Guys, we have to remember that the last

[TheCusian]

This isn't hard. Look at Wake Forest and NC State. Good coaches that endured a rough 2 year stretch to start out, followed by a bowl season, followed by a breakout year (kinda). But they are a year or so ahead.

Our miracle wins vs top ACC teams the last two actually suggests we really have the right system and coach... Wake and NC State had to get by with less.

 

[orangencpolice]

Everybody needs to relax with, “What are we going to do without Bennett and Franklin next year?”. Everybody was clueless as to how we would replace Etta-Tawo and look how good Ishmael and Erv have done. No, we don’t realistically know how well Devito or other new recruits will do when they get on the field. What I do know is, that the recruits Dino has gotten and is pursuing, are also wanted by schools that are winning games. I hate losing the games we have lost but it is only year two.

Hell, I would have been happy if we could have pulled out an upset of the Big East Champs, let alone the number 4 team in the country (2017 National Champions).

Everybody take a deep breath and give Dino at least another year to show more results. The program is headed in the right direction.

 

[blizz]

I remember pre-season expectations were for a 2-10 season. Time to chill, folks...

After MTSU wasn't it 1-11?

 

[Ish88888]

My pre-season prediction was 5-7. When we beat Clemson, I almost believed we would get to 6. MTSU is obviously going to be a dagger. I still think we have a chance at 5 wins, but I doubt we can win two in a row. I'm still all in with Babers, but I hate our defense.

Well stated. A system not attempted at the p5 level. It works at the pro level with pro level D ends and safeties. For the bend dont break mentality, our secondary bites and gets caught outta position an awful lot. No pressure off the edge last week and wofford sucked in our DEs with the dive fake EVERY time last week. Wofford had daylight on the edge over and over and over. I like the offensive system, but if we dont sustain drives, the other offense will get a million possessions. This staff was beat this week by Clawson and his staff at the half. Outscored 40-5 in the second half.

 

[Crusty]

17 years of torture isn't on this staff. They weren't around for the other blow outs. They weren't there for all of the futility. They inherited this team. A team that Scott was more than happy to recruit 2 start talent. He said it over and over again. We aren't looking for the 4 star kids, we want the 2 star kids that are over looked. And then he would recite the great 2 star kids we have put in the NFL. The problem was that for the most part, our kids were slower, smaller and not as good a player as the kids we were playing against. That isn't on this staff. Now, yesterday was on this staff. None of us were prepared for what we saw yesterday. Getting out scored 40-5 in the second half of a game that you just had a 17 pt lead, at home, against a team that is basically your equal is not acceptable. And none of us saw that coming. And that is why the reaction to that fiasco was so harsh. Understandable. I think we will beat B.C. and finish 1 win short at 5-7. 5 isn't 6 and that is a disappointment. We shouldn't have lost to MTSU. We drew a bad draw with at Miami as our crossover. Anyone else and we probably would have won. We also won two tight games as well with Pitt and Clemson. I like we are are in recruiting this cycle and hope, hope, hope that we finish strong. We have two 4 star O-linemen for this first time that I can ever remember. And I'm old. Things are never as good at your top, Clemson, and never as bad at your bottom, hopefully yesterday.

Dasher - one big paragraph? Impossible to read.

 

[RoatanCuse]

some of us were around for the 70's and 80's as well

and 1960’s.

 

[shandeezy7]

Everybody needs to relax with, “What are we going to do without Bennett and Franklin next year?”. Everybody was clueless as to how we would replace Etta-Tawo and look how good Ishmael and Erv have done. No, we don’t realistically know how well Devito or other new recruits will do when they get on the field. What I do know is, that the recruits Dino has gotten and is pursuing, are also wanted by schools that are winning games. I hate losing the games we have lost but it is only year two.

Hell, I would have been happy if we could have pulled out an upset of the Big East Champs, let alone the number 4 team in the country (2017 National Champions).

Everybody take a deep breath and give Dino at least another year to show more results. The program is headed in the right direction.

While this post is kind of true, Ishmael and Erv were also pretty much known commodities, even if they didn't put up the huge numbers that Amba did last year. Erv had a huge year last year and Ishmael was our #1 receiver 2 years ago with 570 yards and 7 TD's in a completely inept passing offense. There was prior evidence that those two would step up and be major contributors.

Not sure we have that depth behind them, at least in terms of guys who have proven they can do it at this level. Hopefully we have guys that step up, and I think this system provides plenty of opportunity for it, but there was much more reason to have faith in Erv and Ishmael being able to replace Amba than there is to be able to replace those two guys next year.

 

[OrangeDW]

Everybody needs to relax with, “What are we going to do without Bennett and Franklin next year?”. Everybody was clueless as to how we would replace Etta-Tawo and look how good Ishmael and Erv have done. No, we don’t realistically know how well Devito or other new recruits will do when they get on the field. What I do know is, that the recruits Dino has gotten and is pursuing, are also wanted by schools that are winning games. I hate losing the games we have lost but it is only year two.

Hell, I would have been happy if we could have pulled out an upset of the Big East Champs, let alone the number 4 team in the country (2017 National Champions).

Everybody take a deep breath and give Dino at least another year to show more results. The program is headed in the right direction.

One thing on Etta-Tawo though...Ishmael and Phillips were good last year too. And Estime was a threat. Phillips is in the same role more or less and Ishmael stepped up and replaced Etta Tawo...but nobody really replaced Ishmael.

Hoping some of the young guys who have largely been nonfactors this year will really come on next year.

 

[shandeezy7]

One thing on Etta-Tawo though...Ishmael and Phillips were good last year too. And Estime was a threat. Phillips is in the same role more or less and Ishmael stepped up and replaced Etta Tawo...but nobody really replaced Ishmael.

Hoping some of the young guys who have largely been nonfactors this year will really come on next year.

Seems we were typing out the same thoughts at the same time. Agreed.

 

[dasher]

Dasher - one big paragraph? Impossible to read.

No one else seemed to have a problem. My suggestion is that if you see a paragraph you can't read, skip it.

 

[tipphill]

and 1960’s.

i was only referring to some of the bad years. the 60's were great.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

When I think we have turned the corner and beat a ranked team we tend to lose out the year...

Beat WVU lost remaining games
Beat VaTech lost remaining games
Beat Clemson...

Please finish strong for once?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

When I think we have turned the corner and beat a ranked team we tend to lose out the year...

Beat WVU lost remaining games
Beat VaTech lost remaining games
Beat Clemson...

Please finish strong for once?

yes the 2012 team really limped to the finish line

 

[UnknownOrange]

yes the 2012 team really limped to the finish line

I think he's referencing 2011 when we beat WVU to go 5-2 and finished the year 5-7

 

[Bayside44]

Exactly. Where did attendance end up on Saturday? Because from our seats it looked like pretty close to the Clemson crowd (minus the empty student section). Really impressive considering the dog of an opponent and the fact that we hadn't won a game in four weeks. And a lot of those people sure seemed bitter as the fourth quarter ticked away. The team really squandered some goodwill this weekend.

The backup QB couldn't hit the side of barn in the second half. I hope the fans are smarter than that.

 

[OttoMets]

The backup QB couldn't hit the side of barn in the second half. I hope the fans are smarter than that.

You're giving those liquored-up casuals who hadn't been to a game in five years too much credit.

I'm a big Dino fan and he didn't hurt my feelings on Saturday. But for those 5,000 or so newbies who actually made the Dome look pretty full for an unappealing opponent I don't think we can say the same. So many times in the last 20 years we really drop the ball at home when casuals are just starting to show interest again. It sets the program back.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

You're giving those liquored-up casuals who hadn't been to a game in five years too much credit.

I'm a big Dino fan and he didn't hurt my feelings on Saturday. But for those 5,000 or so newbies who actually made the Dome look pretty full for an unappealing opponent I don't think we can say the same. So many times in the last 20 years we really drop the ball at home when casuals are just starting to show interest again. It sets the program back.

Say it all the time to my buddies who are Syracuse locals, it's the game or two after the big win that you have to win a few times. What do people think the crowd looks like if we were 6-3 going into wake? We faced this in 2010 as well when we kept winning on road and laying eggs at home. I am not saying it's right but the way it is.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

yes the 2012 team really limped to the finish line

Was that West Virginia team ranked in 2012?

 

[OttoMets]

Say it all the time to my buddies who are Syracuse locals, it's the game or two after the big win that you have to win a few times. What do people think the crowd looks like if we were 6-3 going into wake? We faced this in 2010 as well when we kept winning on road and laying eggs at home. I am not saying it's right but the way it is.

That's exactly what I was thinking of when they got the last touchdown on Saturday - that home game against Pitt in 2010 when it looked like Marrone had it together and the crowd had some buzz. Pitt had an 80-yard bubble screen touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, we lost by 20 or 30, and the Dome was empty for the rest of the season. I won't defend those fairweather people, but they're the difference between 35,000 and 45,000 and SU lost them for the year (and probably the better part of next September) on Saturday.

 

[Bayside44]

That's exactly what I was thinking of when they got the last touchdown on Saturday - that home game against Pitt in 2010 when it looked like Marrone had it together and the crowd had some buzz. Pitt had an 80-yard bubble screen touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, we lost by 20 or 30, and the Dome was empty for the rest of the season. I won't defend those fairweather people, but they're the difference between 35,000 and 45,000 and SU lost them for the year (and probably the better part of next September) on Saturday.

See what happens the next two games. It's a pretty easy sell in one way - the fairhaired QB who beat Clemson didn't play. It's more relatable than talking about Cordy or whomever.

 

[OrangeDW]

You're giving those liquored-up casuals who hadn't been to a game in five years too much credit.

I'm a big Dino fan and he didn't hurt my feelings on Saturday. But for those 5,000 or so newbies who actually made the Dome look pretty full for an unappealing opponent I don't think we can say the same. So many times in the last 20 years we really drop the ball at home when casuals are just starting to show interest again. It sets the program back.

You are correct in my opinion. A “casual” that I’m friends with who hasn’t really been on the bandwagon since McNabb left has been suddenly texting me a lot about SU football since the Clemson game.

His last game take? “We can’t handle Wake at home? They’re a .500 team!”

My response: “We’re a .500 team too.”

Him: “We play some of the toughest teams in the country. How can we beat Clemson and play FSU and Miami close right to the end, but we can’t beat Wake Forest?”

I had to tell him Wake is in our division and plays many of the same teams as us, has a similar resume to us, the other division is much weaker, and they also played FSU close and lost by 14 to Clemson and are about the same as us, but we had our backup QB.

I think people see “Wake Forest” and think they can’t possibly be any good because they don’t have the name, when in reality they’re at about the same level as us.

 

[bnoro]

We have been competitive, and essentially in a one possession game in every single fourth quarter this season. If that isn't progress in one of the toughest divisions in college football I don't know what you're expecting.

Am I disappointed that we've lost some of these games that we should have won? Absolutely.

Am I getting down on Dino Babers, this staff, and this team? Absolutely not.

If anything, this team is learning how to compete, and close losses will turn into close wins if this staff continues to recruit and coach the way they have this season.

 

[NKR1978]

17 years of torture isn't on this staff. They weren't around for the other blow outs. They weren't there for all of the futility. They inherited this team. A team that Scott was more than happy to recruit 2 start talent. He said it over and over again. We aren't looking for the 4 star kids, we want the 2 star kids that are over looked. And then he would recite the great 2 star kids we have put in the NFL. The problem was that for the most part, our kids were slower, smaller and not as good a player as the kids we were playing against. That isn't on this staff. Now, yesterday was on this staff. None of us were prepared for what we saw yesterday. Getting out scored 40-5 in the second half of a game that you just had a 17 pt lead, at home, against a team that is basically your equal is not acceptable. And none of us saw that coming. And that is why the reaction to that fiasco was so harsh. Understandable. I think we will beat B.C. and finish 1 win short at 5-7. 5 isn't 6 and that is a disappointment. We shouldn't have lost to MTSU. We drew a bad draw with at Miami as our crossover. Anyone else and we probably would have won. We also won two tight games as well with Pitt and Clemson. I like we are are in recruiting this cycle and hope, hope, hope that we finish strong. We have two 4 star O-linemen for this first time that I can ever remember. And I'm old. Things are never as good at your top, Clemson, and never as bad at your bottom, hopefully yesterday.

Year four for Clawson. Year two for Babers.

The future is bright.

 

[tipphill]

You're giving those liquored-up casuals who hadn't been to a game in five years too much credit.

I'm a big Dino fan and he didn't hurt my feelings on Saturday. But for those 5,000 or so newbies who actually made the Dome look pretty full for an unappealing opponent I don't think we can say the same. So many times in the last 20 years we really drop the ball at home when casuals are just starting to show interest again. It sets the program back.

but what makes you think the casuals are all liquored up? i'm a non casual and have seen MANY non casuals pretty well oiled by game time. by the way i am usually the dd for games---so see things pretty clearly

 

[OttoMets]

but what makes you think the casuals are all liquored up? i'm a non casual and have seen MANY non casuals pretty well oiled by game time. by the way i am usually the dd for games---so see things pretty clearly

Eh, just the knuckleheads who sat around us on Saturday. Actually, I'm thinking of a lot of the casuals for both sports, seems like a bunch of people come out for the occasional event and get kind of out of sorts. But mostly just was referring to the angry boozed-up people in our section on Saturday. Man, they were mad that SU made the same-old same-old mistake of losing to Wake Forest.