SU Signing Day Report

[SWC75]

Can any of them play the tuba?

 

[Rocco]

For the star junkies, this report is a 5 star. Well done TC, thanks for taking the time to post. I was bummed I missed last night's event, but I had a work function.

 

[SWC75]

Part II

One of the most interesting parts of the night happened when SS told a story he said would embarrass his 18 year old son. It was about how he came to get the Syracuse job.

The story begins with Scott being offered a head coaching job at a great school a week or so before the coaches convention this year (just days before DM dropped the big one). He and his familyt discussed whether he should take the job. He was torn; he really likes it here but he also really wanted to be a head coach. But his experience at Michigan taught him that things have to be lined up perfectly in order to make a move like this. Wolfgang told him that if he took this particular job, he would not be able to help the kids he most enjoyed helping. SS said that was a deal breaker and he declined the offer.

Then, a couple of days later, the coaches convention came up, and Scott was excited about it because it is a rare chance for him to meet up with his best friends in the coaching business and have a chance to 'pop a few shots' and relax a bit. Just as he was getting ready to do that, he gets a call from Dr Gross, which led to 2 days of conference calls and eventually, an offer to take the Syracuse HC job. I think one of the big reasons SS wanted a HC job was so he could get the band back together...he said when they were at WMU, they talked about working together again sometime in the future and promised each other if one of them got a HC gig, he was ask the others to join him. No hard feelings if you said no and declined the offer, but the agreement was, if someone had the chance, they were going to try and get back together.

From my talks with SS, I know he really likes working with kids from inner city environments. Kids from tough backgrounds, where football offers a rare chance to get out of a bad situation and turn things around. He didn't mention who the offer was from. Anyway, he said it is funny how things seem to happen for a reason and thought the way things worked out, it was vindication for his philosophy that you need to wait for the right situation, with the right job, the right people surrounding you, before you make a move from a situation that is already a good one for you.

Regarding the food and drink, SU did a good job here. They had wine, a variety of beers, featuting Blue Moon, served with slices of orange (quite appropriate), a variety of sodas and a fine vintage of Schweppes Ginger Ale (2012 if I am not mistaken). They also have a nice cheese, crackers, grapes, and veggie buffet area that included raw shrimp with cocktail sauce. Appetizers included chicken marsala tarts, quiche tarts, Philly steak and cheese filled puff pastries, bacon wrapped scallops and mini Beef Wellingtons.

I tried them all and they were all good. Except the Beef Wellington. To clarify, the Beef Wellington was probably great, the reports I got on it were very positive. But BW and I were like two ships in the night, always passing but never together. I saw her going by out of the corner of my eye a dozen times but it was not to be. Rats. I think it was a very similar situation to the Syracuse football HC job and Tom Coughlin. Rats! But I digress.

No word on whether spring football would be open to the public. No word on 'how do you handle a problem like Ashton'? No questions, period. Like DCCuse says, the staff was really tired. Towards that end, SS made an announcement that everyone on staff was to sleep in that night and not to report to work until noon.

Shafer was a very good speaker. Folksy, frank, very open and candid. The press conferences, coaches shows and post game interviews, at least right now, look like they are going to be kind entertaining. One of the guys we talked with during the cocktail hour part of the event played football under Ben Schwartzwalder. Looking at Scott, I was struck by some similarities between the two. Both pretty short, crew cut guys, tough as nails, square jaw Germans (Shafer named his kids Wolfgang and Elsa) who are all about hard work and physical play. I think Ben would have approved of this hire.

Ben used to call his player the "hard-noses"

 

[steve deberg]

I laughed when Shafer mentioned that until this recruiting class he's never met an offensive lineman who could play golf.

The starting RT on my team in university was a 2 handicap at 6'4 280 lbs. Only guy who could beat him was our 65 year old HC. Seemed wild at the time to me, too.

 

[sutomcat]

One question for Tom or DC who were in attendance. Give me your best guess at which head coach position he turned down a month ago?

Just based on context, I was thinking an Ivy League job. But I really have no idea.

 

[Shenexon]

Thanks to Tom, DCCuse, Pfat, and the rest of you for your value added. The intelligent commentary you provide makes this a wonderful place to become more educated. Rocco, Bnoro, Van, and others provide a lot of good information as well and it's appreciated. As painful as the past month has been, you guys are bright spots in a lot of our lives. Thanks for sharing what you know & hear, but especially for your analysis. This is one place I generally feel smarter as a result of the time I spend here. Thanks...

 

[All4SU]

Part II

One of the most interesting parts of the night happened when SS told a story he said would embarrass his 18 year old son. It was about how he came to get the Syracuse job.

The story begins with Scott being offered a head coaching job at a great school a week or so before the coaches convention this year (just days before DM dropped the big one). He and his familyt discussed whether he should take the job. He was torn; he really likes it here but he also really wanted to be a head coach. But his experience at Michigan taught him that things have to be lined up perfectly in order to make a move like this. Wolfgang told him that if he took this particular job, he would not be able to help the kids he most enjoyed helping. SS said that was a deal breaker and he declined the offer.

Then, a couple of days later, the coaches convention came up, and Scott was excited about it because it is a rare chance for him to meet up with his best friends in the coaching business and have a chance to 'pop a few shots' and relax a bit. Just as he was getting ready to do that, he gets a call from Dr Gross, which led to 2 days of conference calls and eventually, an offer to take the Syracuse HC job. I think one of the big reasons SS wanted a HC job was so he could get the band back together...he said when they were at WMU, they talked about working together again sometime in the future and promised each other if one of them got a HC gig, he was ask the others to join him. No hard feelings if you said no and declined the offer, but the agreement was, if someone had the chance, they were going to try and get back together.

So here is a list of the schools who made coaching changes. (D1 only) Which team could it have been? Has to be one who selcted their head coach sometime after January 7th.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/coaching_changes.html

 

[All4SU]

So here is a list of the schools who made coaching changes. (D1 only) Which team could it have been? Has to be one who selcted their head coach sometime after January 7th.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/coaching_changes.html

With FCS included:

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot/stat/coaching-changes.htm

Cornell? Delaware? Sounds like Cornell.

 

[Crusty]

Awesome just awesome.

 

[Chip]

Shafer said they did a good job adding what he called ‘middle weight body guys’. He said paraphrasing “middle weight body guys” are essential to special team success.

Most of my weight is in the middle these days. I bet I could be a great kick returner, but who has the time or energy.

 

[ForeverOrange]

Thanks Tom, since moving to Charlotte information like this has been hard to come by, I really appreciate the information you and others present to us.

 

[HtownOrange]

Most of my weight is in the middle these days. I bet I could be a great kick returner, but who has the time or energy.

Are you saying you are on the level because the bubble is in the middle?

I resemble that last remark.

 

[Chip]

Are you saying you are on the level because the bubble is in the middle?

I resemble that last remark.

I'm saying that Shafer thinks Jameel Dumas is the greatest special teams player we've ever had.

 

[HtownOrange]

I'm saying that Shafer thinks Jameel Dumas is the greatest special teams player we've ever had.

Sorry, failed attempt at humor.

 

[Chip]

Sorry, failed attempt at humor.

Nah, I'm with you, I just saw an opportunity to mention Jameel Dumas' fatness, so I couldn't pass it up.

 

[All4SU]

For the star junkies, this report is a 5 star.

It was only a 2-star on S****.

 

[SUinNYC]

Thanks Tom. As FHCDM would say, you are a tremendous asset to this community.