LB Geoff Cantin-Arku: Drafted by CFL Montreal Alouettes

[Trueblue25]

On the fundraising point raising that kind of coin is exactly what SU is doing.

Our recruiting is challenging mainly because we are in a region bereft of talent.

On the academic thing - I went to school with those guys 30 years ago, they didn't exactly treat the place like the Harvard of Central New York...

Eh recruiting’s challenging because we don’t win consistently. On top of that we don’t produce draft picks on O. Im not going to blame location for recruiting woes. Too much evidence otherwise.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Eh recruiting’s challenging because we don’t win consistently. On top of that we don’t produce draft picks on O. Im not going to blame location for recruiting woes. Too much evidence otherwise.

what's the evidence? I am curious in all seriousness

 

[Bayside44]

Eh recruiting’s challenging because we don’t win consistently. On top of that we don’t produce draft picks on O. Im not going to blame location for recruiting woes. Too much evidence otherwise.

Whats the evidence otherwise? Serious question.

 

[Trueblue25]

Whats the evidence otherwise? Serious question.

When’s the last receiver, rb, te or qb we put in the draft?

Hopefully Tucker reverses that in a big way.

Kids want to go to the pros and/or win.

Pitt’s dominated WNY where ND and PSU leave scraps and their ability to string together bowl appearances and produce draft picks is a reason.

 

[Bayside44]

When’s the last receiver, rb, te or qb we put in the draft?

Hopefully Tucker reverses that in a big way.

Kids want to go to the pros and/or win.

Pitt’s dominated WNY where ND and PSU leave scraps and their ability to string together bowl appearances and produce draft picks is a reason.

I said the biggest recruiting issue is that SU is located in an area with minimal big time talent.

We play NCSU Saturday. Their last class had 14 of 27 kids coming in state. We talk about getting kids a six hour drive or direct flight away. Huge difference IMO.

 

[Trueblue25]

I said the biggest recruiting issue is that SU is located in an area with minimal big time talent.

We play NCSU Saturday. Their last class had 14 of 27 kids coming in state. We talk about getting kids a six hour drive or direct flight away. Huge difference IMO.

There’s talent in the Northeast, it just prefers to go to OSU, ND, PSU, Pitt, BC etc.

Boston College seems to recruit fine despite the limitations of being situated in New England.

Dino was provided with a jet and an expanded budget for assistants/analysts (though still not quite on par yet with peers).

The staff has proven an ability to identify talent out of Florida, Maryland, the Carolinas and other states. I think the best way to build on that is to offer a winning product.

Regional talents not chomping at the bit, growing up loving SU when they’ve only seen a handful of winning teams in 17 years.

Perception is we offer a losing product.

Im not trying to say NY and NC have even remotely comparable HS football talent. They dont. I just think our recent history of losing may effect recruiting more than lack of home grown talent.

 

[Atlcuse44]

30 years ago today, I was nearing the end of my freshman year first semester at Syracuse.

The football team was preparing for West Virginia, to get its 9th win (in 11 game seasons with no FCS).

Then they would go on to beat Ohio State in what is now the Outback Bowl.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

Those were good times. I was going to RIT at that time but would come home to go to SU games. I feel bad for the younger fans on here who never got to experience that

 

[Bayside44]

There’s talent in the Northeast, it just prefers to go to OSU, ND, PSU, Pitt, BC etc.

Boston College seems to recruit fine despite the limitations of being situated in New England.

Dino was provided with a jet and an expanded budget for assistants/analysts (though still not quite on par yet with peers).

The staff has proven an ability to identify talent out of Florida, Maryland, the Carolinas and other states. I think the best way to build on that is to offer a winning product.

Regional talents not chomping at the bit, growing up loving SU when they’ve only seen a handful of winning teams in 17 years.

Perception is we offer a losing product.

Im not trying to say NY and NC have even remotely comparable HS football talent. They dont. I just think our recent history of losing may effect recruiting more than lack of home grown talent.

Rough count of the BC roster has 32 Catholic school kids. That's a solid network to have. Pitt 38 in state kids.

I think it was Bud Foster who said you fly over a lot of schools before you get to Cuse.

I agree that the staff can go to other places and ID talent, it's almost always an away game though. Thats always been a challenge.

 

[Trueblue25]

Rough count of the BC roster has 32 Catholic school kids. That's a solid network to have. Pitt 38 in state kids.

I think it was Bud Foster who said you fly over a lot of schools before you get to Cuse.

I agree that the staff can go to other places and ID talent, it's almost always an away game though. Thats always been a challenge.

Perhaps its time Syracuse corners the Franciscan market . But you make good points.

On the bright side, though some may disagree, Dino’s displayed an ability to find talent despite whichever limitations.

 

[Chip]

Rough count of the BC roster has 32 Catholic school kids. That's a solid network to have. Pitt 38 in state kids.

I think it was Bud Foster who said you fly over a lot of schools before you get to Cuse.

I agree that the staff can go to other places and ID talent, it's almost always an away game though. Thats always been a challenge.

This is only a 1 year sample size, so take with that grain of salt. We have 10 recruits committed, only two in the Top 1,000 per twofourseven, and they're both high 900s.

BC has 14 recruits in the upcoming class ranked higher than our highest recruit. 23 committed total.

Rutgers has 11 recruits ranked higher than our top recruit. Including one they just took from us. 16 committed total.

Pitt has 7 recruits ranked higher. 12 committed total.

Maryland has 6 recruits ranked higher. 13 committed total.

That doesn't even count Penn State, who isn't really worth mentioning other than to pile on. (but the #5 recruiting class in the country, #1 in B1G at the moment).

Last year's QB we signed and the two we're chasing now are from California, the two this year are both lightly recruited. That's flying a little too close to the sun with the potential for homesickness and the ease of transferring.

The sharks are circling, and doing a better job than us. We need the transfer portal to be the great equalizer, otherwise this year is going to bite us badly down the road.

And I'll just throw this at the end. People worry about changing coaches because you lose a recruiting cycle. Well, this would be the one to do it. Not saying we will, or should, just saying.

 

[Bayside44]

Perhaps its time Syracuse corners the Franciscan market . But you make good points.

On the bright side, though some may disagree, Dino’s displayed an ability to find talent despite whichever limitations.

Ha - I feel like a bigger nerd than usual looking up these rosters (Cuse it looks like has 12 in state kids).

I think Dino does a good job of finding guys and developing now, didn't think that was his plan when he got here but he's learning (I hope).

 

[FrancoPizza]

I think we can certainly do better recruiting-wise with someone who has established northeast ties. How much better I have no idea. But we did recruit pretty decently in the early-to-mid 90s so I would say that is probably our ceiling. But that ceiling produced quite a few draft picks at the skill positions. Dino's best bet would be to focus on this angle with any replacements he needs to make on staff. If money talks, then pony up to steal these recruiting dynamos from other schools!

 

[JRHEETER]

Ok, well I have been on this board for many years now, I have met several people in person on it at tailgates, I have never claimed anything like this to anybody, in fact I could prove what I say within 2 minutes with social media, but it really isn't all that serious. I knew there was going to be an exodus of players, I also said possibly before because I am not an 18 year old kid and I do not know their families so, I cant 1000 percent guarantee them leaving was going to happen.

To be fair…. GCA was one I heard was thinking of transferring last spring from a uhhhhhh close close source to another player that has already entered the transfer portal this season

 

[tep624]

There’s talent in the Northeast, it just prefers to go to OSU, ND, PSU, Pitt, BC etc.

Boston College seems to recruit fine despite the limitations of being situated in New England.

Dino was provided with a jet and an expanded budget for assistants/analysts (though still not quite on par yet with peers).

The staff has proven an ability to identify talent out of Florida, Maryland, the Carolinas and other states. I think the best way to build on that is to offer a winning product.

Regional talents not chomping at the bit, growing up loving SU when they’ve only seen a handful of winning teams in 17 years.

Perception is we offer a losing product.

Im not trying to say NY and NC have even remotely comparable HS football talent. They dont. I just think our recent history of losing may effect recruiting more than lack of home grown talent.

The only way that the top tier talent in NE/NY/PA is coming to SU on a consistent basis is if we win. Period.

We have to offer something that other schools don't in order to attract the top Northeast talent and we just don't right now and haven't for some time. We aren't unique because of great weather, we aren't unique because of academics (SU is not Duke or Stanford), and we aren't unique based upon location (physical location of Syracuse not within a major metro area already). Those are all things a program could leverage if they aren't winning. But with Syracuse, you have all those factors working against you, and then you pile on inconsistency and largely losing seasons over a 20 year period - it's not rocket science here as to why the staff struggles to pluck 4-5 star kids with any regularity out of the Northeast. Those kids have opportunities to go to factory schools, or the tip top academic footballs schools, or 4 years at a vacation destination. We need to offer them something that trumps all that, and the only thing that does is winning, media attention and general buzz.

Tradition can contribute as well, but as we've all seen with the nonsense with 44, even that is a challenge at Syracuse. The unfortunate part of this is most of this is self inflicted and the fans are the ones who suffer as a result.

 

[RandomGuy]

This is only a 1 year sample size, so take with that grain of salt. We have 10 recruits committed, only two in the Top 1,000 per twofourseven, and they're both high 900s.

BC has 14 recruits in the upcoming class ranked higher than our highest recruit. 23 committed total.

Rutgers has 11 recruits ranked higher than our top recruit. Including one they just took from us. 16 committed total.

Pitt has 7 recruits ranked higher. 12 committed total.

Maryland has 6 recruits ranked higher. 13 committed total.

That doesn't even count Penn State, who isn't really worth mentioning other than to pile on. (but the #5 recruiting class in the country, #1 in B1G at the moment).

Last year's QB we signed and the two we're chasing now are from California, both lightly recruited. That's flying a little too close to the sun with the potential for homesickness and the ease of transferring.

The sharks are circling, and doing a better job than us. We need the transfer portal to be the great equalizer, otherwise this year is going to bite us badly down the road.

And I'll just throw this at the end. People worry about changing coaches because you lose a recruiting cycle. Well, this would be the one to do it. Not saying we will, or should, just saying.

On average, we USUALLY recruit better than BC. They've just done more with it. Especially with their oline, because the Dazzler was good at that.

The blue chips still aren't going to BC/ Cuse. Cine/Truss to Georgia, Zinter Mich, McGhee Oregon, etc...

I guess the more disturbing part, is Addazio did more, with less. 44-44 vs 29-41.

 

[PhatOrange]

There’s talent in the Northeast, it just prefers to go to OSU, ND, PSU, Pitt, BC etc.

Boston College seems to recruit fine despite the limitations of being situated in New England.

Dino was provided with a jet and an expanded budget for assistants/analysts (though still not quite on par yet with peers).

The staff has proven an ability to identify talent out of Florida, Maryland, the Carolinas and other states. I think the best way to build on that is to offer a winning product.

Regional talents not chomping at the bit, growing up loving SU when they’ve only seen a handful of winning teams in 17 years.

Perception is we offer a losing product.

Im not trying to say NY and NC have even remotely comparable HS football talent. They dont. I just think our recent history of losing may effect recruiting more than lack of home grown talent.

who says BC recruits just fine?

 

[Ringostar57]

Need talent with more gray matter between the ears and lot more heart!

 

[qdawgg]

Too many on here making a mountain out of this. Let these kids leave. NONE of them are irreplaceable. Let’s fill their spots with kids that want to be here.

Kids can be replaced. I think the question is, can OUR staff replace them.

 

[qdawgg]

The best part about people with “intel” is that when the thing happens they say “See? I told you so.” When it doesn’t happen, they say “I told you it might not happen.”

Well because it might not happen because people change their minds. Not really rocket science here.

What I do know is that anyone that did have good inside knowledge and info has been run off over the last 10 yrs b/c people are morons when something doesn’t come true. Wish we had the pay side still.

 

[Trueblue25]

who says BC recruits just fine?

They’ve got almost 10 more draft picks in the pat 10 years than us. So if not fine, then at least comfortably better than us.

 

[RandomGuy]

They’ve got almost 10 more draft picks in the pat 10 years than us. So if not fine, then at least comfortably better than us.

There is a difference between recruiting and developement. Addazio could develop his lower ranked olinemen. THAT, and his system translated better to the Pros(at that time.)

 

[orangecuse]

Rough count of the BC roster has 32 Catholic school kids. That's a solid network to have. Pitt 38 in state kids.

I think it was Bud Foster who said you fly over a lot of schools before you get to Cuse.

I agree that the staff can go to other places and ID talent, it's almost always an away game though. Thats always been a challenge.

I give you a lot of credit. You certainly have all of your bases covered when it comes to ALL of the drawbacks, reasons, excuses, or whatever the heck one chooses to use to fit their argument in why Syracuse University football is faced with such monumental stumbling blocks and disadvantages vs. qualities.

Serious question, in your view, how can SU ever become generally successful again when it faces such an overwhelming consistent plethora of dire and persistent hindrances?

 

[RandomGuy]

Well because it might not happen because people change their minds. Not really rocket science here.

What I do know is that anyone that did have good inside knowledge and info has been run off over the last 10 yrs b/c people are morons when something doesn’t come true. Wish we had the pay side still.

SOME of that "intel" was complete BS. Filtered through an individual opinion, and then parent goggles. While not intentional, some of that stuff, in no way reflected the full picture.

Same goes with any "intel" now. It will almost always be filtered through a lense, and weight applied to it based on an opinion. Is it better than some of the CRAZY speculation that goes on here? Maybe. Maybe not.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

There is a difference between recruiting and developement. Addazio could develop his lower ranked olinemen. THAT, and his system translated better to the Pros(at that time.)

I think identifying is a big deal as well.

Addazio could see from the raw materials what could be. Marrone was similar. The big programs are looking for a finished product. If you have a good talent evaluator it can close the gap at SU.

For SU to be successful we need to both identify based on potential and develop. There are plenty of kids who play at G5 or FCS schools who make it to the NFL. We need to find these kids vs trying to recruit against Penn State.

Then we likely need older and wiser assistant coaches. Guys who are great at technique and can mold these raw materials. A lot of these other programs want the younger assistants for recruiting purposes. Look at Marrone's old staff. The experience they had helped make the team better. Compare that to our current staff. It is night and day. We need our position coaches to be experts in their field.

 

[qdawgg]

SOME of that "intel" was complete BS. Filtered through an individual opinion, and then parent goggles. While not intentional, some of that stuff, in no way reflected the full picture.

Same goes with any "intel" now. It will almost always be filtered through a lense, and weight applied to it based on an opinion. Is it better than some of the CRAZY speculation that goes on here? Maybe. Maybe not.

In the past 10 yrs ago, give and take. There was legit info provided that when didn’t happen the poster was ostracized by people with no sources. I would say the inside info that used to be dropped here and there years ago was very solid info and not through 3-4 other parties with personal bias. That’s all gone now for the most part.