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The key to getting the best players is what, in your opinion? Every program in the country wants the best players. Where is our edge? Where have we had success in this recent cycle? If you followed recruiting under Babers you know there was almost zero pattern - very different year to year...

Of course it is a national game. The point is that programs have recruiting advantages in their regions, and outside their regions it is a big competition against 40 programs. Not a steadfast rule, but if you can’t win recruits in your region (and aren’t already a selector program or perhaps...

I believe the issues were health, depth, size and talent. If you check the current depth chart (with one more good transfer not here yet), we have a full two deep, filled with returning veterans, seasoned transfers, 3 good younger guys looking to break in. Better size. Starting with depth and...

Because families can see their kids play. Sure, kids and families can fly back and forth to deliver kids to school, pick up at the end of the semester, parents’ day. Some do that. But it is a heck of a lot easier for mid-Atlantic, Ohio, NJ, PA, downstate families to drive to SU. Same for...

I agree about relationships (if you have them, as Fran and most of his assistants do) but SU can’t just pull its choice of the better guys with measurables/skill sets from Florida (just one example). There are 40 other out of state programs working that ground, after Florida, FSU, Miami, UCf...

Don’t limit to a specific region but recognize that there is an advantage if you can get the better kids within a 6 hour driving radius. What advantage does SU have in Florida or Georgia? As for “type of player” I am not sure what you mean. Maybe Dino was settling for 6-4” 240 DTs for a 3-3...

Yet, with those flaws, with those tweeners, with the abject lack of inside defense, the rebounding challenges, this team managed 20 wins. The coaching staff must be elated.

I do believe Freeman changes the equation on inside defense and scoring. Of course any team wants a true center who can defend and score.

Not convinced. Q might be better in his current role - a forward/supplemental guard, able to create and free lance. The combination we have now with Mintz, JJ and Q is very effective. I believe in him, absolutely, but what is his better role? Depends, of course, on who else we have.

Good point about Taylor. He has missed enough jumpers to know he should look for other ways to contribute.

It does not help that our forwards are small and our center is a 6ft 8 forward. We can’t defend inside and get killed on the boards. Yes, the defense on the perimeter should be better, but that is not the prime issue with this line-up.

To be a really good team we would need better forwards, better inside defense, inside scoring, and rebounding. We don’t have much of that. The grind out with dribble drive is what this team has to do, except on the occasions Bell or JJ can hit a high percentage. And obviously the difference...

Thanks Steve for your great summaries. Good read. GMAC said "our overall strength is the dribble drive". I believe that is absolutely true, though there are a ton of posters who don't seem to get it. When Bell can get and make shots, fine. Otherwise, we need JJ and MIntz to take it to the hoop.

I suspect you mean Q, Mintz and Bell. The others (Brown, Taylor, JJ, Cuffe, McLeod) are composed.

Whatever anyone wants about this team -- changes so much from game to game, or even from one half to the next. The one consistent is that we struggle inside, on the boards and defending opposing bigs. There is only so much that Brown can do. The contributions from JJ, Mintz, Q, and Bell...

True - but the biggest issue is we lack inside defense and rebounding. We have Brown … and very little else. GaTech killed this team on the boards, getting multiple second chances, and we got maybe 2 or 3. We also lack inside scoring except when a play is made for Brown, or when our guards...

Despite most of us wanting a deeper rotation, it appears a 6.025 rotation is a plus. The forwards are undersized for sure, but Bell, Copeland, JJ, Mintz and Brown each bring some talent. Seems to help that Bell and Copeland have taken Benny’s minutes and settled in. I have no opinion about...

The wake up call is that we have six players - small band of brothers. Q and Bell have to do it, getting more minutes, there is no one else coming in. Bell is rounding out his game on offense. Mainly a 3 point shooter, but slowly adding a mid-range game, occasionally taking it to the hole...

Who are the “so many good passers on this team”? Copeland is typically good for a fancy assist or two. Who else? We play iso ball because the best talent of Starling and Mintz is driving and finishing or getting their own shots. Bell is a shooter - rarely makes plays for a teammate. Need...

Freeman is top 10 -15 per recruiting sites, so clearly one of our best in years. Add Freeman to Brown, and next year’s team can at least compete inside. Different ball game. Then you can judge Red. Find another inside player in the portal, all the better.

The players and team results have met my expectations - with two obvious exceptions. Center (McLeod/Hima) and forward (Benny/Taylor). Brown has improved more than any, but he needs much more help with inside scoring and inside defense. We get killed inside and then you can’t win unless Bell...

Yeah, so many warts on Judah's game -- and yet, where would this team be without him. Not 10 f. wins. He is the one guy who draws extra attention from defenses. He is the one guy who gets 18 points or more, consistently. He is not perfect, obviously. But Judah, Brown, JJ are about all we got.

Yes, those five had a good game-- if you only care about points scored. Someone (those same five) gave up a ton of points to a bad Louisville team. And, still, it was exciting right to the end - so much better than losing by a ton.

Miami did not have time to be thrilled Copeland was taking the shot at the buzzer! He was the open guy, received, shot, nothing but net, victory.

You have the in-game coaching decisions (time outs, substitutions, special plays after time outs etc) and the player development, team building component of coaching. Watch Red’s post-game press conference to get a taste of how he is encouraging individual players and the team element.

I think the new staff can sell the sizzle (while they are undefeated) and they don't necessarily need 9 wins in season 1 to continue strong recruiting in years 2 and 3. Start and upward trend and sell playing time. They likely have built relationships with kids in the junior and even soph...

Great summary. A lot will depend on Fran Brown and how he has constructed his staff. It is a young bunch of assistants, bringing amazing recruiting chops (as you noted), and with backgrounds concentrated in NJ, PA, Ohio. Two from recent NFL gigs, most with P4 gigs. Marrone’s plan also...

Correct to pump the brakes, but this staff has recruiting chops now through prior roles, it is a young aggressive bunch, has achieved big results in limited time, guys in this weekend to reinforce both lines. Then use the same connections to work on juniors to get early commits for 2025 class by...

Maybe. Bell may also be the one of the bunch (Bell, Taylor, Williams) who will make the most improvement over his career. Not to say he can contribute much now, but he can shoot, has made moves on occasion, and hustles as a perimeter defender. In a game like last night, people need to...

They should be feeling good. I give credit to Copeland, Brown and a revived Williams. Q said these are his guys - they play together in practices against the starters and know how to look for each other. And I suspect Q’s energy is inspiring Williams. Those 3 get after the boards...

We did get whipped, the results don’t matter, better days are coming with Fran’s recruiting. That all said, many of the players who are returning looked bad against S Florida. Over matched. No way to hide that, QB issues aside (which does not explain specials & defense) We need a large...

We haven't seen a second platoon the likes of Copeland, Brown, Benny & Cuffe. Take out the 7ft 4 in center, and put in 3 guys who can each do something on the boards, plus a quick small shooter in Cuffe. Among the other things Copeland can contribute, he can get Brown & Williams some finishes...

No, of course we don’t know about the tactical component. But we do know this program needed - first of all - more first rank talent and more depth (in a word, recruiting). Bring in talent to stuff the run, and DEs to pressure the passer. Get a QB and better receivers. And once we have the...

Actually winning will make a big difference (obvious). He has to keep his connection to recruiting then hire younger guys who do. Continual focus on building recruiting. We won’t ever be a selector.

If you thought SU needed Xs and Os, and better clock management, you would have gone in a different direction. If you thought we needed more ACC level talent, you would want Fran Brown. An aggressive young recruiter with established connections in our 6 hr radius. Get better talent, first...

You have me placed right for football. I did not follow SU basketball until the Bing/Boeheim years, and actually not much until the Runts made the amazing run to the final four.

Lots of negatives in that post. We just announced Fran, he has a DC sitting in the Dome, an OC rumored (NFL guy) - how much faster can he go? You think Fran and his crew won’t develop players? Why? Game plans, sure. First, we need talent at WR, DT, DE, DBs and QB.

Yes, we could wait until we see wins and a bowl game, but we will know a lot when we see the OC & DC, success in retaining the better players we have, success in the portal, success in completing the 2024 class. Step by step. All the off-season developments that build the 2 deep and give SU a...

October 1956 - 12 years old, went to SU v Army in Archibald with my Dad. The beginning of SU football fandom.

And a big thank you for doing that. It makes for a quick read instead of a long listen to the show or a replay of a show.

Amazing and encyclopedic. I liked the upside better, but can’t disagree with your observations. I would add — the one basic of college football is recruiting. Dino (and his predecessors) had us in the 55th or so range. He found some gems, but not enough. Unless that can change, we will see...

From my eyes, the issues aren’t buy-in or individual operators (except Judah), but personnel. We have McLeod and Brown at C - their respective abilities are contrasting and obvious. The 4 forwards are a mixed lot - Bell is a scorer, not a rebounder; Benny wants to be a jump shooter; Taylor is...

What our guards do best is drive - iso ball - and Bell is a shooter who hangs at the 3 point line. I think of set plays as part of a motion w/o the ball offense, with good passing. What kind of set plays do you want? Give an example of a team that is effective that way.

I don’t see how JJ, Mintz and Bell (our best scorers) are going to run a Purdue set play offense. Have to go with what our guys do.

The recent Boeheim teams did not have the players to press - not a matter of depth only. Buddy and Joe had the good qualities, but pressing wasn’t one of them. Now - Brown, Copeland, JJ, Mintz are perfect for a pressing style and Bell and Cuffe may be as well. Add in that our half court...

We learned Colgate is a good half court team, that we aren’t, but we can play helter-skelter defense and offense. In an open court, unsettled, our guys are great at finishing. I don’t know about “identity” but we have serious issues in the half court against a defense that is set up. We do...

John has Gait in place to turn Lax around and Red is off to a strong start with JJ, Cuffe, McLeod, Westry, and Mintz opting to return. Not sure what more you can ask. Has to translate to W/L but rope and leeway for sure. Fixing football - not going to happen soon.

Agree with much of that, but the problem starts with the lines - both DL and OL. We were totally dominated. VaTech ran at will with strong blocking. VaTech destroyed our OL. The new guy better know how to recruit and work the portal for line talent. Then we can worry about a QB.

I thought Red was very clear that M2M was the primary defense, though they can play zone in situations. M2M can allow more opportunities for Copeland or Cuffe (in a 3 guard set up for SU) depending on the opponent’s lineup. November will give us a lot to discuss, as Red’s system takes hold...

Sure, but in writing about what a player can contribute in 2023-24, I suppose I would mention his most recent play and observations of year over year improvements.