Class of 2016 QB Anthony Brown (NJ) verbal to Boston College

[PhatOrange]

I'd be very surprised if they have a 3 or 4 win season. In just 2 seasons he has established an identity there. You know what BC is going to do. Their going to be physical, and their going to run the ball. May not be flashy, but it's an identity, and a vision for how you see your program. What's our identity? We can say we are Hardnosed, but we are anything but.

5 senior starting OL and the Qb who passed for 1500 and ran for 1100 are gone. I'd be surprised if they hit .500 but luckily they play two 1aa's again to pad their record. I'm sure you'll point that out next year though.

Our identity right now is a defensive team that doesn't quit, will smack you in the mouth and plays to the end. A team that held BC to 300 yards even though they had nothing to play for. Shafer as a rookie HC made a mistake in his first OC hire. I expect Lester to rectify that. Addazio has had a bit more time to hone his craft and he's still only mediocre.

 

[anomander]

5 senior starting OL and the Qb who passed for 1500 and ran for 1100 are gone. I'd be surprised if they hit .500 but luckily they play two 1aa's again to pad their record. I'm sure you'll point that out next year though.

Our identity right now is a defensive team that doesn't quit, will smack you in the mouth and plays to the end. A team that held BC to 300 yards even though they had nothing to play for. Shafer as a rookie HC made a mistake in his first OC hire. I expect Lester to rectify that. Addazio has had a bit more time to hone his craft and he's still only mediocre.

Why would I point it out? The only thing i'd point out is they are smart in the way they schedule. I would rather schedule the way they do until we turn the program around. It's not their fault we have a bunch of morons doing our scheduling.

That's a weak identity if that's what you think ours is. There were a few games we played defense (and decided to punt), not to win, but not to get blown out (ND, FSU). That was incredibly weak.

I don't know if it's people refuse to take off their orange colored shades, but I think it's pretty hard to dispute that Addazio is much better then mediocre. Again he took over a 2 win program, that was heading down the toilet, and led them to 2 bowl games, and 3 signature wins (and some great showings against FSU/Clemson). Most importantly he has a plan for the program. He knows what he wants to do, and is building the roster through recruiting to fit that style. You also discount the fact that they played severely short handed last year after he basically cleansed his roster. What is Shafer's plan? Please let me know. He took over a program on the rise, and made some drastic changes (despite hiring him for "continuity")Even our recruiting landscape seems to be ever changing. I see a lot of dart throwing, and not a lot of long term planning.

 

[TheCusian]

Why would I point it out? The only thing i'd point out is they are smart in the way they schedule. I would rather schedule the way they do until we turn the program around. It's not their fault we have a bunch of morons doing our scheduling. That's a weak identity if that's what you think ours is. There were a few games we played defense (and decided to punt), not to win, but not to get blown out (ND, FSU). That was incredibly weak. I don't know if it's people refuse to take off their orange colored shades, but I think it's pretty hard to dispute that Addazio is much better then mediocre. Again he took over a 2 win program, that was heading down the toilet, and led them to 2 bowl games, and 3 signature wins (and some great showings against FSU/Clemson). Most importantly he has a plan for the program. He knows what he wants to do, and is building the roster through recruiting to fit that style. You also discount the fact that they played severely short handed last year after he basically cleansed his roster. What is Shafer's plan? Please let me know. He took over a program on the rise, and made some drastic changes (despite hiring him for "continuity")Even our recruiting landscape seems to be ever changing. I see a lot of dart throwing, and not a lot of long term planning.

So they schedule wins and that makes him better than Shafer (big win vs USC not withstanding)? Citing our proclivity for bad punts doesn't get you off the hook for dismissing a pretty solid defensive identity/system.

Drastic changes that were brought on by almost the entire offensive staff bolting for the NFL. His plan was to provide continuity on defense - check. While taking a chance on a - then - would be elite recruiter from the SEC/FL. Didn't work out. Getting Acosta on board and getting into NJ seems like it's tied to a plan. Also - we know what we want on defense recruit wise and have done really well there. The chance he took offensively made our offensive recruiting appear schizophrenic - but I'd trust the direction now.

So in retrospect - Shafer made a bad hire. That's it. And maybe Addazzio is ahead because this isn't his first
HC gig? Maybe he had his own "Mcit"?!?

 

[anomander]

So they schedule wins and that makes him better than Shafer (big win vs USC not withstanding)? Citing our proclivity for bad punts doesn't get you off the hook for dismissing a pretty solid defensive identity/system.

Drastic changes that were brought on by almost the entire offensive staff bolting for the NFL. His plan was to provide continuity on defense - check. While taking a chance on a - then - would be elite recruiter from the SEC/FL. Didn't work out. Getting Acosta on board and getting into NJ seems like it's tied to a plan. Also - we know what we want on defense recruit wise and have done really well there. The chance he took offensively made our offensive recruiting appear schizophrenic - but I'd trust the direction now.

So in retrospect - Shafer made a bad hire. That's it. And maybe Addazzio is ahead because this isn't his first
HC gig? Maybe he had his own "Mc. . . . it"?!?

We schedule FCS programs too. Shafer also has 2 wins vs them, same as Addazio. You can argue the defense is solid because the other teams are up so their running the ball. If you're comparing the 2 head to head I don't think it's really close. I thought our days of getting blown out were over, but then we had Northwestern, GT, FSU, Clemson, Louisville, and so on stomp us. I'm really confused that you're even making a case for this? I haven't seen too many signs for hope the past couple years. If you have please point them out to me.

 

[TheCusian]

We schedule FCS programs too. Shafer also has 2 wins vs them, same as Addazio. You can argue the defense is solid because the other teams are up so their running the ball. If you're comparing the 2 head to head I don't think it's really close. I thought our days of getting blown out were over, but then we had Northwestern, GT, FSU, Clemson, Louisville, and so on stomp us. I'm really confused that you're even making a case for this? I haven't seen too many signs for hope the past couple years. If you have please point them out to me.

Step back from the ledge. You could argue that our defense is solid for that reason - but you'd be lying to yourself. Didn't you post that you had more faith in our D coaches and that Douast and Lee were some of the best in the country just yesterday? Shafer's first year we had blow out losses. Last year our defense had us in every game except ND and FSU. Louisville didn't stomp us.

Robert Washington. Steven Clark. Jake Pickard. All our LB from the 2014 class. Lee. Douast. Erv Phillips. Almost winning in Death Valley with a true freshman QB.

Plenty signs of hope if you care to look. Take of your s hit colored glasses.

 

[jgeorge322]

I hAve to go w anomander on this one since i dont think weve looked good for the past two years. However i blame that 90% on mcdonald and hes gone, so lets see what the new oc can do. No doubt our defense has been solid.

 

[anomander]

Step back from the ledge. You could argue that our defense is solid for that reason - but you'd be lying to yourself. Didn't you post that you had more faith in our D coaches and that Douast and Lee were some of the best in the country just yesterday? Shafer's first year we had blow out losses. Last year our defense had us in every game except ND and FSU. Louisville didn't stomp us.

Robert Washington. Steven Clark. Jake Pickard. All our LB from the 2014 class. Lee. Douast. Erv Phillips. Almost winning in Death Valley with a true freshman QB.

Plenty signs of hope if you care to look. Take of your s hit colored glasses.

Step back from the ledge? I do give you credit that you can find positives out of thin air, but just see things how they are for 1 minute. You pointed out nothing but question marks. That's all there is is question marks. People really have to get a grip with this everything is going to be alright stuff. We're going to need some drastic improvements to get headed back in the right direction.

 

[SUFan44]

Step back from the ledge. You could argue that our defense is solid for that reason - but you'd be lying to yourself. Didn't you post that you had more faith in our D coaches and that Douast and Lee were some of the best in the country just yesterday? Shafer's first year we had blow out losses. Last year our defense had us in every game except ND and FSU. Louisville didn't stomp us.

Robert Washington. Steven Clark. Jake Pickard. All our LB from the 2014 class. Lee. Douast. Erv Phillips. Almost winning in Death Valley with a true freshman QB.

Plenty signs of hope if you care to look. Take of your s hit colored glasses.

Plenty of true freshmen have been highly touted. Plenty have failed to live up to expectations in the past. You cannot - I repeat, you CANNOT - pin expectations on kids until they step on the football field and prove something. Robert Washington could be the best RB we have seen in 30 years - or he could be completely average. How do you know what is going to happen in 3 years?

What we do know is that we have a 5th year QB who has had his ups and his downs. We have a rising sophomore WR that has shown some promise, two junior running backs that have also shown glimpses but have been both injury plagued and inconsistent. We have an OL that did not stay healthy last year and that underperformed, IMO. And we have a defense that loses its top 5 tacklers and 7 of its top 8. And that doesn't even include Crume & Welsh, two 5th year senior starters.

There was a thread started on the board last week RE: Who SU's best player was. The consensus seemed to be Ron Thompson - Thompson has a world of potential, don't get me wrong. But hasn't shown to be a game changer over his first two years. Could it be injuries and playing out of position? The proof will be shown this coming fall. But if Ron Thompson is seen as our best player (with Erv Phillips and Steve Ishmael, two rising sophomores who again showed glimpses but have only one year under their belt, second and third) then you can see why there's hesitation to be all gung ho about this year and this coaching staff.

Do I think we have some potential at certain positions? Absolutely I do. Do I think there's hope? Yes, of course. There's always hope. There's hope that Lester is the answer. There's hope that our offensive line coach isn't a complete baffoon. There's hope that Shafer can make key decisions at key times, and can figure out when to punt and when not to. But up to this point, from what has actually been SEEN on the field, I can see why some would have the opinion that anomander does.

 

[jr4750]

Plenty of true freshmen have been highly touted. Plenty have failed to live up to expectations in the past. You cannot - I repeat, you CANNOT - pin expectations on kids until they step on the football field and prove something. Robert Washington could be the best RB we have seen in 30 years - or he could be completely average. How do you know what is going to happen in 3 years?

What we do know is that we have a 5th year QB who has had his ups and his downs. We have a rising sophomore WR that has shown some promise, two junior running backs that have also shown glimpses but have been both injury plagued and inconsistent. We have an OL that did not stay healthy last year and that underperformed, IMO. And we have a defense that loses its top 5 tacklers and 7 of its top 8. And that doesn't even include Crume & Welsh, two 5th year senior starters.

There was a thread started on the board last week RE: Who SU's best player was. The consensus seemed to be Ron Thompson - Thompson has a world of potential, don't get me wrong. But hasn't shown to be a game changer over his first two years. Could it be injuries and playing out of position? The proof will be shown this coming fall. But if Ron Thompson is seen as our best player (with Erv Phillips and Steve Ishmael, two rising sophomores who again showed glimpses but have only one year under their belt, second and third) then you can see why there's hesitation to be all gung ho about this year and this coaching staff.

Do I think we have some potential at certain positions? Absolutely I do. Do I think there's hope? Yes, of course. There's always hope. There's hope that Lester is the answer. There's hope that our offensive line coach isn't a complete baffoon. There's hope that Shafer can make key decisions at key times, and can figure out when to punt and when not to. But up to this point, from what has actually been SEEN on the field, I can see why some would have the opinion that anomander does.

This is one of my biggest concerns as well. I think Shaf is a great guy. For continuity reasons I really really hope he succeeds, but he simply has seemed overmatched in his two years as head coach at a great number of times. Silly play calls, bad coaching etc., isn't always "his fault" per say, as we know Gmac struggled mightily. However, so many questions arise as we enter a critical year, including all the ones you spoke too. I would also argue, having a 5th year TH as the bonafide, no competition starter is a scary proposition. He is a very shaky passer, and a decent runner without elite speed. Does that speak to HCSS struggles. Not being able to get someone in here to at least put pressure on TH? Without him getting better in the pocket teams will stack the line again, forcing us into a very difficult situation offensively and with a suspect OL. We will also have to score a bunch to win this year, as our defense will be young and most likely mistake prone. There are question marks, everywhere.

Basically it sucks to have to enter yet another year without great expectations. When we beat WVU in the Pinstripe bowl, I could sense us becoming such a factor. I think its somewhat safe to say we didn't capitalize on that momentum. We aren't necessarily trending down, but aren't necessarily trending up either. This year will determine the axis.

 

[Orangepace]

What's our identity? We can say we are Hardnosed, but we are anything but.

I'm going to have to disagree with this emphatically. While our offense is still trying to figure out its identity, our defense has been VERY good. Consider the ineptness of the offense and SU has rarely been blown out. That is 100% because of the defense and its ability to keep the team in games.

FOCGM and his high flying offense didn't get off the ground fast enough, nor did it fit the personnel he inherited. Couple that with the fact that the guys recruited to fit that attack did not mature into the roles as fast as he needed. In steps Lester and hopefully he's able to mold the offense to the talent he has.

But to broadly say there is no identity is far from the truth. SU football's identity as a whole is actually quite clear at the moment and actually fits that of the greater Syracuse community as a whole very well... True family atmosphere, Strong leadership, and Hard--nosed.

Family atmosphere - The greater Syracuse area is known for having large Irish and Italian contingents. Last season, given the turmoil and injuries, the team never gave up and quit on each other. The team also congregated a lot at the summer and fall at the Shafer family BBQs. As bad as last season was, the players fought hard and stuck together. They never (except FOCGM) pointed fingers at each other. I've seen the opposite happen and it gets really ugly. I think the Fort Drum experience really helped there.

Strong Leadership - It's widely documented that they have targeted the recruiting efforts on high school team captains. For those that aren't, they are usually coming from a background where they have fought through tough upbringings. While I thought that leadership at the top during the whole Cool Kid saga was extremely lacking at that time, Shafer stood behind FOCGM instead of firing him mid-season. With doing so, he practiced what he preached and the team followed suit. They stuck together through the season and never mailed it in.

Hard--Nosed - It's apparent that SU battled an unusual amount of injuries last season. It was also the staff's second full season. The last few games, our defense didn't hit anyone any lighter than the first 4 games. Our coaches closed strong on the recruiting trail and started even stronger this offseason. Every week, they prepared for battle short handed and inexperienced. Yet, Until last week, I don't recall Shafer or the staff publicly making any excuses about the way the season unfolded. That's as Hard--Nosed as it gets my friend.

 

[TheCusian]

Step back from the ledge? I do give you credit that you can find positives out of thin air, but just see things how they are for 1 minute. You pointed out nothing but question marks. That's all there is is question marks. People really have to get a grip with this everything is going to be alright stuff. We're going to need some drastic improvements to get headed back in the right direction.

That's the definition of hope and positivity: I think we will see drastic improvements.

Question marks turn one way or another: right direction or wrong direction. McNabb was a question mark his first year, no?

 

[TheCusian]

Plenty of true freshmen have been highly touted. Plenty have failed to live up to expectations in the past. You cannot - I repeat, you CANNOT - pin expectations on kids until they step on the football field and prove something. Robert Washington could be the best RB we have seen in 30 years - or he could be completely average. How do you know what is going to happen in 3 years? What we do know is that we have a 5th year QB who has had his ups and his downs. We have a rising sophomore WR that has shown some promise, two junior running backs that have also shown glimpses but have been both injury plagued and inconsistent. We have an OL that did not stay healthy last year and that underperformed, IMO. And we have a defense that loses its top 5 tacklers and 7 of its top 8. And that doesn't even include Crume & Welsh, two 5th year senior starters. There was a thread started on the board last week RE: Who SU's best player was. The consensus seemed to be Ron Thompson - Thompson has a world of potential, don't get me wrong. But hasn't shown to be a game changer over his first two years. Could it be injuries and playing out of position? The proof will be shown this coming fall. But if Ron Thompson is seen as our best player (with Erv Phillips and Steve Ishmael, two rising sophomores who again showed glimpses but have only one year under their belt, second and third) then you can see why there's hesitation to be all gung ho about this year and this coaching staff. Do I think we have some potential at certain positions? Absolutely I do. Do I think there's hope? Yes, of course. There's always hope. There's hope that Lester is the answer. There's hope that our offensive line coach isn't a complete baffoon. There's hope that Shafer can make key decisions at key times, and can figure out when to punt and when not to. But up to this point, from what has actually been SEEN on the field, I can see why some would have the opinion that anomander does.

If you're looking for signs of hope, you're looking to the future. If you're looking to the future but want to limit it to just proven commodities - you will be a pessimist. There are always question marks. In the preseason - I choose to believe that those question marks will break in the right direction. If they don't, I'll be drowning my sorrows like the rest of us.

Finally, if you don't get verbals from top kids you have a much more limited shot at landing a program changer. No one knows how RW44 will work out. Until proven otherwise, I believe he will be great.

Optimism. It's not hard. I'd rather be hopeful and disappointed when things don't pan out than to be hopeless and jaded.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Steve Wiltfong ‏9m9 minutes ago
Top three QBs thus far @Elite11 Ohio, #BC commit Anthony Brown Jr., #PennState commit Jake Zembiec & Hunter Johnson:

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Steve Wiltfong ‏9m9 minutes ago
Top three QBs thus far @Elite11 Ohio, #BC commit Anthony Brown Jr., #PennState commit Jake Zembiec & Hunter Johnson:

Well this makes me sad.

 

[Franz69]

Steve Wiltfong ‏9m9 minutes ago
Top three QBs thus far @Elite11 Ohio, #BC commit Anthony Brown Jr., #PennState commit Jake Zembiec & Hunter Johnson:

Womack and Dungey are better than all of them.

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[RF2044]

Awesome...

 

[Trueblue25]

Feelings.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

(sad trombone sound)

 

[djorange1989]

Fu**ing Adazzio

 

[TheCusian]

You guys keep acting like Shy isn't going to make him feel mistake. Ice baths won't be enough Anthony.

 

[baggerbob]

Between Shy, and Hendersen he is going to want to be back home in New Jersey, after he plays SU.

 

[jekelish]

So for whatever it's worth - and I don't think it's worth much since, if I'm not mistaken, Brown is about to enroll early - our new OC/QB coach, Sean Lewis, just started following Brown.

 

[money3189]

If we cant retain Acosta I dont mind having Sean as the Jersey recruiter. He is young, motivated and happens to be the OC of one of the most fun and productive offense in the country.

 

[Czar]

So for whatever it's worth - and I don't think it's worth much since, if I'm not mistaken, Brown is about to enroll early - our new OC/QB coach, Sean Lewis, just started following Brown.

So wouldn't that mean that Brown has his Financial Aid stuff in at BC? I know that's binding from the schools perspective, but it's not from the players?

 

[Libero2]

So wouldn't that mean that Brown has his Financial Aid stuff in at BC? I know that's binding from the schools perspective, but it's not from the players?

So wouldn't that mean that Brown has his Financial Aid stuff in at BC? I know that's binding from the schools perspective, but it's not from the players?

Correct. The kid can change their mind at any time, this paperwork locks in the school and prevents them from revoking a scholarship offer. This is why Rex is locked in at Su (or any early enrollees) even with the coaching change.