Syracuse Orange: Five reasons ‘Cuse athletics can attract top recruits

Our Syracuse Orange super fan is taking a look at the reasons why the ‘Cuse can bring in elite recruits.

It’s always interesting when you see one of the Syracuse Orange sports programs make an offer to a top-rated recruit. Some fans get excited thinking about how this will improve the Orange and others will jump all over this opportunity to tell everyone “they’re never coming to Syracuse.”

So is Syracuse an attraction for a top-tier talent or is it only a pipe dream that lives in the past when we could attract a Freeney, a McNabb, a Carmelo, a Gait or a Pearl? I am told that legacies don’t attract top talent these days though I think that depends on the individual but I am sure at least sometimes you need more.

Now obviously all programs are different. The Syracuse Orange lacrosse program is one that fans aren’t surprised when they get a 5-star talent for sure. Syracuse Orange field hockey and track have established quality programs that will attract top-level talent.

Recently the women’s basketball program was bringing in top classes but with changes having to be made, that one may be up in the air. And the men’s basketball program teeters around with 4 and 5 stars while football is mostly 3 stars on average based on recruiting websites. So what can attract big-name recruits to all the programs? Here are 5 things I think could help…some more obvious than others so I will knock out the most obvious first.

Winning

Well duh, top recruits like going to winning programs. When the Syracuse Orange wins, recruits are definitely more interested. Winning programs get TV time, scouts’ attention and more media attention in general. Having said that, draft picks come from all levels of programs because talent is talent and a good scout will find it. Also, not everyone on a top 10 or top 25 team will advance into a pro career but I am sure it helps in getting your name out there for people to know.

NIL

Syracuse is my home and I love it. I also think it’s realistic to state that Syracuse is not New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas or any of these other major metropolises but what Syracuse can be is one of the top college towns in the country.

I don’t know if businesses here like Driver’s Village or Hofmann’s Sausage or Byrne Dairy are going to line up to get every player on any team guaranteed money like maybe some of the bigger cities with more companies around it could offer but I do know that the right star player or right personality could turn that into quite the lucrative opportunity.

You do not have to compete with an NFL, NHL, MLB or NBA team for deals…just other athletes on campus possibly. Some current Syracuse Orange athletes have already found deals, some past ones could have likely done a lot had it been a thing in the past, and in the future, I would be willing to bet there will be opportunities locally and possibly even nationally if you can attract them.

You can’t tell me last season with the simplest of intentions that Marek Dolezaj wouldn’t have had a good deal in place with Mario & Salvo’s or another local pizza place if NIL existed just mere months ago. Imagine what would happen if a 5-star football recruit came to Syracuse and helped anchor the team and garner media attention.

Big Fish in a Little Pond

So as I mentioned in the NIL portion, Syracuse isn’t the biggest city but there are passionate fans here who will give you some level of hero-worship. There are also programs like football where post-season playoff hopes are often long bets but if you are talented, you will shine.

The Syracuse Orange football team only won one game last season and yet Andre Cisco was the first pick in the third round and Ifeatu Melifonwu went later in the same round, and they are likely to be players on their teams’ rosters. This tells me that you don’t need to go to Alabama, Ohio State or Clemson in football if you want to be drafted.

It is only my opinion but I think if Cisco stayed healthy all year instead of suffering one of the freakiest ACL tear injuries I’ve ever heard of, he may have even gone sooner in the draft along with Trill Williams who also suffered an injury and ended up undrafted but being invited to camp. So let me leave this here for you to ponder. Suppose a player with 5-star evaluations comes to SU and decides to be a leader here instead of lost in an ocean of them, don’t you think if he is that good, he could be one who not only helped the program and earned credit for it, but also helps become a first-day draft choice himself?

Carrier Dome

Playing in the Dome has to be an asset for many recruits. I know some programs like soccer and softball unfortunately do not get to utilize it but many others do. People complain about the Syracuse winters but SU plays in the Dome so at least you have a roof over your head and heat and air to coincide with it.

You also have a newly renovated Dome designed to be more fan-friendly, which will hopefully help recruits see what it is like to play in the Loud House having that many fans cheering for you. To some extent, Syracuse is a bandwagon city but that does not include everyone, and layered underneath that are many very passionate fans who want nothing more than to be loud and cheer on their favorite team.

Yes a crowd of 40 thousand can make a huge impact and when you are winning, they will be there but if you have ever been in there when even 25 thousand are excited, it can be a great atmosphere. Kickers and punters especially have to love an indoor venue to kick in where only when you are on the road are the elements a factor, not to mention a quarterback wondering how he can grip a wet ball or throw into the wind. I mean a snowy field is kinda fun to watch play out at home but probably not if you have to play in it or sit in it for three hours.

Education

Did you know that less than 2% of college athletes will be drafted into a professional sports league? Did you also know that the average span of a pro career is only around 3-4 years? So there is a great chance before you turn 30, your life will take a different direction. A degree can help with trying what to do when you get to that point.

I do know many Syracuse Orange basketball players do play basketball overseas or in smaller professional leagues in the US so even if you aren’t drafted, you still might be able to get a few years of pro ball somewhere. But if not, that Syracuse degree is not a bad asset to have.

Syracuse University has some of the best schools in the country for business, media and even the iSchool for technology as well. Syracuse University/Newhouse worked out pretty well for people like Dick Clark, Mike Tirico, Marv Albert, Alan Cavanna, West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, singer Vanessa Williams and many, many more including most likely someone you watch on your local news or sports coverage or several running the shows behind the scenes.

The cost of a Syracuse University degree is around 80 thousand dollars these days and if you are an athlete on a scholarship, you get that for free and possibly an insurance plan should pro sports not become an option after your time at Syracuse is done.