Absolutely right. I cant believe people think we should give up on conncecting with kids, coaches and parents in their community and own state. No matter how many top recruits dont come to SU. You still have to establish and maintain relationships in your own territory. You dont quit.
I dont think he should take fliers. Take kids that can develop and contribute. Riggins 6'2 215. 4.6 40. He's not a scrub. With a new staff coming in, honoring his commitment would have been a perfect time to improve the bad relationships between the two. Instead they stronged arm him more than any other decommitted prospect. Its that really a good way to start a relationship with locals?
Why does it seem like ass kissing. Do you know for sure? Have you sat in meetings? gone to clinics and conferences? NY coaches are some of the hardest working and prideful coaches Ive seen. They dont want anything given to them.
I think your perception is incorrect. Building any relationship takes time. Why do you think the current staff is recruiting the Midwest and Fl hard? Because that is where they have their established relationships. Marrone and Shafer both worked hard at establishing good relationships with the NY state programs. I just think it was foolish for this staff not to take one kid and possibly close the door on all the good work that has been done.
Whats makes you think this doesnt go on in those states? lol its worse there. The HS coaches in those states really think the state schools owe them something. Ive seen it. I go to Pittsburgh Glazier clinic every year. Its bad there. The College coaches in those states recruit kids all the time that are mariginal or developmental. They know how it works. The difference is they have better overall talent in those states so its harder to find the mariginal recruits but every roster has them. Believe me.
I've never understood why SU fans get bent out of shape and seemingly take it personally when a team that has basically stunk for 15 years has a hard time keeping the local blue chippers at home. Not only has an entire generation of NYS ballers never seen a really good SU football team, but heck If I'm a top recruit at a Catholic school like AQ, and ND comes calling with a full ride I'm sure as heck going to strongly consider it over SU. As a Catholic myself that fact alone would have made the offer almost irresistible. Who wouldn't want to play in front of a packed house (as opposed to the 1/2 empty Dome) every game on tv, top notch academics (superior to SU?), national alumni network that borders on cult like, and top shelf facilities. None of this is a slight on SU but the overall football experience at SU is inferior to that of schools like Notre Dame. This has always been the case and is not going to change. We have not been the place to be since McNabb/Freeney left and even then we weren't a recruiting destination. In a large part, this is what has me excited about Babers and his offensive scheme- I believe he has a great chance to make SU an exciting place to play again and give us an opportunity to get back on track. If what Money said about Riggins' breakup with SU was handled as poorly as he suggests, then that is very disappointing indeed.
This happens in every state. Im sure Alabama has local kids on the roster that they might have recruited over. Knowing the kid would never play a meaningful down for them.
Um those programs win
I know the Jones family very well. The Greg Robinson staff treated their oldest son very bad. Matt Jones was a SU commit back in the mid 2000's but didnt qualify, Cuse staff did some things that I cant talk about. Wheatley was starting to improve their relationship. He would have got Jarron come to SU but there was too many beat dogs in his ear. larry Johnson who was at Penn st at the time, he is one of the best DL coaches and recruiter got a commitment from Jarron. Notre Dame jumped on him. Once he committed to ND is was over. Jarron was going to still take a official to SU but Brian Kelly told him not to. The Jones family bad experieces have snowballed into the AQ community, so there's a bad perception of SU football from them. I cant remember any AQ player going to SU, not within the last 15 years of their dominance. We are talking about a team that is currently the 16th ranked program in the country.
Bravo Bravo. People just dont believe me when I say how bad the perception is of Syracuse football. Some of these kids in NY dont even know SU has a football team. They just think basketball is played there. We all have to make this better, not just the SU coaches or HS coaches, All of us.
Coming out of highschool in 1993. As much as I love SU sports. If offered, I would have went to Miami, Michigan or Notre Dame before SU.
lol it started with that. obviously the coaches weve had since done nothing to change that. Why dont you think Canisius, St Joes, AQ, New Rochelle and other NY powers dont have kids on SU rosters? iTS Not a coincidence. Rutgers does whatever it takes to maintain relationships with the Don Bosco's St Peters, St Joe's and Bergen Catholics. Why do you think Quadree Ollison coming out of Canisius never considered SU?
Dead on balls accurate!
SU is a great school, but will never get the top kids from the Catholic Schools, or be able to select who they want from the public schools like the other big big boys. Just the way it is, for the reasons you stated. However, that sure doesn't mean we can't have a solid program that is exciting to follow. That's all I want and need!
