - plus speculation never sleeps in the chances of current league members departing for another home. How will ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips respond when the questions surface when he visits the media on Monday afternoon will be among the top storylines of the week?** What will be the non-Louisville media take on the U of L's rebuilding effort via the transfer portal and how will that impact their expectations for the Cardinals in 2024?<h2>Day One Recap</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0lj5H4_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0lj5H4_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Michael McCammon, 247Sports)</figcaption></figure>Michael McCammon, Senior WriterAll eyes on ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips. The commish didn't disappoint, providing a nice rah-rah report that highlighted many of the league's strengths while also discussing changes in the revenue sharing model. He also did well to address the ongoing legal fights with Florida State and Clemson. While he continually expressed positive vibes regarding the direction of the ACC, one still can't help but wonder what the league may look like when it holds its kickoff event in 2025. Status quo would be a big win, if you're asking me.Quote of NoteSMU head coach Rhett Lashlee on joining a Power Four conference:"We feel like we belong at this level. We're excited and humbled to be here back on the national stage where our program has been before."I like our team. I feel like we have a team that's going to compete very, very well. We're excited to get out there and really just see where we stand."Louisville will welcome SMU to L&amp;N Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5. UofL is 0-2 all-time against the Mustangs, with both prior meetings occurring in the 1980s.<h2>New kid on the block doing homework</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Yyr9h_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Yyr9h_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: ACC Media)</figcaption></figure>Quarterback Ashton Daniels won the job at Stanford last season.Daniels beat out fellow junior Justin Lamson and ended up starting 10 of 12 games last season. He completed 191 of 325 for 2,247 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.Now, Daniels will lead the Cardinal into the ACC."It is surreal," Daniels said. "Stanford is in the ACC. I grew up in Georgia, so I watched the ACC and the SEC, and I could never have imagined Stanford in the ACC."But now it has happened and I am going to have a lot of family at all three of our East Coast games."A junior from Buford, Ga., Daniels said the Stanford game at Clemson will be "like a homecoming." He said a lot of his friends and former coaches will be at the game."I'm excited for it all," he said.Stanford will also play at Syracuse and at NC State.Daniels Excited to be an ACC QBThe opportunity to close his college career in the ACC is a life experience that Daniels is already cherishing."The ACC has always been known for their quarterbacks," Daniels said. "For example, Deshaun Watson is from Georgia. I probably looked up to him the most as I was growing up watching college football and all that kind of stuff."I just know that it means the world to be an ACC quarterback. I'm starting to accept and realize that that's now my role. I'll forever be grateful for it."Louisville will visit Stanford on Nov. 16.<h2>Wrestling Past Guides Pitt DB Donovan McMillon</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4FSGE5_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4FSGE5_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: ACC Media)</figcaption></figure>Pittsburgh defensive back <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Donovan-McMillon-46097647">Donovan McMillon</a> recorded 105 tackles a season ago, a number that ranked fourth among all ACC defenders. It also marked the most tackles for a Pitt player since 2015. A mid-year transfer from Florida in January 2023, McMillon credits his wrestling background."I think that comes back from my wrestling background," he told the media at the ACC Kickoff. "I don't know if many people know, but I placed second in the state of Pennsylvania my junior season. Wrestled about 14 or 15 years of my life. That comes down from the angles, the technique of tackling, comes from wrestling."The physical and mental demands of wrestling continue to help him produce on the football field."I would say there's no shape like wrestling shape at the end of the day," McMillon said. "Obviously I'm not in wrestling shape any more. But the mentality behind it keeps me going at the end of the day. We're having a 12, 11-play drive, you have to run to the post for the fourth time in a row, you just happen to have that grit and mentality to keep pushing forward at the end of the day."Pittsburgh has had a defensive back selected in the NFL Draft for six consecutive seasons, a trend that head coach Pat Narduzzi anticipates continuing with McMillon."I see the trend continuing," Narduzzi said. "We have another one (McMillon) to have his opportunity to have his name called in next year's draft."The Panthers open their season on August 31 at home against Kent State. Louisville will welcome Pitt to L&amp;N Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23<h2>Va Tech hopes to have one of the nation's best offenses</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0NOEkZ_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0NOEkZ_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: ACC Media)</figcaption></figure>Virginia Tech quarterback <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Kyron-Drones-46081020">Kyron Drones</a> capped the 2023 season with an MVP performance in the Military Bowl by setting a program bowl record with 176 rushing yards, along with 91 passing yards, in a 41-20 win over Tulane.Drones, a 247Sports Composite four-star who was part of Baylor's 2021 recruiting class, started 11 of 13 games for the Hokies last fall. He finished the season with 2,085 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for 818 yards and five touchdowns.Va Tech won three of its last four outings to finish last season at 7-5. Expectations are on the rise for the program and Drones."Based off last year to this year, just way more confidence booster for me," Drones said at the ACC Kickoff. "I have way more confidence in myself and the offense and the whole team. I'm ready to go out there and show it throughout the season this year."Former Va Tech quarterback great Michael Vick has spent time around the program, providing support and insight to the Hokies' current QB."He's really just told me to go out there and be MVP," Drones said. "I know what type of quarterback I am. Me owning that, me being myself, work hard, going out there and try to lead the team to a win every week."While Drones is always a threat to run, the team has a group of talented wide receivers that should help bolster the passing attack in 2024."I'm just ready to go out there and give each and every one of them the ball, go out there and let them make plays. That's what they're here for, what they came here to do. I'm ready to go out there this season and be one of the top offenses in the country."Virginia Tech will begin its season on August 31 at Vanderbilt. The Cardinals and Hokies will not play during the regular season in 2024.<h2>Cal has a 'big plane'</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0e6MqD_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0e6MqD_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: ACC Media)</figcaption></figure>For California, joining the ACC brings new competition, the birth of new rivalries and a larger national audience. It also brings a scheduling and travel challenge as the Bears have a schedule that will have it crossing the country on multiple times this fall.Cal will travel to Auburn in week two and then two weeks later will head to Tallahassee to play Florida State in its ACC opener. The program will also visit Pittsburgh and Wake Forest this season."As far as the schedule goes, yeah, it is a bit different," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said at the ACC Kickoff. "Is there more miles? Yeah. But we're going to be comfortable. We're going to leave early, we've got a big plane, we've got Gatorade and water. Air travel is amazing. They'll be more comfortable than they are sitting right now."The schedule is what it is. We're excited to go play these teams. What's most important is that we prepare the best that we possibly can so we can play good football. But the travel will not be an excuse to not play well."Cal is looking to build off a 6-7 season that ended with a loss to Texas Tech in the Independence Bowl.<h2>Peach Bowl CEO talks Louisville and Brohm</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Mcqjj_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Mcqjj_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: © John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports)</figcaption></figure>Louisville has opened the season three times in Atlanta, twice in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic, and last year in the Aflac Kickoff Classic.The Cardinals are now on the calendar for another game in the event at this point.However, Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stoken said at the ACC Media Day that he "always has" Louisville on the radar."We love the people at Louisville and we love the fans," Stoken said. "And Jeff Brohm is awesome. We have a great relationship with Louisville and have enjoyed them in the game."The Kickoff Classic this season will pit Clemson vs. Georgia on Aug. 31.The Peach Bowl will host a quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff and also host the National Championship.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4QG7Cu_0uaUQ3wZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4QG7Cu_0uaUQ3wZ00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>Louisville Football (Photo: Michael McCammon, 247Sports)</figcaption></figure>The Cardinal Authority Newsletter is a free service that helps keep site visitors and members up to date with the latest headlines and breaking news.A completely free service, the newsletter is quick and easy to signup for.All the news from our team of contributors, plus national and regional content on UofL recruiting efforts, team developments, Cards in the pros and of course, breaking news, will be delivered directly to your email inbox. 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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The second day of the ACC Kickoff is underway at the Hilton Uptown in Charlotte. Day one saw ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips provide a status report on the league and take questions from members of the media. The opening day also saw defending league champ Florida State, along with Georgia Tech and ACC newcomer SMU visit with the media.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The second day of the ACC Kickoff is underway at the Hilton Uptown in Charlotte. Day one saw ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips provide a stat

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ACC Kickoff: Day two notebook

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