He also inherited amazing recruits and stud athletes. I am not questioning his coaching ability because it is clearly excellent, but he is not doing that if he came to Syracuse last year. It was a perfect setup for him to come in and dominate right from the start IMO.
Also,
CuseCactus, why is Shafer "unlikely" our guy? Due to the USF outcome? This board is on a seriously emotional rollercoaster this year. This season is long from over.
Let me preface this with the following - I 1000% hope Shafer gets it done. Nice guy. Like the rah rah, etc. Seems to be recruiting better players.
But, let's step away from our mutual love for Syracuse football and look objectively at what's happened so far.
Near term - the team just lost by 3 touchdowns to a 1-3 USF from a non P5 conference. And there are no excuses this time re injuries. Erv was back. Dungey was back. Ish was back. This was coming off of a bye week. USF had no bye week to prepare for Syracuse. That's a fail, any way you look at it.
Longer term - Shafer is now 13-17. He inherited an 8-5 squad. Yes there have been injuries. MAYBE the "cupboard was bare" when Marrone left. But his record is not, by any measure, impressive. There have also been a lot of questionable decisions/actions along the way that wouldn't give an objective viewer much comfort in his management. (I won't repeat all the various criticisms - from coaching choices to gameday management.) We'll see if it gets better - really hope so. The team offensively and defensively ranks in the bottom quartile. And ranked in the bottom quartile last year. It does look like things are getting considerably better under Lester - while at the same time regressing considerably under Bullough.
The future - Virginia is an 8.5 point favorite. They are 1-4. I believe Syracuse will win this game - but an 8.5 underdog to Virginia? Really?
I agree Rocco, the season is far from over. Before Saturday's game, I was in the 7-5, 8-4 club. Very hard to imagine that now with Virginia as the easiest game left on the schedule - at least on paper. All of which gets me to my point - so far, by just about any measurement you can find, Syracuse football has been below average, under Shafer. And what we are likely looking at this year is maybe a 6-6 or 5-7 record.
So, yes. I am frustrated. Every year another program seems to lap us. While we toil in obscurity. The USF game looked to me like a reversion to the mean with Shafer.
Here's to a win a VA. And then maybe a surprise upset over Clemmy or FSU. And a couple of other wins sprinkled in. Getting the team somehow to 7-5. I would love nothing more. But looking at history - I'm not holding my breath.
