No Bad Words, and No Leaving the Box, Either

ACC basketball coaches will need to stay in their coaching boxes this year, and watch the foul language.

Well, at least that’s what the league said on Sunday. How this will be enforced remains to be seen. But as a push that started with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, college basketball officials will watch the box, and language, more closely this year.

How the rule gets implemented, and how often, is trickier.

John Clougherty, coordinator of ACC basketball officials, said coaches who go outside the box will get a warning first and a technical foul after that. But he also said the basketball officials will have to focus on the players on the court first, not where the coaches are standing.

On abusive language, Clougherty said, “In no case should a coach be using abusive language.”

But defining that in the heat of a game is more difficult.

If a coach uses a curse word with an official, that’s a technical.

But what if a coach screams at his own player for, say, not playing defense?

“This is not a new rule. It’s just a point of emphasis and how strict they will enforce it.”

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said he generally doesn’t expect to make any changes in his coaching style, unless technicals started to pile up.

“Everyone once in a while it’s good to remind people you do have a box,” Krzyzewski said. “You hope that no one goes nuts about it. I didn’t see it as amazing problem. But I can understand for the good of the game you look at it and get better.”

UNC coach Roy Williams didn’t seem to find the change a big deal.

Nominees must be in at least their third year of competition and have a grade-point average of 3.0 for their career. The award will be based on academic and athletic achievement.

Prosser, the former Wake Forest coach, died of an apparent heart attack July 26.

This year, they play home and home.

That situation is going to continue. Swofford said Sunday that the league has decided to stay with the current scheduling rotation for the next three years after this year.

That means the league will remain at 16 conference games through the 2011 season. Swofford said the league considered going to more but decided to remain at 16.

By the way, that 2011 season is a critical one because the ACC television contracts all expire then.