John Wildhack

[GoSU96]

I’m a Marrone guy be he isn’t coming back. He hates the recruiting part of the job. Maybe you get him for a year as a consultant but that’s it. Love Dino’s charisma but things are not trending well offensively and that’s supposedly his strength.

Yep, I don't think he'd be interested in being a college HC again. He can come here for a year to de-stress, and get back to coaching the OL room and helping the program overall. Then go get a job with the league.

Now if my joke about Marrone, O'Brien, and Patricia could happen, go get the money, because that's the kind of splash that would recruit itself.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

And that’s why our record since Coach P totally sucks. We either need to have a generational recruiter at the helm, or someone who is incredibly proficient at development/scheme. Unfortunately it seems we have neither right now.

Or, we just need to accept that we're a Lacrosse school.

 

[Bayside44]

I mean this as no disrespect but you couldn’t be more wrong. The Florida State Athletic Director started reaching out to donors in 2018 on how to buyout Willie Taggart after they got trounced by NC State in early November that year. It happens all the time. Hell go back and watch that les miles documentary on ESPN, first two episodes the Kansas athletic director comes out and says he needs to talk to his boosters to pay for the coach’s buyout and Les miles staff.

You don't know our donor base. That just isn't happening at Syracuse.

 

[GoSU96]

You don't know our donor base. That just isn't happening at Syracuse.

The school is going to be more concerned with keeping its doors open

 

[ORRange]

This team this year, yes, but who cares.

The offense is missing 4 plugs on an 8 cylinder engine.

Based on what this program under Dino has been able to do with a full complement I believe that's the core issue.

Now if the issue is the timing and fuel mix the question is, is the mechanic on staff that can tune the engine. Based on the unavailability of key pieces for most of the year it's impossible to address that next order question in my opinion.

I care alot, so we just aren't on the same page at all.

 

[GoSU96]

I care alot, so we just aren't on the same page at all.

It isn't fear that's the mind killer,

It's unreasonable expectations, this year was always going to be a disaster.

 

[ORRange]

Unreasonable expectations are 8 wins next year. Vegas will likely put out our O/U win total at 4 maybe 3 after these last two years. I guess my unreasonable expectation was wanting to win more than one game this year. I guess thats too much to expect. Like I said the excuses are old and the quitting before the game is over really ticks me off. Loser mentalities.

 

[cusefan88]

Just make bowl games (in normal season) and go from there. As far as transfer portal/JUCO type pickups they need:
2 DT
2 OL
1 QB
1 WR
maybe 1 DB

 

[Cusefan78]

Anyone who says rankings don’t matter is looking at things with orange colored glasses thinking the world is out to get su. Of course rankings matter. We don’t recruit against acc or big 10 schools. Most of the recruits have offers outside the p5. We are who we recruit. Most of the class year in and year out that come here aren’t p5 players. You can’t expect Mac players to beat p5 caliber. It’s that simple. Until we can get more of the p5 players we aren’t going to be good. Do you think Minnesota fans get excited when they beat out bowling green for a player.

 

[gmoney44]

That class was still ranked near the bottom of the ACC right? There may be ~8-10 truly strong players in it? I hate to keep harping on this, but sometimes I don’t think people around here know what an actually good recruiting class looks like. When we crack the top half of the ACC, wake me up.

you’re going to be sleeping awhile. Maybe forever.

 

[OrangeDW]

Shouldn't the basketball team take this off year too? What about all the other sports being played by SU? When you get tough breaks, you work harder, not quit.

Who’s quitting? All our best players are hurt. Half the guys on the field are freshmen. We’re overmatched. Who cares?

And yeah, the basketball season is stupid too. Complete trainwreck so far. How many teams can’t even practice right now?

And I don’t know or care about any other sports.

 

[Acesn8s]

You don't know our donor base. That just isn't happening at Syracuse.

Im
Not saying it would or wouldn’t the original post said athletic departments don’t do that, and I know for a fact that they do.

 

[SUFan44]

The school is going to be more concerned with keeping its doors open

Are you implying that Syracuse University is in trouble?

 

[Millhouse]

Are you implying that Syracuse University is in trouble?

A lot of schools are

 

[Dinkyspond]

Now I've read it all. You have to be kidding me. Panicked reaction? Wow. Are you Dino's mother? This team couldn't win 8 games in Conference USA. Let's try to double our win total next year first.

That would be 2 wins, 2-10 would double our win total next year, the program is in shambles...again

 

[Dinkyspond]

How about a leadership team with Marrone at HC, the Army OC play calling and White as DC. Run triple option offense/335 defense with Marrone’s discipline and CEO abilities.

Doug ain't coming back, doesn't like recruiting, he'll be a fine OC in the NFL again. But I would welcome Doug back with.open arms if he decided he wanted to give it a go at his alma mater again

 

[Chip]

You can’t keep firing coaches every four or five years.

You have to recognize the inherent limitations with our program.

And, you have to the coach you have selected some time - just as Jake gave Coach Mac time.

This year is obviously an unusual year.

You just can’t make judgements off of what has occurred in the context of COVID

I really hope that next year proves we don't have to make a change.

That said, I think you can keep firing coaches every four or five years in today's era. Grad transfers, regular transfers that seem more likely than not to get waivers. And the shiny new object theory of recruiting is getting people momentum recruits. Vs the old theory of building relationships over years and years.

Rebuilding isn't what it used to be.

 

[Dinkyspond]

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.

Last in the ACC and at the bottom of the list for all P5 schools

 

[Scooch]

you’re going to be sleeping awhile. Maybe forever.

Fair enough. Then we’re going to largely suck forever, which just might be what happens.

 

[Nick44]

On this - assuming that class is about 48-50? What's the real difference between that and being around 30. The football rankings seem pretty subjective after the obvious guys. And this isn't directed to you it's just something for discussion.

There’s a huge difference.

Our classes historically rank 55-60 which is usually rock bottom in the ACC. We do not need top 25, but we do need a consistent top 40 class each year. If we currently average 1 4-star, 15 3-stars and 5 2-star/unrated players, a top 40 class would be 3-4 4-stars, 15-17 3-stars and 1-2 2-star/unrated players. If that becomes consistent, this team solves its longstanding depth issues.

I agree that recruiting is subjective (thankfully because if it was an exact science we would be screwed) but the improvement would yield approximately 4-5 players per class that you can expect to come in and be multi-year starters early. As opposed to 5-10 players each class which need 2-3 years before they are ready. That’s the difference.

 

[Orangejet]

Wonder if JW or anyone on his staff reads this blog and sees the displeasure many, many fans have with the current state of affairs on the gridiron. I know all the issues but the lack of discipline, game readiness and offensive play-calling continues to bug the heck out of me.

 

[SUbear]

The team stays together and is healthy next year, this is a 8 win roster. He's doing what I said he should do from the start, treat this as a scrimmage and play everybody. Last night is what happens.

Over half that team was playing HS football last year. They are learning, but that's not the biggest issue. These are solid 3 star recruits, kids that need development, with no spring and summer program vs college jrs and seniors.

If next year two or three freshmen are playing because they are ready vs I'm going to guess almost the whole of this last class, the team will be fine. SU is NEVER going to recruit 20 game ready freshmen in a class, it just isn't.

Panicked reaction to this extreme set of circumstances, throwing away the youth movement investment because there aren't immediate returns and hitting the reset button is stupid.

Now if Taj gets replaced with an upgrade I wouldn't be disappointed.

Wishful thinking, and I hope you are right but frankly I expect a 3 win season at best.

 

[Cuse69]

I know it's been asked before but the revenue lost next year from ticket, merch, and consession sales when people don't show up to the dome has got to be close to what Dino's buyout is. There needs to be some serious thought put into this move.

Joe Moorehead seems like the perfect fit here. Let's get him before another school with bigger pockets does.

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

 

[007]

Wonder if JW or anyone on his staff reads this blog and sees the displeasure many, many fans have with the current state of affairs on the gridiron. I know all the issues but the lack of discipline, game readiness and offensive play-calling continues to bug the heck out of me.

JW is acutely aware of what the fans think. Hopefully, his decision making process is not driven by anything that is posted on the forum. I am not implying that no one here knows what they are talking about. We have several plugged in posters who clearly know the game and what needs to be done based on what we think we know.

JW frequently uses the analogy that it takes a long time to turn a battleship. There are many factors at play here as to why this is the case. One of those factors is recruiting and, more specifically, the impact that facilities have on that issue.

 

[SUbear]

This team this year, yes, but who cares.

The offense is missing 4 plugs on an 8 cylinder engine.

Based on what this program under Dino has been able to do with a full complement I believe that's the core issue.

Now if the issue is the timing and fuel mix the question is, is the mechanic on staff that can tune the engine. Based on the unavailability of key pieces for most of the year it's impossible to address that next order question in my opinion.

I did not expect great things this year, however there is no excuse for this total dumpster fire. Few other FBS programs would accept this kind of performance from their staff, and that may be a large part of our problem.