Terrific interview with Donnie Mac

[PhatOrange]

We would have to go on a run obviously this season but I think he might be ahead of Dungey when all is said and done. Need to get in a decent bowl and win it though.

My bad I read the quote wrong. The top QB of all time, no. One of the top SUFB QBs of all time, yes.

 

[David321]

My bad I read the quote wrong. The top QB of all time, no. One of the top SUFB QBs of all time, yes.

It’s all good, it’s my bad actually. I originally had a typo as I forgot the “5” in top 5 and I then had to go back and edit it.

 

[OburgOrange]

A fun chore. 1. Donnie McPherson Finished 2ud in the Heisman and led us to a unbeaten season.
2. Donovan McNabb I think he was the o player of the year in the Big East 3 straight years
3. Eric Dungey I loved the kid. Tough. Tough Tough
4. Ryan Nassib The numbers are the numbers
5 G.S I'm hoping the last 8 games justify this
6 Marvin Graves I think he was the mvp of 3 straight bowl games
7. Bill Hurley If we had a defense to go with him, he might actually be higher
8 Todd Philcox A winner and a great game manager

I have seen all of these guys play

I’ve watched them all too. I think you are short changing Marvin. He needs to move up a few spots

 

[dasher]

I’ve watched them all too. I think you are short changing Marvin. He needs to move up a few spots

Maybe. It's hard.

 

[BigNastyJon]

McNabb is my earliest memories as a cuse fan (and some of my earliest memories in general).

He will always be my favorite Syracuse football player of all time.

 

[OrangeDW]

McNabb is my earliest memories as a cuse fan (and some of my earliest memories in general).

He will always be my favorite Syracuse football player of all time.

I remember sometimes just wanting us to pass every single play and almost rooting for there to be pressure because he was so insane at escaping it and then once he escaped just murdering teams with either his arm deep downfield or his legs.

He was basically Dungey but with a cannon and breakaway speed. He was magical. Can’t imagine the numbers he’d put up in today’s college offenses. We also had a lot of blowout wins where he barely threw the ball in the second half.

 

[OrangeDW]

What a time.

 

[OrangeDW]

I don’t even want to post any highlights because it was basically the most heartbreaking unjust loss ever, but McNabb was even better against Tennessee. They destroyed our OL on seemingly every passing play and McNabb was basically Superman in escaping the rush and making things happen. One of the best games I’ve ever seen a QB play. Put a normal QB back there and we lose by 30.

 

[Cheriehoop]

What a time.

I remember when McNabb was in a heated quarterback competition his first year with Kevin Johnson who sure became an excellent receiver at both SU and the NFL. He had a great overall career.

 

[OrangeDW]

I remember when McNabb was in a heated quarterback competition his first year with Kevin Johnson who sure became an excellent receiver at both SU and the NFL. He had a great overall career.

Yup! And Keith Downing was in the running too.

I went to the first game of his first year at UNC, and I’m pretty sure they didn’t announce the starter until that day? I have to believe they actually knew a long time before that and were just keeping UNC guessing?

Also remember the UNC fans around the stadium that day being so sure of a win. They were getting a lot of hype that season, and we went in and kicked their butts. Of course, the scenario was basically reversed the following season.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Yup! And Keith Downing was in the running too.

I went to the first game of his first year at UNC, and I’m pretty sure they didn’t announce the starter until that day? I have to believe they actually knew a long time before that and were just keeping UNC guessing?

Also remember the UNC fans around the stadium that day being so sure of a win. They were getting a lot of hype that season, and we went in and kicked their butts. Of course, the scenario was basically reversed the following season.

Keith Downing who lost that huge quarterback battle had a phenomenal career as a well known surgeon, doctor after Syracuse. So many successful people, not just in football but later in life on that squad.

 

[Toga]

Dungey with 93 TDs in 39 games? Holy crap.

He's a bad man Bob.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

That Devito interception rate is low for the wrong reasons

 

[OrangeDW]

That Devito interception rate is low for the wrong reasons

Hard to throw picks when you’re running out of bounds on 4th down.

 

[SWC75]

I would already put him ahead of Philcox and Nassib. As good as Philcox was, he only started for one year and Nassib was more game manager than playmaker.

Nassib holds most of our passing records. Go to page 200;

2023 Football Media Guide - Syracuse University Athletics

2023 Football Media Guide

cuse.com

 

[OrangeDW]

I would already put him ahead of Philcox and Nassib. As good as Philcox was, he only started for one year and Nassib was more game manager than playmaker.

Nassib as a senior wasn’t a game manager. We did a lot of no huddle and he was trusted to run the show, and he had a great year.

 

[sufandu]

What a time.

On the money in tight windows with a bunch of those throws, and just when rhe rush thought they'd get him, he'd escape time and again.

 

[sufandu]

Nassib holds most of our passing records. Go to page 200;

2023 Football Media Guide - Syracuse University Athletics

2023 Football Media Guide

cuse.com

I know the numbers. That doesn't change my opinion. Numbers don't tell the whole story.

 

[OrangeDW]

On the money in tight windows with a bunch of those throws, and just when rhe rush thought they'd get him, he'd escape time and again.

The zip on those throws was really something else, compared to pretty much everything else we’ve seen here.

 

[sufandu]

I remember sometimes just wanting us to pass every single play and almost rooting for there to be pressure because he was so insane at escaping it and then once he escaped just murdering teams with either his arm deep downfield or his legs.

He was basically Dungey but with a cannon and breakaway speed. He was magical. Can’t imagine the numbers he’d put up in today’s college offenses. We also had a lot of blowout wins where he barely threw the ball in the second half.

I think he'd also be viewed differently in today's NFL.

 

[sufandu]

The zip on those throws was really something else, compared to pretty much everything else we’ve seen here.

The occasional comparison that gets made on here to our recent good QBs like Dungey or Shrader just shows how we've forgotten how elite he was. He was just another level.

 

[OrangeDW]

The occasional comparison that gets made on here to our recent good QBs like Dungey or Shrader just shows how we've forgotten how elite he was. He was just another level.

Yeah, not even close.

They were/are similarly elusive and also excellent dual threat QB’s who can improvise and create something out of nothing.

But….he was the #2 freakin pick in the draft, lol. Whole different level of physical ability.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think he'd also be viewed differently in today's NFL.

Agreed. Because at some point fairly early in his career both McNabb and the Eagles seemed to emphasize not wanting him to run as much. Almost seemed like caving into media and fan weirdos who were still pushing that “you gotta be a POCKET PASSER to win a Super Bowl!” crap.

And at some point he had a season ending leg injury. And also started getting a lot bigger.

He was a very good-great QB for close to a decade, but I think he/they didn’t make as much use of his legs as they could’ve after his first 2-3 years. Also, the WR’s the Eagles gave him were garbage and the one great they had for a year was a complete lunatic.

 

[sufandu]

Agreed. Because at some point fairly early in his career both McNabb and the Eagles seemed to emphasize not wanting him to run as much. Almost seemed like caving into media and fan weirdos who were still pushing that “you gotta be a POCKET PASSER to win a Super Bowl!” crap.

And at some point he had a season ending leg injury. And also started getting a lot bigger.

He was a very good-great QB for close to a decade, but I think he/they didn’t make as much use of his legs as they could’ve after his first 2-3 years. Also, the WR’s the Eagles gave him were garbage and the one great they had for a year was a complete lunatic.

I remember him specifically saying he didn't want to run. He wanted to be known as a guy that could be a pocket passer. I'm certain that was because of the pressure of the culture at the time. I wonder how much his broken ankle affected him long term (he stayed in the game and threw 4 tds on that ankle). If he was coming up now, I bet he'd embrace running more. That play against the Cowboys where he reversed field twice and scrambled for like 14 seconds before completing a bomb was insane.

And yes, I despise Andy Reid for never giving him the weapons he deserved. It's why I've rooted against him and Mahomes. He's given Mahomes the toys that he never gave McNabb, and Mahomes is already a HOF lock while McNabb will likely remain on the fringe watching others get elected.

 

[OrangeDW]

Agreed. Because at some point fairly early in his career both McNabb and the Eagles seemed to emphasize not wanting him to run as much. Almost seemed like caving into media and fan weirdos who were still pushing that “you gotta be a POCKET PASSER to win a Super Bowl!” crap.

And at some point he had a season ending leg injury. And also started getting a lot bigger.

He was a very good-great QB for close to a decade, but I think he/they didn’t make as much use of his legs as they could’ve after his first 2-3 years. Also, the WR’s the Eagles gave him were garbage and the one great they had for a year was a complete lunatic.

Gotta add this little tidbit- at the NC State game last year, when McNabb was announced(i forgot what they honored him for?), the NC State grad and his son who were sitting in front of me started shaking their heads like “ah, screw that guy”. When I asked them what their deal was with McNabb, they said they were “Eagles fans” and they were from the NJ/Philly area. I was still baffled….I think their criticism was he didn’t play good in the Super Bowl. And I was like….”yeah, but you’ve only been to a few of those? And you were in the mix every year with him?” I think they just weren’t really that big of football fans and just didn’t know that much.

But McNabb’s gotta be the best QB the Eagles have ever had? Cunningham was also a spectacular player and similarly saddled with a terrible offensive approach and basic WRs, but I think McNabb had the better overall career in Philly. I don’t know if I’m extra sensitive because I’m a Cuse fan, but the media/fans were incredibly dumb and unfair to McNabb. He was probably the 3rd best QB in the league for a half a decade.