Syracuse 2022 Strength of Schedule

[GreekFreak]

I hear what you are saying, but last year we faced Ohio, Albany, Liberty, a Rutgers team that finished 5-8, and a less formidable than usual ACC. We went 2-7 vs the P5 members of that slate. It would seem that Dino got his Get Out of Jail free card last year. Yeah, this year's schedule is harder but last year was the golden opportunity and we squandered it.

I get that he got a free pass his first two years because he was rebuilding from Scott Shaffer. I don't want to get too deeply into the mental acid trip of giving him a pass because Dino is rebuilding from...Dino Babers? Not a road I want to go down mentally.

Look, I just want to see some real results in the win column. I want Dino to be successful because I want SU to be successful. Let me repeat that; I want Dino to be successful. Let there be no mistake about that. We have done some things on the staff side and on the recruiting trail that are definitely interesting, but activity without productivity is not what this is all about.

We play some good teams but that is the schedule we have chosen. We are in a P5 conference. If you want to swim with sharks, you can't complain about the teeth.

Let's get it done

Go SU!

Great post!

 

[IthacaMatt]

I hear what you are saying, but last year we faced Ohio, Albany, Liberty, a Rutgers team that finished 5-8, and a less formidable than usual ACC. We went 2-7 vs the P5 members of that slate. It would seem that Dino got his Get Out of Jail free card last year. Yeah, this year's schedule is harder but last year was the golden opportunity and we squandered it.

I get that he got a free pass his first two years because he was rebuilding from Scott Shaffer. I don't want to get too deeply into the mental acid trip of giving him a pass because Dino is rebuilding from...Dino Babers? Not a road I want to go down mentally.

Look, I just want to see some real results in the win column. I want Dino to be successful because I want SU to be successful. Let me repeat that; I want Dino to be successful. Let there be no mistake about that. We have done some things on the staff side and on the recruiting trail that are definitely interesting, but activity without productivity is not what this is all about.

We play some good teams but that is the schedule we have chosen. We are in a P5 conference. If you want to swim with sharks, you can't complain about the teeth.

Let's get it done

Go SU!

Great post, Dick.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Given the way we are putting together next year's team, and given how poorly attended and watched the minor bowls were this year, did 'not making' a bowl really matter this year? I guess it is a measuring stick of sorts, but the extra practices were pretty much irrelevant to what we are going to do next year, and some of those minor bowls were embarrassing.
I will take it one step further.. I am not particularly interested in only 6 wins next year. I want to be good and relevant and not sure 6 wins achieves that.

I agree, Moose. But I don't think anybody is saying 6 wins forever is acceptable. These new coaches should put a season on the board, hopefully make a bowl, and then let's see how the recruiting goes.

These UVa guys put up great offenses several times, the DC had a great year, the new OL coach had a great year last year, We had the leading rusher in the nation about 10 weeks into the season.

Tommy DeVito and the Real Housewives of La Familia are now mostly gone. Hopefully we get back to a more hard-ass, hard working, less Hollywood, and less injury prone team.

 

[Cusefan69]

Ehh to early for declarations. Yeah i get it, he has had time. I dont disagree but his AD made the call to keep him and upgrade offense and specials. It goes without saying we all want wins and bowl games. New staff on board on offense that everyone is excited about. I am looking forward to Spring game for first time in a few years. Lanorris Sellers maybe commits...

 

[MSOrange]

Ehh to early for declarations. Yeah i get it, he has had time. I dont disagree but his AD made the call to keep him and upgrade offense and specials. It goes without saying we all want wins and bowl games. New staff on board on offense that everyone is excited about. I am looking forward to Spring game for first time in a few years. Lanorris Sellers maybe commits...

You are right. I have my own thoughts of what I think are reasonable goals this season. But I'll enjoy feeling optimistic going into the season, which definitely hasn't always been the case.

 

[storange]

10-2 f em

 

[Hoo's That]

I'm pretty sure he actually has 2 more years of eligibility

Actually it's 4. All Wake QBs are automatically given 10 years of eligibility.

 

[TheCusian]

I was genuinely curious about this, so I took a look. Here are our SOSs each year post Coach P.

Robinson (average SOS: 30.5)
2005: 42
2006: 14
2007: 32
2008: 34

Marrone (average SOS: 52.3)
2009: 36
2010: 73
2011: 55
2012: 45

Shafer (average SOS: 45.7)
2013: 57
2014: 41
2015: 39

Babers (average SOS: 42)
2016: 8
2017: 8
2018: 61
2019: 73
2020: 49
2021: 53

Conclusion: I think it's perfectly fair to give Dino a pass for our 4-8 seasons in 2016 and 2017. He was implementing a new system using inherited players and playing brutal schedules mostly due to FSU, Clemson and Louisville all being elite at the same time. But, our schedules for the past four seasons have been very manageable. I just don't see how we can use that as an excuse at this point.

Fair. The site I’ve used in the past has it a bit different, but I’ll concede the point

 

[sufandu]

The last time we had a great offensive coordinator was Deleone with the freeze option. These 2 need 2 years to get things going, most of the pieces are in place with some decent depth, which we haven't had in a long time.

You don't think Hackett was great? Or was he just not here long enough?

 

[upperdeck]

My bad, I thought their QB graduated.

wake kid has 2 yrs left doesnt he? he will get to play us 6 times.

 

[baggerbob]

You don't think Hackett was great? Or was he just not here long enough?

One season doesn't make great, it was moving in the right direction, but Doug bailed.

 

[Domedog84]

we beat pitt in our 10-3 season

No, we lost there in overtime that year. We beat them in the dome in 2017

 

[721Comstock]

No, we lost there in overtime that year. We beat them in the dome in 2017

Yeah, that was when their kicker hit the Heinz field RECORD DISTANCE FG & several others from 50+, and was somehow channeling Adam Vinatieri and Lou Groza and had a completely out-of-body experience kicking that day.

And he went right back to being Just A Guy totally mediocre kicker the very next game, and for the rest of his career.

Of course.

 

[wiseman3]

I'm sorry but in year 7, you don't get to make excuses for a tough schedule. You've had 6 years to prepare to beat good teams. Dino is making a ton of money to beat these teams and make a bowl. Bowl or bust.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm sorry but in year 7, you don't get to make excuses for a tough schedule. You've had 6 years to prepare to beat good teams. Dino is making a ton of money to beat these teams and make a bowl. Bowl or bust.

I'm sorry, but coming off 4 extra wins last year, a nationally recognized running back who is worthy of wearing "44", a Dungy style QB who can run over people, a very good OL coach, a very good Defensive Coordinator, pretty good luck with some important returnees who could have left, then the offensive overhaul with the UVa guys and their whole system, and then you add in a dedicated special teams coach who is super-experienced and has a Super Bowl ring.

I mean, why be bitching now? Why be pessimistic at this specific moment right now? This team has more momentum than they have in 3 years. This is the time of year we recognize big investments by the AD and we hope for the best.

If we're 2-6 in October, then fine, bitch all you want.

 

[Orijinal]

We're just a few bricks shy of a load.

Are we still talking about football?

 

[TheCusian]

I'm sorry but in year 7, you don't get to make excuses for a tough schedule. You've had 6 years to prepare to beat good teams. Dino is making a ton of money to beat these teams and make a bowl. Bowl or bust.

What if there is nothing a Syracuse HC can do to consistently beat good teams? I think this is what ADJW thinks and that’s why he’s getting him help. (That, and the buyout/starting over sucks)

Dino, Marrone both had good wins vs top 25 teams only to fall short of season goals. They both had very good seasons by Syracuse standards only to have it decline.

 

[NJneer12]

Need 6+ wins.

5 wins including a win vs. a Top 5 team...maybe?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Are we still talking about football?

No, we've moved on to masonry.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I'm sorry, but coming off 4 extra wins last year, a nationally recognized running back who is worthy of wearing "44", a Dungy style QB who can run over people, a very good OL coach, a very good Defensive Coordinator, pretty good luck with some important returnees who could have left, then the offensive overhaul with the UVa guys and their whole system, and then you add in a dedicated special teams coach who is super-experienced and has a Super Bowl ring.

I mean, why be bitching now? Why be pessimistic at this specific moment right now? This team has more momentum than they have in 3 years. This is the time of year we recognize big investments by the AD and we hope for the best.

If we're 2-6 in October, then fine, bitch all you want.

Cuse will be 2-6 if the QB is the same as last year.

we have a new OC, and a new QB coach...i do not want to see our best bet at TE behind center.

 

[Bayside44]

My bad, I thought their QB graduated.

Don't let their balding and gray hair fool you...

 

[rrlbees]

I’ll get my head torn off here, but considering our SOS this year with ND and Purdue and how tough the Atlantic is supposed to be, we could go 5-7 this year yet be a much better team than last year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I’ll get my head torn off here, but considering our SOS this year with ND and Purdue and how tough the Atlantic is supposed to be, we could go 5-7 this year yet be a much better team than last year.

I agree. I think we completely fell apart 2 years ago.

Last year, after the change from DeVito to Shrader, we looked much better, and were competitive in nearly every game until a couple guys on the line (and probably Shrader) were hurt toward the end of the year. But that was a soft schedule that should have landed us in a bowl, but for a couple blown end-of-game situations from Dino.

I agree that this year, we could be a MUCH better team, but still only win 5 or 6 games. I just hope fans don't lose their heads, because with this coaching staff, if they get 2 years together, I see an 8 win team not very far off.

 

[TexanMark]

Cuse will be 2-6 if the QB is the same as last year.

we have a new OC, and a new QB coach...i do not want to see our best bet at TE behind center.

Kaiser we gotta hope the rumor he was injured is true...cuz his passing was off after the VT game.

I expect we'll see a much better QB. If he can't throw at least average we have 2-3 others to trot out. I'm pretty bullish on the team. I only worry about our passing and DL...hopefully Spring Ball yields some answers...of course, they'll be state secrets until the Louisville game.

 

[Consigliere]

Kaiser we gotta hope the rumor he was injured is true...cuz his passing was off after the VT game.

I expect we'll see a much better QB. If he can't throw at least average we have 2-3 others to trot out. I'm pretty bullish on the team. I only worry about our passing and DL...hopefully Spring Ball yields some answers...of course, they'll be state secrets until the Louisville game.

Keep in mind he went almost two years without regularly throwing the ball. Even without a specific injury gotta think a tired arm may have played into performance. With a full offseason of practice and conditioning as a QB I am hopeful to see a much more polished passer.