The lack of concern for the offense on this board is baffling to me

[Orangetradition44]

I agree... People want him to succeed. But he is a first time, Sophomore QB. And it's not like he hasn't shown flashes (just not in the ACC... Even his NW drive showed something).

I think it is Hunts story that people are behind and they root for, that is why they are currently point fingers other places and look over historically bad numbers.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MikeSU02]

I'm sick of the "we're on the right path" and "wait til next year".

I get that Shafer needs more time and that is fine. But the biggest issue I see is that I see a group of coaches who are the biggest weakness we have. Maybe they get better. Maybe Shafer leads us to the promised land. But right now, I don't see a coaching match-up we win.

I'll gripe, but in the end be patient because Shafer deserves some time to figure it out. But I would really like Syracuse to make a hire one time of a previous college head coach that ran an exciting offense.

But for now, I'll keep hoping we squeeze out 6 wins because we need those bowl practices badly.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I posted the passing numbers the last three games after the blowout last game.

Still ugly as hell.

 

[PhatOrange]

How does Macky get hurt, and on the first play of young Jason Emmerich's career as a snapper in a close football game, we go to the shotgun

I hadn't even considered that before...good point

Maybe he can't deviate from the script? Ya know like change the next play?

 

[Chip]

It's not like I'd give McDonald an A, or even a B. But I think we do need to let him get some of his recruits here, let him build this his way. Bullough was brought in because he and Shafer think the same way, he was here to continue what we've been doing, it's not working. McDonald wasn't brought in to be Hackett.

The NC State game was a passing dud, but we ran for over 300 and scored enough to win. Everything seemed ok. So, I'm just going to hope the GT game was an anomaly, until I have more reason to believe it wasn't. GT was the first time we couldn't run or pass.

Still 4 winnable games on this schedule. If we continue our 100 yard passing ways against the 4 of them, and we lose 2 or more of those 4, then grab your pitchforks (I still think he needs more time, but I won't take your pitchforks away).

 

[anomander]

i like to look at the positives

at least were punting well (after benching Fisher)

 

[cuseinchina]

It's all fuking horrible <100 yards passing three games in a row, no adjustments, zero points vs a decent but not special Georgia tech defense. People taking solace in the record need to wake up because there is nothing at all that indicates we have anything but a horrifically coached team. To continue our resurgence we need our coaches to get more out of our players than their talent level on its own would dictate. Marrone did this. Not that we have lost, but the way we have lost really seems to show the opposite. NW not that good and destroyed us. Look at wake and bc - new coaches, comparable or worse talent, but they look much much better when thy lose then we do. Hey show signs of life. We are showing close t o nothing. Think i am going overboard? give me just five positives beyond individual player performance that offer a glimmer of hope. I am not seeing it and it is depressing.

 

[upperdeck]

easy to overlook that we have dropped or missed wide open rcvrs probably 20 times since Clemson game.. there were probably 5 deep throws at GT that were pretty simple and we didnt come close to completing.. you can love what Hunt brings to the running game and hate the mistakes that Allen makes, but you have to believe that making those throws in practice is what got him the starting job.

 

[TheCusian]

The lack of any semblance of hope on this board is disturbing. So much talk about what's going wrong - I think we pull it out Saturday.

The WF Oline is really bad.

They spread it out - and are pass heavy (possibly bad). But they have zero run game. Shafer knows this and should have some nice blitz packages (think Pitt last season).

Miami ran all over them and I think our run game is on par - and better when Hunt is running well.

We are a much better home team.

I believe our coaches have learned from GT. We'll be better. All reports are positive about the fight in our guys.

Bromley and Jerome are beasts.

Maybe Estime gets more run as punt returner?

 

[SmilinBob]

I feel like I've been beaten and left on the street after watching the offense so that's why I haven't mentioned anything about it. There are so many questions and I'm not sure if SU have any answers. Just a quick question, when was the last time SU gave up 50+ points 3 times in a season? I'm counting FSU's game ahead of time. Yes, I have lots of questions and worry about this 2013 team.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I wanted to fire McDonald in the middle of the Penn State game. My opinion has not changed.

 

[ForeverOrange]

The results on both offense and defense have been a bit traumatizing, why? Because we have seen this before. I think we are at a point where we are holding our breath and hoping that what we are seeing is a bump in the road and not a flashback of a painful era.

 

[SoBristol]

I wanted to fire McDonald in the middle of the Penn State game. My opinion has not changed.

OK, so that is not going to happen. Not during the season, not after the season. McDonald will get his chance to show his recruiting prowess as we scramble to fill the class, and he will get his chance to grow into a decent OC.

We know all the statistics about lack of a passing game. How does anyone fix the offense for the November games? The OL is intact -- there aren't any changes that would make a difference. The WRs aren't performing, but realistically, are the bench guys better? Is a bench WR showing anything in practice -- anyone?

The hope is that our QBs figure something out (cutting back on INTs), that the TEs get into the game plan, that we get the running game going, and -- at a minimum -- we clean up the penalties.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

OK, so that is not going to happen. Not during the season, not after the season. McDonald will get his chance to show his recruiting prowess as we scramble to fill the class, and he will get his chance to grow into a decent OC.

We know all the statistics about lack of a passing game. How does anyone fix the offense for the November games? The OL is intact -- there aren't any changes that would make a difference. The WRs aren't performing, but realistically, are the bench guys better? Is a bench WR showing anything in practice -- anyone?

The hope is that our QBs figure something out (cutting back on INTs), that the TEs get into the game plan, that we get the running game going, and -- at a minimum -- we clean up the penalties.

Obviously, he's not going to be fired in the 2nd quarter of the 1st game of the year or any time during the season.

But here are things that bug me:

1) No rhythm to his play-calling. There's no reason for many of the plays that are run.
2) No effort to reduce yards through the air on first and second down. Why are there no slants, curls, dump-offs, etc.?
3) Lousy formations. Three receivers bunched on the short side of the field with no one on the other side? No wonder Drew Allen can only throw into coverage.
4) No adjustments or new ideas that allow players to get open.

Yes, some of this has to do with player talent/decision-making. But they have to have something work with.

I feel like McDonald's offense is comparable to the custom offense I had on a NCAA 08. It was a mish-mash of formations that came together because I liked a single play in the package. There's little depth or strategy to a formation like that.

Perhaps he can get better. But Shafer as HC needs to step up and get McDonald some help or more supervision to guarantee things improve next year.

 

[SoBristol]

The results on both offense and defense have been a bit traumatizing, why? Because we have seen this before. I think we are at a point where we are holding our breath and hoping that what we are seeing is a bump in the road and not a flashback of a painful era.

Traumatizing is accurate. We got rolled in 3 games, almost as badly as we rolled Wagner. There might be 4 responses:
1. shock/trauma -- hold our breath and hope it isn't true
2. gripe -- about the coaching, the schemes, the play-calling, the in-game adjustments
3. gripe -- about the lack of play-makers (our facilities have hurt recruiting, etc etc)
4. expect that the team is better than it looked at its worst and can rebound in the November games, when it is not playing top 20 teams, or facing a triple-option.

 

[SoBristol]

Obviously, he's not going to be fired in the 2nd quarter of the 1st game of the year or any time during the season.

But here are things that bug me:

1) No rhythm to his play-calling. There's no reason for many of the plays that are run.
2) No effort to reduce yards through the air on first and second down. Why are there no slants, curls, dump-offs, etc.?
3) Lousy formations. Three receivers bunched on the short side of the field with no one on the other side? No wonder Drew Allen can only throw into coverage.
4) No adjustments or new ideas that allow players to get open.

Yes, some of this has to do with player talent/decision-making. But they have to have something work with.

I feel like McDonald's offense is comparable to the custom offense I had on a NCAA 08. It was a mish-mash of formations that came together because I liked a single play in the package. There's little depth or strategy to a formation like that.

Perhaps he can get better. But Shafer as HC needs to step up and get McDonald some help or more supervision to guarantee things improve next year.

I won't take on all of that, but we did see Marrone (a former OC) step up after Spence's efforts in 2009 weren't working. We then had Marrone/Hackett, and not much offense in 2010 & 2011. It took a while to get the pieces in place (at OT for example, and adding Sales with Lemon), and it took some time for Nassib to develop. Much of the struggle this season has been at the most important position -- QB.

As you watch other college offenses, you will see many of the same plays and formations that we use, including bunches of WRs. The logic of our play-calling looks a lot better when the plays work (Tulane and NC State).

I also wonder why we aren't using the TEs more, and more slant passes. But to be fair, some of our WRs (Clark and Kobena) get pushed and blanketed when they run slant routes.

 

[JeremyCuse]

It's not like I'd give McDonald an A, or even a B. But I think we do need to let him get some of his recruits here, let him build this his way. Bullough was brought in because he and Shafer think the same way, he was here to continue what we've been doing, it's not working. McDonald wasn't brought in to be Hackett.

The NC State game was a passing dud, but we ran for over 300 and scored enough to win. Everything seemed ok. So, I'm just going to hope the GT game was an anomaly, until I have more reason to believe it wasn't. GT was the first time we couldn't run or pass.

Still 4 winnable games on this schedule. If we continue our 100 yard passing ways against the 4 of them, and we lose 2 or more of those 4, then grab your pitchforks (I still think he needs more time, but I won't take your pitchforks away).

Unfortunately I think the NCState game was the anomaly, this passign offense is so bad right now that it pretty much needs a 250 yard + day on the ground for this team to have a chance to win and obviously that is just not realistic in a BCS Div 1 conference. The staff has had two weeks to work on both the Offense and Defense we better see some changes Saturday or there are going to be some changes to that staff after the season.

 

[KaiserUEO]

people have been talking about things other than the shlittiest QB play in the history of QBs at any level??

hadnt noticed.

cant stress this enough......this game is an absolute freakin must.

2 weeks.
at home.
so so team.

it could propel them to a W over another crappyarse team @maryland next week and actually have a winning record for the fla st woodshed beating.

i have ZERO confindence in hunt. i hope SS pulls a Boeheim and lets hunt throw on the 1st play...and when it inevitably is incomplete (please not a pick 6) he gets yanked and sits down.

6 wins and a bowl please. any bowl. even those crappy ones on dec 3rd or whatever...or how about those even crappier ones in mid jan at 10am on NFL playoff days...go ahead and lose it too, i dont care...it will be a successful season.

we got to get lucky.

lucky like the pokes in week 1.

give me something.

anything.

please.

:noidea:

 

[upperdeck]

I think if people watched the all 22 view they would have a better understanding of how difficult play calling a team like this is.. people complain about Allen getting balls tipped and they want more short slants from Hunt.. we cant block under pressure but want more deep balls, we cant get off pressure but complain about bunch sets.. We have changed the play sets about 3 times this year already and we get more complaints about not changing enough. We want to put the offense in less 3rd and long and get upset when we run on first down. you cant throw to the TE more when he is being asked to help block more. the guy better at throwing deep messes up the shorter passes, the buy better at throw short messes up the deeper passes, the one guy getting open drops 3 passes a game, the guy best in space cant remember the plays, the guy who can catch, cant get off the line, the kid they thought was the number one got hurt

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Good Offense, win special teams, you have a winning record in college football. People here still think defense matters. The offense is close to the worst ever and is competing with Pariani , we have one good year of offense and one good year of qb play in 15 years, we wonder why we are irrelevant. It's disgusting what GMC is putting out there, hopefully he can recruit his way of it. But But, But, Nassib had 12 Td's and 6 inerceptions his sophomore year!!! or whatever the it was, I stand by my statement, in the modern college football era, 1 good year in offense and qb play in 15 years. That is why this program sucks.

No facilities, no recruits, no money to hire a experienced HC, no money to hire and experienced OC, it's really that simple. Get some money, get some facilities, coaches, recruits... win some ing games or we could continue to try and hit the trifecta with a bunch of 25-1 claimers

 

[SoBristol]

cant stress this enough......this game is an absolute freakin must.

2 weeks.
at home.
so so team.

it could propel them to a W over another crappyarse team @maryland next week and actually have a winning record for the fla st woodshed beating.

6 wins and a bowl please. any bowl. even those crappy ones on dec 3rd or whatever...
give me something.

anything.

please.

:noidea:

Ok, so we are slightly favored this week -- only because the game is at home. Maryland, Pitt & BC have each won 3 or 4 games, not a lot different from SU, except they haven't lost as big as we have, as often as we have. For sure, each of these teams has a better passing attack than we have.

So, win the November rivalry games against these traditional rivals. All will be forgiven.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I won't take on all of that, but we did see Marrone (a former OC) step up after Spence's efforts in 2009 weren't working. We then had Marrone/Hackett, and not much offense in 2010 & 2011. It took a while to get the pieces in place (at OT for example, and adding Sales with Lemon), and it took some time for Nassib to develop. Much of the struggle this season has been at the most important position -- QB.

I had season tickets in 2010 and 2011 and watched those teams more closely than I possibly can now. I always felt like Marrone had a plan. The team ran the ball because that's where the strength lay. We weren't recruiting fullbacks because there wasn't going to be the need for a fullback once the coaching staff was comfortable with the WRs, OL, QB, TEs, etc. You could sense short and long term goals, which lead to a nice season in 2012.

I don't feel like McDonald has ever been that prepared or organized. His offense feels like lousy abstract art- He throws paint at a canvas and however it trickles and pools and drips, that's his work.

 

[SoBristol]

I had season tickets in 2010 and 2011 and watched those teams more closely than I possibly can now. I always felt like Marrone had a plan. The team ran the ball because that's where the strength lay. We weren't recruiting fullbacks because there wasn't going to be the need for a fullback once the coaching staff was comfortable with the WRs, OL, QB, TEs, etc. You could sense short and long term goals, which lead to a nice season in 2012.

I don't feel like McDonald has ever been that prepared or organized. His offense feels like lousy abstract art- He throws paint at a canvas and however it trickles and pools and drips, that's his work.

I agree with most of that. Marrone was smart enough to play a conservative offense and win (in 2010) with Shafer's defense. But Marrone and Hackett had plenty of detractors along the way.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I agree with most of that. Marrone was smart enough to play a conservative offense and win (in 2010) with Shafer's defense. But Marrone and Hackett had plenty of detractors along the way.

For the record, I was not one of them. For some reason, Marrone always had my confidence. Shafer- not so much.

There's no reason for this. Just a gut reaction.

 

[Chip]

Unfortunately I think the NCState game was the anomaly, this passign offense is so bad right now that it pretty much needs a 250 yard + day on the ground for this team to have a chance to win and obviously that is just not realistic in a BCS Div 1 conference. The staff has had two weeks to work on both the Offense and Defense we better see some changes Saturday or there are going to be some changes to that staff after the season.

The good news is that we'll find out the answer in just a couple days.

The Lester interview was a little scary talking about that pop pass to the TE that was intercepted. Yeah, was a great play by the LB. But Lester explains why that LB shouldn't even have been close enough. And when he explained it, it seemed like something a HS QB would have grasped.

I think that things like that are why Allen is getting reps with the first team this week. If you didn't see the interview, go watch in syr.com.