John Wildhack

[SUFan44]

My niece got a 1570 on her SATs (wife's side) and she took the year off, we are paying her to deal with my kids two days a week so I can work (wife teaches)

If that kid isn't bothering with school this year, I can't imagine marginal students saying thinking it's a good bargain to pay a zillion dollars to take crappy online classes and have no fun

That’s a very micro-level line of thinking.

I’m not sure when this pandemic will end, but when things go back to “normal”, SU will be fine.

 

[Moontan]

I constantly read we need to get some transfers. But we are so abysmal, who wants to transfer here when they watch us play. Why would any recruit in their right mind watch us get shut out by a 2 win Louisville team, lose to a Duke team and decide to transfer here . Our OL hasn't been able to block Holy Cross or Colgate the past few years. I'm serious but not trying to single you out. I constantly read this and scratch my head.

Do you want to start on a P-5 team during your final year of eligibility, while you enjoy the college life and have hopes of making the NFL?

I would.

 

[Todoubled23]

To be fair. The big time Donors and I mean big bucks donors have the money to. It's pocket change to them. Not trying to tell Donors how to spend their money but if you have the money to better your school and your football program which you root for and have passion for you do it.

15,000,000 is pocket change? To who? Jeff bezos?

 

[longislandcuse]

South Carolina just bought out Will Muschamp for $15+ mil, but it took a ton of public pressure for them to pull the trigger.

 

[GoSU96]

To be fair. The big time Donors and I mean big bucks donors have the money to. It's pocket change to them. Not trying to tell Donors how to spend their money but if you have the money to better your school and your football program which you root for and have passion for you do it.

Delusional

 

[OrangeXtreme]

15,000,000 is pocket change? To who? Jeff bezos?

Fuccillo lies awake at night debating whether he should keep his dealerships open and his salesmen employed, or piss away $15 mil so SU can replace a 1-10 coach with another 1-10 coach.

 

[007]

The stupidity in just this one thread is...spectacular.

 

[Killdozer]

Yeah, ok

More people agree with me but keep wearing your blinders. I'm sure Dino loves your commitment to his 4 win average per season.

 

[Cusefan78]

Fuccillo lies awake at night debating whether he should keep his dealerships open and his salesmen employed, or piss away $15 mil so SU can replace a 1-10 coach with another 1-10 coach.

he isn’t well that is why the dealerships around the country are being sold.

 

[AngryOtto]

There is no question Cuse needs a dual threat qb. If Dino can get that for next year, I think he makes it work here. We have seen this offense work when a qb can make the right calls and be a threat.

Not sure a transfer will work because Dino will not give him a shot. Claim not know the offense.

 

[JOC44]

Were not coming up with $15M to buy out Dino. And I don't think I would if we had the money. We're not a powerhouse; we'll go into every season with vulnerabilities. And the college football gods hit on our vulnerabilities as hard as you can this year.

On defense, we came into the season with a top defensive backfield, some interesting linebackers, and a line that we knew might struggle to replace Robinson and Coleman. We've had some bad luck -- Cisco got hurt, Trill bailed once the season was lost and is training for the draft. But the defense has been FINE. It's just under constant pressure because our offense is historically bad.

Turning to the offense, we had a group of interesting backs and receivers who seemed pedestrian as a group. But our three big vulnerabilities were : (1) our OL might not be any good; (2) it wasn't clear Devito was a P5-level starting QB, and it certainly wasn't clear if he could perform as a P5 starting QB if the line stunk; and (3) if Devito went down, we didn't have another QB on the roster ready to play at even a FCS level, much less a P5 level.

What happened? One of our presumptive starting linemen didn't get his waiver, and the line has stunk. Our top two RBs opted out, putting extra pressure on our QB. Devito showed (as expected) that he can't succeed behind an epically bad OL. And, worst of all, Devito went down and we had no even marginally competent backup. I'm not saying these vulnerabilities aren't the coaching staff's fault, but they're fixable.

We need to fix the OL, and it seems that might require a coaching change. I imagine it killed our QB recruiting that Devito was so clearly the anointed one, and what little depth we had died when Chance Amie left. If we can't recruit decent QBs out of high school, maybe we need to spend some time in the "second-chance market," when kids we couldn't recruit out of high school transfer from top 20 programs after it becomes clear that they're behind someone either in their class or younger than them. If the OL is going to be a work in progress, then a QB with mobility should be a priority. Fix the OL and put a decent QB behind it, and this is a decent team.

This is a long-winded way of saying that every vulnerability we had this year got magnified by events. It's like an MLB team that plays Adam Dunn in left field to get his bat in the lineup. That's great most of the time, but the baseball gods ensure that at some crucial time he's gonna screw something up in the field. This year, we had ten line drives in a row hit to Adam Dunn.

 

[Orangepace]

If Babers gets two more years and we still suck, the program will be dead. You will see less fans than the O gets in total yards. We cannot survive 2 more years of this. No alumnus/fan will want to donate to the program let alone attend a game. You can't suck for 25 years and offer no hope and expect loyalty. No coach would touch this job. It will be hard enough waiting one more season, but two will be the final nail.

Relax Chicken little. This isn’t close to true.

 

[dollarbill44]

If Marrone becomes available this offseason, do you make that move? I would.

It takes 2 to tango. You can't just look at a list of available coaches and say, "you're ours ". It isn't a draft. Marrone got what he wanted out of SU - a check mark on the head coach line in order to get an NFL HC job. I don't think he wants to ever go near coaching in college again.

 

[Orangepace]

If Marrone becomes available this offseason, do you make that move? I would.

Nope. He left in a cloud of dust and raped the staff from Shafer. He loves his dream job so much he jumped ship and didn’t even leave a life vest.

 

[Orangefizz]

Moorehead would seem like a good fit but he lost his team at MSU, Qb and top D player got into a fight at bowl practice, qb got legit hurt and couldn't play amongst others, I'd worry a bit about him coming into here and being able to fix the culture, besides that he'd be good, if we don't want or can't get him I'd want a meathead fundamental type coach with no gimmicks just football

We need a gimmick offense since we cannot line up against top ACC opponents and play smash mouth meathead football. We recruit consistently at the bottom of our conference and have no ability to attract the best prospects from NY NJ PA OH NE

 

[OrangePA]

I understand and realize the limitations. However, if Syracuse is going to be in the P5 and collect the privilege of all that $$$ it should act like a P5 school. And, it's not just this COVID season, last year was a huge setback and there were significant signs then. Dino has had only one winning season in 5, and I'd say Vegas betting odds are that he'll have another next year. It will be interesting to see where the pre-season conference projections come in next August.

Recruiting and on field performance will improve with the new Dome and with the planned investment in the football infrastructure.

It will take time.

 

[OrangePA]

Nope. He left in a cloud of dust and raped the staff from Shafer. He loves his dream job so much he jumped ship and didn’t even leave a life vest.

Not accurate.

Shafer wanted his own staff.

 

[OrangePA]

I tend to think 5 years is enough time to evaluate a head coach. In this circumstance I’m 100% on board with giving Dino a 6th year. I probably could have my arm twisted into giving him a 7th, depending on how next year goes, assuming it doesn’t result in a bowl appearance.

We can’t compare today’s environment to the 1980s. The game is fundamentally different, between scholarship numbers, transfer portals, nationalized recruiting, media exposure, and the like.

Six seasons is not in any way a turnstile. I hope Dino turns things around, I like the guy a ton. But if 6 years is the end then he had a very fair shot.

Mac took over a program with a brand new, dynamic, revolutionary domed stadium.

He also did not have to compete in a conference like the ACC.

And it still took him six years - and he was on the hot seat as the 1987 season began

You’re right.

The 1980s were easier for SU.

We have just now renovated the Dome. We are just now planning to invest millions in the football complex.

It will take longer than six years.

You don’t start over again - again.

I keep Babers for at least two more years.

 

[Cuse69]

We need a gimmick offense since we cannot line up against top ACC opponents and play smash mouth meathead football. We recruit consistently at the bottom of our conference and have no ability to attract the best prospects from NY NJ PA OH NE

Yea cause the ACC is top notch FB, take out clemson FSU ND and everyone in the ACC depending our the year is fair game, it shouldn't be crazy for us to beat wake BC PITT even louisville and NC state on occassion. 6 wins a year and solid FB shouldn't be that hard. If you want a gimmick offense that works we need the air raid not the dino babers knock off offense

 

[Cusefan78]

We need a gimmick offense since we cannot line up against top ACC opponents and play smash mouth meathead football. We recruit consistently at the bottom of our conference and have no ability to attract the best prospects from NY NJ PA OH NE

Here is the problem with gimmick offenses. After a year or two they are no longer gimmicks. “Meathead” football has been around forever because it’s the constant scheme that works. We can’t recruit here because we have never had a sustained recruiting scheme. Marrone brought in talent that worked for his “meathead” scheme by bringing recruiting into this century. He did a full on social media assault to the players he targeted. He was very good at matching schemes to his players. This is something this staff has failed in. These hype videos are weak and are things any 15 year old with a Mac can do. I remember marrone had a social media director for recruiting that was very good. Where is that position now. Dino is stubborn and rams his ideals on the players. Just look at Morgan after two weeks he went from serviceable to abysmal and that is on the coaches. This staff doesn’t know how to build a team. They only know how to tweak teams that other staffs out together. It’s easy to look at others work and pick out problems. It’s harder to look at your own team and see the issues. If they can’t afford to buy him out they need to bring in a consultant to pick apart everything from recruiting to development to schemes. The staff is what it is and it seems like we are stuck with them so it’s time for the adults to take control.

 

[elimunelson]

Mac took over a program with a brand new, dynamic, revolutionary domed stadium.

He also did not have to compete in a conference like the ACC.

And it still took him six years - and he was on the hot seat as the 1987 season began

You’re right.

The 1980s were easier for SU.

We have just now renovated the Dome. We are just now planning to invest millions in the football complex.

It will take longer than six years.

You don’t start over again - again.

I keep Babers for at least two more years.

I’m in awe of everyone’s expectations for this team in light of this year. I can’t get up that level of angst for any sporting event or team in light of the right hook the covid has taken to our society.

having said that we are married to Dino and that’s fine w me. Next year will be slog as usual and we will deal w a ton of injuries because we are Syracuse it happens. Key is the margins to me and how many plug and play guys he Brings in to help us.

Wildhack knows that the infrastructure isn’t an excuse now. The school will compete come normal times again. Our biggest competition is the survival of northeastern football imo.

I suspect Dino will figure out what works/what doesn’t andfix it. At least two more years. If that doesn’t work then 2023 I’m fine w school moving on.

 

[Finwad32]

The offense is woeful. Bordering on completely non-functional.

In my mind, Friday night was the worst I’ve ever seen from this team offensively. Including the Gerg years.

It’s not bc of RB and/or WR talent. Look what Sean Trucker did with zero aerial support. 16 for 93 doesn’t sound like anything crazy, strong but not crazy, until you look at the variables. Hell of a game.

Dino needs to get that right this offseason. That, and make sure Tony White’s not running away.

Has to fix it, step up my guy, your time to build all that bs you had us close our eyes for in 2015.

 

[illi3]

You can be less talented and still be competitive. What drives me crazy is that on more occasions than I care to admit, Dino’s teams have just looked completely unprepared and undisciplined (not new thoughts, I know). So we can all make the excuses for what 2020 has presented him, but even with a more loaded roster the team would be behind the 8-ball.

 

[Orangefizz]

Here is the problem with gimmick offenses. After a year or two they are no longer gimmicks. “Meathead” football has been around forever because it’s the constant scheme that works. We can’t recruit here because we have never had a sustained recruiting scheme. Marrone brought in talent that worked for his “meathead” scheme by bringing recruiting into this century. He did a full on social media assault to the players he targeted. He was very good at matching schemes to his players. This is something this staff has failed in. These hype videos are weak and are things any 15 year old with a Mac can do. I remember marrone had a social media director for recruiting that was very good. Where is that position now. Dino is stubborn and rams his ideals on the players. Just look at Morgan after two weeks he went from serviceable to abysmal and that is on the coaches. This staff doesn’t know how to build a team. They only know how to tweak teams that other staffs out together. It’s easy to look at others work and pick out problems. It’s harder to look at your own team and see the issues. If they can’t afford to buy him out they need to bring in a consultant to pick apart everything from recruiting to development to schemes. The staff is what it is and it seems like we are stuck with them so it’s time for the adults to take control.

You make some excellent points. I was speaking specifically of Syracuse returning to the triple option. I consider that a gimmick since almost no schools currently run the system but it has its principles in meathead football, which is primarily a running offense with deception. I think that’s our best way to compete with our talent and recruiting deficiencies

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

That is so stupid

Why? What evidence do you have to the contrary? This team is terrible and last year’s wasn’t much better.