Curt Cignetti: Why can’t we hire this guy?

[djorange1989]

There is no one more exciting than Grubb at UW right now. Clearly he knows what’s going on and how to coach the offensive side of the ball. He turned Penix into a Heisman candidate. Turned 2 wide receivers into auto NFL draft picks and they are going to compete for a playoff spot. This is a guy who would look at SU in a second

He is a great OC but I really wouldn’t want a first time HC, I know any hire is a risk but those are riskier.

 

[Bayside44]

I get what you're saying and I agree with you that he wanted people he thought would build a long winning program at Syracuse. People that knew the school. Loved the school. Those are all great qualities. Totally understand that.

It's boring and it's not what Syracuse needs in hoops or in football to re-energize a base and a program. Red to his credit has re-energized the base a little bit and that's because he made some splash recruiting wins. That's what football needs, a homerun name brand who's gonna come in and land some studs right out of the gate - what Prime did. That will re-energize the base guaranteed.

I just don't have faith that Wildhack is going to do that. He's someone I see as a old way thinking corporate guy. Conservative and safe.

I wouldn't mind if he called Marrone but we're probably looking at guys like John Reagen or Justin Outten (I kid). The fact that there is no true Red means he might be forced to think outside the box. I just hope it's a forward thinking out of the box guy. A guy like Lincoln Riley when he was at ODU or a guy like Prime. People need to dump the old way thinking. Open up the bank and go get someone that's going to get a wow reaction and turn some heads and get the base fired up that you mean business. That's the only way to inject life into recruiting and sell some tickets.

There just isn't a home run named brand hire that exists - not here. A young up and comer would be great but the people here are very cynical, that's take some doing.

One of Prime's first moves was to force Colorado out of the PAC to recruit Texas.

You know better than most that the recruiting base is terrible.

 

[dwilmont44]

Gait was a bad hire. His record speaks for itself. This is Syracuse lacrosse for God's sake. If you people can't have high standards for that then this university sports program is doomed.

 

[Cuse12]

I want competent offense. That’s my priority if I was looking out in the world of coaches. Give me a guy who has a team of 3 stars but their offense is very effective. A coach who can maximize his players talents and allow a scheme to close the gap between a team of 3 stars and a team of 4/5 stars.

 

[CousCuse]

There just isn't a home run named brand hire that exists - not here. A young up and comer would be great but the people here are very cynical, that's take some doing.

One of Prime's first moves was to force Colorado out of the PAC to recruit Texas.

You know better than most that the recruiting base is terrible.

If you can put aside your enmity towards me, why don't you think Rich Rod could move the needle significantly?

 

[Bayside44]

If you can put aside your enmity towards me, why don't you think Rich Rod could move the needle significantly?

I have no enmity towards anyone, esp on a message board.

The guy is 60, his time came and went.

Again, and again - guys can scheme til the end of times (might be soon) but talent is king, and this is a tough gig for talent.

 

[hoopsupstate]

All good choices.

Tony White would be interesting. Seemed like a great motivator and good recruiter that players bonded with.

I think he was a better DC than what I’ve seen from Long. Long has been too conservative.

Only downside is his lack of experience I think we’re a program that needs to hire a guy who is already a head coach who doesn’t have to learn on the job.

Rocky’s defense is night and day better against the run.

 

[dasher]

You keep putting words into people's mouth's. Nobody said they were bad hires.

You said you had no confidence in any hirings that JW would make. Would you say that
if you thought he had made good hirings? It doesn't make sense that you would think that way if you thought he made good hirings. Would it?

 

[CousCuse]

til the end of times (might be soon)

Next Tuesday.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

I want competent offense. That’s my priority if I was looking out in the world of coaches. Give me a guy who has a team of 3 stars but their offense is very effective. A coach who can maximize his players talents and allow a scheme to close the gap between a team of 3 stars and a team of 4/5 stars.

Sounds like Willie Fritz. I've been clamoring for him for years. The guy led Tulane to a top-10 finish last year.

 

[dasher]

Gait was a bad hire. His record speaks for itself. This is Syracuse lacrosse for God's sake. If you people can't have high standards for that then this university sports program is doomed.

You think it is fair to make that judgment after just a couple of years?

 

[dasher]

Really, that's what you concluded from my statement?

FWIW, I love Gary Gait and was a fan of the hire. I think the jury is still out on whether he was the right choice. Same on Red too.

That being said, it does appear that Wildhack chose the path of least resistance in these instances. Simply my opinion based upon his track record to date at SU.

Edit: you added to your initial post after I responded. In regards to your additions, I agree with most of what you stated there, other than perhaps "he has been very good with his choices." I don't disagree with it, but I think it's still too soon to call on Gait, And, Red of course, has yet to coach even one game as a head coach...so, time will ultimately tell where it matters most; W/L res

I was asking a question. Nothing more.

 

[cusefan88]

Willie Fritz and Cignetti are similar age to Dino. I don't think hiring a 60+ year old HC is the way to go personally. I still like Charles Huff and I'm warming up to the Holy Cross guy.

My first choice: Dino kicks butt down the stretch and Cuse goes 8-4 or 9-3 and this thread becomes silly.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

.

Willie Fritz and Cignetti are similar age to Dino. I don't think hiring a 60+ year old HC is the way to go personally. I still like Charles Huff and I'm warming up to the Holy Cross guy.

My first choice: Dino kicks butt down the stretch and Cuse goes 8-4 or 9-3 and this thread becomes silly.

I see people mention Huff, so what is the draw? His prior resume is pretty light. Marshall isn't as good as when they were before he arrived. He had a flukey W at Notre Dame when they played a DIII level QB. He beat VA Tech this year but also lost to an even worse NC State team. He is 14-12 vs G5 teams, which ironically is worse than his record vs P5 teams (2-1).

 

[orangecuse]

I was asking a question. Nothing more.

Okay.

I still find your question; "Which coaches hires have you thought were bad hires," in response to my post of JW being a path of least resistance type guy somewhat peculiar. (Insert shrug shoulders emoji).

 

[cusefan88]

.


I see people mention Huff, so what is the draw? His prior resume is pretty light. Marshall isn't as good as when they were before he arrived. He had a flukey W at Notre Dame when they played a DIII level QB. He beat VA Tech this year but also lost to an even worse NC State team. He is 14-12 vs G5 teams, which ironically is worse than his record vs P5 teams (2-1).

Presumably a young coach of color with a good recruiting reputation. Like I said, I want Dino to succeed. That's my first choice.

 

[elimunelson]

Any interest in NORM CHOW? I feel llike that was 15 boards ago when he was the big name du jour

 

[djorange1989]

Rocky’s defense is night and day better against the run.

Yep and I think Rocky has been forced to be more conservative, at least against the last 3 opponents, because we don’t have the one on one DB talent we had under Tony, at least not yet

 

[im4cuse]

Presumably a young coach of color with a good recruiting reputation. Like I said, I want Dino to succeed. That's my first choice.

They were certainly dynamic last night. Zero offensive points scored.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

Willie Fritz and Cignetti are similar age to Dino. I don't think hiring a 60+ year old HC is the way to go personally. I still like Charles Huff and I'm warming up to the Holy Cross guy.

My first choice: Dino kicks butt down the stretch and Cuse goes 8-4 or 9-3 and this thread becomes silly.

I think it might actually be an ideal age. Less likely to jump again if they come to SU. Also, no long rebuild needed here; pretty good base to build from and success could come quick. For Fritz, it wouldn't be like when he moved over to Tulane in what... 2015 or 2016? Good pay bump and likely quick success that can be sustained until retirement without the pressure of an SEC or big-name gig.

 

[qdawgg]

I want competent offense. That’s my priority if I was looking out in the world of coaches. Give me a guy who has a team of 3 stars but their offense is very effective. A coach who can maximize his players talents and allow a scheme to close the gap between a team of 3 stars and a team of 4/5 stars.

Wait, isn’t that the guy we hired who’s coaching now?

I don’t care about that anymore with a HC. He’s going to hire an OC anyway who’s going to run their own system to some degree. Find me a HC who knows how to be an HC. Can manage all facets of the team effectively. Most importantly, can either do this himself or hires people who can…… coach players up and knows how to identify players that can be coached up. I don’t want another offensive coach that doesn’t know what a QB looks like yet we can get beat by teams 2nd string QB’s. Or wasting 50+ scholarships on a WR unit and have a 5% return. I’m not even writing about the OL….. we all know the story there too.

 

[djorange1989]

I think it might actually be an ideal age. Less likely to jump again if they come to SU. Also, no long rebuild needed here; pretty good base to build from and success could come quick. For Fritz, it wouldn't be like when he moved over to Tulane in what... 2015 or 2016? Good pay bump and likely quick success that can be sustained until retirement without the pressure of an SEC or big-name gig.

Yes who cares if a guy is 60? If we get a young dude who does great he will bail. We aren’t getting a 40 year old who will stay here for 30 years. A 60 year old might be fine with SU being his last job

 

[Toga]

Any interest in NORM CHOW? I feel llike that was 15 boards ago when he was the big name du jour

Norm!

 

[OrangeBlood]

Dan Mullen. Established P5 head coach. What he did at Miss St. really intrigues me. Syracuse GA. NE born. If he wants to coach again …

 

[kcsu]

I get what you're saying and I agree with you that he wanted people he thought would build a long winning program at Syracuse. People that knew the school. Loved the school. Those are all great qualities. Totally understand that.

It's boring and it's not what Syracuse needs in hoops or in football to re-energize a base and a program. Red to his credit has re-energized the base a little bit and that's because he made some splash recruiting wins. That's what football needs, a homerun name brand who's gonna come in and land some studs right out of the gate - what Prime did. That will re-energize the base guaranteed.

I just don't have faith that Wildhack is going to do that. He's someone I see as a old way thinking corporate guy. Conservative and safe.

I wouldn't mind if he called Marrone but we're probably looking at guys like John Reagen or Justin Outten (I kid). The fact that there is no true Red means he might be forced to think outside the box. I just hope it's a forward thinking out of the box guy. A guy like Lincoln Riley when he was at ODU or a guy like Prime. People need to dump the old way thinking. Open up the bank and go get someone that's going to get a wow reaction and turn some heads and get the base fired up that you mean business. That's the only way to inject life into recruiting and sell some tickets.

**Edit**
Gonna add - the Holy Cross guy might be an amazing coach. But the base is going to yawn and you're not going to see an uptick in sales. People will sit back and wait. It's the chicken or the egg and you're in the same vicious cycle. The Prime mention was just an example of what a big splash hire can do. It was the same uptick that Nebraska saw with Ruhle.

Good points other than needing a splash. Syracuse fans are dying for a winner. Coach P was like watching paint dry but he won and the fans packed the place. Pick a coach that will stay and one that will produce regular bowl games and we will be fine.