As luck would have it the weekly ACC football coaches teleconference happened to take place just after news came out of Notre Dame joining the ACC in all sports except football and hockey.

I was on the call for Boston College's Frank Spaziani, Dabo Swinney of Clemson, Jimbo Fisher of Florida State's and Maryland's Randy Edsall.

Without question the best stuff came from Spaziani which is not a shocker since BC and Notre Dame play on an annual basis. He best line came towards the end of his time on the call when he said "we play them every year, I thought they were in the ACC to be honest with you."

Here is more from Spaziani.


"We have a long standing tradition with Notre Dame. I think we have a mutual respect and understanding. We understand what a great institution it is. I think it is tremendous for our league and certainly for Boston College. We play them and  now to be playing them in other sports is valuable

"It is a marquee brand and I think anytime you add a marquee brand to the established tradition and wonderful stuff that you have, it enhances it.

"We play them every year anyways so  I would have to digest that and I think that is an evolving situation. I think it is good for the league and I don't see any disappointment in there at all (on Notre Dame not becoming a full-fledged member in football)."

Next up was Clemson's Swinney.

"It is great news for our conference," Swinney said. "It says a lot for a program like Notre Dame to want to come. I am sure they can have their pick of conferences. For them to choose the ACC is, I think, a great thing. They are making a commitment to play five games (against ACC teams) even though they are not going to be a full member. For them to make that commitment, that is very strong. It is exciting, it further secures this conference's strength of schedule moving forward as we get into  the playoff scenarios and all that stuff

"I think they bring a lot to this conference. Who knows what the future holds but I think it will even enhance our bowl opportunities down the road, TV and all that kind of stuff as this thing moves forward."

I'd like to share you the highlights of what Fisher had to say but there weren't any as he said he heard the news three seconds before calling in and was still processing the news and did not want to comment on the situation.

Finally, here are Edsall's thoughts.

"I think they are a quality institution, they are a quality opponent and look forward to having the opportunity to play them.

"Personally, yes I wish they were all in for football but until I get all the information of how those five games are going to be structured, is it going to be a home and home situation, who are the five teams they are going to play. There are still so much information but I think for the good of the league is is a quality institution and a quality program."