A quick take on Doug Marrone leaving Syracuse:
WHAT HAPPENED: Doug Marrone has agreed to coach the NFL’s Buffalo Bills according to reports from ESPN and NFL.com. Marrone had reportedly interviewed with the Buffalo Bills on Friday. He went 25-25 at Syracuse while leading the Orange to two Pinstripe Bowls. Marrone will replace Chan Gailey who was fired last week after posting a 16-32 record.
ANALYSIS:
* Syracuse is still Marrone’s dream job. But it doesn’t have to be his final job. Also, dreams can change over time. He had to strike while the proverbial iron was hot. If Syracuse goes 4-8 in the ACC next year, suddenly, the NFL isn’t calling anymore.
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* It’s hard to turn down NFL money. Marrone was one of the lowest paid coaches in the BCS schools and he will probably be getting three times what he was making.
* Syracuse needs to make a decision now. Do they want to pay someone a good amount to run the program and pony up for some elite facilities? The team needs the equivalent of the Melo Center. With the ACC and MetLife money coming in, SU should use it.
* Scott Shafer should be one of the candidates considered to replace Marrone. The defense has improved dramatically under him, and he knows the recruiting roads well.
» Related: Boeheim pitched Marrone to stay in Syracuse
* Speaking of recruiting, how does this effect SU’s current class? Guys like Zach Allen came to play for Marrone. SU needs to act immediately so that recruits don’t start looking around.
* A couple of months ago, Marrone was nearing the hot seat. Now, he’s getting a big time raise. Funny how things can change.
* As a Syracuse fan, you have to feel thankful for the Marrone era. Think about all he accomplished in his time. He restored the credibility of the program. He got the recruiting to the level where they were competing for guys like Ebenezer Ogundeko. And he was a great ambassador for the University.
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