Just saw this (OC)...Maybe more speculation but who knows.

[ithacat]

I'm not too worried about his jumping around from job to job. It's getting late in the game and if he can upgrade the talent and help build on what Marrone left behind, so be it.

I say get him signed, stick a big fat Otto head on a bronco and giddy up.

 

[kingtidge]

I'm not too worried about his jumping around from job to job. It's getting late in the game and if he can upgrade the talent and help build on what Marrone left behind, so be it.

I say get him signed, stick a big fat Otto head on a bronco and giddy up.

Yeah - Not to mention, if Lester is who we think he is, he's got "OC next job" written all over him...

Of course, I was someone who thought Pariani was phenomenal hire, so take my opinion with a grain of salt...

 

[OrangeAl]

He'd probably welcome a successful playboy thrown on his lap to learn and implement.

Hey, the Roger Springfield thread is the next one over. Let's put a play-book on his lap instead.

 

[Ozcuse]

Another point to consider, Shafer made it clear he would like to continue the current offensive and defensive styles that have been successful. He got his guy on defense in Bullough. McDonald is likely not married to any specific offensive style as his own play book has gotten quite dusty. He'd probably welcome a successful playboy thrown on his lap to learn and implement.

Cali is that you?

Or maybe best freudian slip, ever

 

[RMH44]

Cali is that you?

Or maybe best freudian slip, ever

I doubt it...I think Springfield preferred Playgirl

 

[sutomcat]

My only concern is: the guy was an offensive coordinator for two seasons - 2005 and 2006...and then for seven long years no one wanted to hire him as an OC? Was he that bad at WMU?

Good question.

Here are some numbers for Western Michigan for the 2 years before McDonald was their OC, the two year period he was there running their offense and the 2 years after he left.

Note that WMU enjoyed two excellent seasons while George and Scott were there (for Bronco football anyway).

In 2005, there was a major improvement in running the football and passing the football (passing TDs way up, interceptions way down).

In 2006, the passing game struggled. Definite step backwards. The passing game continued to do fine. I attribute this to the fact that in 2006, McDonald was forced to use Ryan Cubit as his starting QB.

Ryan was Bill Cubit's son. It was his senior season. The year before, Cubit played relatively minor minutes after starting in 2004 (McDonald kept him on the board, as he should have). Ryan started his career at Rutgers, with his dad as the OC. After Bill got the HC job at WMU, Ryan followed him there. Tough break for George to get stuck with a nepotism deal in his second year as OC. I think McDonald was the sacrificial lamb after a relatively bad season offensively in 2006.

I suspect a big reason WMU was more successful record wise when GM was there was because he ran the ball a lot more and a lot better than the people there before and after him (Shafer's defenses played a big role as well). The spread becomes a lot easier to defend when it is one dimensional.

He certainly was not a disaster at OC. With competent QB play in 2006, he would be been fine.

 

[orangepassion]

OL hire is big now.

 

[TexanMark]

Last season in Marrone 4th year, who were his best offensive players? Nassib, Pugh, Lemon, Sales-All Grob recruits. Grob also brought in Delone Carter who was his best RB and is now in the NFL. As a matter of fact, Marrone's record was never better than his 2nd year as HC, when he had basically all G-Rob guys.

The record in 2012 was better than 2010...'12 much tougher schedule and closer losses.

 

[Cuse4Life]

Nathanial Hackett had zero experience running an offense before he was at SU. He had zero experience running an uptempo offense either until two weeks before the year when Marrone and he realized they needed to make it that way to score points and put W's in the column. McDonald has two years of real experience along with trips to some of the best schools around coaching and being a dynamic (I know you all love it) recruiter. So yes this hire should be top notch!

 

[CuseLegacy]

SEC I would think?

Maybe $$$$.



Photo by Cleveland Browns

Arkansas has hired George McDonald to coach receivers. He spent the last two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes after a stint with the NFL's Cleveland Browns.​

FAYETTEVILLE — Recently-hired Arkansas receivers coach George McDonald will leave the Razorbacks for an offensive coordinator position at another school, sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Tuesday.
It wasn't immediately clear where McDonald was going, though SportingLifeArkansas.com columnist Jim Harris reported it would be Syracuse. Per his letter of agreement signed with the UA, McDonald would have to pay $50,000 to accept a position with another school before June 30, 2014.
McDonald, 36, was hired last month after spending two years as an assistant coach at Miami. His salary at Arkansas was set at $275,000, significantly more than his predecessor with the Razorbacks, Kris Cinkovich. He had also previously been on staff with the Cleveland Browns.
The loss of McDonald leaves Arkansas with two vacancies on Bret Bielema's first coaching staff. The Razorbacks are expected to name a tight ends coach this week, perhaps as early as today.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Marrone and staff were better at developing talent. Shafer knows this is something that's a big part of the Syracuse job, we're not a selector school. He mentioned this in the presser. Although overall, I do think Marrone landed bigger and faster players.

I assume you mean better at developing talent than recruiting it, as we all know Shafer has yet to be head coach in a game.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

He'd probably welcome a successful playboy thrown on his lap to learn and implement.

Thank you, God!

 

[orangepassion]

Maybe $$$$.



Photo by Cleveland Browns

Arkansas has hired George McDonald to coach receivers. He spent the last two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes after a stint with the NFL's Cleveland Browns.​

FAYETTEVILLE — Recently-hired Arkansas receivers coach George McDonald will leave the Razorbacks for an offensive coordinator position at another school, sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Tuesday.
It wasn't immediately clear where McDonald was going, though SportingLifeArkansas.com columnist Jim Harris reported it would be Syracuse. Per his letter of agreement signed with the UA, McDonald would have to pay $50,000 to accept a position with another school before June 30, 2014.
McDonald, 36, was hired last month after spending two years as an assistant coach at Miami. His salary at Arkansas was set at $275,000, significantly more than his predecessor with the Razorbacks, Kris Cinkovich. He had also previously been on staff with the Cleveland Browns.
The loss of McDonald leaves Arkansas with two vacancies on Bret Bielema's first coaching staff. The Razorbacks are expected to name a tight ends coach this week, perhaps as early as today.

I hope he gets a similar clause here commensurate w/ his salary-Need some stability. Don't need him to recruit top guys and then leave.

 

[Chip]

I assume you mean better at developing talent than recruiting it, as we all know Shafer has yet to be head coach in a game.

Yes. SU gets more projects than game ready players. Marrone and staff did a better job developing the players than GRob and staff did. I'm sure that seems obvious, but that's what I was referring to in my post. I do think Marrone recruited a little better overall, but when you look at how experts (whether you quote that word or not) rate our classes, it wasn't that much different.

Shafer mentioned in the presser that he knows at SU, developing players is very important, knowing he's not going to get 5 stars who are ready to dominate.

 

[SteveC]

 

[syr02esq]

I think I am in love.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Yes. SU gets more projects than game ready players. Marrone and staff did a better job developing the players than GRob and staff did. I'm sure that seems obvious, but that's what I was referring to in my post. I do think Marrone recruited a little better overall, but when you look at how experts (whether you quote that word or not) rate our classes, it wasn't that much different.

Shafer mentioned in the presser that he knows at SU, developing players is very important, knowing he's not going to get 5 stars who are ready to dominate.

Completely agree.

 

[GoSU96]

Any idea why he would leave Miami for Arkansas right after having a monster recruiting year? Maybe impending sanctions?

It's the SEC.

 

[orange79]

It's the SEC.

And the sanctions.

 

[Whitey23]

@BretBielema
Happy for Coach McDonald & his opportunity to take a coordinator job at a BCS school. We will hire another great WR coach and move on. #1-0

 

[Shenexon]

I really like Lester & McDonald hires and think Shafer & Gross must be working well together. The two new hires are well-known succesful people and aren't coming because they have nothing better to do. Kudos to all.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I just wish they'd make it official already!