Maryland

[anomander]

Let me start by saying this isn't a thread to fire Babers, fire Ward (although he has something to prove), or bench the QB.. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be completely frustrated. Yesterday was an opportunity at a program changing win. There is so much that comes along with hosting college gameday. It's not just a couple famous commentators coming to your school. It's a showcase on your program. It basically means you have arrived. Now even if we take all of that away, you'are still playing a B10 school on their home field . What do we do? We lay an absolute egg. It's actually worse than that. We completely quit after getting ran off the field in the 1st half. I'm sure there are people who will spin this, or grasp at the few positives there were, but if we are all being totally honest, yesterday was an utter disaster, and there really isn't any other way around it. We got beat by an individually talented team, no doubt, but it's also a program with a HC in his 2nd game, and transfers all over the field, including QB. Yet they were able to gel and look like a team that has been playing together their entire life. I hated hearing " we didn't have tape on them". Is that the new thing? On offense if we run OUR stuff, and execute correctly, they should have to adjust to US. Not the other way around. I digress.... Something seems off with this team. After a lackluster week 1, and then this, it seems like we are missing something. In a game we should have been completely focused for we had every single unit look like they didn't want to be there. Once our all-ameircan kicker misses a PAT i knew it was going to be a long day. That just screams lack of focus. I question if we have the team leaders to make sure this doesn't happen again.

On the defensive side of the ball the talent is there. We have a glaring weakness at 1 of the LB positions, but the rest of this defense never in a million years should have a game like this. A lot of this has to fall on Ward. We have big, physical, athletic DB's, but we just sit back in zone giving WR's a free release. I don't think it's a coincidence that Ward's defense gets shredded by these RPO offenses like Wake, USF, and Maryland. It's amazing we went the entire game without coming up with an answer.

With all that said i don't think all hope is lost. We have seen a lot of these players, and coaches all be better...a lot better. It's there and that was the most disappointing/discouraging part. You look forward to this game for 6 months , knowing everything that is on the line, and that was the effort we got. Just so disappointing. I know everyone is going to think we are going to get blown out by Clemson, which very well could happen, but there is still a ton to play for. Plus playing at home seems to magically sure some of the issues on the defensive side of the ball. All of the momentum that we just lost can be gained back by this upcoming Saturdays performance. It's going to be really interesting to see how Babers is able to refocus this team and get them back to playing the ball that we were all expecting and know they are capable of. I think he can do it, but until then i think it's completely fair to criticize this weeks performance without making it out to be that you want everyone fired or benched.

 

[kcsu]

Ward was completely out coached yesterday. His preparation was obviously off the mark and he never adjusted.
With this staff my main concern is their inability to make in game adjustments. Why we played soft all game is beyond me.

 

[NineOneSeven]

It’s simple really. Yesterday was an absolute punch in the jaw and every player should take it as such. You got absolutely stomped on national television. All that la familia stuff all summer means nothing when you get taken out back like we did yesterday. This wasn’t a close loss. It was a 43 point loss.

Now we see how they respond. Refocus time.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Wasn’t just Ward. Dino had a bad day as well. Play calling was terrible. Too many runs on third and long. Play calling on third and fourth down sucked.

 

[P Vasiloff]

In my very humble opinion, what is missing right now is leadership on this team. Leadership that is led by fire and passion. No one is getting anybody fired up. On offense, DeVito needs to start taking on the leadership role by taking charge out on the field. Right now this is his team, his offense and he has to this point not shown any fire on the field. This team in years past has been fueled by emotion and right now there isn't any. I know Tommy DeVito is not Eric Dungey and he never will be and that's perfectly okay. But what Dungey used to do so well was get everyone else fired up and got them to play better. I would love to see DeVito show some emotion on the field and moxie and take charge and get the guys around him to play better. Thats what good quarterbacks do. Same on defense, Kendall and Alton, that's on you too. Leaders on this team, it's time to start acting like it. Go Orange!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chip]

Wasn’t just Ward. Dino had a bad day as well. Play calling was terrible. Too many runs on third and long. Play calling on third and fourth down sucked.

Add Lynch to the list. He seems to get the kind of air cover under Dino that Ward doesn’t get.

Just an inexcusable performance in so many ways.

Only one way to cure it and that happens this Saturday. I don’t know what to think. I feel like we’ll come together and play really well. But then there’s part of me that wonders if there’s a bigger problem or combo of problems. Such as we’re just not very good this year, or we have a huge leadership void, or there is some selfishness, who knows.

All I do know is what I said in the game thread. Everything I thought I knew about this team and this sport just evaporated yesterday in a span of about 10 minutes.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I completely agree that "no film" is a bad mentality.

That doesn't communicate that we're in control.

 

[dan7800]

The team obviously was not prepared for this game. That is on the coaching.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

The team obviously was not prepared for this game. That is on the coaching.

Absolutely, I don't know what Ward has been doing. And, the offensive play calling has been mysterious to say the least. But, it's also lack of depth at key positions. Getting Williams back will be huge. But, who knows when that will be? I think the true freshman LBs will ultimately take over. But, it will take them half the season to get there. Maybe a WR steps up so we don't rely exclusively on Jackson. Maybe Bergeron takes over at tackle. But, again, it will take half the season. I never bought the "most improvement happens between games one and two" B.S. Improvement takes half a dozen games.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Our WRs, LBs, and OL are way worse than last year.

Maybe we should have went the grad transfer route got a dual threat RS Sr QB and let Devito sit another year and desperately looked for experienced O line, WR, and LB help.

 

[OrangeDW]

Our WRs, LBs, and OL are way worse than last year.

Maybe we should have went the grad transfer route got a dual threat RS Sr QB and let Devito sit another year and desperately looked for experienced O line, WR, and LB help.

Is WR really? We lost Custus, but added Jackson who looks good.

Everybody else is back, right?

 

[Cuseregular]

In my very humble opinion, what is missing right now is leadership on this team. Leadership that is led by fire and passion. No one is getting anybody fired up. On offense, DeVito needs to start taking on the leadership role by taking charge out on the field. Right now this is his team, his offense and he has to this point not shown any fire on the field. This team in years past has been fueled by emotion and right now there isn't any. I know Tommy DeVito is not Eric Dungey and he never will be and that's perfectly okay. But what Dungey used to do so well was get everyone else fired up and got them to play better. I would love to see DeVito show some emotion on the field and moxie and take charge and get the guys around him to play better. Thats what good quarterbacks do. Same on defense, Kendall and Alton, that's on you too. Leaders on this team, it's time to start acting like it. Go Orange!!!!

Let me start by saying this isn't a thread to fire Babers, fire Ward (although he has something to prove), or bench the QB.. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be completely frustrated. Yesterday was an opportunity at a program changing win. There is so much that comes along with hosting college gameday. It's not just a couple famous commentators coming to your school. It's a showcase on your program. It basically means you have arrived. Now even if we take all of that away, you'are still playing a B10 school on their home field . What do we do? We lay an absolute egg. It's actually worse than that. We completely quit after getting ran off the field in the 1st half. I'm sure there are people who will spin this, or grasp at the few positives there were, but if we are all being totally honest, yesterday was an utter disaster, and there really isn't any other way around it. We got beat by an individually talented team, no doubt, but it's also a program with a HC in his 2nd game, and transfers all over the field, including QB. Yet they were able to gel and look like a team that has been playing together their entire life. I hated hearing " we didn't have tape on them". Is that the new thing? On offense if we run OUR stuff, and execute correctly, they should have to adjust to US. Not the other way around. I digress... Something seems off with this team. After a lackluster week 1, and then this, it seems like we are missing something. In a game we should have been completely focused for we had every single unit look like they didn't want to be there. Once our all-ameircan kicker misses a PAT i knew it was going to be a long day. That just screams lack of focus. I question if we have the team leaders to make sure this doesn't happen again.

On the defensive side of the ball the talent is there. We have a glaring weakness at 1 of the LB positions, but the rest of this defense never in a million years should have a game like this. A lot of this has to fall on Ward. We have big, physical, athletic DB's, but we just sit back in zone giving WR's a free release. I don't think it's a coincidence that Ward's defense gets shredded by these RPO offenses like Wake, USF, and Maryland. It's amazing we went the entire game without coming up with an answer.

With all that said i don't think all hope is lost. We have seen a lot of these players, and coaches all be better...a lot better. It's there and that was the most disappointing/discouraging part. You look forward to this game for 6 months , knowing everything that is on the line, and that was the effort we got. Just so disappointing. I know everyone is going to think we are going to get blown out by Clemson, which very well could happen, but there is still a ton to play for. Plus playing at home seems to magically sure some of the issues on the defensive side of the ball. All of the momentum that we just lost can be gained back by this upcoming Saturdays performance. It's going to be really interesting to see how Babers is able to refocus this team and get them back to playing the ball that we were all expecting and know they are capable of. I think he can do it, but until then i think it's completely fair to criticize this weeks performance without making it out to be that you want everyone fired or benched.

Read this gents: it's what's missing

Time to hit the brakes

A bit. What a wonderful problem to have compared to past problems with the program and I am not normally the one to sound the alarm for concern but haven't seen anything to this effect yet. It has been absolutely exhilarating to read see and hear the unbridled optimism and enthusiasm going on...

syracusefan.com

Exactly right, its leadership and we're currently not seeing it on either side of the ball which is concerning. The good news is with the good stewardship of this staff this is something that CAN be developed and nourished in a team for leaders to emerge as the season plays out.

We're gonna lose convincingly this Saturday and then the salvation attempt begins. As I say in the post linked if they can salvage a decent to good season then it's still forward progress in the big picture. It's going to be harder than I originally envisioned but can still be done and I'm confident (well kinda confident!), it can and will be done.

 

[anomander]

Our WRs, LBs, and OL are way worse than last year.

Maybe we should have went the grad transfer route got a dual threat RS Sr QB and let Devito sit another year and desperately looked for experienced O line, WR, and LB help.

Sit another year? What for? It's his 3rd year in the system he either has it by now or he doesn't. I think he will be ok if we can get him some protection so he can stay in the pocket.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Our WRs, LBs, and OL are way worse than last year.

Maybe we should have went the grad transfer route got a dual threat RS Sr QB and let Devito sit another year and desperately looked for experienced O line, WR, and LB help.

He'd be playing for another school this year if that happened.

And we'd probably never get another recruit out of NJ.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Sit another year? What for? It's his 3rd year in the system he either has it by now or he doesn't. I think he will be ok if we can get him some protection so he can stay in the pocket.

Not a knock on the kid there were just some free agents who could have been Dungey 2.0. Maybe Tommy still wins the job. I don’t have all the answers and we probably don’t get Jalen Hurts over OU given what their 2 transfers did before but we might have got Jackson.

I’m sure we tried for an OL but there wasn’t one related to the coach on the market.

WR we might have made a mistake thinking we were set. LB who knows.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Is WR really? We lost Custus, but added Jackson who looks good.

Everybody else is back, right?

Yup no clue what’s going on Liberty and Maryland games the unit was flat out not good. Same guys other than Jackson who’s been the best of a disappointing group so far.

 

[djorange1989]

Not a knock on the kid there were just some free agents who could have been Dungey 2.0. Maybe Tommy still wins the job. I don’t have all the answers and we probably don’t get Jalen Hurts over OU given what their 2 transfers did before but we might have got Jackson.

I’m sure we tried for an OL but there wasn’t one related to the coach on the market.

WR we might have made a mistake thinking we were set. LB who knows.

that OL grad transfer comment was pretty douchie

 

[IthacaMatt]

In my very humble opinion, what is missing right now is leadership on this team. Leadership that is led by fire and passion. No one is getting anybody fired up. On offense, DeVito needs to start taking on the leadership role by taking charge out on the field. Right now this is his team, his offense and he has to this point not shown any fire on the field. This team in years past has been fueled by emotion and right now there isn't any. I know Tommy DeVito is not Eric Dungey and he never will be and that's perfectly okay. But what Dungey used to do so well was get everyone else fired up and got them to play better. I would love to see DeVito show some emotion on the field and moxie and take charge and get the guys around him to play better. Thats what good quarterbacks do. Same on defense, Kendall and Alton, that's on you too. Leaders on this team, it's time to start acting like it. Go Orange!!!!

I think there were a few times in the game that I would have liked to see players hold other players more accountable on the sidelines, especially as the game was getting away from us.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

that OL grad transfer comment was pretty douchie

Didn’t mean it like that. Just we didn’t appreciate how good the guy we plugged and played last year actually was partially due to his ties to the staff.

He fell into our laps if we wanted someone similar we’d have had to work for it.

 

[djorange1989]

Didn’t mean it like that. Just we didn’t appreciate how good the guy we plugged and played last year actually was partially due to his ties to the staff.

He fell into our laps if we wanted someone similar we’d have had to work for it.

They worked hard for the two they got this year too and probably for guys they didn’t get as well.

After two weeks I am getting a 2011 vibe. That team didn’t have the hype of this one but still were expected to be good and they had chemistry and leadership issues amongst the players all year. Injuries crushed that team for sure but chemistry was off from the start. Really hope that is not the case this year

 

[rrlbees]

Leadership is best seen by seniors. Sure others can display leadership but it’s the seniors team. On offense that’s Moe I’m looking to to show more leadership more so than the sophomore QB.

I hate the way Dino does captains too.

 

[RandomGuy]

Looks like I'm the only one who will address the Elephant in the room. This one falls squarely on Coach E!

Instead of a bunch of hard nosed football players, we get a bunch of guys that gently pick things up and put them down, that like a good speech. Sheesh.

He used to write things like WORK HARD, and EARN THIS on his knuckles. Only effort will win you this. Now we get DOMINATE? Seriously? Implying that when you win, do it so well that you beat them by 43? Smh. Get this clown outta here!

Where the HAIL is the kilt guy? WHERE is he?!! Unacceptable!

I also hear there are some gals on the support staff that have been "slacking off". Thanks ladies .



*Sarcasm font in full effect. I just couldn't think of anyone that didn't get an over reaction.

 

[TheCusian]

Ward was completely out coached yesterday. His preparation was obviously off the mark and he never adjusted.
With this staff my main concern is their inability to make in game adjustments. Why we played soft all game is beyond me.

I think this is wrong. The staff if anything is good at adjusting mid game. We usually start slow on O and D most games (and end up playing catch up).

 

[Trueblue25]

Want to see Queeley saturday or I’ll be angry.

Im sold on Jackson, but thats it.

 

[anomander]

Want to see Queeley saturday or I’ll be angry.

Im sold on Jackson, but thats it.

What makes you think he is the answer?