Coaches say stuff all the time, change jobs all the time. If anyone thought Doug would be at Syracuse forever well I don't know what to tell you. The issue is that fans want coaches to stay when they win and after a bad season or 2 they want them fired. The issue is that if a coach is going to stay a long term, there has to be a give and take, loyalty by those hiring and firing when times are tough and loyalty by the coach when times are good. This really doesn't happen anymore. It just doesn't.
I am not sure Dino's loyalty after 2018 was by default but with a 5-7 season in 2019 there weren't many options and after 2020 well he's probably fighting for his job this season. Now if he rights the ship the next two seasons I am curious as to what that looks like.
My point is I agree with your post, I am sure Doug always thought of being the HC at Syracuse in an extremely favorable light. It was his first HC job as well. Dreams versus Reality are two different things He also got a HC job in the NFL, tough to say no to. Not that complicated. Doug also hated his boss.