I would give Marrone an extension today

[OttoinGrotto]

We're not going to fire Marrone and hire Sumlin, no matter how many more TDs per game that would produce. This may surprise people, but as of right now I would give Marrone a contract extension.

This is how I would structure it. He's signed for two more seasons. I would extend him for two more. I don't think next season will tell us much about Marrone, UNLESS he goes with one of his own QBs over Nassib. If people truly are willing to be this patient, and it sounds like a lot of you are, we need to see what Marrone will do entirely with his own players and more importantly with his own QB (re: there won't be any more excuses), but we need to do it in a way that does not handicap the program's finances severely for the future just in case it doesn't go well. A two year contract extension stabilizes the situation, keeping in play the hopefully strong recruiting class expected next season, while providing a reasonable out if year 5 ends and the offense is still a disaster and our record against BCS comp hasn't significantly improved.

I have come around to the idea that people are ok waiting 5 years to judge Marrone, but I don't think the contract situation permits that and this is the best alternative I can envision.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

He has two years left (I don't know this, going with what you said) and he has not made himself a hot commodity. There is nowhere for him to go - no one is hot for Doug Marrone and it isn't likely that he will suddenly be on everyone's short list - thus no reason to extend him now. Two years is enough stablity - recruiting won't be hurt (or helped by extending).

 

[orangefan13]

I second this. Nice young coach. If hes not recruiting but can run a team well with discipline then get him some recruiters to help out with Marrones vision.

 

[SWC75]

Jake always extdended Mac's contracts after good years so he would be pressured into firing him after the bad ones. It was a good strategy. Dr. Gross probably should have extended Marrone last year.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Two years is enough stablity - recruiting won't be hurt (or helped by extending).

I disagree. The class we bring in next year would be facing Marrone having only one more year on his contract. Suppose that year is a redshirt year and Marrone isn't brought back? The player is then leaving their four years of eligibility to a complete unknown. I think that will harm us. With a shorter term extension the player can reasonably expect that the coach at the very least is being given a chance to merit a much longer extension.

Supposedly we are in very good shape for next season's recruiting. Whether Marrone is the coach or someone else, we could use a class that is objectively better than what we've brought in over the last decade. That needs to be in play. I think if we leave him dangling on a year it's not in play.

 

[All4SU]

Agree. Extend. Stay tHe course.

 

[orangefan13]

Agree we are going into the ACC and could use some coaching as momentum one way or another.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agree. Extend. Stay tHe course.

I didn't exactly endorse staying the course.

 

[qdawgg]

I think some people might be wrong about whether he is a hot commodity or not. I'm not happy with the way things are going but what I think and what perception outside of "us" fans are two different things. Despite our record and despite the way the last few games have gone - National perception of Doug Marrone is very good. Many people believe that he is turning things around in a very difficult situation. I have no doubts that Marrone would be able to find another HC job if he were let go right now. No doubt about it.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

No doubt? Only at a even lower level D1 program and I am not even sure about that one. National percepion has been that SU appears to be going in the right direction - which DM deserves some credit for. But as a coach? No one is falling all over themselves and calling him a very good game day coach and in the end, we want wins. As some here have stated - he is a good CEO for the program but not a great coach.

UVA hired Mike London and he has it turning around in year two after getting a great recruiting class last year. Penn State already called him about replacing Paterno. Significant improvement and wins can be done with the right person. Nothing I see from DM's gameday coaching has me believing that he is the guy to get SU past mediocre.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

Stay the course. Extend.

 

[qdawgg]

No doubt? Only at a even lower level D1 program and I am not even sure about that one. National percepion has been that SU appears to be going in the right direction - which DM deserves some credit for. But as a coach? No one is falling all over themselves and calling him a very good game day coach and in the end, we want wins. As some here have stated - he is a good CEO for the program but not a great coach.

UVA hired Mike London and he has it turning around in year two after getting a great recruiting class last year. Penn State already called him about replacing Paterno. Significant improvement and wins can be done with the right person. Nothing I see from DM's gameday coaching has me believing that he is the guy to get SU past mediocre.

Obviously your wrong. Nobody cares what your perception of his coaching is. If fan perception went into any Universities hiring of coaches we wouldn't have Shafer right now and GRob would have never been hired at Michigan. Both of those coaches were looked at as failures at where they were last. Marrone is viewed as a HC turning a program around. Whether you agree with that perception doesn't matter.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

Obviously I am wrong and you are right. DM's performance this year against crappy teams has been wonderful. And if the Nassib article posted here turns out to have some merit - apparently the troops are not as on board as you think.

Houston beat Tulane today by 56 - DM barely got by Tulane in one of the worst college football games on the past decade.

SU loses the last two games and suddenly the program doesn't look to be as turned around as you seem to think it is. 5 wins including Rhode Island, Tulane and some luck versus Toledo is far from a successful year.

 

[qdawgg]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "you think" because if you've read any of my posts the last 2 days I don't think things are going well. That however doesn't affect my ability to make logical assumptions.

Your missing the point - Universities don't make hires based on the same variables that you use to gauge how happy you are with your favorite team.

 

[Bayside44]

He has two years left (I don't know this, going with what you said) and he has not made himself a hot commodity. There is nowhere for him to go - no one is hot for Doug Marrone and it isn't likely that he will suddenly be on everyone's short list - thus no reason to extend him now. Two years is enough stablity - recruiting won't be hurt (or helped by extending).

Gene Chizak didn't seem like a hot commodity either.

That being said this contract stuff and firing him posts are in the middle of year three don't seem to fit anything that's going on.

 

[mantonio]

If Marrone is a good CEO, then let's let him make the necessary adjustments after this season to improve the team.

Let's look at this season in a different light.

Let's say we don't win another game, or just get to 6 wins:

Last season was an early gift from the Football Gods to give us fans a ray of sunshine & foreshadowing of greatness to come. WONDERFUL !!!!

Now, here we are facing another year without a Bowl...

No matter what happens from here, Marrone KNOWS he has to make some changes, a few course corrections. If we had lucked our way into 8 or 9 wins this season, there might be the temptation to keep the status quo, as not to fix what aint broken.

We already Know FOR SURE, something is broken, so the incentive is there to do the right thing.

In my opinion, our top priority is talent acquisition. I am not saying other areas are not deficient, but without a few game breakers, we are middling up the creek without a paddle forever...

My educated guess is, Marrone will meet with Dr. Gross & find a way to bring in someone who can do some voodoo for a better crew. We need a catalyst that can spark the top recruits into paying more attention to this program.

You know, GROB always loved slogans to rally the troops into a "flying around" frenzy... I am not so sure that would work in our favor now...

"Come to SYRACUSE, we won't abuse your children"

NOT gonna work...

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Stay the course. Extend.

Again, that's really not what my initial post was suggesting.

 

[PhatOrange]

UVA hired Mike London and he has it turning around in year two after getting a great recruiting class last year. Penn State already called him about replacing Paterno. Significant improvement and wins can be done with the right person. Nothing I see from DM's gameday coaching has me believing that he is the guy to get SU past mediocre.

Wasn't this Doug Marrone last year? Marrone turned it around in year two did he not? Not one person last year said Marrone would never get Syracuse past medicore. But Now all of sudden there's a bunch of chicken littles on board. Season is far from over and I think it would be a huge success to match last years record. And Marrone did have feelers put out to him after last season.
If UVA takes a step back next season will you still be singing Mike London praises?

 

[kcsu]

There is no way zero way that any coach should get an extension for going backwards. Wow i mean how do you give an extension when we may lose our last five games. Are you nuts? With SU heading the ACC we will be in position to hire a very good coach if Doug doesnt cut it. Doug always talks about starters not being safe and having to earn it each year actually each week in practice. Let him earn it as well

 

[Czar]

I think some people might be wrong about whether he is a hot commodity or not. I'm not happy with the way things are going but what I think and what perception outside of "us" fans are two different things. Despite our record and despite the way the last few games have gone - National perception of Doug Marrone is very good. Many people believe that he is turning things around in a very difficult situation. I have no doubts that Marrone would be able to find another HC job if he were let go right now. No doubt about it.

I'm just going to go off EDSBS, which is a good barometer of the nationa fanbase, and, no. Perception of Marrone is not amazing. It's average. Just a normal coach, nothing special about him either way.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

Again, that's really not what my initial post was suggesting.

True, but it is my opinion.

 

[cmr27]

I'll buy the potential here w/ Doug. Extend.

 

[kingottoiii]

Well we need to make several assumptions here. First that his original contract is 5 years. If that is true then I agree give him a 2 year extension. You need to do for recruiting. Now comes the timing. Assuming we win one of the next two, I do it after the regular season has ended. However if we go 5-7, then I would wait until Spring practice. I think it is dangerous to wait until in season next year because you don't know if you will get a perfect game to do it after. And the longer you wait, the worse it will be.

So I think Marrone deserves 6 years to do it his way. By then we will have played at least one season in the ACC. IF we are still having to scratch our way to 6 Ws by then, I give Marrone this deal. Hire a real OC and get the out of his way and we give you a two year extension. Since Marrone seems very stubborn, I would guess he rather resign and we move on getting the best HC available. Again this is assuming that Marrone's way is not the right way (which seems pretty high as of now).

As you can see that this is very assumption based. But I think this should be our exit plan in case things don't work out. Hopefully it will never get to this.

 

[SaintTristan]

I genuinely think it would be cruel to Doug Marrone to offer him an extension. he is going to be so clearly out of his league in the ACC that its just mean to continue this relationship.

 

[Rocco]

I genuinely think it would be cruel to Doug Marrone to offer him an extension. he is going to be so clearly out of his league in the ACC that its just mean to continue this relationship.

What are you talking about? I forgot that David Cutcliffe is in a league of his own. He has transformed Duke into a national powerhouse.