2025 Strategy Shift?

[shu 49]

Guys like Emanuel Ross, Jamie Tremble, Ibn McDaniels, Jaden Hart, Joshua Miller, KJE, Jayden Brown, Fatim Diggs, Elijah Washington, Caden Brown, Jaylan Hornsby etc are all highly talented Guys that didn't see the field a ton this year. They'll have another off-season of development and training and many of them will make a big impact this season. Trust the staff.

I do trust these guys 1000 percent more than Dino. The thing I see more and more is Good teams have a really good offense with a good defense but the teams that win championships have really good offense and great defense. They get pressure with their four down guys and maybe sometimes they blitz a fifth guy. They play hard in your face man then switch to a zone when u least expect it. Linebackers are big and extremely fast while secondary can cover but are extremely great tacklers. Now take this theory of mine and match what our defense has and truly compare them. We are two years away maybe three defensively. I truly hope I’m wrong but just look back at all the championships that were won last 4 years.

 

[richmondcuse03]

I do trust these guys 1000 percent more than Dino. The thing I see more and more is Good teams have a really good offense with a good defense but the teams that win championships have really good offense and great defense. They get pressure with their four down guys and maybe sometimes they blitz a fifth guy. They play hard in your face man then switch to a zone when u least expect it. Linebackers are big and extremely fast while secondary can cover but are extremely great tacklers. Now take this theory of mine and match what our defense has and truly compare them. We are two years away maybe three defensively. I truly hope I’m wrong but just look back at all the championships that were won last 4 years.

I think we’re set up very well for 2026. But I also wouldn’t count out 8 wins if we get the defense right next year. We will be winning games a different way. We also need to get specials right. We overcome that this year because of Kyle but won’t have the same margin of error in either two areas.

 

[shu 49]

I think we’re set up very well for 2026. But I also wouldn’t count out 8 wins if we get the defense right next year. We will be winning games a different way. We also need to get specials right. We overcome that this year because of Kyle but won’t have the same margin of error in either two areas.

I agree with that. I truly hope guys come up that we haven’t seen and kill it too.

 

[shu 49]

I think we’re set up very well for 2026. But I also wouldn’t count out 8 wins if we get the defense right next year. We will be winning games a different way. We also need to get specials right. We overcome that this year because of Kyle but won’t have the same margin of error in either two areas.

Also yeah we need specials really bad.

 

[FrancoPizza]

We really just need 4 key portal signings on D and a lot of the handwringing over Fran’s plan will go away. But right now we’re sitting on 0.

 

[bnoro]

I'm happy to! You can DM me, but fair warning I'm just arbing you against Vegas when their number comes in at like 5.5.

I thought this board was for objective analysis of Syracuse football, but I am now realizing it's somewhere between team cheerleaders and absolute fantasy land.

Example of objective analysis:
"Our last 2 classes are improved but they are still young. It'll be tough to scrape together 6-6 against this schedule. Here's why ..."

Example of team cheerleader:
"I expect 8+ wins because it's Fran Brown."

Examples of absolute fantasy land:
"Recruiting rankings don't matter."
"There is a giant conspiracy on behalf of Briah Dohn (and somehow 247, On3, ESPN, and Rivals) to underrate our class and somehow give completely unwarranted 5 stars to the guys going to UGA and Bama, despite the fact that UGA and Bama make the playoffs every year with said completely overrated 5 star recruits."
"Fran Brown knows our class is criminally underrated." -- This one to me is actually the funniest because it not only implies that the recruiting sites have no idea what they are talking about, but it also implies that all of the head coaches at all of the football factories have absolutely no idea what they are doing because they chose not to offer all of our "hidden 4 and 5 star talent" other than Samuel and Gillians.

I bid you adieu to tend to your fantasy land. I am sure nobody will miss me.

I mean sure, if you want to jump in halfway through this thread and call me a cheerleader go for it, but maybe read the original post first?

Never said I "expect 8+ wins" and literally no one in this board is saying that.

I do expect 6 wins, and I do expect this roster to be stronger than some people on here are saying. There is not a conspiracy around Brian Dohn, he has been caught multiple times lowering Syracuse recruit rankings while raising Rutgers recruit rankings.

But I do find it funny when a newcomer comes on here calling those of us who have been part of a community here "tough guys" for having objective takes about our football program, while challenging people to $100k bets that Syracuse will lose games, and then probably won't pay down the road.

 

[Doc5120]

I’m not struggling for anything- let’s get that out of the way first.

That said, I’ve watch a lot of football and played collegiate so I know just a little about the sport. I also have close ties to the program.

Unless your dumb, blind, or ignorant you cannot justify comparing anything from this teams current status and anything Dino Babers did.

I never once supported Dino’s recruiting classes or over inflated what the realism was. Why, it was never worth it!

I know what true talent is, I know how coaching develops talent, and I know what culture does.

Here’s the bottom line- I bit on all the negative bull with predictions but realistically you can’t give an honest assessment or prediction until the week before you kick off. That said- it’s much more likely this team finishes with 8 wins than it does fewer than 6!

I don’t care about the schedule on paper- I look much deeper at it. Tennessee was a very inconsistent team last year and to me that shows a combination of coaching and lack of culture (did you see those things mentioned earlier?). Cristabol is a JOKE, and ALWAYS buckles as seasons progress. I’m not going to waste time to go game by game to appease negativity.

I’ll leave it at this- don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy what Syracuse has- it’s something much bigger than some fans realize!

I hope you're right about this, but just looking at what we currently have coming back/in, and the schedule, I'm on the other side of the fence. We certainly have some young talent, but it will be difficult to compete against some of the top tier teams we'll see this year. All that said, I hope I am very wrong though!

 

[Newhouser]

We really just need 4 key portal signings on D and a lot of the handwringing over Fran’s plan will go away. But right now we’re sitting on 0.

4 players on D is like saying Red Autry needed a PG and a C before this year's hoop season...wait scratch that.

 

[anomander]

I mean sure, if you want to jump in halfway through this thread and call me a cheerleader go for it, but maybe read the original post first?

Never said I "expect 8+ wins" and literally no one in this board is saying that.

I do expect 6 wins, and I do expect this roster to be stronger than some people on here are saying. There is not a conspiracy around Brian Dohn, he has been caught multiple times lowering Syracuse recruit rankings while raising Rutgers recruit rankings.

But I do find it funny when a newcomer comes on here calling those of us who have been part of a community here "tough guys" for having objective takes about our football program, while challenging people to $100k bets that Syracuse will lose games, and then probably won't pay down the road.

Dohn hasn’t graded kids in years.

 

[anomander]

And more recruits were lineman who generally have lower ratings then skilled players. Plus Carney was never rerated by 247 even though the state of Texas re-rated him as the 5th best QB in texas.

fwiw Carney was re-evaluated and they felt their rating was justified.

 

[bnoro]

Dohn hasn’t graded kids in years.

He doesn't grade kids, he adjusts their grades accordingly.

 

[anomander]

He doesn't grade kids, he adjusts their grades accordingly.

Not anymore

 

[bnoro]

Not anymore

He's still involved.

 

[vegasnick]

fwiw Carney was re-evaluated and they felt their rating was justified.

Have you watched Carney’s Film? Here I’ll do one better for you….the link below is a short YouTube video of NATIONAL Recruiting Analyst Brian Smith raving about Luke Carney.

Syracuse Football 2025 3⭐️ Commit Luke Carney Has HUGE UPSIDE | Syracuse Football Podcast

Syracuse Football is in a two-horse race with Louisville for 2025 four-star edge CJ May. The Orange are also in competition with Rutgers for three-star offen...

youtube.com

Wait wait let me guess- you know more than him too, right?!?!? GTFOH

 

[baggerbob]

Not anymore

And they didn’t re rate him they left him at the 84, when rivals had re ratedhim to 5.8 a 4 star.

 

[anomander]

Have you watched Carney’s Film? Here I’ll do one better for you….the link below is a short YouTube video of NATIONAL Recruiting Analyst Brian Smith raving about Luke Carney.

Syracuse Football 2025 3⭐️ Commit Luke Carney Has HUGE UPSIDE | Syracuse Football Podcast

Syracuse Football is in a two-horse race with Louisville for 2025 four-star edge CJ May. The Orange are also in competition with Rutgers for three-star offen...

youtube.com

Wait wait let me guess- you know more than him too, right?!?!? GTFOH

i didn’t do the evaluation, bud.

 

[vegasnick]

No, but others along with myself have clearly stated that 247 dropped the ball on the evaluation of Carney, while posting facts to support it. So instead of doing further research on your own, you take the 247 evaluation as the only answer and continue to discredit Luke. Just like your obsession with stars - you take everything for face value. That’s why there are multiple recruiting services who evaluate players and all are meant as a guide.

 

[richmondcuse03]

No, but others along with myself have clearly stated that 247 dropped the ball on the evaluation of Carney, while posting facts to support it. So instead of doing further research on your own, you take the 247 evaluation as the only answer and continue to discredit Luke. Just like your obsession with stars - you take everything for face value. That’s why there are multiple recruiting services who evaluate players and all are meant as a guide.

Yup. Not to mention the staff has thus far proven good at identifying talent that is overlooked or underrated by the traditional systems. There are also character aspects Fran loves. Carney has attributes that the staff ranks highly. We will see who ends up being right on this one. I personally love having kids with physical tools and chips on their shoulder, especially with how youth sports these days and the coddling that goes on. Obviously not every one will play out but I’m impressed by the few guys that has thus far.

 

[anomander]

No, but others along with myself have clearly stated that 247 dropped the ball on the evaluation of Carney, while posting facts to support it. So instead of doing further research on your own, you take the 247 evaluation as the only answer and continue to discredit Luke. Just like your obsession with stars - you take everything for face value. That’s why there are multiple recruiting services who evaluate players and all are meant as a guide.

well if you said it…..then continue to educate us fair weather fans….

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Carney could be the 2nd coming of Tom Brady, there is no way in hell that he will be a true frosh starter and open his college career in Atlanta vs Tennessee. Just will never happen and most feel he will redshirt other than the Syracusefan elite 11 scouting division

 

[Cusefan69]

This thread is starting to make me remember those old great Miller Light commercials. Some of you are "Tastes Great " and some others are "Less filling ". No in between, has to be one or the other. . Very rarely is one side unequivocally right and the truth is probably closer to the middle on most of the back in forth in this thread.

 

[AcAndAc]

Guys like Emanuel Ross, Jamie Tremble, Ibn McDaniels, Jaden Hart, Joshua Miller, KJE, Jayden Brown, Fatim Diggs, Elijah Washington, Caden Brown, Jaylan Hornsby etc are all highly talented Guys that didn't see the field a ton this year. They'll have another off-season of development and training and many of them will make a big impact this season. Trust the staff.

Lack of experience can be an issue also. And our opponents are loading up with experienced players off the portal. Now, that may be a blessing in disguise if there are "better on paper" teams in September still trying to gel as a unit. Or giving too much PT to the wrong guys. But we might do that also. So it may also washout.

I struggle to think we should expect to beat both Pitt and BC. I struggle to think we will have to beat both UNC and Duke, teams that are both starting to get serious about football. We can (and may) beat all four, however, so that is where our 6 bowl wins have to come from--especially as home games. As we lose one, we need to win another--out of a group of Tennessee, Georgia Tech, SMU, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Miami--all actual or functional away games. Who knows, maybe we win three of those and lose three at home.

I think with McCord and LQA returning, the over-under still may have been 7.5 with this schedule. Sorry... opponent matters.

 

[AcAndAc]

This thread is starting to make me remember those old great Miller Light commercials. Some of you are "Tastes Great " and some others are "Less filling ". No in between, has to be one or the other. . Very rarely is one side unequivocally right and the truth is probably closer to the middle on most of the back in forth in this thread.

Yes, probably. But what else is there to do in January?

 

[Cusefan69]

Yes, probably. But what else is there to do in January?

I am not saying don't talk. I am saying usually nothing is ever one hundred percent one way or another (except maybe death and taxes), so be open to other people thoughts on a discussion? If you end up still disagreeing that is fine but at least be open to other positions. I can say with some confidence (notice I am not stating for 100%fact like some are doing) that no one on this board is so close to Fran, Nixon or Erob that they can speak in absolutes about their positions or thinking on probably most of the topics in this thread. Most of the people are spitballing their positions but my problem is some are spitballing like they are facts and they usually aren't facts. Anyway like I said in another thread, do what you want my man, all good. Just trying to help drive receptive discussion is all.

 

[vegasnick]

Carney could be the 2nd coming of Tom Brady, there is no way in hell that he will be a true frosh starter and open his college career in Atlanta vs Tennessee. Just will never happen and most feel he will redshirt other than the Syracusefan elite 11 scouting division

You talk like you know something or have talked to him directly. Some of us have- so there’s that. And no I’m not trying to act a way about being close to the situation. But when you talk like it’s fact and others are trying to tell you that you’re wrong- maybe you should listen. He has no intention of walking into the semester planning on redshirting. He’s going into camp to compete. And I will tell you - some of his numbers are off the charts and the staff love him. Am I saying he’s starting as a freshman, no! If I had a crystal ball I wouldn’t be sitting here on this forum. I am telling you that there’s an open competition and he’s competing. That said NO ONE has a crystal ball - keep that in mind. Instead of pretending you know more than the staff, how bout you support everyone and let things play out. But unless you’re the second coming of bill belichick I doubt that will happen.