Coach Bob Casullo Fired: The Fizz was Right All Along
D.A. | Nov 22, 2010 | Comments 9
syracuse.com
As early as September it seemed obvious from my vantage point: Bob Casullo was not good at his job.
I took plenty of heat for suggesting SU’s special teams coach deserved the hot seat after just a month of the season.
A sampling of the responses (as you can read below in the comments section):
“What dumb article.”
“Yes…Dumb article Ted. Your HOT SEAT has no merit!”
“how is he on the HOT SEAT?”
Apparently the hot seat also requires capital letters, which I systematically forgot was crucial to make a point within the blogosphere. Five lashes to my typing hands seems appropriate. We move on.
This afternoon, Doug Marrone announced Casullo was no longer with the program. This is fascinating timing considering SU only has one regular season game left and a bowl. Why wait until now? Either the unit was so egregiously underperforming Marrone could not wait a month or Casullo was absolutely going to be fired after the season and SU could benefit from a new start as early as possible.
How were the special teams so awful?
- Rob Long has the best yards per punt in the Big East, yet SU ranks in the bottom four of punt return yards given up and average per return.
- The Orange ranks last in the league in kickoff coverage.
- Long had a 14-yard punt last week that cost the Orange three points and altered the complexion of the game.
- SU has struggled to find a useful personnel group to cover kickoffs all season.
Casullo did not get the job done for SU. He’s gone now. It’s the Rob Spence situation all over again, but at least this time the lame duck coach got the axe early, negating the possibility of meetings being awkward and contentious. Viva Marrone. Here’s my original post. Sometimes hindsight is 20/20. Sometimes The Fizz is just right.
* * *
SU fans and media have had a lot of fun this year at the expense of Groobers. They’ve been citing all the blog and MSM stories that Greg Robinson needs to be fired.
Awesome. We love it. In fact, we started it with Michigan’s first breakdown of 2010.
However, there haven’t been too many calls for action (at least in written, serious form) about one coach who is having problems at Syracuse. Well, until now.
Special Teams Coach Bob Casullo: it is the safest statement in the world to say that you’re on the hot seat.
It’s time to check the stats so I don’t sound like I’m haphazardly ripping you between trips from the basement to eat dinner with my mother and get my latest Netflix package out of the mailbox.
Casullo’s special teams unit is giving up more than 22 yards per kickoff, which is an extra yard more than SU is averaging on returns. Not completely egregious, unless you listened to this week’s FizzCast and potentially noticed this schedule.
Akron, UW, Maine, and Colgate? Are you kidding me? This is completely unacceptable. The first return in the Dome went for more than 60 yards.
Second is the lack of basic understanding of punt returns.
When there are 240-pound behemoths running at you full speed, this signal denotes they can not touch you. Mike Holmes, for some reason, hasn’t learned this yet. Nobody worries too much when you average 18.7 yards per return, but there are plenty where he should be waving his arms up.
By the same token free-speech advocate Bryce Hawkes, if an opposing player makes the motion (again, Figure A) you can’t level him to finish off your 40-yard dash. It’s a 15-yard penalty.
Plenty of people were surprised last season when the team had a decent turnover of assistants, but Casullo stuck around.
We love to sit on our high horse and rip one coordinator (who royally screwed us back years and now resides in Ann Arbor) who is taking a whole lot of crap. But we have’t dished it out to our own. Special teams could be the difference between bowl and bust this year, and coach Casullo has the target square on his back.
Yes, Casullo went to the Superbowl with the Seahawks doing the same thing. But that was 2005. Things have changed. Special teams is shaky. I’ve been there to see it.
Posted: Ted Conroy
My opinion on Casullo and special teams is that some of the issue is that he has more then an average number of true freshmen playing. That does not excuse everything, but it may explain stupid penalties and just not being ready(Maine). Casullo definitely has a decent track record in both college and pro. My hope is that special teams will be only one year(or less) behind the offense and defense. I also believe that with any improvement of the offense and defense next year in conjunction with an improvement in special teams will make the difference. (a game or two to the plus side as opposed to a wash or worse)
Hot Seat!!!! Kickoffs are line drives and short. Krautman and Lichtenstein can kick field goals. Not kick-offs. Long was no better at kick-offs. I know he can punt, but was inconsistent against Akron and Washington. No back-up punter in the wings. Saw Ryan warming up. Not an option for punting. Casullo signed a punter for next year and hopefully will look at getting another kicker for kick-offs. Ross is not going to get stronger or bigger. He is never going to be a kick-off kicker that we need to compete for a bowl. Casullo made a mistake this year not addressing kick-offs and he should be held accountable. It will haunt the team for Big East games. And for God’s sake, get someone to catch punts and kick-offs that isn’t so afraid of getting hit or as Holmes said it himself in an interview…getting yelled at by the coaches. Casullo is leading with FEAR not instruction! Hot Seat!
Interesting to ignore the FG block TD…Agenda? I was no Casulo fan last year, but they are better this year, and will continue to improve. What dumb article. (and dumb statement to say Krautman won’t get bigger and stronger. That just completely defies logic; just like thinking a kicker is really the difference, particularly on kick offs!)
Yes…Dumb article Ted. Your HOT SEAT has no merit! ST’s have improved in PR (17 in NCAA) and KR (56 in NCAA). As we ALL should know, those units are only as good as the returner (HS,college,NFL). Coverage teams look much more athletic and better. True FR every where on these units. I mean Krautman is kicking ball to the 5/10 yard line…He is the problem ! I am fine w/ Casullo so far. And he has done a great job w/ the TE’s this year. Did you know he coached TE’s also Ted ? Casullo also went to SB in 03 w/ Raiders.
MNF
How do you explain the dropped balls? Not calling fair catch? How do you explain the 40+ yard returns by FCS opponents? How do you explain shanked PATs? Running people over when they call for a fair catch?This unit consistently fails to show up. It has been sloppy.
I’m not attacking the guys character, because that has nothing to do with this. I’ve called one of the games, been on the sidelines for another, and what I have seen is a significant weakness. Do you not hold your breath when the Orange returns punts? Do you count on this unit if the offense is struggling?
I’ll give you that special teams has improved. It has. But it doesn’t scare me any less. And if Krautman is the problem, why doesn’t he go back to Long?
How do you explain the dropped balls? Are you referring to Holmes in the UW game? IDK, 40 mph winds and our most exciting player(Holmes) is trying to make a play I guess.
Not calling fair catch? You just answered your question about IF the offense is struggling. Again, our most exciting player (Holmes)is trying to make a play.
How do you explain the 40+ yard returns by FCS opponents? Missed solo tackle…unnacceptable.
How do you explain shanked PATs? 1.) Bad snap by a true FR snapper 2.) Shank by a true FR kicker. It happens.
Running people over when they call for a fair catch? A true Fr trying to make a big hit.
Do you not hold your breath when the Orange returns punts? No…I’m thinking Holmes is gonna bring it to the house.
Do you count on this unit if the offense is struggling? Yes, and I count on the D to step up. I guess Schafer will be on your HOT SEAT soon after letting Colgate scorch is run defense ?
And if Krautman is the problem, why doesn’t he go back to Long? I dont know, interview Casullo
“I’ll give you that special teams has improved… It has.” Haaa, than how is he on the HOT SEAT ?
MNF
All of what you are saying is true, but coming down to sloppiness, and lack of attention to detail. That is what coaches are paid to teach, and why the offense looks worlds better than 2009 (or the entire Groobers era.)
All of this involves attention to detail. Except the Krautman-Long swap. That’s just ineffective personnel use. Which is also part of a coach’s job.
His seat is hot because special teams is a liability this early, against inferior talent. Big East play is looming, and however diluted the conference may be, USF, WVU, and Cinci are going to capitalize on these mistakes.
Awesome feedback and great argument. Thanks for reading.
Conroy
I will go back to my original statement. I believe many of the mistakes made by the special teams have been commited by younger players. The offensive and defensive units traditionally have the more senior players. This it to keep them fresh and uninjured for their respective units and to allow the up and comers to get an opportunity to show their stuff on the field. We do not yet have several years of this regimes recruited and trained players to be able to field a seasoned offense, defense and special teams… We will. Chalk up several of the mistakes to the new guys AND the fact that we are only into the beginning of season. These players WILL improve, consequently the special team units WILL improve.
Casullo is a joke.. Fire this old guy. His special teams are a joke against the pathetic teams they have played. It will certainly cost us down the road when we play quality teams. He recruited 2 specialists for 2011, a Punter (who looks pretty good, but only got him b/c he lives upstate NY) and a Long snapper who looks like a big sissy IMO.. He should have taken this kid from the city who everyone knows is legit.. Overally, As a big SU fan, I love marrone, but this old geezer Casullo has got to go.. Too old and out of whack… We need to win games and this wont help us!