Back in March, the Fizz published a post called “Scott Shafer Is Officially On The Hot Seat.” Some readers were frustrated with the statement, but 2015 is clearly a make or break season for Syracuse’s head man.
If the Fizz saying Shafer’s job isn’t secure isn’t enough, this week Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated wrote that Shafer is under pressure because of the way last season unfolded and the fact that he now has a new boss to answer to in Mark Coyle.
A repeat performance of 2014 and Shafer is certainly out the door. A 5-7 season where the Orange shows promise against the likes of Clemson, Florida State and LSU might still not be enough to keep Shafer around if Coyle wants to go in his own direction. That’s the reality.
Many Orange fans get defensive when these stories come out. They feel like the media is already writing off a football coach who two seasons ago led the Orange to a bowl victory.
Most writers aren’t saying that Shafer has no chance to succeed and will definitely be fired (although some are). What most writers are trying to get fans to understand is that it’s going to be an uphill battle for the third year coach. Making Syracuse relevant again is a tough task.
In 2014 Shafer gave the keys to the SU offense to George McDonald, got burned and how he’s suffering the consequences.
For all the flack he gets Shafer is a solid defensive coach (SU was a top 30 D1 defense last season). His defense is young this season, but if anyone can get the unit to perform it’s SU’s head coach. On the offensive side, if Tim Lester puts Terrel Hunt and the SU offense in positions to put points on the board, the Orange may very well find itself in bowl contention thanks to an easy start to the schedule.
Shafer could definitely work his way out of this corner. The people who deny that he is any corner right now just don’t understand football and the one’s that say he has no shot to come out of this are not being fair to Shafer. We don’t know exactly how this season will play out, but what we do know this: whatever happens will define Shafer’s time at SU.
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Posted: Connor Morrissette
2 responses to “Yes Scott Shafer Is On The Hot Seat, But It‚Äôs Wrong To Already Write Him Off”
A man of Mark Coyle’s stature as an AD would probably have key individuals in mind as head coaches should he be in a position of replacing a coach at any time in his position as an AthleticDirector. I know I would,That doesn’t mead that Shafer is ready for the voltage meter to be adjusted and a pail of water with a sponge ready.
It’s all about the “here and now”, people expect results now and if someone comes in and doesn’t deliver they want them gone, like yesterday.
The fan’s are not looking at what might have caused the 3-9 record of last season. They don’t care, they want immediate results and are willing to play Russian roulette to get what they want. I blame the Board of Trustees at Syracuse University for our current problems. They’re the one’s that hired Nancy Cantor who brought Dr. Daryl Gross aboard who then fired Coach Pasqualoni and hired Greg Robinson. I also put equal blame on the Syracuse fans and the media who started the ball rolling to fire Pasqualoni. The louder the calls became for his release, the easier it was for them to get rid of a man who bled Orange and gave it his all 24/7.
So here we are again the media LEADING THE WAY FOR SHAFERS REMOVAL and the fans following them just like the rats did following the pied piper.
This will be the last YEAR of Shafer having Doug Marrones recruits on the team. Remember now Shafer is going into his 3rd year as the head coach. I honestly believe that he’s taking the team in the right direction, improving the recruiting, changing the teams attitude and by having them believe in family, to build friendships and camaraderie within the team.
So let me ask all of you so called smart people who know it all about the game of football. If Shafer is let go at the end of the season, are you all ok with the team falling deeper into the ABYSS for another 15 years. If Shafer is let go we lose the 2016 and the 2017 already committed to Syracuse. ARE YOU READY FOR THAT? How many of you idiots will stand up and take credit for destroying what Shafer has done in his three years at the helm?
Let’s give Shafer his due, he was hired and given a 4 year contract. Let’s give him those 4 years in which he will have his team in place. If they don’t win in his 5TH YEAR AS HEAD COACH, THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL I SAY IT’S TIME FOR HIM TO GO.
For the so-called Syracuse Fans, don’t believe everything you read in the damn papers because the people who are doing the reporting 99% don’t know what the hell their talking about.
AND YES THIS MESSAGE IS COMING FROM A PERSON WHO IS CONSIDERED/BEEN CALLED A HOMIE BY OTHERS.
I WEAR THE HOMIE BRAND PROUDLY.