OnlyOrange
Walk On
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2015
- Messages
- 79
- Like
- 37
Earlier this year I said SU would be lucky to get much last 2-10. I was told I was a troll and a hater, but I digress. At 3-8 entering BC as an underdog to an ACC winless team, a reasonable person would guess that SU ends the season 3-9.
Shafer produced a 2-13 ACC record and obviously lost control of the team. His dismissal is probably the best thing that has happened to the program this year. Now, SU has to decide of they are serious about football, or just masquerading around.
To compete in the ACC SU will have to hire a big coach with a big price tag. The salaries they have paid in the past need to be doubled to attract a coach that would be willing to come to a desperate program and try to build something, anything, better than 3 win seasons.
Syracuse has a number of factors piling up agaisnt it for recruiting, both coaches and players.
-Poor attendance. The Dome is already a small venue and the sparse attendance doesn't help. Obviously winning some games will help this aspect of the puzzle, but so will a big name head coach.
-Location. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that Syracuse is the only ACC team north of the Mason Dixon Line, save BC. SU is competing against southern schools for southern recruits. Getting a blue chip athlete to pick down and out Syracuse over FSU, Clemson, GA Tech, and other schools, including neighboring competition from the SEC will continue to make recruiting difficult. A big name coach will help that, but so will winning some games.
TV Coverage. I live in the south and coverage for Syracuse games can be problematic. Sure, when they play Clemson and FSU the games are broadcast, but the majority of their games are only available on networks that most of the kids they are trying to recruit don't have easy access to.
Lack of tradition. Some will disagree with me, but this is a serious issue. The number 44 needs to be issued out again. These funky, Oregon wanna be Nike uniforms need to be sent to the incinerator, along with the matte navy blue and sparkling mettalic orange helmets. The 44 degree line thing through the numbers was interesting, however I find myself desperately wishing they would return to the old standby, orange with blue and white stripes, navy jerseys and orange pants. That uniform was iconic and particular to Syracuse. Now we're just trying to be like everyone else. Last time I checked, most of the top rated programs in the nation wear the same thing year in and year out with minor changes because of tradition and image.
We are the Orangemen. Thus politically correct issue is a minor one and only listed for my own displeasure and wish to voice my own opinion. Most recruits won't care if the team is called the Hairy Beavers as long as they get TV coverage, a full scholarship, playing time, and a shot at the NFL.
Inner administration. SU athletics needs to decide what it wants to do. Are we going to compete in football? Or, are we going to struggle through football season only to wait until basketball starts up (which hasn't looked too hot lately, compared to the teams of years past)? Joining the ACC was probably a bad idea. The American Conference would have been a better choice. We aren't in that situation, so SU needs to decide if they will pay out the money for football, or keep pretending.
Shafer produced a 2-13 ACC record and obviously lost control of the team. His dismissal is probably the best thing that has happened to the program this year. Now, SU has to decide of they are serious about football, or just masquerading around.
To compete in the ACC SU will have to hire a big coach with a big price tag. The salaries they have paid in the past need to be doubled to attract a coach that would be willing to come to a desperate program and try to build something, anything, better than 3 win seasons.
Syracuse has a number of factors piling up agaisnt it for recruiting, both coaches and players.
-Poor attendance. The Dome is already a small venue and the sparse attendance doesn't help. Obviously winning some games will help this aspect of the puzzle, but so will a big name head coach.
-Location. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that Syracuse is the only ACC team north of the Mason Dixon Line, save BC. SU is competing against southern schools for southern recruits. Getting a blue chip athlete to pick down and out Syracuse over FSU, Clemson, GA Tech, and other schools, including neighboring competition from the SEC will continue to make recruiting difficult. A big name coach will help that, but so will winning some games.
TV Coverage. I live in the south and coverage for Syracuse games can be problematic. Sure, when they play Clemson and FSU the games are broadcast, but the majority of their games are only available on networks that most of the kids they are trying to recruit don't have easy access to.
Lack of tradition. Some will disagree with me, but this is a serious issue. The number 44 needs to be issued out again. These funky, Oregon wanna be Nike uniforms need to be sent to the incinerator, along with the matte navy blue and sparkling mettalic orange helmets. The 44 degree line thing through the numbers was interesting, however I find myself desperately wishing they would return to the old standby, orange with blue and white stripes, navy jerseys and orange pants. That uniform was iconic and particular to Syracuse. Now we're just trying to be like everyone else. Last time I checked, most of the top rated programs in the nation wear the same thing year in and year out with minor changes because of tradition and image.
We are the Orangemen. Thus politically correct issue is a minor one and only listed for my own displeasure and wish to voice my own opinion. Most recruits won't care if the team is called the Hairy Beavers as long as they get TV coverage, a full scholarship, playing time, and a shot at the NFL.
Inner administration. SU athletics needs to decide what it wants to do. Are we going to compete in football? Or, are we going to struggle through football season only to wait until basketball starts up (which hasn't looked too hot lately, compared to the teams of years past)? Joining the ACC was probably a bad idea. The American Conference would have been a better choice. We aren't in that situation, so SU needs to decide if they will pay out the money for football, or keep pretending.
