THE ROAR: Depth Charts, Imminent Expansion, Community

DEPTH CHARTS. On Monday afternoon, Clemson dropped the 2023 depth chart for the Duke matchup, and there are a few notable things to discuss.

First of all, the release didn’t put to rest any conversations about the type of player Peter Woods might be, as he was listed as an “OR” with Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro at defensive tackle. 

We recently ran a story on Woods, and as we noted then, the hype train is still rolling into the opener. In fact, I’m not sure even Christian Wilkins or Dexter Lawrence had this much buzz around them into Week 1 as a freshman. 

A few other notable items we saw: 

• Phil Mafah is listed as an “OR” for first-team running back with Will Shipley
• Cole Turner is listed as an “OR” for first-team WR with Adam Randall
• Tristan Leigh and Collin Sadler are listed as “OR” at left tackle
• Freshman Jamal Anderson is listed as second-team behind Wade Woodaz at SAM
• Freshman Tyler Brown is listed as the second option at punt and kick returner

IMMINENT EXPANSION.

Well, our old friend Mr. Expansion is back in the conversation, and this time, it looks more and more likely that the ACC will “bend the knee” to Notre Dame and welcome Stanford, Cal, and SMU to the league. 

Again, there is no guarantee that this will all take place at the time of my writing, but the truth is, if you don’t stand up to the Irish now, you never will. In my opinion, this entire system is about to shift, and the ACC would be foolish to move to 17 teams and not 18 with Notre Dame. 

The Fighting Irish were handed a lifeline by the league in 2020, yet they don’t want to be all-in. That’s reason enough not to have them-- or the other three schools. So, who is flipping their vote in favor of adding the other schools? My best guess is that it would be NC State. 

I cannot see Clemson or Florida State wanting this to happen. North Carolina seems like a big enough brand not to have the same concerns about an extra $5,000,000 dollars, so that leaves me thinking it is the Wolfpack. 

Either way, a move to 17 without adding Notre Dame and going to 18 is nothing more than a wasted effort. It’s not like the Irish have been huge players in the college football scene for the better part of 45 years. Sure, they show up occasionally, but outside of Lou Holtz’s title in 1988, this isn’t your daddy’s Fighting Irish.

Do they bring value? Of course. Should Notre Dame be a voice for expansion while not joining the Atlantic Coast Conference either? No way! 

COMMUNITY. I refuse to call the app X, but Twitter has some new community features that may be interesting during games this season. I’m not 100% sure how it will all work, but I think it could keep your in-game conversations more intimate on social media-- like a message board thread.

Even though we only have 50+ people in right now, I could see it growing to something fun! 

Here’s the link if you want to be a part of it! 

If you are on Twitter, join us!

SONG OF THE DAY. We are less than one week from kickoff! Let’s go!  

 - ”One Week” - by Barenaked Ladies -

LISTEN. Take a moment to check out a recent episode of the show. Clemson Sports Talk can be heard worldwide on the iHeart Radio App or streamed online. Listen to Fox Sports Radio 1400 from 4-6 PM daily! Subscribe to our podcast if you enjoy the show!

OFF THE PATH. Prepare for an astronomical spectacle on Wednesday as the month's second supermoon graces the night sky. This upcoming lunar event is set to be even closer to Earth than its predecessor, the Sturgeon Moon, which illuminated the sky on August 1.

According to Gizmodo.com, supermoons are captivating occurrences where the full Moon cozies up to within 90% of its nearest approach to Earth. With the naked eye, these supermoons appear significantly larger in the night sky, giving us an incredible view of the sky.

It's important to note that the term "blue moon" doesn't pertain to the Moon's hue, which can vary from brown to orange, purple, or white based on the interplay of conditions in Earth's atmosphere and the celestial stage it sets. So, mark your calendars and keep your eyes peeled for this second August supermoon, as it promises to be an awe-inspiring display!

See y'all tomorrow!

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