Coaches get ready to kickoff ACC season


Pinehurst | Empty seats don't faze Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe.

As the reigning national coach of the year arrived at his interview session Tuesday of the ACC Football Kickoff at The Pinehurst Resort, a half-dozen reporters patiently waited for him to settle in.

To his left, it was standing room only for new N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien. Ditto for Florida State legend Bobby Bowden and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden.

No crowds, no worries, no drama for the Demon Deacons leader.

"That's fine with me," he said with a grin. "We're under the radar again."

Less than eight months from winning an ACC championship, Grobe doesn't know what will happen as an encore. He's got questions in the backfield, his star linebacker surprisingly declared for the NFL Draft and his team was picked fourth in the Atlantic Division of the league's media poll.

Big deal.

"(Our fans) are just as nice when we go 4-7 or win an ACC championship. That doesn't happen just anywhere," Grobe said. "They appreciate everything."

The coach knows that expectations are higher, that bowl games will become commonplace in his fans' eyes and that the increased competition in the league will make that tougher than some think.

But while Grobe gives the "aw-shucks" routine when discussing his coaching ability, his peers know he's doing something right.

"If Jim Grobe stays the coach there," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said, "they will have a chance."

DUKE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Blue Devils coach Ted Roof is trying a new philosophy as his program tries to end a 20-game losing streak.

In the off-season, Roof said he put together a "vision for the program." His vision might get a rewrite after people in the business program at the school got wind of his idea and offered their help.

They're going to "visit between 20 and 30 schools before the end of the month to find out the best practices, the things that happen in business every day," Roof said. "And reaffirming things we're doing good too."

He added later that, "we'll take help anywhere we can get it."

Can't hurt.

DAVIS IS BUILDING…

North Carolina coach Butch Davis stressed his team's youth and inexperience during his session. He mentioned several times that his running backs on scholarship have one career carry in game situations. Building a stable of runners will be key to his team's success.

But he's also working on building on to the Kenan Stadium complex.

"It was the Taj Mahal of college football," Davis said of the current facilities. "But 10 to 12 years later, everyone was doing that. Obviously, we have to catch up."

Davis said plans have already been discussed and that it was part of the reason he returned to the college game in Chapel Hill.

LINES OF COMMUNICATION

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien admitted that spring practices were not as productive as they could have been as he and his staff got accustomed to the players.

But once the team gets started Friday, he said that the ship will be running smoothly.

It's just a question of whether it sticks with them. Coming off a 3-9 campaign, O'Brien wouldn't give a number to signify his team's improvement this year, but knew what he needed to see.

"The only thing that I've always demanded from our football team is that they play hard for 60 minutes and play smart," O'Brien said.