A pretty fair review

[JeremyCuse]

I definitely don’t care what those mouth breathers think. I don’t care what the perception out there is either - no need to concern ourselves with that right now.

Plenty of time to worry - prefer hope around summer.

Edit: read further and realized the point you were making. I agree that a portion of the fan base is out of touch with our place currently and the reasons why - in favor of thinking it’s still the 90s

Ya as you noted I wasn't talking about you or this seasons potential outcome just the overall perception and how a portion of the fanbase is definitely not in touch with the reality of where the program is. That said finishing at least .500 would help get things moving in a positive direction, I hope that's the case.

 

[JRHEETER]

I think for the first time under Dino Babers he set up a coaching staff similar to what he had at schools prior to us where he had success.

Dino is absolutely great at giving end of the game and pregame speeches.

He’s the definition of CEO coach in my opinion and I think he begged and pleaded for more help and more $$$$ for coaches.

I’m willing to bet that this is the most expensive coaching staff we have ever had, period.

Dino isn’t getting fired this season barring an absolute catastrophic collapse (we lose to Wagner) but other than that expect to see Dino in 2023.

I’ve had a ton of doubts on Dino but even with the poor seasons all of a sudden we have started to be in the conversation for higher level recruits and while not always picking them up, we’re getting them on campus and that’s been a long time coming.

Dino has been solidly building a program despite his W/L record

With that being said, I desperately need to see results to fully take him off the hot seat IMO

 

[GoSU96]

Going 10-37 over a four year span dug a big hole. Shafer 14-23 Combined 24-60.

P was 32-28, Marrone — 25-25. Putting aside the Covid year, Babers is 28-33 over the other 5 seasons. Not great by any stretch, but competitive.

 

[SoBristol]

Then why may I ask would we now have a designated special teams coach. What you just said makes no sense. You need a single person in charge of all special team activities even though there are separate skills involved. Running things by committee is sure disaster.

We probably are not going to agree. I would prefer to have someone work with closely with the kickers, someone else concentrate on the coverage teams. Very different skills. Sure, you can have a ST coach who oversees all component ST parts, just as you have a HC who oversees offense, defense, recruiting, specials.

But there are going to be a variety of ways to set up the organization. Not just one way. Some HCs concentrate on play calling, some don’t. Lustig, a former head coach, was a versatile guy and it worked in his case to have all STs. Not the only model that works.

 

[Stevenson]

If they fire Dino tomorrow, he never coaches again in the P5. That’s how you know you have a loser at the helm.

 

[TheCusian]

If they fire Dino tomorrow, he never coaches again in the P5. That’s how you know you have a loser at the helm.

I don’t think this is definitive … maybe because of his age? If he gets fired here and picks up a G5 gig, wins 10 games twice, someone might take a shot.

 

[JRHEETER]

If they fire Dino tomorrow, he never coaches again in the P5. That’s how you know you have a loser at the helm.

Are you saying he is never a head coach at a P5 school or that he never even as an assistant ever coaches at a P5 level?

 

[C-Mart]

5 losing seasons in 6 years tends to do that. I mean I don't think people (not saying you) realize how far down the program is considered around the college football world. Uconn won 1 game last year and hired a guy who hasn't coached in years and 75% of their fans have them winning versus SU. That game shouldn't even be close but you get the picture.

Your Win / Loss prediction for 2022 season

OK …. UConn’s first game is August 27 which is right around the corner. It is time to predict how the Huskies will do during this 2022 season. I foresee a whole lot of improvement now that UConn has an experienced winning head coach so I will go out on the limb and predict a record of 5 wins...

the-boneyard.com

I agree with a lot of your points, but to be fair, citing an even worse program’s delusional fanbase to prove how delusional ours is doesn’t really make sense.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I agree with a lot of your points, but to be fair, citing an even worse program’s delusional fanbase to prove how delusional ours is doesn’t really make sense.

Just to clarify I was only using them as an example of what other fanbases see as the strength of the program right now. When 75% of a fanbase coming off a 1 win year season sees you as a great opportunity for a win thats a bad sign. Now your correct in that there thinking is delusional, SU should be a massive favorite and roll but thats just the perception thats out there unfortunately. I wasn't using them to note any delusions of our fanbase. I think most realize we've been ok to a dumpster fire over the last 20 years with to many seasons being of the dumpster variety.

 

[Cuse'91]

Just to clarify I was only using them as an example of what other fanbases see as the strength of the program right now. When 75% of a fanbase coming off a 1 win year season sees you as a great opportunity for a win thats a bad sign. Now your correct in that there thinking is delusional, SU should be a massive favorite and roll but thats just the perception thats out there unfortunately. I wasn't using them to note any delusions of our fanbase. I think most realize we've been ok to a dumpster fire over the last 20 years with to many seasons being of the dumpster variety.

UConn fan base is hardly an outlier. Any national/regional sports talk media sees us in the same light. Especially, if they don't remember us in the last century.

 

[C-Mart]

Just to clarify I was only using them as an example of what other fanbases see as the strength of the program right now. When 75% of a fanbase coming off a 1 win year season sees you as a great opportunity for a win thats a bad sign. Now your correct in that there thinking is delusional, SU should be a massive favorite and roll but thats just the perception thats out there unfortunately. I wasn't using them to note any delusions of our fanbase. I think most realize we've been ok to a dumpster fire over the last 20 years with to many seasons being of the dumpster variety.

That’s totally fair. Here’s to hoping they’re more delusional than we are this year.

 

[money3189]

Again I was responding to his statement on why some people were having issues with Babers in the pre season. At no point did my response have anything to do with nor did it call anyone out for being positive or for saying something good about the team. I dont know why you keep mentioning that.

As for Uconn I used it as an example for the lack of respect or standing for where the program is in the eyes of other program's. Sorry you didnt like the example but my point stands.

Gotcha. I just didnt see anything in the thread that showed people being in denial of the perception of SU football.

 

[TheCusian]

Gotcha. I just didnt see anything in the thread that showed people being in denial of the perception of SU football.

Yeah, me neither. I do think that exists in the fan base (like all fanbases, probably?)

I was just noting the negativity seemed out of place when there's a lot to be hopeful about this season - not starry-eyed drinking orange koolaid hope - but a legit "we have some pieces and things could break right" hope. We'll lose a game this season, and then it will be like WW3 around here lol. Just weird to have strong "this is the end" takes during camp

 

[upperdeck]

The take should be, if we play well, we can win any of these games.. There were some years where we could play well and it would mean teams like Clem/FSU/Miami would have to play poorly as well for us to have a shot.

We have shown the last 5 years that Clemson is beatable and a couple of those years we didnt really play all that solid a game and hung with them. We sure didnt play an A game last year and had a great chance to win.

We all know that if we play poorly we can get blown out by anyone.

 

[kcsu]

I believe that with the exception of two games we can win or lose any of them

 

[JRHEETER]

I believe that with the exception of two games we can win or lose any of them

I actually think every game is winnable.

Obviously we aren’t winning every game but I think we have a chance to win at every single game this season











Am I delusional? Maybe

 

[upperdeck]

if we have a healthy oline core we can win games. we cant go down to 3 guys and 2 walking wounded again scrambling around to figure out 5 guys to line up.. No teams can really do that not even Clemson.

 

[JRHEETER]

if we have a healthy oline core we can win games. we cant go down to 3 guys and 2 walking wounded again scrambling around to figure out 5 guys to line up.. No teams can really do that not even Clemson.

The good part about the OL is I believe we have 7 guys that are all capable of starting and playing solid minutes

 

[richmondcuse03]

The good part about the OL is I believe we have 7 guys that are all capable of starting and playing solid minutes

I say this most years but I truly believe, our O Line determines how successful we will be this year. This is by far our best and deepest coaching lineup top to bottom. I dont think we will lose games due to coaching finally.

The key is staying healthy and having a solid O line. Look at what we did last year on the oline? We get some better passing protection and I think we will surprise a number of teams this year. I think we could have an amazing year and still only win 7 games though with the schedule.

Hate starting off with Louisville but if we win that game, I think we have a chance for that every fourth/fifth kind of special year for Syracuse that I think is now our ceiling.

 

[money3189]

Yeah, me neither. I do think that exists in the fan base (like all fanbases, probably?)

I was just noting the negativity seemed out of place when there's a lot to be hopeful about this season - not starry-eyed drinking orange koolaid hope - but a legit "we have some pieces and things could break right" hope. We'll lose a game this season, and then it will be like WW3 around here lol. Just weird to have strong "this is the end" takes during camp

We all have our moments when we are overly critical. Thats going to happen with the fan base of a struggling program. I just dont know how it leads to people being in denial as soon as someone mentions the good things players/coaches do. Are we not allowed to because we are a 4/5 win program?

 

[baggerbob]

I don’t think this is definitive … maybe because of his age? If he gets fired here and picks up a G5 gig, wins 10 games twice, someone might take a shot.

I say this most years but I truly believe, our O Line determines how successful we will be this year. This is by far our best and deepest coaching lineup top to bottom. I dont think we will lose games due to coaching finally.

The key is staying healthy and having a solid O line. Look at what we did last year on the oline? We get some better passing protection and I think we will surprise a number of teams this year. I think we could have an amazing year and still only win 7 games though with the schedule.

Hate starting off with Louisville but if we win that game, I think we have a chance for that every fourth/fifth kind of special year for Syracuse that I think is now our ceiling.

This is the first time since Eric where we have a QB returning who has shown he can move the sticks.
If a couple of the WR's and a TE show the ability to catch passes this team could win 8 or 9 games.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Gotcha. I just didnt see anything in the thread that showed people being in denial of the perception of SU football.

I should have clarified that my point wasn't about anyone or comments made in this thread I was talking about a certain group overall. This thread itself I think is pretty reasonable, there is an opportunity for the team to win some games they haven't been winning the last 3 years and there is a higher level of talent then we have had at a lot of positions save for the DL and WR where most of the questions are.

 

[Chip]

if we have a healthy oline core we can win games. we cant go down to 3 guys and 2 walking wounded again scrambling around to figure out 5 guys to line up.. No teams can really do that not even Clemson.

When we're relatively healthy, we compete.

But our margin for error on that is slimmer than most. Perhaps with better assistants, we'll have better player development, and more guys ready to step up.

It hasn't been the case lately, and it has made for some ugly Novembers. Novembers that tend to be what people remember most about us.

 

[money3189]

I should have clarified that my point wasn't about anyone or comments made in this thread I was talking about a certain group overall. This thread itself I think is pretty reasonable, there is an opportunity for the team to win some games they haven't been winning the last 3 years and there is a higher level of talent then we have had at a lot of positions save for the DL and WR where most of the questions are.

Gotcha and I agree.

 

[Cuse'91]

When we're relatively healthy, we compete.

But our margin for error on that is slimmer than most. Perhaps with better assistants, we'll have better player development, and more guys ready to step up.

It hasn't been the case lately, and it has made for some ugly Novembers. Novembers that tend to be what people remember most about us.

Good point. I would have felt a darn bit better about team and Babers without that Louisville debacle. Team had everything to play for; and, looked like they just wanted to get inside from the cold.