Syracuse: Pregame Thread

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Glorious 'Cuse said:
Hey Minnesota faithful,

This is a huge game for the 'Cuse. The Orangemen desperately need to get to .500 heading into BE play and road win over a B1G team at night would do wonders for our team...

. Good luck! Go 'Cuse!
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Good Luck to you, starting Sunday of course! :)

One question, USC, Northwestern, Minnesota and Missouri on your Non-Conference Schedule? Minnesota was awhile ago and have been bad, I get that one, but 4 BSC Non-Conference teams? Whoa. I hope you guys got some big checks!
 


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Gopher07 said:
ESPN weighs in...http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten

SYRACUSE at MINNESOTA

Brian Bennett: Love the 3-0 start by the Gophers, but this is a big step up in competition from the first three games. And while Max Shortell should be fine, Minnesota will miss the playmaking abilities of MarQueis Gray. A late turnover dooms their chances, and Ryan Nassib throws for more than 300 yards as the Gophers get Orange-crushed. ... Syracuse 31, Minnesota 28

Adam Rittenberg: I'm impressed with the Gophers so far, and they'll pick up some wins in the Big Ten. But Syracuse desperately needs this one after a 1-2 start, and Nassib is by far the best quarterback Minnesota has faced. Shortell has some ups and downs in his first start of the season at quarterback, and Nassib rallies the Orange in the fourth quarter for the win. ... Syracuse 28, Minnesota 27
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Big East ESPN Blogger Andrea also weighs in

Syracuse at Minnesota, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network. The Orange hit the road to play another team from an automatic-qualifying conference in Minnesota, off to a surprising 3-0 start. Minnesota will be without starting quarterback MarQueis Gray and rely on Max Shortell as the starter in this one. Shortell is not nearly the running threat Gray is, so that could be an advantage for Syracuse. As is having quarterback Ryan Nassib, who has thrown for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. Marcus Sales is having an outstanding year as well. Syracuse 33, Minnesota 27.
 

Iceland12 said:
Good Luck to you, starting Sunday of course! :)

One question, USC, Northwestern, Minnesota and Missouri on your Non-Conference Schedule? Minnesota was awhile ago and have been bad, I get that one, but 4 BSC Non-Conference teams? Whoa. I hope you guys got some big checks!
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I know the USC game pulled in 5 Million and going to the ACC is increasing the Payload. Not sure about the other games, though. We are upgrading the football facilities, upgraded the dome, and building a new practice facility.

Our problem is the schism between the basketball and football fanbases, plenty of people on the basketball bandwagon but are hiding out until our football team is perrenial top 25 again. Kind of like how Minnesota is the Primary school/team for your state and should get the overwhelming support so do we have the same issue with NY (Army is more of a national team)

As they say though, winning cures all!
 


Iceland12 said:
I'm cutting them a little slack. We've had Gopher fans saying he throws better than Hohensee or Sauter so THEY'VE forgotten about Michigan and Purdue too! :cool:
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I'm still trying to forget about AJ Barker's play last year. All I remembered about him coming into this season was him single-handedly killing two drives against Iowa (?) by dropping passes on third down that hit him in the chest. Couldn't figure out for the life of me why this kid was on the field. Those would have been his only two receptions on the year.

I don't know why people are so quick to bring up the Michigan game for Max. First start for a true freshman, first Big Ten game, in the Big House, and he completed 50% of his passes and didn't turn the ball over, besides the fact that it's come out this year by that time of the season last year his arm was dead from throwing too much in practice. Gray puts the ball on the carpet 6 times in 5 quarters and he's "vastly improved" as a QB. I'm missing something....
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
I'm still trying to forget about AJ Barker's play last year. All I remembered about him coming into this season was him single-handedly killing two drives against Iowa (?) by dropping passes on third down that hit him in the chest. Couldn't figure out for the life of me why this kid was on the field. Those would have been his only two receptions on the year.

I don't know why people are so quick to bring up the Michigan game for Max. First start for a true freshman, first Big Ten game, in the Big House, and he completed 50% of his passes and didn't turn the ball over, besides the fact that it's come out this year by that time of the season last year his arm was dead from throwing too much in practice. Gray puts the ball on the carpet 6 times in 5 quarters and he's "vastly improved" as a QB. I'm missing something....
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Yeah, when Hohensee, I mean Shortell went 2 for 3 for 9 yards against that vaunted Purdue Defense and a less then sellout crowd of 38,000. That's what you always forget :) But you're right about A.J. He's bailed out Max how many times this year?
 

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/58950/what-to-watch-in-the-big-ten-week-4-4

"3. Minnesota takes it to the Max: Life is good in Gopher Country, as Minnesota sits at 3-0 with a chance to sweep its nonconference slate Saturday night against Syracuse at TCF Bank Stadium. Backup quarterback Max Shortell stepped up in a big way last week after starter MarQueis Gray suffered a high ankle sprain. Now Shortell makes his first start of the season -- third of his career -- against a Syracuse team that has performed better than its record (1-2) would indicate. Shortell and his pass-catchers take aim at a Syracuse defense that hasn't been efficient against the pass (97th nationally, 145.1 rating). He'd be helped by a boost from Donnell Kirkwood and the run game, but Minnesota likely will need to put up points as Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib will challenge the Gophers' defense. "
 

Today, Thursday on The Tim Brando Show Tim had Syracuse Head Coach, Doug Maronne on for about 5 minutes. Tim knew him when he was an assistant with The Saints. And referenced the building project at Syracuse, their entry into the ACC, and Maronne made a comment that no one here has made. We will going up to Minnesota to a sold out stadium, under the lights, and Broadcast on the Big 10 Network. And while we might face a couple snaps from Gray, Shortell is no back up. Tim, when was the last time you saw a backup throw a ball over a linebacker on a crossing route for a TD? Or throw a backshoulder TD, Or hit passes between the corner and the safety? Brando commented when the backup comes in its generally to hand the ball off to the running back. Marrone went on to say, this is a 6'5" throwing machine we are going up against.
 




Seems like the Big 10 bloggers are going with their gut, a gut that is saying "Minnesota is probably capable of beating Syracuse, but I can't envision a 4-0 Gophers team, so they're due to lose."

I had the same feelings earlier in the week: "We've got to lose eventually..." But as I get closer to game time I think, "these guys are basically the Big East equivalent of us, we can beat them." I think the lads are going to come out focused. They know, and so do the coaches, that this is an enormous game in terms of perception. Win, and we have momentum going into Kinnick and probably sell out homecoming against Northwestern. Lose, and they're the same old Gophers.

Syracuse looks like as good a team as the Gophers. Make no mistake. But they're a 1-2 team. Now you may say, "well they took Northwestern down to the wire" and, "they hung tough with USC." The 2011 gophers played USC down to the wire in the L.A. Colosseum and played Northwestern tough. That team was, let's not pull punches, pretty much miserable. It went 3-9. Playing USC tough is not an indication that a team is any good. Saying things like, "the best 0-2 team in the nation" sounds a lot like the sort of thing we Gophers fans would say to justify our poor performances in the past. Think of how many people looked at our loss to USC last season and began to think, "we've turned the corner!"

Which drives home the point: I've been reading that damn Syracuse message board all week, and this fan base, this program, is practically a mirror image of our own. In order to achieve transcendence, we must destroy the part of ourselves that we hate most, we must cut out the cancer. That cancer is Syracuse, and on Saturday night we will scorch the earth with pure power.

Furthermore, I believe Carthage must be destroyed.
 

Here is a link to what the Syracuse rubes think about this game. Some of it is comical. The one guy who keeps bringing up the "suckiness" of the Gophers fails to recognize that Minnesota is in year 2 of the Kill coaching staff and finally has the same coaches instilling the same system. Click on link and prepare to be entertained.

http://syracusefan.com/threads/how-important-is-the-minnesota-game.32194/
 

husker70 said:
Today, Thursday on The Tim Brando Show Tim had Syracuse Head Coach, Doug Maronne on for about 5 minutes. Tim knew him when he was an assistant with The Saints. And referenced the building project at Syracuse, their entry into the ACC, and Maronne made a comment that no one here has made. We will going up to Minnesota to a sold out stadium, under the lights, and Broadcast on the Big 10 Network. And while we might face a couple snaps from Gray, Shortell is no back up. Tim, when was the last time you saw a backup throw a ball over a linebacker on a crossing route for a TD? Or throw a backshoulder TD, Or hit passes between the corner and the safety? Brando commented when the backup comes in its generally to hand the ball off to the running back. Marrone went on to say, this is a 6'5" throwing machine we are going up against.
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When did Lou Holtz become the head coach at Syracuse. Pretty typical coach speak, talk up the opponent regardless of what you really feel behind closed doors. Not saying they don't think Shortell is a 6'5" throwing machine but I wouldn't read much into typical pregame comments from a coach. Their DC might not be thrilled about having to deal with a better passing QB but I can guarantee he is thrilled to not have to worry nearly as much about the QB run.
 



Stan The Caddy said:
Here is a link to what the Syracuse rubes think about this game. Some of it is comical. The one guy who keeps bringing up the "suckiness" of the Gophers fails to recognize that Minnesota is in year 2 of the Kill coaching staff and finally has the same coaches instilling the same system. Click on link and prepare to be entertained.

http://syracusefan.com/threads/how-important-is-the-minnesota-game.32194/
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Comically, I have been reading this everyday. You are correct, the one guy consistently refers to the "suckiness" of Minnesota pretty much all the time. So, yes, for entertainment purposes, it has been a fun read. I have just been reading there to get information on there players and what there fans generally think of who will preform well, but that information has been a little sparse. I did see though that we have had a 'Cuse fan posting good fodder on GH, so that has been nice to see!
 

Stan The Caddy said:
Here is a link to what the Syracuse rubes think about this game. Some of it is comical. The one guy who keeps bringing up the "suckiness" of the Gophers fails to recognize that Minnesota is in year 2 of the Kill coaching staff and finally has the same coaches instilling the same system. Click on link and prepare to be entertained.

http://syracusefan.com/threads/how-important-is-the-minnesota-game.32194/
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Part of the problem for their fans is that we have so little exposure, they're not gonna know about the vast improvements to our team. We haven't really played anyone to spark interest yet. Like one guy harps on our bad secondary. Well obviously, that's a HUGE improvement over last year. But they would only know that if they actually watched/looked at any stats at all on us this year. Clearly most are just relying on consecutive 3-9 seasons without looking any further into it. That's their prerogative, but I'm sure the players and coaches of Syracuse know what they're in for.
 

husker70 said:
Tim, when was the last time you saw a backup throw a ball over a linebacker on a crossing route for a TD? Or throw a backshoulder TD, Or hit passes between the corner and the safety?
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Actually, the last time Marrone and Syracuse saw that was opening week against Northwestern when backup Trevor Siemian passed his way down the field in the final minutes, culminating in the game winning "backshoulder" TD pass.

NU has a similar QB situation to the Gophers in some ways. Gray and Colter are very different types of athletes, but they're both the best all around athlete on the team. However, they are both the second best passer on the team, and that title goes to their respective backups Shortell and Siemian, who do seem very similar. There is much controversy on the NU board, just as here, over how much PT each QB should get.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
Here is a link to what the Syracuse rubes think about this game. Some of it is comical. The one guy who keeps bringing up the "suckiness" of the Gophers fails to recognize that Minnesota is in year 2 of the Kill coaching staff and finally has the same coaches instilling the same system. Click on link and prepare to be entertained.

http://syracusefan.com/threads/how-important-is-the-minnesota-game.32194/
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Against my better judgment, I went and read the entire thread. This was my favorite.

"No Marion Barber or Eric Decker this time. Or was it Laurence Maroney? One of those RB ran all over us that one game years back. What's the scouting report on these guys?"

What an idiot. Minnesota and Syracuse have played 3 times in history - 1995, 1996, and 2009. Chris Darkins ran for 205 on them in 1995, when Barberoney were 12 and 10 respectively.
 

No, no wait...HERE's my favorite:

"They were manhandled by a NW team last season"

O RLY? You mean the Northwestern game where we ran for 269 yards, had more total yards, and had a better time of possession? THAT game where they "manhandled" us?

I don't know about the team, but their fans are a bunch of idiots.
 


Here is Doug Marrone in his breakdown of the Stony Brook win

 

dpodoll68 said:
Against my better judgment, I went and read the entire thread. This was my favorite.

"No Marion Barber or Eric Decker this time. Or was it Laurence Maroney? One of those RB ran all over us that one game years back. What's the scouting report on these guys?"

What an idiot. Minnesota and Syracuse have played 3 times in history - 1995, 1996, and 2009. Chris Darkins ran for 205 on them in 1995, when Barberoney were 12 and 10 respectively.
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Perfect! I like getting you to push your boundaries DPO!

It was a good reading over lunch, was it not?
 

Slightly off-topic, but the "back shoulder pass" had to have been coined by a crappy quarterback the first time. "Uh-oh I threw it behind him again. What? He caught it? Just like I planned it, the back shoulder pass." In my opinion receivers should get more credit because it is often times not an easy pass to catch.
 


Not sure if anyone has said this yet, but Stony Brook's starting running back is Marcus Coker. He transferred there after leaving Iowa.
 

e.bigelow said:
Comically, I have been reading this everyday. You are correct, the one guy consistently refers to the "suckiness" of Minnesota pretty much all the time. So, yes, for entertainment purposes, it has been a fun read. I have just been reading there to get information on there players and what there fans generally think of who will preform well, but that information has been a little sparse. I did see though that we have had a 'Cuse fan posting good fodder on GH, so that has been nice to see!
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That guy has been cracking me up. What's funniest is that the same exact things he's saying about us can be said about Syracuse. He doesn't see the improvement of us going 3-0; take it from a Gopher fan, hanging tough with USC, losing a close one to NW, and playing an uncomfortably close game against perhaps the worst team on your schedule is not necessarily a sign of improvement or the foundation of a good year.

This Syracuse program has been as bad as we have been--maybe (probably) worse. They've surpassed 1 Big East win once in the last seven seasons. During that time, they're 9-40 in the Big East, and four of those wins came in one year. How that fan base seems to collectively expect to come here and win by 2-3 scores is beyond me, but that's their business, I suppose. Should be a great game, but I'd really love to go read that guy's thought after a Gopher win.

In defense of the Syracuse fan base, their predict the score competition is a lot funnier than ours. That thread is worth checking out for a few intentional laughs.
 



per Sid:

Gophers confident

A year ago the Gophers won three games, including two conference matchups late in the season against Iowa and Illinois.

No doubt those victories gave the Gophers confidence that carried over to this year and are a reason why Jerry Kill's guys are 3-0.

Senior linebacker Mike Rallis, a real team leader, said he believes the success is due to "just a mindset. I think we've done a good job of building confidence in the season, and during the offseason with our hard work. We just have to keep building on that and getting better."

Rallis also credits the coaching staff and the fact that the same group is back two years in a row, something that didn't happen under Tim Brewster.

"The coaching staff has done a great job creating a culture where we expect to win, and it has been really helpful for us this year," Rallis said. "Continuity does make a big difference; you get comfortable within the staff. You know what to expect, and they know what to expect from you. It just makes everything a little bit easier."

Rallis said he doesn't believe the team has proven anything yet by beating UNLV, New Hampshire and Western Michigan.

"We haven't done anything yet," he said. "We're just going to keep preparing and trying to keep getting better every day we go out on the practice field."

Rallis said Syracuse will give the Gophers their toughest game to date.

"They're a good team,'' Rallis said. ''They have a lot of good players out there, and we're going to have to play our best game. It's going to be a fun atmosphere under the lights," he said.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/170605046.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Doug Marrone's Pre Minnesota Press Conference. I think I have this set to 8:31 where the questions come about Minnesota.

 

I don't know if it's been posted in this thread, but I was doing some research for a pick'em pool I am in and Syracuse has lost 7 straight games against D-1 opponents. Even with a backup QB, that has to bode well for the Gophers.
 

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