The atmosphere around campus is starting to shift. Most of the students are still away, but workouts have picked up, and the first signs of structured routines are back. A few teams are already in the early phases of pre-season preparation. Not all of it is visible, but there’s a definite change in pace. It’s quiet, but steady.
The football program goes into the season with moneyline odds of +7500 to win the ACC at various sportsbooks such as crypto betting platforms that offer generous bonuses, fast withdrawals, and live wagering (source: https://www.luckyblock.com/sports). That puts them behind most of the field, but the changes made over the past few months haven’t gone unnoticed.
The new staff has leaned into tempo and speed, and there’s more clarity in the quarterback group than there was last year. Several defensive roles are still open, and the transfers brought in will have to settle fast. The schedule doesn’t leave much room for slow starts, so whether the optimism inside the program holds will depend on how they open the first three weeks. It’s not a group being hyped outside the region, but inside the building, the focus has shifted toward execution rather than projection.
Men’s basketball has kept a lower profile this summer. Training sessions have focused on defensive consistency and managing turnovers, two of the more persistent problems last season. The returning group has experience but hasn’t fully gelled, and the newer players haven’t had to carry minutes at this level yet. There’s been more emphasis on situational work, especially late-game execution.
Odds for a meaningful run in the NCAA Tournament are currently around +5000, which reflects a team that has to prove it can finish games more cleanly than it did last winter. The preseason will offer a few matchups that should give the staff a better read on how far the offseason improvements have actually gone. It’s still unclear whether there’s a go-to scorer in the group, but that question may not be answered until conference play.
The women’s team has made smaller adjustments that might have a bigger impact over time. Much of last season was disrupted by injuries, which affected their rotation and took away any real momentum. That’s changed. The off-season has included a heavier focus on movement off the ball, along with improving shot selection early in possessions. Depth remains an issue, but the staff has been more deliberate about managing workloads during drills.
They go in with odds of +3500 to win the conferencel; not a guarantee of anything, but it does suggest outside confidence in the structure they’ve built. Their guard play has been a strong point in practice, but the team still needs more consistency in transition defense, which cost them in key games last year. A few early tune-ups have been added to the schedule to address that.
Lacrosse has been steady, though without the spotlight the program used to command. Internal work has focused on control in the midfield and better spacing during transitions. This group doesn’t have the raw athleticism of past rosters, but the technical side has improved. The spring scrimmages exposed some gaps in coverage, but also showed flashes of rhythm that hadn’t been there in earlier seasons.
Whether they can sustain that over a full campaign is still in question, but the baseline has improved. They’ve been running tighter rotations during drills, and there’s been more accountability in individual matchups.
Field hockey is approaching things with less noise but more intensity. The summer training block is built around sharper transitions and faster recoveries, areas where they’ve been caught out late in matches. The returning players have handled most of the pace, but the incoming class has been introduced to full sessions earlier than usual.
There’s also been more structure to their tactical sessions, with a focus on pushing the press without compromising shape. The staff hasn’t overhauled much, they’ve just narrowed in on what needs to get sharper before the season opens.
Rowing has made smaller behind-the-scenes upgrades that might matter more than people expect. Equipment has improved, travel logistics have been simplified, and conditioning is more environment-specific than it used to be. The fall plan includes altitude training and new pacing models based on last season’s splits.
The rowers won’t be favorites heading into nationals, but they’re closer to competing with the usual front-runners than they’ve been in recent years. There’s also been more buy-in from the younger athletes, who’ve responded well to the program’s more measured tone this offseason.
