Reality...

[HeaterCuse22]

Many of the posters here, I am certain, have played sports at some level (some even at the highest levels in college), but to me it was obvious that the team came out flat and played a bit down to the competition or were not as "up" for the game as theys should have been. This would be on the coaching staff, but it really is human nature to cast a team aside as an easy win and end up in a dog fight. This happened to several other teams last weekend, and will likely be the case when we play USC (They will not take us seriously as they would say, Oregon).

On television (Couldn't attend due to a prior event during the game) they stated clearly the GOAL of the URI coaching staff was to keep it close going into halftime, knowing the pressure would mount on SU. This manifested itself into many of the issues that have been highlighted; overrunning tackles, missing holes in the line, blocking issues, etc. That coupled with the fact that we weren't sharp led to the close game.

I still have a much better feeling about our bad games than I did a few years back when they sprialed to blowout losses. Just my opinion. Here's hoping we catch USC off guard and sneak a win away from that slimy ba$tard - Kiffin

 

[dollarbill44]

I didn't think they came out flat, rather they turned flat.We were really controlling the game early on, even though we only scored once.

I may be in the minority, but I felt they should have kicked the FG on the 4th and 1 at around the 10 yard line. They had already converted 2 4th downs in the game (I think both on that drive?) so from a percentages standpoint was risky. Going to 10-0 and kicking off I thought would have been the way to go - I told my wife that at the time. As it turned out, they stopped us and got some momentum and then they really took over in the 2nd quarter.

When it went into the 4th quarter, I was convinced we were going to lose based on how both teams were playing. Had it not been for Spruill stepping up with those back-to-back sacks, I'm not sure we win.

I'm getting sick of every QB looking like Heisman candidates against us.

 

[cuseincincy]

Many of the posters here, I am certain, have played sports at some level (some even at the highest levels in college), but to me it was obvious that the team came out flat and played a bit down to the competition or were not as "up" for the game as theys should have been. This would be on the coaching staff, but it really is human nature to cast a team aside as an easy win and end up in a dog fight. This happened to several other teams last weekend, and will likely be the case when we play USC (They will not take us seriously as they would say, Oregon).

On television (Couldn't attend due to a prior event during the game) they stated clearly the GOAL of the URI coaching staff was to keep it close going into halftime, knowing the pressure would mount on SU. This manifested itself into many of the issues that have been highlighted; overrunning tackles, missing holes in the line, blocking issues, etc. That coupled with the fact that we weren't sharp led to the close game.

I still have a much better feeling about our bad games than I did a few years back when they sprialed to blowout losses. Just my opinion. Here's hoping we catch USC off guard and sneak a win away from that slimy ba$tard - Kiffin

No excuse for not getting up for a game, and I put it on the players. If you want to act superior to teams like Rhode Island the way to do it is by thumping them 62-0.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I didn't think they came out flat, rather they turned flat.We were really controlling the game early on, even though we only scored once.

Yessir, I completely agree. I'm actually very encouraged by the way the passing game is developing. Looked good early. Assuming the run game gets going and I think we might be pretty effective.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I didn't think they came out flat, rather they turned flat.We were really controlling the game early on, even though we only scored once.

I may be in the minority, but I felt they should have kicked the FG on the 4th and 1 at around the 10 yard line. They had already converted 2 4th downs in the game (I think both on that drive?) so from a percentages standpoint was risky. Going to 10-0 and kicking off I thought would have been the way to go - I told my wife that at the time. As it turned out, they stopped us and got some momentum and then they really took over in the 2nd quarter.

When it went into the 4th quarter, I was convinced we were going to lose based on how both teams were playing. Had it not been for Spruill stepping up with those back-to-back sacks, I'm not sure we win.

I'm getting sick of every QB looking like Heisman candidates against us.

Agree, they were ready to put on RI but circumstances in the first half lead to a flat 2nd and 3rd which kept RI in the game, this team will win a lot of close games but IMO, isn't good enough to blow anyone out other than Rhode Island and we played poorly. Lets face it teams lost to 1AA opponents all the time, it happens. I am just gald we didn't, get the win and move on. We have to win 2 of the next 4.

Not being able to get 4th and 1 doesn't build much confidence for the O Line as well

 

[CuseCrew08]

How much better do we have to get to start blowing out FCS teams again? Like we used to do to Temple and Rutgirls every year(most years :bang?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

How much better do we have to get to start blowing out FCS teams again? Like we used to do to Temple and Rutgirls every year(most years :bang?

Last time SU played Rhody it put 60+ up. Kids like Chew, Lemon and Bailey are excellent young men who have worked their asses off and have become pretty good players. But the reality is they had no other BCS offers between the three of them. In essence, they are Rhode Island players with the benefit of better facilities and better coaching. Same with someone like McPherson.

The truth that nobody wants to say is that the talent level still isn't there, and rushing guys like Moore, Eskridge, Lynch, etc. onto the field hides some shortcomings but doesn't upgrade the talent over the long term.

I certainly trust the staff's ability to identify talent, but I am anxious about the class of 2012. In terms of offers, it is a big drop off from last year. Perhaps they will play their way to more offers. But i digress.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I think we have all seen enough of Ant to say that he easily a 1A talent. Lemon has other BCS Offers I believe, Maryland? In addition, Chew has proven to be every bit the sholie offer.. However, with many kids on this team, I would agree with you to some extent. I would say that many of these kids are MAC level kids being coached up but then again, Toledo could probably and will give anyone in the Big East a run for their money

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I think we have all seen enough of Ant to say that he easily a 1A talent. Lemon has other BCS Offers I believe, Maryland? In addition, Chew has proven to be every bit the sholie offer.. However, with many kids on this team, I would agree with you to some extent. I would say that many of these kids are MAC level kids being coached up but then again, Toledo could probably and will give anyone in the Big East a run for their money

I like all the players i mentioned in the post. But the team's talent level just isn't there yet. They will continue to win games because good kids who work their asses off can win games at this level, but their is a much larger gap in talent between the top BCS teams and Syracuse, and Syracuse and average FCS teams. That is the reality of the situation.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

There probably never has been other than a 3-4 years stretch. I don't see why people are downplaying the Wake win, for me that is a pretty damn good win.. Wake comes back and beats NC ST this week. Syracuse day in day out will never have TOP BCS level talent, we have had some great players over the years but the kids you are talking about have been much of the backbone for this program over the years. I

In adition with Rutgers and UCONN fishing in the same waters now it doesn't help the talent pool, that is the reality of the situation

 

[syr02esq]

I didn't think they came out flat, rather they turned flat.We were really controlling the game early on, even though we only scored once.

I may be in the minority, but I felt they should have kicked the FG on the 4th and 1 at around the 10 yard line. They had already converted 2 4th downs in the game (I think both on that drive?) so from a percentages standpoint was risky. Going to 10-0 and kicking off I thought would have been the way to go - I told my wife that at the time. As it turned out, they stopped us and got some momentum and then they really took over in the 2nd quarter.

When it went into the 4th quarter, I was convinced we were going to lose based on how both teams were playing. Had it not been for Spruill stepping up with those back-to-back sacks, I'm not sure we win.

I'm getting sick of every QB looking like Heisman candidates against us.

I liked going for it on 4th down because at that point in the game, we were stopping RI's offense and RI would be starting deep in their end of their field.

 

[VaSaltine]

If teams are going to come out and commit to stoping the run against us by stacking the line, my game plan would be to throw, throw, and then throw. I know the theory of establishing the run, but I also know the theory of exploiting what the other team is giving you. Yes, we are throwing, but why not put it up 50+ times? I see no harm in that strategy if it's our best chance of success. Plus, Bailey has got to get more touches out of the backfield through the air. You watch the Ravens do this all day long with Ray Rice.

 

[Tornado91]

Agree w IB. I think SU is good enough (or bad enough, depending on how you look at it) to play at or around the level of its opponents. No regularly guaranteed humiliations like we saw during the grob era, but the talent isn't there for us to expect to blow anyone out, either.

 

[upperdeck]

If we are still here in 2 more years, and a full 5 yr cycle of recruiting for oline players, wondering if we will ever be able to make 3rd and ones again then we will know we have peaked as a team at 7-8 wins..

you can scheme to help the dline over come issues, very hard to do the same with the oline other than try to throw all the time and hope the qb survives.

when we get to the point we can run when we need to then we will no longer have to worry about teams like RI/Maine.. Until then they will all sell out and make us throw too much. If we have better skill players then we can make them stop that as well.. But its been rare for an SU team to be able to power and skill a team..

 

[TampaLaker]

I liked going for it on 4th down because at that point in the game, we were stopping RI's offense and RI would be starting deep in their end of their field.

I was actually thinking at that point... we've proven we can get these on fouth down... we need to practice some kicks... now would be a good point to work the kicking team... at some point in time we are going to want a field goal (oh, like to avoid going to OT...)

 

[Chip]

I was actually thinking at that point... we've proven we can get these on fouth down... we need to practice some kicks... now would be a good point to work the kicking team... at some point in time we are going to want a field goal (oh, like to avoid going to OT...)

If we went from, say, 2nd and long to 3rd and short and missed, maybe we kick. But it was 2nd and 2. I think Marrone said there's no way we're not getting 2 yards against this team in 3 plays.

 

[dollarbill44]

If we went from, say, 2nd and long to 3rd and short and missed, maybe we kick. But it was 2nd and 2. I think Marrone said there's no way we're not getting 2 yards against this team in 3 plays.

Was that 3rd down the one where Ant was supposed to run wide (with the blocking) but he cut inside and got stuffed? My sequential memory for these things ain't what it used to be.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

How much better do we have to get to start blowing out FCS teams again? Like we used to do to Temple and Rutgirls every year(most years :bang?

Yep like the McNabb team that needed a miracle return by Tbuck to beat Tulane in the dome, people forget that we struggled a lot back then too