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From a Syracuse fan, I have to shake my head at some of the posts on here. Syracuse is 1-7 with a new head coach a year after sharing a piece of the Big East title and almost sneaking into the BCS. Of course, after we were blown out handily by Georgia Tech with our new AD in attendance doing PR on ESPN, Paul Pasqualoni was deemed "inferior" to the new direction of the program and fired. His replacement? A first-time head coach, Greg Robinson trying to run a West Coast with Pasqualoni's Option recruits. The lasting effects? We will probably end up with only one quality recruit this off-season, that being QB Andrew Robinson from Maryland. The dilemma? How in the hell is this new coaching staff going to work the miracles that Pasqualoni couldn't by losing games and turning off recruits? It goes to show that sometimes it's better to put up with the 6-5 records a little bit and rather than sell the farm and risk everything. You guy have a top-notch QB, some NFL-quality players, and a Head Coach that has been linked to big jobs in the off-season, along with an Offensive Coordinator being looked at for head jobs as well. You guys don't have it that bad. You could have Robinson as your Head Coach and Perry Patterson and Joe Fields playing musical QBs throwing to WRs with 0 talent while blocked for by an o-line with 0 talent.

Actually you guys have some real good players on your team. You are having a more drastic version of the same problem. Problem is they just are not playing, dont know why, just are not playing.

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Good coaches can get enthusiastic players up for games week in and week out

Great coaches can flat, tired, undersized players up for games and playing beyond their precieved abilities.

GB seems to be a good coach, Great if he can turn on our guys back on at this point in my book

We have a few good players. Anthony Smith is a pretty good safety. Ryan LaCasse had a streak of 6 sakcs going, but he's tailed off. The problem is that every good player we have is on defense, and for all their good, they can't tackle. They made UConn look like Michigan. Terry Caulley look like Mike Hart. Because they couldn't tackle. I don't know why Division I-A players cannot seem to tackle like this, but it's actually happening, and on any given play you can see 3 or 4 mis-tackles. It's too bad you guys don't have us on your schedule this year. It would really cheer you up.

Im_Full:

The issue here is more of expectations. The Falcons entered the season picked by many to win the MAC, by some as a serious Top 25 and by a few as "This Year's Utah" (e.g. BCS Buster). Measured against those expectations, you can understand the general state of unhappiness.

Yeah I can understand that. We had a similar scenario, but as someone said, the outcome has been much more drastic. As I said, we got rid of Pasqualoni and Robinson along with the new AD came in promising the moon saying that we were in for an exiting brand of football and they were going to make Pasqualoni look like an amateur and we would contend for the Big East this year for sure. Now look at us. The biggest mess in Division I-A. I guess my point is that it could be worse, and don't be too quick to ostracize such a good coach that is highly-regarded around the country. I would welcome Gregg Brandon with open arms to Syracuse. These kind of disappointing seasons happen to everyone. Look at Michigan and Oklahoma. When someone is enjoying success, someone else has to be disappointing. I think you guys still have the respect of the rest of the country, and have a real opportunity to take your recent success and recruit better and better players, especially top-notch QBs. I wouldn't want to lose Brandon at all if it were me. You might get stuck with a Greg Robinson and wish for him back.

Again, there's a difference.

The high expectations weren't just the AD blowing smoke, they were just internal. A number of so-called "experts" had BG pegged for big things this year. I don't think anyone outside the Syracuse inner circle expected the Orange to compete for the Big Least title.

As for being the biggest mess in D-IA, I suggest you take a hard look at Temple before claiming that title.

Temple has had one of the toughest schedules this year, but yeah, they're pretty bad and that's why they got evicted. I was one of those guys expecting big things from BG too but hey, these things happen. I don't think Brandon deserves to be ousted for it though.

Im_Full wrote: I would welcome Gregg Brandon with open arms to Syracuse.

I'd gladly help pay for his gas money to drive there!

I'm not calling for Brandon to be fired, but I sure as heck wouldn't cry if he left.

He's better than what we have. I'll chip in for the gas and pay for the taxi to pick him up at Central Square and lead him to his new office lol We just have to pry Robinson's name off the door.

I don't think we should be comparing ourselves to the lowest-common denominator, whether it be this situation or anything else in life.

transfer2BGSU wrote:Some people bitched and moaned about our former defensive coordinator. He left to go to OSU. Now they bitch about our defense even more. Why are they complaining? They got what they wanted but they're not too happy now.

Boy, I'll fess up to that. I moaned about Beckman louder than anyone. Consider it egg on my face. I was dead wrong about him. I'm not convinced he's a defensive genius, but I sure as heck know he wasn't to blame for our defensive meltdowns in 2004.

Well I hope you guys get things turned around because you're the nicest bunch of fans I've encountered. Complaining? eh, I guess we all do that. Some of us just have more to complain about, that's all. I certainly haven't encountered much of the riff-raff that goes on on most football forums. Football + opinions usually equal daily argument but most everyone seems well-mannered here, which is actually a rare trait if you visit enough forums. Hopefully someday we get turned around too and maybe have a series. That would be nice.

IM_FULL

Thanks for continuing to post here. You're always welcome. I'll have to put myself in "we need someone else" camp. It has nothing to do with Brandon's personality, person attriibutes, or his skill as a coach (emphasis on 'a'). He proved himself capable of being a good offensive coordinator.

The proverbial jury, however, is no longer 'out' in my mind. Going from a coordinator to a HC is a huge jump. I understand that and there is a learning curve. However, when a person is making six figures a year, that learning curve should be fairly steep and the individual in that position should be able to handle that steep curve. I'm surrounded by people who make six figures a year. They better know what the heck they are doing and how to fix anything that is broken. If they don't, they don't maintain their job. Period. End of story.

I don't believe anyone on this board could argue that the level of play (intensity and execution for example) of '01, 02, and even 03 has been maintained let alone improved. This team is seemingly on a backslide.

I'm pretty quick to pull this trigger because I'm getting a tad frustrated with the curse of inconsistancy often experienced with BGSU football. We, as fans, students, and alumni, have experienced the higest of highs and the lowest of lows. I don't want this team to slip back into mediocrity. I don't see Brandon as being able to remake this bed he's made.

My take is not personal nor should it be taken personally - by anyone. I see it as objectively as possible. I want the best people for my Alma Mater and Mssr Brandon as a head coach isn't the best.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time and sure as hell won't be the last.

You're right, Im_Full.

That West Coast offense is an abomination without the right personnel. I haven't seen that type of predictability and ineffectivness since Blackney sent Josh Harris in as a true freshmen to run those designated running plays that everybody in the stadium knew were coming.