forums

More Promising Future: Pitt or Syracuse

Tad Footeball

Tad Footeball

1996 Interim Big East Conference Commissioner
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
19,337
Thoughts?

I was watching some of the eSECpn carwash today and was really impressed by Babers and started to contemplate how much success he could have at a place like Syracuse. I'm probably biased by old Big East influences but Pitt and Narduzzi seemed like an appropriate comparison. I'd probably still give the edge to Pitt as they will have some recruiting advantages and there could be some early Babers back to Baylor talk but it does look like both of those programs should be headed back to respectability.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement
I think Narduzzi @ Pitt is a great match. Michigan State is the perfect blueprint for them. I don't know if it's possible to make Pitt into a title contender these days but the groundwork is there for a consistent winner. They're going to have to make recruiting inroads into Ohio and Virginia for a lot of the skill position players they don't get in Pennsylvania.

I think if Babers succeeds at Syracuse, he'll be gone in three years. The only way Syracuse is going to be able to keep a winning coach is if they hire an older guy who's not trying to climb the ladder.
 
DTP said:
I think Narduzzi @ Pitt is a great match. Michigan State is the perfect blueprint for them. I don't know if it's possible to make Pitt into a title contender these days but the groundwork is there for a consistent winner. They're going to have to make recruiting inroads into Ohio and Virginia for a lot of the skill position players they don't get in Pennsylvania.

I think if Babers succeeds at Syracuse, he'll be gone in three years. The only way Syracuse is going to be able to keep a winning coach is if they hire an older guy who's not trying to climb the ladder.
Click to expand...

I'd tend to agree with everything you said. Unless Dantonio retires, I think the smart money would be on Narduzzi not leaving Pitt whereas Babers could become a hot name if he even has moderate success at Syracuse. I also think Black Al Golden at Penn State and their struggles helps out Narduzzi in be able to get the kids Ol Urb doesn't want in that area.
 
Syracuse's last decent head coach became a head coach in the NFL. Babers will have a plethora of opportunity to leave SU if he is successful there.
 
Syracuse will never be better than pitt simply based on location/recruiting. I like babers but i'm pretty sure we can all agree this job is clearly just a stepping stone.
 
Advertisement
I don't think either school will ever be loaded up with talent. PA has decent talent, but at best what talent it does have will be split 50-50 with Penn State. I could see going into VA and winning a recruiting battle or two due to the lack of recruiting ability of Fuente and Bronco, and then maybe taking a 4 star from Ohio some years because Urban has gotten a 5 star from OOS. But it's never going to be a team loaded with high end talent. And I don't think you are going to go very far being a defensive first football team in today's college football, especially if you aren't loaded up with talent. I don't think either program has much of a ceiling, but of the two, I'd take Babers outscoring his way to upsets over Naz shutting down down southern athletes with north east talent.
 
Pitt and Michigan St have similar recruiting bases. Narduzzi should be able to replicate the roster somewhat. He should do a solid job though the Coastal is definitely trending up.
 
Back
Top