Wildhack Press Conference | June 28

[gmoney44]

I think Dino has longer myself. I don’t think the university has the pocketbook or the stones to get rid of him

The buyout after 2023 is most likely minuscule compared to the front end of the contract. Going into the final year of his current contract without an extension would be recruiting suicide for SU football. SU would be forced to cut bait or extend.

 

[CousCuse]

Not saying I agree but I think the past 20 years have proven the challenge it would be to actually build a consistent winner at Syracuse given the current landscape and it's only gotten worse. Wildhack is realistic about what the ceiling actually is at Syracuse but the floor can get pretty GD low if you really look at it.

Syracuse has always been at a disadvantage vis-a-vis the big schools and yet they took the challenge and competed and very often beat them. With the resources coming from the relatively recent entrance to the ACC, that gap is smaller than in the past. The AD has more to work with than any AD in the last 70 years. Also Syracuse is probably the only program in the country that could get into the "Premier League" when it is formed and may actually turn it down. JW really needs to say where SU football is going.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Syracuse has always been at a disadvantage vis-a-vis the big schools and yet they took the challenge and competed and very often beat them. With the resources coming from the relatively recent entrance to the ACC, that gap is smaller than in the past. The AD has more to work with than any AD in the last 70 years. Also Syracuse is probably the only program in the country that could get into the "Premier League" when it is formed and may actually turn it down. JW really needs to say where SU football is going.

I would think we are at a severe disadvantage in the new NIL game but maybe that's just me.

 

[money3189]

I don't think that's the case. If that is the case, he should move on.

Cuse football will never be a Bama. Wildhack knows that. Cuse can’t raise enough money and be able to sustain the big budgets needed to compete against the blue bloods each year. Consistent 7-8 win and occasional 10-11 win season is a more realistic approach with a private institution like SU. I’ve heard this same statement from other NYS AD’s I’ve talked to through the years.

 

[MSOrange]

Cuse football will never be a Bama. Wildhack knows that. Cuse can’t raise enough money and be able to sustain the big budgets needed to compete against the blue bloods each year. Consistent 7-8 win and occasional 10-11 win season is a more realistic approach with a private institution like SU. I’ve heard this same statement from other NYS AD’s I’ve talked to through the years.

I'd be thrilled with consistent 7-8 win seasons, especially in the current landscape. Hopefully the current regime can get us there.

 

[kcsu]

Cuse football will never be a Bama. Wildhack knows that. Cuse can’t raise enough money and be able to sustain the big budgets needed to compete against the blue bloods each year. Consistent 7-8 win and occasional 10-11 win season is a more realistic approach with a private institution like SU. I’ve heard this same statement from other NYS AD’s I’ve talked to through the years.

Spot on.

 

[MSOrange]

The buyout after 2023 is most likely minuscule compared to the front end of the contract. Going into the final year of his current contract without an extension would be recruiting suicide for SU football. SU would be forced to cut bait or extend.

Agree. I think you have to make a decision for recruiting reasons.

 

[money3189]

It was about his only move considering the draconian buyout.
I believe it will work out as long as Dino lets the OC and DC do their jobs. My two cents on our new OC is that he is a no bs all business guy. I dont see him being told what to do by Dino. The O is going to be his.

This narrative that Dino doesnt let his assistants coach is false. He hired them for a reason. I know we are looking for reasons why the team has failed. This isn’t one of them.

 

[kcsu]

This narrative that Dino doesnt let his assistants coach is false. He hired them for a reason. I know we are looking for reasons why the team has failed. This isn’t one of them.

Then is it poor hiring decisions?

 

[CousCuse]

Cuse football will never be a Bama. Wildhack knows that. Cuse can’t raise enough money and be able to sustain the big budgets needed to compete against the blue bloods each year. Consistent 7-8 win and occasional 10-11 win season is a more realistic approach with a private institution like SU. I’ve heard this same statement from other NYS AD’s I’ve talked to through the years.

If Syracuse were selected and accepted to play in the "Premier League",they would have very close to the same amount of money as the big schools.

 

[money3189]

If Syracuse were selected and accepted to play in the "Premier League",they would have very close to the same amount of money as the big schools.

Maybe. I don’t know enough about that. I just talk to people who have experience running a athletic department and try to gets bits of info. I will mention that league next time I get a chance.

 

[cusefan88]

The quality and experience of the 2022 staff vs Dino's first year is night and day. Dino is a CEO, he's a motivator. Now he's being surrounded by great position coaches. Very exciting times.

 

[CousCuse]

Maybe. I don’t know enough about that. I just talk to people who have experience running a athletic department and try to gets bits of info. I will mention that league next time I get a chance.

Syracuse in a unique position with the size of their fanbase, their history and being the only program in NY/NE. That gives them a real chance of being included in the top tier. For a century Syracuse has laid the foundation for this, would be a very difficult decision to turn it down. IMO. I think JW has to at this time, more or less tell the fans what direction they will go.

 

[Chip]

at the end of the day maybe Wildhack doesn't view 5-7 seasons as all that bad. I can see the logic.

I think this is true based on where we are in the pecking order of college football.

But having said that, it was a June 28 press conference and individual game tickets just went on sale. We also seem to be hosting more recruits than anytime I can recall in the Dino era.

He wasn't going to say anything short of a full vote of confidence. You express any disappointment after the season, not leading up to the next one after you made a couple of key staff moves.

 

[GeauxSU]

You know I was thinking the same thing a few days ago, but yesterday it dawned on my Wildhack had to be at the forefront of getting out of the Dome contract with Carrier, the 150+M in new Dome renovations, putting up money for two top-tier assistants and pushing for the 3-5-5 (and making sure we had an opponent in Florida) schedule. That doesn't scream mediocrity to me.

Well said

 

[Cuse12]

I think the rumor is that Dino's contract is through 2024, I see him fulfilling that contract. These guys Anae and Beck know they're solid for at least 3 years. And if Cuse is successful, Beck, Nick Monroe, Tony White or Mike Schmidt becomes head coach after Dino retires.

Give me beck as HC next

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I think this is true based on where we are in the pecking order of college football.

But having said that, it was a June 28 press conference and individual game tickets just went on sale. We also seem to be hosting more recruits than anytime I can recall in the Dino era.

He wasn't going to say anything short of a full vote of confidence. You express any disappointment after the season, not leading up to the next one after you made a couple of key staff moves.

Yeah I don't think anyone would ever accuse Wildhack of not reading the room and not choosing his words carefully. He's a pro but at this point I think a consistent 7-8 win team with occasional 10-11 win seasons is a bit of a pipe dream. Consistent 5-6 win seasons? yeah I will buy that. Outlier years could be 8-9 or 3-4 wins. Again, just my opinion but there is 20 years of evidence stating as much and I think it keeps getting tougher for schools like Syracuse for reasons that have been discussed at nauseum

 

[money3189]

Syracuse in a unique position with the size of their fanbase, their history and being the only program in NY/NE. That gives them a real chance of being included in the top tier. For a century Syracuse has laid the foundation for this, would be a very difficult decision to turn it down. IMO. I think JW has to at this time, more or less tell the fans what direction they will go.

He has to? Tell me more about this premier league

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Give me beck as HC next

He seems to be on that trajectory and really close to being an OC, really really soon.

 

[money3189]

Then is it poor hiring decisions?

Gilbert was a bad hire.

 

[Chip]

Yeah I don't think anyone would ever accuse Wildhack of not reading the room and not choosing his words carefully. He's a pro but at this point I think a consistent 7-8 win team with occasional 10-11 win seasons is a bit of a pipe dream. Consistent 5-6 win seasons? yeah I will buy that. Outlier years could be 8-9 or 3-4 wins. Again, just my opinion but there is 20 years of evidence stating as much and I think it keeps getting tougher for schools like Syracuse for reasons that have been discussed at nauseum

I don't disagree, but the hard part is going to be if we have another 5 win season. That means 5, 1, 5, 5. 6 is such a key number just because of the extra game. Need to get to that probably 3-4 of every 5 seasons at a minimum, or recruiting just becomes even more of an uphill battle.

If we can control the non conference schedule to be 3-1 most years, then we just have to figure out how to go 3-5 in an ACC where we'll get more games against the Coastal now.

And as for Wildhack, couldn't agree more. He strikes me as a guy who always knows what to say and what not to say.

 

[elimunelson]

I don't disagree, but the hard part is going to be if we have another 5 win season. That means 5, 1, 5, 5. 6 is such a key number just because of the extra game. Need to get to that probably 3-4 of every 5 seasons at a minimum, or recruiting just becomes even more of an uphill battle.

If we can control the non conference schedule to be 3-1 most years, then we just have to figure out how to go 3-5 in an ACC where we'll get more games against the Coastal now.

And as for Wildhack, couldn't agree more. He strikes me as a guy who always knows what to say and what not to say.

Agreed on all of that. I think the doomsday scenario that everyone is avoiding is if we bottom out yet again this year and are a 3-4 win team. Not sure what impact that has on hard money things like ticket sales. At this point the casual fan is probably removed from the equation and the football program is surviving on the hard core who will never abandon ship. Maybe the program can function on that support along with the ACC checks we receive per annum.

Last year took so much wind out of my sail that I'm cautious about any predictions with this current staff until we see a real turnaround in play on the field.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I don't disagree, but the hard part is going to be if we have another 5 win season. That means 5, 1, 5, 5. 6 is such a key number just because of the extra game. Need to get to that probably 3-4 of every 5 seasons at a minimum, or recruiting just becomes even more of an uphill battle.

If we can control the non conference schedule to be 3-1 most years, then we just have to figure out how to go 3-5 in an ACC where we'll get more games against the Coastal now.

And as for Wildhack, couldn't agree more. He strikes me as a guy who always knows what to say and what not to say.

Yeah 6 would be great this year to stabilize things a bit for sure. Not going to be easy and I don't think it will ever be easy in any year is more or less my point. Find an duel threat borderline ALL ACC type QB and he stays healthy we are talking different ball game. That's a game changer and masks a ton of sins

 

[DuxburyO]

Last year took so much wind out of my sail that I'm cautious about any predictions with this current staff until we see a real turnaround in play on the field.

We did win 4 more games than the previous year and was arguably close to a few more. It was 2019 that was the deflator for me. 2020 sure didn't help either but there were (obviously) mitigating issues.

 

[Chip]

Agreed on all of that. I think the doomsday scenario that everyone is avoiding is if we bottom out yet again this year and are a 3-4 win team. Not sure what impact that has on hard money things like ticket sales. At this point the casual fan is probably removed from the equation and the football program is surviving on the hard core who will never abandon ship. Maybe the program can function on that support along with the ACC checks we receive per annum.

Last year took so much wind out of my sail that I'm cautious about any predictions with this current staff until we see a real turnaround in play on the field.

The wind didn't come out of our sails until November though. We exited October at 5-4, and all the losses were close games. Rutgers really sucked, but then 3 FG losses.

We need to A) Never go to Louisville after a bye week ever again. Check (I hope). B) Need to keep building and developing better depth. Have to be competitive in November. I think THAT is the biggest problem facing this program, given our recruiting challenges.