Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse University athletic director John Wildhack saw progress from Syracuse football this season.
The Orange finished the regular season 7-5 and is headed to its first bowl game since 2018. Though SU got to that record in what Wildhack described as a “unique” way, he said it’s all about perspective.
Syracuse, given an over/under total of just 4.5 wins by most sportsbooks this preseason, closed the season with a better record than seven teams ranked in the Week 1 AP Top 25 poll. It had a historic season in many regards, even if a five-game losing streak dulled some of the shine from the hot start.
“It’s not that we’re satisfied,” Wildhack said. “It’s progress, but we need to continue to get this program better in every respect.”
Wildhack’s comments came during a live Q&A with syracuse.com columnist Brent Axe on Friday morning. This was Babers’ seventh season leading the Orange but just his second winning year in his tenure.
Wildhack declined to speak on the specifics of Babers’ contract or say whether he and the coach have discussed a new deal.
The school announced Babers’ contract had been extended in December 2018, when the Orange went 10-3 and won the Camping World Bowl. He earned $4 million and was the university’s highest-paid employee in 2020, tax disclosures show.
As a private institution, Syracuse has not discussed details of the contract, though media reports have intimated that deal runs through the 2024 season. Earlier this year, ESPN reported Babers’ buyout on the remaining years of his contract would be north of $10 million if he was let go after the 2022 season.
Wildhack on Friday was reluctant to say whether the coach deserves to be around for the longterm.
“I hope he does ‘cause that means we’re having success,” Wildhack said. “I’m not gonna predict or project the long-term right now. If we continue to improve this program, he’ll be our coach.”
What would qualify as improving the program is more than just finishing 8-4 and making it back to another bowl game, Wildhack said.
He outlined how progress would be measured for the Orange next season by pointing to this season’s pitfalls: injuries and penalties.
Syracuse finished the season down 11 starters from its Week 1 depth chart. Six came as a result of season-ending injuries to some of SU’s top players, including fullback Chris Elmore, linebacker Stefon Thompson and cornerback Garrett Williams.
“It’s not that we’re doing things wrong, but how do we enhance and improve strength, conditioning, rehab, recovery, restorative, nutrition, all elements of that,” Wildhack said. “What can we do better?”
The program is in the process of hiring a licensed dietitian to help make sure players are eating and drinking properly for their bodies and position, Wildhack said. He expects that hire to be finalized next month as the team heads into its offseason training.
Wildhack noted getting some more weight on some of SU’s leaner defensive linemen could turn them into “fantastic” players in the years to come.
Penalties were the other major issue Wildhack expects to be cleaned up.
Syracuse was the most-penalized team in college football with 105. Many of those were procedural errors along the offensive line, like false starts and holding. SU lost a total of 777 yards to penalties this season for an average loss of 64.75 yards per game.
Wildhack said some penalties are to be expected.
“The self-inflicted wounds, you need to minimize those,” Wildhack said. “You’re never gonna eliminate them.”
Syracuse has one game remaining this season and will learn its bowl placement and opponent Sunday.
After that, attention will turn to minimizing injuries and penalties, as well as making other improvements, for next season.
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