Bruce Feldman talking Dino Babers. | Page 2 | Syracusefan.com

Bruce Feldman talking Dino Babers.

Lets hope USC has a great year. At this point i dont see another top job opening.

And if USC is open and we go 9-3, but attendance is way up... then what happens?
 
And if USC is open and we go 9-3, but attendance is way up... then what happens?

If they offer him, he goes. And we take the buyout and get the best up and comer, with charsima and an appreciation for strength and conditioning.

FWIW, I don't think he leaves SU to be second fiddle anywhere. He'll only go somewhere he can win a Natty, and that's relatively few schools given recent hiring trends (Bama/Clemson, Auburn, USC).

I used to think our ceiling here was Northwestern, but now I think Baylor may be the better comp (without the ugliness of course). He'll have to recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status though - we haven't had the talent they did when they were really rolling. The schedule sets up nicely through 2021. After 2021 is when I'd really worry.
 
He just signed an extension. If he leaves, we are covered financially. He’s shown that this can be a good to great job.

(I think had they fired their HC after last season or mid-season, we’d have been in a much worse position)
 
If they offer him, he goes. And we take the buyout and get the best up and comer, with charsima and an appreciation for strength and conditioning.

FWIW, I don't think he leaves SU to be second fiddle anywhere. He'll only go somewhere he can win a Natty, and that's relatively few schools given recent hiring trends (Bama/Clemson, Auburn, USC).

I used to think our ceiling here was Northwestern, but now I think Baylor may be the better comp (without the ugliness of course). He'll have to recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status though - we haven't had the talent they did when they were really rolling. The schedule sets up nicely through 2021. After 2021 is when I'd really worry.
What do you think Clemson’s fans thought their ceiling was before Dabo was hired?
 
What do you think Clemson’s fans thought their ceiling was before Dabo was hired?

I have no clue. They probably thought they were a sleeping, underachieving giant. I'd imagine some even thought they were selling themselves short with Dabo, given he didn't even have prior coordinator experience. But since they've hired Dabo, they've invested unprecedented levels of $ into their program.

Per another ACC coach - "What can you say? They're a step-and-a-half past everyone else in the ACC. You can't even call them an SEC-caliber program. They're an Alabama-caliber school, a Georgia-caliber school. Literally. Coaches in our league have been talking about this for almost a decade now; we could see the money they were raising and spending and how it was translating. They're a war machine."

I guess the nice thing is, Clemson is the only real titan on our scheduled for the next 2-3 years. That's a pretty straightforward path to the CFP that not a lot of other schools have. Our problem is we have a talent/resource level that is comparable to our peers (maybe) not Clemson.

A lot of people on here love to gloss over the way Notre Dame dominated us. I assume Dino took note.
 
If USC does well the stay the course as he is recruiting well. If the job opens up Dino, Matt Campbell will be strongly considered if Franklin or Urban pass. USC unlike some other schools will look at buyouts and Dinos by all accounts is big. The money saved on a huge buyout gives them more for Urban.
Unfortunately i have to believe that USC would be Dinos dream job and if offered we wont keep him.
 
If they offer him, he goes. And we take the buyout and get the best up and comer, with charsima and an appreciation for strength and conditioning.

FWIW, I don't think he leaves SU to be second fiddle anywhere. He'll only go somewhere he can win a Natty, and that's relatively few schools given recent hiring trends (Bama/Clemson, Auburn, USC).

I used to think our ceiling here was Northwestern, but now I think Baylor may be the better comp (without the ugliness of course). He'll have to recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status though - we haven't had the talent they did when they were really rolling. The schedule sets up nicely through 2021. After 2021 is when I'd really worry.
Wrong.

Out ceiling is VPI Vick era success.

But sustainable.
 
I think that Coach Babers would want to win at Syracuse consistently (possibly CFP) before he went elsewhere to take a chance on another rebuild. I know he could go to USC and be successful, but I don’t believe he is at that point in his career. I think he will leave after he makes this program really great again, not after just one or two good seasons.
 
I have no clue. They probably thought they were a sleeping, underachieving giant. I'd imagine some even thought they were selling themselves short with Dabo, given he didn't even have prior coordinator experience. But since they've hired Dabo, they've invested unprecedented levels of $ into their program.

Per another ACC coach - "What can you say? They're a step-and-a-half past everyone else in the ACC. You can't even call them an SEC-caliber program. They're an Alabama-caliber school, a Georgia-caliber school. Literally. Coaches in our league have been talking about this for almost a decade now; we could see the money they were raising and spending and how it was translating. They're a war machine."

I guess the nice thing is, Clemson is the only real titan on our scheduled for the next 2-3 years. That's a pretty straightforward path to the CFP that not a lot of other schools have. Our problem is we have a talent/resource level that is comparable to our peers (maybe) not Clemson.

A lot of people on here love to gloss over the way Notre Dame dominated us. I assume Dino took note.
First you say you say you have no clue then proceed to say they thought they were a sleeping giant.

Also, there is revisionist history everywhere I go (not just your post or just this board) that the spending/investment created tailwinds for the Dabo era success. Reality is that Dabo’s winning (and overall culture) created the tailwinds for increased investment (which in turn took the program up even another level).

This is what makes me so bullish on Dino in that I think his winning will create a willingness for investment (by administration & donors) but also the culture in which he is building his program is a turbo booster to investment. People like to give to things that are not only successful but also make them “feel good” about.
 
Last edited:
If they offer him, he goes. And we take the buyout and get the best up and comer, with charsima and an appreciation for strength and conditioning.

FWIW, I don't think he leaves SU to be second fiddle anywhere. He'll only go somewhere he can win a Natty, and that's relatively few schools given recent hiring trends (Bama/Clemson, Auburn, USC).

I used to think our ceiling here was Northwestern, but now I think Baylor may be the better comp (without the ugliness of course). He'll have to recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status though - we haven't had the talent they did when they were really rolling. The schedule sets up nicely through 2021. After 2021 is when I'd really worry.

Baylor didn't recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status -
they got better FIRST, and only THEN did the better recruits start coming in.
 
Ask Rich Rodriguez and Charlie Strong how it worked out for them going to their "Dream Job" at a shot to win the National championship. I agree with Care Taker regarding the PAC 12. Only Coach Babers knows what he wants in his coaching career. Having John Wildhack as your Athletic Director is big. Hopefully as long as Syracuse University keeps giving Coach Babers what he needs to win, he stays happy and stays the course. There are a lot of things at Syracuse that are viewed as a disadvantage and I agree to an extent they are. Big name programs have disadvantages too like boosters up you rear end all the time and intense pressure to go 13-0 every year. However, there are a lot of advantages here too. I think Coach Babers and his entire Staff have a good relationship with the University and the community. They have a facility that perfectly fits their system and the talk is there are more facilities upgrades on the way. If Syracuse has another good season which I think they will, we will see that uptick in recruiting. Only Coach Babers knows what he will do if the "big boys" come calling. That being said, he seems happy here and excited to be leading Syracuse University Football. Only time will tell, we all have our fingers crossed that he stays. Go Orange!!!!
 
If they offer him, he goes. And we take the buyout and get the best up and comer, with charsima and an appreciation for strength and conditioning.

FWIW, I don't think he leaves SU to be second fiddle anywhere. He'll only go somewhere he can win a Natty, and that's relatively few schools given recent hiring trends (Bama/Clemson, Auburn, USC).

I used to think our ceiling here was Northwestern, but now I think Baylor may be the better comp (without the ugliness of course). He'll have to recruit a bit better to hit Baylor status though - we haven't had the talent they did when they were really rolling. The schedule sets up nicely through 2021. After 2021 is when I'd really worry.

I don’t think this is necessarily true at all.

Baylor & Northwestern, at their peaks, have never been as good as SU’s semi-recent peak. From 1987-98, Syracuse was ranked in Top 25 at some point during season in all but one year. Top 15 in 10 of those seasons.

Baylor had 7 straight years of Top 25 appearances, 5 in Top 15. Peaked at #2, yes. Northwestern has made an appearance in 5 of last 7 years and only once ascended into the Top 15.

Syracuse fell like a ton of bricks because of a couple problems coming to a head all at once. 1) No upgrades to facilities anywhere (locker room, IPF, Dome, dorms). 2) Coaching staff issues (can debate about P but Robinson & Shafer were bad hires). 3) Competitors making investments in those areas.

First two are due to bad management and lack of vision. I mean, the reasoning behind the old turf not being replaced by a safer, more aesthetically pleasing surface was because they didn’t want to lose the T&F championships? Are you kidding me?

Had Wildhack been the AD in 1997, I’m not sure we are sitting here speaking about such a long period of SU’s football program being forgotten.

Getting back to my original question. I know there are some on this board who know for a fact that a highly regarded college coach believed you could win a national title at Syracuse. And that man wasn’t named Dino Babers. That was also before the investments that are being made into the program.

Do you think it’s totally unreasonable to think Dino believes that, too? Especially given the fact he beat college football playoff guest Clemson with a group of guys that largely wasn’t his? And pushed eventual national champion Clemson to the brink on the road the next year?

I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion Dino leaves at all, no matter who offers. Unless they come at him with a $10M/year offer. And even then, maybe it’s about more than the $. La Familia.
 
Again, stop worrying about USC. Meyer is working in LA for Fox doing the pregame where cohosts Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart will stalk him and stroke his ego until he takes the USC gig. Let’s enjoy what we hope is another great season. Feldman considers Dino a top 10-15 coach in the sport, treasure that idea after having a meathead like Shafer
 
Lets hope USC has a great year. At this point i dont see another top job opening.
Unless Kelly wins the National Championship think Notre Dame opens up. They are starting to become sour towards him, IMO.
 
Imagine what Dino envisions here when the dome reno is completed. He’s going to have a first rate domed facility neener neener neener. And a division that can get you into the playoff but isn’t as daunting as the big ten east or sec west. He also knows football is king on the east coast nobody cares about football in the pac.
 
Hate to say but I think Dino is gone if the CUSE have another double digit win season. A school like Auburn would be a logical choice but USC seems to be the one that worries me the most. CUSE will not be able to pay Dino what the other powers will and this includes most of his assistants who will leave with him. Another school where I think he would leave for is Arizona for Kevin Sumlin is on the hot seat in the desert. I hope this won't happen but when millions are thrown out there, you never know. Here's to a great 2019 season and Go Orange!
 
I mean did nobody hear Dino tell Feldman he was going to try to deliver an undefeated season (ala the zonk dolphin 72 team?)

We have a Dome and you don’t neener neener neener

The pride of building something that is largely self built (albeit with decent history in a far off land) instead of just going somewhere where he is expected to win and looked at as just “drafting” on all the “advantages” that some blue blood already had in place.

All of this with the caveat as long as the administration (and community) support him at a championship level. I think we have seen a willingness of the admins to do so with planning for more (Dome reno, housing etc).

Dino is also just beginning to see that our fan base is a lot more invested than he probably originally thought. There is so much pent up excitement for football sucesss, and over the past 4 decades orange alum and CNY transplants now live in large numbers near virtually every single ACC opponent stadium. He is about to see what JB has seen for years. A wave of orange and “LGO” chants at opposing stadiums.

Being a mid sized private university in a non fottball hotbed has its disadvantages (lack of huge local rabid fan base) but an untold advantage is that our support is scattered all over the eastern seaboard right where we would want it.

Holy crap am I pumped
"housing"???
 
Wow. Didn’t think about the ND job. Dino at ND - what a combo. He’d reach national legend status if he went to ND.
 
38d7448f31afa58a42a1d251910c125c.jpg
 
Damn it! I got sucked in!

I was thinking the same thing. He's a smart guy and there are some things to like here that you won't get at USC.

I'm not sure he could bring his guys. They'd need to be big names.

No privacy from the media (keeping his mother's b day secret) he can manipulate media here. I doubt that's the case at USC.

A new dino dome!

8-9 wins here you're a legend. At USC you're fired.

Wildhack

...

I know there are big plusses for going to USC but I think there are a lot to stay here as well.
I think he'd be able to take his guys whereever he went. You don't hire a head coach and then tell him who to hire for his staff, especially if he's demonstrated success elsewhere. I'm not sure controlling the media would be a problem either. If a coach decides to close practice, practice is closed. As much as we bellyache about it on here, it's pretty common. And in LA there's a lot more to keep the media busy, so they have no reason to push for access. USC could likely pay more for him and his assistants. I don't know about their facilities, but I imagine they have the capacity to beat us there. And they're in a more fertile recruiting area.

Ultimately, it comes down to what makes him happy. Does he like the small town feel with less congestion and traffic that the Syracuse area has compared to LA? Is he happy being merely a millionaire or would he prefer to be a bigger millionare? Does he like the four seasons or does he prefer the southern california climate? Is he truly a vagabond or has he had to do that until he got a high level job and is now wanting to establish roots? Only he knows his preferences and which traits of a job/community are a priority. And he keeps all of that close enough to the vest that anyone claiming to know is a liar.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
167,128
Messages
4,681,713
Members
5,900
Latest member
DizzyNY

Online statistics

Members online
293
Guests online
2,170
Total visitors
2,463


Top Bottom