How do we feel about the state of the program now?

[Crusty]

Awkward time for the program. Unknown AD coming in this summer, horrible season last year with much controversy, historic injuries, mid-season OC change. However, on the bright side, a really solid recruiting class, and what could be an even better one this year. I can' remember this much recruiting excitement in years.

There seems to be a strong consensus that HCSS is a really decent human being of whom we are very proud and that this staff is very solid in recruiting. Major questions remain with respect to Lester and his offense and a couple of other coaching spots. So, how does it all add up?

For me, I think the hard work the staff put in on the recruiting front is paying off and that is the most important element in CF. Yes, I admit I am a loyalist and support our guys until the bitter end, but I really think that recruitment is key. I am upbeat.

 

[FAL]

Gotta get to at least 6-6 this season. Anything less will be disasterous for the program, imho. Don't know if HCSS and company would survive otherwise.

 

[Trueblue25]

 

[TheCusian]

For me it's all on Lester and by extension Hunt and Shafer. We have proven defensive coaches that have been churning out good defensive units with okay talent. Some of the young players and incoming recruits on D will keep us there.

I'm hopeful that we'll field a top 60 offense to go with a top 40 defense. That should be good for 6-6 or 7-5. I'm always upbeat. It's my curse.

 

[Pyle]

All I know is the administration better have learned something from the Ray Rice debacle. There should be no minimum W-L bar this year. No way. It's about the class that's being put together right now. If Washington brings his buddies then we need to keep the staff intact AT LEAST until their sign their LOI and you don't fire coaches in Feb. There's more recruiting buzz right now than when Grob landed Lobdell(yes i know it didn't work out so well). What we can't afford is some knee-jerk reaction that blows up what might be our best class in a decade. That being said it became pretty obvious to most that Grob was over his head by year 3, Shafer can't drop to that level of ineptness or the class doesn't matter.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Gotta get to at least 6-6 this season. Anything less will be disasterous for the program, imho. Don't know if HCSS and company would survive otherwise.

If you fire the staff, you risk losing RW and the rest of the entire recruiting class.

Sucks not having an early signing period in November.

 

[KaiserUEO]

For me it's all on Lester and by extension Hunt and Shafer. We have proven defensive coaches that have been churning out good defensive units with okay talent. Some of the young players and incoming recruits on D will keep us there.

I'm hopeful that we'll field a top 60 offense to go with a top 40 defense. That should be good for 6-6 or 7-5. I'm always upbeat. It's my curse.

Ladies & Gentlemen, the state of Syracuse Football 2015...6-6 & 7-5 qualifies as being upbeat!!

 

[texascpa]

I think it's been said before, HCSS is going anywhere after this season, regardless of the record. Syverud has alluded to that previously, and we don't have enough big-money supporters to force Syverud to change his mind.

 

[rosconey]

cant keep a bad head coach to keep a player or 2 -
it will do way more damage down the road to keep a incompetent staff-

as good as a class may be -a bad staff wont continue to keep getting high recruits

 

[TheCusian]

Ladies & Gentlemen, the state of Syracuse Football 2015...6-6 & 7-5 qualifies as being upbeat!!

We went 3-9 last season. So yeah - better than that.

 

[Millhouse]

For me it's all on Lester and by extension Hunt and Shafer. We have proven defensive coaches that have been churning out good defensive units with okay talent. Some of the young players and incoming recruits on D will keep us there.

I'm hopeful that we'll field a top 60 offense to go with a top 40 defense. That should be good for 6-6 or 7-5. I'm always upbeat. It's my curse.

it's hard to do that. 14 teams accomplished that last year. those teams averaged 9.8 wins. in other words, 65% of top 40 defenses are below average on offense

if you can be top 60 in both, that's only 24 teams. 9.6 wins

if our offense gets better, our defense will be a lot worse and that's ok. part of the reason our defense was good is that other teams could get a lead and focus entirely on not making back breaking mistakes

 

[FAL]

If you fire the staff, you risk losing RW and the rest of the entire recruiting class.

Sucks not having an early signing period in November.

Totally agree, but with anything less than 6-6, the leaf-rakers will moan and groan and stay away in droves. Perception will be driving the bus for the casual fans.

 

[bcubs9497]

I think a .500 season this year is a good benchmark, +/- a game. What's probably more important is how well the newbies (my son, included) develop/improve between the beginning and end of the season.

 

[dasher]

Gotta get to at least 6-6 this season. Anything less will be disasterous for the program, imho. Don't know if HCSS and company would survive otherwise.

We have seen disaster in this program. 5-7 wouldn't be it.

 

[dasher]

cant keep a bad head coach to keep a player or 2 -
it will do way more damage down the road to keep a incompetent staff-

as good as a class may be -a bad staff wont continue to keep getting high recruits

of course you can. If this recruiting year blows up, I would keep SS if we went 0-12. We can always make a move next year only this time, the new coach will have good young players.

 

[KaiserUEO]

We went 3-9 last season. So yeah - better than that.

still sad.

 

[jekelish]

cant keep a bad head coach to keep a player or 2 -
it will do way more damage down the road to keep a incompetent staff-

as good as a class may be -a bad staff wont continue to keep getting high recruits

Well, I can tell you that if Shafer is fired, it won't just be players in this current recruiting class who we might lose. You risk losing some of the class of '15 signees as transfer possibilities, as well. I can tell you for a fact that at least a few of them would seriously look into transferring if Shafer leaves (and no, obviously I'm not going to name names).

 

[FAL]

We have seen disaster in this program. 5-7 wouldn't be it.

Two losing seasons in a row would add fuel to the fire of perception.

 

[bcubs9497]

Well, I can tell you that if Shafer is fired, it won't just be players in this current recruiting class who we might lose. You risk losing some of the class of '15 signees as transfer possibilities, as well. I can tell you for a fact that at least a few of them would seriously look into transferring if Shafer leaves (and no, obviously I'm not going to name names).

That's very true.

 

[kcsu]

Things are looking up. Other than last year we have been on the upswing on the field. Recruiting is as good as it has been in 10 years. We are in the ACC and i really like this class. I too believe that Shaf will be provided with his full contract. Im hoping for a bowl this year and another sollid recruiting class. Things are looking up.

 

[PhatOrange]

I’m comfortable with the state of the program and excited for the direction Shafer has it headed. The talent these guys are bringing in should get us over the hump and be able to compete in the ACC.

RE recruits, offer lists are going up, out of the gate ability to compete from a physical standpoint has gone up and speed has increased across board.

Defensive staff is as talented as they come.

Lester’s offense will get back to fitting the personal instead of trying to bang a square peg into a round hole

 

[Crusty]

cant keep a bad head coach to keep a player or 2 -
it will do way more damage down the road to keep a incompetent staff-

as good as a class may be -a bad staff wont continue to keep getting high recruits

You have absolutely no way of knowing that. Most thought that about RW and the staff pulled it off. They have already showed they are pretty good recruiters.

 

[bcubs9497]

cant keep a bad head coach to keep a player or 2 -
it will do way more damage down the road to keep a incompetent staff-

as good as a class may be -a bad staff wont continue to keep getting high recruits

Dude, you mad?

 

[rosconey]

you guys have been talking talent upgrade since the great guru-
kids on paper are nothing like kids on the field- staffs develop players no matter how many stars- jones nassib bromley ect ect

you cant keep a bad staff that cant develop players to keep high recruiting class's

either this staff shows it has improved by putting up points on offense and doesnt fall apart on defense-or the new ad will do what gross did-just hope he is better at doing it

 

[Crusty]

you guys have been talking talent upgrade since the great guru-
kids on paper are nothing like kids on the field- staffs develop players no matter how many stars- jones nassib bromley ect ect

you cant keep a bad staff that cant develop players to keep high recruiting class's

either this staff shows it has improved by putting up points on offense and doesnt fall apart on defense-or the new ad will do what gross did-just hope he is better at doing it

Everyone knows this.