When it looked like Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim's time was coming to an end, I wrote a post about why I thought assistant coach Gerry McNamara should get an interview.
I would like to re-emphasize that I never said GMac should be handed the job...I simply thought with him sitting under Boeheim's learning tree, his ability to recruit and the love the community had for him, that I hoped they would at least give him serious consideration before making the final decision.
I have no idea what the actual process was, but we do know eventually Coach Boeheim retired, associate head coach Adrian Autry was named head coach and this past season, Coach McNamara took the head coaching position with Siena. I heard the decision, and I stood behind it.
Why I believe in head coach Adrian Autry and the future of Syracuse basketball.
Coach Autry then took the role and, in his first season as head coach, finished 20-12. To me, 20 wins is a good season for a head coach in his first year, so I was excited to see where it goes next. And yes, they fell short of the tournament, but this was a team that had potential and I liked the style Coach Autry displayed.
Then in the offseason, several players either transferred in the portal or went off to try and make it in professional basketball. So Coach Autry and his staff brought in some highly touted recruits, a big man with experience and some other key players along with ones who stayed from last year.
Now as I freely admit, I am a Syracuse homer. I love all things Syracuse and do my best to always try to remain positive and see the good. And I also know that the two games played so far were merely exhibitions but I have to say, I love Coach Adrian Autry as the guy for the Syracuse basketball program.
But it's not just those games or how they played last season that has me optimistically thinking this season might be better, it is watching how he manages this team and his expectations.
I am the level of homer that I love local broadcasts so often I stick to the radio feed and I also try to not just watch the games occasionally, but when I do, I look at the sidelines but I also like to watch the post-game press conferences with players and coaches and that includes those of Coach Autry. I like to get a glimpse of how things look overall and I really like his style.
Coach Adrian Autry is honest but not throwing guys under the bus. He seems to be frustrated at times, yes, but not unhinged and taking opportunities to actually coach players up and not just curse them out.
His answers at press conferences seem very raw and honest and yet also hopeful and realistic. His saying that he is hoping the defense and rebounding will improve if this team wants to be the team it wants to be, but not throwing something to emphasize his frustration, has just the right tone to me.
Having said that and again, I realize the two games played so far were exhibitions, but I saw a lot to be optimistic about with the play I have seen and what Coach Autry has done and shared. My brother Neil shared his expectations here and I like his optimism. I am not sure how many wins this team will have but I will say this...I would not be shocked if this 2024-2025 team could make a deep NCAA tournament run, potentially even to at least the Final Four if not beyond.
And one major reason for this belief is again, not just the talent on this team, but I am definitely a Coach Adrian Autry guy! I believe!