Bob Chesney

[HRE Otto IV]

I'm indifferent to offensive dogma. I want someone who can coach players up and figure out a system that works with the personnel.

Belichick/Parcells were masters at this. Ground and pound guys until they had the tools behing an aerial assault.

Really PPG matters more than how you get there. Post Covid Holy Cross was 23rd, 8th, and 6th in FCS Scoring O.

 

[boog7]

Maybe that was wishful thinking on Wildhack’s part?

Or just good old fashioned spin.

 

[elimunelson]

Really PPG matters more than how you get there. Post Covid Holy Cross was 23rd, 8th, and 6th in FCS Scoring O.

Wins and Losses matter the most. If they are a defensive team that goes 10-2 i'm fine with that.

I'm not fine with being a top offensive team that is 4-8

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Just checked their roster. They have a ton of NJ kids. A good amount of PA and FLA kids. And interestingly enough a good amount of Texas kids.

 

[phil77]

Can we please stop with the "TONY WHITE IS A NY GUY" stuff? He spent a small portion of his childhood here. He was born in Florida - Went to high school in Texas - California for College. Coached in California - New Mexico - Arizona and NY (3 years).

Tony White isn't a NY guy with NY connections.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Can we please stop with the "TONY WHITE IS A NY GUY" stuff? He spent a small portion of his childhood here. He was born in Florida - Went to high school in Texas - California for College. Coached in California - New Mexico - Arizona and NY (3 years).

Tony White isn't a NY guy with NY connections.

he did spend 3 years at Syracuse recruiting NY so it really doesn't matter where he is "from". The experience is there

 

[phil77]

he did spend 3 years at Syracuse recruiting NY so it really doesn't matter where he is "from". The experience is there

If you want to sell me that in those 3 years, he built long-lasting relationships with high school coaches cool but I doubt it and those three years doesn't make him a NY GUY.

 

[swish7]

While I can appreciate your obvious expertise, I'll defer to the judgement of the man paid to make the most important decision of his career on this one.

If ADJW thinks Chesney or White - who I like but think Chez is the better candidate - is the guy to lead his program, I'll take his word for it - with all due respect to your expertise, of course.

Why is your list limited to Chesney and White?

 

[qdawgg]

Imho, that's semantics. Whether you call it a "rebuild" or not, when your program is a national joke, perceived as a P5 bottom feeder and you just fire your coach - it's a rebuild. It may not be a "complete reboot" but when your trying to rebuild a once respected program and brand that is no longer respected, it's a rebuild.

It’s not a rebuild nor is it semantics. We’re 5-6 and could/should be at least 6-5 if not 7-4. We’re a joke right now because we have more than 2 decades of very limited success. A coach can easily come in next year, use the portal well and have us in a bowl game. Nothing screams complete rebuild. Maybe you just don’t know what rebuild means and that’s fine.

 

[swish7]

And now people are starting to post about the Holy Cross transfer portal kids, as if we should be bringing in patriot league level kids.

Its weird to me. I don't recall such an aggressive fan-led sell of any one candidate before. And so early in the search. Maybe I am not remembering... Maybe if I had NESN in my cable package I would be all in too?

The QB looks great, and the other kids played all out against BC, but that doesn't translate to them going toe to toe with the FSUs and Clemsons and UNCs of the college football world on a week to week basis.

I agree we need a player developer. However, we also need someone who can convince the Johnnie Morants and Dwight Freeneys of our 5 hour recruiting radius to come to SU and not to Maryland or Pitt or wherever.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

It’s not a rebuild nor is it semantics. We’re 5-6 and could/should be at least 6-5 if not 7-4. We’re a joke right now because we have more than 2 decades of very limited success. A coach can easily come in next year, use the portal well and have us in a bowl game. Nothing screams complete rebuild. Maybe you just don’t know what rebuild means and that’s fine.

agreed, not a rebuild. There are some things to work with for sure

 

[721Comstock]

He just signed a 5year contract extension last year.. I don’t see this one happening

It runs thru end of 2026 season, so at this point it's only 3 more years.

Couldn't find anything official, but the scuttlebutt on the interwebs is that he makes about $300k / year.

IF Cuse can't afford to buy that out, then we literally cannot afford ANY currently employed coach.
Which I find incredibly hard to believe, that we'd can Dino, pay off his buyout, but then have nothing left to hire his replacement?

C'mon, man!
(or woman, or gender-neutral person)

 

[DoctorBombay]

Here's my final word until we get the pick from JW.
I just believe that a young, energetic, go-getter, proven winner at all levels he's been, will be the best choice right now.
We are not, nor have we been "Syracuse football" for a long time.
If this guy gets this job, he'll have a chip on his shoulder as big as Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania!
No one, and I mean NO ONE, will outwork him- he has something to prove.
Let's get Chesney, and start the ride! LGO

 

[IthacaBarrel]

It runs thru end of 2026 season, so at this point it's only 3 more years.

Couldn't find anything official, but the scuttlebutt on the interwebs is that he makes about $300k / year.

IF Cuse can't afford to buy that out, then we literally cannot afford ANY currently employed coach.
Which I find incredibly hard to believe, that we'd can Dino, pay off his buyout, but then have nothing left to hire his replacement?

C'mon, man!
(or woman, or gender-neutral person)

Why are you just making stuff up? who said they can't or won't pay the buyout if they feel Chesney is the coach they want to hire. Two weeks ago, it was constant posts that Wildhack nor the University would fire Dino and if they did it would be after the regular season etc

Geeze.

 

[swish7]

It’s not an oversell. The people in the business of coaching think this is a no brainer. That rando fans don’t know what kind of coach he is because he coaches in a lesser league is not the demerit you think it is

Who? What 'people in the business of coaching'? Where is this 'appeal to authority' coming from?

 

[NashvilleOrange]

#1 reason that Wildhack will hire Chesney: He and Bill Simmons detest each other and Bill Simmons is an alumni and fan of Holy Cross football.

 

[phil77]

It’s not a rebuild nor is it semantics. We’re 5-6 and could/should be at least 6-5 if not 7-4. We’re a joke right now because we have more than 2 decades of very limited success. A coach can easily come in next year, use the portal well and have us in a bowl game. Nothing screams complete rebuild. Maybe you just don’t know what rebuild means and that’s fine.

I dont know what you call it but our offense needs a complete overhaul. Even with Dino being a terrible coach if we had an average offense he would still be here. If Allen leaves every level of our offense needs help. It doesn't matter who the new head coach is that is the challenge if you want to call it rebuild retool I don't care but the offense has serious issues and a talent problem.

 

[DoubleDee]

it might not be fair, but my brain tells me "more of the same" with White.

 

[721Comstock]

#1 reason that Wildhack will hire Chesney: He and Bill Simmons detest each other and Bill Simmons is an alumni and fan of Holy Cross football.

Any time you have the chance to piss off The Sports Guy, you have to do it!!

Who says no to this?

 

[swish7]

Dunning-Kruger effect.

'Appeal to Authority' fallacy - 24 most common logical fallacies

 

[TheHaze315]

It’s not a rebuild nor is it semantics. We’re 5-6 and could/should be at least 6-5 if not 7-4. We’re a joke right now because we have more than 2 decades of very limited success. A coach can easily come in next year, use the portal well and have us in a bowl game. Nothing screams complete rebuild. Maybe you just don’t know what rebuild means and that’s fine.

My thoughts exactly. This team has talent, if Garrett doesn’t get hurt and lose the ability to throw a forward pass we likely win in the range of 8 games. If a coach comes in here, retains some of our top guys, uses the portal, there’s no real reason we’re not ready to be bowling next season.

 

[boog7]

Why is your list limited to Chesney and White?

I don't have a "list." Chesney is the topic of the thread. I mentioned White bc he's rumored to be one of the leading candidates - I like his profile and think he'd be a fine hire so I mentioned it. But I'm not limited to anything. I simply voiced my opinion on two candidates relevant to the thread.

 

[qdawgg]

Why are you just making stuff up? who said they can't or won't pay the buyout if they feel Chesney is the coach they want to hire. Two weeks ago, it was constant posts that Wildhack nor the University would fire Dino and if they did it would be after the regular season etc

Geeze.

I don’t think that’s what he was saying. I think it was more of a tongue in cheek that of course we could buy out a guy that makes 300k. If not, we’re not serious but he doesn’t believe we aren’t serious.

 

[qdawgg]

I dont know what you call it but our offense needs a complete overhaul. Even with Dino being a terrible coach if we had an average offense he would still be here. If Allen leaves every level of our offense needs help. It doesn't matter who the new head coach is that is the challenge if you want to call it rebuild retool I don't care but the offense has serious issues and a talent problem.

It does and we could still make a bowl game and could easily have a better record. Bring in a coach that can bring in some solid portal players, coach up our current players and we’re a competitive team. That’s what you expect a new hire to do anyway. That’s not a rebuild. That’s adding pieces, coaching the current roster and building for the future.

 

[swish7]

So is Sean Lewis' stellar 24-31 record at Kent State and resignation after his 5th year somehow worth more than a guy who has turned around a moribund FCS program (pretty much one step down from the MAC)? There's not much difference between recruiting at a high level in FCS and recruiting at a high level in the MAC.

I'm not sure Chesney is the answer, but I also don't think Sean Lewis is the answer. He had one winning season at Kent State, and I know Kent State isn't a great MAC program. Holy Cross wasn't a great Patriot League program before Chesney got there.

I won't know until I finish googling all the coaches.

I like the fact that Lewis is (was) part of the hottest ticket in college football this season, coach Prime's CU Buffs. There is a certain electricity to that that does not exist on the New England Sports Network game of the week. I like that he was the OC for a high octane offense, in a P5 league.

We'll see.

After a 2-10 year in his first season, Lewis led Kent State to seven wins and a bowl victory in Year 2. It marked the program’s first winning season since 2012 and its first bowl victory in program history.

Anyhow, I hope its a true national search. I am not in this to guess who Wildhack picks...

Lewis and Chesney's conference records

1. 2018 4-2 (chez) to 1-7 (Lewis)
2. 2019 5-1 (chez) to 5-3 (Lewis)
3. 2020 2-0 (chez) to 3-1 (Lewis)
4. 2021 6-0 (chez) to 6-2 (Lewis
5. 2022 6-0 (chez) to to 4-4 (Lewis)

Before Chez, HC was 4-7.
Before Lewis, Kent State was 2-10.

And just looking at the team's Kent State plays, they are way more recognizable than who HC plays.

Why are you discounting Lewis' accomplishments at Kent State, resurrecting an even more moribund program?