Last season Wake Forest had a big-play defense, one that scored eight touchdowns. This year, Wake's Jim Grobe would like to see those big plays again, but he wants more out of the defense.

"The key for us this year is getting off the field (and) give the offense a chance to score some points," Grobe told the media Monday afternoon at the ACC Football Kickoff. "Even though last year we were pretty opportunistic, forced a lot of turnovers, scored a lot of points, I think one of the things we didn't do a very good job of ... we gave offenses too many long drives."

Wake will have to improve on that, as well as find a replacement for wide-receiver and Mr. Everything Kenny Moore. Grobe addressed that issue also, as well as talked about the importance of putting back-to-back solid seasons together and much more.

(Note: Due to the nature of the press conference, the audio levels of the questions may not be as high as Grobe's audio levels.)

Does Al Groh like opening with USC or would he rather have a lesser opponent?

"We must like it because it was our choice," Groh said. "We made the contract. We could have turned it down."

Groh said opening the season was the only time it would have been good for Virginia to face the Trojans. He didn't want to get into the middle of the conference season and then have to content with an opponent that he said was in a league of their own. So, it was opening day or not at all. Groh said USC felt the same way.

The Virginia coach also discussed the quarterback battle (the latest news about Peter Lalich wasn't out when we talked with Groh), his theory of next man up, why football is his passion and more.

(Note: Because of the nature of the press conference, keep in mind that the audio levels will be lower for the questions than they will be for Groh's answers.)

It's been different for Ralph Friedgen, but the Maryland coach also said it was better now that he's turned over the offensive coordinator role to James Franklin.

"I felt like I could devote more time to our players and more to organizing our staff," Friedgen said at the ACC Football Kickoff Monday afternoon. "I know you guys will laugh at this, but I was being spread too thin."

The, shall we say, portly Friedgen was right - we did laugh, but he got his point across -- he didn't think he was doing either job, head coach or offensive coordinator, justice by doing both, so he brought in Franklin to run the offense this season.

Friedgen talked more about the decision, including if he thinks he'll have the itch to call the plays once games get under way, plus the Maryland coach discussed his quarterback situation, his excitement about the running backs and much more.

(Note: Because of the nature of the press conference format, the audio for the questions may be lower than Friedgen's audio.)

Bobby Bowden said that, as of today (or I guess that would have been Sunday when we talked with him) Drew Weatherford is the starting quarterback for Florida State. But Weatherford shouldn't get too comfortable with that title.

"Now he's got a fight on his hands with Christian Ponder," Bowden said at the ACC Football Kickoff. "Then we've got a young man named D'Vontrey Richardson who's got some talent, he's got some talent, you know it. Once he's learns the game, man, he'll be able to push them all."

Bowden also talked about Jimbo Fisher being named coach-in-waiting and how that effected the dynamics of the coaching staff, what he would like to do before leaving the game and more.

When will Tom O'Brien name a starting quarterback at N.C. State?

"When we have one," O'Brien said Sunday at the ACC Football Kickoff. "The problem is, it's not an ideal situation. (Daniel) Evans didn't participate in spring practice. Michael Glennon just got on campus. The good news is that Russell Wilson, because of Daniel not practicing in the spring, got a lot of work. We got a good look at him. We'll figure out who's going to give us the best opportunity to not only beat South Carolina, but give us 12 solid football games and when we find that guy we'll name him."

O'Brien also talked about his team's opener against South Carolina, the difference in approaching this season as opposed to last year when he was in his first season on the job, the media's decision to pick N.C. State sixth in the Atlantic Division and more.

(Note: Because of the nature of a press conference, the audio of the questions may be lower than the responses by Tom O'Brien.)

Clemson's Tommy Bowden talked with the media Monday afternoon at the ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, Ga. He discussed the pressure on his team after being voted as the preseason favorite to win the ACC, his quarterback Cullen Harper, playing Alabama to open the season and more.

(Note: Because of the nature of a press conference, the audio levels of the questions may be a bit low, but Tommy Bowden's audio levels should be just fine.)

Message to Paul Johnson -- beat Georgia. That's the way Andrew Gardner sees it. 

"I can't speak for the administration, but I'd pretty much say that's why (Chan Gailey) go fired," Gardner, a 6-6, 305-pound offensive tackle, told ACC Nation at the ACC Football Kickoff. "We didn't beat Georgia ... and you've got to. If you lose to a rival, people get upset, people get antsy. Beating Georgia is big at Georgia Tech. It's in the fight song."

The Yellow Jackets were 0-6 under Gailey and now a new coaching staff, led by Johnson, will try to beat the Bulldogs, as well as 11 other teams on their regular-season schedule.

Find out more of what Gardner, as well as defensive tackle Vance Walker, had to say as they talked with ACC Nation Sunday afternoon.

For those who wonder if T.J. Yates can be healthy when he returns this fall as North Carolina's quarterback, Hakeem Nicks and Deunta Williams have no question.

The two Carolina players sat down with ACC Nation at Sunday's ACC Football Kickoff even in Greensboro, Ga., and discussed Yates, Butch Davis, the hype surrounding Carolina football and more.

Virginia Tech is still the favored of many to win the Coastal Division of the ACC, but the Hokies have had problems keeping players on their roster. From injuries to suspension, Virginia Tech has lost some players expected to play key roles this season.

Wide receiver was a position hit especially hard and quarterback Sean Glennon told ACC Nation Sunday at the ACC Football Kickoff that it was is responsibility to make an inexperience group better. Glennon also said he was looking at the quarterback job as his and not a two-quarterback system like the Hokies used at the end of last season.

Defensive end Orion Martin likes the other side of the ball for Tech, but feels he has to take more of a leadership role if the young guys on defense are going to be successful. It's not natural for him to be a vocal leader, Martin said, but it's something at which he's gotten better.

Glennon and Martin talked with ACC Nation at the annual media event Sunday in Greensboro, Ga. Listen to what they had to say on this special edition of the podcast.

Doc Walker, an analyst for ACC football games on Raycom, joins Patrick and Q in Greensboro, Ga., site of this year's ACC Football Kickoff, to talk some, you guessed it, ACC football. Doc gave his thoughts on where the ACC Football Championship should be held, why James Franklin will be good for Maryland's offense this year, the Bowden boys, why he likes parity in the ACC and much more.

Also on the show,

-- Jeff Adams and Rob Higgins of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission drop by to talk about their city hosting the ACC Football Championship;

-- Patrick and Q give their predictions on the final standings in ACC football;

-- Is it the Ritz-Carlton or the Carlton-Ritz?;

-- Fried mac and cheese;

And much more on this week's podcast.