Footballscoop: It will be Chesney or Mullen

[JoeSU]

Ugh on chesney. Holy cross didnt even make the playoffs this year. Its basically waiving the white flag and saying we arent paying anyone to coach here and live with mediocrity.

Hard pass. Make Mullen happen

Under different circumstances I might be onboard with taking a chance that Chesney is an "up-and-coming" coach. But given the current state of the program, I don't think SU can afford to take that gamble. If Chesney isn't successful making the transition from FCS to P5, the program might never recover. Also, the program needs to inject a little excitement in the fan base, and I don't see a Chesney hire moving the needle. I would feel a lot better if JW chooses a more proven coach.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Maybe I’m just a glass half full guy. I just don’t see Mullen wanting to come to Syracuse when he could probably have several other jobs with more resources. Probably using us as a bargaining chip for better offers.

I have to believe Chesney will be the guy. The plus with him is we should be able to afford some really good guys for the staff. As long as he doesn’t just bring his whole HC staff with him.

For all those that don’t think a coach like Mullen would come to Syracuse, I’ll let everyone know that Rich Rodriguez is currently the coach at Jacksonville State.

 

[Grbac]

I would take Al Golden over him. This just reeks of settling for a guy who has never coached a second in a power 5 conference.

Brian Kelly coached at Assumption and Grand Valley State before he got the head job at Central Michigan.

Lance Leipold coached at Wisconsin-Whitewater before Buffalo.

Jim Tressel at Youngstown State before Ohio State.

Our very own Ben Shwartzwalder coached at a place called Muhlenburg before Syracuse.

I had the same reservations about him at first. But then you realize other guys have been very successful coming from small schools. It can and has happened.

 

[javadoc]

Ugh on chesney. Holy cross didnt even make the playoffs this year. Its basically waiving the white flag and saying we arent paying anyone to coach here and live with mediocrity.

Hard pass. Make Mullen happen

Concern is how many current members of his staff would he want to bring, and are they P5 assistants? Mullen is more likely to assemble a P5 staff IMO.

 

[corpjet]

Brian Kelly coached at Assumption and Grand Valley State before he got the head job at Central Michigan.

Lance Leipold coached at Wisconsin-Whitewater before Buffalo.

Jim Tressel at Youngstown State before Ohio State.

Our very own Ben Shwartzwalder coached at a place called Muhlenburg before Syracuse.

I had the same reservations about him at first. But then you realize other guys have been very successful coming from small schools. It can and has happened.

Yes but they had “stepping stones” before P5 programs, if he was in the MAC like the others after the small school stops fine but that’s Chesney’s biggest knock, not only has he never played at this level he’s never coached at it.

As others have said it’s too big of a risk

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Nothing new, just a rehash...


The website, FootballScoop.com, said the school has looked at former Mississippi State/Florida head coach Dan Mullen, Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney, Toledo coach Jason Candle, Marshall coach Charles Huff and Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden.

 

[David332]

They just made a joke about Mullen being from NH and made some type of comment about the color orange. Asked him if anything interested him, anything the color ORANGE!

 

[Grbac]

For all those that don’t think a coach like Mullen would come to Syracuse, I’ll let everyone know that Rich Rodriguez is currently the coach at Jacksonville State.

Rich Rod has used up his 9 coaching lives already. Got in trouble at Michigan and Arizona. He’s washed.
Mullen is still looked at favorably by most. He has options, Rich doesn’t.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Rich Rod has used up his 9 coaching lives already. Got in trouble at Michigan and Arizona. He’s washed.
Mullen is still looked at favorably by most. He has options, Rich doesn’t.

Yes, but Syracuse is vastly different than Jax State.

 

[CIL]

Still not sold on Chesney. Yes, I think he could very good and has a solid track record. But recruiting to Holy Cross and Syracuse are very different animals.

Holy Cross is a good academic school that recruits pretty heavily from private / catholic schools. Certainly a differentiator when amongst their competition. Most of their recruits do not have aspirations of becoming a NFL player, but rather getting a degree from a very good institution.

Syracuse is a little different. Good school, but let’s be honest, a lot of kids going division 1 think they have a shot at the NFL. Very different animal with regards to recruiting.

 

[CapitalO]

Football scoop and John Brice are not really good sources of information they are bored and need something to write about NO F###ing way we just go grab Chesney if Mullen declines the offer,I would hope that our AD. and board of trustees would rather wait a couple of weeks on this huge decision than panic.

 

[dasher]

Maybe I’m just a glass half full guy. I just don’t see Mullen wanting to come to Syracuse when he could probably have several other jobs with more resources. Probably using us as a bargaining chip for better offers.

I have to believe Chesney will be the guy. The plus with him is we should be able to afford some really good guys for the staff. As long as he doesn’t just bring his whole HC staff with him.

He wants to use us as a bargaining chip so bad that he visits the school twice? Maybe but that is hard to believe.

 

[Acesn8s]

Disagree guy has proven he knows how to win

So does the coach at Cortland state lol

 

[CapitalO]

I don't want the Holly Cross coach.

Agree he would be around my 6th choice as ( ADJW ) said p5 head coaching exp. or OC/DC P5 exp. plain and simple.

 

[DoubleDee]

Agree he would be around my 6th choice as ( ADJW ) said p5 head coaching exp. or OC/DC P5 exp. plain and simple.

He never said P5 hc experience.

 

[Acesn8s]

Agree he would be around my 6th choice as ( ADJW ) said p5 head coaching exp. or OC/DC P5 exp. plain and simple.

About my 45th choice

 

[Grbac]

He wants to use us as a bargaining chip so bad that he visits the school twice? Maybe but that is hard to believe.

There are no lengths some guys won’t go when it comes to getting the upper hand especially when big money is involved.

He may be interested but he may also have ulterior motives. I’m hoping it’s a true mutual interest.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Brian Kelly coached at Assumption and Grand Valley State before he got the head job at Central Michigan.

Lance Leipold coached at Wisconsin-Whitewater before Buffalo.

Jim Tressel at Youngstown State before Ohio State.

Our very own Ben Shwartzwalder coached at a place called Muhlenburg before Syracuse.

I had the same reservations about him at first. But then you realize other guys have been very successful coming from small schools. It can and has happened.

Hey now...That's Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA

 

[Grbac]

About my 45th choice

Haha tell us how you really feel. Who do you realistically want? Don’t forget who we are in the pecking order of college football.

 

[Grbac]

Hey now...That's Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA

Thanks for the clarification! Not sure what it was when he coached there but looks like a D3 school currently.

 

[zjscuse]

So does the coach at Cortland state lol

Chesney has already taken a step up from d2. He has a larger head coach resume than dino lol. Everyone just wants somebody famous. I’d rather have a northeast guy that is young and hungry.

 

[FAL]

Thanks for the clarification! Not sure what it was when he coached there but looks like a D3 school currently.

Mullen’s Alma mater plays Muhlenberg…

 

[Acesn8s]

Haha tell us how you really feel. Who do you realistically want? Don’t forget who we are in the pecking order of college football.

Listen I will root for whoever the coach is, but there is a long list of coaches who would jump at this job and who are not hanging their hat on Holy Cross success, and they didn’t make the playoffs this year. I don’t want any coach that has as much Power 5 coaching experience as I do. There are only so many power 4 jobs. This guy didn’t win big at Holy Cross, FCS isn’t a 4 team playoff like FBS. Much easier to make FCS playoff. Any coordinator that’s been successful at a blue blood program would be more justified. Mac coaches with success would be more justified, I would ask Manny Diaz, I would ask Hartline, the Marshal coach is interesting. I mean the list IMO is longer of who I would rather have than who I would want Chesney over lol.

 

[Acesn8s]

Chesney has already taken a step up from d2. He has a larger head coach resume than dino lol. Everyone just wants the somebody famous. I’d rather have a northeast guy that is young and hungry.

His resume also has ZERO power 4 experience. I feel like I am living in twilight zone having so many people argue for this guy.

 

[Grbac]

Listen I will root for whoever the coach is, but there is a long list of coaches who would jump at this job and who are not hanging their hat on Holy Cross success, and they didn’t make the playoffs this year. I don’t want any coach that has as much Power 5 coaching experience as I do. There are only so many power 4 jobs. This guy didn’t win big at Holy Cross, FCS isn’t a 4 team playoff like FBS. Much easier to make FCS playoff. Any coordinator that’s been successful at a blue blood program would be more justified. Mac coaches with success would be more justified, I would ask Manny Diaz, I would ask Hartline, the Marshal coach is interesting. I mean the list IMO is longer of who I would rather have than who I would want Chesney over lol.

I completely understand your stance. It makes sense. A lot of sense. A guy like Manny probably deserves another shot at HC. A place where the expectations aren’t as sky high.
My number one choice would be Doug Marrone. Because he has been here and done what we are needing done. I’d love an oline guy to come in and coach. Most any of the coordinators on big successful teams that can recruit.
But I can also see the attraction to a guy like Bob Chesney. He is young, he knows the area, he has been a proven winner every time he steps up to bigger football. I get all that.

At the end of the day we’ll have to find the positives in whoever we hire. Or just be miserable that JW didn’t hire “our guy”.