So this remains an interesting question despite the fact we're all excited about certain aspects of what we've seen, particularly the past couple weeks.
My feelings are these (because I don't think 'can we be relevant?' and 'will babers jump ship for another opportunity sooner than later?' are exactly the same question):
1. Babers may leave much sooner than anyone wants to believe. If this program goes the way we hope it will the next couple years he's going to be as hot a property as there is in college football coaching: Minority coach, loyal staff, school that can and will be outbid for his services, exciting offense ... Bottom line, there is absolutely a good chance he goes somewhere else let's say sometime in 2018.
2. Babers doesn't leave this year. I could be wrong but I would think even if Babers has every intent on moving to a bigger program at the first opportunity, he's going to want to handpick that opportunity. A couple good years at the Cuse would put him in a spot to pick and choose exactly what opportunity he want to pursue. I wouldn't think a 6-6 record this year puts him in that type of bargaining position.
3. Pay Babers or be prepared to lose him. This is the reality of the situation -- if we get a successful coach, we need to be willing to pay him top dollar and support him (Babers has already made a couple of statements about expanding the football staff). College football coaches are only going ot make more money with all this TV money and SU needs to either pay the man or get ready to replace him. And we, as fans, have to be OK with that and not get our feelings hurt (yes, I realize some on this board will hate him if he leaves. this is inevitable). This is a business in every way shape and form.
4. Can the Cuse be truly relevant? I'm a pessimist by nature and my tendency is to believe that northeast schools are in a rough spot. Rutgers, which had some success under Schiano and initially under flood, is poised for their worst season since potentially '02 and will be under .500 (in all likelihood) for the third time in four years; Maryland is 5-2 this year but isn't ranked, likely has three more losses ahead of them and while the record looks OK, our VT win dwarfs anything they've done to this point; BC is atrocious; We've had a long run of misery interrupted briefly by a couple solid Marrone seasons. WVU/Pitt/PSU have been better, but hte question remains as to whether a northeast team can truly be relevant in terms of being a year-in and year-out contender in the ACC, let alone the national picture. d
So my answer to this question is this: Yes, BUT ... They have to do everything right. They needed to hire a forward thinking coach (check), they need to be able to him and his staff (check, so far); they need to improve facilities and need a major step up from the current dome (check); they need more from the fan base (remains to be seen); they need to recruit better (seems to trending in the right direction); they need to get back to being a player development machine (remains to be seen) ... They need a lot of things going right and, for the firs time in a while, it seems like they have somewhat positive answers to those qeustions. But I would still say we're still a year away from really feeling like we can make the big boys sweat a matchu pwith us.
