A positive reflection on Dino

[SUGIANT]

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with 90% of the issues already noted by almost everyone on here. Still I think there’s room to thank Dino for his time at SU. I think he’s a stand up guy and, frankly, I liked him, as much as I knew him from press conferences and his show. I was happy about his hiring 8 years ago.

The Dungee years were fun. I think he deserves credit for that excitement the win against #2 Clemson and the 10 win season.

I think he deserves credit for the education the young men received. It seemed to be one of the priorities of his tenure.

i also think the offensive retooling we saw at Pitt last week was amazing, even though it worked for one week. Depth really killed SU during his tenure, especially on the OLine. Every season SU seemed depleted on the line due to injuries snd I believe that was the main issue for SU the past 8 years.

I know it was time for him to go, but I’m not looking forward to the next phase, I am apprehensive about the next coach. We may not get what we wished for. Still I will cheer positively for the young men out there as I have for 40 years.

Sorry to see ya go Dino, I think you‘re a standup guy that worked extremely hard and cared about your players. Good luck on what comes next.

 

[orangencpolice]

He was a very like able guy that did seem to hold his players accountable. I believe that is why we didn’t have many instances of players acting like idiots, similar to what some other schools have had to deal with. I was also a believer of Dino when we beat VT, Clemson the following season and went 10-2. Unfortunately his in game decisions and lack of recruiting took us in the wrong direction.

 

[DuxburyO]

The Pitt game retooling the offense was good. The expectation that it would work the next game was not good.

 

[sufandu]

I'm sad because I liked him and wanted it to work. He came in with the type of offense everyone wanted, but for some reason he was never able to recruit the most important pieces ro make it work. The change needed to be made.

 

[sufandu]

The Pitt game retooling the offense was good. The expectation that it would work the next game was not good.

I don't think it was as much an expectation as it was a hope.

 

[Wrinkle]

Bro Dungee?

 

[BKCuse]

Dino was / is a great guy and did a fantastic job as face of the program.
He had some tough breaks to contend with that unfairly hurt him /SU (Covid & NIL)
I really rooted for him to succeed, probably believed in him longer than most but it’s time for a change.

 

[NCo’range]

Too bad it didn’t work out cause wife and I liked Dino a lot.
The fact that he was from my home town growing up (SD) made me like him even more. Unfortunately, I started to question his grasp on the program and felt strongly that his team wasn’t disciplined enough, way to many dumb mistakes season after season. The head coach has to lead and teach Tuff Love consistently in order to make an impact with all those athletically gifted young men.
I hope he lands on his feet at a program where he can use his gift of fairness and family.
Good luck Dino.

 

[AZOrange]

Absolutely. I wanted him to succeed so badly and hung in there even after COVID but he lost me last year. Sometimes things don’t work and you just have to move on.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Dino loved his players. Not sure he ever showed that same love to the community. To that end JB set the bar pretty high.

 

[two3zone]

Never disliked Dino at all, don’t understand a lot of his coaching but it kind of felt dirty wanting him replaced. Odd legacy but I think people will look back fondly at it.

 

[elimunelson]

Not to flip this around because I liked Dino as a person (ironically never met him and honestly have no idea what he is like. He seemed like quality).

It’s a bit odd we fawn over Dino at the expense of the last 4 guys fired or left. Can someone point me to if any of them were bad guys? Were any more community pillars than Dino?

Not saying anyone is making that connection but I feel like we haven’t hired a pirate ever.

 

[ChrisCourt]

While I do agree that he was a stand up guy, and that he did place the kids education first, this is still college football, and we are playing in a very tough conference. We needed to recruit great kids coming out of high school, and got 3 stars at best. It was baffling to me, why some good, talented athletes just didn't want to come here. Then I am reading ramblings of former players not being involved at all?? C'mon maaaaan!!!!
College football coaching (as we all are aware) can and is, cut throat. If you don't produce, it's time to go.

He had 8 years here, and had some ups, and definitely some downs. I wish Coach Babers well in his next several steps in life. I have met him before, and he is genuinely a nice guy. But in this business, being a nice guy won't save your job.

Dino, best of luck to you & your family.

 

[stuckinbig11]

It is hard to win when you are missing you QB and best receivers, plus a bunch of others. I am sad to see him go.

 

[ForeverOrange]

At this point I wish him well, and my expectations for what's next are extremely low. I have seen enough football in the north east to a point I doubt any hire we make will change things. I can't think of one great team in the northeast. So lets just get the next round of coaches in here and out and then after that get the next AD and his new Football coach hire...lets just keep this going...so exciting.

 

[cjmurray34]

Loved Dino, and he was someone that held a lot of promise. There were plenty of positives, it was nice to see us ranked, and it was nice to see our potential as a program. Unfortunately we never capitalized on that, will always respect and appreciate Dino.

 

[UBSU]

Agreed. To add, he was a great representative of the University. The players seemed to stay out of trouble when they were there and you didn't read too much about them doing dumb things off the field. They were there to get an education, and most walked away with degrees. Didn't seem to integrate too much with the community though. Wishing good luck with your next role. It's a tough time of the year.

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[Eric15]

Can someone point me to if any of them were bad guys? Were any more community pillars than Dino?

Every football coach we have had from Coach Mac to Dino is/was a good person.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I really wish Dino wasn't so arrogant about the things he wasn't good at (team discipline, clock management, 4th down decision making)

If he was willing to acknowledge his shortcomings in those areas and make an honest effort to get better at them, he prolly wins a few more games at least and maybe saves his job.

He should get blame for the roster management too, but I'm not sure how much since the talent prospects for SU aren't great overall

 

[FrancoPizza]

Never disliked Dino at all, don’t understand a lot of his coaching but it kind of felt dirty wanting him replaced.

dirty?

The man is set for life. His kids and grandkids are also set. I don’t feel dirty or sad. If anything Dino is probably happy he can finally move back out west.

Let’s turn the page.

Ordinary joes lose their job everyday and have to scrape and claw their way through life to stay afloat. I will never feel sorry for multimillionaires when they lose the opportunity to make more millions.

Now a guy like Beck? If his kids love it here then I’d feel bad for the kids. But that’s the nomadic life he signed up for.

 

[orangecuse]

I don't think it was as much an expectation as it was a hope.

Exactly. And, 'hope is not a strategy.'

 

[sufandu]

Exactly. And, 'hope is not a strategy.' Not to mention, eight years in to boot.

What I meant was, they hoped it would work, but I'm sure they didn't expect it to be nearly as effective. But they had no choice with nobody to throw the ball. But that's on them too. We have needed to do a better job recruiting QBs.

 

[SUGIANT]

Not to flip this around because I liked Dino as a person (ironically never met him and honestly have no idea what he is like. He seemed like quality).

It’s a bit odd we fawn over Dino at the expense of the last 4 guys fired or left. Can someone point me to if any of them were bad guys? Were any more community pillars than Dino?

Not saying anyone is making that connection but I feel like we haven’t hired a pirate ever.

I felt the same way about Schaffer frankly. Marrone not so much though I think he’s a good coach, he didn’t get fired either. Grob seemed like an alright guy. I think Pasquolone got treated like dirt, though at the end after the Rutgers loss, I thought it was over. Did I miss anyone?

 

[Crusty]

It is hard to win when you are missing you QB and best receivers, plus a bunch of others. I am sad to see him go.

You mean like Shafer