Anonymous ACC coaches on NC State: ‘There might not be a better front four aside from Clemson’

This time of year marks one of my favorite annual traditions, which is Athlon allowing coaches to discuss their conference opponents anonymously. You get some candor here you would never get otherwise, for obvious reasons. (Dudes have careers to protect, after all.)

One coach spoke glowingly of NC State’s defensive line:

"Defensively, there might not be a better front four out there in the league aside from Clemson. They’ve got six guys who could start just about anywhere in the ACC, and they’re going to be good at stopping the run."

There’s more there: one guy calls State “nondescript,” whatever the heck that’s supposed to mean. Another coach says that if Ryan Finley doesn’t improve his play in ACC games, “their staff will probably be looking for jobs.” Which is possible, I guess, but doesn’t seem especially likely to me. The unemployment part, I mean.

As usual, the league’s worst teams supply the most entertaining opinions. I like how coaches can get straight to burning a program in the most casual football-coachy manner. One guy, on Virginia: “they’re not particularly fast.” I laughed out loud at that one.