Excited for 2020?

[smartman]

I know there have been some one off discussions on position groups, but wanted to see how folks felt about 2020. What's the general take of better/worse/same for next year? I'll look at the position groups...

DE: There is a lot to like about Kingsley Jonathan here, but we lost two (arguably) All-ACC DEs in Robinson and Coleman plus Berry (who leads the team in sacks). Maybe Richards settles in here? I think this is definitely a step back from this year and curious who our rotation ends up being here. Feels like 'worse'.

DT: Williams staying another year is huge and think he's our best interior lineman when healthy. I think we do lose Ruff, but hopefully Elmore focuses here and we get a bit of a lift here. We have a solid four man rotation here and expect everyone to incrementally improve, but not sure who steps up after Williams, Black, Elmore, and Harper (would love to have 1-2 more). feels like 'same'

LB: We get Jones back and a lot of unproven talent after that. I'm hopeful Kpogba, Wallace, Cantin-Arku, or Richards (again) step up here, but don't have much to go on here. Feels like another year of breaking in a lot of new players here yet again and say what you want, but Williams and Armstrong still lead the team in tackles. I'd love to see Richards settle in finally - always seems to make plays. I'm curious if that RB recruit Wax settles in here. Seems like a player. Feels like 'same'

CB: We lose Frederick who has started for ages and Cordy who filled in everywhere. Iffy is fantastic. Not sure what else happens here, but some unproven folks. feels like 'worse'

S: I think Trill, Cisco, Coley, Stritz, and one of Nunn/Jonas make this a real solid group (was hoping to see more this year from those last two). We lose Foster and Cordy. I'll assume everyone gets a bit better and Trill just sticks at strong safety. Feels like a slight 'better'

QB: Devito will get better. We have no depth (scary). Feels like 'better'.

OL: Everyone save Adams comes back including Heckel (we hope). Seems like there is some depth behind them emerging (Tisdale, Red, and White???). Can't get much worse and definite improvement at the end. Feels like 'better'

RB: We lose Moe and gain Jordan. Jordan has huge upside, but Moe has been our most productive back the last 3 years. Feels like 'same'

WR: Riley leaves, but didn't do much this year. Gotta feel Johnson gets better or passed by C Jackson or someone else. I wonder if Hendrix comes back, S Johnson, or others emerge. T Jackson is our best player on O. Feels like 'better'

TE: Elmore focuses full time on DT, Benson and Hackett get better. Feels like 'better'.

Special Teams: Losing Hoff will hurt, but we bring back a groza kicker, and should improve our return game (Jordan). Feels like 'same'

So, in short, O gets better, D gets worse, and ST stays the same. Hoping we get better all around and ready to play. We looked outmatched a lot of games this year, but hard for me to believe the talent gap is that huge given 2018 performance. Curious who breaks out too...

 

[corpjet]

Can we be any worse than this year? Anything is better, I just think the majority including me will have much lower expectations, such as make a bowl and win it.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Not at all. Everybody drank the Orange Kool Aid and bought into the hype, only to be let down like a lead balloon. I will not be fooled again ever. I will reserve judgment on the football team as each season unfolds.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The defensive coordinator hire looms large, but I think that raw materials are there to field a competent defense.

The offensive line has been much better the last two games. If we can build off of that the offense could make a big leap forward.

It's not a crazy schedule next season. We can be a winning team.

 

[djorange1989]

The defensive coordinator hire looms large, but I think that raw materials are there to field a competent defense.

The offensive line has been much better the last two games. If we can build off of that the offense could make a big leap forward.

It's not a crazy schedule next season. We can be a winning team.

Yep between Rutgers/Liberty/WMU/Colgate as an easy OOC plus NC State and Ga Tech at the Dome, 6 certainly seems quite feasible and beyond Clemson the other games are in play so winning record is more than reasonable.

 

[skurey]

I know we just want wins but that home schedule does not have me excited.

 

[All4SU]

I think this year is the anomaly, the outlier if you will, in the the Babers Syracuse football reclamation project. I expect TD to be more in command, the OL to be improved, the RB to be improved (nothing against Mo), the TEs to be weapons, and Szymyt to be back in form. We will miss Hofrichter, but I think we will be okay there. DE coaching has been great, I expect that to continue. DBs will be better, just tried to do too much this year. And LB will be interesting. I think that hurt us more than we want to admit. I expect a more athletic group, and hope they can learn as they go, much like they did in 2018. I’m optimistically excited about next year.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yep between Rutgers/Liberty/WMU/Colgate as an easy OOC plus NC State and Ga Tech at the Dome, 6 certainly seems quite feasible and beyond Clemson the other games are in play so winning record is more than reasonable.

Yeah, and I know people say we had a light schedule and didn't do anything with it this season, and yeah, that's true. But that doesn't mean that makes the schedule any harder next season, it just means we didn't come through.

 

[orangemass]

Nope

 

[CanadianSU]

I think RB will be improved with Jordan alone.

 

[orangenauburn]

Bowl bound, book it

 

[cuse309]

Not at all. Everybody drank the Orange Kool Aid and bought into the hype, only to be let down like a lead balloon. I will not be fooled again ever. I will reserve judgment on the football team as each season unfolds.

This.
Consistent high expectations for a program that has averaged around 4 wins per year over 17 years shouldn't exist. We usually expect the team to win 4-5 games, because that is what they usually win. When they win 8-10 games a year consistently, I will expect 8-10, but we are far from there.

 

[Ozcuse]

I think this year is the anomaly, the outlier if you will, in the the Babers Syracuse football reclamation project. I expect TD to be more in command, the OL to be improved, the RB to be improved (nothing against Mo), the TEs to be weapons, and Szymyt to be back in form. We will miss Hofrichter, but I think we will be okay there. DE coaching has been great, I expect that to continue. DBs will be better, just tried to do too much this year. And LB will be interesting. I think that hurt us more than we want to admit. I expect a more athletic group, and hope they can learn as they go, much like they did in 2018. I’m optimistically excited about next year.

2016 4-8, 2017 4-8, 2018 10-3, 2019 4-7

This year looks like the anomaly?

 

[timkay99]

I know there have been some one off discussions on position groups, but wanted to see how folks felt about 2020. What's the general take of better/worse/same for next year? I'll look at the position groups...

DE: There is a lot to like about Kingsley Jonathan here, but we lost two (arguably) All-ACC DEs in Robinson and Coleman plus Berry (who leads the team in sacks). Maybe Richards settles in here? I think this is definitely a step back from this year and curious who our rotation ends up being here. Feels like 'worse'.

DT: Williams staying another year is huge and think he's our best interior lineman when healthy. I think we do lose Ruff, but hopefully Elmore focuses here and we get a bit of a lift here. We have a solid four man rotation here and expect everyone to incrementally improve, but not sure who steps up after Williams, Black, Elmore, and Harper (would love to have 1-2 more). feels like 'same'

LB: We get Jones back and a lot of unproven talent after that. I'm hopeful Kpogba, Wallace, Cantin-Arku, or Richards (again) step up here, but don't have much to go on here. Feels like another year of breaking in a lot of new players here yet again and say what you want, but Williams and Armstrong still lead the team in tackles. I'd love to see Richards settle in finally - always seems to make plays. I'm curious if that RB recruit Wax settles in here. Seems like a player. Feels like 'same'

CB: We lose Frederick who has started for ages and Cordy who filled in everywhere. Iffy is fantastic. Not sure what else happens here, but some unproven folks. feels like 'worse'

S: I think Trill, Cisco, Coley, Stritz, and one of Nunn/Jonas make this a real solid group (was hoping to see more this year from those last two). We lose Foster and Cordy. I'll assume everyone gets a bit better and Trill just sticks at strong safety. Feels like a slight 'better'

QB: Devito will get better. We have no depth (scary). Feels like 'better'.

OL: Everyone save Adams comes back including Heckel (we hope). Seems like there is some depth behind them emerging (Tisdale, Red, and White???). Can't get much worse and definite improvement at the end. Feels like 'better'

RB: We lose Moe and gain Jordan. Jordan has huge upside, but Moe has been our most productive back the last 3 years. Feels like 'same'

WR: Riley leaves, but didn't do much this year. Gotta feel Johnson gets better or passed by C Jackson or someone else. I wonder if Hendrix comes back, S Johnson, or others emerge. T Jackson is our best player on O. Feels like 'better'

TE: Elmore focuses full time on DT, Benson and Hackett get better. Feels like 'better'.

Special Teams: Losing Hoff will hurt, but we bring back a groza kicker, and should improve our return game (Jordan). Feels like 'same'

So, in short, O gets better, D gets worse, and ST stays the same. Hoping we get better all around and ready to play. We looked outmatched a lot of games this year, but hard for me to believe the talent gap is that huge given 2018 performance. Curious who breaks out too...

DE: Worse. Robinson was a pass rusher who couldn't get to the QB and finish consistently, but was the top guy on the scouting report. Coleman was solid all-around and the #2 dude on the scouting report. No matter what you think about incoming DE's, barring a P5 transfer who is eligible, neither guy Cuse runs out there will be the focus of the offensive game plan.

*Depends on scheme. Previous scheme valued pass rushers with OLB measurables. Will the new scheme allow guys to flourish that were recruited to be 250-ish pound pass rushers?

DT: Better. Assumes no injuries, as depth is scary again, is Elmore moved to DT permanently? Has Munoz progressed?

LB: Better or its a bad DC hire. LB has driven this defense and they play a ton of assignment football. Make the game simpler for them and the stud recruits we have landed, Jones, Kpobga, Wallace, Richards, Cantin-Arku can play to their measurables. Armstrong was a good passing downs LB, Williams a good running downs LB. Need 2 LB's that are solid at both.

CB: Better. Trill moving outside has helped the defense a lot. Williams-Melifonwu on the outside is huge. Slot CB will be interesting, but there are options. Watching LaBrosse's senior highlights, he showed significantly better hips than I thought he had. Probably still a SS, but he intrigued me.

S: Better. Everyone is ragging on Cisco at this point, but Foster's regression really defined this defense. Defense struggled badly this year on stopping the run and Foster's play last year really allowed the run to be stopped. Cupboard is full at S and there are options.

QB: Same. Nothing against Devito, who is All-ACC caliber. But, can you really expect a QB to be healthy for 12 games? Comes down to getting a transfer who is ready to play or significant development from someone in the program to back him up. Or pray he doesn't take one big hit.

RB: Same to Slightly Better. Howard-Jordan have more rushing upside, Adams will be the Dontae Strickland of next year, someone who is under appreciated by the fan base, but just consistently does his job in pass protection and keeps Devito upright.

WR: Same. No matter how you look at it, C. Jackson couldn't get reps ahead of the 2 guys leaving. Outside, feels like it's relying on Taj to take a step forward, since he wasn't pulled for his antics except for a small period where Jordan played well against NC State. Feel like we need to land a transfer here to make this a better group and free up Trishton.

TE: Better. Actual solid targets there. Will offense evolve to use them in the middle of the field to keep safeties honest?

OL: Better. As bad as an OL for 8 games, been better since the change. Off-season in those roles would help. Time for some of the soon-to-be juniors to prove they are serviceable depth or better.

Overall, under Babers, offense will drive this ship. OL play improves, its an easy bowl game. Upperclassmen tend to define how the season goes. The DC hire, and his subsequent scheme, will determine a lot both in next season and what shift may occur in players recruited.

 

[SU2NASA]

Natty.

 

[RICuse44]

I agree Elmore needs to move to d tackle full time. He does not give the offense anything Hackett can’t do or do better.

The defense as a whole depends on the d coordinator hire. I don’t think it’s a popular college defense but what if they install a 3-4? McKinley at the nose, Elmore and black at ends, Richards and Cantu-Arkin outside and Wallace and kboga inside? Or stick Jonathan as an olb. Not saying this is the greatest idea but it would drastically alter personnel. Williams and iffy would be corners and coley and Cisco at safety.

 

[JeffCuse]

i'm back in "show me" mode. i'll enjoy a ride if one happens, but i am not expecting one

 

[timkay99]

The defense as a whole depends on the d coordinator hire. I don’t think it’s a popular college defense but what if they install a 3-4? McKinley at the nose, Elmore and black at ends, Richards and Cantu-Arkin outside and Wallace and kboga inside? Or stick Jonathan as an olb. Not saying this is the greatest idea but it would drastically alter personnel. Williams and iffy would be corners and coley and Cisco at safety.

Need a 340 pound defensive tackle to soak up double teams. There is typically about 1 of those guys available per recruiting season. 3-4 just doesn't work at the college level, IMO. Even though we have the LB's to do it, they would get destroyed by opposing guards.

 

[Killdozer]

Just getting rid of the Tampa 2 will make our defense better with or without the same players.

 

[Killdozer]

Getting a new OC that knows how to call plays will make our offense better. With or without the same players

 

[sufandu]

After this year, getting back to a bowl will keep the season from feeling like another failed one. I'm optimisitic we'll do that. I'm not confident we'll do much more than that.

 

[All4SU]

2016 4-8, 2017 4-8, 2018 10-3, 2019 4-7

This year looks like the anomaly?

Yes, I can easily discount years 1 & 2. I’ve watched way too many coaching changes to think that W/L records alone are how progress is witnessed.

 

[RICuse44]

Need a 340 pound defensive tackle to soak up double teams. There is typically about 1 of those guys available per recruiting season. 3-4 just doesn't work at the college level, IMO. Even though we have the LB's to do it, they would get destroyed by opposing guards.

Probably need a big boy for NT but you never know. Football is cyclical and in the 90s teddy bruschi played NT in college- also Kevin Mitchell was our NT in the early 90s also as a 250 pounder. The key is for the NT to be disruptive. Finding another Mitchell or bruschi is probably harder than finding a 340 pounder though

 

[AAM62]

Next year is a battle to get to 6-6

 

[CuseCactus]

Come August, I'll be back in full unrealistic mode - with my annual prediction of 10 - 2 and a trip to the Orange Bowl. (And one year, one day, I'll be right!)