Syracuse Football: ‘Might be time for change’ at head coach, analyst says

Syracuse football is looking at the possibility of a 1-10 season, and some want head coach Dino Babers out.

After Syracuse football lost its fourth straight last Saturday afternoon at home against Wake Forest to drop to 1-6, putting the Orange in the basement of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, a growing section of the ‘Cuse fan base declared that head coach Dino Babers needs to go.

We recently penned this column in which a discussion centered on the likelihood that Babers isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, due to his contract and buyout, unless he does so of his own choosing. However, I can’t imagine a scenario where that would occur.

Still, even though the Orange has faced an abundance of significant injuries to its roster in the fall term, as well as some player opt-outs amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, that doesn’t necessarily mean Babers should get a total pass on the disaster that has ensued in the 2020 campaign to date.

For me, I do think that Babers should get another shot at turning the ‘Cuse around in 2021, particularly because he may have his best recruiting class arriving on the Hill in the 2021 cycle. If he can’t get the program moving in a positive direction in the 2021 season, then his seat becomes really warm, even hot, if you ask me.

But others aren’t aligned with this perspective, and they believe that Babers should get fired sooner rather than later. In a recent article, Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for Rivals.com, said of Babers, “Two seasons removed from a 10-win season the Syracuse offense is horrible and the defense has huge holes. It might be time for a change.”

A national analyst says Syracuse football should maybe move on from its head coach, but the Orange’s AD stands by Dino Babers.

"Last month, ‘Cuse athletics director John Wildhack said of Babers to Syracuse.com, “He’s going to be our coach in 2021 and I hope for a long time. That’s what he wants. That’s what I want. At the same time, we all know this is a result-oriented business to some degree. When you look at everything we’ve had to deal with this year, it’s been incredibly challenging. I’m not going to judge the book on Coach Babers solely on this year. I’m not going to do that. You can’t make emotional decisions. If you make emotional decisions, more often than not, you make the wrong decision. It’s about where are we deficient and how do we correct it?”"

It’s undeniable that Syracuse football has gotten stung by injuries at numerous vital positions in the 2020 stanza, whether at quarterback, running back, on the offensive line, at linebacker or in the secondary. The list goes on and on.

The Orange’s top-two returning running backs from 2019 opted out of the fall campaign. The NCAA ridiculously denied the waiver request by redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Chris Bleich for immediate eligibility.

At the same time, many other teams around the country are dealing with similar unfortunate circumstances during a pandemic that slashed spring practices, and limited summer work-outs as well as pre-season camps.

The ‘Cuse probably has gotten dealt a more substantial blow than most other squads in FBS football, and I am a Babers fan. Yet he has to gain some positive momentum – and quickly – for the hot-seat chatter to diminish even a tad.