Kevin Fitzgerald hosts Fizz Radio and discusses the changing landscape of Syracuse football. Former SU punter Rob Long drops by to compare where the program is now versus when he got to campus.
Can Shafer keep the momentum going? How will recruits react? Long believes it’s the right hire.
“I think anyone who was tense before seeing the press conference will be a little less now. He’s an emotional guy, he’s so powerful, he brings a fire to the team. It was an easy decision for Dr. Gross to make that move.”
Long remembers what it was like under Groobers.
“If you take a look at where the program is now… it’s a way different program. So when you have something like that, there was no reason for a major overhaul. Coach Marrone laid a great groundwork. A great base for the program to build off of. I think Coach Shafer will pick up right where he left off.”¬†
Should people be upset Doug Marrone left?
“Unfortunately college football is a business. I think it’s a great decisions by him. He gets to coach a storied franchise. I don’t think many people can fault him. You can’t be mad at the guy, what he did for the program.”
Did Long see Marrone’s future in the NFL?
“After how Ryan (Nassib) progressed and developed, that showed a lot about his coaching abilities. I think he’s going to be an excellent NFL head coach.”¬†
What was the most challenging part of a coaching change when Long was there?
“The hardest part was in the locker room. There was a lot of division. There was a lot of people looking out for themselves. The second he gave his first meeting, we realized maybe this is the guy that helps us out and turns this around. It was a culture change.”¬†
Here’s the entire Fizz Radio episode.¬†
