Head Coach Doug Marrone Press Conference Transcript (March 2, 2012)
Opening Statement:
“I appreciate everyone coming out to today. We are extremely happy to finally get our non-conference schedule. Personally, I would like to thank (Director of Athletics) Dr. Gross and (Deputy Athletics Director) Herman Frazier. I would have a hard time explaining how exhausting it was trying to get this schedule in place due to all of the conference realignment. In speaking with all of the administrators around the league it has become very difficult to handle this situation. We had a couple of options and we did everything we could to try to get the best situation for our program.
“Playing two FCS schools was out of the question and I am happy that Dr. Gross and Herman Frazier agreed and that we were able to get the best team that we can play to help make our team a better football team. Going to Missouri in November was the last piece of the puzzle that we needed and now we are just waiting for the BIG EAST Conference to announce who that other opponent will be. I think the out-of-conference schedule is challenging and it is exciting. I think those types of schedules make you a better football team and you have to get ready quickly. It reminds me of when I was here (as a student-athlete) and we had to go play Nebraska and the next week had to travel to Florida to play in Gainesville. Those are the types of games and schedules that this program was built on, especially when Coach Mac (MacPherson) was here and I am excited for the challenge.”
On not being able to schedule a home game to have six in the Carrier Dome:
“We actually did have a game scheduled but due to the conference realignment a couple of months ago it did not work out. We expected TCU to come here knowing we were still going to go down to MetLife Stadium (to play USC). When that did not work out, we made initial contact with all of the other programs trying to ensure we had another home game here. When those situations became exhausted and we just could not get it done, we took the best option that we had available which was going out and playing Missouri.
“For the fans, who we think of first, our hope is they understand truly that is exactly how we went about this. We did not go into this thinking there would be so much conference change and realignment. Moving forward going into the ACC and having the nine games in conference and the three games out of conference, the schedule can be set for a long period of time and hopefully for all of college football this entire realignment has stopped.”
On whether the Missouri game was scheduled with a future return date to Dome in mind:
“As of right now, to my knowledge, we are going out there and I don’t know that yet. Obviously going into the ACC there are some things that are already set and things we would like to keep on the schedule, like Penn State and Notre Dame.”
On whether it would have been easier to schedule an FCS team going into his fourth season:
“If you look back at the program since I have been here, our attitude has been to get the best teams we can to come in here and play. That is how we initially started. I think when you look at things strategically, there is always the question of whether you should match things up so our talent level is better than our opponents on paper and whether that will make your career last a little longer. I understand one thing and that is we have to win. Winning is the most important thing for us right now and that is what we need to focus on. We need to make sure that we win enough games so that they don’t get tired of the clichés that people say. I do not think that I have even stood up here and given excuses and I am not going to start today. I like the schedule and it forces us to get better and to help understand our weaknesses.”
On how much the schedule changes the preparation and intensity of practices:
“From a season perspective, the only thing that changes is how we look at things from day-to-day. I do not think we look ahead and think we have to do this or that. For us it is a little more of getting the film and the breakdowns and starting early on our opponents. We have played Northwestern, Minnesota has changed, we played USC last year, so that is a good situation for what is expected there, and Missouri is new. Anyone would have probably been new for us so we are concentrating on we need to do. Ending the season in the way we did does not leave a good feeling. I talked to a lot of players as the bowl games were going on and we talked about increasing our competition and the sense of urgency. We need to carry that onto the practice field as spring approaches to better the program.”
On how games at MetLife Stadium might affect overall attendance at the Dome:
“I cannot answer that question right now. We will have to see how things go after those games. For the program it is a vital recruiting area for us. It is really like home. It is not necessarily here at the Carrier Dome, but it is a lot like how we felt when we went to the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium. I think anyone who was there felt it was like a home game for Syracuse. For it being a bowl game, that atmosphere is very difficult to get. We are excited about playing down there for the recruiting, but also for the benefit of those who cannot come to the games in Syracuse. We have such a large base of alumni in the Tri-State area and this gives them a chance to go. It also gives a chance for our fans to take a trip down into the city. We see that quite a bit when fans travel during the BIG EAST Tournament and when they go down to Madison Square Garden. For our players that is a great experience to play in an NFL stadium.
“We are working hard on using that in our recruiting especially now when everyone is trying to get this geographical thing down so they can watch their sons play. In recruiting today, the questions of how many times can I see my son play is always an important factor in the recruiting, for Syracuse. To say we are playing down there helps us quite a bit. If you look at our roster, a lot of our players are from that area as it is easy to get in and out for families. Those are some of the positives that people need to look at.”
On the status of wide receiver Marcus Sales:
“He is on the football team. He is enrolled at the school and has no issues there so there is no problem with him being a part of this football team.”
On the growth of the relationship between Syracuse football and the city of Rochester and having a Spring practice in Rochester (April 7):
“We like to cultivate that. In the past, Rochester has brought many fans to Syracuse games. We are hoping to work on that some more to generate a greater interest. This year we are banking on some better weather as last year was quite cold. It was not the turnout we expected, but with the weather the way it has been this year and helping to promote the city will help us.”
“I think people appreciate what we are trying to get accomplished with Rochester. I think it remains to be seen whether it is paying dividends with recruiting or whether more people are waking up and driving to Syracuse to see our games. At least we are doing our part in what we are getting accomplished.”
On the location of spring practices:
“We are going to be at the Dome for practices. I think following up in a couple of days when it is appropriate either Dr. Gross or myself will make an announcement on what some of the plans are and that will help answer some of your questions. At this point it is not fair for me to say it.”
On his thoughts of how the NFL Combine went for Syracuse players:
“I have not had the chance to see all of the numbers, but I have spoken with a lot of coaches and GMs. I am excited for our players that they had the opportunity to go. It is tough to get invited to an NFL Combine and they went out there and represented our program well on the field and during the one-on-one interviews.
“We have Pro Day next week and I am excited for those players and we have received a lot of positive feedback.”
On how it feels to have players back around the program preparing for Pro Day:
“It feels nice to have them around. It is funny because I still haven’t been able to speak with some of them, but I know it is like a lot of things in life, as you really do not know the process of it because you really have not experienced it. Indy is a unique thing especially when you’ve never been in that type of situation. They put the players in those rooms, and then get them up on the board, getting medicals and physicals. They ask why a guy missed this practice or that game or what the deal is with a particular ankle injury. They tell guys to go get it re-checked and wake you up at 4’oclock in the morning to take you to a hospital all day. Then you still have to get on the field and train after that, plus the Wonderlic test and psychological profiling. Even though they know about it and are talked to about the process by their agents who prep them, it is still difficult until you do it. They realize everything they do as a player on and off of the field will be scrutinized and evaluated.”
On his worry level of scrimmages with certain injuries throughout the roster:
“Right now in the program we have 79 total players in the program. If we went out there today, we would have about 70 players who can practice. We have eight players who are injured and one player who is not going to participate this spring due to suspension, Terrell Hunt. For us the only position that we are waiting on is the offensive line and we will think about it over the weekend and meet on Monday to see what we can do. I do plan on playing a Spring Game no matter what I have to do to get that done.”
On his expectations for (freshman quarterback) Ashton Broyld:
“We are excited and looking forward to seeing him go out on the field. I have not seen him throw because I am not allowed to yet. We all know he is an excellent athlete. I look forward to seeing him compete with John Kinder, Charley Loeb and Ryan Nassib.”
On how the Missouri process worked:
“There is no doubt that I wanted to play this game. When the process started the thought was that we wanted to play the best team there was here at home. That was the first thing and I am sure Dr. Gross will tell you the same thing. A refreshing part of the situation was getting their input. Let’s go out and play the best team and become a better football team as fast as we can no matter what the situation is.
“It is frustrating when you have teams that say they do not want to play in the Dome. From a coaching perspective and think that some of the thought process was us going back to West Virginia. On a Friday night, on national television, we go ahead and beat them and everyone is wondering what magic dust we sprinkled on them that night. That is frustrating to me because of the conversations and phone calls that I have had and the effort it took to get the best teams in here took a lot of work. “
On whether certain teams may have backed out:
“I do not want to say this school or that school cowered out of the schedule. Everyone can make a pretty good reason about why they do not want to play. Some say they do not want to go up there because they wanted a home game first. Or they ask what they get out of the deal by playing in the Dome. Knowing we are about to go into the conference that has a lot of games locked in so they may not get the home game they wanted.
“It depends on the philosophy of each individual school. The philosophy of here, mine, Dr. Gross, Herman Frazier and this program, was to go out and play the best competition we could at home. When that did not work out, Missouri was the best opponent we could play.”
“I appreciate everyone coming out to today. We are extremely happy to finally get our non-conference schedule. Personally, I would like to thank (Director of Athletics) Dr. Gross and (Deputy Athletics Director) Herman Frazier. I would have a hard time explaining how exhausting it was trying to get this schedule in place due to all of the conference realignment. In speaking with all of the administrators around the league it has become very difficult to handle this situation. We had a couple of options and we did everything we could to try to get the best situation for our program.
“Playing two FCS schools was out of the question and I am happy that Dr. Gross and Herman Frazier agreed and that we were able to get the best team that we can play to help make our team a better football team. Going to Missouri in November was the last piece of the puzzle that we needed and now we are just waiting for the BIG EAST Conference to announce who that other opponent will be. I think the out-of-conference schedule is challenging and it is exciting. I think those types of schedules make you a better football team and you have to get ready quickly. It reminds me of when I was here (as a student-athlete) and we had to go play Nebraska and the next week had to travel to Florida to play in Gainesville. Those are the types of games and schedules that this program was built on, especially when Coach Mac (MacPherson) was here and I am excited for the challenge.”
On not being able to schedule a home game to have six in the Carrier Dome:
“We actually did have a game scheduled but due to the conference realignment a couple of months ago it did not work out. We expected TCU to come here knowing we were still going to go down to MetLife Stadium (to play USC). When that did not work out, we made initial contact with all of the other programs trying to ensure we had another home game here. When those situations became exhausted and we just could not get it done, we took the best option that we had available which was going out and playing Missouri.
“For the fans, who we think of first, our hope is they understand truly that is exactly how we went about this. We did not go into this thinking there would be so much conference change and realignment. Moving forward going into the ACC and having the nine games in conference and the three games out of conference, the schedule can be set for a long period of time and hopefully for all of college football this entire realignment has stopped.”
On whether the Missouri game was scheduled with a future return date to Dome in mind:
“As of right now, to my knowledge, we are going out there and I don’t know that yet. Obviously going into the ACC there are some things that are already set and things we would like to keep on the schedule, like Penn State and Notre Dame.”
On whether it would have been easier to schedule an FCS team going into his fourth season:
“If you look back at the program since I have been here, our attitude has been to get the best teams we can to come in here and play. That is how we initially started. I think when you look at things strategically, there is always the question of whether you should match things up so our talent level is better than our opponents on paper and whether that will make your career last a little longer. I understand one thing and that is we have to win. Winning is the most important thing for us right now and that is what we need to focus on. We need to make sure that we win enough games so that they don’t get tired of the clichés that people say. I do not think that I have even stood up here and given excuses and I am not going to start today. I like the schedule and it forces us to get better and to help understand our weaknesses.”
On how much the schedule changes the preparation and intensity of practices:
“From a season perspective, the only thing that changes is how we look at things from day-to-day. I do not think we look ahead and think we have to do this or that. For us it is a little more of getting the film and the breakdowns and starting early on our opponents. We have played Northwestern, Minnesota has changed, we played USC last year, so that is a good situation for what is expected there, and Missouri is new. Anyone would have probably been new for us so we are concentrating on we need to do. Ending the season in the way we did does not leave a good feeling. I talked to a lot of players as the bowl games were going on and we talked about increasing our competition and the sense of urgency. We need to carry that onto the practice field as spring approaches to better the program.”
On how games at MetLife Stadium might affect overall attendance at the Dome:
“I cannot answer that question right now. We will have to see how things go after those games. For the program it is a vital recruiting area for us. It is really like home. It is not necessarily here at the Carrier Dome, but it is a lot like how we felt when we went to the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium. I think anyone who was there felt it was like a home game for Syracuse. For it being a bowl game, that atmosphere is very difficult to get. We are excited about playing down there for the recruiting, but also for the benefit of those who cannot come to the games in Syracuse. We have such a large base of alumni in the Tri-State area and this gives them a chance to go. It also gives a chance for our fans to take a trip down into the city. We see that quite a bit when fans travel during the BIG EAST Tournament and when they go down to Madison Square Garden. For our players that is a great experience to play in an NFL stadium.
“We are working hard on using that in our recruiting especially now when everyone is trying to get this geographical thing down so they can watch their sons play. In recruiting today, the questions of how many times can I see my son play is always an important factor in the recruiting, for Syracuse. To say we are playing down there helps us quite a bit. If you look at our roster, a lot of our players are from that area as it is easy to get in and out for families. Those are some of the positives that people need to look at.”
On the status of wide receiver Marcus Sales:
“He is on the football team. He is enrolled at the school and has no issues there so there is no problem with him being a part of this football team.”
On the growth of the relationship between Syracuse football and the city of Rochester and having a Spring practice in Rochester (April 7):
“We like to cultivate that. In the past, Rochester has brought many fans to Syracuse games. We are hoping to work on that some more to generate a greater interest. This year we are banking on some better weather as last year was quite cold. It was not the turnout we expected, but with the weather the way it has been this year and helping to promote the city will help us.”
“I think people appreciate what we are trying to get accomplished with Rochester. I think it remains to be seen whether it is paying dividends with recruiting or whether more people are waking up and driving to Syracuse to see our games. At least we are doing our part in what we are getting accomplished.”
On the location of spring practices:
“We are going to be at the Dome for practices. I think following up in a couple of days when it is appropriate either Dr. Gross or myself will make an announcement on what some of the plans are and that will help answer some of your questions. At this point it is not fair for me to say it.”
On his thoughts of how the NFL Combine went for Syracuse players:
“I have not had the chance to see all of the numbers, but I have spoken with a lot of coaches and GMs. I am excited for our players that they had the opportunity to go. It is tough to get invited to an NFL Combine and they went out there and represented our program well on the field and during the one-on-one interviews.
“We have Pro Day next week and I am excited for those players and we have received a lot of positive feedback.”
On how it feels to have players back around the program preparing for Pro Day:
“It feels nice to have them around. It is funny because I still haven’t been able to speak with some of them, but I know it is like a lot of things in life, as you really do not know the process of it because you really have not experienced it. Indy is a unique thing especially when you’ve never been in that type of situation. They put the players in those rooms, and then get them up on the board, getting medicals and physicals. They ask why a guy missed this practice or that game or what the deal is with a particular ankle injury. They tell guys to go get it re-checked and wake you up at 4’oclock in the morning to take you to a hospital all day. Then you still have to get on the field and train after that, plus the Wonderlic test and psychological profiling. Even though they know about it and are talked to about the process by their agents who prep them, it is still difficult until you do it. They realize everything they do as a player on and off of the field will be scrutinized and evaluated.”
On his worry level of scrimmages with certain injuries throughout the roster:
“Right now in the program we have 79 total players in the program. If we went out there today, we would have about 70 players who can practice. We have eight players who are injured and one player who is not going to participate this spring due to suspension, Terrell Hunt. For us the only position that we are waiting on is the offensive line and we will think about it over the weekend and meet on Monday to see what we can do. I do plan on playing a Spring Game no matter what I have to do to get that done.”
On his expectations for (freshman quarterback) Ashton Broyld:
“We are excited and looking forward to seeing him go out on the field. I have not seen him throw because I am not allowed to yet. We all know he is an excellent athlete. I look forward to seeing him compete with John Kinder, Charley Loeb and Ryan Nassib.”
On how the Missouri process worked:
“There is no doubt that I wanted to play this game. When the process started the thought was that we wanted to play the best team there was here at home. That was the first thing and I am sure Dr. Gross will tell you the same thing. A refreshing part of the situation was getting their input. Let’s go out and play the best team and become a better football team as fast as we can no matter what the situation is.
“It is frustrating when you have teams that say they do not want to play in the Dome. From a coaching perspective and think that some of the thought process was us going back to West Virginia. On a Friday night, on national television, we go ahead and beat them and everyone is wondering what magic dust we sprinkled on them that night. That is frustrating to me because of the conversations and phone calls that I have had and the effort it took to get the best teams in here took a lot of work. “
On whether certain teams may have backed out:
“I do not want to say this school or that school cowered out of the schedule. Everyone can make a pretty good reason about why they do not want to play. Some say they do not want to go up there because they wanted a home game first. Or they ask what they get out of the deal by playing in the Dome. Knowing we are about to go into the conference that has a lot of games locked in so they may not get the home game they wanted.
“It depends on the philosophy of each individual school. The philosophy of here, mine, Dr. Gross, Herman Frazier and this program, was to go out and play the best competition we could at home. When that did not work out, Missouri was the best opponent we could play.”
