ESPN Matchup Predictor...It aint pretty

[sufandu]

If I misinterpreted, I apologize. I feel like you were pretty tough on Dino at the end of last season.

You said we look like a 3 win team.

Winning more than that would be overachieving, which usually means the coach did a good job getting the most out of his team.

You started with “no, not at all.” So, if those young units come on and the team wins more than you thought they would, you will give Dino some credit, correct?

Just trying to clarify.

I saw it as a prediction based on our known personnel. Not every team is replacing nearly all their production from 2 different units, they lose their best WR and LB but have other known productive guys returning. Therefore, if we win more than 3, it may not be overachieving, it is that the unknowns were up to the task. Dino deserves credit regardless of whether he coached up undertalented personnel, schemed the team to more wins, or recruited similar or upgraded talent.

Personnally, I feel more optimistic about the upcoming season than any in a long time.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

We will surprise quite a few people this year.

 

[721Comstock]

We will surprise quite a few people this year.

It's not their fault. They didn't know.

 

[CanadianSU]

Another 4 win season and idk what to say...

 

[TheCusian]

NC State and Louisville lost lots of pieces and are home games. BC and Wake are peer, but are on the road. That's why.

I wonder if ESPN rates “@wake” differently than “@clemson” - because I do. That place is no Death Valley.

 

[TheCusian]

Another 4 win season and idk what to say...

Hunt for Heisman!?

 

[SoBristol]

I would agree. I don’t think our team is better on paper than we were in 2016 or 2017. If we do go to a bowl, it will be because some young and unproven players really step up ...

On paper this team is better in every unit than in 2015 -17, except WR and LB. Better in key spots with seniors at QB, RB, TE, OTs and juniors in other spots. The areas where we need to replace departing seniors (LB and WR) have Sophs and Juniors who have potential to be good. Far less reliance on untested players than in past seasons. Every college team has to replace a handful of good players who have graduated - our losses were no greater than our rivals. Time to be more optimistic based on the improvements, particularly in both lines.

 

[BomberOrange]

Relax, it’s computer garbage. Let it play out on the field. What was our % vs Clemson last year?

 

[Marroniac]

Having a Senior QB and an experienced line is a big deal, guys. Bet the over.

 

[RandomGuy]

FSU = First Syracuse Upset.

 

[cpatrocks]

Opponent: Syracuse %Chance to win
WMU 54.5
Wagner 99.2
FSU 28.0
UCONN 93.8
Clemson 3.7
Pitt 41.2
UNC 53.7
NC State 45.2
Wake 27.4
L'Ville 40.5
ND 8.2
BC 24.9

 

[BillSU]

View attachment 131279View attachment 131279

Ah yes, the ESPN crystal ball looks just like every one of ours. It's a guess on all of them. All of the predictions are just that, guesses - albeit with which team has better players than the others, who the other teams lost to graduation and who they're bringing in.

If I were playing us I would concentrate on running the ball considering the lack of outstanding talent at the LB position due to graduation. Wish we had two more Zaire Franklins stepping up.

Another interesting position will be the WR's. Will anyone have a break out year or not. This is a big year for Eric Dungey. His 2018 totals will depend on how accurate he is and who can hold on to the ball. A huge deal for ED and any future in the NFL.

 

[SWC75]

I'll do Lombardi this time:

 

[TheCusian]

Ah yes, the ESPN crystal ball looks just like every one of ours. It's a guess on all of them. All of the predictions are just that, guesses - albeit with which team has better players than the others, who the other teams lost to graduation and who they're bringing in.

If I were playing us I would concentrate on running the ball considering the lack of outstanding talent at the LB position due to graduation. Wish we had two more Zaire Franklins stepping up.

Another interesting position will be the WR's. Will anyone have a break out year or not. This is a big year for Eric Dungey. His 2018 totals will depend on how accurate he is and who can hold on to the ball. A huge deal for ED and any future in the NFL.

Don’t think it’s a lack of talent at LB - but experience

 

[tipphill]

I would agree. I don’t think our team is better on paper than we were in 2016 or 2017. If we do go to a bowl, it will be because some young and unproven players really step up and surprise us on units like WR and LB, our stud senior QB stays healthy and carries us, our more experienced OLine proves to be a strength and wins most of the battles in the trenches, and year 3 of our system has us looking machinelike in terms of our comfort with what we’re trying to do style of play wise. I think we can do it. But are we going to flat out, out talent more than a few teams? No.

However we have been recruiting better, and have gotten some stud transfers, and I do think year 4 we will start to out talent more teams, while also starting to consistently outscheme a majority of teams.

dino must show some improvement imho. no more hype please, just win a few more games this year. i remain undecided about the improvement in recruiting. i do believe the oline will have its time.

 

[OrangeDW]

dino must show some improvement imho. no more hype please, just win a few more games this year. i remain undecided about the improvement in recruiting. i do believe the oline will have its time.

He showed improvement last year. Beating Clemson and going toe to toe with LSU, FSU, and Miami - all on the road!- was significant improvement. If we didn’t have one of the most brutal schedules in school history and in the country, we’re a bowl team last year.

 

[SWC75]

He showed improvement last year. Beating Clemson and going toe to toe with LSU, FSU, and Miami - all on the road!- was significant improvement. If we didn’t have one of the most brutal schedules in school history and in the country, we’re a bowl team last year.

Four straight losing season: 14-18 through the end of October. 1-15 in November. it's all about whether we now have enough depth to compete for 3 months and 12 games. That is all.

 

[OrangeDW]

Four straight losing season: 14-18 through the end of October. 1-15 in November. it's all about whether we now have enough depth to compete for 3 months and 12 games. That is all.

That is the next step, to be sure.

I will say all 4-4 starts aren’t the same though...I thought we were much more impressive last year than we were in 2016. With 4 star transfers at RB and WR and 4 star recruits at QB and on the OL, with the depth being built up as we get into year 3 after a coaching change...I think we’re on our way.

 

[SWC75]

That is the next step, to be sure.

I will say all 4-4 starts aren’t the same though...I thought we were much more impressive last year than we were in 2016. With 4 star transfers at RB and WR and 4 star recruits at QB and on the OL, with the depth being built up as we get into year 3 after a coaching change...I think we’re on our way.

And yet, we arguably had our worst November, getting blown out by Wake, Lousiville and BC. We scored 29 of the last 167 points scored in our games in 2017
Syracuse Historical Scores

 

[OrangeDW]

And yet, we arguably had our worst November, getting blown out by Wake, Lousiville and BC. We scored 29 of the last 167 points scored in our games in 2017
Syracuse Historical Scores

I’m chalking that up to a thin team being physically chewed up by the incredibly difficult schedule. The depth will be better (first couple years of a new coach is always tough to have depth) and the schedule won’t be as bad going forward...getting at Miami as our crossover in the same year we go to LSU nonleague...yikes.

 

[reedny]

I’m chalking that up to a thin team being physically chewed up by the incredibly difficult schedule. The depth will be better (first couple years of a new coach is always tough to have depth) and the schedule won’t be as bad going forward...getting at Miami as our crossover in the same year we go to LSU nonleague...yikes.

Agree. Tale of two teams last year, with injuries in November exposing significant depth problems. Not as big of a risk this year with more depth and a better schedule. Our OL is in considerably better shape and DL is looking solid with decent depth. What I worry about against Wake is our inexperienced LB's defending their RPO. They return 8 (off) and 5 (D), and we're 8/6 with our QB back. We'll have film on the new QB because we play them pretty far into the season - early November. So it'll be interesting to see: a) how good their new QB is and if they run RPO at us; and 2) how well our depth holds out and what defensive improvements we can make this year against them. Ugly second half last year.

 

[elimunelson]

Four straight losing season: 14-18 through the end of October. 1-15 in November. it's all about whether we now have enough depth to compete for 3 months and 12 games. That is all.

But is 14-18 even good? We have been mediocre when we're healthy, when we're hurt and when we're completely gutted. I think the key is coaching up the squad now. I think this is Dino's first honeymoon-less season. He needs to coach up what he has now.

 

[elimunelson]

And yet, we arguably had our worst November, getting blown out by Wake, Lousiville and BC. We scored 29 of the last 167 points scored in our games in 2017
Syracuse Historical Scores

We played soft down the stretch regardless of the depth. The toughness is something these guys need to learn. Addazio's team punched us in the mouth and it was embarassing. I always think about that Rutgers game in Marrone's first year. We were very beat up and we punched those guys in the mouth. It was tough football.

Need to see that this year. Schemes be damned need to establish some toughness to finish strong.

 

[SWC75]

But is 14-18 even good? We have been mediocre when we're healthy, when we're hurt and when we're completely gutted. I think the key is coaching up the squad now. I think this is Dino's first honeymoon-less season. He needs to coach up what he has now.

Mediocre would be an improvement. It can get you into a bowl. 14-18 means we were an average of one game under .500 going into November in these years. A good November and we're in a bowl and have some forward momentum. But November is about depth and we haven't had any for years.

 

[TheCusian]

And yet, we arguably had our worst November, getting blown out by Wake, Lousiville and BC. We scored 29 of the last 167 points scored in our games in 2017
Syracuse Historical Scores

Dungey played horribly in those games.