A pretty fair review

[IthacaBarrel]

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.

Agreed but praying for that type of health in November seems to be very rare. Doesn't mean it can't happen but seems a lot to ask. I do agree it's the biggest concern for many teams dealing with a razor thin margin.

 

[orangecuse]

of course they are my words and my thinking. did i try to pawn them off as yours?

your comment about the lack of commitment is a reason not to fire the head coach. it means you can't really fault him for the record.

i think everyone recognizes that syracuse has an uphill battle to become relevant against in P5 football. that's not really much of a take. we've been pretty bad for approximately 2 decades now... my point is I still think dino gives us as good as a shot of becoming relevant as anyone else we could afford.

Of course not. Simply implying that that particular yeah okay, etc. scarcastic type sentiment and train of thought is precisely why the fan base (other than us diehards here) have largely disconnected themselves from the football program. Moreover, it's embedded in the culture, stemming back to the "get a life" mantra of the prior powers that be which planted that original seed to where we are today...as you stated, some 2 decades plus later.

 

[Chip]

Agreed but praying for that type of health in November seems to be very rare. Doesn't mean it can't happen but seems a lot to ask. I do agree it's the biggest concern for many teams dealing with a razor thin margin.

It's been a problem that goes further back than Dino.

Marrone mentioned it after the 2011 season. I recall him making some changes to how they practiced in 2012 (can't remember specifics) to try to stay healthy, and it worked. 2012 team really finished strong.

Age old story I guess, we need to recruit more talent and develop it better. We don't need to have Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State depth. But we need to have Pitt, BC, Wake depth.

 

[Chip]

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.

Other than the Maryland game of 2019 (runaway winner), the 2021 and 2020 Louisville games are the most frustrating of the Dino era.

I'm so glad that we A) host them, and B) get them early. Need to turn this fiasco around.

Then do the same to Pitt.

 

[All4SU]

fun listen

Those guys were hard to listen to at first…. Then they settled down a little. I think they’re 100% wrong about the Dome though. It’s true that teams would have a more difficult time playing here in cold weather. But that’s what, November? That’s 4 games… and if two are away, that makes two games. If one of those games is BC or Pitt - who are accustomed to cold - it’s down to a home field advantage for ONE GAME. This is not the NFL where you could play games at home in November, December and even January.

Then there are the fans. In the last 20 years, with our poor performances, an outside field in November would be empty. At least people like coming into the Dome when it’s cold.

And finally, when it’s full or nearly full, the Dome is a home field advantage regardless of weather…. Half of our games.

They’re just wrong.

 

[Doc5120]

i think the last 20 years indicate as to where Syracuse sits in the overall national landscape. Debating it isn’t even worth it. Other than Kansas and Vandy I can’t think of any other programs that have been worse

Maybe Indiana and Duke. No one else comes right to mind.

 

[RF2044]

It's been a problem that goes further back than Dino.

Marrone mentioned it after the 2011 season. I recall him making some changes to how they practiced in 2012 (can't remember specifics) to try to stay healthy, and it worked. 2012 team really finished strong.

Age old story I guess, we need to recruit more talent and develop it better. We don't need to have Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State depth. But we need to have Pitt, BC, Wake depth.

Agreed. Seems like we've been climbing uphill forever to get adequate pipeline in the queue. And sometimes we have it at most positions, but get undermined by not having it in others. And we've had some bad luck in terms of injuries ransacking positions where we're already thin -- like OL a few years ago.

But at some point, recognizing that there is attrition every year, we have to get over the hump in terms of appropriate depth / adequate talent. Maybe this is the year.

 

[orangecuse]

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.

I'm reminded of quotes from whom, IMO, by a landslide has been our best coach this century; "Don't mistake effort for execution."

You can't play an "A" game, certainly not consistently when you have a coach that talks the talk more than he can walk the walk. His record speaks for itself on that front, it's not really debatable. Additionally, he also lacks the track record of sustained success with any program, as he stints at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green lasted only two years each, not to mention at a G5 schools.

I've been bearish on Dino for sometime now.

Every preseason hope springs eternal, so I get it. However, IMO, it's simply fools gold as how can anyone here really determine/judge how good so and so looks, etc. when they are up against seemingly a bunch of other so and so's (see national & conference recruiting rankings, etc.) and, more importantly, haven't accomplished much winning against their fellow conference foes & peers (see Dino's ACC record to date). Unfortunately, for the most part, once the season starts it has been wash, rinse and repeat...same 'old cycle.

For me, at this point in time, I'll get/be excited once we see the "positive" (and more consistent variety) results on the field, where it matter first and foremost.

 

[jgeorge322]

Of course not. Simply implying that that particular yeah okay, etc. scarcastic type sentiment and train of thought is precisely why the fan base (other than us diehards here) have largely disconnected themselves from the football program. Moreover, it's embedded in the culture, stemming back to the "get a life" mantra of the prior powers that be which planted that original seed to where we are today...as you stated, some 2 decades plus later.

All I said was :

“Im sure all those programs who can their head coach every five years go on to great things…”

Thats pretty tame. Not sure its fair to blame the downfall of the football program on such a statement.

 

[upperdeck]

I'm reminded of quotes from whom, IMO, by a landslide has been our best coach this century; "Don't mistake effort for execution."

You can't play an "A" game, certainly not consistently when you have a coach that talks the talk more than he can walk the walk. His record speaks for itself on that front, it's not really debatable. Additionally, he also lacks the track record of sustained success with any program, as he stints at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green lasted only two years each, not to mention at a G5 schools.

I've been bearish on Dino for sometime now.

Every preseason hope springs eternal, so I get it. However, IMO, it's simply fools gold as how can anyone here really determine/judge how good so and so looks, etc. when they are up against seemingly a bunch of other so and so's (see national & conference recruiting rankings, etc.) and, more importantly, haven't accomplished much winning against their fellow conference foes & peers (see Dino's ACC record to date). Unfortunately, for the most part, once the season starts it has been wash, rinse and repeat...same 'old cycle.

For me, at this point in time, I'll get/be excited once we see the "positive" (and more consistent variety) results on the field, where it matter first and foremost.

I get it.. My point is that a team like ours can only put itself in good positions so many times against a good team..

our A game and another teams A game can be much different.. Clemson can make mistakes all over because at some point their elite guys make a play. It has killed us many times over the yrs.

How often have we turned 5 yd plays into 80 yd tds over the last 10 yrs? We hit home runs for sure because we block it right or we complete the pass. But we seldom turn nothing into something. Our DUngee/Shrader guys have gotten us a few of those but seldom other players.. Tucker has been great but how many times has he pulled a rabbit out of a hat. How many times have our WRs broke 2-3 tackles and taken it to the house..

Our A game might be much simpler for us. Make our FGs.. dont miss our easy TD passes. Dont get caught blocking down field on big plays. Catch the simple INTs.

Like the coach says occasional greatness isnt what we can rely on..

When we struggle in games on D its because we allow 3-4-5 simple TDs, when we struggle on O its because we dont make the simple plays and we cant run for 3rd and short..

 

[orangecuse]

All I said was :

“Im sure all those programs who can their head coach every five years go on to great things…”

Thats pretty tame. Not sure its fair to blame the downfall of the football program on such a statement.

...Don't mistake statement for sentiment.

 

[jgeorge322]

...Don't mistake statement for sentiment.

Got it. Big hugs to you.

 

[zjscuse]

Those guys were hard to listen to at first…. Then they settled down a little. I think they’re 100% wrong about the Dome though. It’s true that teams would have a more difficult time playing here in cold weather. But that’s what, November? That’s 4 games… and if two are away, that makes two games. If one of those games is BC or Pitt - who are accustomed to cold - it’s down to a home field advantage for ONE GAME. This is not the NFL where you could play games at home in November, December and even January.

Then there are the fans. In the last 20 years, with our poor performances, an outside field in November would be empty. At least people like coming into the Dome when it’s cold.

And finally, when it’s full or nearly full, the Dome is a home field advantage regardless of weather…. Half of our games.

They’re just wrong.

Ohhhh I completely agree about the dome keep your hands off my damn dome I love it like it’s my child hahaha but there not from around here they don’t understand! Other then that I enjoyed it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

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

Pfft, if Mike "Michael" Locksley can get another HC gig, anybody can.

 

[sufandu]

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.

Yeah, an AET or Ishmael would make this offense pretty tough to stop.