In the article, "College football takeaways: In a twist, undefeated Notre Dame is avoiding the hype this season," Pete Thamel writes, "Don’t expect Babers’ job to be in jeopardy. He has at least four full years remaining on his contract this year, and the most conservative estimates of his buyout are that he’d be owed at least $17 million if he was fired after this season. That number would scare a well-heeled SEC athletic department, and Syracuse is decidedly not one of those."
I have stated before I love Dino Babers, and still do. The other reason I still follow him is because he is Coach Lewis' mentor and believe Coach Lewis converses with Babers on a regular basis and values his advice and insight. That said, I wonder what advice Babers would give Coach Lewis regarding his best path to a Power-5 coaching job.
When a Power-5 head coach makes that kind of money, he can afford to retire early even if things don't work out for him. But putting yourself in a position to get a Power-5 head coaching gig has to come first.
Before coming to Kent State, Lewis had been with Babers since 2012 when they were both at Eastern Illinois. It was at EIU that Lewis learned the up-tempo offense from Babers and knows the success of it is predicated on the quarterback being a threat to pass or carry the ball himself.
At Eastern Illinois, Bowling Green, and the first three years at Syracuse, Babers was blessed with an efficient quarterback. But ever since Eric Dungey graduated, Syracuse has struggled on offense.
Thamel writes, "The most glaring evidence of the recruiting deficiencies is the lack of talent in Syracuse’s quarterback room, as Babers has yet to recruit and develop a proven ACC-level starter, and the lack of depth in that room has always been glaringly thin. He inherited Eric Dungey, and injured redshirt junior quarterback Tommy DeVito has yet to live up to his billing."
Although Coach Lewis developed Dustin Crum, he did not recruit him. So like Babers, you can say he is very fortunate to have inherited Crum because neither Woody Barrett nor Collin Schlee have shown much development under his tutelage. I realize Schlee is only a redshirt freshman, but last season Miami's Brett Gabbert was very impressive in his first season for the RedHawks. As the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener in program history, Gabbert threw for 2,411 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019, winning MAC Freshman of the Year. Schlee redshirted last year and this season completed 7 passes on 13 attempts for 113 yards and 2 TDs late in games against second teamers.
So the success of next season could hinge on the return of senior Dustin Crum. In one televised game this year, one announcer stated he thought Crum would not return next season and try his luck in the NFL draft. WalterFootball.com currently lists Crum as the 13th best quarterback prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft.
On 11/21/2020, RokFin wrote the following regarding Crum as an NFL prospect:
"The Kent State QB could arguably have the strongest arm in this year's 2021 NFL Draft and has recently popped onto the radar of many top NFL executives. Through only three games, Crum has completed 61 out of 81 passing attempts and thrown 838 yards, while tossing 9 TD's and only one interception. Dustin has shown dual-threat capabilities and also has added three touchdowns on the ground for the Golden Flashes offense. But what is most impressive about Crum, is the rate of speed that his football zips from point A to point B when threading the needle of zone coverage. When throwing darts up the seam, he allows no time for the safeties to break out of cover two zone and can visibly be seen making the defense shift out of position by looking them off, only to come back his intended target. I know the Patriots are always finding diamonds in the rough late in the NFL Draft and are masters at trading top picks away, only to wind up getting the best players in the NFL Draft down the road. We will see how Dustin's finishes out the season, but right now, I believe he has elite arm talent for NFL front offices to fight over in the late second to mid third round."
If this is the consensus among other NFL draft analysts, I would have to agree that Crum won't be returning next season and will take his chances in the NFL draft. And if that happens, I will be happy with his decision, but at the same time will be less optimistic about the 2021 FlashFast offense.
sports.yahoo.com
walterfootball.com
I have stated before I love Dino Babers, and still do. The other reason I still follow him is because he is Coach Lewis' mentor and believe Coach Lewis converses with Babers on a regular basis and values his advice and insight. That said, I wonder what advice Babers would give Coach Lewis regarding his best path to a Power-5 coaching job.
When a Power-5 head coach makes that kind of money, he can afford to retire early even if things don't work out for him. But putting yourself in a position to get a Power-5 head coaching gig has to come first.
Before coming to Kent State, Lewis had been with Babers since 2012 when they were both at Eastern Illinois. It was at EIU that Lewis learned the up-tempo offense from Babers and knows the success of it is predicated on the quarterback being a threat to pass or carry the ball himself.
At Eastern Illinois, Bowling Green, and the first three years at Syracuse, Babers was blessed with an efficient quarterback. But ever since Eric Dungey graduated, Syracuse has struggled on offense.
Thamel writes, "The most glaring evidence of the recruiting deficiencies is the lack of talent in Syracuse’s quarterback room, as Babers has yet to recruit and develop a proven ACC-level starter, and the lack of depth in that room has always been glaringly thin. He inherited Eric Dungey, and injured redshirt junior quarterback Tommy DeVito has yet to live up to his billing."
Although Coach Lewis developed Dustin Crum, he did not recruit him. So like Babers, you can say he is very fortunate to have inherited Crum because neither Woody Barrett nor Collin Schlee have shown much development under his tutelage. I realize Schlee is only a redshirt freshman, but last season Miami's Brett Gabbert was very impressive in his first season for the RedHawks. As the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener in program history, Gabbert threw for 2,411 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019, winning MAC Freshman of the Year. Schlee redshirted last year and this season completed 7 passes on 13 attempts for 113 yards and 2 TDs late in games against second teamers.
So the success of next season could hinge on the return of senior Dustin Crum. In one televised game this year, one announcer stated he thought Crum would not return next season and try his luck in the NFL draft. WalterFootball.com currently lists Crum as the 13th best quarterback prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft.
On 11/21/2020, RokFin wrote the following regarding Crum as an NFL prospect:
"The Kent State QB could arguably have the strongest arm in this year's 2021 NFL Draft and has recently popped onto the radar of many top NFL executives. Through only three games, Crum has completed 61 out of 81 passing attempts and thrown 838 yards, while tossing 9 TD's and only one interception. Dustin has shown dual-threat capabilities and also has added three touchdowns on the ground for the Golden Flashes offense. But what is most impressive about Crum, is the rate of speed that his football zips from point A to point B when threading the needle of zone coverage. When throwing darts up the seam, he allows no time for the safeties to break out of cover two zone and can visibly be seen making the defense shift out of position by looking them off, only to come back his intended target. I know the Patriots are always finding diamonds in the rough late in the NFL Draft and are masters at trading top picks away, only to wind up getting the best players in the NFL Draft down the road. We will see how Dustin's finishes out the season, but right now, I believe he has elite arm talent for NFL front offices to fight over in the late second to mid third round."
If this is the consensus among other NFL draft analysts, I would have to agree that Crum won't be returning next season and will take his chances in the NFL draft. And if that happens, I will be happy with his decision, but at the same time will be less optimistic about the 2021 FlashFast offense.
College football takeaways: In a twist, undefeated Notre Dame is avoiding the hype this season
The Irish are consistently overrated year after year. That said, nobody has given them much love this season after a steady 4-0 start. Are Brian Kelly's Fighting Irish actually legit this season?
sports.yahoo.com
2021 NFL Draft Prospects: Quarterbacks – WalterFootball
walterfootball.com
2021 NFL DRAFT QB PROSPECTS KING, EHLINGER, CRUM & NEWMAN SCOUTING REPORTS
2021 NFL Draft QB prospects King, Ehlinger, Crum & Newman scouting reports
www.collegefootballtoday.org
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