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

[GoSU96]

Concerned.

Want/Hope Shafer is the guy, always been a fan. Poor hire that's been removed, corrected is TBD. Talent is better than what was displayed last year. Have the kids compete, get a tight rotation instead of playing 5 running backs, 12 WR's and 6 TE's, and go.

Defense has been consistently good for the last six, hopefully the system is plug and play at this point.

 

[LAOrange]

I think you have to give this staff a chance. It used to be where 4 to 5 years from slums to suburbs and another 5 to a golf course mansion was okay. Now, we give a guy a broken program and expect it fixed. The sheer number of bowls contribute somewhat. Even then, some coaches with great track records still took time (Schiano was 12 - 32 in his first four years with Rutgers). We started as low as you can go (Robinsonville - to extend the metaphor). Marrone got us to the burbs. Give Shafer a couple of breaks (IPF, ACC, great recruiting) and he just may get us to the mansion.

 

[rosconey]

I think you have to give this staff a chance. It used to be where 4 to 5 years from slums to suburbs and another 5 to a golf course mansion was okay. Now, we give a guy a broken program and expect it fixed. The sheer number of bowls contribute somewhat. Even then, some coaches with great track records still took time (Schiano was 12 - 32 in his first four years with Rutgers). We started as low as you can go (Robinsonville - to extend the metaphor). Marrone got us to the burbs. Give Shafer a couple of breaks (IPF, ACC, great recruiting) and he just may get us to the mansion.

last year he gave us a cardboard box

 

[CuseOnly]

ummmmmmmmmmm- a good coach is defined by being a winner- players play for winners-look what beemer did at vt- not like its a hub of life out there

Then Shafer should get a minimum of 6 years like Beamer had to right the ship.

1987 2-9
1988 3-8
1989 6-4-1
1990 6-5
1991 5-6
1992 2-8-1
1993 9-3

In today's day and age of coaching and instant gratification, Beamer would not be Beamer as we know him but a fired coach after4 years.

 

[LAOrange]

last year he gave us a cardboard box

Too negative. I think he made a really bad decision (MacDonald) out of loyalty and had horrible luck with quarterbacks. If his OL holds up, the defensive secondary comes around and Hunt doesn't punch anybody, we should be bowling. I see 7-5.

 

[rosconey]

cant compare what hcss walked into and what beemer did-

we have a legit history -a honest part of the record books -
and the school has been happy supporting a bad team because of cheapness-

i think the ipf and a re-done dome will do wonders when added to the acc-
we are a sleeping giant awaiting a dr frankenstien to light the place up

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I am so sick of praying to white knuckle out a 6-6 season, it's just pathetic after a while. It's what you get I guess trying to fight a forest fire by pissing on it.

Yes !!!! 6-6.

 

[OrangeBlood]

Mixed emotions. Feel very good about the quality of recruiting, the character of our coach, ACC. Feel very bad about our ability to have good offense in the next few years. Just do not see a QB or and OC who can lead us. Hope I am wrong.

The new AD may move on quickly. That will be interesting.

 

[baggerbob]

Concerned.

Want/Hope Shafer is the guy, always been a fan. Poor hire that's been removed, corrected is TBD. Talent is better than what was displayed last year. Have the kids compete, get a tight rotation instead of playing 5 running backs, 12 WR's and 6 TE's, and go.

Defense has been consistently good for the last six, hopefully the system is plug and play at this point.

One of the best things to happen was for PTG to graduate, he was a great kid, but was in reality a change of pace back, not an every down player. His dancing at the point of attack, instead of pushing for yards he could get, put us in too many 2nd or 3rd and long situations. Jerome would have been better to have stayed, and let PTG continue his change of pace role.

 

[Full_Rebar]

The IPF and football facilities are a huge upgrade. Recruiting looks to be moving forward if the staff can close on these 2016 guys. Hoping that Lester is the right call to be OC as I'm not sure anyone wants to go through yet another transition at this point.

Excited for an AD to come in and treat football the way it needs to be treated in the current era. I think there is potential to make strides quickly if money is invested wisely.

 

[JrodCuse]

I can't speak for all of you guys but I feel amazing about the direction we're heading. Recruiting wise, the program has been pulling in some very solid players the past few years (even before the cherry on the top, Robert Washington). Everyone was frustrated with the offense last year, but I like what we are hearing about our new OC and what he is implementing. We have a solid foundation for a good team if the offense gets figured out. I'd like to personally see 8+ wins a year, but I know that barring a broad scheduling change it will be a bit slower to get back to there, but once we are winning 8+ games a year in the ACC and our OOC, we will have a very solid team that can compete with anybody.

Once you have a regular 8+ win per season team, you start getting some seasons where the stars align and you start 6-0 or 7-2 or 5-1 and have some real buzz around the school and then we know we're really back. But the tl;dr is we're not quite where we want to be yet, but we're pointed in the right direction. 6+ wins this year is awesome. 8+ wins next year and 10 wins 3 years from now is the goal. Rome wasn't built overnight and it takes time to take a program from the dumps. We just essentially finished the upgrades required to bring us back to even footing, recruiting is ramping up and the coaching staff has some relative stability with Shafer having been here for a while now during this turn around. Maybe we get lucky with the new AD who pushes us towards cupcake scheduling in OOC and the acceleration is even quicker to start maintaining those 8+ win seasons which really is all we want. We want our bad seasons to be 8-4 and god forbid if we're 7-5. Those days might be here sooner than we all realize and that's a positive thing!

 

[cusefan88]

Just make a bowl game that's it.

 

[Cusejuicy]

Shafer talks a good game and seems to be a likable guy but he is going to need to deliver on the talk sooner rather than later. Will Lester get the offense moving? It remains to be seen. I do think they deserve some more time to right the ship. Recruiting has been getting better, facilities are better, etc. but we need some wins and fewer excuses. The program has been in a deep, deep hole. We've taken some baby steps in the right direction, had some set backs, need to see some consistent progress up a really steep slope over the next year or so.

 

[CanadianSU]

still sad.

Somewhat, but for any team in college football after failing to win more than 4 games, a 6-6 season would be an improvement/success.

This isn't just a Syracuse thing.

 

[GoSU96]

. Jerome would have been better to have stayed, and let PTG continue his change of pace role.

Obviously McF###it didn't think so.

 

[Rocco]

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 Shafer goes 5-7 next year, he isn't going anywhere.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I think HCSS needs to be given time - six years, as mentioned with Beamer, seems reasonable. With the amount of turnover in our program from GRob to HCDM to HCSS and now a new athletic director coming in ... given the coach some time to get his sea legs and build a base of talent.

Honestly, if we fired HCSS and hired another unproven head coaching talent (which we would, because we are cheap) then we'd be right back to year one of a new coach and the same issues.

Ultimately, I don't care about the record. What I care about is that we are in games in the fourth quarter. That is what made watching Marrone's teams worthwhile - they were competitive. As a fan, if we have a chance in the fourth quarter then I want to watch no matter what.

 

[anomander]

If i'm being honest I think the word i'd use is concerned.

I really think Shafer is a great guy, and really want him to succeed, but we are definitely working through growing pains of being a rookie HC. Way too many questionable decisions, both in game management, and out. I really need to see an upgrade in game planning this season. We've been dealt far too many blow out losses the past 2 years. We've had games where we didn't have a chance, and then others where it seemed we were playing not to get blown out. I also think Shafer needs to stop coaching like he is a DC. and we need less punting. Hopefully Lester will improve the offense, because it can't get much worse.
As for recruiting I guess i'm not as sold as everyone else. It has improved, but it should improve with the improved facilities, and ACC affiliation. If we want to compete it needs to improve a great deal. We still finished at the bottom of the conference, and towards the bottom for all P5 programs. We need a serious upgrade in talent, hopefully this will finally be the year we can really make some noise.

For the past 2 + years I have been posting how 2015 will be our breakout year. I still feel it's possible, but I am no where near as confident as I once was, mostly due to my concern about the coaching staff.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I am ok with that but not just the last season. I tend to look at it in a moving average sort of way.
View attachment 42045

the broker in me places a buy that says we pass 50%, the seasoned broker in me places another buy, this time a monster buy just enough over that line to catch it absolutely fly the .

the Syracuse football fan in me tells me to buy the Giants.

 

[Oakland]

Somewhat optimistic.

Positives include: up trend in recruiting; better facilities; improvement in roster depth; recent bowl wins; mostly intact, mostly effective staff that should get, at least, marginally better; elimination of most of the bad apples and yearly drama.

Negatives include: continuous and ongoing overscheduling (LSU is just the latest loss we continue to schedule because 'we used to beat teams like that 20 yrs ago') - this is 100% on SU and there is no excuse for it; ongoing, brain dead, coaching decisions in the last 5 min of games (most of them are probably lost but at least give it a shot); an OL coach with no OL experience (is this really true?), -4 S.D. bad luck with QB recruiting and/or player development; uninspired and uninspiring OCs; injuries to key players going back to Reyes; too many penalties for too many years; and finally, a unique ability to give up a big play or get called for a foul on a key 3rd down play (on either side of the ball).

Overall, there have been a number of factors that have kept SU down for the past 14 years, some self inducted some not. I just don't think these will continue forever - fortunes change, so I am somewhat optimistic.

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.

 

[bcubs9497]

I would say that scheduling LSU and similar programs is a great idea because, first, recruits pay attention to the schedule (and they like the challenge of sticking it to a national program), and second, it's helpful in gauging where the program is and where additional attention is required to reach the next level.

 

[RF2044]

Semi-optimistic, but skeptical.

Despite how awflul last year was, there are reasons for optimism. New IPF, I'm encouraged by some of the headway on the recruiting trail [beating out teams like Mich / UF for key prospects last year, landing RW this year providing some unprecedented momentum with other highly rated kids, etc.].

I'm skeptical because IMO Shafer, while a tremendously likable guy, hasn't shown the gameday chops to be a head coach, nor has he shown himself capable of orchestrating a legitimate high major D1 offensive system. There's a lot riding on Lester this year.

And I am far from satisfied with a 6-6 / 7-5 kind of year, but it is important that we get there. Its important that the offensive system show improvement, such that we can see the foundation for future success. I'm only good with 6-6 / 7-5 if it is a stepping stone kind of year that we can build upon.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I would say that scheduling LSU and similar programs is a great idea because, first, recruits pay attention to the schedule (and they like the challenge of sticking it to a national program), and second, it's helpful in gauging where the program is and where additional attention is required to reach the next level.

Somewhat agree, but as many have mentioned momentum & perception is everything.
The last few years we've over-scheduled above our pay grade, and ended up getting embarrassed on natl TV, while programs like RU and the like have made a cottage industry out of "weak schedule = minor bowl", & the perception of their programs have gotten better.
We've simply been overmatched vs some of the program's we've faced, and looking forward to an "upset" every now & then should not be what a credible program is about.
We need to get realistic about where we are, schedule accordingly OOC, and build momentum as many other programs have done.
To paraphrase Dean Wormer: "Getting curb-stomped on national TV is no way to go through life, son".

 

[Millhouse]

Interesting. I'd take top 60 in both in a heartbeat.

of course, but i don't expect it. we gotta make some choices. i think it's easier spend money on an offensive coach and occasionally get lucky on defense than the other way around.

128 teams last year, I broke into groups of 8, and got the average wins for top 8 offense, top 8 defense, 9-16 offense, 9-16 defense, etc

if you're top 8 in offense, you win more than being top 8 in defense.
likewise for 9-16, 17-24, 25-32, 33-40, 40-48

from there down, it flips the other way 8 of the next 10 ranges.

if you don't think you can be good at both, and you want to be good at something, this seems to show it's a little better to try to be good at offense.

nothing earthshatteringly definitive here, not pretending that it is

 

[Crusty]

If i'm being honest I think the word i'd use is concerned.

I really think Shafer is a great guy, and really want him to succeed, but we are definitely working through growing pains of being a rookie HC. Way too many questionable decisions, both in game management, and out. I really need to see an upgrade in game planning this season. We've been dealt far too many blow out losses the past 2 years. We've had games where we didn't have a chance, and then others where it seemed we were playing not to get blown out. I also think Shafer needs to stop coaching like he is a DC. and we need less punting. Hopefully Lester will improve the offense, because it can't get much worse.
As for recruiting I guess i'm not as sold as everyone else. It has improved, but it should improve with the improved facilities, and ACC affiliation. If we want to compete it needs to improve a great deal. We still finished at the bottom of the conference, and towards the bottom for all P5 programs. We need a serious upgrade in talent, hopefully this will finally be the year we can really make some noise.

For the past 2 + years I have been posting how 2015 will be our breakout year. I still feel it's possible, but I am no where near as confident as I once was, mostly due to my concern about the coaching staff.

Like you and OttoinGrotto, I have been of the mind that 2015 is going to be the breakout year. I no longer think that as we are still without a reliable passing QB. I hope it is 2016, but realistically, I am now thinking 2017 is our earliest shot. Man I hope I am wrong.