Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFB | SU players relieved to see end to month-long coaching search
By John Clayton
Posted: 12/12/08, 7:56 PM EST Section: Sports
"We had a quick team talk amongst ourselves just to say, 'Yo, we got to really show this guy what we're all about. Cause he bleeds Syracuse,'" Perkins said. "He's a very motivating guy."
"He said it's not a rebuilding program," Jones said. "And he said we're going to win. That's one thing he made sure of. He didn't say when, but he said we're going to win."
Among Marrone's first tasks will be convincing Jones to hang around for his senior season. The junior defensive tackle was recently named to the All-Big East first team, and many have speculated he could depart for the NFL Draft this winter. After Syracuse's season finale at Cincinnati Nov. 29, Jones said he would make his decision after talking with the new head coach.
Through Jones expressed satisfaction with the hire Friday, he brushed aside questions about his future.
"It's really not about me," he said. "It's about him today, and him getting hired. I'm looking forward to going home and enjoying this break. … We'll talk about it later down the road after I've made my decision."
Beyond Jones, Marrone does have some returning talent. Syracuse could return as many as seven starters on both sides of the ball.
How Marrone uses what talent he inherits seems unclear. He has no prior head coaching experience at any level. He comes from an offensive background, but said Friday he would play an active role in both the offense and defense. And though he has helped mold one of the NFL's most prolific offenses in New Orleans, he said he will wait to evaluate his players at SU before designing his offensive system.
But Friday's meeting was about first impressions, not X's and O's.
"We were unsure," McKenzie said. "But coming out of the meeting, right after he left the room, as players we kind of talked amongst ourselves, and we were very excited. We found someone we can work behind."
The real work will have to wait. The Syracuse players won't return to campus for a month because of winter break. Marrone will coach out the final two weeks of the NFL season with the Saints. In that time, his main prerogatives for Syracuse will be filling out his coaching staff and salvaging some sort of a recruiting class.
But the current corps of Syracuse players, at least they now have some direction.
"We're going to go home for the next month," McKenzie said, "but we're going to be getting ready for something special."
jsclayto@syr.edu
"He said it's not a rebuilding program," Jones said. "And he said we're going to win. That's one thing he made sure of. He didn't say when, but he said we're going to win."
Among Marrone's first tasks will be convincing Jones to hang around for his senior season. The junior defensive tackle was recently named to the All-Big East first team, and many have speculated he could depart for the NFL Draft this winter. After Syracuse's season finale at Cincinnati Nov. 29, Jones said he would make his decision after talking with the new head coach.
Through Jones expressed satisfaction with the hire Friday, he brushed aside questions about his future.
"It's really not about me," he said. "It's about him today, and him getting hired. I'm looking forward to going home and enjoying this break. … We'll talk about it later down the road after I've made my decision."
Beyond Jones, Marrone does have some returning talent. Syracuse could return as many as seven starters on both sides of the ball.
How Marrone uses what talent he inherits seems unclear. He has no prior head coaching experience at any level. He comes from an offensive background, but said Friday he would play an active role in both the offense and defense. And though he has helped mold one of the NFL's most prolific offenses in New Orleans, he said he will wait to evaluate his players at SU before designing his offensive system.
But Friday's meeting was about first impressions, not X's and O's.
"We were unsure," McKenzie said. "But coming out of the meeting, right after he left the room, as players we kind of talked amongst ourselves, and we were very excited. We found someone we can work behind."
The real work will have to wait. The Syracuse players won't return to campus for a month because of winter break. Marrone will coach out the final two weeks of the NFL season with the Saints. In that time, his main prerogatives for Syracuse will be filling out his coaching staff and salvaging some sort of a recruiting class.
But the current corps of Syracuse players, at least they now have some direction.
"We're going to go home for the next month," McKenzie said, "but we're going to be getting ready for something special."
jsclayto@syr.edu
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