There was a time when coaches brought their marquee players with them to events like the ACC Kickoff.
If you wanted to talk to a quarterback, running back or star wide receiver from schools many, many miles away, this was the event to do it.
Well, for the most part.
Of the 14 schools at this year’s ACC Kickoff, eight followed the format of bringing a player who will lead their offense as either a quarterback, running back or wide receiver. One team, the University of Louisville, declined to bring an offensive player at all. Coach Bobby Petrino, who is one of the brightest offensive minds in college, decided two defensive representatives would be good.
Two other coaches went the special teams route and brought their kicker (Florida State) and punter (Wake Forest). The other three schools elected to bring an offensive lineman.
It is understandable if a program like Florida State, that is having a quarterback competition to replace Jameis Winston, decided to not bring a quarterback with them to Pinehurst. At the same time, it avoids the elephant in the room following De’Andre Johnson’s dismissal from the team after being charged with misdemeanor battery.
And bringing a punter to the ACC Kickoff event like Wake Forest did is almost throwing up the white flag on the season before the opening kick. This isn’t to say that the Demon Deacons can’t sneak up and upset some teams, but electing to have a punter speak on behalf of the offense is never a good sign.
On the opposite side of the ball, coaches were really split on the type of players to bring with them. There were six defensive linemen, five linebackers and four defensive backs in Pinehurst. That is understandable because some of the best players on defense can line up anywhere on the field, not just at one of the skill positions.
But offense is a different story. It’s the top guys who make the highlight reels.
Some coaches decide the ACC Kickoff is a good time to honor their seniors and give them a little time in the spotlight in front of the national media when they normally are the forgotten players — especially those on the offensive line. But once again, not many people want to hear a center or guard try and break down expectations of how their Heisman hopeful is going to play this season. Fans would rather hear from those players.
By having top offensive players absent at the kickoff event is like seeing a school send its tight end coach instead of the head coach.
It will also be a cat-and-mouse game with coaches and the media. Perhaps the only way to get the players everyone wants is to have the media vote for one player from each school to attend the kickoff.
This would ensure at least one marquee player would be the face of a school.
Reach managing editor Shawn Stinson at 910-817-2671 and follow him on Twitter @scgolfer.