Chicago Stratergy

[TexanMark]

I thought the staff was nuts spending the time they did in Illinois...boy, was I wrong.

We've seen other attempts to go midwest fail before...this is a pleasant surprise.

Mr. Frazier please get/keep Northwestern, Purdue or Illinois back on the schedule. Heck I'd even thake a 2 for 1 with NIU or WMU.

 

[SoBristol]

One definite plus of having coaches with a background in recruiting that region.
I'd like to see them also pick up the former Wheatley territory (Michigan & Ohio, plus a little WNY) but kudos for all they did in that Chicago area.

 

[SUFan44]

As I have said before - the game of recruiting has changed. If you are a BCS school, kids will come from all over to be a part of it. Syracuse is a national brand, and can get kids.

Those that are calling out staffs for not recruiting the Northeast heavily are wrong, IMO. Why bang their heads against the wall when we can get some hidden talent in areas that they have connections and have programs that are not doing well.

This was our best recruiting class in 15 years. People can say others in the conference have done better than they usually do, but they're usually ahead of us anyway.

I like the way we are trending. Looking forward to some excitement returning to the Dome.

 

[Whitey23]

I thought the staff was nuts spending the time they did in Illinois...boy, was I wrong.

We've seen other attempts to go midwest fail before...this is a pleasant surprise.

Mr. Frazier please get/keep Northwestern, Purdue or Illinois back on the schedule. Heck I'd even thake a 2 for 1 with NIU or WMU.

 

[anomander]

I thought the staff was nuts spending the time they did in Illinois...boy, was I wrong.

We've seen other attempts to go midwest fail before...this is a pleasant surprise.

Mr. Frazier please get/keep Northwestern, Purdue or Illinois back on the schedule. Heck I'd even thake a 2 for 1 with NIU or WMU.

I said almost the exact same thing yesterday. I was happily proved wrong. The only thing we have to be careful with is keeping a coach(es) with midwest ties on the staff. The time will eventually come when Lester and Smith move on so it will be important to have someone with established ties to the area. That is kind of the reason I am skeptical about Perles being able to recruit NJ. He doesn't have any ties to the area that i'm aware of so it's kind of like he is being thrown to the wolves.

But back on topic this was a great haul in Illinois. 6 this year, 3 last year is just the beginning of the pipeline. Not to mention we just missed out on 3 other Illinois studs. Very excited to see how this effects the 2015 class.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Agree with everything except calling for Frazier to schedule games. Would prefer that job to go to someone else and soon.

 

[TexanMark]

Agree with everything except calling for Frazier to schedule games. Would prefer that job to go to someone else and soon.

I'm going to stick up for him...He hasn't done as bad as folks as making it out to be. I heard 2015 is set...I just wish it would be announced...but maybe the debate over 8vs9 games/divisions is holding it back.

 

[rrlbees]

One definite plus of having coaches with a background in recruiting that region. I'd like to see them also pick up the former Wheatley territory (Michigan & Ohio, plus a little WNY) but kudos for all they did in that Chicago area.

That's why we recruited the area hard. Our connections and familiarity if the area by the staff. 5 years from now if the staff is completely overhauled, you'll see us recruiting the areas they have connections. Maybe it is the Midwest maybe not. It's why we and others always maintain a presence in your base which is theoretically a 6 hour drive.

Kids are more likely to know more about you, you can tell Mom they are in driving distance to see their boy play, and it's easier on the recruiting budget. Those that have never talked to coaches or understand recruiting don't always get that. So we'll continue to hit the NE, Florida/Georgia and the Midwest. Plus the occasional kid where there is a unique relationship for any number of reasons.

 

[Full_Rebar]

I'm going to stick up for him...He hasn't done as bad as folks as making it out to be. I heard 2015 is set...I just wish it would be announced...but maybe the debate over 8vs9 games/divisions is holding it back.

We'll have to agree to disagree there. Either he or DG have to take the blame for the Nov. road game at Mizzou, opening with Penn Stat and NW last year, and next fall's 2nd week bye.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

We'll have to agree to disagree there. Either he or DG have to take the blame for the Nov. road game at Mizzou, opening with Penn Stat and NW last year, and next fall's 2nd week bye.

Don't understand why you are complaining about the schedules. The Mizzou road trip was great (we won didn't we?), opening with Penn State would have been fine if they had trusted Hunt, and who cares if there's a second week bye next year? So, they beat Villanova, and have an extra week to work on the warts that undoubtedly will turn up.

 

[xc84]

I thought the staff was nuts spending the time they did in Illinois...boy, was I wrong.

We've seen other attempts to go midwest fail before...this is a pleasant surprise.

Mr. Frazier please get/keep Northwestern, Purdue or Illinois back on the schedule. Heck I'd even thake a 2 for 1 with NIU or WMU.

One plus with recruiting that region and Chicago area especially is that Syracuse weather is not a shock to them. In fact, Chicago cold beats Syracuse cold hands down. Kids from FL coming up here must initially be wide-eyed, and not in a good way, about the snow and cold. It's great that the SU recruiters are able to get them to look beyond that... no small feat I bet.

 

[SUFan44]

That's why we recruited the area hard. Our connections and familiarity if the area by the staff. 5 years from now if the staff is completely overhauled, you'll see us recruiting the areas they have connections. Maybe it is the Midwest maybe not. It's why we and others always maintain a presence in your base which is theoretically a 6 hour drive.

Kids are more likely to know more about you, you can tell Mom they are in driving distance to see their boy play, and it's easier on the recruiting budget. Those that have never talked to coaches or understand recruiting don't always get that. So we'll continue to hit the NE, Florida/Georgia and the Midwest. Plus the occasional kid where there is a unique relationship for any number of reasons.

The majority of the kids in the country know about Syracuse. I don't buy that argument. And the recruiting budget? Please. These guys have AMEX Black cards these days.

Get players. Period. And have a staff that is well connected and have personalities to get kids. If you can recruit, you can get a kid to come to Syracuse. See McDonald, George. He has recruited well everywhere, from W. Michigan to Minnesota to Miami to Syracuse.

 

[rrlbees]

The majority of the kids in the country know about Syracuse. I don't buy that argument. And the recruiting budget? Please. These guys have AMEX Black cards these days. Get players. Period. And have a staff that is well connected and have personalities to get kids. If you can recruit, you can get a kid to come to Syracuse. See McDonald, George. He has recruited well everywhere, from W. Michigan to Minnesota to Miami to Syracuse.

And a 6 hour or so radius will always be our base and be recruited. Not true of most any other area.

 

[Crusty]

Probably less than half this class came from within 6 hour drive. Not sure how you define "base".

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Probably less than half this class came from within 6 hour drive. Not sure how you define "base".

All your base are belong us.

You will be recruited.

We are Orange.

Resistance is futile.

 

[rrlbees]

Probably less than half this class came from within 6 hour drive. Not sure how you define "base".

Base is defined as the area you will always recruit regardless of where you staff is from or their connections. Every SU coach going back to Mac has said this (tho I've never talked to Shafer).

 

[Crusty]

Base is defined as the area you will always recruit regardless of where you staff is from or their connections. Every SU coach going back to Mac has said this (tho I've never talked to Shafer).

That's a reasonable definition but even within that area it is tough to cover it all. High school coaches are the key and they change as well as your own staff. Recruiting is not easy.

 

[rrlbees]

That's a reasonable definition but even within that area it is tough to cover it all. High school coaches are the key and they change as well as your own staff. Recruiting is not easy.

In the presser Shafer just said his goal is to keep NYS kids at home. Wanted 6-7 but got only 2. If he had been able to get all of them, he wouldn't have been stuck in Atlanta.

 

[Rocco]

chris carlson‏@ccarlsononSU20 mins
shafer: "i'm indebted to chicago. years at northern illinois and illinois, we played with chicago kids.'

 

[SUFan44]

In the presser Shafer just said his goal is to keep NYS kids at home. Wanted 6-7 but got only 2. If he had been able to get all of them, he wouldn't have been stuck in Atlanta.

Of course he wants them. Is it realistic? Probably not anymore. Hence the need to recruit elsewhere.

They'll try - of course they'll try. But I define "base" as the majority of incoming classes. The NE is no longer our base. Florida and the Southeast is our base - for now.

 

[supp]

And a 6 hour or so radius will always be our base and be recruited. Not true of most any other area.

Right, and if current college recruiting trends continue, more and more of the top kids will be making their decisions before the Fall when they can start taking official visits. Junior days, summer camps, 7-on-7 tourneys, and unofficial visits seem to matter more and more every year. It's much easier to get kids within driving distance to your campus on their dime than kids in IL. We miss on those kids and we'll be scrambling.

The FL and GA kids we'll continue to get because there's just not enough slots at AQ schools in the area to take all the worthy kids (and some kids just want to get away for college). IL and MI going forward are losing population. So is PA. Thankfully, NJ and NY are steady. So is OH. MD and VA are growing population. Our 6-hour zone is getting healthier while the B1G schools' local recruiting areas are by and large getting worse over time. Not to mention that the schools are generally better in our region than elsewhere meaning the kids are better prepared for college work. Does you no good to bring in a kid who's just going to flunk out.

Check out the NJ commit lists this year. The B1G schools already have the jump on us. If we seriously devote resources there, we'll get our fair share. We have a good start now in the greater Philly area (if you count the Lehigh Valley, which is 50 mins away) with 5 recruits this season. It will be nice to build on that and get back into North Jersey and the DC metro area. Sure, the staff has connections to the Midwest but the longterm stability of the program will still be determined on how well we do in our backyard first, then the Atlantic seaboard, and finally everywhere else.

 

[Czar]

The issue with the six hour radius, is that high school football is garbage in most of it (looking at you New York)

The best thing Syracuse could ever do is spearhead overhauls to how NYS handles HS Football. There is no reason regions like Section 4 and 3 couldn't produce quality kids, they just don't get enough attention for football and the coaches are awful.

 

[rrlbees]

Of course he wants them. Is it realistic? Probably not anymore. Hence the need to recruit elsewhere.

They'll try - of course they'll try. But I define "base" as the majority of incoming classes. The NE is no longer our base. Florida and the Southeast is our base - for now.

You're redefining base. We will ALWAYS recruit the NE no matter who is on staff and there are a number of reasons why that have been noted many times before.

 

[SoBristol]

I am agreeing with Bees about that 6 hour base. This season, with a new staff, we did really well in areas the new coaches were familiar with.

If you look at the top returning players on our team, you will see five of those 6 hour guys in our OL (the probable starters), our QB, our WRs, two of our RBs, 4 or 5 in the DL rotation, 3 of the DBs (including Scissum who made a mark with the scout team), and 1 of the LBs. That represents the base area.

Of course, we can supplement and improve by recruiting FL and Chicago, with an occasional hit in other regions. It depends on the connections that the assistants brought from their prior positions, and that is great.

 

[FAL]

Right, and if current college recruiting trends continue, more and more of the top kids will be making their decisions before the Fall when they can start taking official visits. Junior days, summer camps, 7-on-7 tourneys, and unofficial visits seem to matter more and more every year. It's much easier to get kids within driving distance to your campus on their dime than kids in IL. We miss on those kids and we'll be scrambling.

The FL and GA kids we'll continue to get because there's just not enough slots at AQ schools in the area to take all the worthy kids (and some kids just want to get away for college). IL and MI going forward are losing population. So is PA. Thankfully, NJ and NY are steady. So is OH. MD and VA are growing population. Our 6-hour zone is getting healthier while the B1G schools' local recruiting areas are by and large getting worse over time. Not to mention that the schools are generally better in our region than elsewhere meaning the kids are better prepared for college work. Does you no good to bring in a kid who's just going to flunk out.

Check out the NJ commit lists this year. The B1G schools already have the jump on us. If we seriously devote resources there, we'll get our fair share. We have a good start now in the greater Philly area (if you count the Lehigh Valley, which is 50 mins away) with 5 recruits this season. It will be nice to build on that and get back into North Jersey and the DC metro area. Sure, the staff has connections to the Midwest but the longterm stability of the program will still be determined on how well we do in our backyard first, then the Atlantic seaboard, and finally everywhere else.

Loved your post--but as someone who grew up in NE PA, don't discount Wyoming/Lackawanna Valleys--Brominski, Qadry, and oh yeah, that roundball player from Scranton (forgot his name ). Big PedState/ND fan area, but can't discount the coalcrackers.