After sleeping on what happened last night... | Syracusefan.com

After sleeping on what happened last night...

CU44SE

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I have to go back to what I said at the beginning of this year. That is, for this team, this was a year to improve the younger players on the team, gain depth at key positions, and grow as a football team. I did not believe that Dino and the coaches should be judged on this years performance, and that before this season started, the coaching staffs fate was tied to next year, not this years performance. Bowl or bust in 2021. With the amount of injuries, the amount of opt-outs, I did not expect much. Unfortunately I expected a little bit (if not a lot) bit more than what I have seen. I expected an upgraded offense, not spectacular but maybe average or slightly below average. Unfortunately we are not even seeing below average offense right now, it is inept.

Things I have liked

-It seems like the younger guys are growing up in front of our eyes. They are limited with their size, they are just not ready to play at the D1 level but they are competing. These kids are growing each game and the future really does look bright at many positions.

Things I have not liked

-The best offensive lineman this year seams to be Chris Elmore and the guy just started playing offensive line in the last few months. How is that possible?

-Dino looks uninterested in the games. He is always alone, he seems distant. It just looks like he is defeated and would rather be anywhere else in the world then on the sidelines of the game.

-The experienced guys, who are the ones that are supposed to be leaders and show the younger guys the way are the ones that are struggling. Last night for example Taj Harris lets a ball right through his hands on a key 3rd down early in the game which ends up in a interception. Taj Harris gives up on a 4th and short, first runs yard short of the sticks with a guy right next to him and then just runs out of bounds so he becomes ineligible. Nykeim Johnson fumbles a kickoff return. Aaron Hackett not ready for the short kickoff and muffs it near the end of the half. It would be one thing if it was the younger players were the ones making these mistakes because they are learning. But it is the players with 3-4 years in the program that are making these mistakes.

-Lastly, the players have no discipline. Several players celebrating sacks in garbage time, down 27-0 and down 30-0. I do not understand celebrating when the game has been completely lopsided and being embarrassed on national television by a team that was 2-6. Personal fouls, false starts, players flicking off cameras. All of this goes back to coaching and being held accountable. Undisciplined, teams made of individuals rarely win. Aaron Rodgers once said that he loves football because, "it is the ultimate team game". In my opinion this syracuse team, and many of the last several teams have not played as a disciplined TEAM. It seems like just a bunch of individuals playing, with no team mentality. How many times in the last several years have drives been completely killed by stupid penalties. I think there is a massive discipline problem with this coaching staff.

I once had all the confidence in the world in Dino Babers. That faith is starting to waiver and Im starting to really wonder if he is a guy that can lead this program or a guy that has built on other coaches foundations at past stops. One thing is evident, everyone on this board craves the same thing. The Syracuse Orange(men) success, and I hope we are closer to that then it feels.
 
Agree with most but for Gods sake let he kids have a little joy playing the game in this miserable year. I’m glad that they’re still happy enough playing to celebrate their little success. Why should a defense that had 13 TFLs have to suffer because their offense is not holding their end of the bargain?
 
Yes there are mistakes, penalties etc. There always are some, The real issue for me is basic, physical football. Being strong enough in the front six to stop the run and pressure the passer. Being strong enough in the lines (and TE) to run block and pass block. If you are well below average in these areas, you aren’t going to win, and you can complain about mistakes or play-calling or adjustments all you want. We just aren’t good at basic blocking and basic stopping.
Need help in the lines, and the talented young LBs need to get stronger.
 
Yes there are mistakes, penalties etc. There always are some, The real issue for me is basic, physical football. Being strong enough in the front six to stop the run and pressure the passer. Being strong enough in the lines (and TE) to run block and pass block. If you are well below average in these areas, you aren’t going to win, and you can complain about mistakes or play-calling or adjustments all you want. We just aren’t good at basic blocking and basic stopping.
Need help in the lines, and the talented young LBs need to get stronger.

Gotta wonder if Dino's strength and conditioning philosophy is part fo the problem. Hasn't he said that he wants the team lean to be able to handle the volume of plays he ideally wants to run? There are two problems with that. First other teams who run a lot of plays have shown that you don't need to be lean to handle it. Second it puts you at a physical disadvantage when you are undersized. When you are going up against BC, Duke, Wake and it looks like your teams has boys vs their men, let alone Clemson/FSU, there is a major issue. I get the D given the youth being smaller but the size issue has been across the board over multiple years now. We either need to recruit bigger players or grow what we have. Neither seem to be happening.
 
Sounds counter-intuitive, but I think maybe discipline has to come from the players. Not to give HCDB a free pass, but leaders on the team need to hold their teammates accountable for the routine stuff so that the coaches can deal with the big stuff. A player gets a stupid penalty he has to understand that he let down the 10 other guys on the field, not the coach, not the fans.
 
Sounds counter-intuitive, but I think maybe discipline has to come from the players. Not to give HCDB a free pass, but leaders on the team need to hold their teammates accountable for the routine stuff so that the coaches can deal with the big stuff. A player gets a stupid penalty he has to understand that he let down the 10 other guys on the field, not the coach, not the fans.

I agree. But who are the leaders? We used to easily know who the leaders were. No one is showing leadership on the field.
 
I agree. But who are the leaders? We used to easily know who the leaders were. No one is showing leadership on the field.
Leadership is organic. It cannot be manufactured.
 

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