Did anyone honestly think this would happen?

[rocklloyd]

My low point was a Rutgers game (I think) where all they did was run max suter around and special teams and defense. I think I left in the 3rd qtr because it was so hopeless. And I never leave early.

 

[cuse309]

Wasn't it Max Suter that lead the country in kickoff return yardage? I remember on the radio, the announcers always acted like that was some kind of a feather in our cap, but to me it just seemed like we gave up so many points, that we were just always fielding kickoffs.

 

[MSOrange]

Wasn't it Max Suter that lead the country in kickoff return yardage? I remember on the radio, the announcers always acted like that was some kind of a feather in our cap, but to me it just seemed like we gave up so many points, that we were just always fielding kickoffs.

Yes in is freshman year and your last sentence is exactly why - we sucked so he had a lot of opportunities.

 

[Chip]

I believed that once we treated the unique advantage the Dome gives us like it's actually an advantage we would trend up in a big way.

Yep, the game changed and we were uniquely positioned to take advantage of it.

(Even though it took longer than we would have hoped. Blueprint is finally there).

 

[PAcuse]

It's been a hell of a roller coaster ride, never lost totally lost faith.
When Dino was hired I knew we would get back, but I figured it would be year 4.
This year surprised me and had me riding high at the start and the Pitt came was a dagger that almost broke. To be so high and finally starting to see the great product again and then THAT game ugh...
Still amazed by the last season!

 

[HOFCeluck]

I know this may be jumping the gun a little bit, because sustained success and relevance is what everyone wants for any program/team they root for. But did anyone honestly believe we would get back to the level of Preseason Top 25 rankings and National Primetime games against the defending national champ so quickly?

I was only 6 when we went undefeated in 1987, but do remember the Fiesta Bowl in '91 and the subsequent years following that saw us earn BCS bowl bids with McNabb and go to many a bowl.

Was a firm believer that the program needed something new when Pasqualoni was let go, but the hiring of GRob really drove a sinking program deeper. Marrone's tenure was a blip of good news but ultimately I never really got the sense that it was a sustainable model in college. Shafer was a disaster as a head coach, IMO, making the job even tougher.

What Dino has done is nothing short of miraculous. I believe the improved resources have absolutely helped, but his approach is something that does feel sustainable.

This year will go a long way in developing that thought process, but I am more excited for the upcoming Syracuse football season than I am for Syracuse basketball. I didn't think that was ever going to be possible again.

I’m the same age as you, and I always thought we’d get back to that level some day. Not sure I thought it was going to be in year three of the Babers era after we lost five straight to end the year though.

 

[City of Cuse]

I remember being at a game against USF maybe 10ish years ago. Me and my buddy might have been 2 out of 100 people left in the dome. We were sitting there going what the hell happened to football. When we should of lost to Villanova was the other time I almost lost my way.

It's just great to have some expectations back in football, I was sick of it being a joke. I think for people like us who obviously are all in on cuse and post on these forums it's just more sweet than the average fan. We were there during the good times, the bad times, and now hopefully we get some good times again.

 

[kcsu]

I never lost hope. I am an optimist at heart. Heck, I am a Met fan, a Jet fan and I love SU football. You can't stay with those teams for decades unless you are a crazy optimist or just plain crazy.

If not for SU basketball, who knows what might have happened to me? I could have become a fan of the theatre. Or even gulp, the opera.

Anyway, it is hard to believe how quickly things changed.

I am reading season previews for Syracuse now and getting outraged when people are predicting 7-5 seasons for us. I am thinking how can these people think we can lose to the likes of Wake, BC, UL and Maryland?

There is a part of me that would still be thrilled to go to a bowl game this coming season; any bowl game. Deep down, I know there are a lot of games on the schedule against closely matched opponents and a bunch of those games are on the road. Syracuse has noticably more depth than it has in years and the talent level is ip just about everywhere. Certainly the coaching has improved greatly.

But a string of injuries in the wrong places and we could end up 4-8 again. Our margin for error is not great. There will be a lot of close games in 2019. More than I care to think about right now.

So true Tom. 8 wins will be a great year more than that is going to take a few breaks. What is amazing to me is the fact that we have a legitimate chance to win every game. Not just a long shot but a true chance. I dont see us being out of any game. This season is critical. It has a chance a true chance to be magical.

 

[shandeezy7]

Ughhh, I remember sitting in the rain at Bobby Dodd watching that fiasco. That was definitley a low-point, we looked way out of our league.

I flew down from Syracuse for that one. My friends all left at halftime to go back to the tailgate. I stuck it out until early in the fourth thinking that maybe we still had a chance to come back...

 

[Cuse5528]

Ughhh, I remember sitting in the rain at Bobby Dodd watching that fiasco. That was definitley a low-point, we looked way out of our league.

If I remember correctly, isn’t this the game where Shafer made it a point for all to know before the game that Syracuse would take time out of every practice as well as preseason camp, to prepare for this GT? I remember how embarrassing that was.

 

[care taker]

Last year was a perfect storm first a down ACC , second bigger faster players ( thanks Dino and staff ), 3rd a better understanding of scheme , 4 health for the most part , 5 depth when injuries , fatigue, and poor play arose, 6
Turnovers we got em .
This year we have a tad easier schedule and an opportunity to be big time we are bigger and faster yet again I strongly feel our D will be better , OC Lynch , coach Martin are now seasoned which could be the difference maker on O ! Might I say a laser armed Qb who fits our system , stable of running backs , plethora of wrs ... now with all that repeat after me ....
O line
Health
Luck
O line
Health
Luck
O line
Health
Luck
11 wins !!!!!

 

[OrangeTarheel]

There were years when it seemed like the gods went out of their way to punish us. One year with over 20 injuries if I recall correctly. Of course it can seem like that when you need everything to go right in order to get a win.

 

[richmondcuse03]

I believed that once we treated the unique advantage the Dome gives us like it's actually an advantage we would trend up in a big way.

Amen. I believed in a system coach. And absolutely thought Dino was the right guy. Play to your advantages and who you are. It was asinine we tried to play meathead football in a Dome in the northeast when we couldn’t recruit those types of players.

Once we hired Dino I believed 8 win seasons would be achievable. But I will admit Dino has raised the ceiling of what I thought success could be.

Before that things were bleak. When our own alum left, a lot of doubt crept back in as to whether we could get to 7 wins again. Look how hard it was for Uncle Dougie...

Thank god Dino is here

 

[KaiserUEO]

If course I believed it.

I knew now to do it.

It just took the administration and AD longer to enact my plan than I wanted.

Way back when P got fired the little description under my name was Offensive Coordinator because I couldn’t take the level of ‘Offensive’ Offense we were running.

Now we have the right coach and the right system in the right playing atmosphere...

Sky’s the limit!!

Except there is a limit because of the Dome, but work with me here...

 

[CuseisOK]

I know this may be jumping the gun a little bit, because sustained success and relevance is what everyone wants for any program/team they root for. But did anyone honestly believe we would get back to the level of Preseason Top 25 rankings and National Primetime games against the defending national champ so quickly?

I was only 6 when we went undefeated in 1987, but do remember the Fiesta Bowl in '91 and the subsequent years following that saw us earn BCS bowl bids with McNabb and go to many a bowl.

Was a firm believer that the program needed something new when Pasqualoni was let go, but the hiring of GRob really drove a sinking program deeper. Marrone's tenure was a blip of good news but ultimately I never really got the sense that it was a sustainable model in college. Shafer was a disaster as a head coach, IMO, making the job even tougher.

What Dino has done is nothing short of miraculous. I believe the improved resources have absolutely helped, but his approach is something that does feel sustainable.

This year will go a long way in developing that thought process, but I am more excited for the upcoming Syracuse football season than I am for Syracuse basketball. I didn't think that was ever going to be possible again.

The last two games vs Clemson have been great. This year it’s back in the Dome. Would be great if Game Day elected the matchup.

 

[cuseincincy]

Absolutely! Because I had seen it happen before. And more importantly I've been watching inferior and similar programs have greater success. Its not just the players and its not just the coaches, its the combination. How far we've come in both respects.

 

[All4SU]

My faith never wavered. I drink more now. I’ve lost some hair. More gray than I think I should be. And I have a few noticeable tics that pop up whenever certain coaches or games get mentioned. And then there’s the years of therapy. But I never doubted.

 

[billorange44]

In my what, wow, 56 years of attending these games, I have seen many ups and downs. At the end of Ben's time and the hiring of Maloney and all the rest, I had to keep the hope. The most difficult was during the Greg Robinson years, but I never gave up hope. I always thought that if I could outlast him and not die or something it would get better. Marrone gave me hope and even Scott Schaffer. I liked the Baber's hire and I admit during his second season I got really ticked a few times, ut I always had hope. I just kept in mind that every program has gone through this with ups and downs except Rutgers. They are not the norm though. Looking forward to another wonderful season and don't we deserve this?

 

[NKR1978]

My faith never wavered. I drink more now. I’ve lost some hair. More gray than I think I should be. And I have a few noticeable tics that pop up whenever certain coaches or games get mentioned. And then there’s the years of therapy. But I never doubted.

I dare you to stand in front of a mirror and whisper "gerg" three times.

 

[TheCusian]

I believed that once we treated the unique advantage the Dome gives us like it's actually an advantage we would trend up in a big way.

My belief was irrational until I really understood the above point. I’ve seen the light and I ain’t going back.

I also think there’s a dozen other lessons Dino has taught us that I hope are being internalized by the athletic department.

 

[Millhouse]

the completely insane glee we had over the Babers rumors and eventual hiring is proof - we wouldn't have been that excited if we didn't think it could happen. and we wouldn't have thrown up everytime chris ash's name came up if we didn't think it was possible to be good

it really feels great to have a plan and identity that most of us are on board with and i try not to think about all that time where everything was so screwy

 

[All4SU]

I dare you to stand in front of a mirror and whisper "gerg" three times.

Can’t be done.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[cuse309]

This is all happening too fast!!!