Inside Syracuse’s rough off-season: How portal misses and a lack of NIL money led to a lost year

[JeffCuse]

This is SU laying the narrative for Red being retained

100%.

The PR spin is working too.

Note - I always want to caveat this by saying I am not calling for a change. I'm calling for a sincere discussion. This is too bad to be automatic.

 

[Scooch]

This is SU laying the narrative for Red being retained

Yeah, and it's been the narrative among some folks here since halftime of the Colgate game.

We can't beat the Raiders comfortably! It's NIL, darn it!!

 

[Blanko97]

Focus the last two years was on re-establishing football. Wildhack made major investments following the 2022-23 season to give Dino every opportunity to succeed, but he also imposed a tangible performance metric in 7 wins that he would be measured against. When he failed to meet that metric in 2023 a change was made and Wildhack doubled down with a major increase in the budget for assistant coaches, a near doubling of support staff, a ramp up in planned facilities upgrades dedicated to football and an effort to bridge a schism with a football alumni based fundraising group = a group that was initially critical of the Brown hiring - to boost the NIL coffers.
My read is that the AD, like any good manager, will show as much support as possible to an employee before resorting to firing him or her. It may be delaying the inevitable, or it may be ensuring that you are not throwing out the baby with the bathwater so to speak, but it helps establish a culture that creates an attractive work environment for all current and potential future employees.

Syracuse is a large school with an sizeable athletic department. People here can handle multiple tasks at once. Wildhack (as a D1 AD) is expected to focus on multiple sports simultaneously. Even if he was primarily focused on football after Dino's departure, Fran was hired, and his key staff and players were committed by early February. This means there's no excuse for the basketball team's issues over the offseason.

Regarding management, a good manager supports their staff, but a great manager also knows when a hire isn't working and needs to make changes to keep things afloat. You don't keep an struggling leader longer than necessary. The next person might patch the issues, but asking someone to salvage a sinking (or maybe an already sunk) ship is a big ask. You don't want to scare off potential hires by moving too quickly to a dismissal, but you also don't want to let the program decline so much that it becomes unattractive.

And honestly, Wildhack has shown he's willing to give people a lot of slack if they earn it (like JB, Dino, and Legette-Jack). However, when someone is actively driving a program into the ground, it can't be ignored just to avoid scaring off the next hire.

 

[phil77]

So Red was not prepared off the court or on the court and that gets rewarded with another year? Classic Syracuse always tries to deflect blame from the real problem until it is too late.

Only an insane amount of money can fix the dysfunction we saw on the court. You need an entire team of 7-8 players full of highly talented players with high basketball IQ that they can just figure things out themselves because they get zero in-game coaching and zero game planning from the coaching staff.

If you want to build a winning team nobody on the current roster maybe Freeman can be on it and none of the incoming Freshman can start so if Freeman leaves you have to find an entire starting 5 in the portal of high-level 2-way players with high basketball IQ to overcome our coach because he deserves another year because he wasn't prepared last offseason.

 

[Blanko97]

Did JAB know he was retiring? Because he sure seemed like he wasn't on board. Who else was Syracuse considering to replace him?

Timing may have changed but of course he knew. And that’s not entirely relevant to whether ir not there was a detailed succession plan in place.
One of the leading external candidates was actually coaching in the Dome this year, but that is from second hand knowledge, so take it for what it’s worth.

My sneaking suspicion was that "Leading candidate" proved to us immediately that this coach and this rag tag team were in way over their heads.

 

[JaySU22]

This is definitely a bad look for Red and staff, no question. But shouldn’t some of the blame pie go to the AD? Don’t/shouldn’t they have a read on the landscape and beef up our operations as needed? We seem like we have fallen so far behind here, like we’re running a Mickey Mouse operation.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, didn't see it in the news roundup.

Court Vision: College basketball coaches with the hottest seats? A Final Four dark horse

There's a long list of ACC coaches who may not return. Plus, what to make of Duke-Illinois in Madison Square Garden, in February?

www.nytimes.com

Who else might exit? A two-part list: one for the ACC alone (sadly), and everyone else.
The ACC (in alphabetical order)
Adrian Autry, Syracuse (11-16, 5-11 ACC)

Replacing a giant like Jim Boeheim is never easy, but as we’ve seen nationwide, elevating someone from within doesn’t always go so well. Autry also had the additional challenge of bucking Syracuse’s longtime zone defense. But Cuse — which has six Final Four appearances and did not have a single losing season from 1968-69 until 2021-22 — should still never be this bad. The Orange have only one top-100 win this season (at home vs. No. 97 Notre Dame) while sporting one of the worst defenses in the sport. Working in Autry’s favor, though?

1. It’s only his second season, and the team’s new general manager — Alex Kline, a well-respected former New York Knicks scout — didn’t join the program in time to truly assist in building this season’s roster.

2. Autry has two top-50 recruits incoming, including Kiyan Anthony, the son of Orange legend Carmelo Anthony. Temperature check: Getting warmer.

 

[Scooch]

You need an entire team of 7-8 players full of highly talented players with high basketball IQ that they can just figure things out themselves because they get zero in-game coaching and zero game planning from the coaching staff.

Good news! Apparently Melo is going to coach his kid himself. So we'll only need SIX guys who can figure things out themselves!

Progress, baby!

 

[phil77]

Good news! Apparently Melo is going to coach his kid himself. So we'll only need SIX guys who can figure things out themselves!

Progress, baby!

Hopefully, he doesn't have to be in the NBC studios on the same day as our games.

 

[SUFan44]

The aspect of this that Mike didn't expound on is the support staff that was in place last spring. It was essentially Red, Griff and Engelstad with Pete Corasaniti before Straughan was hired. Staff was understandably 100% focused on the current season's games and unable to focus on roster construction for this year until we were knocked out of the ACC Tournament in mid March. Then, and only then did they realize that the budget they had set and communicated to the collectives for this year's roster would be woefully inadequate.
We have now added a GM and a data analysis guru so we have 1 head coach, 3 assistants and 3 support staff members,
Compare that to Duke's 1 HC, FIVE assistants, and at least EIGHT support staff members dedicated to the product on the court PLUS a fundraising arm dedicated solely to men's hoops and a staff that is tasked with player branding and developemt. I'm not even inclusing the others whose titles I couldn't decipher.
It's not solely NIL and quality of coaching. The larger issue is the level of support that the program is receiving from the department. Let's see how that changes beginning in a couple weeks.

Staff Directory - Duke University

The official staff directory for the Duke University

goduke.com

Wait, WHAT?!?! First, you have the staff wrong - Engelstad was the last one added, not Straughn. Straughn has been here since Autry started.

Second, Gerry McNamara was an employee of Syracuse University through the entire season and was hired by Siena on March 28 - McNamara Named Head Coach At Siena - Syracuse University Athletics

Engelstad was named an assistant on April 18 - THREE WEEKS LATER - Engelstad Joins Men's Basketball Staff - Syracuse University Athletics

You're throwing things into this argument that simply don't make sense and don't add up. Not to mention, if they weren't having conversations about this sort of thing WELL in advance of March 28, then Autry needs to be let go for malpractice.

Have the addition of Kline & the analytics guy helped? I'm sure. But do not sit here and include the fact that a guy left for 3 weeks as the first part of your argument. That's crazy. Also, please don't compare us to Duke. That's cherry picking.

If we're going to do it, do it across the entire ACC with all 18 schools. And let the record show we are currently tied for 14th place in the league.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

I think Red gets one more year, whether he should or not.

 

[kcsu]

I believe that the program will improve significantly next year.
Melo, NIL, Kline. Three solid reasons for improvement.
The part that none of us are confident in is our coaching staff.
Will Red make changes?
Will he look in the mirror and change his approach?
Does he have the chops to lead a program. The basketball IQ to improve his players, put them in position to succeed, and out coach the opponents? Or, is he simply a good recruiter. A good relationship type coach?
I personally don't think Red has the demeanor, and or basketball IQ to coach players up. To out scheme the opponent. His lack of in game awareness and ability to properly substitute is something that by this time in his coaching career is either there or it isn't.
Red will get next year and we will improve but he is out over his and is too old of a coach to learn.
The school might give him year 4 because of the improvement that will occur next season and because they are cheap.
I can see a JW , Dino like ultimatum prior to year four.
Make the tournament or you are gone. Personally if the team has a decent year next season I 100% believe that is exactly what is going to happen.

 

[Red2003]

I think Red gets one more year, whether he should or not.

Prepare to be downvoted to oblivion!

 

[rrlbees]

Correct, but you're being pedantic about something that is a huge part of every D1 program. When people use "Syracuse" and the school, they are pretty obviously not saying that NIL money is coming out of the schools budget. They are more likely using it as a generic term for the program, alumni groups, boosters, etc.

Read the post I responded too.

 

[SUFan44]

Not perfect by any stretch, but Syracuse University men's basketball is currently ranked 129th on KenPom. And last year, for all the glitz and glamor of the 20-win season (that had zero shot of resulting in an NCAA bid, mind you), SU was #80 at KenPom.

For comparison purposes, allow me to list a couple of schools ahead of us in both years of these rankings:

North Texas - #74 in '24, #61 in '25
Bradley - #64 in '24, #95 in '25
Florida Atlantic - #47 in '24, #109 in '25
Nevada - #40 in '24, #76 in '25
San Francisco - #65 in '24, #62 in '25
Drake - #53 in '24, #59 in '25

This year, St. Thomas (MN), in just its FOURTH year as a D1 school, ranks two spots ahead of us in the KenPom metrics.

This is just crazy. And to sit here and push out this PR spin is quite sickening.

 

[Trueblue25]

I am not giving a dollar. Lets talk about the quality of the HC and staff. You don’t fund a failing product.

 

[kingtidge]

Maybe by Best they meant the most cost effective hire that most people would live with.

I still maintain that we got Autry for pennies on the dollar compared to what the "Best" would cost. None of us have that contract and I have no information.

There's no way they just dropped a contract on his desk and saied we're giving you 10X your salary. He prob was given an industry standard low range ACC coaches salary with a few years, but also one that gave JW wiggle room to buyout after a few years too.

If that is true, and we can't afford to buy him out, that is telling

 

[hoopsupstate]

Where are you getting this info from?

You figure it out.

 

[PauliePeppas]

I am not giving a dollar. Lets talk about the quality of the HC and staff. You don’t fund a failing product.

Like throwing money at loser stock bc its “bound to bounce” no thank you.

 

[hoopsupstate]

You really think “an excellent player” has his shooting percentages?

I also know a lot of excellent shooters who can’t get by anyone to get to the rim too.

 

[DilemaCuse]

Red's hiring was not a rushed decision. The succession plan was in place for well over a year and included evaluating internal and external candidates. Exact timing may have changed, but JB was always going to be replaced by an in house candidate (though some debate over which) once feedback from respected members of the media and coaching fraternity indicated that the best candidate was already here and an external hire and complete teardown of the program would be a far greater risk.

Soo many contradictions here.

If it was always in house, why even bother with evaluating external candidates?

feedback from media? curious who those members were. Gotta be careful, most don't have a good pulse on the CBB world. Jeff Goodman is one whose opinion I do value.

Feedback from coaching fraternity? hope those coaches outside of SU, had SUs best interests and aren't direct competitors. Its funny, schools weren't knocking down Reds door with job offers.

Only at Syracuse do you force out the Head coach and replace him with an assistant on staff and think that's best candidate.

Like if Alabama had to force out Nick Saban they aint hiring his Offensive Coordinator, lol. Those fans would riot in that scenario.

The only comparable instance I can think of, was Bobby Bowden to Jimbo Fischer. But Fischer was in demand and if not for HCIW status could have left for other jobs. Red didnt have anywhere to go, no market for him except at SU.

 

[Consigliere]

Wait, WHAT?!?! First, you have the staff wrong - Engelstad was the last one added, not Straughn. Straughn has been here since Autry started.

Second, Gerry McNamara was an employee of Syracuse University through the entire season and was hired by Siena on March 28 - McNamara Named Head Coach At Siena - Syracuse University Athletics

Engelstad was named an assistant on April 18 - THREE WEEKS LATER - Engelstad Joins Men's Basketball Staff - Syracuse University Athletics

You're throwing things into this argument that simply don't make sense and don't add up. Not to mention, if they weren't having conversations about this sort of thing WELL in advance of March 28, then Autry needs to be let go for malpractice.

Have the addition of Kline & the analytics guy helped? I'm sure. But do not sit here and include the fact that a guy left for 3 weeks as the first part of your argument. That's crazy. Also, please don't compare us to Duke. That's cherry picking.

If we're going to do it, do it across the entire ACC with all 18 schools. And let the record show we are currently tied for 14th place in the league.

Sorry for mixing up the two assistants. and don't get the GMac point you are making. He certainly was not an instrumental input during portal season and in the construction of this year's roster. My point is that lack of an adequate support staff hamstrung the limited staff's efforts to evaluate and build a roster relative to other programs that we compete against. It wasn't just about the money. What else "doesn't make sense?"
I have been critical of Autry for not understanding the NIL landscape and am not convinced that he does even today. And I could cite examples where he has failed to support efforts that NIL entities have put in place as well as donor relations events that he does not fully support. And I hope Kline and additional resources help to alleviate that.
Pretty easy exercise to analyze the basketball staffs at other schools since most use the SideArm template. I just haven't taken the time to do so, but even Wake Forest has a bigger staff and more assistants than we do.
Look, I don't know if Red can be a successful coach at this level, I just think we have to look beyond the lazy "Fire the Coach!" solution and evaluate all aspects of the program. If the full spectrum of root causes is not addressed and we expect a new name stenciled on the HC's door to fix things I am afraid we are sadly mistaken,

 

[Red2003]

Yeah, and it's been the narrative among some folks here since halftime of the Colgate game.

We can't beat the Raiders comfortably! It's NIL, darn it!!

This is my #1 thing that makes me want to run from Autry. Not being ready to play our Non-Con games in November. The staff and team were so unprepared this year in November and it's not excusable even with every excuse in the book.

Do I care that much that this team is not improving in February when the season has been dead for 2 months and most of these players are gone, not really.

The NIL Players Era tourney is going to be here fast with 18 teams. We'll know real fast if this team is a tourney team or not.

There is not a world where we can say oh we finished in 17th place but Autry will get them where they need to be in ACC play. He burned that bridge this year. He needs to put together a complete season and make the tourney.

 

[hoopsupstate]

You, amongst others, need to keep reminding yourselfs that NIL is US, not SU resources.

The additional resources I’d like to see SU provide is the filling of the 2 additional coaching spots the NCAA now allows. My preference would be an older very experienced coach and a young energetic coach. Regardless of what decisions they make about the current staff.

I understand Bees, but providing resources is also finding donors to support NIL. They absolutely should provide two more coaches. If they don’t that says a lot.

 

[sufan59]

I am not giving a dollar. Lets talk about the quality of the HC and staff. You don’t fund a failing product.

What stinks the most around this is I wish more investment was put into women’s basketball instead of men’s basketball after last season. The excuses being made for our men’s basketball program this season really fits more to what happened to our women’s basketball program. I feel for FLJ, it’s going to be even tougher when there is a push that we need to step up and fund more to Autry’s men’s program to be competitive. The truth is as of right now, we should be prioritizing supporting FLJ and the women’s program under the current conditions. We can actually be successful in that sport with funds under FLJ. I have doubts on Autry in those same conditions.