Playmakers

[anomander]

Where are they? Playmakers are what separate average teams to top 30 teams. We have none on either side of the ball. You can't win with a bunch of possession or program guys. I'm not talking on just offense either. You need playmakers on defense. Anyone that can step up and make a big play when you need it. Perfectly example was the INT that Reddish had down the sidelines. Perfect coverage, ball in hands, and the Maryland wr takes it away leading to a td. Same with Crume dropping the easy INT. Difference between having the ball on the 50 and having the ball on the 5. Broyld dropping an easy td. We just don't seem to have anyone who has the ability to step up and make a big play. I think Ron Thompson can be that guy on defense, but he needs to play. Welsh doesn't do much, start Thompson. I don't think we forced any turnovers today, and it feels we have been poor in that area for a while. Same with Erv on offense. Find a way to make sure he touches the ball 10 times. We had 600 yards, but few explosive plays. You can't count on 10 plus play drives time after time. Be in with the run or in the slot. Needs to be addressed in recruiting going forward.

 

[bevosu]

10 plus play drives are not always all that bad, but when you have a team that manages to crash and burn on offense because of penalties or poor 3rd down and short passes like we did...the point outcome becomes problematic. Play calling and execution killed our offense today.

 

[upperdeck]

Where are they? Playmakers are what separate average teams to top 30 teams. We have none on either side of the ball. You can't win with a bunch of possession or program guys. I'm not talking on just offense either. You need playmakers on defense. Anyone that can step up and make a big play when you need it. Perfectly example was the INT that Reddish had down the sidelines. Perfect coverage, ball in hands, and the Maryland wr takes it away leading to a td. Same with Crume dropping the easy INT. Difference between having the ball on the 50 and having the ball on the 5. Broyld dropping an easy td. We just don't seem to have anyone who has the ability to step up and make a big play. I think Ron Thompson can be that guy on defense, but he needs to play. Welsh doesn't do much, start Thompson. I don't think we forced any turnovers today, and it feels we have been poor in that area for a while. Same with Erv on offense. Find a way to make sure he touches the ball 10 times. We had 600 yards, but few explosive plays. You can't count on 10 plus play drives time after time. Be in with the run or in the slot. Needs to be addressed in recruiting going forward.

we actually had twice as many explosive plays as maryland.. the issue was they didnt get into the endzone.

 

[anomander]

10 plus play drives are not always all that bad, but when you have a team that manages to crash and burn on offense because of penalties or poor 3rd down and short passes like we did...the point outcome becomes problematic. Play calling and execution killed our offense today.

same thing against CMU as today. We stalled out and had to settle for what 6 or 7 FG attempts? Not acceptable. Need guys to put it into the end zone, and someone who can get those guys in position to do so. Especially when you don't have a fg kicker.

 

[longislandcuse]

You can overcome poor coaching and execution when you have big time playmakers. You can't do that when you're basically Stanford-esque with 10 play drives and a million running plays from guys who can't house it.

 

[anomander]

we actually had twice as many explosive plays as maryland.. the issue was they didnt get into the endzone.

wow. that's surprising. everything gets clustered from me watching at the dome. i never would have guessed. still have to find a way to put it in the end zone.

 

[Alsacs]

Honestly are recruiting shows we lack any sizzle. We have nobody on the field on offense who would start for a top 10 program except maybe Hickey. Comparing it to baseball pitchers we have no aces on our team. We are full of 3-4-5 starters but have no aces.

I would take a coaching staff that could recruit but would suck at coaching rather than a coaching staff that recruits average and develops talent. This team needs more horses and less ponies. However, I don't think anything will change we will be predictable on both sides of the ball and will have zero margin of error and if we screw up will lose. Our depth is fine but we have no elite players.

 

[BORZAK]

Where are they? Playmakers are what separate average teams to top 30 teams. We have none on either side of the ball. You can't win with a bunch of possession or program guys. I'm not talking on just offense either. You need playmakers on defense. Anyone that can step up and make a big play when you need it. Perfectly example was the INT that Reddish had down the sidelines. Perfect coverage, ball in hands, and the Maryland wr takes it away leading to a td. Same with Crume dropping the easy INT. Difference between having the ball on the 50 and having the ball on the 5. Broyld dropping an easy td. We just don't seem to have anyone who has the ability to step up and make a big play. I think Ron Thompson can be that guy on defense, but he needs to play. Welsh doesn't do much, start Thompson. I don't think we forced any turnovers today, and it feels we have been poor in that area for a while. Same with Erv on offense. Find a way to make sure he touches the ball 10 times. We had 600 yards, but few explosive plays. You can't count on 10 plus play drives time after time. Be in with the run or in the slot. Needs to be addressed in recruiting going forward.

Really name some college DT who drop in coverage and make interceptions

Let's hold it together

 

[ImperialOrange]

I was watching florida v bama and now ou v west virginia and all 4 teams have guys that can make a big play when needed. Shouldnt we occasionally have the same even if by accident?

Our matchup nightmare and our tiny speedster at wr both have stone hands and after hearing about how fast Estime is, watching him play tells a different story. I haven't seen him run away from any defenders yet or make any cuts that leave defenders grasping for air. If Hunt was fast he'd break a ton of long plays though. He's the type of shifty we all want Broyld and Estime to be but lacks a 5th or even 4th gear once he's in the open field. Add to that our big guys don't really bust tackles like you'd think they should and our only wr's that have dependable hands are Lewis and West.

At RB we have some nice players but PTG is the only one that looks like he can create a play out of nothing. Phillips might get there with experience but he's only fast compared to our skill position players. Compared to other teams he's just adequate. I want AAM to succeed as well but he has Brandon Jacobs syndrome where he goes down if someone touches he ankles in the open field.

Every time we score six its on a workmanlike drive but we lack the requisite level of execution for most drives to be successful. We don't have east-west guys so we need to cut all the horizontal bs and play everything north-south. We can't gain zero on 1st or 2nd downs and be successful.

 

[anomander]

Honestly are recruiting shows we lack any sizzle. We have nobody on the field on offense who would start for a top 10 program except maybe Hickey. Comparing it to baseball pitchers we have no aces on our team. We are full of 3-4-5 starters but have no aces.

I would take a coaching staff that could recruit but would suck at coaching rather than a coaching staff that recruits average and develops talent. This team needs more horses and less ponies. However, I don't think anything will change we will be predictable on both sides of the ball and will have zero margin of error and if we screw up will lose. Our depth is fine but we have no elite players.

Not going to get any better either. Our 2013 class was destroyed when Marrone left and we had to scrap together a bunch of JC guys. A bunch of those guys (Miller, Kelly, Kirkland, Arciniega) are contributing now, but there are only 4 others from that class that play regularly, and i'd be surprised if more then 7 contribute throughout their career. That's a whole class that we're going to be behind.

 

[anomander]

Really name some college DT who drop in coverage and make interceptions

Let's hold it together

I'll take some sacks or TFL's as an explosive play from out DT then.

 

[Alsacs]

Not going to get any better either. Our 2013 class was destroyed when Marrone left and we had to scrap together a bunch of JC guys. A bunch of those guys (Miller, Kelly, Kirkland, Arciniega) are contributing now, but there are only 4 others from that class that play regularly, and i'd be surprised if more then 7 contribute throughout their career. That's a whole class that we're going to be behind.

I mean there is no reason West Virginia can recruit these athletes on offense and Syracuse can't. Can we please pay a freaking coach on the staff to recruit. I mean I know Shafer isn't going anywhere but goodness if I was Gross I would call Clmeson OC Chad Morris offer him a 2 million plus make him HC have him recruit offensive talent to play in a Dome. Instead we will continue recruiting 2 star kids and hope they develop into 3 or 4 star talent.
I always tell myself never settle for mediocrity but that appears to be the motto of SU football. Shafer really ticked me off with the punts today.
How likely would you say it is this program gets an infusion of talent into the program.

 

[anomander]

I mean there is no reason West Virginia can recruit these athletes on offense and Syracuse can't. Can we please pay a freaking coach on the staff to recruit. I mean I know Shafer isn't going anywhere but goodness if I was Gross I would call Clmeson OC Chad Morris offer him a 2 million plus make him HC have him recruit offensive talent to play in a Dome. Instead we will continue recruiting 2 star kids and hope they develop into 3 or 4 star talent.
I always tell myself never settle for mediocrity but that appears to be the motto of SU football. Shafer really ticked me off with the punts today.
How likely would you say it is this program gets an infusion of talent into the program.

Last years class is extremely talented as you can see from many contributing as true Freshman. I'd actually like to see them more get reps, and use Custis properly. The rest of the class I think has a lot of promise as well.

Personally i'm not high on the 2015 class at all. Need to close strong.

You would think the IPF, and other improvements will help bring in more talent, but ultimately we have to win games to attract the really good kids.

 

[SoBeCuse]

SWC mentioned this in his 'Downside.' Very few explosive plays. The ability to actually score TDs from explosive playmakers. The long drives gaining tons of yardage becomes null and void if you turn it over or make mistakes. TOP becomes virtually a non-factor if the opponent then can score quickly on an explosive TD. So far all this team can do well is run the ball and dink & dunk. Except we aren't Wisconsin or Nebraska. This is a very average team. Lets hope we can keep the scores respectable during this rough stretch coming up!

 

[kcsu]

Where are they? Playmakers are what separate average teams to top 30 teams. We have none on either side of the ball. You can't win with a bunch of possession or program guys. I'm not talking on just offense either. You need playmakers on defense. Anyone that can step up and make a big play when you need it. Perfectly example was the INT that Reddish had down the sidelines. Perfect coverage, ball in hands, and the Maryland wr takes it away leading to a td. Same with Crume dropping the easy INT. Difference between having the ball on the 50 and having the ball on the 5. Broyld dropping an easy td. We just don't seem to have anyone who has the ability to step up and make a big play. I think Ron Thompson can be that guy on defense, but he needs to play. Welsh doesn't do much, start Thompson. I don't think we forced any turnovers today, and it feels we have been poor in that area for a while. Same with Erv on offense. Find a way to make sure he touches the ball 10 times. We had 600 yards, but few explosive plays. You can't count on 10 plus play drives time after time. Be in with the run or in the slot. Needs to be addressed in recruiting going forward.

We have playmakers but we have an OC that doesnt know how to use them. Ashton is a playmaker, so is hunt and we have a stable of backs with one of the best Olines in the last 5 years. He needs to pound the rock to set up the pass. This is a vertical team one that is big and strong yet Cool kid wants to play as if we are Texas AM. Our strength is just that. Custis Ashton West Flemming Corn Paris all large playmakers. This team needs to play power as that is what we are cool kid just doesnt get it. Poor coaching is the problem not a lack of playmakers

 

[SoBeCuse]

We have playmakers but we have an OC that doesnt know how to use them. Ashton is a playmaker, so is hunt and we have a stable of backs with one of the best Olines in the last 5 years. He needs to pound the rock to set up the pass. This is a vertical team one that is big and strong yet Cool kid wants to play as if we are Texas AM. Our strength is just that. Custis Ashton West Flemming Corn Paris all large playmakers. This team needs to play power as that is what we are cool kid just doesnt get it. Poor coaching is the problem not a lack of playmakers

Could be. I don't know. Hard to say about Custis yet. He, Flemming, and West don't really pop out for me. Estime and Broyld do. But lets be real...they aren't freaks like some perceive on here. Are there NFL players on offense on this team? Maybe if they start getting used properly like you suggest. I agree though they need to pound the ball. IMO, this team doesn't really have the type of players where you give them the ball in space and let them make something happen. Especially trying to go east-west.

 

[RF2044]

We have playmakers but we have an OC that doesnt know how to use them. Ashton is a playmaker, so is hunt and we have a stable of backs with one of the best Olines in the last 5 years. He needs to pound the rock to set up the pass. This is a vertical team one that is big and strong yet Cool kid wants to play as if we are Texas AM. Our strength is just that. Custis Ashton West Flemming Corn Paris all large playmakers. This team needs to play power as that is what we are cool kid just doesnt get it. Poor coaching is the problem not a lack of playmakers

Bull crap. Ashton is marginal, and at best lacks WR speed / instincts. I've never seen a big receiver plays as small, or alligator arm as many catch-able balls. The rest of the WR corps is just a bunch of guys. Estime is the best WR we have--and that's an indictment of the talent on hand. Think about it for a second--our best playmaking WR is a guy who was a DB in high school, who's 5-8.

Lack of playmakers is absolutely the problem, regardless of how you want to spin it. Coaching is certainly questionable in some respects, as well.

Is this even debatable?

 

[kcsu]

My point is that we do have guys who are talented but that we do not play to our strength. WR are on cool kid it is his position. We had guys running free all day Hunt just didnt see them or when he did he was off. The play calling needs to take into account what we have which is power. Estime seems to have lost a step most likely a result of his injury. I have never been a fan of Flemming simply dont see what he brings to the table. I would play Ashton, Estime, Ish, with West and Corn in reserve. Custis is a weapon who needs to be used as well. If used properly these guys can make plays.

 

[RF2044]

My point is that we do have guys who are talented but that we do not play to our strength. WR are on cool kid it is his position. We had guys running free all day Hunt just didnt see them or when he did he was off. The play calling needs to take into account what we have which is power. Estime seems to have lost a step most likely a result of his injury. I have never been a fan of Flemming simply dont see what he brings to the table. I would play Ashton, Estime, Ish, with West and Corn in reserve. Custis is a weapon who needs to be used as well. If used properly these guys can make plays.

WRs are what they are. Cool kid's two classes have brought in Estime and Ishmael / Custis, who are better than the incumbents. They are also vastly inexperienced guys who will be better as they gain experience. Cool kid can't be held responsible for the rest of the WR corps, who generally are average or below average. Or at best, just a group of guys who don't stand out.

One last thing: Ishamael and Custis are first year players. Relying upon them to have a big impact is an exercise in futility. Their time will come, but it ain't week 3 of their true freshman year.

 

[phil77]

This might be a bad comment seeing how many people defend and make excuses for Hunt but I think our lack of big plays or playmakers on the outside is due to our quaterback. I mean people are quick to look at his rushing stats and say WOW but Hunt would rather run in a TD than throw it to a WR/TE for a TD. We don't have a QB that can hit all the throws you need a QB in a P5 conference. IMO. And on top of that because of Hunts inaccuracies I think the play book as been adjusted to fit him. When Allen started I remember a lot more deeper passes and the route tree was more open because the staff felt he can make all the throws (all to the wrong team) but I think they feel Hunt can't make all the throws.

 

[SmilinBob]

Maybe those new uniforms/helmets that so many complain about are heavier than other teams, thus we ain't as fast. Sarcasm alert.

 

[rocklloyd]

Let's not talk about Allen again. Hunt is Aaron Rogers compared to him

 

[SoBeCuse]

Bull crap. Ashton is marginal, and at best lacks WR speed / instincts. I've never seen a big receiver plays as small, or alligator arm as many catch-able balls. The rest of the WR corps is just a bunch of guys. Estime is the best WR we have--and that's an indictment of the talent on hand. Think about it for a second--our best playmaking WR is a guy who was a DB in high school, who's 5-8.

Lack of playmakers is absolutely the problem, regardless of how you want to spin it. Coaching is certainly questionable in some respects, as well.

Is this even debatable?

Nope. Not debatable the way I see it as well.

 

[SWC75]

Really name some college DT who drop in coverage and make interceptions

Let's hold it together

Dan Conley said in the post game show that Crume "has fingers like sausages and they're all taped up". I think he can be forgiven for not being a "playmaker" on that play. It would have been fun to see a 300 pounder chugging down the sidelines, however.

 

[countrycuse88]

I believe the lack of big plays is due to hunts inability to pass accurately and the coaching staff calling plays to his strengths. The offense will look stale and slow most of the time if hunt keeps throwing 5 feet over receivers heads on simple crossing routes.