For Syracuse under Babers, second season is the charm
https://theathletic.com/128404/2017/10/16/syracuse-football-dino-babers-clemson/
Dino Babers always says it takes until midway through year two before his offense and his tempo start to click with a new football program. Has Syracuse reached that point?
After a 27-24 win Friday night against Clemson, the Orange are a big riser, jumping into the top 50 in this week’s All-American 130.
Syracuse’s 85.5 plays per game lead the country. On Friday, they ran 83 plays. They only averaged 5.3 yards per play and 3.2 per rush against the Tigers, but their two fourth-quarter drives totaled nearly 12 minutes.
“I don’t know how many plays we played, but the way we were running the ball in the fourth quarter, I guarantee it was a lot,” Babers said after the win. “It was over 80-something because you could see they were getting a little taxed.”
Year two has always been the big one for Babers-coached teams. At Eastern Illinois, he went from 7-5 to 12-2. At Bowling Green, he went from 8-6 to 10-3. After a 4-8 debut season at Syracuse, the Orange are 4-3 this year, with a win against the defending national champion. Is this the sign of things to come?
“To have an opportunity like that is something they will never forget for the rest of their lives,” Babers said of his players. “It’s something that they will tell their sons and their daughters, and then they’ll tell their grandsons and their granddaughters. It will be one of those deals when it’s ‘No, Grandpa, not the story about how you beat Clemson at the Loud House.’ And they’ll have to sit there and listen to it again. It’s truly one of those moments that you coach for.
“I’ve had those moments, but to be able to share a moment like that with these young men is really special and really means a lot to me. I’m really proud of them.”
