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[TheOrangeBuddha]

You don't replace a kid like Pugh who's a first round / second round talent. We aren't Alabama who replaces a Heisman trophy winning RB with a better talent. That being said, we a replacing him for a time with a kid that can play the game and not worry that he is going to hurt you out there. We couldn't say that last year.

Just pointing out that Pugh is not a first or second round talent at this point. He is plenty good and plenty talented, but is not rated that high. The basic premise of your point is dead on though ... we are not a school that replaces that type of talent with someone of equal or "better" talent.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

"Nearly all D1 coaches can coach when it comes to Xs and Os. " I guess GRob would be a "nearly"! Great stuff CIL, appreciate it.

 

[kcsu]

Thanks for the post CIL i agree that recruiting has improved to a point that we havnt been in years. I hope that the staff plays to win and dares to be great.

 

[44PRIDE]

(I know it may be a world's tallest midget pageant, but I'll take it).

That's a great line. Hope u don't mind, but I'm stealing it.

 

[44PRIDE]

How about a controlled chat tonight...maybe around 9:30pm Eastern?
Would love to hear more.

I'm in. Chat tonight @ 9:30 eastern.

 

[007]

I just wanted to post a few nuggets I have heard over the last few days. I won't go into full detail, due to some confidentiality reasons. Some of the other stuff has been picked up by Rahme, fellow posters, etc. These are bullets taken from someone pretty close to the program, and I am summarizing here. No direct quotes per say.

• This is the first roster that gives a chance to compete with every BE team on our schedule. Sometimes we have had issues with our guys being a bit too small (think UCONN) or a bit too slow (USF). We now have the size and strength to physically play with our closest competitors.
• We don't have a weak unity per say, we have a few units that may lack experience, but there isn't a unit we are going to try to hide or protect with play calls.
• We will make some execution mistakes this year due to the youth out there, or newly featured starters, but these new kids have the athleticism to overcome some of those mistakes.
• DL should be much improved top to bottom, it will be difficult to try and run it down our throats ala UCONN the last couple years. This will allow us to be extra aggressive in passing situations.
• Recruiting is going very, very well (in the staffs eyes). We have said no thanks to several prospects we would have offered and accepted over the last few years.
• This current crop of Freshman could very well be the group that leads us back into the top 25. Loads of depth here and lots of athletes.
• Best conditioned unit under Marrone's watch. A lot of credit to Hicks but a lot goes to the kids as well. The kids that are here really buy into what Doug is trying to do from an accountability perspective and they are now holding each other accountable.
• There is a cautious optimism surrounding the program right now. We will need a few breaks, but we have a good chance at competing for a BE title. (I know it may be a world's tallest midget pageant, but I'll take it).
• Probably one year away with being able to play with pretty much anyone out there in the ACC.

Thanks for posting this, CIL!

Without commenting too much, I can say that I've been told first hand that DM feels very confident about recruiting success this year.

 

[Moontan]

Sounds good

 

[rrlbees]

I believe all that to be true and we don't need to win the BE but if that is all true, a BE record on the plus side of .500 should be the minimum expectation. No excuses. Let's get it done on the field.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jake]

Bees I agree. I don't know about overall record or bowl eligibility, but I expect a winning BE record this year.

The horses are in the barn...gotta saddle em up and ride them to victory.

 

[MartyCuse]

CIL thanks for the posts. I am really looking forward to the start of this season. Three weeks ago I was worried about our chances to compete with such a hard OC schedule. I am glad to hear the kids have worked hard this summer and the coaches are positive about the year.
Go CUSE

 

[Chip]

I just wanted to post a few nuggets I have heard over the last few days. I won't go into full detail, due to some confidentiality reasons. Some of the other stuff has been picked up by Rahme, fellow posters, etc. These are bullets taken from someone pretty close to the program, and I am summarizing here. No direct quotes per say.

• This is the first roster that gives a chance to compete with every BE team on our schedule. Sometimes we have had issues with our guys being a bit too small (think UCONN) or a bit too slow (USF). We now have the size and strength to physically play with our closest competitors.
• We don't have a weak unity per say, we have a few units that may lack experience, but there isn't a unit we are going to try to hide or protect with play calls.
• We will make some execution mistakes this year due to the youth out there, or newly featured starters, but these new kids have the athleticism to overcome some of those mistakes.
• DL should be much improved top to bottom, it will be difficult to try and run it down our throats ala UCONN the last couple years. This will allow us to be extra aggressive in passing situations.
• Recruiting is going very, very well (in the staffs eyes). We have said no thanks to several prospects we would have offered and accepted over the last few years.
• This current crop of Freshman could very well be the group that leads us back into the top 25. Loads of depth here and lots of athletes.
• Best conditioned unit under Marrone's watch. A lot of credit to Hicks but a lot goes to the kids as well. The kids that are here really buy into what Doug is trying to do from an accountability perspective and they are now holding each other accountable.
• There is a cautious optimism surrounding the program right now. We will need a few breaks, but we have a good chance at competing for a BE title. (I know it may be a world's tallest midget pageant, but I'll take it).
• Probably one year away with being able to play with pretty much anyone out there in the ACC.

Look at you Captain Connected. I'm drinking Orange Kool Aid again. They moved the premium board to my email if you still feel like posting there.

 

[RMH44]

That's a great line. Hope u don't mind, but I'm stealing it.

Substitute "convention" for "pageant" and you have a winner.

 

[OrangePA]

This tells me that the coaches know it is on them to produce a quality team and winner this year - no pointing to the lack of comparable talent on the team.

And I'd like to strongly disagree with the above poster (DPCuse) that said "nearly all D1 coaches can coach when it comes to Xs and Os." Not personally attacking you, just simply disagreeing completely with this statement. Innovative coaching in the NCAA allows teams lacking in overall talent the ability to close the talent gap on any given Saturday. Coaching ability (game planning and/or Xs and Os) is all over the place in the college ranks and few if any D1 coaches have mastered Xs and Os or the ability to make necessary adjustments to the betterment of their teams during games.

Disagree.

When they reach the major college level the coaches know the x's and o's.

Clearly there are better and worse coaches- there are a few truly great ones.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Hoppycock.

I read here that half the team is scared to death to go to Ft Drum to bond, and the other half already quit and has transferred to Emily Dickenson College and are being hit on by Otter, Boon, Pinto and Flounder.

 

[TexanMark]

Chat staring now named "Musings"

CIL should join us soon

 

[MikeSU02]

Thanks for the response. Leap for me we would be a top 25 team.

Appreciate the info.

 

[money3189]

thanks for the info. Any insight on Raymon? Whats are the chances of Ncaa granting him elgible?

 

[DCCuse]

This tells me that the coaches know it is on them to produce a quality team and winner this year - no pointing to the lack of comparable talent on the team.

And I'd like to strongly disagree with the above poster (DPCuse) that said "nearly all D1 coaches can coach when it comes to Xs and Os." Not personally attacking you, just simply disagreeing completely with this statement. Innovative coaching in the NCAA allows teams lacking in overall talent the ability to close the talent gap on any given Saturday. Coaching ability (game planning and/or Xs and Os) is all over the place in the college ranks and few if any D1 coaches have mastered Xs and Os or the ability to make necessary adjustments to the betterment of their teams during games.

My interpretation of that statement is that the staff is quite pleased with the relationships they have built, especially in NYS. Secondly, they are getting the type of kids they feel fit their system really well. I think the feature on Kyle Knapp Rahme wrote recently highlights this.


This is the first time I can remember (at least in the last 10 years) we aren't really taking kids for the sake of taking kids. Plan B kids this year were probably plan A for quite some time (think the Camara kid). I also think we are in deep with a couple of heavy hitters.

Agree completely and thanks for the original post. I know that the staff had targeted this class and the next ones as ones that would be "break through" classes.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Disagree.

When they reach the major college level the coaches know the x's and o's.

Clearly there are better and worse coaches- there are a few truly great ones.

We will respectfully agree to disagree then ... no big deal.

Like you, I've had access to the inner circle of coaching staffs and it is without a doubt, that certain head coaches/coaching staffs simply cannot coach when it comes to Xs and Os.

Peace

 

[kirbivore]

I believe all that to be true and we don't need to win the BE but if that is all true, a BE record on the plus side of .500 should be the minimum expectation. No excuses. Let's get it done on the field.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Agreed. Go 4-3 Big East they just need a Stony Brook win plus a split of the B1G games for bowl eligibility.

 

[OrangePA]

We will respectfully agree to disagree then ... no big deal.

Like you, I've had access to the inner circle of coaching staffs and it is without a doubt, that certain head coaches/coaching staffs simply cannot coach when it comes to Xs and Os.

Peace

It's no big deal.

But it's a very hard claim to support - unless you have particular expertise in the area and specific experience with particular coaches.

Can you name a head coach who, on the basis of your actual experience, you have determined does not know the x's and o's of football?

And, can you please outline your football expertise/pedigree?

Maybe you're right.

But I find it hard to believe - the game is not all that complicated and major college programs have no time, use or need for football neophytes.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I just wanted to post a few nuggets I have heard over the last few days. I won't go into full detail, due to some confidentiality reasons. Some of the other stuff has been picked up by Rahme, fellow posters, etc. These are bullets taken from someone pretty close to the program, and I am summarizing here. No direct quotes per say.

• This is the first roster that gives a chance to compete with every BE team on our schedule. Sometimes we have had issues with our guys being a bit too small (think UCONN) or a bit too slow (USF). We now have the size and strength to physically play with our closest competitors.
• We don't have a weak unity per say, we have a few units that may lack experience, but there isn't a unit we are going to try to hide or protect with play calls.
• We will make some execution mistakes this year due to the youth out there, or newly featured starters, but these new kids have the athleticism to overcome some of those mistakes.
• DL should be much improved top to bottom, it will be difficult to try and run it down our throats ala UCONN the last couple years. This will allow us to be extra aggressive in passing situations.
• Recruiting is going very, very well (in the staffs eyes). We have said no thanks to several prospects we would have offered and accepted over the last few years.
• This current crop of Freshman could very well be the group that leads us back into the top 25. Loads of depth here and lots of athletes.
• Best conditioned unit under Marrone's watch. A lot of credit to Hicks but a lot goes to the kids as well. The kids that are here really buy into what Doug is trying to do from an accountability perspective and they are now holding each other accountable.
• There is a cautious optimism surrounding the program right now. We will need a few breaks, but we have a good chance at competing for a BE title. (I know it may be a world's tallest midget pageant, but I'll take it).
• Probably one year away with being able to play with pretty much anyone out there in the ACC.

That's been my biggest concern is the lack of depth wears us down every year by the last month of the schedule. Each of Marrone's teams have started fast and then faded as the season went on. Hopefully, having the full 85 guys, and having some more size and speed on the roster, even if it's young, will get us over the hump. Now, I just hope that we don't wind up suspending 5 or 10 of these guys during the season due to failure to abide by team rules. Knock on wood.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Special Teams will take a huge jump this year (Going from Weak/Liability to at least overall Average):

Ross K. will be kicking and he is basically automatic withing 45 yards, Looks like we found a kickoff guy too (Norton). This means Ross can stay fresher and concentrate on scoring points. As much as I loved seeing him making the best special teams tackle of the season last year...we need to protect our FG/XP kicker. Just speculation on my part here: I could see Cuse using the 2 kicker formation once or twice this year (On Sides Kick situation). We have three kickers: Krautman, The Tiny Euro Country and Norton. Almsot unheard of in college football. The snap/kick protection should be better. Haven't heard anything but it has to improve, right? Can't be any worse.

We have two capable Punters this year...each capable of booming a kick. We just might see both used to play to their strengths.

Less Walk-Ons on Kickoff Coverage this year means more team speed...lets hope they have the heart to play STs.

More experience on our Kickoff and Punt Return teams. I'm guessing we are faster this year. Last year it was frustrating after we scored a TD/FG and the opposing team received the ball out near midfield...this will change this year.

Overall, we should be closer to a Coach P team than a GRob/early Marrone team in the STs area.

Love the 2 kickers idea for onside kicks, Mark. It sounds straight out of European football, where guys line up from opposite angles over a free kick.

 

[IthacaMatt]

CIL thanks for the posts. I am really looking forward to the start of this season. Three weeks ago I was worried about our chances to compete with such a hard OC schedule. I am glad to hear the kids have worked hard this summer and the coaches are positive about the year.
Go CUSE

You can't be afraid to schedule up. We are Syracuse. What separates us, historically, from most of the other eastern football teams is that we have always played a national schedule. If it weren't for that, we never would have come back as a program last time. If you don't play good teams, you don't get on TV much, and if you don't play good teams, you never beat them, and they are never writing the headlines about you.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

You can't be afraid to schedule up. We are Syracuse. What separates us, historically, from most of the other eastern football teams is that we have always played a national schedule. If it weren't for that, we never would have come back as a program last time. If you don't play good teams, you don't get on TV much, and if you don't play good teams, you never beat them, and they are never writing the headlines about you.

They still write plenty of headlines about you when you lose.

Just not the right kind.