Dino's Week 2 MTSU Press Conference Notes / Depth Chart

[Scooch]

GaTech debacle and Clemson incident aside, I give a Shafer a lot of credit for going 7-6 in his first year. We lost a TON from the 2012 team and we're competing in the ACC for the first time. Grinding out 6 wins and winning a bowl game was an good opening act. Problem was that was the high water mark.

 

[bhallsyrfan1]

I love Shafer the person and the DC but Shafer the HC was way over his head. He lost me for good when he left Dungey in against Louisville down 4 TDs plus with 7 minutes left because he thought we could still pull the game out(his quote). We know what he is going to do this week and we should throw the ball all over the field and take him down. If he wants revenge play Minnesota

This was actually the game that ended his future with Syracuse. Mark Coyle's wife told me Mark was very angry after the Louisville game and began pursuing ing a list of possible replacements through back channels. Doyle was at Kentucky and couldn't stand Petino and Louisville so he was done with Shafer at that point.

 

[anomander]

GaTech debacle and Clemson incident aside, I give a Shafer a lot of credit for going 7-6 in his first year. We lost a TON from the 2012 team and we're competing in the ACC for the first time. Grinding out 6 wins and winning a bowl game was an good opening act. Problem was that was the high water mark.

Key to that season was a very good OL and the job Pat Perles did. Also, the confidence and coaching carried over from the 2012 season/staff.

 

[OrangePA]

Yep, pretty much sums it up. Great guy, really embraced Syracuse (and let's be honest, it's not for everyone). He captivated a lot of us in his first press conference. And everyone certainly rooted for him early on.

Being bitter is human nature when fired. But in reality, as Bayside said, no one else was offering him 7 figures to coach at a major program. The guy that fired him bailed on us. So if he thinks he's going to get some super satisfaction if they win on Saturday, he'll probably find that it ends up empty. The guy he really wants to show up is living in Minnesota now.

I think it's going to end up empty anyway, because our new coach knows how important this game is, and will attack just as hard to win it. I already know that a Babers for Shafer switch was the right move. So I don't need that rubbed in. I just want to be 2-0. There are bigger fish to fry than a directional Tennessee.

Coyle didn't make the decision by himself

 

[orangepassion]

Key to that season was a very good OL and the job Pat Perles did. Also, the confidence and coaching carried over from the 2012 season/staff.

We also played against a bunch of backup QBs that year

 

[Chip]

Coyle didn't make the decision by himself

I get that he wasn't operating in a vacuum but I assume his recommendation kicks off the process and the rest is just a formality.

 

[bnoro]

We are going to screen pass them to death on Saturday and I can't wait.

 

[anomander]

We also played against a bunch of backup QBs that year

Personally, I don't really care for using injuries as a reason for the oucome when it comes to football. Injuries are a major part of the game. Building quality depth is a major factor when it comes to evaluating a program. We saw how the injury issue evened itself out in 2015 and 2016. I refused to use injuries as an excuse then, and I won't discredit the 2014 season either.

 

[RF2044]

We are going to screen pass them to death on Saturday and I can't wait.

That's very similar to what I expect. Of course, they'll get some pressure, and will likely force some QB pressures and some TFL as a function of bringing pressure 90% of the time.

But the reality is that I expect us to exploit them the same way that we consistently were exploited by teams that ran screens effectively.

Nothing against Shafer, but I hope we roll them.

 

[AZOrange]

I don't want to embarrass former SUHCSS. I just want SU to win the game.

By 80.

 

[CuseCactus]

Shafer killed any momentum the program had. He's a meathead. Dino's not.

 

[OttoMets]

Key to that season was a very good OL and the job Pat Perles did. Also, the confidence and coaching carried over from the 2012 season/staff.

Which Shafer then ruined by backing Idiot-Child McDonald over Perles, an established and capable coach. When faced with the prospect of being unemployed or working with McDonald for another few months, Perles said "Nah, I'm good."

And then Shafer replaced him with someone who'd never coached offensive line before. And it showed.

Yeah, he was a well-intentioned and decent person. But damned if he didn't make some of the dumbest, most indefensible decisions I've heard of in coaching. Not stuff where hindsight is 20/20, but the sort of thing where half this board was second-guessing him right off the bat.

As far as the OL thing goes, kids like Hickey and Trudo deserved a lot better.

 

[Orangejet]

Which Shafer then ruined by backing Idiot-Child McDonald over Perles, an established and capable coach. When faced with the prospect of being unemployed or working with McDonald for another few months, Perles said "Nah, I'm good."

And then Shafer replaced him with someone who'd never coached offensive line before. And it showed.

Yeah, he was a well-intentioned and decent person. But damned if he didn't make some of the dumbest, most indefensible decisions I've heard of in coaching. Not stuff where hindsight is 20/20, but the sort of thing where half this board was second-guessing him right off the bat.

As far as the OL thing goes, kids like Hickey and Trudo deserved a lot better.

Totally agree with all your comments and as I said once before, Joe Adam was the worse OL coach I have ever seen at the Cuse since '77. Looks like Big Joe is also getting crushed as head coach at St. Anselm's going 2 - 9 in 2016 and losing to Wagner 37 - 7 to start this season. Dino has the Cuse going in the right direction and can't wait to see how the offense does against FHCSS.

 

[orangepassion]

Personally, I don't really care for using injuries as a reason for the oucome when it comes to football. Injuries are a major part of the game. Building quality depth is a major factor when it comes to evaluating a program. We saw how the injury issue evened itself out in 2015 and 2016. I refused to use injuries as an excuse then, and I won't discredit the 2014 season either.

Shafer and supporters would often invoke SU injuries to support him. I don't totally ignore it if it's highly significant, but regardless, if you use it as support, you can't ignore it when it happens to other teams.

 

[PhatOrange]

injuries are sometimes a legit excuse. Nobody, would have success over the course of a season down to their 4th or 5th string walkon QB. Not Alabama, not Clemson. Most all teams take a step back with their #2 guy, let a lone the walkon.

Injuries are part of the game and so you roll with it. I'd be thrilled though if we got to face everybody's 4th string QB.

 

[Chip]

By 80.

Yeah, I actually want to embarrass every DC we go against. It's not personal.

 

[TheCusian]

Pet peeve. There are only reasons for winning and losing. The word "excuse" exposes the POV of the poster.

For example:

"We lost due to poor coaching, a lack of good #3 ACC caliber QB, and the other teams got an NFL QB" (all true, all possible reasons for losing)

"Those are just BS excuses! We should compete with every team regardless of that stuff!" (No - they are reasons. Often times quantifiable and not that hard to figure out. Ask Vegas)

The reason people do this is to move the bar from things you can analyze, track, fix - to some more nebulous, often times personal, bar for the school to meet. "We are Syracuse! In my day, we handled Clemson by 40!" (Nostalgia tinged personal target not met, anguish over losing previously adding gas to bonfire)

It's not helpful if you want to see progress. If you look at this stuff without that lens, you actually hold the school, coaches, players, admin more accountable, not less.

 

[All4SU]

Everyone will focus on our Offense against their defense because of the connection to Schafer. But in reality, this game comes down to our D against their O.

 

[ElwoodJBlues]

If I'm Shafer, I blitz up the middle, force Dungey to either make a quick throw or rollout, cutting the field in half. Don't let him get comfortable in the pocket and potentially push SU into keeping a RB in to help pass protect.

If I'm SU, I play with fire a little bit and call some screens and quick slants until Shafer has to dial back on the pressure.

 

[PhatOrange]

If I'm Shafer, I blitz up the middle, force Dungey to either make a quick throw or rollout, cutting the field in half. Don't let him get comfortable in the pocket and potentially push SU into keeping a RB in to help pass protect.

If I'm SU, I play with fire a little bit and call some screens and quick slants until Shafer has to dial back on the pressure.

I hope he does this because I want to see Pierce take a quick pop over the LOS to the house and I want to see Erv take a slant over the middle to the house.

one thing i am worried about, is Dungey getting hurt on a blitzing late hit.

 

[RMH44]

I hope he does this because I want to see Pierce take a quick pop over the LOS to the house and I want to see Erv take a slant over the middle to the house.

one thing i am worried about, is Dungey getting hurt on a blitzing late hit.

I think we'll see a lot of Pierce and the inside WR's over the middle this week. It appears those plays were intentionally left out of last weeks game plan.

 

[PAcuse]

It's simple bubble screen 60 times we win by 30 plus.

 

[721Comstock]

It's simple bubble screen 60 times we win by 30 plus.

Worked for Notre Dame against a SS D.

 

[Myk307]

Worked for Notre Dame against a SS D.

The most frustrating game for me that season... We caused i think 3 turnovers within the first 10 mintues and the ND QB looked shaken on the sideline... I remember thinking we might have them.. then the most disgusting and stubborn thing happened. Kelley adjusts from 5 and 7 step drop backs to screens and flares for 3 quarters strait and not one friggan time did shafer adjust the D... not once.. I was in a rage for 2 days after that game. It was there for the taking...

 

[TheCusian]

The most frustrating game for me that season... We caused i think 3 turnovers within the first 10 mintues and the ND QB looked shaken on the sideline... I remember thinking we might have them.. then the most disgusting and stubborn thing happened. Kelley adjusts from 5 and 7 step drop backs to screens and flares for 3 quarters strait and not one friggan time did shafer adjust the D... not once.. I was in a rage for 2 days after that game. It was there for the taking...

Narduzzi likes to not adjust to screens too