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Halfway through Syracuse’s first season in the ACC, the Orange is 3-4.
When the team has lost, it has lost badly. When it has won, the games have been blowout wins.  Syracuse has two 50-plus offensive performances, and the defense has given up 48-plus points three times.
If someone said inconsistency is the problem, they’re absolutely right. The last two games have been tossups. The NC State game wasn’t one where someone could have guessed Syracuse fully confident; the same was said for Georgia Tech.
It’s hard to tell what type of team this is. If the offense is good one week, the defense is pretty much terrible the next.
Now that this season is halfway through the books, let’s take a look at how Scott Shafer is doing in his first season at the helm of the Orange.
Shafer has coached three great games against Wagner, Tulane, and NC State. Perhaps the most impressive came against NC State, a conference opponent and a game the Orange could have lost. Credit his defense. He’s a defensive-minded coach, so one could expect the defense may not be the problem. They have been fairly consistent for most of the season.
It’s the offense that is bad. Shafer is the head coach. He’s responsible for everything from special teams to offense and defense. Syracuse does have a very tough schedule, especially with those two early non-conference games against Penn State and Northwestern. Orange fans may not even have an interest in watching the Florida State with the great football it is playing and the poor football the Orange is playing. Shafer needs to find a way to work with his quarterback, whether it’s Terrel Hunt or Drew Allen, and help that guy find a favorite receiver. Right now, Hunt’s favorite person to give the ball to is Jerome Smith. He can’t continue to carry the team. Hunt needs options—and he has options.
He is having trouble utilizing them properly.
It’s all about trust. If he has trust in his receivers, good things will come.
He can still lead this team to a bowl game. It’s not mathematically impossible. It may seem impossible on paper since there is a game on the road against Florida State, a team that could very well compete for a national championship. This team has five more games. That means it has five chances to get to six wins and be bowl eligible.
Posted by: Austin Pollack
308 responses to “Still Hope: Despite Shafer’s Midseason Report, SU’s Season is Salvageable”
We’ll win 3…no problem.
I applaud u in your effort to sell ice to Eskimos but come on. Impressive coaching victories over Tulane and Wagner? No. Stop. We shouldn’t even have them on our schedule. It shouldn’t be a question to house 2nd rate football teams and when they do they shouldn’t get a pat on the ass for it bc its EXPECTED. How about some basketball articles? This team sucks. Plain an simple but hey keep wishing for a bowl berth in one hand an shit in the other and will see what one gets filled 1st.
Hey Carlton… Please go back to syracuse.com. Your negative comments are welcome there.
Please keep the football articles coming. It’s the only reason I come to this site.
@Aaron;
Hey Aaron,Carlton has been one of the loyal fans that post here regularly. If you don’t like what he has to say,then I say your the one that need to go syr.com. His points of view/opinions are spot on 99.9% of the time. But I shouldn’t be the one that backs him on this site. I’m sure that Carlton is old enough to speak his mind and I beleive that you will be hearing from him soon.
Sorry Carlton that I gave you a 99.9% overall rating.
You see his latest post is 100% accurate.
@Carlton;
Please pass it along to the rest of the staff that when Syracuse comes down to play FSU,please show us some mercy and don’t put 100 points on the board against us.
I’d appreciate your help in this matter.
These are tuly dark times in the kingdom. I don’t see why SU fans think Wake Forest will be an easy win. They are a senior laden team with a senior quarterback and a 10 year headcoach and Campanero to boot. That would really be painful to lose on Donny McNabs jersey retirement day. Much trepidation.
Sad WF has become a must win and were in a position to worry about them but Grobe is a good coach and his teams always seem to overachieve and not beat themselves!Can we power run them and eat up clock to victory?If we can’t at home I’ll start really worrying.
I never thought watching Campenero in the UA HS all-star game that he would produce at this level as well as he has but he gets the most out of limited talent,speed and measurables.
@Ron – I know you use this site as your personal twitter feed, but man don’t defend a guy who compares Syracuse football to shit. The team has gone to bowls 2 out of the last 3 years. They still have a good shot at making a bowl this year. Seriously, enough of the Basketball talk already.. Some of us actually like Football more than the BBall.
Alright, that’s enough of my “constructive criticism”.
@Aaron;
i think that your reading way to much into Carlton’s statement. I don’t believe he’s comparing Syracuse Football to crap.
all he’s saying is that if you were to hold both hands out,in one hoping that they win out and go to a bowl at the end of the year and in the other if that doesn’t happen look for a 3-9(1-7 ACC)==shit to happen. I think that’s what he’s saying.
Aaron it’s nice to have you comment here,keep up the good work and thanks.
Here is my midseason report as a fan: First of all my concerns were at WR and QB and I would grade them out as a D at best for now. Broyld has been the lone bright spot. West has been non-factor and he is a
a WR3 not a WR1 or WR2. Hunt and Allen have been terrible but the fact the WR’s are struggling only compounds the problem.
RB I give a A to as they continue to impress me. Smith is a stud and should get the ball more. I would like to see smith and Adenis Moore is the backfield together. The line has been ok C-B but must stop getting nonsense penalties. The defense has regressed and in my mind its due to the coaching. We have the talent on defense, I’ll stack the LB’s up with anyone. The corners are struggling this year for some reason. Do we miss Donnie Henderson. The defensive line have been decent. Now for the coaching and I like Coach Schafer but I think the whole staff gets a big fat F so far. Macdonald’s offensive play calling has been terrible at best. Schafer needs to take over the defensive if he wants to keep his job as he never allowed this many point in his era as a def. coord. Please also hire a special teams coach.
Can we start a fire Def. Coord. Chuck Bullough campaign.
Aaron- it’s just a saying. Basically don’t hold ur breath. We need 2 wins. I’m assuming we beat WF but will be underdogs in every other games left. I don’t see it an wouldn’t expect it. With that said as a team since the 80’s won a NC running the triple option? It’s a HS offense and some how they hung 56 points on us. Not much to be overly positive about.
Ron- I know I hope they don’t give up 70 to FSU. I just don’t like the bad sell job by the fizz. Really come on. Wagner, Tulane where not great coaching jobs. SU had the clearly better talent then 2 of the 3 and the 3rd had half it’s team hurt. This been a pretty awful season . Need the bowl game to at least help sell the school to recruits a little bit. If u don’t even make a bowl just looks awful and kills maybe any of the positive fews kids may have. Any positive vibes an momentum this program had feels like it’s been sucked right out again. It’s disappointing to say the least
Shafer should get credit for Wagner. When was the last time we beat a 1AA that easily? Every one under Marrone was a grind. Shafer should get credit for Tulane, which is a mediocre mid major. When was the last time we dismantled on of those teams? 1990s? When was the last time we scored 50, let alone twice in a row? To be fair need give guy credit.
On the other side you have three of the worst games in a long while. Grobesque. We shouldn’t be down 4 TDs at half ever to anyone yet it happened three times in the last 6 games.
On top of that is the disorganized and undisciplined crap we have going on. Too much confusion. Too many penalties. The team looks unprepared and isn’t being coached up.
NC St I felt we should have won that game easier than we did, but Shafer’s decisions kept it a game until the late 4th Q.
He has been up and down so far. Shouldn’t be a surprise for a 1st year HC and OC. Plus lets be honest his D under Marrone was very up and down.
As to the O, we were able to get to 6 Ws with RJ Anderson and Perry Patterson as our QBs. We did it by letting the RB pound the ball. Why the hell can’t we do that this year? I don’t want that to be the long term answer, but for now just win baby. Winning ugly is fine with me. Just because last year’s O was up tempo and could score doesn’t mean we have to run that this year. We need to slow it down. That is what Marrone did his first few years because we lacked talent. Then when he was comfortable he opened things up.
@Carlton;
I understood exactly what you were trying to say and tried to convey your message to Aaron.
As far as I’m concerned you didn’t say anything wrong.
FSU looks really good Carlton. The community down there is probably going crazy. I loved watching them destroy Clemson. Where has all of the national championship talk gone from the Clemson fans coaches and players? They knocked Tajh Boyd out of the Heisman race and Coach Dabo Sweeny was brought back to earth. Just loved watching the game.
Enjoy the rest of the season.
You guys are something else!! I agree with Carlton. Aaron 56-0 is shit sorry!! We lost two recruits probably because of it.
Mr Pollack you need a urine screen!! SU will not go bowling this year. The last two bowls SU went to (Snow Bowls) was a joke. It was crumbs left over for the CUSE. No real proper program or recruit saw those two games as program builders other words SU would not be in this terrible situation!!
SS 129 Hunt is a lost cause-he stinks. The WRs are not DIV 1 types either!! You’re right on the LBs except for the GT game(watch the tape)!! We have a coaching staff low on experience and it shows.
An interesting note: A good friend of mine just texted me his grandson(Junior in HS) just got offered by 1/2 dozen SEC/ACC programs. But not SU!! He’s an OL/DL talent. Great golfer too. I had to buy him many a burger after rounds. Haven’t seen him in a year, but totally interested in what going on with him!! And the recruiting process!! His granddad and grandma graduated from RIT!! His family moved down south and was he born there too!! So connection to the north really isn’t there. But proud of this kid. Great kid and smart too. He got the smarts from the grandpops and grandmom!! He’ll be here for the summer and lake time. He needs to buy me a burger for a change!! LOL!
We lost 2 3 star recruits then we gained a 3 star lineman ( I believe) a 4 star QB so I’d take those over a couple kids who clearly were never that into the program in the first place. So yeah, screw um. We want players(and fans) who want to be here, who don’t give up in a team with 5 games left like really? Get over yourself! Until you play college football you don’t get the right to s*it talk players and staff.
Being a FSU fan since 1985 , I am proud to see them back where they used to always be … in the top 5 about every year , sans a few down seasons .
I am still a SU fan ( home team ) and I’m not throwing in the towel yet. It’s a new coaching staff , give them a little breathing room the first year .
Scott is very honest , and a stand up guy , which are great HC qualities . I think they will right the ship soon .
The glaring problem that I’ve seen thus far is … the O-line break down , just about every offensive set of downs . I believe if this is corrected , then the QB won’t be the target by the media and fans alike .
I’m still scratching my head , trying to figure out why , on every set of offensive set of downs , that we seem to be going totally conservative on the first 2 downs … then we must like trying to dig out from a 3rd and long every set of downs . Because we keep doing this like it’s groundhog day ( the movie ).
O-line , buckle the straps tight and get physical , like you mean it . Coaches , coach , like you mean it . Pull out the stops on the conservative playbook . It’s old and stale .
We do have the athletes now that we were crying for 5 years ago . So no more excuses ! Go and kick some a*ses the rest of this season !!!
P. Jones: So , Your “real” team is FSU and you have the nerve to criticize fans on this site, which is a dedicated to Cuse Football . Wow. Your no Syracuse fan.
FSU is my favorite team , since 1985 , as stated above .
And I was probably one of about 12k ‘true’ SU fans that kept going to home games during the GRob era games .
As I said … I do always root for SU to return to it’s glory days in football . They are , after all , the home team . I still remember the Coach Mac era very well , with SU being in the top 25 every year .
If it’s a crime to root for the home team , and still have a favorite team elsewhere … then so be it .
‘The Criminal’
Maryland gave Clemson a hard time,Wake Forest almost beat Miami,Florida State rolled NCST,and then we have Boston College and Pittsburgh to finish the season.
I don’t know guy’s if Syracuse will win another game this.
Terry you and I have touched on the subject of how many true freshmen are playing college football this year. I’m watching the UCLA/Oregon game and Brent Musburger talks about how many true freshmen(3)are playing the right side of the OL for UCLA plus a TE and a LB who blocked a punt.
I think maybe Syracuse ought to look at their recruits a little closer. If other teams can play their freshmen then why can’t Syracuse?
Right Ron. My gut feeling is that Austin Wilson is the best QB on the team.
JB,that would be a pleasant surprise and I’m rooting for him(AW)!I appreciate his loyalty when Dougie deserted us with most of his assistants he never wavered!!
Ron What hurt is there for SU to play freshmen. I think its too late now with the season over 1/2 done, but next year do it!! Wake up HCSS ans see the modern ways of NCAA football!!
Calm down Chris your immaturity is showing!! You can’t blame them for turning coat and running to another program-I can’t. I myself have said that a # of times “if you don’t want to play for SU get the hell out of Syracuse” well I kinda said it that way. LOL!! Look Minnesota beat Neb,Duke beat VT, Virginia scored 25 on GT(Cuse didn’t really come close to scoring) the coaching staff is unsure of its self and finally SU will be lucky to win 4/5 games this year and not go to a bowl(The Snow Bowl was crumbs)!! So why should a quality recruit come SU’s way??? I don’t see any super advantages!! There are plenty more programs out there offereing better things. Hell SU can’t even buy a shovel to break ground for its so called new facilities!! Its a joke program-now!! And for years(the last 15 years for sure) there has only been pain and disapiontment in SUFB. The homers think 7 wins(in 2 yrs) and 2 Snow Bowls is like a conference championship and a Rose Bowl invite. Their nuts to think that. Then why am I a CUSE fan for 50 years?? Memories of the good times and how I felt and love the pride of SUs program. Now it sucks and its looking like a bottom feeding program like the GROB years!! I refuse to let stupid situations and moves go by that are in the name of SU/CUSE. Homers will say don’t knock the team after its 4/5 win season or say wait until next year. Well the last 15 years have shown that doesn’t work-DOES IT homies!! Dr Gross is a SUBB guy not a SUFB kind of guy and it starts with him. I think the change starts with him!! But since SUBB is flying high now(unless the NCAA investigation turns up something-which JB has a history of) that won’t happen!! Yes we HAVE TO give my beloved HCSS another year, but history shows he won’t improve this team unless he gets better players and he’s lost 2 so far with more to leave no doubt!! 2 Star players won’t do it and it shows nation wide it doesn’t work. Other $hit teams in the past are kicking A$$ now while SU festers in the bottom of colege football hell!! It time for change since nothing is working and SU is going back into decline. Oh by the way WF didn’t look like a pushover like RON/RUSS think they were. Say a pray for the CUSE for the rest of the year. Because now we’ll have to hear from the SUBBallers and their winning ways now. I’m not ready for that yet until March!! GOD BLESS THE CUSE THEY NEED IT!!
Do not forget the 19 abused PSU kids. The NCAA did!!
@Terry;
That’s my point why not play the freshman!!! I’ve always said if the upper classmen don’t want to give it their all and are losing,putting the freshmen in wouldsn’t hurt and could change the outcome of a game. The benifits are endless,playing the freshmen would be giving them the experience needed for their sophomore,junior and senior years of play. I turned the game over to the Missouri/S Carolina game and they too are talking about the impact of freshman playing for Missouri.
@JB;
When you first come on and made a couple of comments a couple of us got a little upset. I was one of those who questioned your opinion. I apologize for my behavor,your opinions are welcomed here.
I don’t want to start a lenghty debate about Austin Wilson. I will tell you this,rumor has it that he has the strongest arm out of all of the QB’s on campus right now. Competition in spring break should be stronger that what it was this last spring. There will be no 5th year transfer from a western school,the Starting QB will come from within our team,Kimble,Wilson,Long and Edouard.
The starter will come down between Kimble and Wilson. Whoever gets the nod to be the starter the other will be the #2.
Terrell Hunt will be asked to change positions for the remainder of his career at Syracuse.
@Russell Dangerfield;
What happened to Rutgers today? Houston gave them a good old beat down.
Are you watching the S Carolina/Missouri Game? Conner shaw just led Carolina down fiels and scored tying the game at 17 all.
Looks like overtime in this one.
Syracuse I feel will salvage it’s season and head to a low tier bowl. Fellas, let’s give ‘Cuse a break thi year with a first year coaching staff. I agree ‘Cuse needs to find an identity and stick to it.
I hate to say this but I dont think the problem starts at the qb position I really think it;s the WR’s look at the lack of seperation that they are getting on the db’s. If you like at the stats in the last 3 games I dont think the wr’s have a total have 10 catches. So I would say y not play the young wr’s like Funderbunk,Alvin Cornelius,DeVante McFarlane, and y not give Kinder a chance he moved to Wr.
Seems everyone is real uptight right now.
AJ, I agree /w everything u said hard to throw the ball when no1 can get open.
Chris, oooook. Don’t worry I’ll help saying w/e I want. I’ve been a coach maybe not at the college level but still have been. I’m also connected into college athletics. Anyways at the end of the day our money makes that program run so we can say if we aren’t pleased /w things.
Ron, thank you. I forget sometimes we have added new ppl and ppl take offense quicker then others it is what is. I be more tactful next time. Just frustrated in fact that SU gave up 56 points to an option team like really?!? Smh.
P.jones, don’t worry about it. I cheer for a bunch of teams bc I’ve went to school all over the country. I currently working for FSU I like our programs can see a lot of similarities /w the football here an SU’s basketball. Both have or had legend who brought the programs up from nothing. Yeck FSU was a girls only school for a long time.
Ron,your right about RU..damn,it was a eatdown for sure!!And yes I enjoyed the S.Carolina game with Conor Shaw!!…Ron,the freshman QB for Houston was offered by us last year fron St Thomas A,Fla but chose UH and we all wondered why?Now we now….kid’s/QBs today don’t really like our east coast style but like schools that pass on almost every down!I like exciting plays too but give me the hardnosed old fashioned Pro-style offense any day like “Bama” but trouble is you need loads of OL/WR and RB talent and its hard to accumulate that many great OL men!!….RU is down to Fr walkon DBs and I think somethings really wrong with the pride of Don Bosco Preps QB Gary Nova?Too many concussions?
@Carlton;
Never be afraid or ashamed to say what’s on your mind. Your one of the guy’s that know what the game’s are all about and I for one respect what you have to say.
I’m really not looking forward to our game against FSU in a couple of weeks. Please pass it on to the coaches and team to keep the game respectful and try keeping the game under 80-100 points. I for one would really appreciate the help.
@Russell;
Work has me going crazy and haven’t been able to follow everyones comments closely lately. Isn’t it funny just how things work out? Everyone thought it would be a battle for the new AAC league Championship between Louisville and Rutgers with the winner going to a BCS Bowl game,and look who’s in first place Houston and UCF.
One thing that I’ve noticed this year when watching college football is the amout of teams playing true freshmen. I can’t recall ever a season that something like this has ever happened. I thought Gary Nova was a special kid who really knows the game of football and was doing a really good job for Don Bosco Prep. I’m sorry to hear that he’s been injured and is struggling. Isn’t he only a junior?
When looking at their roster I couldn’t find his name,is Gary Nova still playing for Don bosco this year?
No Ron but he did start every game for RU since his freshman year 3rd or 4th game in!He has 1 more year of eligibility but the fans are looking for the blood of Nova for his erratic play and lack of mobility!Did the same with Mike Teel in “04-05” till RR and Teel won them 10 games!Teel was also a `DBP star in HS!Think our fanbase is fickle?RU’s already looking for niceguy/good recruiter KF’s head after winning 9 games last year and think they should hire or can find an Urban Meyer type under the xmas tree?Good luck with that….so Ron it ain’t just us fretting this rough season!!And look at poor Uconn?Stuck in limbo with teams like UCF and Houston showing them up and hoping the B1G gives them a call?I really hope someone either the ACC or the B1G takes them after letting them sweat awhile for there arrogance!!They think they passed us as a FB AND hoops team?LOL..but they are a good school worthy as some of the schools grandfathered in the P5 conferences!Utah?really?Purdue?good chicken!!WF?….UConn is sort of like a Kansas,good in BB but still trying to keep up in FB w/o a recruiting base in their vicinity except NJ!!And they’ll never compete for the best there!!Big game this week Ron.Think we salvage a bowl season?btw,I agree that we all respect Carlton here and all the fizzfam understands and supports him the way they do me,you and sometimes Terry!!Ha Ha..jk Terry we all respect your wisdom more and more each day and find maybe some of us underestimated you BUT I wasn’t 1 of them!!
@Russell Dangerfield;
One of things that I found impressive when watching the DBP/Paramus Catholic game was the amout of people in attendance for it.
Your kidding about the Rutgers fans wanting to get rid of Coach Flood aren’t you?
I’m not afraid to say russell that I’m a little depressed as to how the Syracuse Football season is going. The Wake Forest game is going to be huge this weekend. Billy Fucello “huuuuuuuuuuuugeeeeeeeeee.”
I also know and realize Russell at some point things are going to turn around here and Syracuse will again become a staple in the top 10 in the national rankings.
I’m hoping that the turn around happens pretty soon because my patience is wearing thin and I really don’t know how much more I can take.
@Terry;
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned!! I started talking some NJ highschool football with a friend by the name of Russell. I know that I’ve upset some people here with such foolishness. I promise to say a prayer before I go to sleep tonight hoping all of those NJ players stay healty over the remainder of their season and decide to commit to Syracuse in February. I ask forgiveness for upsetting certain individuals,but as you know it comes naturally for me.
Ron,have faith they’ll come again soon esp as RU’s been showing signs of backsliding(I hope its not my imagination)a little with nice guy KF?Is he in over his head as HC?He’s so nice a person but Im not sure he’s a good administrater?delegater?Or is the cracks in RU just youth lost to the NFL?Time will tell?Trouble is BC seems to be on an uptick recruiting.
I’m gonna go back in time and try to make the point as to why we need the NJ/LI/NYC players to come to syracuse.
After destroying Clemson in the 1996 Gator Bowl 41-0,Syracuse,led by Donovan McNabb opened the 1997 Season as the 17th ranked team in the country playing against the 24th ranked Wisconsin team led by Ron Dayne in the Kick Off Classic held in Giant Stadium in East Rutherford NJ.
Some of the defensive players in that game were (S)Donovan Darius Camden NJ,(LB) Keith Bulluck NYC.(LB)Tebucky Jones New Britain CT. All of these players Terry were rated 2* and maybe 3* athletes.
There’s no doubt in my mind,the latest to change his mind(Jason Cabinda NJ)on Syracuse would have come to Syracuse as a 4* LB.
I don’t know if we have ever had a safety play any better or hit harder than Donovan Darius and is arguably considered the best to ever play that position at Syracuse. Not to bad for a 2/3* athlete out of NJ, is it?
Earlier I cought the wrath of Malone and somewhat from Russell by making the statement to ignore the local talent when playing games at the MetLife Stadium.
College football is a business,and like every other business in the country have expenses that are necessary to stay compdetitive. Having the local top talent at the stadium watching Syracuse play in those games are a necessary evel that has to be done. Have we been successful over the last 2/3 years? NO we haven’t!!!! Who know’s maybe the turning point will start next year when we beat ND there. After coming to my senses once again,the one thing that I do know is that at some point the pendulum is going to start moving in our direction and when it does,good things will start to happen again for Syracuse Football.
Go Cuse,good luck and hope you beat Wake Forest this weekend.
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