Back in 2003, the Red Sox were playing the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS. Pedro Martinez had pitched well for 7 innings and was clearly gassed, as was obvious to anyone who followed the Red Sox. Grady Little inexplicably left Pedro Martinez in the game, and the lead, and ultimately the game, was lost.
I, and millions of other Red Sox fans, were screaming at the screen, incredulous at what a stupid decision leaving Martinez in was. It was indefensible at the time, and even a decade later, remains indefensible.
Somewhere, there was a Red Sox fan version of bees saying, "well, none of you are MLB managers. Who are you to question a move like this? Grady Little knows more about baseball than anyone here." Which, of course, is true. Grady Little does know more about baseball. That doesn't insulate him from making a bad decision.
So yes - if Coyle doesn't see what is blindingly obvious to the vast, vast, vast majority of Syracuse football fans, and retains Shafer - I will most certainly say that he is making a major mistake, and will lose a lot of confidence in his competency as an AD. Much as I did for Grady Little (who, it should be noted, lost his job for that massive lapse of judgment.)