Class of 2016 LB Taylor Riggins (NY) Verbal to UMass

[TheCusian]

Cil, do other P 5 coaches know anything about football? I don't care about stars. I just wish we had guys that other P 5 schools wanted. I don't think anyone would disagree that our two top recruits at this time have the most P 5 offers

There's no doubt that seeing a bunch of high profile offers makes us as fans more excited about a kid. I think that's justified.

For me - if they see them as fits (prototypical for our system and character), they see them in person, and it's mid-cycle? I choose to trust them - esp on defense.

 

[tep624]

The way I see it, there are 3 types of recruits that I like to see the staff land:

1) Any recruits that we early offered who commit prior to their senior season, hyped or under the radar. - Example - Dontae Strickland or Marquise Blair, hyped, or Shy Cullen or Andreas Duerig, under the radar

2) Under the radar recruits that we didn't offer early, that subsequently have big senior seasons, blow up and are offered by other peer schools. Example - Kenterius Womack or Steven Clark

3) Early offer recruits that want to commit later, that subsequently have solid senior seasons. - Example - Amir Ealey or Jake Pickard

Now if you don't have much faith in the staff's (at any given time - they change) ability to evaluate talent, then I can understand the anxiety with landing prospects that don't have much in the way of other peer interest. I think this staff is very good at identifying talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so for me, I'm fine with whomever they want to offer early.

 

[O-pulse]

Taylor, welcome to the Syracuse Football family!

 

[PhatOrange]

The way I see it, there are 3 types of recruits that I like to see the staff land:

1) Any recruits that we early offered who commit prior to their senior season, hyped or under the radar. - Example - Dontae Strickland or Marquise Blair, hyped, or Shy Cullen or Andreas Duerig, under the radar

2) Under the radar recruits that we didn't offer early, that subsequently have big senior seasons, blow up and are offered by other peer schools. Example - Kenterius Womack or Steven Clark

3) Early offer recruits that want to commit later, that subsequently have solid senior seasons. - Example - Amir Ealey or Jake Pickard

Now if you don't have much faith in the staff's (at any given time - they change) ability to evaluate talent, then I can understand the anxiety with landing prospects that don't have much in the way of other peer interest. I think this staff is very good at identifying talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so for me, I'm fine with whomever they want to offer early.

To add, I like camp offer commitments.

 

[Ringostar57]

I'll take Shafer's Bullough's and Lea's evaluation over anyone at Skowt and Rovals! Thats anyone.....or 247 and even ESPN! In fact I will take my evaluation (over 50 years experience) over any of those services. period

 

[money3189]

I'll take Shafer's Bullough's and Lea's evaluation over anyone at Skowt and Rovals! Thats anyone...or . . . and even ESPN! In fact I will take my evaluation (over 50 years experience) over any of those services. period

Haha well said

 

[KevMonstah]

This is a nice post to get your like to post ratio up, but who exactly are you talking to? I haven't seen 1 poster mention anything about stars?

Hey, I'll take the bait. I'll admit to being one of these fans who sees 4*/5* and goes WOOHOO! I'll also admit that, ok, some guys at the recruiting services are probably not so good at talent evaluations, while some probably are. And as much as you'd like to trust the SU coaches, there are probably other guys out there, who've had more coaching success, and probably are equally as good if not better than Shafer or Lea or Bullough, or whomever else you could mention.

When you're looking at higher end guys, or guys who've been seen a lot, when the rating comes in and says "he's the 50th best OLB in the country with offers from A, B, and C", he's probably a better prospect than "this unrated guy with an offer from Buffalo". The arguments on the unrated guy "he's never been seen." Ok, but he plays at the same school as Zembiec, who had offers from a whole bunch of places and probably drew visitors from a whole bunch of others, so, he was "seen." The guy with the higher ranking, maybe he's hit a service camp and been directly compared to 20 or so other OLB prospects, so there's an idea of where he fits. It's hard as a fan base to say "yes, the unranked guy is the better fit", because the coaching staff doing so has not demonstrated they are a consistent top-20/30 staff.

Onto another thing, telling the 6'2", 240lb weakside DE that SU "no longer needs an MLB for this class", without letting him visit is kinda dumb. Ok, maybe you don't need an MLB, but, maybe this kid either grows into a college DE, or dominates his senior year. If I look at SU's D, I think they can find a spot for another "53th ranked" prospect, and really shouldn't be saying "no thank you." Same thing with the WR who just committed to BC. There has to be a better way of letting him know than no communication for two months (according to him, anyways). "Not hearing from them, and then they said, 'ah, we do not have any room for WRs.'" I'm not certain but, the SU WRs, are they leading the ACC in receiving? No? Then you probably have room for a 6'2", 190lb guy. And to be honest, how many hybrid guys do you need on your team? One, two, tops? They don't need two PER CLASS. Especially since they haven't been able to make the Broyld/Estime combo work in two years, even when they have been healthy. I'll take a 6'2" WR who can go get the ball in a regular passing route than a 5'10" hybrid who needs a special play run to set him up.

Kev

 

[money3189]

Hey, I'll take the bait. I'll admit to being one of these fans who sees 4*/5* and goes WOOHOO! I'll also admit that, ok, some guys at the recruiting services are probably not so good at talent evaluations, while some probably are. And as much as you'd like to trust the SU coaches, there are probably other guys out there, who've had more coaching success, and probably are equally as good if not better than Shafer or Lea or Bullough, or whomever else you could mention.

When you're looking at higher end guys, or guys who've been seen a lot, when the rating comes in and says "he's the 50th best OLB in the country with offers from A, B, and C", he's probably a better prospect than "this unrated guy with an offer from Buffalo". The arguments on the unrated guy "he's never been seen." Ok, but he plays at the same school as Zembiec, who had offers from a whole bunch of places and probably drew visitors from a whole bunch of others, so, he was "seen." The guy with the higher ranking, maybe he's hit a service camp and been directly compared to 20 or so other OLB prospects, so there's an idea of where he fits. It's hard as a fan base to say "yes, the unranked guy is the better fit", because the coaching staff doing so has not demonstrated they are a consistent top-20/30 staff.

Onto another thing, telling the 6'2", 240lb weakside DE that SU "no longer needs an MLB for this class", without letting him visit is kinda dumb. Ok, maybe you don't need an MLB, but, maybe this kid either grows into a college DE, or dominates his senior year. If I look at SU's D, I think they can find a spot for another "53th ranked" prospect, and really shouldn't be saying "no thank you." Same thing with the WR who just committed to BC. There has to be a better way of letting him know than no communication for two months (according to him, anyways). "Not hearing from them, and then they said, 'ah, we do not have any room for WRs.'" I'm not certain but, the SU WRs, are they leading the ACC in receiving? No? Then you probably have room for a 6'2", 190lb guy. And to be honest, how many hybrid guys do you need on your team? One, two, tops? They don't need two PER CLASS. Especially since they haven't been able to make the Broyld/Estime combo work in two years, even when they have been healthy. I'll take a 6'2" WR who can go get the ball in a regular passing route than a 5'10" hybrid who needs a special play run to set him up.

Kev

I hear what you are saying. You cant believe everything you read in a interview with 16 year olds either. I know first hand. Ive had kids who did interviews and totally didnt say their truth thoughts. These kids lie or over exagerate to make themselves look better. Plus alot of these articles are directed to favor that particular team recruiting site. I dont think anyone is saying Shafer and his staff is the best at identifying and evaluating talent. I think most is saying that we should value their opinion more than anything else. Best coaches in the country have misses each recruiting cycle. Im sure Saban regrets signing certain players on his current roster. These coaches watch players up close and personal performing in drills that they design and watch their own current players perform them everyday. So they know how it should look. When they evaluate, its based on their wants and needs. Its based on their system and scheme. That counts more than anything. film, combine numbers and live games performance is all part of the whole evaluation but it doesnt tell the full story. Thats why recruits with offers dont like to camp at schools that they already hold an offer at. They are afraid of exposing something that you cant see on film. For a particular player, the staff might put more stock in that player's game film then camp performance or vice versa. That's why they have staff meetings about recruiting and decide if a particular kid should be offered. They can give a F about who else offered or how many stars they have. Its about their system. Who fits it best. They will screw themselves if they dont take that approach. You have to stay true to your yourself. I dont care that Gray and Simon are 3 stars. They didnt fit us. You dont signed a kid based on their stars and try to force them in our scheme just because they were ranked.

 

[jekelish]

You dont signed a kid based on their stars and try to force them in our scheme just because they were ranked.

This. A thousand times this. Remember the big complaint about McDonald's offense? He was trying to force square pegs into round holes with his offense. Our coaches are recruiting round pegs, and politely telling the square pegs they don't fit. You can't recruit a square peg just because he's 3-stars, those stars won't make him fit any better.

 

[cuseguy]

This. A thousand times this. Remember the big complaint about McDonald's offense? He was trying to force square pegs into round holes with his offense. Our coaches are recruiting round pegs, and politely telling the square pegs they don't fit. You can't recruit a square peg just because he's 3-stars, those stars won't make him fit any better.

It's clear what they're trying to do. I applaud them for having a plan.

But will they run of time before they have the players in place to properly implement their plan?

 

[money3189]

It's clear what they're trying to do. I applaud them for having a plan.

But will they run of time before they have the players in place to properly implement their plan?

We will see, but this is the only way to do it. This is the only way to get sustained success. It wont help us if we have one year where we win 8 or 9 games and then the next year miss a bowl game. We need to build something reliable. Hate to keep using them as an example but this is the way Duke did it. Now its paying off.

 

[jekelish]

It's clear what they're trying to do. I applaud them for having a plan.

But will they run of time before they have the players in place to properly implement their plan?

And that is the million dollar question.

 

[Rocco]

I hear what you are saying. You cant believe everything you read in a interview with 16 year olds either. I know first hand. Ive had kids who did interviews and totally didnt say their truth thoughts. These kids lie or over exagerate to make themselves look better. Plus alot of these articles are directed to favor that particular team recruiting site. I dont think anyone is saying Shafer and his staff is the best at identifying and evaluating talent. I think most is saying that we should value their opinion more than anything else. Best coaches in the country have misses each recruiting cycle. Im sure Saban regrets signing certain players on his current roster. These coaches watch players up close and personal performing in drills that they design and watch their own current players perform in everyday. So they know how it should look. When they evaluate its based on their wants and needs. Its based on their system and scheme. That counts more than anything. film, combine numbers and live games performance is all part of the whole evaluation but it doesnt tell the full story. Thats why recruits with offers dont like to camp at schools that they already hold an offer at. They are afraid of exposing something that you cant see on film. For a particular player, the staff might put more stock in that player's game film then camp performance or vice versa. That's why they have staff meetings about recruiting and decide if a particular kid should be offered. They can give a F about who else offered or how many stars they have. Its about their system. Who fits it best. They will screw themselves if they dont take that approach. Have to stay true to your yourself. I dont care that Gray and Simon are 3 stars. They didnt fit us. You dont signed a kid based on their stars and try to force them in our scheme just because they were ranked.

Great post. The next thing is that the coaching staff is given enough time to see this through. If Coyle decides to make a change this year or next, and brings in a coach with a completely different D and O, it will only continue to push back the rebuilding process. Obviously Shafer has been average thus far, but from all reports, he is very well-liked by the administration and the team. Does that mean anything? It means something, but he needs to win, and win soon.

Shafer really needs to be given his full 5 years, and frankly, I think a 1 year extension would quell a lot of negative recruiting practices others schools are currently using against us. The coaching carousel that has been at Syracuse since P got fired needs to come to an end. We don't have the fundraising war chest and recruiting prowess of others like Michigan, Florida and Tennessee, who have all dealt with turbulent coaching regimes, to continue to have HC changes IMO. I feel like we're on the right track from a recruiting perspective and he has a solid staff in place. The freshmen class that is about to report will provide a nice upgrade at many key positions.

Going to be huge how Coyle plays this.

 

[Bambrewer]

From the sounds of the Syracuse.com interview it sounds like coyle will work with him and give him time. I'm sure that disappoints many here

 

[TheCusian]

From the sounds of the Syracuse.com interview it sounds like coyle will work with him and give him time. I'm sure that disappoints many here

The more I read certain posters here the more I realize they have fetishized certain offense systems and will not be happy until it looks how they envision it. I'm not sure there is enough wiggle room in their opinions to ever really be happy with Shafer.

If go to a bowl and show good improvement on offense, we should extend Shafer. The end.

 

[Ernj]

The more I read certain posters here the more I realize they have fetishized certain offense systems and will not be happy until it looks how they envision it. I'm not sure there is enough wiggle room in their opinions to ever really be happy with Shafer.

If go to a bowl and show good improvement on offense, we should extend Shafer. The end.

The impression I get when people post about specific systems (the spread), they want an offensive identity that takes advantage of the environment we play in - the Dome. We have had no offensive identity since P and D left. The one good year of offense since was just that, one year and put in 2 weeks prior to the season because the offense that Hackett had wasn't working. The only offense since Shafer has been HC has been a disaster. I think that if Lester can show improvement, people will come around. Until then people will be skeptical...

 

[TheCusian]

The impression I get when people post about specific systems (the spread), they want an offensive identity that takes advantage of the environment we play in - the Dome. We have had no offensive identity since P and D left. The one good year of offense since was just that, one year and put in 2 weeks prior to the season because the offense that Hackett had wasn't working. The only offense since Shafer has been HC has been a disaster. I think that if Lester can show improvement, people will come around. Until then people will be skeptical...

Yeah - I'm skeptical too. Everyone but the coaches and players should be given last season.

I'm all for taking advantage of the dome. I just think there are a lot of ways to do that. Also - Lester's system is described as "spread-like" FWIW. You may be right about them coming around. I just get tired of the endless drumbeat for a Leach style offense and that defense doesn't matter.

I know this all a huge digression from Riggins - but I think the way the schedule breaks this year is near perfect. The offense has time to get things moving before they start facing elite defenses (and overall, I think we face less daunting defenses this year anyways). Hopefully we ride early season success to a couple of surprise wins and get momentum flowing for a RW44 led team in 2016.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Hey, I'll take the bait. I'll admit to being one of these fans who sees 4*/5* and goes WOOHOO! I'll also admit that, ok, some guys at the recruiting services are probably not so good at talent evaluations, while some probably are. And as much as you'd like to trust the SU coaches, there are probably other guys out there, who've had more coaching success, and probably are equally as good if not better than Shafer or Lea or Bullough, or whomever else you could mention.

When you're looking at higher end guys, or guys who've been seen a lot, when the rating comes in and says "he's the 50th best OLB in the country with offers from A, B, and C", he's probably a better prospect than "this unrated guy with an offer from Buffalo". The arguments on the unrated guy "he's never been seen." Ok, but he plays at the same school as Zembiec, who had offers from a whole bunch of places and probably drew visitors from a whole bunch of others, so, he was "seen." The guy with the higher ranking, maybe he's hit a service camp and been directly compared to 20 or so other OLB prospects, so there's an idea of where he fits. It's hard as a fan base to say "yes, the unranked guy is the better fit", because the coaching staff doing so has not demonstrated they are a consistent top-20/30 staff.

Onto another thing, telling the 6'2", 240lb weakside DE that SU "no longer needs an MLB for this class", without letting him visit is kinda dumb. Ok, maybe you don't need an MLB, but, maybe this kid either grows into a college DE, or dominates his senior year. If I look at SU's D, I think they can find a spot for another "53th ranked" prospect, and really shouldn't be saying "no thank you." Same thing with the WR who just committed to BC. There has to be a better way of letting him know than no communication for two months (according to him, anyways). "Not hearing from them, and then they said, 'ah, we do not have any room for WRs.'" I'm not certain but, the SU WRs, are they leading the ACC in receiving? No? Then you probably have room for a 6'2", 190lb guy. And to be honest, how many hybrid guys do you need on your team? One, two, tops? They don't need two PER CLASS. Especially since they haven't been able to make the Broyld/Estime combo work in two years, even when they have been healthy. I'll take a 6'2" WR who can go get the ball in a regular passing route than a 5'10" hybrid who needs a special play run to set him up.

Kev

Sometimes there are non-FB reasons to stop recruiting. A coach will never say that is the case.

 

[Ernj]

Yeah - I'm skeptical too. Everyone but the coaches and players should be given last season.

I'm all for taking advantage of the dome. I just think there are a lot of ways to do that. Also - Lester's system is described as "spread-like" FWIW. You may be right about them coming around. I just get tired of the endless drumbeat for a Leach style offense and that defense doesn't matter.

I know this all a huge digression from Riggins - but I think the way the schedule breaks this year is near perfect. The offense has time to get things moving before they start facing elite defenses (and overall, I think we face less daunting defenses this year anyways). Hopefully we ride early season success to a couple of surprise wins and get momentum flowing for a RW44 led team in 2016.

The 12 system can be spread-like. I think when people hear 2 TEs they assume tight formations and with 2 WRs out wide. Until people can actually see the different formations, they can't see that. Especially when the only they have seen so far has been from the Spring game, in which the offense didn't look too stellar. Like I said, if Lester can show improvement in the offense, then people will come around.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Great post. The next thing is that the coaching staff is given enough time to see this through. If Coyle decides to make a change this year or next, and brings in a coach with a completely different D and O, it will only continue to push back the rebuilding process. Obviously Shafer has been average thus far, but from all reports, he is very well-liked by the administration and the team. Does that mean anything? It means something, but he needs to win, and win soon.

Shafer really needs to be given his full 5 years, and frankly, I think a 1 year extension would quell a lot of negative recruiting practices others schools are currently using against us. The coaching carousel that has been at Syracuse since P got fired needs to come to an end. We don't have the fundraising war chest and recruiting prowess of others like Michigan, Florida and Tennessee, who have all dealt with turbulent coaching regimes, to continue to have HC changes IMO. I feel like we're on the right track from a recruiting perspective and he has a solid staff in place. The freshmen class that is about to report will provide a nice upgrade at many key positions.

Going to be huge how Coyle plays this.

Barring another disaster this year Shafer is going to get at least one more year but hes definitely not getting an extension until the season plays out.

 

[jekelish]

Barring another disaster this year Shafer is going to get at least one more year but hes definitely not getting an extension until the season plays out.

Agree. And I think Coyle's quotes on Syracuse.com this morning pretty much say this, if you read between the lines. It seems clear that Coyle is setting Shafer up to stick around past this year, but no guarantees beyond that.

 

[Rocco]

Barring another disaster this year Shafer is going to get at least one more year but hes definitely not getting an extension until the season plays out.

I understand that, but my point still remains firm.

 

[baggerbob]

From the sounds of the Syracuse.com interview it sounds like coyle will work with him and give him time. I'm sure that disappoints many here

It doesn't disappoint me, and I've been following the team since around 1955, I want continuity so we can build sustained success.

 

[tep624]

Agree. And I think Coyle's quotes on Syracuse.com this morning pretty much say this, if you read between the lines. It seems clear that Coyle is setting Shafer up to stick around past this year, but no guarantees beyond that.

I'm sure he learned from the Gross mistake - you don't walk in the door as AD and start firing from the hip. He needs to take the proper time to make his own decision, after all, if the football team doesn't turn around, it's Coyle's neck that will be on the line. Not some discontented fans.

 

[jekelish]

I'm sure he learned from the Gross mistake - you don't walk in the door as AD and start firing from the hip. He needs to take the proper time to make his own decision, after all, if the football team doesn't turn around, it's Coyle's neck that will be on the line. Not some discontented fans.

I'm not trying to get into psychoanalysis but I think there'll be a big difference between Gross and Coyle in that, as a first time AD, Gross was trying to make a big early impression. Coyle has already been an AD, so he doesn't need to make a big splash. His reputation speaks for itself. He can sit back and be a little more patient.