Pok’s Football Week in Review: My Catch-Up Edition

Well, it has been a little bit, my friends, but we are back in time for college football training camp!

Teams, over the course of the upcoming weeks, are set to hit the practice field to start their prep for the 2025 regular season. And in less than a month, Week 0 and Week 1 of the college football season will be well underway. Time truly flies, and it is amazing to be prepping for another football season.

However, we still need to get there first. And we have you covered here for another edition of Pok’s Week in Review!

What is in the column, dear reader? You will have to find out for yourself! So without further ado, let us dive into it!

ACC and American Media Days Recap

Ahead of the start of fall football camps across the country, I had a chance to attend not one, but two conference media days. The first was the ACC Kickoff before concluding the Charlotte trip with the American Conference Kickoff!

It was truly an amazing experience that allowed me to meet some cool people, hold great interviews, and gain important experience. Most importantly, though, it allowed me to get some valuable insight into some of the most interesting football teams in the country.

ACC Kickoff

Starting with the ACC, commissioner Jim Phillips spoke about a variety of topics surrounding the conference and college football as a whole. Of significance, Phillips said that all teams will be required to publish “availability reports” two days before games, a day before the game, and the day of the game. He emphasized that the move was made to combat sports betting, specifically gamblers seeking inside information.

Additionally, Phillips addressed the conversations surrounding the College Football Playoff’s format. In his address, the commissioner said that he wants to “reward conference champions” and emphasize “fairness and access.” He said he is open to other models (5 and 9 or 5 and 11), but he thinks the current model is working.

When asked about the various discussions surrounding the status of college players, Phillips said he wants to solidify the status of players as “student athletes” through legislation. Additionally, he emphasized the need for the College Sports Commission to bring “standardized rules, transparency, and enforcement.”

Moving on to the player interviews, they were all very enjoyable and insightful. However, this column will end up being about 6,000 words, or more, if I try to include all of them. Instead, we’ll highlight a select few of my personal favorite answers from the three-day event.

Miami Hurricanes

Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe spoke about being a leader on the 2025 version of the Hurricanes’ defense.

“Just taking it a day at a time. Just knowing that the younger guys are watching me, I have to be a leader by example to those guys. Every day I go out there, whether it is in the meeting room or in the field, I know everybody is watching me. So, it is taking it one day at a time, taking those guys with me, and picking them up. Because at the end of the day, that is how the whole team is going to get better.”

I also spoke to OL Francis Mauigoa about his preseason recognition, what it means to him, and how he is approaching the season.

“Being recognized as one of the top offensive linemen, I do not really focus on that. I do not really listen to all of that. I am just working to be the best man, on and off the field, that I can be. Those are just a matter of talk. I am not really a ‘talk’ guy. I like to do everything the same way I came in. Everything has been business for me … Whatever I can do to help the team win, I will do it.”

SMU Mustangs

Offensive lineman Logan Parr spoke about some key aspects to his game and his upcoming 2025 season. Specifically, what’s the biggest thing the offense is looking to improve on.

“Well, we have different guys, so at the end of the day, it all comes down to culture. It comes down to building on and bringing the guys that transferred here into that culture. So that is hanging out in the offseason, doing drills outside of what we are supposed to do, and our o-line coach works us really hard. I would say we are the hardest-working unit in America. Putting a lot of faith in that will help us continue that culture.”

California Golden Bears

Speaking to quarterback Devin Brown about the upcoming quarterback competition and how he is mentally approaching it compared to past years.

“It’s been the same way at all times. The goal at the end of the day is to help Cal football win. That is what I am here to do, and do everything it takes to do that. I felt like I did that at Ohio State as well. Not being on the field as much is a little different, and I obviously hope it is different here at Cal. But at the end of the day, the goal is never going to change. I am going to do everything possible to help this team win games.”

Louisville Cardinals

Speaking to linebacker TJ Quinn, I asked him how he approaches being an impactful player in the run game on a consistent basis.

“I think that, in order to make plays, you have to know what you are doing and be confident in yourself. Most of the work comes from film study. If you know what the other team is going to do, it will make your job easy. You are not going to go on the field thinking. In order to take that next step forward, I just need to go harder in the film room, practice, and push everybody around me to do the same.”

Talking to wideout Chris Bell, his answer regarding his approach to route running was very enjoyable.

“I have a lot of moves. I being 220 pounds and a big receiver, not a lot of corners like to see that or play against that. Corners do not like to be touched. They like to do the touching. I like to get my hands on them first … I love man coverage, especially … to take the corner deep with my speed. ”

Quarterback Miller Moss, when asked about what he focused on over the summer, highlighted the need for “complete mastery” of the playbook.

“I touched on it earlier. But just having complete mastery of the system has been my focus. I am someone who places a huge emphasis on playing on time, and I think to do that you have to know exactly what is going on and what you are trying to accomplish on a given play. I think that is the biggest focus.”

Moss also highlighted the importance of “bringing the team together” and said that doing things “outside of football” has helped in that category.

Pitt Panthers

In terms of the Pittsburgh Panthers, linebacker Kyle Louis and running back Desmond Reid were available to speak. Asking Louis about instilling the defense’s “shark” mantra into the younger players, the standout linebacker gave one of my favorite answers of the entire event.

“The Shark mentality, that’s not just football. That’s life. If you are a shark, you are a shark 24/7. Just being a better man, being resilient, being hungry all the time. That is instilled into your character, and it makes you a better football player.”

Meanwhile, Reid spoke about how he is approaching being an even better version of himself in 2025.

“Number one for me, like I have been saying, is to find a way to take care of my body. Finding new things to do, whether that is finding more time in the training room or the weight room. Number two is the weight room. Watching plays last year that I could have done better, seeing things I could have done, or seeing what happened against a certain defensive look. Those are the main things I have done to be better for the upcoming season.”

Georgia Tech

Another standout quote was Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge. When asked about how he approaches facing different defensive linemen, the Yellow Jackets’ offensive lineman offered some insight into his process.

“It is so different. If you have a speed guy, you don’t necessarily want to get out there, because he can make you silly. If you have a power guy, you do not want to just sit back, because then you are in the quarterback’s lap. The same thing goes into run defense. All of those things go into your week-to-week preparation. How you attack it, how you are watching film, and that is going to dictate how you handle it.”

Wake Forest

For Wake Forest, defensive back Nick Andersen spoke to the media.

When asked about his football journey up to this point, Andersen gave an insightful answer about what reaching this point means to him.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to be here and to represent Wake Forest. It is an opportunity that they gave me so long ago to play at the highest level. I have surrounded myself with tremendous people at the university. I couldn’t speak higher of them, and they changed my life forever. Really, really excited to be here and excited to give the fans the best possible season we can.”

Boston College

Boston College defensive back KP Price spoke about how he is approaching being a leader for his defense and team as a true junior at the ACC Kickoff.

“I am truly blessed to be able to do this at such a young age. Not a lot of people get to do this where I am from. It is just a blessing. Being able to learn from the older guys here before me and the guys still here has been huge. I am just carrying on that confidence and that leadership. Everything a player needs, I feel that I possess. And to be able to pass that onto the younger guys, that is my mission. I want to make an impact on the younger guys, and I feel that I am doing a great job at that. And I am going to continue to do so.”

Clemson Tigers

At the press conference for the Tigers, quarterback Cade Klubnik spoke about the mentality he is instilling into his team heading into a 2025 season filled with expectations. It was a very insightful answer, the full length of which can be seen below!

The breakout room session included wide receiver Antonio Williams, edge rusher T.J. Parker, and defensive lineman Peter Woods.

When asked about attacking defenses, Williams gave an insightful answer into how he approaches the game as one of the best at his position at the college level.

“The main thing for me in attacking defenses is that you have to know the game plan. You have to know what type of defenses to expect. Is it going to be a lot of blitzing, where you are going to be left 1-on-1, but you have to get open quicker? Is it going to be a lot of zone, where you have to find the soft spots and be on the same page as your quarterback? Each game we have, the coaches give us a great game plan. They let us know what to expect, and that is how we execute on game day.”

When talking to Parker, the star edge rusher discussed how he approaches being a top-level pass rusher for the Tigers.

“I am not going to say too much, because you have every other school looking out. I do not want to spill too many secrets. But it is really all an art. You have to look at angles, and it really depends on who you play as well. But for me, it really all starts with the run. If you cannot stop the run, you are not going to rush the passer. I want to dominate the run, and then I will rush the passer. I’ve been working on my power a lot and using my length. I can also win with my speed. But it is all about setting things up. ”

Peter Woods talked about what it is like sharing a defensive line with the likes of T.J. Parker, which produced one of my favorite quotes of the week.

“I am super excited. Playing with the third year of T.J. Parker is like playing with Lebron James on the Lakers. I am super excited for that. And I cannot say enough about the guys in that room. They have taken tremendous steps to be the best versions of themselves this offseason. When we get out there, I am not going to be surprised how good those guys are.”

Virginia Tech

In their podium session, Virginia Tech defensive linemen Kelvin Gilliam talked about the defense’s mentality and what he wants to showcase in 2025. It was one of the many press conference questions that was aired on ACC Network, and you can check out the full answer below!

Duke

Talking with standout offensive lineman Brian Parker, what his favorite part of playing offensive line is and how he approaches the position.

“I’m not the biggest tackle, and I am not the longest-armed guy. So I play more of a chess match. I am big into film, I am big into finding guys that are comparable to my size, if they have gone against you, and what their go-to is. It is a chess match, in the end, so I have to throw stuff. He is going to change through the game, though, so I am have to be able to counter.”

Parker added that his favorite part of the position is the “chess match” in his head and loves the “battle” of it.

Meanwhile, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah talked about the comparison of the play between the ACC and the American Conference, where his former team in Tulane is located.

“It’s the same thing. I’d say maybe the only thing is that the OL/DL is a little bit bigger. Other than that, the speed of the game is the same. I feel like my play has been no different.”

North Carolina

One of the main questions I asked  wide receiver Jordan Shipp was about how the professional-level experience from head coach Bill Belichick and his staff has helped the development of the players.

“It has been huge. Everybody’s goal is to play at the next level; we have the greatest coach to ever coach at that next level. Whatever he says is working, so why go against that? That has made everyone really buy into the program strongly.”

As for quarterback Gio Lopez, I asked him about how comfortable he feels in the “Pro-Style” scheme at North Carolina.

“I feel like the adjustment has been smooth. The scheme at South Alabama was huge for me, and we were already a full progression team. Of course, there are differences with Coach Kitchens’s offense, but I feel prepared for it. I feel like I have been attacking the learning process pretty well.”

NC State

NC State QB CJ Bailey spoke about his comfortability in the offensive scheme in his second year at the helm for the Wolfpack.

“I feel like I have more control. In the spring, I was checking plays and/or protections. I was not doing all of that last year; we had a senior center in Zeke Correll who sometimes checked the protections. I was not checking out of plays when I did not like them. But I can do all of that now because I am more comfortable and I know what I am looking at.”

American Kickoff

Florida Atlantic

Speaking with FAU QB Caden Veltkamp, he spoke of the strides he has made within the offensive scheme and what he is looking to do in fall camp.

“I would say just getting a better understanding of the offense, the way Coach Kittley calls it, and the way he wants me to see things. I cleaned up my footwork quite a bit, and heading into fall camp, I want to focus on knowing what plays go with what defenses, when I need to make checks, and when I do not.”

Speaking with Zach Kittley, I asked the HC about the type of players he brought in during the spring portal and his excitement level for them.

“The first thing we are looking for are good dudes. We are looking for guys that fit the scheme and the culture that we want to build. I feel really good about it. It is just crazy the world that we will live in; you have to have somewhere between a 25 [to] 30 percent of a roster flip almost every year. You always want to attack the right guys and bring in the right guys, and we were able to do that. [I’m] really excited to get on the grass with everyone next week.”

USF Bulls

When speaking to USF center Cole Best, he discussed what he is most excited about in the offensive scheme.

“I’m excited to see, now in year three, especially with the guys that have been here and played in the offense, how we are all going to mesh and come together. Obviously, with any young program, early on it is about getting the X’s and O’s right. I feel like we are at a point now where we are all past that and are ready to go out and play. So I am really excited to see a lot of guys shine. We have a lot of talent coming up, so I am excited to see how we mesh together and roll.”

Meanwhile, DB De’Shawn Rucker spoke about how he plans to elevate his game for the USF Bulls in the 2025 season. The cornerback gave an extremely insightful answer.

“I think it is all about my process and trying to find how I can better myself on the field. So if it’s waking up an hour earlier to do things in the training room to help out my body or nutrition, I think those little things elevate your game so much. And I think another thing is being way more detailed with those aspects. Looking at different things to eat across the table, so you have protein, carbs, and different things like that. In the training room, you see different ways to rehab your body. You try things out and experience things, and I think that is going to elevate me more. Also, I am just trying ot be in the film room. Going up with the coaches, talking with them, and even meeting with an offensive coach to see how he looks at things so it can open up my brain. So that’s how I think I can elevate my game.”

Speaking with USF’s head coach, Alex Golesh, he spoke about who has stepped up as a leader heading into fall camp. The head coach gave a great answer that covered both sides of the ball.

“Naturally, I think Byrum Brown has done a really good job of continuing to grow as a leader. It’s hard from the sideline, and those last eight weeks for him were hard for him to continue to try to lead. He has taken this offseason to try to grow as a leader, to try to bring people along with him, certainly starting with the position group, the overall unit, and then the team. Offensively, there is a handful of guys. Derek Bowman, Zane Herring, these seniors that have played so much football for us have started to come on as leaders.

Mike Lofton has continued to be a very good leader. Jaden Alexis, who is another guy who has missed a bunch of time. He has tried to find his voice, and I have continued to encourage him to push through that way. We are trying to grow the young quarterbacks as leaders. But I think some of our best leaders are upfront right now. And that is what you want; you want your older guys that are playing their best football to be high-end leaders.”

Regarding the defense, Golesh had this to say.

“Mac Harris has done a really good job of trying to grow as a player and continue to try to bring the defense along. It is easy when you are at the second level and are involved with the front and back end. But he has done a really good job. Josh Celiscar came in the winter and has continued to try to push the envelope as a leader. He is a young man who was a captain at UCF, and I have pushed him as he has built relationships…I have been really proud of how Josh has pushed the envelope as a leader.

In the back end, Tavin Ward, who is not a vocal guy, is someone we continue to try to push. He is going into his third year starting, and he is the general in the back. We are counting on him to continue to be a leader and a communicator.”

Recruiting Roundup

It is not as hectic as previous weeks, but there was still some transfer portal/recruiting action that we need to cover here in the column.

Florida Atlantic

FAU landed CB Damarius McGhee from Kansas. A former four-star who played for LSU and the Jayhawks, McGhee has 14 total tackles to his name, along with four total defensive stops. He has dealt with injuries, but the defensive back also has impressive raw ability and more experience than many players currently on the Owls. If he can regain his top-100 prospect form, the Owls could have a key defensive contributor in 2025.

USF

USF had to reach into the portal for a quarterback, as a key member of their roster departed for professional baseball.

South Florida picked up former Tennessee and UCF QB Gaston Moore ahead of fall camp. Moore has played sporadically in college, racking up 273 yards and two touchdowns in extremely limited time over his four years of seeing the field. He should immediately provide a veteran presence for the younger quarterbacks on the USF roster and compete for the backup role.

As for the man he is replacing, Bryce Archie signed with the Cincinnati Reds after being selected in the 14th round of the MLB draft. Hitting the upper 90s on the mound consistently without ever fully focusing on baseball, the Reds were able to sway the quarterback away from one more season on the gridiron.

In his absence, I would keep an eye on Locklan Hewlett to emerge as one of the main candidates for the backup role and the mantle of the Bulls’ future quarterback.

Other Quotes

Princeton LB Stephen Ordille on what player he would want as a mentor if given the chance: “Growing up as an Eagles fan, I know this is cliche, but I would say Brian Dawkins. Just his mentality, physicality, and ability to pump you up. I loved both those aspects about him. I was fortunate enough to be next to him during one of his speeches. Just listening to him speak, showing what he did on the field, and his mentality going into everything, that is someone who has inspired me. I would just love to be able to learn from him one time.”

That wraps up a truncated edition of the column! Make sure to stay tuned for a standard edition soon, along with more amazing football content from the League Winners. Until next time, have a great one!