Syracuse Football: My Ohio University Bobcats pep talk

The following is what I might say if I were Head Coach Dino Babers addressing the Syracuse football team before the 2021 season opener at Ohio this coming Saturday. This is not me saying “Coach should say this and we would definitely win” or me trying to be Coach…this is just me “Orange Chuck” saying how I look at it and the message I’d want to send going into the game.

“Men, today we are faced with a challenge! A challenge that in my heart I think we are ready to conquer as a player, as a team and as a family.

There are people outside this room who think you should be judged based on past struggles. There are people outside this program who think that while Ohio is a program we need to respect, that they’re going to beat us.

There are people, even some fans, who think this staff needs to be replaced, that many of you are not that talented and we are doomed to failure. There are people who think Syracuse football is mediocre at best and they’ve projected us to only win maybe 3 games this season, including odds-setters in Vegas and so-called college football experts.

You know what I see? I see the men you are, the men you’ve become, the men who are a family willing to go out there and put some respect on your names and the family’s name. I see men in this locker room who came back because they had a sour taste in their mouth after last year and want to prove they’re better than that.

Our football guru is giving a pep talk to Syracuse football for its game at Ohio.

I see men in this room with the talent to play at the next level who are ready to prove they deserve that opportunity. I see men who didn’t quit on this team when times got difficult and fought hard and that to me says you’re men with heart and determination. I see men who some said weren’t that good but went out on that practice field and in that gym and busted their butts to prove that they’re the players we know you are.

Today we start our campaign to prove we are who we think we are. You want to be champions? You want to prove all those people who doubt you wrong? You want to leave behind a legacy here in this program? It starts now! It starts here! It starts today.

I want you to walk on that field today and not think about anything except making the most of each and every play. You win the play, then you win series of downs, then you win the half and then you win the game. You win the game and then you move on to win the next and then the next and the next but it all starts with putting all your effort into that one play.

Win that play and don’t celebrate but square up, prepare yourself and win the next. Win more plays than you lose and we will win the game. Maximize your effort and don’t take our opponents or even a single play lightly because then you have to overcome even more. But if you start with a win, build on it, build up that confidence, make those plays and win your matchups, we will show everyone who we are!

Who are we? I can’t hear you! Hey Orange Ohana, who are we? Those experts think you’re going to lose but what about you? What about you? What about you? What about Cuse???  Are you ready? Let’s go out there and win the kickoff! Let’s Go Orange! What about Cuse! What about Cuse!”