Reflecting on the 2011-2012 Syracuse Orange Basketball Season

Well... it's all over now. One of the greatest seasons in school history, ending in an Elite Eight loss to Ohio State, 77-70. Am I disappointed? Of course I am. After all, this team (when fully healthy and with Fab Melo), only lost one game, to Cincinnati in the Big East Tournament. We are, without question, a top 5 team this season. We were the best team not to make the Final Four. But hey, we still got farther than we have been since 2003. So, let's take a quick look back at the 5 month ride that was the 2011-2012 Syracuse Basketball season.



- It started with the easy non-conference games. We win them every year. It was a good tune-up, but we still weren't sure what kind of team this was going to be.

- The Bernie Fine scandal hit, and it hit hard. ESPN, having missed out on breaking the Jerry Sandusky story, went all out trying to make Syracuse the biggest story in sports. Luckily for the program and the school, both Syracuse and the NCAA had followed protocol and investigated allegations that, until ESPN broke the story, were unsubstantiated. Chancellor Cantor, who I have never liked, did a fantastic job of guiding the school through this mess. On the court, Jim Boeheim guided the Orange to a strong early season tournament victory, including wins over Virginia Tech and Stanford. The team finished out the year beating future Sweet 16 team NC State in Carolina, and Elite Eight team Florida at home.

- 2012 and the Big East slate went off without a hitch, with 7 straight wins, and capturing the #1 ranking in the country. Then, the news of Fab Melo's first suspension hit, as did the team's first loss of the season at Notre Dame. While they bounced back, it became obvious that the team was more complete inside with Fab playing.

- After the Notre Dame loss, our Orange went on a tear, not losing another game in the regular season. They went to the semifinals of the Big East tournament before losing to the Cincinnati Bearcats, who couldn't miss a shot.

- After securing the #1 seed in the East, Cuse heard the bad news again: The 7 foot idiot was again suspended, this time for the rest of the season. Fab Melo's absence took its toll on the team, as it barely beat 16-seed UNC Asheville. But they bounced back with a strong win over Kansas State.

- The Sweet 16 game against Wisconsin will be looked upon as one of the best games Syracuse has played in a long time. A great opponent hit 14 three-pointers, but the team was able to rally and hang on for a 1 point win, and advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.

- A loss in the Elite 8 to a fully-stocked Ohio State team is nothing to hang our heads about. Fab's presence inside could have helped stop Jared Sullinger, but he wasn't there. Kris Joseph came up about as small as a senior could, but our younger guys proved they could keep us in games. We should be proud of the guys that played strong and carried us farther than we thought possible after than UNC-Asheville game.


So, what will next season hold? Will we be in the Big East, or will it be our first ACC season? Wherever Syracuse plays, we know we will have another great team. Kris and Scoop are graduating, and could be additions by subtraction. The assumption is that both Fab Melo and Dion Waiters, who turned into our best player this year, could both leave for the NBA as well.

But the Orange will still have Brandon Triche at the helm of the offense. James Southerland, CJ Fair, Rakeem Christmas, Baye Keita and Michael Carter-Williams all showed that they can play at a high level at different points in the season. Trevor Cooney, who redshirted this past year, can come in and be the three point threat we have seen in the likes of Gerry McNamera and Eric Devendorf.

The recruiting class already has Jerami Grant, who should be a better version of Kris Joseph, and DaJuan Coleman, a stronger, more athletic Arinze Onuaku. Finally, this year's Anthony Davis, named Nerlens Noel, has the Orange in his final three, with Kentucky and Georgetown. His presence in the middle of the zone would instantly make us a favorite to get back to the Sweet 16, at least.

So, there is no need to fret. No need to pout. The future is still bright for the Orange. What can we say, then, after the 2011-2012 season? Just this:

Thanks for playing, Syracuse.

The Next QB- Kirk Cousins

We have seen the first three candidates for QBs to be taken after Andrew Luck and RG3 in this year's NFL Draft. Ryan Tannehill has the athleticism but ability issues. Brandon Weeden has the skills, but with age issues. Brock Osweiler has the arm and footwork, but might be too tall. Who is next? A guy with all the things you can't measure.- Michigan State's Mr. Intangibles, Kirk Cousins.



- It is rare in college football to be a three year starter at a big time program. It is even rarer to be a three year captain. That's just one example of how special Kirk Cousins was to the Spartans. He is a natural leader and a great locker room presence. He was also very productive at MSU. His heart helped him overcome his slightly undersized frame (6'3, 215 lbs), and his clutch play in big games helped the Spartans to the B1G title game and a triple overtime win in the Outback Bowl this past season.



- Cousins had a very impressive combine as well. While his workout numbers were slightly above average across the board, his throws looked crisp. He outperformed his grade and expectation, taking advantage of bad weeks by the likes of Nick Foles. He ran a sub-5 second 40, and has moved himself up into mid-round territory.

- While he answered many questions at the draft and with his senior season, there are still some concerns about Kirk Cousins. He does need to add bulk to his frame. An extra 10 to 15 pounds of muscle would help him stay healthy if he is to play every day. His throws were impressive, but he still lacks the arm strength of many pro QBs. A good comparison in the pros could be a New York Jet era Chad Pennington. Same size, same arm strength, but same intangibles.

- So, what is the projection for him in the 2012 NFL Draft? Well, he is climbing up draft boards slowly but consistently. I wouldn't be surprised if, like Weeden and Osweiler, he gets picked up when there is a run on QBs in the mid-2nd or early 3rd round. He would be a fantastic backup that could thrive in a system based on protecting the ball, accuracy, and having some athleticism. San Francisco could develop him behind Alex Smith and take him at pick 62. The Eagles or Dolphins could reach slightly if they don't address the QB situation before their 2nd round picks. If he slips to the 3rd, any team in need of a solid backup and developmental QB could go for him. I think he would fit great in Green Bay, learning under Aaron Rodgers, and be the next Matt Flynn.


The Next QB in the 2012 NFL Draft? Nick Foles, Arizona.

2012 NCAA Tournament- 1st Weekend Thoughts

Well, the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament has come and gone. As we get primed for the Sweet 16, let's have a look back at some of the highlights of the first two rounds.

- As always, I will lead with Syracuse. They barely beat UNC-Asheville, but survived without Fab Melo. They went on to look very impressive against Kansas State. My Orange still have a big challenge ahead of them in the East bracket, but perhaps shipping up to Boston for the weekend will be kind to them, and put them back in the Final Four in New Orleans, like in 2003.

- A fun side note: Syracuse will be able to make an in-home recruiting visit to Nerlens Noel, the #1 recruit in the country, when they travel to Boston this week. On his ESPN blog, he says he narrowed his list down to three: Syracuse, Kentucky, and Georgetown.

- The Big East and the Big 10 (12... learn to count...), or as I will now call them the B1G, each have 4 teams in the Sweet 16. Half of the teams from two conferences is pretty damn impressive. What is better? Ohio getting in 4 teams. Xavier, Ohio State, Cincinnati and those fighting Bearcats of Ohio University should be very proud.

- The upsets pulled off by Lehigh (over Duke), Ohio (over Michigan and then South Florida), and Norfolk State (over Mizzou), have made this tournament extra fun.

- My Final Four is still intact, but that can happen when you pick 3 1-seeds (Cuse, Kentucky and UNC) and a 3 (Marquette). How is yours?

- The most impressive teams by far have been Kentucky, Marquette and Florida. It would take one hell of an effort to beat Kentucky the way they have been playing.

- NC State is playing the role of the team pissed off at their seed, and deciding to take it out on their opponents. Kansas is vulnerable, as they showed against Purdue. While I won't pick the Wolfpack, an upset wouldn't surprise me.

- I tend to think chalk wins out in the later rounds, so if there is a team outside of a top four seed in the Final Four, I will be very surprised. It is up to Xavier, Ohio, Florida, NC State, Cincinnati to prove me wrong.

- The most intriguing matchup of the Sweet 16? The rematch between Kentucky and Indiana. The Hoosiers are responsible for the Wildcats' only regular season loss, and I am sure they would love to get revenge.

- Cincinnati vs Ohio State could be the most physical game. These are not finesse teams, though the Bearcats' four-guard offense has the speed and shooting ability to pull off the upset.

- Cuse vs Wisconsin might set offense back a few years, but it should be damn good defense.

- Louisville and Baylor, if they both reach the Final Four and play each other, should just decide who has the worse uniform, and then move on from there. Both hideous.

Enjoy the games.

Denver? Call it Peyton's Place.

Peyton Manning is taking his talents to... the Mile High City. Sing it loud, Broncos fans- Rocky Mountain High, Peyton Manning. What does it mean to the Broncos? What does it mean to free agency? What does it mean to Tim Tebow? And what could it mean for the teams that didn't get #18? Let's figure it out together, shall we?

- Obviously, the Broncos just got a huge upgrade at QB. Tim Tebow completed less than 50% of his passes. Manning is one of the most efficient and prolific passers in NFL history. He will be able to come into an already flexible offense, turn it back into a passing game from the single-wing, and flourish in the thin air of Denver. Think of how defenses will need to combat that no huddle Peyton Manning led offense in thin air? A huge home field advantage for the Broncos.

- The Broncos can now fill in some needs they have with the draft and free agency. One rumor is that "Team Manning", consisting of Jeff Saturday and Brandon Stokely, are now making their way to Denver to sign on with the Broncos. They have a good chunk of money under the cap. They could create an offer sheet for Steelers deep threat Mike Wallace that could be too rich for Pittsburgh to match. Furthermore, they can find another WR in the draft. Around pick 25, they could look at an Alshon Jeffries, a Nick Toon, or pray that Michael Floyd of Notre Dame falls to them. They need to tailor the offense to how Peyton plays. Find him running backs that can catch out of the backfield. Get him another tight end (does Dallas Clark ring a bell?). They can do this pretty easily, and having #18 back there makes Denver an attractive spot for any player.




- Now that the Broncos have Peyton, they have to get rid of Tim Tebow. He won't want to sit behind Manning, playing in an offense that doesn't suit his skill set. So who will trade for him? I could see Jacksonville taking the plunge simply because of who Tebow is. Yes, they have Blaine Gabbert. Yes, they just signed Chad Henne. But Tebow would sell tickets no matter how he plays, and the team already operates a run-first offense with Maurice Jones-Drew. If I were a defender in the AFC South, I would be worried about trying to stop MJD and Tebow on short yardage situations.

- Other possibilities for Tebow? Some say he goes to New England, but he wouldn't be able to see the field as a QB during games. Cleveland still isn't sold on Colt McCoy, not that Tebow would really be an upgrade in the passing game. Minnesota needs to sell tickets to get that new stadium deal locked down and Christian Ponder isn't exactly Aaron Rodgers.

- What now for the teams that missed out on Peyton Manning? The best off are the Tennessee Titans. They have no QB issues. Matt Hasselbeck is still a solid starter in this league, and Jake Locker is the future of the franchise. They are just fine.

- The Miami Dolphins aren't in that great of a situation, but they are still in position to draft someone like Ryan Tannehill in the first round if Joe Philbin thinks that he is worth the pick. They also have Matt Moore in place, and are going after Alex Smith. They may not be in the best situation, but they have options.

- The real question of this entire situation is what the 49ers will do if they lose Alex Smith, after missing out on Peyton Manning. Colin Kaepernick will be a second year QB with no experience as a full-time starter in the NFL. He is athletic and has a big arm, but does he have the talent to man Jim Harbaugh's offense? If not, who do they sign? They could go out and get Josh Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Johnson was Harbaugh's quarterback when he was the head coach of San Diego State. Of course, there is another QB out there now. Tim Tebow ran Urban Meyer's offense just like Alex Smith did. Alex Smith flourished under Harbaugh. Could Tebow do that as well? For a 5th rounder, it might be worth the risk.

The Next QB- Brock Osweiler

We know Andrew Luck and RG3 will be the top picks. We have looked at Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden. Who is the next QB taken in the NFL Draft? The very good, very inconsistent... and very tall... Brock Osweiler of Arizona State.



The best thing that might have happened at the NFL Combine for Brock? He measured in at (only) 6'7". There were concerns that he would measure in 6'8", which is insanely tall for anyone not playing basketball. He is very accurate, very athletic (especially for his size. He weighs 240 lbs), and his height actually allows him to overcome his Phillip Rivers-esque 3/4 delivery. When he is calm and in control, he is a fantastic prospect, with first round arm strength.

As good as he can be when he is composed and poised, that is how bad he was when he was erratic and flustered. Arizona State had great moments, but Osweiler also made huge mistakes in key times for the Sun Devils. He probably could have used another year of growth in college, but so many players and coaches left the program that he decided to come with them. His height should be a bit of a concern, because it is just a bigger target for a big defensive player to hit.




The verdict on Big Brock? He is a project with a ton of ability, and worth a 3rd or 4th round pick for sure. I could see him going mid-2nd round to a team that needs a QB of the future in a few years. If he got to sit and grow behind a solid veteran QB (like Peyton Manning, perhaps?) for at least a season, he will be a lot better. I think Oakland would be a good fit because he would be able to sit behind Carson Palmer for two seasons. If not there, maybe a spot like Philadelphia, or even Miami if they are able to land Peyton Manning.


Up next in The Next QB- Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

The Next QB- Brandon Weeden

Part 2 in our Next QB series? Brandon Weeden from Oklahoma State.



- The pros? He can make all the throws, and was asked to do so in college. He was in a high powered offense and led Oklahoma State to a Fiesta Bowl win over Andrew Luck and Stanford. He was at the helm when OK State had its most successful season of all time. So leadership, maturity and ability to play at a high level aren't the issues. He is a solid 6'4, 220 llbs, and while he isn't the most mobile QB, he has solid footwork and rarely makes bad throws and dumb decisions.

- The cons... or con. One big one. He is 28. He is the same age as Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler, without any of the experience. Can he develop his skills to not only play at a high level, but at an NFL level? The best he could hope for is probably to be a Kurt Warner type. Warner was 28 when he signed on with the Rams after playing in the Arena Football League and bagging groceries. He went on to have (in my opinion) a Hall of Fame career. Could Weeden do that?

- Where would I take Brandon Weeden? I think he could be a good pickup for a team that is established, needs a smart backup, and also has a QB with a year or two left on his contract. My pick? The Kansas City Chiefs. No one is sold on Matt Cassel being the starter there, and Kyle Orton is a free agent. Weeden can come in as a backup, and take over if they choose not to re-sign Cassel.


The Next QB? Brock Osweiler, Arizona State.

The Next QB- Ryan Tannehill

Everyone knows that Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will be the top 2 picks in this year's NFL Draft. The question is, who will be the next QB to go. Well, if you listen to the draft guru's like my man Mel Kiper Jr and his protege Todd McShay, that QB is Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill. Here are some thoughts on Tannehill.



- Do you trust a former wide receiver who plays QB and only started 19 games? It isn't like the Aggies blew anyone off the field this year. Yes, they won a bowl game with Tannehill at the helm, but as good as he was, he also made some boneheaded plays in big situations.

- Todd McShay loves Tannehill, but knows of that big game issue: “I think the most underrated player – maybe in the entire draft right now – is Ryan Tannehill. … Tannehill is just, to me, steady, sturdy lower body, smooth delivery, accurate, and the only thing he needs to answer, and teams need to figure out...is how did he, under his watch, allow Texas A&M to lose five games in which they had leads. That’s the whole thing.”

- NFL Network's Mike Mayock has similar thoughts on Tennehill, and even finds a comparison to a first round pick from last draft: “Tannehill has 19 starts, and he’s a former wide receiver. I can see all the attributes of a [Jake] Locker in Tannehill. He’s a big, strong kid that can push the ball down the field. He’s athletic. I like everything about him except for the fact that on tape, I think he stares his receivers down and waits for them to come up before he rips it. That’s typical of a young quarterback without a lot of starts. I look at him and say kind of like Jake Locker. He’s going to take a little bit of time. It’s going to take a year or so. Nineteen starts is not a lot of starts for a college quarterback.”

- Tannehill has the size, and the arm. He is 6'4, 222 lbs. He didn't work out at the Combine because he is recovering from a broken foot. You have to look at the tape, and that is where the concern comes from. Still, it looks like he will be a top 10 pick.

- I, as you might guess, am not a huge follower of Texas sports. I try my best, but there are people that know more than I do. So, for Ryan Tannehill, I go to a true expert on Aggies sports... My cousin Drew, proud graduate of Texas A&M University: "Well, I know he's a really good guy, has great character, and will work really hard for your team. He's very intelligent, he's not afraid to run because he was one of our receivers, but he tends to make bad decisions when throwing the ball down the stretch. He's smart enough and works hard enough that in a good system like the Shanahan's [Drew thinks Shanahan's system is good... Foolish...] he could develop into a sleeper this draft. He's also an athlete who's got good size. He's probably one of the better picks after Luck and Griffin because of who he is as a person and his determination."


So, what is my verdict on Tannehill? I might take him in the draft if I had another QB ready to start for a year or two while he gets used to the NFL. Miami, for example, could start Matt Moore for another year, then start Tannehill. I see him as a project. He needs a little more experience. I need to see that he won't get rattled when he makes a mistake. One of the most important things a NFL QB needs to have is a short memory. Tannehill doesn't have that yet. So, if I am the Redskins, who have no QB right now, would I take Tannehill at #6?

No I would not.

I am just not sold on his ability to spend a top 10 pick on him, which is where it looks like he will go. There are other QBs I know that the Skins could get in the 2nd Round, and they have too many issues to fill. Miami, Buffalo, Kansas City and Seattle would all be better fits for him than Washington.

Coming next in "The Next QB"- Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State University.