Cuse's Best Team in the 70's

[TexanMark]

1979 was the year Syracuse played every game on the road (their home games were at Meadowlands, Buffalo Rich Stadium and Cornell's Skoelkopf Field). Syracuse in that era had some future great coaches on the staff: Tom Coughlin, Nick Saban, Randy Edsall under Frank Maloney.

Here is video for the younger guys...NFL greats: Syracuse (Joe Morris, Art Monk, Gary Anderson) Miami (Jim Kelly) are in the game video below. Also, I noticed MSU's DC Dave Warner played QB for Cuse (2nd string) at 11;45 mark and threw a pick. Bill Hurley was the magical QB (he was MVP 2 months later at the Blue-Grey Game). He played a few seasons in the NFL. One of our board posters was on the team then.

The game was played at a near empty Rich Stadium (about 7-10k there) in late October.

Syracuse finished 7-5 and was actually better than their record indicated. They played undefeated McNeese St in one of the first Independence Bowls...they were expecting a Tangerine Bowl bid but lost the last week to BC. They accepted a bid to the Independence Bowl. It came in unexpectedly. McNeese who's fans were chirping about a predicted huge win that would get them ranked after they beat Syracuse. They were essentially a 1-AA opponent but the best one out there that year. General Omar Bradley was the honored guest at the Bowl. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime then Cuse's depth/skill played took over and the Orangemen won 31-3.

 

[SmilinBob]

If Hurley, much like McPherson, could have stayed healthy both of those teams would have had a lot more wins.

 

[OrangePA]

I think the best team of the 1970s may have been the 1970 team - the team that went 6-4 following the spring/fall boycott by the "Syracuse 8."

By the end of the year that was a very good football team with a very good defense led by future NFL players, Joe Ehrmann, Ray White, and Tommy Meyers.

Still can't believe we lost to WVU the last game of the year to break a six game win streak and lose a chance for a bowl game.

 

[tbonezone]

agree. hurley was the grittiest qb i've watched here and that includes mcnabb .not as gifted athletically but tougher.

 

[RoysRunts]

1979 was the year Syracuse played every game on the road (their home games were at Meadowlands, Buffalo Rich Stadium and Cornell's Skoelkopf Field). Syracuse in that era had some future great coaches on the staff: Tom Coughlin, Nick Saban, Randy Edsall under Frank Maloney.

Here is video for the younger guys...NFL greats: Syracuse (Joe Morris, Art Monk, Gary Anderson) Miami (Jim Kelly) are in the game video below. Also, I noticed MSU's DC Dave Warner played QB for Cuse (2nd string) at 11;45 mark and threw a pick. Bill Hurley was the magical QB (he was MVP 2 months later at the Blue-Grey Game). He played a few seasons in the NFL. One of our board posters was on the team then.

The game was played at a near empty Rich Stadium (about 7-10k there) in late October.

Syracuse finished 7-5 and was actually better than their record indicated. They played undefeated McNeese St in one of the first Independence Bowls...they were expecting a Tangerine Bowl bid but lost the last week to BC. They accepted a bid to the Independence Bowl. It came in unexpectedly. McNeese who's fans were chirping about a predicted huge win that would get them ranked after they beat Syracuse. They were essentially a 1-AA opponent but the best one out there that year. General Omar Bradley was the honored guest at the Bowl. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime then Cuse's depth/skill played took over and the Orangemen won 31-3.
Wasn't Craig Wolfley and Gerry Freeny in that Gang pretty sure the Wolf was

They lost because they had the wrong shoes on at Schollkoph ,they slipped and slided all over the Field

 

[buffalorange]

They lost because they had the wrong shoes on at Schollkoph ,they slipped and slided all over the Field

And Joe Morris took a big hit early in the game. He struggled the rest of the day. Concussion?

 

[Townie72]

The 79 team was very good.

I actually attended to Independence Bowl. SU had trouble with McNeese in the first half. But in the second, they settled down and pounded the ball with Joe Morris runni9ng and Craig Wolfley blocking.

Syracuse screwed Fran Maloney and his staff, including Tom Coughlin. These guys had built a pretty good team under very adverse circumstances. When the Dome was built the school showed them the door.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The 79 team was very good.

I actually attended to Independence Bowl. SU had trouble with McNeese in the first half. But in the second, they settled down and pounded the ball with Joe Morris runni9ng and Craig Wolfley blocking.

Syracuse screwed Fran Maloney and his staff, including Tom Coughlin. These guys had built a pretty good team under very adverse circumstances. When the Dome was built the school showed them the door.

Maloney had 1980 in the Dome, and he went 5-6, losing 3 of his last 4.

You know our fanbase doesn't tolerate mediocrity.

 

[orange79]

The 79 team was very good.

I actually attended to Independence Bowl. SU had trouble with McNeese in the first half. But in the second, they settled down and pounded the ball with Joe Morris runni9ng and Craig Wolfley blocking.

Syracuse screwed Fran Maloney and his staff, including Tom Coughlin. These guys had built a pretty good team under very adverse circumstances. When the Dome was built the school showed them the door.

Just to clarify, Maloney coached the first year of the Dome.

 

[TexanMark]

Maloney had 1980 in the Dome, and he went 5-6, losing 3 of his last 4.

You know our fanbase doesn't tolerate mediocrity.

Didn't poor Joe Morris break his collarbone hitting the non padded Wall the 2nd home game?

 

[TexanMark]

I think the best team of the 1970s may have been the 1970 team - the team that went 6-4 following the spring/fall boycott by the "Syracuse 8."

By the end of the year that was a very good football team with a very good defense led by future NFL players, Joe Ehrmann, Ray White, and Tommy Meyers.

Still can't believe we lost to WVU the last game of the year to break a six game win streak and lose a chance for a bowl game.

You might be right...Would liked to see that team (1970) start out without the boycott stuff. 1971 team was predicted to finish as high as #10 (North Syracuse based GamePlan Preseason Magazine) but stumbled early and finished at .500%)

 

[orange79]

Didn't poor Joe Morris break his collarbone hitting the non padded Wall the 2nd home game?

Sounds right. Maybe 3rd. But who could have predicted unpadded concrete walls would present a danger to the players?

 

['72 Orange]

I think the best team of the 1970s may have been the 1970 team - the team that went 6-4 following the spring/fall boycott by the "Syracuse 8."

By the end of the year that was a very good football team with a very good defense led by future NFL players, Joe Ehrmann, Ray White, and Tommy Meyers.

Still can't believe we lost to WVU the last game of the year to break a six game win streak and lose a chance for a bowl game.

I remember the home opener against Kansas. There were helocopters flying above campus in the event there was going to be a disturbance related to protestors. Nothing ever materialized but indeed it was a big distraction.

I went to the game against PSU at "Happy Valley" later that season that we won. Although that was not one if JoePa's better teams it was very satisfying to see in person.

 

[OrangeAl]

Didn't poor Joe Morris break his collarbone hitting the non padded Wall the 2nd home game?

Yeah, that sunk the season, just like Hurley's injury had done two years earlier.
Poor Frank Maloney. He campaigned hard for better facilities, then didn't get to benefit from them on the recruiting trail.
Partly it was his own fault, since he tried to put up a wall between him and the big boosters. He was a foreshadowing of Doug Marrone in his unease with the role of college head coach.

 

[TDTOrange]

1979 was the year Syracuse played every game on the road (their home games were at Meadowlands, Buffalo Rich Stadium and Cornell's Skoelkopf Field). Syracuse in that era had some future great coaches on the staff: Tom Coughlin, Nick Saban, Randy Edsall under Frank Maloney.

Here is video for the younger guys...NFL greats: Syracuse (Joe Morris, Art Monk, Gary Anderson) Miami (Jim Kelly) are in the game video below. Also, I noticed MSU's DC Dave Warner played QB for Cuse (2nd string) at 11;45 mark and threw a pick. Bill Hurley was the magical QB (he was MVP 2 months later at the Blue-Grey Game). He played a few seasons in the NFL. One of our board posters was on the team then.

The game was played at a near empty Rich Stadium (about 7-10k there) in late October.

Syracuse finished 7-5 and was actually better than their record indicated. They played undefeated McNeese St in one of the first Independence Bowls...they were expecting a Tangerine Bowl bid but lost the last week to BC. They accepted a bid to the Independence Bowl. It came in unexpectedly. McNeese who's fans were chirping about a predicted huge win that would get them ranked after they beat Syracuse. They were essentially a 1-AA opponent but the best one out there that year. General Omar Bradley was the honored guest at the Bowl. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime then Cuse's depth/skill played took over and the Orangemen won 31-3.

To get this thread on the track it was always destined to be...

UGH..those uniforms. White pants and blue jerseys. That's not SU, I don't even recognize them. Rabble rabble rabble. Needs more gray. Even the helmets are unrecognizable with out the classic 80's stripe pattern.

 

[OrangePA]

I remember the home opener against Kansas. There were helocopters flying above campus in the event there was going to be a disturbance related to protestors. Nothing ever materialized but indeed it was a big distraction.

I went to the game against PSU at "Happy Valley" later that season that we won. Although that was not one if JoePa's better teams it was very satisfying to see in person.

Because of the threats of violence, my dad wouldn't let me to the Kansas game.

After the first three games, we all figured that the team would go 0-10.

And then the guys really came together.

The Orange beat up PSU at PSU - Marty Janueskiewicz had I think 150 yards rushing and Tommy Meyers had three INTs?

When Paterno went with Hufnagel at QB later that year the Nittany Lions never looked back.

 

[OrangeAl]

To get this thread on the track it was always destined to be...

UGH..those uniforms. White pants and blue jerseys. That's not SU, I don't even recognize them. Rabble rabble rabble. Needs more gray. Even the helmets are unrecognizable with out the classic 80's stripe pattern.

Mistakes were made in the past, but we wouldn't do something that stupid today, would we?

 

[lincolncuse]

You might be right...Would liked to see that team (1970) start out without the boycott stuff. 1971 team was predicted to finish as high as #10 (North Syracuse based GamePlan Preseason Magazine) but stumbled early and finished at .500%)

I loved the Gameplan magazine. Used to buy that and sporting news in the preseason.

 

[Ringostar57]

Ah that game in Buffalo against Miami. Nice crisp sunny day and a good win. Maybe 10000 lost in Rich Stadiums expanse. 50 yardline 20 rows up. Hurley looked great running the optiong. Think he sprung one for a TD.

 

[OrangePA]

You might be right...Would liked to see that team (1970) start out without the boycott stuff. 1971 team was predicted to finish as high as #10 (North Syracuse based GamePlan Preseason Magazine) but stumbled early and finished at .500%)

I'm pretty sure I read a magazine that ranked the 1971 Orange No. 1 going into the season.

And that was not an isolated opinion.

In his media guide that year, SID Larry Kimball concluded that the 1971 team was perhaps Ben's best team since 1959.

And when they opened at home against Wisconsin that fall, it was very obvious that we had a very strong defense.

But we were slow at RB, had an inexperienced and not so mobile QB - Bob Woodruff - and a bad kicker.

We came back to tie the game against the Badgers in the last two minutes, and the kicker missed the winning PAT.

And the team was never the same.