On the current state of the Syracuse football program: Well, we're young. And I think that's something that people don't focus in on. We have a lot of freshmen and redshirt freshmen that are playing either due to injury or winning the job. For Coach Shafer, it's a tough battle for the masses who are watching because we're not coming out on the winning end. There's a lot of good things you can take out of our games of being close and coming down toward the end. I think that's very similar to my second year in the league where we were competing and losing it at the end. As the future continues on and these guys get older, they'll understand what it takes to win. Coach Shafer is the right guy for the job, and I think they'll turn things around. ... Whatever product you put out on the football field isn't always going to be national championship product or ACC championship product. It's a building process. While I was there, they were coming off a tough year, they were thinking about what quarterback to start. We're seeing guys lost due to injury. We lost our quarterback to injury for the second year in a row. They didn't expect to play. It's next man up.
On true freshman quarterback Eric Dungey: He's athletic. I like what I'm seeing right now. One thing people need to take note of is he's a true freshman. Think of the weight and pressure that's on his shoulders starting as a true freshman. Coming in you think you're going to learn the offense, get adjusted to the campus, enjoy the freshman life. Now he's been thrown in the role. He's done a fairly decent job so far. He's someone to grow with as the years come. I think when you recruit and build around his talents, we'll be excited about what we've been seeing.
On the Ensley Athletic Center and the changes on campus since he played: Well, I helped donate to that so I can't say the kids are spoiled. They've been rewarded for the people that paved the way. Guys paved it even before I got here. The Jim Browns, Ernie Davises, Floyd Littles and, before I got here, Marvin Graves, Shelby Hill, Marvin Harrison, Chris Gedney. We wanted to pass the torch. They'll do the same as they continue on. I've got two boys that will hopefully throw on the blue and orange and continue the tradition that was started long before me. ... My kids are 6 and 5. It's going to take time. I'm not trying to rush them into things. It's not just my kids but other kids that dreamed of wearing the blue and orange.
