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Message: [QUOTE="Whitey23, post: 1563322, member: 216"] [MEDIA=twitter]669184796153790464[/MEDIA] Here are 10 factors for potential candidates to keep in mind. [B]1. How much is Syracuse willing to pay?[/B] Per USA Today’s database, Shafer’s annual salary of $1.3 million was the lowest in the ACC among the 12 publicly-available salaries. Syracuse is a private school, so it’s possible there’s more, but likely not much. In this crowded coaching market, the cost of hiring a coach away is going to be high. [B]2. What are the expectations?[/B] There’s a history of success at Syracuse, but the Orange haven’t won 10 games since 2001. They have three winning seasons since then, though an 8-5 season in 2012 resulted in a four-way share of the Big East title. [B]3. There’s a foundation in the ACC.[/B] Syracuse was a winner out of conference realignment, finding stability by landing in the ACC. It’s not the same as SEC or Big Ten money, but the school has footing in a Power 5 conference. [B]4. You can use the Carrier Dome as an advantage.[/B] Syracuse is in a cold climate, but you don’t need to worry about it during games. Playing in a climate-controlled environment means a wide-open offense could work. When you think Syracuse football, you think running the ball and defense, but given the explosion of up-tempo offenses, Syracuse is a place it could work. [B]5. Speaking of the dome, how are facilities?[/B] The Carrier Dome opened in 1980 and hosts the football and men’s basketball programs. You’re obviously playing on a turf. The stadium’s acoustics can make the place louder than you would think. There’s also the Iocolan-Petto Football Complex, which includes offices, meeting rooms, strength and conditioning facilities and more. In addition, the brand-new 87,000-square-foot Ensley Athletic Center opened in January and includes a full 120-yard indoor field and a roof that reaches 65 feet tall, allowing for kicking and punting. [B]6. You need to recruit outside the region.[/B] Upstate New York doesn’t have many quality recruits. Syracuse has 15 commitments in the class of 2016 and the No. 59-ranked class, No. 12 in the ACC. Those 15 players come from 10 different states. Staff connections to recruiting grounds will be important, because you’ll have to travel to get them. [B]7. That recruiting is evident in the breakdown of the current roster.[/B] Only 23 players come from the home state of New York. The rest come from Florida (16), Georgia (11), Pennsylvania (10), New Jersey (8), California (6), Illinois (6), Michigan (3), Alabama (2), Connecticut (2), Maryland (2), Massachusetts (2), Indiana (1), Missouri (1), Nevada (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1). [B]8. What is the quarterback situation?[/B] The Orange have been decimated by injuries in the past two years, getting down to a fifth-string quarterback. QB’s on the roster include senior Terrel Hunt, sophomores AJ Long, Austin Wilson and Zack Mahoney and true freshman Eric Dungey. [B]9. It’s a young team.[/B] The current roster has 18 seniors, 18 juniors, 26 sophomores, nine redshirt freshmen and 25 true freshmen. [B]10. Family is a factor.[/B] You’d better like snow. Syracuse receives an average of 115 inches per year, the most of any metropolitan area in the continental United States. The city has a population of about 145,000, and the school’s enrollment is around 15,000. The city is four hours from New York City and four hours from Toronto. [/QUOTE]

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