Class of 2023 QB Malachi Nelson (CA) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (1/16/26)

[rrlbees]

So now, instead of immediately placing every QB who commits to Syracuse on a pedestal and deeming them the savior of the program they are now deemed no good and they will never be QB 1.

I could never say this place isn't entertaining.

I'm just disappointed the 3 portal QBs we picked up weren't all P4 starters with proven success and production.

 

[orangepassion]

The overwhelming majority of posters are happy with the pickup.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Injuries happen in the NFL too, if we are “betting” 105 times and not landing proven production then your theory holds but doing what Indiana has done makes a lot more sense, retain known entities and add players that are proven.

And did Indiana have 65 players or 105?

Charlie Becker was 66-105 to start the year and is now the team's feel good story above WRs that had 15 and 13 TDs on the season respectively.

Ideally we hold onto our top players and add playmakers... reality is we're a private school in the ACC vs a public land grant school in the B1G with 6x the enrollment.

We'll have to get a bit more creative and lucky which has always been the case for SU.

 

[wfschrec]

And did Indiana have 65 players or 105?

Charlie Becker was 66-105 to start the year and is now the team's feel good story above WRs that had 15 and 13 TDs on the season respectively.

Ideally we hold onto our top players and add playmakers... reality is we're a private school in the ACC vs a public land grant school in the B1G with 6x the enrollment.

We'll have to get a bit more creative and lucky which has always been the case for SU.

And yet they only play 13 on defense ... so there's that. Carrying 105 sounds cool though ... you just in essence tell 50 guys they won't see the field ... great way to spend money.

 

[mustacheovich]

And yet they only play 13 on defense ... so there's that. Carrying 105 sounds cool though ... you just in essence tell 50 guys they won't see the field ... great way to spend money.

How much money would be saved by cutting the bottom half of the roster? I imagine it's not as much as you seem to think.

 

[BKCuse]

So now, instead of immediately placing every QB who commits to Syracuse on a pedestal and deeming them the savior of the program they are now deemed no good and they will never be QB 1.

I could never say this place isn't entertaining.

Hurt people say hurtful things.

Last years QB debacle really hurt my Orange pride, and confidence in program so I understand the backlash but I’m excited about Malachi.

 

[wfschrec]

How much money would be saved by cutting the bottom half of the roster? I imagine it's not as much as you seem to think.

You look at it strictly from a NIL perspective but there are a lot of other costs associated. If you save on acquisition costs just by reducing your recruiting net knowing you want 15 guys vs 25. Lees scholarship costs … reduced budget for training and other resources. It’s not just NIL here or revenue sharing for that matter. These players come with costs outside of pay … plus less players the more focused on training and retention the coaches can be. Easier for a staff to manage 40 less guys is it not?

 

[ImperialOrange]

And yet they only play 13 on defense ... so there's that. Carrying 105 sounds cool though ... you just in essence tell 50 guys they won't see the field ... great way to spend money.

No team worth a damn only plays 13 on defense or offense. Pretty much every position aside from QB and stud OL rotate constantly.

If you can get 65 guaranteed players you'd absolutely be right. Thing is nfl teams with 53 man rosters also have 16 man practice squads, trade window, and PUP for injuries when depth is needed. You carry less on gameday squads but have access to more immediately vs D1.

If you could cut and replace players mid season in college, by all means. Otherwise you carry inflated numbers to try and compensate. Imagine if Cuse could've picked up a new QB or 2 prior to November 4th last year as the NFL teams can?

 

[wfschrec]

No team worth a damn only plays 13 on defense or offense. Pretty much every position aside from QB and stud OL rotate constantly.

If you can get 65 guaranteed players you'd absolutely be right. Thing is nfl teams with 53 man rosters also have 16 man practice squads, trade window, and PUP for injuries when depth is needed. You carry less on gameday squads but have access to more immediately vs D1.

If you could cut and replace players mid season in college, by all means. Otherwise you carry inflated numbers to try and compensate. Imagine if Cuse could've picked up a new QB or 2 prior to November 4th last year as the NFL teams can?

Ok so the team that just won the National Title isn't worth a damn ... got it. Because Indiana literally plays only 13 guys on defense.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Ok so the team that just won the National Title isn't worth a damn ... got it. Because Indiana literally plays only 13 guys on defense.

Football Cumulative Statistics

@description

iuhoosiers.com

38 defensive players played at least 13 games.

 

[baggerbob]

Football Cumulative Statistics

@description

iuhoosiers.com

38 defensive players played at least 13 games.

No point giving him facts he argues just to argue, and he's never wrong. That's why I just skip over his comments and go to the next poster.

 

[wfschrec]

Football Cumulative Statistics

@description

iuhoosiers.com

38 defensive players played at least 13 games.

This was literally discussed during the Oregon game, only 13 players have been used on defense. Those other 25 ... participated on specials ... which is why most have very little accumulated statistically.

"The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers football team, which completed a 16-0 season and won the National Championship, featured a heavily relied-upon defensive core, with 13 players in total—many of whom followed head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison University (JMU)—serving as key contributors to their success in 2024 and 2025."

 

[wfschrec]

No point giving him facts he argues just to argue, and he's never wrong. That's why I just skip over his comments and go to the next poster.

Then put me on ignore ... or try watching the games ... it was stated literally on TV ... I know tough for you to understand.

 

[bnoro]

That would be news to him. The staff has been very direct with the current state of our QB room. After Angeli leaves it’s wide open, and if he acquits himself well he will have a chance to compete in 2 years.

He also could overtake Odom for the backup role this coming season - and he’s one play away from starting.

I'm not saying he can compete for it, but if our starter is a kid who couldn't win the starting job at two programs and then lost the starting job after 6 games at a G5 school we might as well not field a team next year.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

and if you do hit big on 30 of 65 in a year at least 20 of them will get poached the following season for bigger checks than Cuse will ever be able to offer.

Ehhh

 

[mustacheovich]

This was literally discussed during the Oregon game, only 13 players have been used on defense. Those other 25 ... participated on specials ... which is why most have very little accumulated statistically.

"The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers football team, which completed a 16-0 season and won the National Championship, featured a heavily relied-upon defensive core, with 13 players in total—many of whom followed head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison University (JMU)—serving as key contributors to their success in 2024 and 2025."

That quote is saying the 13 players he brought from JMU serve as key contributors, not that they are the only ones playing. No football team is only playing 13 on either side of the ball.

 

[djorange1989]

I'm just disappointed the 3 portal QBs we picked up weren't all P4 starters with proven success and production.

Leavitt, Sorsby and Hoover should have been our haul. So much for Fran the great recruiter, geeeez

 

[wfschrec]

That quote is saying the 13 players he brought from JMU serve as key contributors, not that they are the only ones playing. No football team is only playing 13 on either side of the ball.

Watch the IU vs Oregon game from the playoffs. They have very tight personnel groups unlike 2024 .. the limited substitutions was discussed. From a scouting report:

"The most schematically interesting aspect of DC Haines’ squad in 2025 is that it switches cleanly from a 4-down to a 3-down front, which was not the structure last year. In 2024, there was a variety of body types on the edges and they customized their 4-2-5 situationally by swapping around stand-up ends, heavy fist-down ends, and very light speed rushers.

This year the personnel groups are very tight, and mostly comprise the same body types within them -- just three main defensive tackles, three very similar ends, and three linebackers -- and the change-up comes in converting the same end from fist down in even surface to an OLB off the edge or dropping into coverage in odd surface with a nose over the center, and also by frequently pulling the nickel, going back to four DBs, and using the SAM (who was last year’s backup WILL) as a versatile pressure player."

The versatility of a couple of guys on D allowed them to get away with not having to rotate often or change packages.

What else would a heavily relied upon 13 man core mean? It means its mainly 13 guys that play .. some got minimal spot duty. They don't rotate nearly as much as most programs.

 

[ImperialOrange]

This was literally discussed during the Oregon game, only 13 players have been used on defense. Those other 25 ... participated on specials ... which is why most have very little accumulated statistically.

"The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers football team, which completed a 16-0 season and won the National Championship, featured a heavily relied-upon defensive core, with 13 players in total—many of whom followed head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison University (JMU)—serving as key contributors to their success in 2024 and 2025."

Relied upon heavily is not "literally". Also imagine some of those 13 played on specials as well. Only 22 total from kick and punt Coverage inclusing kickers and snappers. The math doesn't math and I'm sure some playing less than 13 games (fair bar I thought) also played specials and possibly in game.

It's exactly why you roster more players. Indiana had talent AND depth.

 

[ImperialOrange]

No point giving him facts he argues just to argue, and he's never wrong. That's why I just skip over his comments and go to the next poster.

Mehhh, I don't know him from Adam so nothing like that behind my posts.

I actually think it's a very interesting conversation but I don't think it's reasonable to expect success, or prolonged success with fewer players at your disposal

 

[wfschrec]

Relied upon heavily is not "literally". Also imagine some of those 13 played on specials as well. Only 22 total from kick and punt Coverage inclusing kickers and snappers. The math doesn't math and I'm sure some playing less than 13 games (fair bar I thought) also played specials and possibly in game.

It's exactly why you roster more players. Indiana had talent AND depth.

They had 16 guys on defense in the boxscore ... at least one of which only recorded a tackle on special teams ... both teams last night used roughly 16 defenders ... not 30. Miami was going to use a minimum of 12 simply because they had a guy sit out the first half due to a targeting call in the Ole Miss game. They do not rotate nearly as much as we do. Against OSU they had 17 in the defensive box score .. at least 2 were there only because of special teams tackles .. (Becker being one of them). The thing you aren't taking into account is they blew so many folks out they were emptying the bench in several games. Games vs tough opponents they did not rotate nearly as frequently the numbers bear that out. If you are up 56-10 you can afford to pull starters.

 

[upperdeck]

If they only used 13 guys on D that means they never rotated at all on the dline.

The way injuries happen at SU we wouldnt survive 1 game

 

[23Zone]

The overwhelming majority of posters are happy with the pickup.

I am pleased and I promise I'm not easy to please lol

 

[ImperialOrange]

They had 16 guys on defense in the boxscore ... at least one of which only recorded a tackle on special teams ... both teams last night used roughly 16 defenders ... not 30. Miami was going to use a minimum of 12 simply because they had a guy sit out the first half due to a targeting call in the Ole Miss game. They do not rotate nearly as much as we do. Against OSU they had 17 in the defensive box score .. at least 2 were there only because of special teams tackles .. (Becker being one of them). The thing you aren't taking into account is they blew so many folks out they were emptying the bench in several games. Games vs tough opponents they did not rotate nearly as frequently the numbers bear that out. If you are up 56-10 you can afford to pull starters.

That's fair and certainly no ill will behind any of it. Also, I actually think you and I chatted many times over the years, I don't always pay attention to posters names.

I think 16 is the bare minimum as it gives you 1 backup at each skill group. Versatility helps for sure but guys that run a lot OR are 300+ pounds can't play 60+ snaps a night. You can have a core group for sure but guys get dinged, injured, or need breathers.

 

[PhatOrange]

So now, instead of immediately placing every QB who commits to Syracuse on a pedestal and deeming them the savior of the program they are now deemed no good and they will never be QB 1.

I could never say this place isn't entertaining.

At least people have readjusted their expectations. It might not be a bad thing.