I'm not with

[Crusty]

People keep bringing up the OC change as if McDonald had a heart attack and Lester had to be thrust into the role. So we can't really hold anyone accountable.

Shouldn't the fact that Shafer voluntarily decided to change his OC midseason be a negative reflection on Shafer?

I think it is.

Actually, I have the opposite view. My main concern with Shafer getting the band back together was whether or not he had the chops to fire one of these guys. It is much harder to fire someone you have hired than to fire someone else's mistake. Turns out, he did have the chops and that is a good sign. I probably would have waited until the season was over, but that is irrelevant at this point.

 

[CousCuse]

This team has never quit fighting , working and giving real effort. They have not quit on each other or their coaches. The only people who have quit are their pathetic excuses for fans , who need the team to win to puff up their stunted egos. Also , George McDonald didn't quit and is working as hard as any other coach on the team.

 

[sutomcat]

Shafer must go people here yet. Its been a bad year, and things haven't went well, some say blaming it on injuries is making excuses, but when you get the number that we have had I think you factor it in. Certainly some decisions can be questioned and I'm not singing any one's praises for sure, but I have to see how next year goes before I can even think about coming to conclusions. I like whats been going on with the D and we have been solid there the last few games. I think we have to completely regroup on the offensive side but again with almost every starter on the Oline out or playing hurt I'll give a little wiggle room here.

A voice of reason calls out from the darkness...

 

[SmilinBob]

A lot of interesting points. I'll keep it short:
Shafer pluses: Passion, kids compete hard very good defense, loves being a college coach and in my eyes demoting McDonald was a tough thing to do to a friend but he did it. I've been happy with recruiting but this McDonald situation may get "interesting". Takes hits and doesn't throw people under the bus through the media.

Shafer negatives: Offense has struggled, injuries (His fault or not), special teams return games, punt happy/field position (no confidence in offense and with a good reason why), a lot of coaches with a very similar background could be good or a bad thing.

The schedule was set up with absolutely a too short leash for success. Not winning games at the Dome is odd but maybe these kids play better on grass. The injuries have had just ruined any chance for a decent season. I don't know what is going through recruits heads right now but if this staff can hold onto to them it will mean a lot to the program. If this staff has to reach out to kids that might go to Colgate but get offered late from SU...then we have a problem here.

I like Shafer and will support him and obviously the team as well and there are solid parts here for this team to be good in the future.

 

[CuseOnly]

I have mentioned in other threads my stance is clean house. From Gross down. Our football staff and operations need a complete over-haul. The hiring of Shafer and they way we went about it was a little fast and didn't feel like we gave it the due process. All the decision since have been the same. We started with the IPF and need to continue with the AD and football coaching staff. Bring in a fresh set of people and an offensive minded head coach and bring some excitement and energy back to the program.

Funny thing is that Gross and the coaching staffs we have had here aren't the problem with the exception of Gerg. The problem all along has been the administration and the lack of support.

You can't hire the best if you don't spend the money.
Can't buy facilities to attract recruits/coaches if you don't spend the money.
We have the "Old Farmhouse" building mentality for facilities. Add on a little at a time as needed but still connected to a rickety old house.

It seems they have a "This is what we have...so make it work" attitude. Very rarely does that inspire confidence from employees in general. Most people with any intelligence that are prospective coaching hires can sniff this out through the grapevine and stay away. Unless of course it is their shot at moving up in the coaching hierarchy...Shafer, Lester, McDonald, Marrone, Hackett, Gerg and most of the coaches over the past 15 years.

The administration and Board are trying to just get by and not be/build a great program. AD and Coaches are constantly trying to ice skate uphill.

 

[Macky44]

It's amazing that people cannot see that the O line has been plagued with injuries making it rough for any QB. Yes, even Winston would have a tough time behind our injured line. Credit to the kids for stepping up and doing what they can but nobody would look like a serviceable QB, let alone an Heisman candidate, with our injury situation. Add to that other key offensive players are out and what do we expect? Oh, yeah, we should be playing for the ACC championship and a slot in the playoffs.

Shafer takes responsibility for his record and can still pull off a bowl game. He made changes that were necessary and he has the D looking very good. A healthy offense will win more games next season.

(Stepping down from soap box...)

what i witness is another dismal --at best mediocre season--with empty promises and orange colored glasses.--what i also witness is another year of wasted season tickets and long drives from out of state --which i will no longer make---for such b.s.---it appears we will remain an also run program, of what have you done for me lately, and yea, at one time we used to be good. some of you wonder why the locals ,( who by the way are the main attendees at the games) are casual fans??? look at the last 10 plus years---guess were you spend your buck---not su games-- it is now worst than sickening.

OK. Well this local who has been going to all home games since he could get himself to The Dome will continue to support the program and i can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I look forward to seeing you in The Loud House again when we start winning with all the other casual fans.

 

[Millhouse]

there's a difference between wanting to fire shafer right now and fully expecting shafer to get fired in a year or two. i think if Lester is the OC, he gets 2015. if he does a real search for an OC, he gets to the the end of 2016.

he has time to see the light on offense and punting. the sky is the limit for him then. i don't expect him to do it though.

there's not some great roster where there's urgency for a better coach to put us over the hump so whatever, i'm not in a big hurry to do what I expect will need to get done.

maybe gross will be gone by then and there'll be an added bonus to waiting for someone else to pick the next coach

 

[KaiserUEO]

the quick hook SS is looking at is because Gross got lazy.

now you can say that marrone leaving late left us holding the bag, but gross basically decided that marrone had 2, THATS 2!!! BCS Head Coach level assistants on his staff. 1 being hackett and the other being SS.

to me, that is absolutely Fn ridiculous.

we need to explore what else is out there...

 

[Orangello]

I want a HC that thinks big not small time. This guy doesn't think that way. As others have said in this thread, the hiring of Cool Kid strongly suggests a HC without an offensive vision who invested heavily in a completely unproven commodity. People with experience and vision don't make those kinds of decisions. Add to that the "we can't recruit with the big boys" "poor poor pitiful me" mantra and I see a rather low ceiling long term with this staff. If we get a new AD as a result of the NCAA investigation I think SS gets one more year.

 

[tipphill]

OK. Well this local who has been going to all home games since he could get himself to The Dome will continue to support the program and i can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I look forward to seeing you in The Loud House again when we start winning with all the other casual fans.

casual fan?? since 1960? and sth?? if i do see you be sure to say hello, i would like to witness the ignorance first hand. by the way i wish i could take the 12 avery tranfer downtown and get to the games. alas for me its a 4 hour ride. i don't doubt your loyalty, just arrogance misplaced criticism.

 

[Macky44]

I don't doubt your misplaced criticism either.

 

[tipphill]

i am not in the fire hcss yet. 2nd year on the job ---has grown some in the past year but composure/maturity need to further development. antics such as the last press conference with podiumgate was rediculous, is not a good examole of leadership. it does nothing to instill confidence in him. he has very thin insulation and needs to mature more--- i also agree with orange pa, that we need to drop the uniform fiasco, get back to basics, and instill on field discipline where the offense is concerned. the schizophrenic unis are symptomatic of identity issues, the offense is not a no huddle type we do not have the players nor psyche to respond. they need the huddle to focus and communicate. lastly the he needs to balance being a players coach with being a leader. being too close with players is not advantageous imo, he is in command. the words benevolent despot come to mind

 

[shu 49]

I just feel that to many fans are calling for the coaches head. No way could Vince lombardi himself coach these guys with all their injuries to more wins. I have met HCSS myself and he says and does what he feels. He is from the heart and he will do what he can to get things going here give him time.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I think the guy is coming pretty close to making silk out of a cow's ear.

If he can get 2 more good classes, SU will win big.

 

[CousCuse]

I think the guy is coming pretty close to making silk out of a cow's ear.

If he can get 2 more good classes, SU will win big.

Now Syracuse Football is a cows ear. But yes , more time is correct . 3 more years would be nice , if we were smart and patient.