In a seven-part series ending on Saturday, The Post will break down the 2009 college football season. Today, Part 4: Syracuse.
The biggest splash that Doug Marrone has made since becoming the head coach at Syracuse was when he named Greg Paulus the starting quarterback.
But it’s clear that if Marrone, a former Syracuse offensive lineman, is going to bring the program back to respectability, it’s going to take considerably more than one season with the former Duke point guard under center.
That’s why, as important as that decision was, it’s things like the conversations Marrone has had with New York City-area high school coaches like Canarsie’s Mike Camardese that will prove to be even more significant.
“Syracuse always used to be in the city, but in the last few years, they never were,” Camardese said. “They definitely lost guys to UConn and Rutgers. But you could tell right away that Marrone and his guys were serious about getting back down here again, like it was before with [former coach Paul] Pasqualoni and his crew.”
Syracuse’s recruiting pull — particularly in the metropolitan area — slipped considerably under Greg Robinson, who was ousted after four mostly miserable seasons. They did sign players like quarterback David Legree and linebacker Parker Cantey, both of South Shore, but overall, they were a non-factor.
And in those four seasons, they won a total of 10 games.
“I looked at the roster the previous four years and it was obvious we weren’t getting the kids we used to from Long Island and New York,” said Marrone, 45, who grew up in Throgs Neck and played high school football at Mount St. Michael and Lehman. “That’s why I’m here. We lost a lot of the foundation with schools in the area. They lost faith in the program. When I took the job, my goal was to re-establish the program in this area.”
Despite spending the last seven seasons as an NFL assistant — four with the Jets and the past three with the Saints — he’s off to a good start. He hired assistants like John Anselmo with ties throughout the area. In addition to signing one of the city’s top players from a year ago, wide receiver Torian Phillips of Port Richmond, after being hired in December, Marrone has received commitments from six local players for next season, including Canarsie running back Steven Rene.
“Marrone was the one who convinced Steven to commit there,” Camardese said. “He told him that they want to build around kids from the city. It’s good to see Syracuse back here again.”
Soon, they’ll be back here . . . literally. The Orange recently agreed to play three games at the new Meadowlands stadium. They will host USC in 2012 and Notre Dame in 2014 and 2016.
In the meantime, Marrone, who also had stops at Cortland State, the Coast Guard Academy, Northeastern, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Tennessee — all part of his plan to get closer to his “dream job” at Syracuse — will look to Paulus to get the Orange going in the right direction. The former Blue Devil is slated to be at quarterback when they open the season at the Carrier Dome against Minnesota on Saturday.
“I grew up coming to games here,” said Paulus, who was a prep standout at nearby Christian Brothers Academy. “I loved watching Donovan McNabb. I think we’re turning things around and I hope I’m a part of getting it back to what it was.”