Tim Lester knows all about Syracuse football team he's trying to beat in opener

[RF2044]

Here's the quote that stood out to me:

In the spring, Western Michigan inked what was considered the highest-rated recruiting class in MAC history

I love Dino and glad he is here. I think he could do some really great things. I love the way he recruits and how he has developed the physical condition of this team. I want him here for as long as possible.

All that being said, I don't like how the Shafer administration was handled after Cuse brought in one-and-done Coyle. Shafer was only in his third year, and Lester only had one full year running his offense, and you could see it improving under him. I truly believe Cuse would have made even greater strides if Shafer and Lester had a 4th and maybe 5th year. And I love the way Lester communicates with the media.

Anyway, glad for Lester and Daust. Lester is a guy I can always root for no matter what program he is with

Your position is well reasoned / balanced, but hadn't you seen enough of Shafer by then to know that he couldn't get the job done?

My lingering impression is that he was overmatched. Great guy, stand up leader of young men, but just not head coaching material.

When he was hired [with the University not doing due diligence to conduct a national candidate search], I expressed that his tenure would be inexorably linked to his choice of OC. In a sense, it was -- and while I agree that Lester was far more competent than the man he replaced, the damage had already been done.

Our program would have been in an even bigger hole had we given Shafer that 4th or 5th year. We cut ties at the correct time, IMO -- even if it meant that Lester was collateral damage.

Again, your post is very logical -- I just see it differently with respect to Shafer. Coyle was a clown for leaving the way he did, but he handled that football dismissal / hire the right way, IMO. Sometimes you just need to rip off the band aid.

 

[djorange1989]

Oh I agree 100%. My post has nothing to do with supporting Shafer and his staff. I think Shafer was a terrible head coach. My mentioning this point of the article is supporting Babers. The personnel problem is what Babers has been saying for 2 years. The roster was not an ACC roster. People didn't want to believe it from Babers, except now we see that Lester had the exact same thoughts about the personnel during his time and that's what Babers inherited. It was not ACC personnel.

Shafer and co. recruited some very good players but not nearly enough. If they had say 30 players it was only the top 10 that were ACC caliber. Babers came in, kept them and the rest have left.

agree 100%. have said it before, this is football, not basketball. having 8-9 solid ACC players over a couple of classes isn't remotely close to enough.

 

[City of Cuse]

It may be true that SU wasn't ready for the ACC as they joined, but I'm not in any way convinced that Shafer's recruiting was going to rectify that. Not that his staff didn't land some good players - evidenced by the number who will be seeing significant time this season - however the general size, speed and depth of those classes weren't up to snuff.

There was a really good nunes articles a while back highlighting the 2015 recruiting class. Off my memory, it was something like 3 defensive players are still on the team. 14 total recruits aren't on the team anymore. Pretty crazy when you think about it.

 

[Scooch]

Oh I agree 100%. My post has nothing to do with supporting Shafer and his staff. I think Shafer was a terrible head coach. My mentioning this point of the article is supporting Babers. The personnel problem is what Babers has been saying for 2 years. The roster was not an ACC roster. People didn't want to believe it from Babers, except now we see that Lester had the exact same thoughts about the personnel during his time and that's what Babers inherited. It was not ACC personnel.

Shafer and co. recruited some very good players but not nearly enough. If they had say 30 players it was only the top 10 that were ACC caliber. Babers came in, kept them and the rest have left.

I totally get it, didn't mean to suggest that you were supporting Shafer.

I don't know if it was by design, or by necessity, but Shafer seemed to prioritize a "diamond in the rough" recruiting strategy. I'm eyes wide open when it comes to recruiting -- we're Syracuse and we're not landing a slew of 4/5 star kids -- but I recall the other offers a lot of his recruits were getting weren't terribly impressive. Dino seems to be on a better path.

 

[orangepassion]

Agree that Lester was our best coach on the staff

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Your position is well reasoned / balanced, but hadn't you seen enough of Shafer by then to know that he couldn't get the job done?

My lingering impression is that he was overmatched. Great guy, stand up leader of young men, but just not head coaching material.

When he was hired [with the University not doing due diligence to conduct a national candidate search], I expressed that his tenure would be inexorably linked to his choice of OC. In a sense, it was -- and while I agree that Lester was far more competent than the man he replaced, the damage had already been done.

Our program would have been in an even bigger hole had we given Shafer that 4th or 5th year. We cut ties at the correct time, IMO -- even if it meant that Lester was collateral damage.

Again, your post is very logical -- I just see it differently with respect to Shafer. Coyle was a clown for leaving the way he did, but he handled that football dismissal / hire the right way, IMO. Sometimes you just need to rip off the band aid.

I mean, we punted from the opponent's 32.

 

[Chip]

Good article. Lester is in a better place, we're in a better place. Win/win for everyone. Should be a great game on Friday.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

Excellent piece.

I suspect, though, that most P5 programs pay their staff more (if not much more) than what Lester and Daost made. In the abstract $240K is a great salary, but in context I'm guessing it's not terribly competitive.

Thankfully it sounds like Wildhack and Babers have addressed that situation and that our staff is more appropriately paid these days.

You are the real deal in Syracuse with that kind of money. Come on.

 

[Scooch]

You are the real deal in Syracuse with that kind of money. Come on.

That's not a relevant benchmark. Just because Walmart is in low-cost-of-living Bentonville, Arkansas that doesn't mean they don't have to compete for top execs against firms in higher cost areas. It supresses things at the margins but you can't underpay considerably and expect to get the best candidates. In any field.

 

[Chip]

That's not a relevant benchmark. Just because Walmart is in low-cost-of-living Bentonville, Arkansas that doesn't mean they don't have to compete for top execs against firms in higher cost areas. It supresses things at the margins but you can't underpay considerably and expect to get the best candidates. In any field.

And even at that, it's not like there's a high cost of living in most college towns.

 

[721Comstock]

I totally get it, didn't mean to suggest that you were supporting Shafer.

I don't know if it was by design, or by necessity, but Shafer seemed to prioritize a "diamond in the rough" recruiting strategy. I'm eyes wide open when it comes to recruiting -- we're Syracuse and we're not landing a slew of 4/5 star kids -- but I recall the other offers a lot of his recruits were getting weren't terribly impressive. Dino ABSOLUTELY IS on a better path.

FIFY.

Shafer recruited that "diamond in the rough" way, because it was the best he and staff were able to do.

The handful of 4* guys they went after, we academic reaches, who almost never panned out.

And when you look at all the kids that Shafer recruited that either never made it here, or left when Dino came - almost NONE of them ended up at the P5 level.

Shafer is a really good person, and a GREAT D coordinator, but was a mediocre (at best) head coach.
And a poor recruiter.

 

[AirForceOrange]

I mean, we punted from the opponent's 32.

Yeah, but, if I remember correctly, wasn't punting one of our few strengths?

 

[djorange1989]

I mean, we punted from the opponent's 32.

yeah, but compared to ISIS , punting from the opponents 32 really is meaningless

 

[JEF44]

Anyone hear Whigham on orange nation say shaf lost the locker room half way through his first year? And they used to call their own coverages?

Yeah Shafer was great!

 

[orangepassion]

Anyone hear Whigham on orange nation say shaf lost the locker room half way through his first year? And they used to call their own coverages?

Yeah Shafer was great!

Is there a link?

 

[TheCusian]

Anyone hear Whigham on orange nation say shaf lost the locker room half way through his first year? And they used to call their own coverages?

Yeah Shafer was great!

ut oh

 

[sufandu]

I wonder what we would have looked like if Lester had been the head coach instead of Shafer. I know he was younger and not qualified yet, but he seems to get it as a heqd coach.

 

[#FRANchise]

Is there a link?

It'll most likely be in the ESPN Audio Vault after the show is over.

Audio Vault

 

[jr4750]

I mean, we punted from the opponent's 32.

So soft. Shaf as a defensive guy should have known better. Basically, that raised the white flag of surrender.

 

[djorange1989]

So soft. Shaf as a defensive guy should have known better. Basically, that raised the white flag of surrender.

I think the only thing softer he did was not go for 2 in the 2nd OT against UVA in 2015. on the road, you get the ball first in the 3rd OT and you HAVE to go for 2 in the 3rd OT. go for the freaking win, softnosed!

 

[SmilinBob]

I thought Lester and Douhst (sp) were the 2 best coaches on SS's staff. The directional mitten got 2 pretty good ones there.

 

[Orangello]

I'm bringing a stoogie Friday night

 

[JoeSU]

GREAT article.

But - I disagree with the premise:
The players are not remotely the same guys they coached 2+ years ago.
Physically, mentally, maturity, experience-wise, scheme, etc.

This will be a tough game because it's a road game against a solid team.
That several of that team's coaches used to coach some of our players in a former era, should be the least of our concerns.

I completely agree with you. Lester might have been familiar with some of our players a few years ago, so there's the MTSU factor to be wary of. But it's not like he and Daoust ever coached under Babers, so they don't have an insider's knowledge of our schemes and play calling, other than from watching film from past years. That's a huge difference.

This is not a typical cupcake opening game, and is one we just can't afford to lose, so I hope this has instilled a sense of urgency in our preparations.

 

[TheCusian]

I completely agree with you. Lester might have been familiar with some of our players a few years ago, so there's the MTSU factor to be wary of. But it's not like he and Daoust ever coached under Babers, so they don't have an insider's knowledge of our schemes and play calling, other than from watching film from past years. That's a huge difference.

This is not a typical cupcake opening game, and is one we just can't afford to lose, so I hope this has instilled a sense of urgency in our preparations.

Think they’ll employ the Shafer method on D though (pressure). We’ll try to run at them or throw lots of quick screens.

If ED throws a pick to Dowells on the first play of our season I’ll throw up

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Think they’ll employ the Shafer method on D though (pressure). We’ll try to run at them or throw lots of quick screens.

If ED throws a pick to Dowells on the first play of our season I’ll throw up

Agreed, if we gouge them in the run game and stuff theirs will be a long night for WMU