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The Daily OrangeFB | Clayton: Syracuse facing little room for error in coming months
By John Clayton
Posted: 12/2/08, 3:40 AM EST Section: Sports
And all this will happen in a few months. It took four years for Syracuse to sink this low. And the pieces for its revival have to be gathered in a matter of months?
That's the situation Syracuse faces. In the meantime, SU football in its current form descends into uncertainty.
The coaches will probably be all gone. Offensive coordinator Mitch Browning seemed consigned to that fact following Saturday's loss. "I start looking for a job tomorrow," Browning said.
Players will face decisions, too. Whether to stick with a program in transition or transfer. In junior defensive tackle Art Jones' case, he will examine in the coming weeks whether to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. His future will depend a lot on the decisions ahead. "Once I talk to the coach, we'll talk and we'll figure things out," Jones said.
Everywhere, there are personnel issues that need to be addressed in the coming months. There is no clear-cut choice as to who will quarterback this team next year. No outright favorite to account for the production of outgoing tailback Curtis Brinkley. There are depth and talent issues at defensive line, linebacker and wide receiver.
These leaks will need to be addressed. But before that, Director of Athletics Daryl Gross must figure out who will succeed Robinson. It won't be Lane Kiffin - he was introduced as Tennessee's head coach Monday.
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers, a former Syracuse assistant, got an endorsement from SU legend Donovan McNabb Monday. That should put him on the map.
There are others out there, Oregon offensive coordinator Chip Kelly among them.
These are minor developments. But a decision on who Syracuse's next head coach will be doesn't appear imminent.
Gross would be well-advised to move fast. A lot of issues have to be addressed before this program can get back on track. Problems that, with the season over and Robinson truly out of the way, can finally start to be solved.
That's the good news. But any optimism should be tempered. There's too much to fix, and no time for error. It will be an interesting 12 weeks. Pivotal decisions will be made. The future of the Orange program - immediate and perhaps long-term - will be determined, even if we won't know the results for a few years.
Regardless, Syracuse football will find a new direction. Whether that direction leads to a revival or another era of despair remains to be seen.
John Clayton is the sports editor of The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. He can be reached at jsclayto@syr.edu.
That's the situation Syracuse faces. In the meantime, SU football in its current form descends into uncertainty.
The coaches will probably be all gone. Offensive coordinator Mitch Browning seemed consigned to that fact following Saturday's loss. "I start looking for a job tomorrow," Browning said.
Players will face decisions, too. Whether to stick with a program in transition or transfer. In junior defensive tackle Art Jones' case, he will examine in the coming weeks whether to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. His future will depend a lot on the decisions ahead. "Once I talk to the coach, we'll talk and we'll figure things out," Jones said.
Everywhere, there are personnel issues that need to be addressed in the coming months. There is no clear-cut choice as to who will quarterback this team next year. No outright favorite to account for the production of outgoing tailback Curtis Brinkley. There are depth and talent issues at defensive line, linebacker and wide receiver.
These leaks will need to be addressed. But before that, Director of Athletics Daryl Gross must figure out who will succeed Robinson. It won't be Lane Kiffin - he was introduced as Tennessee's head coach Monday.
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers, a former Syracuse assistant, got an endorsement from SU legend Donovan McNabb Monday. That should put him on the map.
There are others out there, Oregon offensive coordinator Chip Kelly among them.
These are minor developments. But a decision on who Syracuse's next head coach will be doesn't appear imminent.
Gross would be well-advised to move fast. A lot of issues have to be addressed before this program can get back on track. Problems that, with the season over and Robinson truly out of the way, can finally start to be solved.
That's the good news. But any optimism should be tempered. There's too much to fix, and no time for error. It will be an interesting 12 weeks. Pivotal decisions will be made. The future of the Orange program - immediate and perhaps long-term - will be determined, even if we won't know the results for a few years.
Regardless, Syracuse football will find a new direction. Whether that direction leads to a revival or another era of despair remains to be seen.
John Clayton is the sports editor of The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. He can be reached at jsclayto@syr.edu.
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