Letter to JW

[IthacaMatt]

We wont have a fan base if he’s retained after a 4 win season

I said months ago that 4 wins was going to be the minimum threshold - not the goal, obviously, but that's what his internal target probably is, because of the cost of the buy-out.

As long as we don't completely collapse, he will be back next year, and next year a bowl will be the minimum requirement because the buy-out will be reduced by at least 50%.

 

[GoSU96]

Stuff your crap. You dont have a clue.

Anyone can identify a problem and express a concern

I’d expect a circle of leaders to offer positive solutions

 

[dasher]

Today is why 4 wins, and even 5 wins, should not buy Dino another year.

Played major contributors into the second half vs Albany.

Didn’t get our third string QB in when we put up 60+…. Vs freakin Albany

Our team looks clueless on special teams

Penalties, penalties, penalties.

We’re probably a 7 or so win team with a coach that can game plan and maintain discipline.

It’s not a talent discrepancy anymore.

our recruiting ratings are at or near the bottom every year. Now, that is on the coaches but I don't think we have the Talent that we are playing against.

 

[Trueblue25]

our recruiting ratings are at or near the bottom every year. Now, that is on the coaches but I don't think we have the Talent that we are playing against.

We have pieces. Mikel Jones is special. Im obviously no talent evaluator but there’s something different about that kids presence while watching in the dome. Chestnut, Wax, Tucker, Caleb O and a couple others too. We have a few diamonds. I think a mediocre Offense could get this good to occasionally great defense to a bowl

 

[OrangePA]

At some point our coaches and AD need to stop leaning on a pandemic that affected every single program in college football, many of whom had very good years last year.

I don’t agree with the notion that Covid affected all programs in the same way. Programs with substantial depth had the capacity to play through the pandemic. We did not have that capacity.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We have pieces. Mikel Jones is special. Im obviously no talent evaluator but there’s something different about that kids presence while watching in the dome. Chestnut, Wax, Tucker, Caleb O and a couple others too. We have a few diamonds. I think a mediocre Offense could get this good to occasionally great defense to a bowl

I think we have some talented players, but not a ton of them. We have to keep them healthy.
And the coaches have to coach to win, like they did today.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

It’s all well and good to want to fire someone. That’s easy. How do you know you will get someone who will improve SU’s lot. There has been one guy in the past 10 years, and he left

 

[JeffCuse]

I don’t agree with the notion that Covid affected all programs in the same way. Programs with substantial depth had the capacity to play through the pandemic. We did not have that capacity.

Fair. But…is it not in the coaching staff to recruit for depth?

 

[Trueblue25]

I think we have some talented players, but not a ton of them. We have to keep them healthy.
And the coaches have to coach to win, like they did today.

We have to keep them healthy, I agree. So take them out after the first half vs a terrible Albany team. Sean Tucker should have been out after the first quarter. We’re four deep at rb.

 

[Bayside44]

I don’t agree with the notion that Covid affected all programs in the same way. Programs with substantial depth had the capacity to play through the pandemic. We did not have that capacity.

Agreed - there were a zillion variables between states and local governments across the conference. At one point Dino said we were close to being dq-ed for the season.

Obviously this year is big. The ACC just by looking today isn't a juggernaut.

 

[kcsu]

Anyone can identify a problem and express a concern

I’d expect a circle of leaders to offer positive solutions

You are obviously a huge fan and i respected you until now. I shared something and you decided to denigrate my Father and his friends. Block me as i have blocked you.

 

[USMCSnyper]

Dino hasn't and will never put down roots in Syracuse.

With his performance, I don’t see this as a problem.

 

[OrangePA]

Fair. But…is it not in the coaching staff to recruit for depth?

Not necessarily.

Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson have the money, infrastructure and influence to attract 85 great players.

We don’t, no matter who we hire as coach.

 

[KellySyracuse]

Today is why 4 wins, and even 5 wins, should not buy Dino another year.

Played major contributors into the second half vs Albany.

Didn’t get our third string QB in when we put up 60+…. Vs freakin Albany

Our team looks clueless on special teams

Penalties, penalties, penalties.

We’re probably a 7 or so win team with a coach that can game plan and maintain discipline.

It’s not a talent discrepancy anymore.

All the penalties are a tell. I want Babers to be the guy but there is something wrong at the core with coaching when there is no discipline

 

[OrangePA]

I would love JW’s perspective on a few underlying themes from this program -

- Injuries - Every team has them but this program has them 2-3x on an annual basis from its peers.

- Recruiting - I am on record saying that this program just cannot recruit at a Top 25 level and never will. I have accepted it. However, if peers like Pitt, VT, BC and Rutgers can occasionally recruit at that level, why can this program not even recruit at a top 40 level? Not even following a 10 win season did this program get a bump. Consistently been top 60.

- Dino and staff make little effort to attract interest in this program and encourage fans to support and come to games. No spring game, the pathetic Fan Fest event, the endless secrecy that clearly does not provide a competitive advantage, etc. Let me phrase it a little differently….how much revenue has been lost over the last 5-6 years because zero effort has been made by this program to encourage attendance?

- (Most importantly LOL) Can we fix the freaking sound system please? I wont blame that one on Dino but seriously? How do you spend millions and it actually sounds worse than the last system.

JW is well aware of the Dome’s sound system issue.

 

[OrangePA]

I get you like JW but his performance as AD has done nothing to give confidence he is up for the job.
He has personal relationships with people here. People like him because he isn’t going to look for another job and would stay here but that honestly isn’t a factor I would care about when your sports teams aren’t doing well.

I don’t care if people good at their job go to better jobs.
It means they will have done well here.
I don’t need wildhack for 20 years. If we had an AD that did well and a bigger dog wanted him then find another AD. Just like coaches.

Disagree

 

[MadNY3]

You are obviously a huge fan and i respected you until now. I shared something and you decided to denigrate my Father and his friends. Block me as i have blocked you.

I have to say, I don’t usually rubber-stamp whatever Go says, but your note suggests you are people of influence.

So…influence. Writing a letter is nice, but the way you pumped up the triad of writers, one expects more than your take on his response.

 

[Alsacs]

SUAD is noted as paying money into the general fund. SU runs the program correctly (one reason we mock Rutgers for their financial dealings). That said, people that manage finances responsibly, tend to look at the costs in ways the average person does not - it's whey they are successful to begin with. Every angle and variable is considered.

Getting into coaching buyouts is a bad practice. See UConn, Rutgers, et al. Doing so periodically may be necessary, but but buying out too many years can be far costlier than suffering through one more losing season.

Regardless, Babers has the players to win 6 or more games. Let's see how things play out. Next week will be really revealing.

Oh please Syracuse could sell the Notre Dame home game to a neutral site and get the money to buyout a coach.
The idea the athletic department has to pinch pennies is terrible. We receive 30+ million a year in TV revenue, the Dome is full of sponsors and advertisements.

The fact people accept the premise it’s cheaper to save one year of a buyout is why we can’t have nice things.

2.5 million dollars can be raised by what I said.
We could also take a paycheck game from a big boy if we wanted to raise the money.

 

[Alsacs]

Disagree

You can like John Wildhack personally. He has done very little as AD to show the fanbase we should have blind faith.
The softball and women’s basketball scandals are terrible.

I don’t want a coach/administrator who just wants to remain at Syracuse as the primary objective. If we are a springboard so be it. It means the person we are losing has done a good job.
Wildhack if he keeps the HC without a bowl season will tell me what he is.
Hopefully we get to 6 wins so it’s mute.

 

[anomander]

I think we have some talented players, but not a ton of them. We have to keep them healthy.
And the coaches have to coach to win, like they did today.

This isn't direct towards you, but having some talent just isn't enough. We are basically out manned top to bottom in every conference game we play. Our recruiting has been atrocious for years. Is it a coincidence we were a top 25 team when we were recruiting like one? I don't know what the answer is, or if there is one, but things aren't going to change until we start to recruit better. The problem I have with coaches like Robinson, Shafer, and now Babers is there is no plan. I know people don't agree, but at least with Marrone you knew he had a game plan when it came to recruiting. You can't just send your 10 coaches out there and pound the pavement and sea from Syracuse to Hawaii. I believe you should come up with a recruiting game plan and stick to it. I don't even care if it's working the transfer portal to bring in more talented athletes than we could potentially get out of HS. I would just like to see some resemblance of a plan.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We have to keep them healthy, I agree. So take them out after the first half vs a terrible Albany team. Sean Tucker should have been out after the first quarter. We’re four deep at rb.

I think we saw a ton of the second unit today. I didn't know hardly any of the names being called on the defense for almost the whole second half. Adams and Howard and Shrader all got several carries, several series. I don't think Shrader is better than DeVito at this point in time, but I'm glad he got about 35 minutes or so of game time. The only ball carrier who didn't get at least 5 yards a carry was Abdul Adams. But even he got about 5 carries in his couple series in the 2nd half.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The problem I have with coaches like Robinson, Shafer, and now Babers is there is no plan. I know people don't agree, but at least with Marrone you knew he had a game plan when it came to recruiting. You can't just send your 10 coaches out there and pound the pavement and sea from Syracuse to Hawaii. I believe you should come up with a recruiting game plan and stick to it. I don't even care if it's working the transfer portal to bring in more talented athletes than we could potentially get out of HS. I would just like to see some resemblance of a plan.

Well, at the beginning, they only took guys with certain measurables, and I thought it was a big improvement over the guys we were getting at the end of the Shafer run. We were getting 5-9 cornerbacks and 5-11 linebackers who were slow and small. I think our team looks good getting off the bus now. We have big tall guys who need to fill out - much like our basketball team.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Oh please Syracuse could sell the Notre Dame home game to a neutral site and get the money to buyout a coach.
The idea the athletic department has to pinch pennies is terrible. We receive 30+ million a year in TV revenue, the Dome is full of sponsors and advertisements.

The fact people accept the premise it’s cheaper to save one year of a buyout is why we can’t have nice things.

2.5 million dollars can be raised by what I said.
We could also take a paycheck game from a big boy if we wanted to raise the money.

What is our attendance so far this year, about 20,000? Fannies in the seats, and the money they spend on concessions comes to millions of dollars a season. That money matters as much as the ACC television money.

 

[OrangePA]

You can like John Wildhack personally. He has done very little as AD to show the fanbase we should have blind faith.
The softball and women’s basketball scandals are terrible.

I don’t want a coach/administrator who just wants to remain at Syracuse as the primary objective. If we are a springboard so be it. It means the person we are losing has done a good job.
Wildhack if he keeps the HC without a bowl season will tell me what he is.
Hopefully we get to 6 wins so it’s mute.

The New Dome.

 

[Bulldog04]

I’ve been able to meet JW and speak with him on couple occasions. Great guy. Says the right things. Etc etc

2 issues I have- he does not anticipate at all. He’s a reactor. Covid affected everyone. You have every possible resource to get things done proactively and be ahead on some stuff and yet I see zero anticipation

2nd- this is suppose to be one of the best executives in the country coming from ESPN running a media giant. What has he done to grow the brand of Syracuse U? Call me crazy, but Gross and his “New York’s sports team” thing was so much more recognizable all over the place. I see ZERO from JW on the brand recognition and exposure that has elevated the sports programs and name.