It's either more of the same, or something new... like winning.So it is official. Doug Marrone is the next head coach of the Syracuse University Football Team. Again, I was not pleased when he was a candidate, and I am still not thrilled with this pick. There are several pros and cons with this individual.
Cons
Cons
Never been a head coach.
It’s true, he has turned down head coaching offers before. However, he has never had that experience of actually running a program. I think it is problematic when you just end a four year relationship with a first time head coach, the most disastrous four years in program history, and they go out and hire the same.
He has been out of the college game since 2001.
He has worked for the Jets and Saints, since departing from the University of Tennessee system. The NFL is not the college game. The last time we got a traditional NFL coordinator to be the head coach, it again ended in disaster.
Can he recruit?
We are just not sure. Again, he has been out of the college game since 2001. He claims while with the Jets, etc. that he has kept up recruiting relationships in the northeast with high schools. This I am highly skeptical of. With a coach like Turner Gill, you know that recruiting can be picked up and probably be successful immediately. With Marrone, we just are not sure. It is difficult to resurrect a college football program, and it starts with recruiting.
Was this guy just what was left over?
Apparently Holtz was the guy until Tuesday. Before that, Gill was possibly the guy. Before that, ANYONE was the guy. Marrone’s name had only surfaced in the public eye lately. After we could not lure Holtz away from ECU, and it seemed like Auburn had Turner Gill locked down, was Marrone our only option left because he was in the minority that actually wanted this job? I would like to believe he was not, and this was the candidate Gross and the committee wanted, but we’ll never know unless someone in that room says so.
Pros
He’s an alumnus.
His hiring means that the big three (football, men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse) all have Syracuse alumni as head coaches. Syracuse, their alma mater, is also each of their first head coaching jobs. “Today is the greatest day of my life.” He said that today at the press conference introducing him to the world. You can tell he is passionate and a true “Syracuse guy”. That is always a plus, as if he wins and can stay, this is a job that he could finish his coaching career at.
He’s an offensive guy.
Although he does not call the plays for the Saints, he still knows offense and has the ability to call plays and do such things. Sean Peyton of the Saints is just that kind of controlling guy that likes to call the plays himself. However Marrone has the ability to install not only elements of the west coast offense that worked, adding in the spread offense again, and who knows, maybe even an option attack. He will evaluate the current talent, as well as the players he can bring in, and adjust accordingly, and I have faith he can execute that.
He knows the game.
This guy is football smart. He knows the blitz packages that Rutgers uses. He knows the coverage schemes that UConn and Pittsburgh uses. He knows how to counter all of them. He knows several defensive and offensive sets, how to implement them, the personnel needed to implement them, and what is successful. There should not be too many moments where we go “what the hell did he just do?” I’m pretty sure he won’t punt on third down either.
He’s from the Bronx.
It is one of the best accents to say “fuck you” to somebody. I’m just sayin.
There are several other reasons to like or dislike this guy. However, these are the main ones. Only time will tell of course. Before we move on, we need to look back at this dismal season. Look for my season wrap up in the next week or two. We will continue to keep you updated on the Eric Devendorf situation as it develops. I have my finals all next week, so it will be sparse updating until the 19th, but rest assured nothing will escape the watchful eye of Orange::44.
Also, FanFoodie.blogspot.com, a great site to help you around any city you can watch a game at, asked me to put together a guide for Syracuse while watching your hometown Orange. Check it out right here, and forever thereafter in the “Unflushable” section to the right.
It’s true, he has turned down head coaching offers before. However, he has never had that experience of actually running a program. I think it is problematic when you just end a four year relationship with a first time head coach, the most disastrous four years in program history, and they go out and hire the same.
He has been out of the college game since 2001.
He has worked for the Jets and Saints, since departing from the University of Tennessee system. The NFL is not the college game. The last time we got a traditional NFL coordinator to be the head coach, it again ended in disaster.
Can he recruit?
We are just not sure. Again, he has been out of the college game since 2001. He claims while with the Jets, etc. that he has kept up recruiting relationships in the northeast with high schools. This I am highly skeptical of. With a coach like Turner Gill, you know that recruiting can be picked up and probably be successful immediately. With Marrone, we just are not sure. It is difficult to resurrect a college football program, and it starts with recruiting.
Was this guy just what was left over?
Apparently Holtz was the guy until Tuesday. Before that, Gill was possibly the guy. Before that, ANYONE was the guy. Marrone’s name had only surfaced in the public eye lately. After we could not lure Holtz away from ECU, and it seemed like Auburn had Turner Gill locked down, was Marrone our only option left because he was in the minority that actually wanted this job? I would like to believe he was not, and this was the candidate Gross and the committee wanted, but we’ll never know unless someone in that room says so.
Pros
He’s an alumnus.
His hiring means that the big three (football, men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse) all have Syracuse alumni as head coaches. Syracuse, their alma mater, is also each of their first head coaching jobs. “Today is the greatest day of my life.” He said that today at the press conference introducing him to the world. You can tell he is passionate and a true “Syracuse guy”. That is always a plus, as if he wins and can stay, this is a job that he could finish his coaching career at.
He’s an offensive guy.
Although he does not call the plays for the Saints, he still knows offense and has the ability to call plays and do such things. Sean Peyton of the Saints is just that kind of controlling guy that likes to call the plays himself. However Marrone has the ability to install not only elements of the west coast offense that worked, adding in the spread offense again, and who knows, maybe even an option attack. He will evaluate the current talent, as well as the players he can bring in, and adjust accordingly, and I have faith he can execute that.
He knows the game.
This guy is football smart. He knows the blitz packages that Rutgers uses. He knows the coverage schemes that UConn and Pittsburgh uses. He knows how to counter all of them. He knows several defensive and offensive sets, how to implement them, the personnel needed to implement them, and what is successful. There should not be too many moments where we go “what the hell did he just do?” I’m pretty sure he won’t punt on third down either.
He’s from the Bronx.
It is one of the best accents to say “fuck you” to somebody. I’m just sayin.
There are several other reasons to like or dislike this guy. However, these are the main ones. Only time will tell of course. Before we move on, we need to look back at this dismal season. Look for my season wrap up in the next week or two. We will continue to keep you updated on the Eric Devendorf situation as it develops. I have my finals all next week, so it will be sparse updating until the 19th, but rest assured nothing will escape the watchful eye of Orange::44.
Also, FanFoodie.blogspot.com, a great site to help you around any city you can watch a game at, asked me to put together a guide for Syracuse while watching your hometown Orange. Check it out right here, and forever thereafter in the “Unflushable” section to the right.
Labels: Coaching News, Football
Your main concerns are that this is more of the same -- kind of like Obama's arguments that electing John McCain would be 4 more years of Bush. Legitimate argument.
And then you say "time will tell." Thanks, Greg.
Otherwise, nice point/counter-point piece.
More than anything, Syracuse needed a link to their former glory. When a HS recruit asks "why should I come to SU?" the answer shouldn't be "b/c I'll be here for at least two or three years" (which is what I'd be afraid of if Holtz or Gill was hired). Marrone will be genuinely excited and capable of selling both himself as a coach but also the university. I think the Good Doctor might have lucked into the correct hire.
"He’s from the Bronx.
It is one of the best accents to say “fuck you” to somebody. I’m just sayin."
Everyone knows that no one from the Bronx would ever say "Fuck you." It's "fuck you, you fucking fuck."
Get it right.
Mike,
I'm from upstate so thanks for the clarification.