What are best case scenarios from here on out?

[CuseBlood44]

I think 9 wins is very realistic as long as this was just an anomaly with Kyle yesterday.

He’s good when he has time to throw, but let’s not pretend like there weren’t numerous throws that should’ve been picked in earlier games this season. I viewed yesterday as those catching up to him

 

[orangmannc1]

Agreed. 8 wins. Take it. Run with it. Build off of it.

It's been 26 years since McNabb left and we've bounced between bad and mediocre for almost all of those years.

8 wins is solid. Work to make it better next year even tho the schedule will be harder (Tenny @ MB Stadium, @ Clemson, @Miami, @ND, @GT and @SMU).

Next year schedule! WOW. Getting to 6 wins next year would be quite difficult.

 

[MikeSU02]

Honestly who cares about the bowl though. McCord Meeks OG wax maybe Peña will all opt out

I get what you're saying on the opt outs and regular bowl games losing a ton of meaning. However, I don't mind it because it can give some younger guys a chance to get a trial run.

Also, it's nice to be a on bowl game streak. Get there this year and it's three in a row.

We're going out the gate against Tenny next year. If the bowl game gives us even a little bit of a test run for some guys that are going to be playing bigger roles in that game, let's use it.

 

[javadoc]

Win out, you get to 10-2 (6-2 in the ACC). This is more than likely not enough to make the ACC title game. Chances of Miami, Clemson, SMU, Pitt getting to 2 ACC losses are extremely slim and even then, not sure we pass them in a tie breaker.

End up with a Sun Bowl, Music City Bowl, Military Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl etc.

Because the question said "from here on out" and not simply "this year" I think that what we need to hope for is that Fran replaces the parts that are not working. Staff and employees, er, I mean players. Stuff ain't gonna get better until we do so.

 

[shu 49]

Newoline coach who can teach aggression cause we got none. New specials guy. Defensive coach to bemore aggressive like Narduzzi.

 

[Scooch]

To me, 8-4 was always going to be a "great" season given the state of program. Yeah, sounds like hindsight, but I felt and posted that way preseason. I think the thought that some would now settle for 8-4 is similar to thinking we had a shot at the CFP in the first place. Getting to 8-4 is going to be a monumental challenge and, obviously, lots of stuff will need to go right. Do we have enough talent to get there? Maybe. Do we have enough weaknesses to finish out at 6-6? Definitely.

Let's see how the staff adapts and how the team responds. The learning curve for a first time HC and a new staff was always going to be challenging. Games like Thursday night happen to a lot of good teams. But it is part of the process. The VaTech game is the next step. That game, and learning from what has transpired, is all that matters in the moment.

We need to scratch and claw to get at least 8 wins by any means necessary.

I believe that Fran is engaged in a real high wire act here. He pulled in a lot of talent that SU normally doesn't sniff because of his past connections, and those of his staff.

Thing is, those personal connections are all going to dry up in the next year or 2. Then he's left selling only his SU accomplishments. A couple 7 win seasons and crap bowls aren't gonna cut it.

Plus, we won 6 last year with Grandpa Babers sleepwalking his way through the season. If this staff can't meaningfully improve on that we may be in trouble.

 

[Orangepace]

I'll give you 100-1

I’ll take it. Put me down for a $44 bet.

 

[kingtidge]

Cal doesn't stink. They lost by 1pt. to both Miami and NCSt and 2pts. to Pitt. Their DL is going to give our OL fits just like last night.

Yeah, if we can't shore up some blocking schemes that protect better and open holes to balance-in a competent run game, we're in for a real rough patch I am afraid.

It's also possible we can't do it because the O-line is simply too substandard in talent level. That unit is bad.

Duzzi pretty much dialed in exactly how to thoroughly beat us for all opponents to try, so we will definitely see our upcoming opponents try to do the same

1. Blitz nonstop and blow thru our line and speed McCord up and don't let him get set or run through more than one progression. Get him uncomfortable and sped-up and he'll make mistakes. It worked in spades.

2. Blitz and blow-up our line similarly on running plays for no gains or losses.

3. Use the secondary and their superior speed to shadow our receivers and give zero separation and shutdown our quick passing game.

1 and 2 are a big problem, as I do think we lack competent horses to man the O-line on P4 program level. Lack of talent is a major issue.

3 is more a matchup question and I do think we'll match-up better against some of the teams left on our schedule. Pitt's secondary sure looked faster than us and we could not separate, so credit to them.

 

[Kalima45]

I am gonna guess 7-5, wins over UConn and either Cal or BC.

 

[AAM62]

Next year schedule! WOW. Getting to 6 wins next year would be quite difficult.

Need to up the NIL funds for next year. Give Fran some money to land players.

 

[shantydaze]

Honestly who cares about the bowl though. McCord Meeks OG wax maybe Peña will all opt out

I would assume the players who are unlikely to go in the draft or portal, will care about the location of a bowl. Now, more than ever, a non-CFP bowl, is a nice vacation-like experience for the players, especially those that did not have opportunity to travel as kids.

 

[elimunelson]

We need to scratch and claw to get at least 8 wins by any means necessary.

I believe that Fran is engaged in a real high wire act here. He pulled in a lot of talent that SU normally doesn't sniff because of his past connections, and those of his staff.

Thing is, those personal connections are all going to dry up in the next year or 2. Then he's left selling only his SU accomplishments. A couple 7 win seasons and crap bowls aren't gonna cut it.

Plus, we won 6 last year with Grandpa Babers sleepwalking his way through the season. If this staff can't meaningfully improve on that we may be in trouble.

Wonderful points. I think Fran is a master recruiter and i'm not concerned with talent drying up. Guy connects with people. That's a skill that u don't lose even with these low hanging fruits. If it dries up completely then we should find Chesney's resume. I don't think it will. I'm sold on Fran as a program symbol.

I do think 8 wins puts us back into the realm of "hey SU is a good program with Fran Brown". That matters alot.

Dino was stale milk all of last year. Guy had zero energy and the country noticed what we were. Shuffling around like a middlesome program.

I keep saying, a real *ss kicking can be a real good thing if it resets everything. IT can really suck if it's Miami and then WVU 1993. That's when things fall off the tracks

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I get what you're saying on the opt outs and regular bowl games losing a ton of meaning. However, I don't mind it because it can give some younger guys a chance to get a trial run.

Also, it's nice to be a on bowl game streak. Get there this year and it's three in a row.

3 straight is big, and get to 4 in a row and now we have a full class that only knows performing at a high enough level to make bowls, ie no regular season losers.

I don't know how impactful all of that truly is but it's all better than not being able to claim it.

 

[cusefan88]

A first-year HC who has a good shot at 8-4 and has amassed more depth/talent than the previous three coaches.

I'm quite happy so far. Sure, a bad bad night but that shouldn't detract from the overall march for this program.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

For me the best case scenario is that we do not get blown out in any more games this year. Maybe we blow out a few opponents

 

[djorange1989]

We need to scratch and claw to get at least 8 wins by any means necessary.

I believe that Fran is engaged in a real high wire act here. He pulled in a lot of talent that SU normally doesn't sniff because of his past connections, and those of his staff.

Thing is, those personal connections are all going to dry up in the next year or 2. Then he's left selling only his SU accomplishments. A couple 7 win seasons and crap bowls aren't gonna cut it.

Plus, we won 6 last year with Grandpa Babers sleepwalking his way through the season. If this staff can't meaningfully improve on that we may be in trouble.

Grandpa won those 6 games against 5 teams with losing records and a 6-6 Army. We already have wins against 3 teams who are way better than anyone we beat last year. I want us to get to 8 wins this year, that would be big. You are correct that comnections from his recruiting days at UGA will dry up and it will be hard to find a QB with the longtime relationship that Brown and his family have with Kyle and his family. Even if we go 7-5, that isn’t too exciting but for a first time coach at Syracuse, and playing some exciting football, I think it can be the start of something good. BC, the closest program to ours in most ways, has a veteran successful head coach and they are 4-3 in his first year there. Portal or not, it is not easy to build. Cignetti is a unicorn.

 

[kcsu]

Grandpa won those 6 games against 5 teams with losing records and a 6-6 Army. We already have wins against 3 teams who are way better than anyone we beat last year. I want us to get to 8 wins this year, that would be big. You are correct that comnectiond from his recruiting days at UGA will dry up and it will hard to find a QB with the longtime relationship that Brown and his family have with Kyle and his family. Even if we go 7-5, that isn’t too exciting but for a first time coach at Syracuse, and playing some exciting football, I think it can be the start of something good. BC, the closest program to ours in most ways, has a veteran successful head coach and they are 4-3 in his first year there. Portal or not, it not easy to build. Cignetti is a unicorn.

At a minimum win two more games prior to Miami. Take down Miami on National TV.

 

[David321]

Honestly who cares about the bowl though. McCord Meeks OG wax maybe Peña will all opt out

Lots of the players, coaches, fans (such as myself) etc. The fans who don't care about the bowls are just very vocal about it.

Why someone will watch FBS football and not care about bowls is beyond me.

 

[SU91]

Can we stop with the “who cares about a bowl” stuff? Because, what else are we playing for? We aren’t going to any playoffs anytime soon, so why are we playing games? A bowl is still fun. That’s literally the only reason we’re still playing football. Yes, bowls are meaningless. Been that way for a long time now, but let’s not denigrate them so much that we say we’re not aiming for one because otherwise we’re a completely aimless program.

 

[djcon57]

Best case scenario is a winning record and upsetting Miami at home, imo.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

Can we stop with the “who cares about a bowl” stuff? Because, what else are we playing for? We aren’t going to any playoffs anytime soon, so why are we playing games? A bowl is still fun. That’s literally the only reason we’re still playing football. Yes, bowls are meaningless. Been that way for a long time now, but let’s not denigrate them so much that we say we’re not aiming for one because otherwise we’re a completely aimless program.

It was frustrating when we had our best regular season performance in years and the reward was playing West Virginia without their best player.

 

[kingtidge]

Lots of the players, coaches, fans (such as myself) etc. The fans who don't care about the bowls are just very vocal about it.

Why someone will watch FBS football and not care about bowls is beyond me.

I think it's because nowadays, a lot of players skip out of playing in them...

It's not like it once was when you could expect both teams to field there strongest lineups.

 

[kingtidge]

I think 9 wins is very realistic as long as this was just an anomaly with Kyle yesterday.

Optimistic.

I think we'll have all we can do to scrape 7 wins given how bad the O-Line is and it's likely not fixable this season... Plus the impending "blitzkrieg" our remaining opponents will be throwing at us based on the Pitt dismantling..

Would really be disappointed with 7 wins as I was hopeful 8 or 9 was a totally doable minimum before the season started.

...but I was also expecting the O-Line to be better this year than previous recent years. It looks like it's actually worse, unfortunately.

 

[tep624]

Optimistic.

I think we'll have all we can do to scrape 7 wins given how bad the O-Line is and it's likely not fixable this season... Plus the impending "blitzkrieg" our remaining opponents will be throwing at us based on the Pitt dismantling..

Would really be disappointed with 7 wins as I was hopeful 8 or 9 was a totally doable minimum before the season started.

...but I was also expecting the O-Line to be better this year than previous recent years. It looks like it's actually worse, unfortunately.

If you throw yesterday out as an outlier, the only team on our schedule that would have been heavily favored is Miami. The others are all flawed, beatable teams like we are. Cal is completely one dimensional on offense and why they’ve lost 4 close ACC games. UCONN has lost to every major conference team they’ve played. BC had a big win over a bad FSU team and since then has been 3-3 and mediocre at best. VPI is an inconsistent team that has lost multiple close games. None of those 4 are world beaters.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I'll give you 100-1

So, if we bet $20 and SU beats Miami, you owe me $2,000?

Done.

We’ll let Consigliere hold the money in escrow and, if I win, it can all go to NIL.