2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeRobinson fired after 4 seasons, will coach final 2 games of year
By John Clayton
Posted: 11/17/08, 3:28 AM EST Section: Sports
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For weeks, Greg Robinson deflected the criticism and the speculation about his job security, remaining defiant even as his fate as Syracuse head coach appeared a foregone conclusion.
That attitude was gone as Robinson slipped into the Iocolano-Petty Football Wing auditorium Sunday afternoon. Hours earlier, he had been told he will not return as head coach next season by Director of Athletics Daryl Gross, confirming what for months had appeared an inevitable end to a disastrous tenure. He is still owed $1.1 million by his contract, which runs through next season.
After four years of misery, Robinson's firing wasn't much of a surprise. Not even for the head coach himself.
"I don't think it really comes as a surprise to anyone. It doesn't really come as a surprise to me," Robinson said. "I'm disappointed, but I understand why the decision was made."
The 57-year-old head coach's tenure at Syracuse has been an unequivocal failure, the most barren stretch in the history of this once-prominent program.
Robinson owns a 9-36 record at Syracuse, including a 3-24 mark against Big East opponents. His .200 winning percentage is the worst among all Syracuse football coaches in the last 100 years.
Robinson is the sixth head coach in the country this year to be fired midseason. He will finish out the final two games of Syracuse's season - a visit to Notre Dame Saturday and a game at Cincinnati a week later - before stepping down.
The announcement came a day after the Orange lost to Connecticut in SU's home finale, dropping it to 2-8 on the season, and 1-5 in the Big East.
"I ran out of time," Robinson said. "I still see improvement. I can name players from last night's football game who I see took big steps in improving, and that's part of it. You run out of time. As always, I'm optimistic, and I think with more time I could do better."
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 11
Marc LeVine
posted 11/17/08 @ 9:34 AM EST
This truly good news is certainly overdue and the decision to keep this coach around another two weeks is just plain disgusting. I've spent thirty years in human resources management and I've gotta tell ya - they guy needed to box up his stuff and get otta there after the Connecticut loss. (Continued…)
Fred Steitz '66
posted 11/17/08 @ 9:36 AM EST
Gross should be tne next to go but Dr. Cantor does not have the guts to fire him.
Bernard Tarver '82
posted 11/17/08 @ 9:58 AM EST
The firing was long overdue, but I don't understand keeping him around another two weeks. Either you fire him at the end of the season or you make him leave immediately. (Continued…)
Orange 3:16
posted 11/17/08 @ 10:40 AM EST
They should have fired him last year! This football program has been no more than a damn joke for the past 7 years! I hope they hire Randy Edsell from UConn, or someone WITH head coaching experince, to clean up this football program, and get it back to it's prime that it had in the 90's, not to mention get us a winning season for the first time since 2001. (Continued…)
Orange Parent
posted 11/17/08 @ 12:22 PM EST
Hire Larry Coker or Lane Kiffen
ryan
posted 11/17/08 @ 2:22 PM EST
Turner Gill, made UB a bowl team... imagine what he could do at SU! Also was a Heisman runner up, and won big games.
Mike Locksley, great recruiter, vast offensive knowledge and will bring back the discipline and blue collar work ethic that turned SU into one of the top NFL factories. (Continued…)
FINALLY!
posted 11/17/08 @ 3:36 PM EST
Attention Chancellor Cantor:
Now that Mr. Robinson is FINALLY out the door, it is time for YOU to do YOUR job and FIRE Dr. Gross!!! He allowed this nightmare to go on far too long!!!!
And if you don't - then YOU need to be fired!!!
Scott McNealus
posted 11/17/08 @ 5:25 PM EST
I couldn't agree more w/FINALLY!
The life and death of Div 1 sports now is - like it or not - TV revenue. SU has two sources of this money - FB and BB. (Continued…)
Barry L. Wells For Head Coach
posted 11/17/08 @ 6:48 PM EST
Daryl Gross with his $500,000 salary needs to go too!!! But wait, let's hire Barry L. Wells!!! I mean, come on. He was not qualified to be a SENIOR Vice President, but he did that job for like 10 years. (Continued…)
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