Syracuse Post Game Thread

[Chin Diesel]

Also, it’s clear where we stand. We’re funded and coached well enough to be a top G5 program. We missed on the QB portal - that’s not ideal but it’s ok, LSU and FSU both missed hard this year too. We’ll keep improving. I’m hyped for next season.

Used to be missing on a top QB meant you were out a Trans-Am with T-tops or more recently an Escalade and maybe some free grub at a steakhouse.

Now you miss on a QB and you're out anywhere from $250k to more than a million.

 

[3rdbass]

Mora post-game:

-> Fagnano for UConn, for now: UConn coach Jim Mora chose Joe Fagnano to start at quarterback, citing his winning performances as a backup and Nick Evers‘ lingering foot and hip injuries. But he hinted Evers could be back to play vs. UMass next week.

“Joe’s done some really good things for us when we’ve put him in those situations,” Mora said. “We felt that was the best decision for today’s game, it means nothing going forward.” … <-

I don't want to ever see Evers as our QB again. Ugh!

 

[Huskygamble19]

the first half they looked like they had a bye the week before. Sloppy defense and bad passes into the ground. Just looked to be sleepwalking and going through the motions. Second half was better, but not enough to stop Syracuse from getting in the end zone. We are a better team than we showed early on and Fagnano was better as the game went, but not good enough in the end. The team is better by far and it was expected to be a tough game on the road with your 2nd string QB. All in all not that disappointed with a close loss.

 

[UConn2SF]

Last 2 drives of each half were beautiful with each unit - play calls, QB, OL, WRs - in sync and flowing. Unfortunately, we couldn't muster enough of these kind of drives and kept our defense and Cuse's offense on the field for far too long. Not Joe's or Sammis' best games. Joe missed at least a half dozen throws he's routinely made throughout his career. Sammis dialing up a deep shot on 4 and 2 in the 4th was inexplicable and only 17 carries when we were having some success running the ball and needed to keep McCord on the sidelines.
Time to move on and get ready to pummel UMass into oblivion.

 

[Samoo]

If we haven’t improved under Mora then you wouldn’t be on here trying to troll.

Record last three years: 16-19 with this year 7-4
Record three prior years: 4-32

#mathishard

 

[rich1122]

The D is always terrible first quarter. Second half always much better. Same pattern all year.

 

[gioff2323]

Sorry to be a glass half empty guy but I was very disappointed with this loss. It would have been sweet to finish 8-4 and say we beat a P4 conference team. Especially cuse who I hate. 8-4 is nice but our schedule was a joke

When you’ve been the punchline for a decade, your schedule can not be a joke.

 

[gioff2323]

Whatever the staff did on bye weeks needs to be completely reviewed and redone. We had 2 byes and came out of both looking like the kids had an all nighter the previous night.

 

[freescooter]

the first half they looked like they had a bye the week before. Sloppy defense and bad passes into the ground. Just looked to be sleepwalking and going through the motions. Second half was better, but not enough to stop Syracuse from getting in the end zone. We are a better team than we showed early on and Fagnano was better as the game went, but not good enough in the end. The team is better by far and it was expected to be a tough game on the road with your 2nd string QB. All in all not that disappointed with a close loss.

I hate bye weeks. it seems like teams always come out flat. That is one thing where i agree with Randy Edsall. He always wanted to line ‘em up and play. They are especially problematic when you are playing well.

 

[businesslawyer]

I hate bye weeks. it seems like teams always come out flat. That is one thing where i agree with Randy Edsall. He always wanted to line ‘em up and play. They are especially problematic when you are playing well.

In both of those games, we came out of the off week and and lined up against a better team than we had been playing before the off week.

 

[Tucker]

I hate bye weeks. it seems like teams always come out flat. That is one thing where i agree with Randy Edsall. He always wanted to line ‘em up and play. They are especially problematic when you are playing well.

Except when he didn’t…. Like when he took a year off

 

[TMB4405]

I was at this game. Overall happy with the effort and fight. Some thoughts. I liked the dome, fans around me were good. Like trough urinals lol. Labatts blue very good.
Game thoughts. Switch QBs and we win easily. Thats bottom line. Their guys were open snd he hits them in stride. When close coverage was in place he puts ball exactly where it needed to be. Joey not so much. Hated the 4th and 2 call and although a long shot to win at end our game/clock msnagement was terrible. Will have to rewatch because i had a lot of beers but have to get in before two minute timeout and certainly cant burn our second timeout there. Effectively ended the game.

 

[Jetskies]

Do you think another senior starting QB from a top 5 program who has strong ties to HC Brown is going to be available for Syracuse next year?

no. not that exact cocktail.

but it is possible they find another strong qb who kills it for them. I'm just saying it's not a guarantee they fall off just cuz mccord left. I am putting more stock on us getting better than them getting worse, in the next couple years. Fran Brown is doing his thing up there and will find his talent.

 

[UConn Dan]

Does anyone know who this guy is? He was in Moras ear the whole game. View attachment 104962

Definitely not on the coaching staff, he's wearing a Zephyr hat and of course the UConn coaches all wear Nike gear. I just watched a sped up replay of the game and it didn't look like he was on the sideline in the first half. While he was tagging along closely to Mora, I didn't see him talking to him at all. I'm guessing he was just someone's sideline guest - maybe an NIL booster? Don't know why he was shadowing Mora so closely.

They were definitely talking to each other during the game. When I first saw him I was like who the efe is that guy!? Not a coach. I don’t think a donor either. Possible some kind of analyst? We may never know

 

[giddyup]

Our matador tackling and Joey “Shoestrings.” The score was actually closer than the game play.

There were better athletes on the other side. In space our guys were struggling for sure. A lot of those misses and quite a few near misses were simply our guys being a half step slower and that’s all it takes. They did a hell of a job considering they were literally flirting with disaster seemingly every possession. We will get better.

 

[uconnfan68]

They were definitely talking to each other during the game. When I first saw him I was like who the efe is that guy!? Not a coach. I don’t think a donor either. Possible some kind of analyst? We may never know

So, it was his fault? I’m ok with that.

 

[UCan3]

I don't want to ever see Evers as our QB again. Ugh!

I think it’s far to say that Evers has a ceiling - too low for our aspirations as a D1 program. I think that T’Quan, with the team we had this year, would have put up similar numbers.

We need a QB that can really see the field. Hit those crossing patterns with consistency, put the ball out in front of the receivers instead of making them stretch behind, up and hitting them anywhere but the numbers.

We need to hit portal and give Welliver a shot to do his thing.

 

[Palatine]

There were better athletes on the other side. In space our guys were struggling for sure. A lot of those misses and quite a few near misses were simply our guys being a half step slower and that’s all it takes. They did a hell of a job considering they were literally flirting with disaster seemingly every possession. We will get better.

470 yards passing is the most by any Syracuse QB ever. That's what I mean by outclassed.

 

[UC70]

I don’t see people complaining about winning. I do see people considering the quality of the teams we’ve beaten in trying to analyze how much we’ve improved and where we are as a program.

I think it’s pretty obvious where we are as a program, over analysis not needed. Trust your eyes.

 

[UC70]

The NIL era just kind of started. But it's true and it's kind of depressing.

No, the NIL era has not just kind of started. UConn FB was well behind until this year, vis a vis best G5 programs and mid-level P4. And we’re still not near where we need to be to bring in the talent needed. Support our NIL collectives and tell others.

 

[Alum86]

I believe Rosa got in for at least one play. I read here on a previous BY thread that he is redshirting? So presumably this would be 3-4 games played?

 

[CCSUblue]

Does anyone know who this guy is? He was in Moras ear the whole game. View attachment 104962

Jason Thoren senior defensive analyst (?) edit to say maybe.

 

[hardcorehusky]

470 yards passing is the most by any Syracuse QB ever. That's what I mean by outclassed.

That is not outclassed. That is a statistic and we were lost by 7 and they scored 31 pts, which isn't a crazy amount. Outclassed was Maryland game. This was one where we gave up passing yards but not much on the ground.

 

[PackTheRent]

Record last three years: 16-19 with this year 7-4
Record three prior years: 4-32

#mathishard

Learn to read. I said since Mora arrived in 2022. 2022 was a big improvement from prior years and we won 2 games against P4 or ranked teams. In 2023 and 2024 we are 0-9 and have shown zero improvement SINCE 2022.

 

[UConnJim]

no. not that exact cocktail.

but it is possible they find another strong qb who kills it for them. I'm just saying it's not a guarantee they fall off just cuz mccord left. I am putting more stock on us getting better than them getting worse, in the next couple years. Fran Brown is doing his thing up there and will find his talent.

McCord will throw for over 4000 yards this season, a Syracuse record, with only one other Syracuse QB ever throwing for over 3000 yards in a season. And, he is tied for most TD passes in a season. Top starting P4 QBs that are transferring are few and far between and they generally don't go to mid tier P4 schools. Brown had known McCord since middle school (they grew up about 10 miles from each other) and McCord had other relationships with the Syracuse staff.

Don't get me wrong, Brown is a great recruiter, but the jury is still out on his coaching staff and his staff's ability to develop QBs.