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The goal for Syracuse heading into its regular-season finale against Boston College was to stop Heisman candidate Andre Williams and become bowl eligible. Syracuse did just that, and now in dramatic fashion finds itself potentially heading to a bowl for the third time in four years.
This is the type of season that should have recruits excited about the Orange. Here’s the reasons why: Scott Shafer seemed to be holding back emotions at the podium after what a remarkable way to end a game and a regular season. The head coach proved he could walk the walk, and build a defense in his own mold. Syracuse had to be “hard-nosed,” like Shafer proclaimed so many times, to survive a QB change in Week 3, winning multiple road games in the ACC, having one of the stingiest defenses in the nation and coming back to win over BC to clinch win no. six.
Defensive recruits should want to play for Shafer. His unit harassed quarterbacks all season, and was the backbone of a team that, surprisingly, should be headed to another bowl game. Offensive recruits should be pleased with how young players like Terrel Hunt, Brisley Estime, George Morris and Devante McFarlane were developed. They were all allowed plenty of touches, and Hunt was named the starter by Week 3 despite the age and reputation of Drew Allen. Shafer proved he was not against playing young guys who could make a difference.
Offensive players should also be intrigued by playing in George McDonald’s scheme. While it was¬†rough to watch at times, it came on strong at the end and McDonald was named Coordinator of the Week by Athlon. A big performance in the bowl game would solidify the idea that McDonald got better as the season progressed.
Hunt saved one of his best games for last, completing 67 percent of his passes and two touchdowns, both to Parris. He threw for 270 yards and rushed for nearly 100. Hunt’s season should show potential commits about how much a player can develop and grow over the course of the year.
The players said there was something special about this team and how they just want to keep playing. With all of the seniors on the team, they have one more shot. This is a program that didn’t get swallowed up by a new conference. Instead, it stood toe-to-toe with every team besides FSU (a potential national champion) and Georgia Tech. And you could explain away the Jackets loss as simply the wrong scheme to stop a quirky, unfamiliar attack. It would be the third bowl game in four years, and establish an expectation that the Orange plays in the postseason every winter.
Hopefully, the ACC will be able to work Syracuse into a bowl game, even though the conference has eight bowl spots but 11 eligible teams. That will get lightened slightly, assuming FSU beats Duke, as the ‘Noles would then move into the national title game. If the Orange gets a bowl bid, recruits will have plenty to like about joining the Syracuse program this National Signing Day.
Posted by: Austin Pollack & D.A.
24 responses to “Bright Future Ahead: How the 6th Win & Bowl Will Help Syracuse’s Recruiting”
A lot of different people are projecting Syracuse to end up in the Beef ‘O’ Brady Bowl(St. Petersburg)with an At-large bid replacing the American conference No. 6 tie-in team for that bowl.
Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants for the old Big East Conference?
If they do get an invitation to go there,it would definitely help with the recruiting with in the State of Florida.
Hope CUSE gets the invitation.
GO CUSE;
I have that unspoken NYC connection to the Pinstripe Bowl but the Beef Obrady bowl would be a nice bowl for this team considering where they stand. I just hope all the players who will return next year continue to develop. Mainly Hunt since I want to see him returrn at qb despite younger and perhaps better talent behind him. He’d hopefully be the veteran signal caller with seasoning to carry the program and mentor the young guns. Now if that happens it sucks for the 2013 fresh qbs as maybe their window shrinks with the 2014 fresh qbs on their heels and a upperclassman ahead of them.
Shouldn’t it be the “Corned Beef O’Brady’s” bowl?
Having the potential to get good recruits is one thing. Getting them to sign may be another. We are involved with some very good kids, so let us hope the few remaining slots for 2014 are filled with A-#1 prospects.
i hope that we go bowling somewhere warm hopefully.
Recruiting news… So USC is signing Steve Sarkesian of Washington as their new HC. I think this hire is in part a hopeful strategy to keep DC and head recruiter Ed Orgeron around. The two were at USC together under Pete Carrol. Aparently it was between him and James Franklin of Vandy. Rumour has it that Franklin may be considered if (when) Florida goes looking. That could be enough for us to try flipping their RB commit Wilbon. He is teammates with OL commit Aaron Roberts. Staff liked him. I wondered if Florida would look BC’s way as Addazio was OC there for a while during Meyer’s tenure. Illinois has not fired their coach…yet, but ISU has releived their OC and RB coach. That could open up the Tommy Mister chase.
Malone, Florida hated Addazio as OC and he’s NEVER getting that job.
@Malone;
Wow!!!!you offer a few different scenarios that demands some serious thought especially on Tommy Mister that committed to Iowa St in June.
Let me add a thought to your thinking. Let’s say Illinois fires their head coach. Do you think that would end in Matt Domers de-committing and reopening his recruitment? Could Shafer and staff pull a coup d’etat and bring one of those RB’s to Syracuse?
I just finished reading that (MLB) Colton Moskal and (CB)Deion Hallmon are very interested in Syracuse.
STAY TUNED,it looks like things are getting interesting fella’s.
Go get em coach,go get em.
Read today that both the Beef bowl and the Poinsettia bowl have contingencies in place that if they dont place an AAC team and a PAC12 team respectively they take a MAC team. If true, that’s ridiculous and so much for the ACC being a power conference. How does the MAC broker deals for their teams and the ACC leaves their teams high and dry. One has to expect that 9-11 teams should be bowl eligible each year with 14 in the league.
Aspen, they hated him so much they made him interim HC while Meyer recouperated from a heart issue, or cheating on his wife, I forget which.
Ron, I think it is possible they are talking to Domer. Coaches are in Chicago area as I write. Moskal is already a verbal. Never confident in anything Hallmon says. He likes to play the fence. Hudson, Sykes, Cotton, Jonathan Thomas, I feel good about. The Purdue commit from Chicago, Denzel Ward is a strong maybe. Chris Slayton would be a nice get. Johnson from Florida, also a nice get. Ishmael is looking good. I don’t know if we need a lot of flips with all these that we’re in on.
@Malone;
You seem to be a no-nonsense type of person who is always on top of things. I Enjoy reading your post because of the information that you give us all. Thank you for sharing.
If Coach Shafer goes as hard after these recruits,as hard as he coaches the football team,then I feel we have a good chance of landing some of them.
I hope he directs some of his energy to the State NJ where there are a ton of recruits.
Can’t wait for NLOI day to arrive and see who we have coming for the class of 2014.
GO CUSE;
Wow,now we need to worry about a bowl opening up? I think the pinstripe is shooting to get ND this yr? I hope the ACC flex’s up to place us? Were there any bowl rep’s at Saturdays game?A shame if not!!
@Russell Dangerfield;
As a group Russell we do provide some interesting fodder for the rest to ponder. Don’t we?
We’ve often said Russell that come signing day,Syracuse would sign a couple of surprise recruits that no-one expected us to get. We haven’t even discussed any of the recruits that’s interested in Florida or Georgia yet.
Just think about what @Malone said about the possibility of Tommy Mister reopening his recruitment and then having a possibility of getting Matt Domer to commit to us would be fantastic. I mean TOTALLY FANTASTIC.
For the record Ron, I think it would be an either/or, not both. I beleive the staff may think they are OK at RB next year without anybody new and they seem to be pushing hard on 2015 for RBs. I have heard that is Mister or bust a few times. Class of ’15 Robert Washington in NC is a big one. If we play in Texas, like I am hearing might be our best bowl opportunity, then maybe we finally make a push for ’15 Devine Ozigbo, a big RB in Texas who apparently has eastern ties, links to SU and was in for the Clemson game. So far the staff has not shown him any attention. There is also a big RB prospect in New Rochelle NY I think (home of Ray Rice)
Also for the record, Russell’s got it pinned for the age thing. I was at SU in the mid 90’s (class of ’97, five year degree). I saw some great stuff and met some great people while there. I have mentioned those times in a few stories and I think this is where detective Russ figured it out (not really hiding it though).
Look the win over BC wlll not get SU that prize recruit we want!! The only thing the quality players want is winning and a truthful staff. I got that from a 4 star(he was told that by a agency) Jr HS school player from down south!! To him SU(no offer)is cool but its record(lousy) and staff are new. His family moved from our area to the south a while ago. So they know about SU-period!! I recently talked to them and will see them over the hoilidays as well. His parents will give the decision to him, but they are always going to be around and the player wants it that way. He’s a 4.0 in school so the acedemics of the College/Uni will play a major part. It all depends on his senior year in HS and his play on the field as well. The honesty of the staff seems to be the most important factor for the whole family and player. He’s looking for a pre-med like degree.
I see SU is looking at a 5’8″ safety. Please no way. Way to small in height. Move him some where else or forget it. 6’0″+ should be the norm. The way of the modern college/pro passing game is taller guys at the WR spread area. I’m seeing 6’2″ WR now as major gets. Not the 5’8″ swifties. SU in 2014 class has 2 over 6’2″ coming in!! All year you saw our DB/S’s get thrown over their heads game after game!!
Tulane just accepted a bowl bid. GEZZZZZ!!
Great aritcle in NUNES about some dislikes on HCSS. BC, Clemson(cut the BS out go to about 2 minutes near end of video) and FSU!! Check it out!!
Good for Ed O to kiss off USC. They still tried to buy him!! SU could use him????!!
Please no more Snow Bowls!! Play down south and let that area see the CUSE. Why not the NE or SU historic areas ain’t giving up much to SU. Win and they will the frigging morons you’ll see. Or do not go bowling. SU qualified-yes, but the system still has to pick them against some decent programs. The players deserve some sun and the fans too!!
During this holiday season do not forget the kids of PSABUSEDU!! The NCAA did!!!!
@Malone;
After graduating from Syracuse,did your degree land you a job within the Athletic Dept?
@Terry;
This one is for you kiddo. They are starting to bring construction equipment into the Manley South parking lot where the new IPF is going to be built. I’m expecting the heavy equipment to arrive by the end of the week or the beginning of next week to start the construction of the new building.
@Ron no, but if you read your post to Terry just above, you’ll have a thought to what I do. There are very few 5 year degrees at SU and architecture is one.
@Malone;
Are you telling me that you graduated from Syracuse University with an architecture engineering degree? So you are connected in some way to the university. Did you help design the new IPF? If so,congratulations are in order.
I should have picked that up when you posted about the different kinds of permits that were needed,materials being delayed and making sure that the surrounding neighborhood and city officials was on board with the new building.
Your a valuable asset to this website and I for one am very glad that your a member.
Thanks for sharing.
Whatever puissant bowl we get is a win for Shafer and the program and of course we the fans who watch and care. Now its time to get those top recruits off the fence and on our list of probable signees on LOI day. It would seem that Ishmael is going to be one of them soon and he elevates the talent level of next year’s WR unit.Added to Cornelius and West we have something to get excited about for the offense. I have my doubts that Hunt will emerge as the startingQB but his experience will play big for him so its not a decision that needs to be made now.The competition is going to be fierce. Far more intense than anything Drew Allen could muster.Wdouard’s tude and speed will make him a favorite soon enough. AJ Long of course is a possibility. The RBs are a position in flux with Jerome and PTG both leaving.The O-line will also be affected by Hickey’s departure which despite his injury, will be a good possibility.
Ron,if you pay attention to peoples posts after awhile as Malone said it don’t take a detective to figure a guy’s age range.I remembered his tales of adventure while at Cuse in the 90s and went from there!!We should get a bowl we need the extra exposure and practice!Were playing better now too!
@Russell Dangerfield;
I remember his stories well Russell. Especially the Marshall Street outing that the basketball team had one evening.
I’m glad he’s a part of the group. The dialogue we share about the recruiting of players is starting to heat up again and it’s amazing the information that @Malone is willing to share with us on the subject.
My guess at the beginning of the year was Prince Tyson Gulley and Jerome Smith would graduate and move on to play in the NFL next year. Both players recently announced that they would come back for one more year. Should make things really interesting.
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