Does Gary Gait Turn Syracuse Around & Make Them A Regular Power?

[ICGrad]

Excuse my ignorance: What is Power 5 in reference to lacrosse? Big10, ACC, Ivy, Patriot, Big East?

When Petro said it I believe he meant exclusively Big Ten or ACC. But if a new SEC, Big 12, or Pac 12 program started up that would probably qualify as well.

Thanks!

Hard for me to imagine him getting an ACC/Big10 job after his last decade at Hopkins, but anything's possible I guess.

[ICGrad]

So if an Ivy job opened, Petro would turn it down? I don't think so. I don't see him getting a job in the ACC, Big 10, or Ivy League in any event. He's going to need to take a job in another conference if he wants to be a head coach.

If you're an AD at those three conferences with an opening, you're not going to interview Pietramala?

I see those jobs going to younger candidates rather than a coach pushing 60 years old who has not coached a serious title contender in a decade.

That's what I'm thinking too. If, say, OSU were to open up, I would imagine they'd be looking to hire someone who can take the program to the next level AND be around for a decade plus. There are some great up-and-coming coaches I imagine a program like that, with money and resources, would want to look to before they took a look at Pietramala.

Pietramala's value as a coach would be to a school just on the outside looking in, who could use the potential recruiting and reputational boost of hiring a coach with his pedigree, even if the expectation was that he was going to get things pointed in the right direction and hand off the baton in 6-8 years.

[a fan]

So if an Ivy job opened, Petro would turn it down? I don't think so. I don't see him getting a job in the ACC, Big 10, or Ivy League in any event. He's going to need to take a job in another conference if he wants to be a head coach.

If you're an AD at those three conferences with an opening, you're not going to interview Pietramala?

I see those jobs going to younger candidates rather than a coach pushing 60 years old who has not coached a serious title contender in a decade.

I do, too, but I was just asking if you had your own opinion on the matter.

[a fan]

Pietramala's value as a coach would be to a school just on the outside looking in, who could use the potential recruiting and reputational boost of hiring a coach with his pedigree, even if the expectation was that he was going to get things pointed in the right direction and hand off the baton in 6-8 years.

I would agree.

But I think my list of "on the outside looking in" programs is much longer than most.

I'd put every team that hasn't won a title in the last decade on that list. I'm sure many would differ.

I'm seeing a whole lot of former assistant coaches moved to Head Coaches in D1 not making Final Fours. If that's the goal, why not look at head coaches who actually got there.

[Finster]

So if an Ivy job opened, Petro would turn it down? I don't think so. I don't see him getting a job in the ACC, Big 10, or Ivy League in any event. He's going to need to take a job in another conference if he wants to be a head coach.

If you're an AD at those three conferences with an opening, you're not going to interview Pietramala?

I think question more is what jobs in those leagues are opening?

ACC: UVA isn't for decade+. Cuse I'd say unlikely within 5 years. Duke may within 5 years but I don't think they hire outside that circle. Notre Dame *maybe. The one that could is UNC.

B1G: Maryland no. Hopkins no. Penn State looked possible before this year but now no. Rutgers isn't. Ohio State had a bad year but Myers just got an extension. So did Conry. Seems unlikely within 5 years.

Ivy: Cornell no. Yale no. Princeton I'd be very, very surprised. Harvard I think very unlikely unless Byrne left for, say, maybe Notre Dame. Penn no unless Murphy left for, say, maybe Duke. Petro isn't taking Dartmouth. Brown maybe?

So you're left with UNC and maybe Brown? Obviously things change. Stuff can happen. But we've just come off a lot of major coaching changes at these big jobs. Tillman got Maryland in 2011. Tiffany got UVA in 2017. Milliman got Hopkins in 2021. Gait got Cuse in 2022. Just don't really feel like the openings are there for Petro to get one of these jobs and if he has to wait for 5 years...then he becomes 60 years old and 60 year old Petro probably ain't where you're going.

Danowski is 69 and still going.

If Petro hits 60, he’ll be desired by schools. 60 is the new 40!!

[jrn19]

So if an Ivy job opened, Petro would turn it down? I don't think so. I don't see him getting a job in the ACC, Big 10, or Ivy League in any event. He's going to need to take a job in another conference if he wants to be a head coach.

If you're an AD at those three conferences with an opening, you're not going to interview Pietramala?

I think question more is what jobs in those leagues are opening?

ACC: UVA isn't for decade+. Cuse I'd say unlikely within 5 years. Duke may within 5 years but I don't think they hire outside that circle. Notre Dame *maybe. The one that could is UNC.

B1G: Maryland no. Hopkins no. Penn State looked possible before this year but now no. Rutgers isn't. Ohio State had a bad year but Myers just got an extension. So did Conry. Seems unlikely within 5 years.

Ivy: Cornell no. Yale no. Princeton I'd be very, very surprised. Harvard I think very unlikely unless Byrne left for, say, maybe Notre Dame. Penn no unless Murphy left for, say, maybe Duke. Petro isn't taking Dartmouth. Brown maybe?

So you're left with UNC and maybe Brown? Obviously things change. Stuff can happen. But we've just come off a lot of major coaching changes at these big jobs. Tillman got Maryland in 2011. Tiffany got UVA in 2017. Milliman got Hopkins in 2021. Gait got Cuse in 2022. Just don't really feel like the openings are there for Petro to get one of these jobs and if he has to wait for 5 years...then he becomes 60 years old and 60 year old Petro probably ain't where you're going.

Danowski is 69 and still going.

If Petro hits 60, he’ll be desired by schools. 60 is the new 40!!

Starsia was 63 when he got let go by UVA and never got back in. Tony Seaman was in his early 60s when Towson let him go and never got another D1 job. Dave Cottle was 54 when Maryland let him go and never got another head job. Dave Urick was 62 when Georgetown let him go. That was it.

Teams generally go don't go for the retread option; if they do, it's programs looking for the experienced hand who can help build a program up. Petro isn't interested in that. If he wants back in as a HC, it's gotta happen soon.

[Powellfan22]

So if an Ivy job opened, Petro would turn it down? I don't think so. I don't see him getting a job in the ACC, Big 10, or Ivy League in any event. He's going to need to take a job in another conference if he wants to be a head coach.

If you're an AD at those three conferences with an opening, you're not going to interview Pietramala?

I think question more is what jobs in those leagues are opening?

ACC: UVA isn't for decade+. Cuse I'd say unlikely within 5 years. Duke may within 5 years but I don't think they hire outside that circle. Notre Dame *maybe. The one that could is UNC.

B1G: Maryland no. Hopkins no. Penn State looked possible before this year but now no. Rutgers isn't. Ohio State had a bad year but Myers just got an extension. So did Conry. Seems unlikely within 5 years.

Ivy: Cornell no. Yale no. Princeton I'd be very, very surprised. Harvard I think very unlikely unless Byrne left for, say, maybe Notre Dame. Penn no unless Murphy left for, say, maybe Duke. Petro isn't taking Dartmouth. Brown maybe?

So you're left with UNC and maybe Brown? Obviously things change. Stuff can happen. But we've just come off a lot of major coaching changes at these big jobs. Tillman got Maryland in 2011. Tiffany got UVA in 2017. Milliman got Hopkins in 2021. Gait got Cuse in 2022. Just don't really feel like the openings are there for Petro to get one of these jobs and if he has to wait for 5 years...then he becomes 60 years old and 60 year old Petro probably ain't where you're going.

I wonder if his sons being at UNC would make him any more likely to be desirable as a candidate? Probably not much but an AD might be encouraged by that background for a non revenue sport. I know the situations are VERY different but reminds me a bit of Duke hiring John Danowski with Matt already on the team. Again very different situation but felt like mentioning it.

Stealing this from a poster on the Syracuse boards but wonder if Petro would make the lateral move to UNC if there is a staffing overhaul?

If UNC does move on who would be likely candidates? I think we all go to high profile coaches who are alums (there’s a whole thread dedicated to Duke for this) but I don’t know of any for UNC. It would obviously be a very sought after job if it became open.

[jrn19]

Yeah, they don't have many alums out there. A lot different situation than 2008 when a big part of the reason they moved on from Haus was they had alums at high profile jobs doing excellent jobs who they went after hard; Meade (Navy), and obviously Breschi (Ohio State.) Zim had also been an assistant there back in the day and they offered him the job too I believe or at least courted him but he said no.

If they were to follow in that vein and go for the former assistant, Chris Feifs. Things haven't been the same since he left. Not sure there's a correlation there, but he was there for the best Breschi years and has been hugely successful at Vermont.

other than that, it's p much your pick of the hot names out there.

[CU77]

Those of you pushing Petro as a good candidate for a top HC job: do you remember WHY he is no longer HC at Hop???

[HopFan16]

They might look internally at Unterstein. He's a solid young coach and the defense has not really been the issue lately. Though if the head coach is let go then his assistants usually don't stick around.

UNC doesn't have a lot of alums in the coaching ranks. Seremet at Rutgers is one but you could argue his stock has taken a bit of a hit this season with their offense floundering. He'd at least get a call. PSU assistant John Haus is not an alum but he grew up in NC, his stock is high at this particular moment, and obviously he has a family history at the school...though that didn't end well.

Other than that it'd probably be the usual suspects of "up and comers," starting with the aforementioned Feifs. Galloway, Polley, Moran, etc. Maybe a look at the top coordinators, e.g. Kirwan, Georgalas, Wellner, Mitchell, etc.

[a fan]

Those of you pushing Petro as a good candidate for a top HC job: do you remember WHY he is no longer HC at Hop???

Yep. Our sport is littered with "up and coming Assistants" that are hired as HC's.......and don't move the needle on the program's success hardly at all. They may be paint-by-numbers "good hires", but there are no guarantees in our sport.

I agree that it's unlikely that Petro will get a big name brand job as HC.

But if I'm an AD who wants Final Fours? I'm interviewing every available coach that's actually made it to Final Fours.....and won.

And you might learn a thing or two from the interviews. It's not like all these AD's are lax guys.

[runrussellrun]

Those of you pushing Petro as a good candidate for a top HC job: do you remember WHY he is no longer HC at Hop???

Yep. Our sport is littered with "up and coming Assistants" that are hired as HC's.......and don't move the needle on the program's success hardly at all. Tough task, when the "needles" are measuring success at the 60 +/plus D1 programs and their n$aa bids are only, mostly, possible with JUST the AQ They may be paint-by-numbers "good hires", but there are no guarantees in our sport.

I agree that it's unlikely that Petro will get a big name brand job as HC.

But if I'm an AD who wants Final Fours? I'm interviewing every available coach that's actually made it to Final Fours.....and won.

thought the rub and recent discussion IS that you want coaches that "know the system"....a coach that can just make a "phone call", scheduling the opponents he needs too, in order to.....

And you might learn a thing or two from the interviews. It's not like all these AD's are lax guys.
What the F is a "lax guy" ?

Did Hopkins get those mis-guided 2010 and 2019 n$aa invites because of WHO the coach is/was?

Search committee gonna ask about the "success" of those first round embarrassments and beatdowns?

.........and love all the shinny new men's lacrosse programs. Certainly, Merrimack, Queens, Lindonwood, Hampton, St. Bonnies.......can't compete with the BiG or the ACC. All them RESOURCES

Big time programs can't even afford green paint.

Northewestern is a no brainer, add on. Hoping Michigan can at least make the BiG finals.......possibly lite a fire under the Mich. st. Spartans butts? But, Northwestern, would be "no harm/no foul" for a Petro hire. (thinking Northwestern has only a couple billion in endowment assests....that million dollar a year budget, for 50 plus students.....a real buzz kill to the balance sheet.

...but, that Northwestern football and basketball teams.......winners, all around no problem spending there.

is it a good thing, or bad thing, that the college club circuit is pretty well organized and full of super talented "lax guys" ? Spartans won a recent championship. GameCocks, too. Clemson, GA tech has solid mens club teams. New Hampshire and Boston College, too.

Maybe, just maybe, the MCLA would be more respected if they started using rpi/sos, instead of winning percentage, to choose it's playoff field.

But, yeah, the head coaches contact info, from Colorado, Cal Poly and Northeastern, are all in Quint K, Carc and all the other "lax guys" cell phones, because " small world", that IS lacrosse, just means everybody knows everybody.

[wgdsr]

Those of you pushing Petro as a good candidate for a top HC job: do you remember WHY he is no longer HC at Hop???

Yep. Our sport is littered with "up and coming Assistants" that are hired as HC's.......and don't move the needle on the program's success hardly at all. Tough task, when the "needles" are measuring success at the 60 +/plus D1 programs and their n$aa bids are only, mostly, possible with JUST the AQ They may be paint-by-numbers "good hires", but there are no guarantees in our sport.

I agree that it's unlikely that Petro will get a big name brand job as HC.

But if I'm an AD who wants Final Fours? I'm interviewing every available coach that's actually made it to Final Fours.....and won.

thought the rub and recent discussion IS that you want coaches that "know the system"....a coach that can just make a "phone call", scheduling the opponents he needs too, in order to.....

And you might learn a thing or two from the interviews. It's not like all these AD's are lax guys.
What the F is a "lax guy" ?

Did Hopkins get those mis-guided 2010 and 2019 n$aa invites because of WHO the coach is/was?

Search committee gonna ask about the "success" of those first round embarrassments and beatdowns?

.........and love all the shinny new men's lacrosse programs. Certainly, Merrimack, Queens, Lindonwood, Hampton, St. Bonnies.......can't compete with the BiG or the ACC. All them RESOURCES

Big time programs can't even afford green paint.

Northewestern is a no brainer, add on. Hoping Michigan can at least make the BiG finals.......possibly lite a fire under the Mich. st. Spartans butts? But, Northwestern, would be "no harm/no foul" for a Petro hire. (thinking Northwestern has only a couple billion in endowment assests....that million dollar a year budget, for 50 plus students.....a real buzz kill to the balance sheet.

...but, that Northwestern football and basketball teams.......winners, all around no problem spending there.

is it a good thing, or bad thing, that the college club circuit is pretty well organized and full of super talented "lax guys" ? Spartans won a recent championship. GameCocks, too. Clemson, GA tech has solid mens club teams. New Hampshire and Boston College, too.

Maybe, just maybe, the MCLA would be more respected if they started using rpi/sos, instead of winning percentage, to choose it's playoff field.

But, yeah, the head coaches contact info, from Colorado, Cal Poly and Northeastern, are all in Quint K, Carc and all the other "lax guys" cell phones, because " small world", that IS lacrosse, just means everybody knows everybody.

mcla selection is an old boys network, too. not 100 if it's all coaches polling or a "selection committee", but look no further than byu pulling an invite this year if they don't get the aq... and watch and see whether the u of sc east gets a bid @ 8 and 9 (& one w was a forfeit).

none of those club teams should want a varsity plug add on, as the vast majority of those coaches and players will be out of a spot.

if alberici doesn't have a rolodex, he needs to just take a breath and NOT schedule sienna and njit and take the week off. u mass lowell just blew up vermont's at large prospects.

[runrussellrun]

sorry not be clear, but dual programs refers to NCLL.

Not sure how many consist of former "preferred walkons", IE rich kids.

Over 300 mens college club teams.........roughly 10,000 humans directly involved. (players/coaches)

Why should anyone discuss this market of lacrosse players......PLL, yeah, Austin sucks for fun

"it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, IT'S A Small world........".

[DocBarrister]

Those of you pushing Petro as a good candidate for a top HC job: do you remember WHY he is no longer HC at Hop???

Well, Petro still wants to be a HC. I think he is realistic enough to know that he is fortunate to hold the DC gig at Syracuse.

He may get a call to interview for the UNC position if that opens up, but I am skeptical that he would get hired.

I agree that it will be very difficult for Petro to get another HC job. Probably two scenarios where I can imagine that happening: (1) Syracuse wins a national championship or goes to the Final Four and Petro suddenly becomes a hot commodity again; or (2) a new program opens up offering a high salary and lots of resources (including a full plate of scholarships).

It’s a long shot. Petro can still coach, we have seen that. But we may have seen his final days as a head coach. Wish him the best.

DocBarrister

[Matnum PI]

The program isn't in great shape right now...

Most every program has their moment in the sun. The question is, how often does this happen. For the terps, it's most every, if not every, year. For Towson, it's every X years. etc. Like most everyone else, SU will have their moment in the sun and then, most likely, they'll slip back to where they are today. And then back into the sun etc. The question is, how much time in the sun, how much time in the shade? But back to your question, will he/they turn the program around, will SU get some sunlight? Yes. Of course. Will they be a "regular power", depends how you define regular. Are Denver, Yale, Loyola regular powers?

[HooDat]

The program isn't in great shape right now...

Most every program has their moment in the sun. The question is, how often does this happen. For the terps, it's most every, if not every, year. For Towson, it's every X years. etc. Like most everyone else, SU will have their moment in the sun and then, most likely, they'll slip back to where they are today. And then back into the sun etc. The question is, how much time in the sun, how much time in the shade? But back to your question, will he/they turn the program around, will SU get some sunlight? Yes. Of course. Will they be a "regular power", depends how you define regular. Are Denver, Yale, Loyola regular powers?

I think Cuse is firmly in the "Expected to Be in the Sun" category - along with Maryland, UVA, Duke, ND and Cornell. A few down years, doesn't change that, particularly at the end of a coach's tenure (UVA with Starsia comes to mind, and the many times Cornell gets poached). Cuse has just gone through that. Gate seems to run the program like a CEO - lot's of setting direction and delegating. If over time he transitions to younger coaches that he let's make a name for themselves he could attract some of the best young coaching talent in the game.

Hopkins is the weird one. Great history, but something seemed to change at that program during Petro's tenure. It seems like the ship has been righted, but for a hot minute I thought the times may have passed Hop by.

[CU77]

Petro can still coach, we have seen that.

Here's what his former teammate had to say this morning:

15) Syracuse

“Head, heart and hustle” had clearing issues in the first half of last weeks UNC win and they resurfaced at Virginia. With Saam Alexo playing close defense, the Orange struggled to advance the ball in a 19-14 defeat. Faceoffs were not the issue. Defense was. Two of their close defenders will be doing time when the season ends, because they’re repeat offenders. The defensive plan at UVA didn’t work.

https://laxallstars.com/quint-kessenich ... l-24-2023/

[ohmilax34]

Petro can still coach, we have seen that.

Here's what his former teammate had to say this morning:

15) Syracuse

“Head, heart and hustle” had clearing issues in the first half of last weeks UNC win and they resurfaced at Virginia. With Saam Alexo playing close defense, the Orange struggled to advance the ball in a 19-14 defeat. Faceoffs were not the issue. Defense was. Two of their close defenders will be doing time when the season ends, because they’re repeat offenders. The defensive plan at UVA didn’t work.

https://laxallstars.com/quint-kessenich ... l-24-2023/

I'm starting to watch the 30 minute highlights on youtube. Billy Dwan didn't start. I've liked how he has played vs. Princeton and UNC.

Duke seems to have shown that the way to beat UVA is to own the individual match ups. Easier said than done, but it's the blueprint. Maryland has done it too.

UVA's second goal comes from a Peter Garno dodge against Landon Clary. Caden Kol slides to help and leaves Xander Dickson open on the crease (no 2nd slide) for the goal. I think Landon Clary was the team's #1 on-ball defender to start the year and has been out with injuries. If he's not healthy enough to be able to cover a 2nd line midfielder from UVA without needing a slide, then he shouldn't be playing. If he's healthy and Kol still thought he should slide, then that's poor defense. Not a good start.

Edit: Watching more clips. Clary looks kinda lost.

[MDlaxfan76]

sorry not be clear, but dual programs refers to NCLL.

Not sure how many consist of former "preferred walkons", IE rich kids.

Over 300 mens college club teams.........roughly 10,000 humans directly involved. (players/coaches)

Why should anyone discuss this market of lacrosse players......PLL, yeah, Austin sucks for fun

"it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, IT'S A Small world........".

Could you share your math on 300 college teams = 10,000 players and coaches?