How Doug Marrone became 'The Man Who Left Buffalo'

[GoSU96]

That would make him even dumber. If he took the job without doing his homework he has no one to blame but his self. He is not dumb and I don't believe he didn't know what he was getting himself into.
Face it he just wasn't cut out to be a CFB coach. The best one can say is the the jury is still out about the NFL.

What's so hard to understand, my educated guess, based on information that others have told me and his own quotes is he took a job he built up in his mind, developed a plan on how he would run the program, had this vision of how great it would be be the HC at Syracuse and over time became disillusioned with the job.

Happens every day.

 

[GoSU96]

So do I, but I also think SU was only a resume builder for the NFL. He was never staying.

He didn't need to come here for that. He took a big career risk to come here because he really wanted to do this job and revive the program, it more than just a career move.

And having a dream of coaching here and having a dream to someday coach in the NFL aren't mutually exclusive. I think Gross is the only guy that said he was a lifer.

 

[GoSU96]

He insisted that we had the worst football infrastructure in the Big East - that we lacked even basic medical/training equipment that was desperately needed.

.

Heard the exact same thing from Adkins.

 

[Chip]

What's so hard to understand, my educated guess, based on information that others have told me and his own quotes is he took a job he built up in his mind, developed a plan on how he would run the program, had this vision of how great it would be be the HC at Syracuse and over time became disillusioned with the job.

Happens every day.

Especially to him.

 

[GoSU96]

When you have said recruiting board in the past and now, I've always taken it to mean what it says. A recruiting board. Never thought it meant a pipeline or quality of recruit. I didn't say there was a conditioning issue. You did in your post I responded too.

The recruiting board, as the kids you have targeted, have offers out to, have commitments from, what else would it mean.

As for conditioning, who said they didn't do any, it was the approach dictated by Robinson and overall conditioning of the team, this is going back seven years, but I'm pretty sure the consensus was that it sucked.

 

[Scooch]

Or...he took the job regardless, thinking that he would be the difference maker on the field and in bringing facilities to the middle of the pack. Who knows what Gross did or did not promise in terms of facilities. If you buy the "control freak" personality, I seriously doubt Marrone walked into the HC's office on day 1 and was blindsided by the state of the state. It seems more reasonable to assume that he became increasingly frustrated with the university's commitment, or lack thereof, to improving the infrastructure. Take my word for this, he was not shy about telling even casual acquaintances that he would win and win big with upgrades to the facilities (see OPA post above).

I get it and I'm not really disputing anything.

He was here when we were admitted into the ACC though, so he knew more money was about to start rolling in. I get that he might have been frustrated about some commitments either not being kept or being delayed, but that's life, and all of us have to deal with that at our jobs.

Seems like by all accounts he was (a) a good coach, who was (b) difficult to get along with at times, and (c) frustrated for a bunch of reasons, where he (d) traded up as soon as he had the option.

 

[GoSU96]

Didn't he train in our facilities and had the Tim Green's of the world in his ear to tell him not much changed?

Whatever, it's over now. You'd just think there would be some of that in the binders.

When, in the '80's?

Maybe it was in the binder, as in do an assessment and tell the AD what I need?

 

[GoSU96]

Or...he took the job regardless, thinking that he would be the difference maker on the field and in bringing facilities to the middle of the pack. Who knows what Gross did or did not promise in terms of facilities. If you buy the "control freak" personality, I seriously doubt Marrone walked into the HC's office on day 1 and was blindsided by the state of the state. It seems more reasonable to assume that he became increasingly frustrated with the university's commitment, or lack thereof, to improving the infrastructure. Take my word for this, he was not shy about telling even casual acquaintances that he would win and win big with upgrades to the facilities (see OPA post above).

This.

The one thing I'll question a little is I remember posts at the time of transition that reality was worse than how bad they thought it would be.

The key point is the increased frustration over time, I think that's where the basketball stuff comes into, as in investing in football wasn't a priority.

 

[OrangePA]

Especially to him.

I can't help but believe that Marrone, who became close to Parcells took his advice - don't work for an owner who did not hire you.

 

[FAL]

I can't help but believe that Marrone, who became close to Parcells took his advice - don't work for an owner who did not hire you.

Man, those are are words of wisdom for anybody, in any field of endeavor!

 

[rrlbees]

The recruiting board, as the kids you have targeted, have offers out to, have commitments from, what else would it mean. As for conditioning, who said they didn't do any, it was the approach dictated by Robinson and overall conditioning of the team, this is going back seven years, but I'm pretty sure the consensus was that it sucked.

That's exactly what a recruiting board means along with priorities, ranking of needs, ranking of recruit by position, etc. So I don't get the point you try to make when you say recruiting board like its a negative. Grob had one. Marrone had one. White wanted to make it more of a true database.

As to conditioning, I don't see the big deal there either. No D1 team is unconditioned. Some coaches also have different philosophies than others. Some, like Marrone was more into the strength and bulk. Grob was more of a strength, length and elasticity type. Neither is right or wrong.

 

[Toga]

That's exactly what a recruiting board means along with priorities, ranking of needs, ranking of recruit by position, etc. So I don't get the point you try to make when you say recruiting board like its a negative. Grob had one. Marrone had one. White wanted to make it more of a true database.

As to conditioning, I don't see the big deal there either. No D1 team is unconditioned. Some coaches also have different philosophies than others. Some, like Marrone was more into the strength and bulk. Grob was more of a strength, length and elasticity type. Neither is right or wrong.

Man, I don't know.

 

[Millhouse]

But isn't that common? Gross was never on campus either when he got the gig as legend has it.

he is an idiot too

 

[Millhouse]

I can't help but believe that Marrone, who became close to Parcells took his advice - don't work for an owner who did not hire you.

unless no other owner will hire you. Parcels didn't need to worry about that

 

[rrlbees]

Man, I don't know.

Not much different than lineman we have now and have had in the past. That pic is bad because the jersey is skin tight and the color. Back in P&D days, we went back and forth between big OL or lighter and quicker. There were pics then too where the OL looked fat. There was a pic a couple weeks ago of some of our OL and they had guts. Look at a couple of our DL. Short and fat guys. When you want 300+ lb, it's hard to get a kid there without a gut. But that doesn't prove good or bad conditioning.

 

[Crusty]

He didn't need to come here for that. He took a big career risk to come here because he really wanted to do this job and revive the program, it more than just a career move.

And having a dream of coaching here and having a dream to someday coach in the NFL aren't mutually exclusive. I think Gross is the only guy that said he was a lifer.

Marrone's resume was lacking for an NFL HC job at the time. Everyone knew SP called the plays and he didn't so he was a sort of OC Having HC experience at the college level checked the HC box.

Marrone's has shown himself to be an opportunist. He didn't come here to be a saviour he came to get HC experience on his resume. That ought to be obvious now. I give him credit for executing his career plan. He got too cute when he opted out at Buffalo and things backfired.

Good for him, he got his $4 million and made himself a pariah.

 

[OrangePA]

unless no other owner will hire you. Parcels didn't need to worry about that

He did worry about it.

He was hired by Orthwein, the then owner of the Patriots and became very disillusioned when Robert Kraft bought the team. And he left.

Because of that, he included in his contract with Wayne Huzienga of the Dolphins, the same kind of "out clause" that Marrone had with Ralph Wilson. And when Huzienga sold, Parcells left.

In his most recent memoir Parcells explained in detail why he could not work for an owner who did not hire him.

 

[OrangePA]

Marrone's resume was lacking for an NFL HC job at the time. Everyone knew SP called the plays and he didn't so he was a sort of OC Having HC experience at the college level checked the HC box.

Marrone's has shown himself to be an opportunist. He didn't come here to be a saviour he came to get HC experience on his resume. That ought to be obvious now. I give him credit for executing his career plan. He got too cute when he opted out at Buffalo and things backfired.

Good for him, he got his $4 million and made himself a pariah.

Maybe.

But when he was hired by SU, there was a lot of discussion - from Tim Green to Bill Polian - that Doug was already a candidate for an NFL HC position.

He was hot back then having been the OC for Drew Brees and the Saints.

So, I tend to think that he really did want the SU job and was not thinking of it as a stepping stone.

I suspect that he became disillusioned for many of the reasons we have discussed.

And, I'm disappointed that he felt that way. I think he made a mistake for his family and his career.

 

[Crusty]

Maybe.

But when he was hired by SU, there was a lot of discussion - from Tim Green to Bill Polian - that Doug was already a candidate for an NFL HC position.

He was hot back then having been the OC for Drew Brees and the Saints.

So, I tend to think that he really did want the SU job and was not thinking of it as a stepping stone.

I suspect that he became disillusioned for many of the reasons we have discussed.

And, I'm disappointed that he felt that way. I think he made a mistake for his family and his career.

Everyone knew that SP was the real OC and called his own plays. He had Parcells in his corner but he wasn't hot as I recall. I don't think he ever got an interview. He had to get out from under Sean Payton's shadow.

 

[Bayside44]

When, in the '80's?

Maybe it was in the binder, as in do an assessment and tell the AD what I need?

Outside the McNabb weight room not much changed, sadly.

Again, it's only a big deal because he sold people like me that he knew what he was getting into.

 

[CusefanATL]

"Long struggled his senior year, and in the middle of a late-season loss to Connecticut, Syracuse special teams coach Bob Casullo lit into him on the sidelines after several mistakes. The public dress-down seemed to last forever. A few days later, Marrone fired Casullo. He never explained why."

Anyone have a problem with this? Makes Casullo look terrible and Marrone like an angel. And a "few days later"... I don't recall the exact game, but Casullo was fired in the tunnel after a game. So it doesn't exactly make sense to say "a few days later" and leave those details out.

And then it came out that Long had a brain tumor - which kind of gave the special teams coach a little bit of a pass for a portion of its bad play. Casullo was not fired for dressing down a kid who had a brain tumor.


NOT TO MENTION it came a few paragraphs after this GEM - which just so happened to not name the ex syracuse assistant who just so happened to be the same special teams assistant the article kind of bashes. Why in the world did they not name the ex assistant?
"But just before his interview, the New York Daily News ran a column citing anonymous sources who called Marrone a control freak and a phony who belittled his staff. Then an ex-assistant on his staff at Syracuse piled on in a radio show, and suddenly Marrone's name was toxic."

 

[CusefanATL]

http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/index.ssf/2010/11/bob_casullo_has_been_fired_and.html

HOLY ! he was fired in the tunnel AFTER the UCONN game. Not a few days later!

 

[CusefanATL]

As I am continuing to read the article, I see why they didnt name the assistant earlier... Sorry my blood was fuming after all that.

 

[longtimefan]

Besides getting us back to bowling, Marrone was 25-25 when Grob was what 10-38? I could ask him if he would reconsider coming back but I already know the answer - no. He is an NFL guy.

Bees cannot believe you still take this so personal but you do have one thing right - Doug was his own worse enemy. Never knew such a stubborn SOB myself...told him once he needed to pick & choose his battles but everything to him was a battle to win or lose. No political savvy whatsoever. Was in his office once while he was arguing on the phone with Gross & a trustee or 2 over the lack of progress on the IPF (between year 2 & 3 and I saw the plans back after year 1 similar to what we have today) he got so angry you could see his body shake. If you all forget, I broke the story on the IPF.

Regardless, there simply wasn't enough money, plain & simple in the old BE. I used to say Doug finally got what he wanted in the IPF but he had to leave the program to get it. The truth was a recomitment to football in our move to the ACC and funding comitments which surprised many as they built the IPF prior to getting 100% funding. Accounting is now under heavy scrutiny and control by Sevyrud.

You never know what the future holds but the we have to get back to being a football school. JB will be retiring soon and we have no idea what to expect after that. Better to not have all your eggs in one basket and that's the mission of the new AD. Bring back football, become less dependent on basketball - I hope they go after both! Go Orange.

I hope you aren't suggesting that we de-emphasize basketball.

 

[Millhouse]

He did worry about it. He was hired by Orthwein, the then owner of the Patriots and became very disillusioned when Robert Kraft bought the team. And he left. Because of that, he included in his contract with Wayne Huzienga of the Dolphins, the same kind of "out clause" that Marrone had with Ralph Wilson. And when Huzienga sold, Parcells left. In his most recent memoir Parcells explained in detail why he could not work for an owner who did not hire him.

parcells had a line of suitors around the block when he quit a job, that's all I meant