Marrone having blown it with Melvin Gordon got me thinking (other SU tied HS coaches)

[PhatOrange]

I'd heard they pretty much ignored the SU guy at Tampa Hillsborough to and am wondering if that Sir Mawn Wilson ? Anyone know if he still coaches there?

Another solid Syracuse player was LB Rodney Wells. He's the Head Coach at Orlando power Dr. Phillips. He hasn't sent Syracuse a player since EJ Carter who Marrone recruited but ended up leaving the team.

I wonder if Shafer is trying rekindle any of these SU tied high school relationships? I really haven't seen it.

 

[CusefanATL]

Have we improved our relationship with STA?

 

[oldpinepoint]

Have we improved our relationship with STA?

Yes

 

[suloyalfan]

That Melvin Gordon story reminded me about the strange Garrett Barnas recruiting journey. He thought he had an offer from Syracuse to play QB, but then Marrone took over for Robinson and he was cut loose. He ended up walking on at Northern Illinois and playing 2 years on special teams and as a backup safety. So, there's a good chance he wasn't in line for the Heisman Trophy at QB for Syracuse.

I think it's interesting that Gordon has ended up in this situation, but this is definitely a case of hindsight being 20/20. At the time he had 1 offer, was from a state that SU doesn't normally recruit, may not have even been someone they were recruiting, was visiting on a gameday week-end where they weren't planning to meet with him (apparently), and wasn't highly regarded/rated at the time. There are plenty of other recruits who have been highly pursued and gone on to do nothing special, and probably others who have been disregarded and turned out to be outstanding players.

Anyone remember David Oku and all of the excitement around his recruitment? He couldn't stay out of trouble at Tennessee and ended up at Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference. He was marginally successful at Tennessee and Arkansas State when he was able to stay out of trouble.

 

[tep624]

I think it's an easier sell had Gordon played at a school out of state rather than staying home at Wisconsin. He had a really strong relationship with the Iowa coaching staff according to him and he subsequently decommitted from Iowa to stay home and play at Wisconsin. So who's to say had we pursued him and he even did verbal to Syracuse that he wouldn't have done the same thing in the end?

 

[CusefanATL]

Anyone remember David Oku and all of the excitement around his recruitment? He couldn't stay out of trouble at Tennessee and ended up at Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference. He was marginally successful at Tennessee and Arkansas State when he was able to stay out of trouble.

The David Oku thing reminds my of Bryce Brown which is funny because I think Brown was the main reason Oku was thinking of going somewhere other than Tenn. At least Brown found the NFL somehow, but neither are anywhere near what we thought they could have been.

 

[AAM62]

I think the real takeaway is a 2 or 3 star guy can blow up with the right development

 

[PhatOrange]

I think it's an easier sell had Gordon played at a school out of state rather than staying home at Wisconsin. He had a really strong relationship with the Iowa coaching staff according to him and he subsequently decommitted from Iowa to stay home and play at Wisconsin. So who's to say had we pursued him and he even did verbal to Syracuse that he wouldn't have done the same thing in the end?

I really doubt in the end that we would have landed Melvin Gordon away from Wisconsin, we'll never know. Maybe as simple as having offered him Davis' #44 - but we don't that anymore either.

Anyhow, I'm more interest in what we're doing about all the SU guys coaching HS. Are we trying to leverage those relationships?

 

[tep624]

I really doubt in the end that we would have landed Melvin Gordon away from Wisconsin, we'll never know. Maybe as simple as having offered him Davis' #44 - but we don't that anymore either.

Anyhow, I'm more interest in what we're doing about all the SU guys coaching HS. Are we trying to leverage those relationships?

Oh don't get me wrong, it's a good point. I think we should be doing everything in our power to leverage those types of relationships.

That being said, I think people are going off the deep end about this Melvin Gordon thing. The bigger issue to me would have been had we landed on signing day in need of a RB without a commit. The staff at the time took 3 guys they thought were high value targets. This stuff happens all the time. Some guys pan out and some guys don't. It's hindsight 20/20 at it's finest.

 

[anomander]

Too bad Gary and Mike are now at Solvay. I don't think my hometown school will be sending anyone to Syracuse anytime soon

 

[PhatOrange]

Oh don't get me wrong, it's a good point. I think we should be doing everything in our power to leverage those types of relationships.

That being said, I think people are going off the deep end about this Melvin Gordon thing. The bigger issue to me would have been had we landed on signing day in need of a RB without a commit. The staff at the time took 3 guys they thought were high value targets. This stuff happens all the time. Some guys pan out and some guys don't. It's hindsight 20/20 at it's finest.

I agree

 

[djorange1989]

I don't like that the staff didn't take the time to even say hi to these kids. That is really Marrone's call, if they were watching film, that would be his call, and his call to step out and say hello. Shafer as HC would make sure to meet the kids, or have staff members meet them

 

[anglerman]

That Melvin Gordon story reminded me about the strange Garrett Barnas recruiting journey. He thought he had an offer from Syracuse to play QB, but then Marrone took over for Robinson and he was cut loose. He ended up walking on at Northern Illinois and playing 2 years on special teams and as a backup safety. So, there's a good chance he wasn't in line for the Heisman Trophy at QB for Syracuse.

I think it's interesting that Gordon has ended up in this situation, but this is definitely a case of hindsight being 20/20. At the time he had 1 offer, was from a state that SU doesn't normally recruit, may not have even been someone they were recruiting, was visiting on a gameday week-end where they weren't planning to meet with him (apparently), and wasn't highly regarded/rated at the time. There are plenty of other recruits who have been highly pursued and gone on to do nothing special, and probably others who have been disregarded and turned out to be outstanding players.

Anyone remember David Oku and all of the excitement around his recruitment? He couldn't stay out of trouble at Tennessee and ended up at Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference. He was marginally successful at Tennessee and Arkansas State when he was able to stay out of trouble.

Gary brought the kids by during the summer do it wasn't game game week. Doug wouldn't even come out of his office.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don't like that the staff didn't take the time to even say hi to these kids. That is really Marrone's call, if they were watching film, that would be his call, and his call to step out and say hello.

Yeah, that's the part that's weird to me and makes zero sense.

I get that maybe you don't evaluate a highschool player the same way their highschool coach does. But why not be courteous and take a minute to say hello to the coach, family and player? Even if there's no way you're ever interested in the player, you respected that the family and the kid want to be a part of what you're building, and you leave the coach with the feeling that you can be trusted. That seems worth 20-30 minutes.

 

[djorange1989]

Yeah, that's the part that's weird to me and makes zero sense.

I get that maybe you don't evaluate a highschool player the same way their highschool coach does. But why not be courteous and take a minute to say hello to the coach, family and player? Even if there's no way you're ever interested in the player, you respected that the family and the kid want to be a part of what you're building, and you leave the coach with the feeling that you can be trusted. That seems worth 20-30 minutes.

Very well said, OIG. I am a pro Marrone guy but to me it shows his NFL mentality. Watching film is important obviously but there is no free agency or draft in college you need to respect the recruiting process

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Very well said, OIG. I am a pro Marrone guy but to me it shows his NFL mentality. Watching film is important obviously but there is no free agency or draft in college you need to respect the recruiting process

I know this will sound lame, but even putting aside the football stuff, that's just what you do to be nice, you know?

 

[djorange1989]

I know this will sound lame, but even putting aside the football stuff, that's just what you do to be nice, you know?

Doesn't sound lame at all, it's called being a good person. I think DM is a good person but also an obsessive person. Stuff like this and treating alumni poorly were due to focusing on preparation and absolutely nothing else. It's why NFL coaches have no lives if they let it be that way

 

[CuseHulk]

Speaking of Wisconsin and Marrone. I had heard Marrone had interviewed for the Wisconsin Job ?

Was that true.

 

[OburgOrange]

Speaking of Wisconsin and Marrone. I had heard Marrone had interviewed for the Wisconsin Job ?

Was that true.

No