Syracuse v. Va Tech 10/26/23 Game Thread
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I'm at the point where I hope we start losing games just to get Dino out. The rare college tank
I gave the Virginia Tech site a prediction of 27-23, SU. The drop in quality of opponent is going to make the Orange look more like the team from the first four games than the last three.
I know that earlier this season, I mentioned Charles Huff of Marshall as a guy I would keep a little bit of an eye on as Babers' replacement (they've also lost three straight due to playing the toughest part of their schedule).
At the same time, I understand Syracuse is a very difficult place to coach for anyone, in large part due to a lack of a local recruiting base, especially in comparison to their ACC peers. The athletic department and program seem slow to respond to recent changes in the game (NIL, portal), but they are getting there. The addition of multiple players from brand-name programs through the portal this past offseason and the new fundraising program for NIL are evidence of that they are taking steps toward progress.
I do not know what a change of coaches would actually accomplish because anyone who replaces Babers would be in the exact same position regarding recruiting base, NIL, and portal. That person would also likely lose Rocky Long as defensive coordinator, probably leading to a change in defensive style, which would set that side of the ball back. Using the 3-3-5 reduces the number of linemen SU needs, which is a plus when it comes to recruiting. They do not have problems recruiting and developing LBs and DBs, but linemen (on both sides of the ball) are, and always will be, an issue.
I know Babers' record is not good. I know his conference record is even worse. I know he makes questionable decisions (clock management, kicking game) and the team lacks discipline at times (penalties). But, I don't think a change in coach is going to significantly change the fortunes of the program.
I know that earlier this season, I mentioned Charles Huff of Marshall as a guy I would keep a little bit of an eye on as Babers' replacement (they've also lost three straight due to playing the toughest part of their schedule).
At the same time, I understand Syracuse is a very difficult place to coach for anyone, in large part due to a lack of a local recruiting base, especially in comparison to their ACC peers. The athletic department and program seem slow to respond to recent changes in the game (NIL, portal), but they are getting there. The addition of multiple players from brand-name programs through the portal this past offseason and the new fundraising program for NIL are evidence of that they are taking steps toward progress.
I do not know what a change of coaches would actually accomplish because anyone who replaces Babers would be in the exact same position regarding recruiting base, NIL, and portal. That person would also likely lose Rocky Long as defensive coordinator, probably leading to a change in defensive style, which would set that side of the ball back. Using the 3-3-5 reduces the number of linemen SU needs, which is a plus when it comes to recruiting. They do not have problems recruiting and developing LBs and DBs, but linemen (on both sides of the ball) are, and always will be, an issue.
I know Babers' record is not good. I know his conference record is even worse. I know he makes questionable decisions (clock management, kicking game) and the team lacks discipline at times (penalties). But, I don't think a change in coach is going to significantly change the fortunes of the program.
Who would be on your college head coaching hot board if Babers goes?
It needs to be:
1. Someone who understands northeast recruiting with an emphasis on strong ties to New Jersey.
2. Perhaps an alumni of the program who gets the tradition (like a Doug Marrone)
3. A person who can run an offense that takes advantage of the Dome's artificial conditions
4. Someone who embraces NIL and knows how to harness it appropriately.
Recruiting woes aside, I'd like someone in here who game plans better. Talent disparity is one thing but I'd argue SU has had teams that are every bit as ready to play some of the larger programs they've played in Dino's tenure, but time and again his teams haven't shown up at all. We blast the awful programs, and get blasted by good ones- and even just decent ones sometimes.
There's times where the game plan we go in with was never going to work, there's times where we don't make any adjustments, there's times where we make head scratching decisions, there's times where we refuse to do any of the "easy stuff" offensively and struggle for no reason. He often struggles with challenges and time clock management.
I honestly don't buy the recruiting-is-harder-here stuff when it comes to defending Dino though. Sure it's harder here. But the biggest detriment to recruiting is on-field results. Win, and it gets substantially easier to attract good players, especially in an era now where good players that won't get enough playing time are willing to hop skip and jump to wherever they will.
SU may not have Texas A&M money for NIL, but we basically own this state when it comes to the college football market. If you're successful here you have more than just a big city behind you. But we have a coach who is often the teams biggest issue in big games, and whose "offensive mind" rarely finds offensive talent that is literally everywhere nowadays, while our defense repeatedly is tops in the country and sends a fair amount of players to the NFL.
Dream world? Kliff Kingsbury or someone with NFL experience that's also a bit of a name. Really though I'd be happy with someone who can coach, but also will make up for in personality what we lack in NIL money.
You're not gonna attract players today by being calm, soft spoken and talking about being fundamentally solid. We need someone with a big mouth who says we want to go out and kick everyone's ass. That's how you help your recruiting for free.
I've been sitting on this for a while, waiting in the event a column idea came up, but I may as well just drop it here.
Back in March, the Athletic had eight of their national college football writers, including those who cover recruiting, rank all 69 Power 5 programs based on recruiting potential. Each school also had a brief paragraph written about them. Here are the first 11 words in the write-up of the last place team:
"The recruiting footprint is not ideal (translation: there are no players)"
That is what Syracuse is working with locally.
The Orange also do not own this state, which coincidentally had zero four-star players in the 2023 class (and eight in the last five years total). Penn State is closer to the Empire State Building than the Dome is and the better players in the state traditionally come from the NYC metropolitan area.
Rutgers signed four of the eight highest-rated players in the state of New York in the 2023 class. SU got one (#6, Rashard Perry from Buffalo). Here are the players from NY who see playing time for this team - Joe Cruz, Dan Villari, Kevin Jobity Jr., Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff. That's a backup OT, a QB converted to TE with a small role until Gadsden went down, a rotational DL, and a rotational DL with a smaller role.
This state is not a feeder for a successful Power 5 program.
There was one other thing about that Athletic poll, which is the particularly damning part. It listed the highest and lowest vote each school received. SU's highest vote was 66th place. Kansas, who finished 68th overall, had a highest vote of 57th place. It wasn't unanimous that Syracuse has the worst recruiting footprint, but it's disturbingly close.
Back in March, the Athletic had eight of their national college football writers, including those who cover recruiting, rank all 69 Power 5 programs based on recruiting potential. Each school also had a brief paragraph written about them. Here are the first 11 words in the write-up of the last place team:
"The recruiting footprint is not ideal (translation: there are no players)"
That is what Syracuse is working with locally.
The Orange also do not own this state, which coincidentally had zero four-star players in the 2023 class (and eight in the last five years total). Penn State is closer to the Empire State Building than the Dome is and the better players in the state traditionally come from the NYC metropolitan area.
Rutgers signed four of the eight highest-rated players in the state of New York in the 2023 class. SU got one (#6, Rashard Perry from Buffalo). Here are the players from NY who see playing time for this team - Joe Cruz, Dan Villari, Kevin Jobity Jr., Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff. That's a backup OT, a QB converted to TE with a small role until Gadsden went down, a rotational DL, and a rotational DL with a smaller role.
This state is not a feeder for a successful Power 5 program.
There was one other thing about that Athletic poll, which is the particularly damning part. It listed the highest and lowest vote each school received. SU's highest vote was 66th place. Kansas, who finished 68th overall, had a highest vote of 57th place. It wasn't unanimous that Syracuse has the worst recruiting footprint, but it's disturbingly close.
Well, Rsears. You may have just gotten your wish. This is ugly, and the only thing more ugly is the Syracuse social media.
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