New Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon lays out his vision for the Orange offense

[OttoinGrotto]

Personally, I’m long over the idea of building an offense “for the Dome”.

I’ve always been skeptical because I grew up a Red Sox fan. For literally decades the Sox purpose-built their team to take advantage of Fenway Park. They emphasized lumbering power hitters, and guys who could pepper the Green Monster. That meant they also eschewed prioritizing speed, defense and pitching.

So they crushed offensively at Fenway, and won a lot of 8-7 games. Then they largely flopped on the road and in the playoffs. Thankfully Dan Duquette and Theo Epstein saw the folly in that approach.

I’ve always worried that’d be the outcome of going all-out to build a Dome offense. Sure it’d give us an “identity”. But who cares about that if we have a 7-8 win ceiling on the program.

Anyway, I’m actually glad the new OC isn’t obsessed with being in a Dome. The same way I was glad that Theo wasn’t obsessed with a 33 foot high wall in left field.

My feeling on tailoring the offense to the Dome was based on the premise that doing so would be the best way for us to improve recruiting and the talent level in the program.

Fran Brown is directly challenging that premise. I'm good with it.

But by golly, I will die on the hill that as the only major college program that enjoys the pristine conditions of a Dome, we should have an elite passing attack every season and a steady stream of future NFLers on the offensive side of the ball.

The fact we've had so few is an indictment on the program and how it's been managed, in my eyes.b

 

[Scooch]

My feeling on tailoring the offense to the Dome was based on the premise that doing so would be the best way for us to improve recruiting and the talent level in the program.

Fran Brown is directly challenging that premise. I'm good with it.

But by golly, I will die on the hill that as the only major college program that enjoys the pristine conditions of a Dome, we should have an elite passing attack every season and a steady stream of future NFLers on the offensive side of the ball.

The fact we've had so few is an indictment on the program and how it's been managed, in my eyes.b

I get your point, but I’m not really sure it works. The vast majority of the college football season is played in good weather conditions. We’re talking about the occasional rainy Saturday, or the even unlikelier case of snow in late November.

Sure, SU home games weren’t subject to that. But then most schools aren’t either. I just don’t think there’s a differentiated selling point to these “future NFLers” that’ll tip them to SU.

 

[wiseman3]

I expect some pretty large growing pains.

How is this your takeaway from this interview??

 

[NineOneSeven]

How is this your takeaway from this interview??

It isn't

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I get your point, but I’m not really sure it works. The vast majority of the college football season is played in good weather conditions. We’re talking about the occasional rainy Saturday, or the even unlikelier case of snow in late November.

Sure, SU home games weren’t subject to that. But then most schools aren’t either. I just don’t think there’s a differentiated selling point to these “future NFLers” that’ll tip them to SU.

Yeah, I mean you're saying it's a differentiator that may not be all that meaningful.

For me it's pretty simple - we've seen a lot of shyddy football, and aside from a handful of short bursts, haven't ever leaned into our differentiator.

Midas whale try.

 

[Scooch]

Yeah, I mean you're saying it's a differentiator that may not be all that meaningful.

For me it's pretty simple - we've seen a lot of shyddy football, and aside from a handful of short bursts, haven't ever leaned into our differentiator.

Midas whale try.

Yes, I’m saying it’s not a meaningful differentiator.

How has being a Dome team helped us become Kicker and Punter U? We’ve had some great ones, and we’ve had some not great ones.

If playing half our games in a Dome was a deal-sealer I would think we’d have a steady stream of all-American kickers and punters. And yet…

I’m also curious, what does “trying” mean to you? Promise to throw the ball 55+ times a game?

 

[Orangezoo]

Yeah, I mean you're saying it's a differentiator that may not be all that meaningful.

For me it's pretty simple - we've seen a lot of shyddy football, and aside from a handful of short bursts, haven't ever leaned into our differentiator.

Midas whale try.

I mean I guess to purposely oversimplify it… we get the talent and a much better product, more winning and thus then can pack the dome and get the kind of volume that creates an advantage. So more of a differentiator if you have the kind of program that makes each game a must see event…. an X factor in big games because we have the horses to take advantage of a rattled opponeby.

 

[kingtidge]

How refreshing to:
1) Actually hear from an assistant coach.
2) Hear candid and thoughtful responses with only a slight sprinkle of coach speak.
3) Hear actual players names in an interview.
4) End the listen feeling like you actually learned something about the program and the men running it.

LOVE the emphasis on S&C and that a big focus of the new staff is getting the players bigger, stronger, and that they will be the best-conditioned team in the ACC... and the peak conditioning will help keep the injuries at bay.

 

[OttosDad]

This was a very underwhelming interview. Didn’t think Axe or Emily were very good. Nixon sucked… holy clichés.

What in the world is All-American Pizza???

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I’m also curious, what does “trying” mean to you? Promise to throw the ball 55+ times a game?

Yeah, pretty much. "Hey Future NFL QB, come to Syracuse where you'll throw 60 passes a game in the Dome. You'll throw so much you'll need your own ice machine."

 

[Scooch]

Yeah, pretty much. "Hey Future NFL QB, come to Syracuse where you'll throw 60 passes a game in the Dome. You'll throw so much you'll need your own ice machine."

Ah.

Meh.

 

[The Viking]

I expect us to be multiple.

(As George Deleone smiles down from heaven)

I was listening for "multiple" given the coaches' relationships with Coach P and DeLeon, but I guess I missed it. My take from the interview is that they will tailor the game plan each week to the opponent's weaknesses. I find that refreshing because, while SU may have had game-plans with that in mind in the recent past, I don't think it was done too well.

 

[NJCuse97]

What in the world is All-American Pizza???

I looked it up right after giving this a listen. I thought maybe I was missing something. I wasn't. He must have meant Varsity, or just made something up in the crosshairs of the moment. There is such a thing as "All-American Pizza" but I think I found it in Oklahoma and Florida. I also found one in NJ and perhaps they were telling Nixon where to go in NJ?

https://www.yelp.com/biz/all-american-pizza-long-hill

 

[PhatOrange]

I was listening for "multiple" given the coaches' relationships with Coach P and DeLeon, but I guess I missed it. My take from the interview is that they will tailor the game plan each week to the opponent's weaknesses. I find that refreshing because, while SU may have had game-plans with that in mind in the recent past, I don't think it was done too well.

yeah and maybe we won’t take something that worked and use it once every 5 or 6 games.

 

[bnoro]

Yeah, pretty much. "Hey Future NFL QB, come to Syracuse where you'll throw 60 passes a game in the Dome. You'll throw so much you'll need your own ice machine."

Don't think I could name a single team that threw the ball 50+ times a game that ever won anything.

Came back to bite the Pats in 2007.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Don't think I could name a single team that threw the ball 50+ times a game that ever won anything.

Came back to bite the Pats in 2007.

They had the greatest comeback in SB history throwing a gazillion passes.

That said you pass to take the lead and you run to grind the clock.

You have to be able to pass in a power conference to wins. It's not 1995.

 

[bnoro]

They had the greatest comeback in SB history throwing a gazillion passes.

That said you pass to take the lead and you run to grind the clock.

You have to be able to pass in a power conference to wins. It's not 1995.

I'm talking about that type of offense across a whole season. We have to be able to pass, but we shouldn't have 50 passing attempts per game. Balanced offenses win games.

 

[The Viking]

I'm talking about that type of offense across a whole season. We have to be able to pass, but we shouldn't have 50 passing attempts per game. Balanced offenses win games.

Just hyperbole to make a point. He also said "run it 50 times." Whatever it takes.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Ah.

Meh.

I mean, what's the risk? We watch a bunch of crappy football?

I mean...

Don't think I could name a single team that threw the ball 50+ times a game that ever won anything.

Be fun as Hell though man.

Also, nobody won championships shooting the three as much as the Warriors did, then the Warriors did.

 

[Bayside44]

I mean, what's the risk? We watch a bunch of crappy football?

I mean...

Be fun as Hell though man.

Also, nobody won championships shooting the three as much as the Warriors did, then the Warriors did.

We tried that somewhat with early Dino. Three and outs in 40 seconds weren't great.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

We tried that somewhat with early Dino. Three and outs in 40 seconds weren't great.

Don't tell me Dino's first two years weren't fun.

 

[Bayside44]

Don't tell me Dino's first two years weren't fun.

We were 8-16 and guys kept getting hurt.

Clemson game was an all timer though.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

We were 8-16 and guys kept getting hurt.

Clemson game was an all timer though.

But you had fun, right?

 

[baggerbob]

But you had fun, right?

The 3rd year we had fun when Eric made it through the Season.

 

[Bayside44]

But you had fun, right?

I ran on the field. It was glorious.

It was also our last win of the year.

Depends on what you value.