Dino Babers is still building Syracuse football — we just need to be patient

Everyone understands the idea behind patience, but it’s much more difficult to carry out in practice. That goes double for sports, where the investment of time, energy and money rarely provides the commensurate payoff, given the fact that one team wins a championship each year.

This idea comes to mind when looking at the Syracuse Orange’s 2018 football season, which has plenty of promise to it, but also requires patience on the part of fans. It’s obvious that Dino Babers is in the middle of building something, but it’s not yet complete. This is what drove some Orange fans nuts about Doug Marrone’s departure after four years. It’s what gets them anxious in year three under Babers now.

The Athetlic looked at what Syracuse can be excited and patient about in 2018, while talking to Babers and Eric Dungey a bit, too. As part of the site’s larger season preview series, it’s a cool piece and definitely worth a read (and likely some further discussion as well).

The rest of your Syracuse-related links below:

State of the Program: Patience still necessary for Syracuse football (The Athletic)

Babers’ track record (a 26-5 conference record at those two prior stops) suggests that the Orange, who finished at the bottom of the ACC Atlantic Division last season, will again break the surface. Certainly, ’Cuse fans must be confounded by a 2017 season in which the Orange shocked No. 2 Clemson at the Carrier Dome in October, only to lose their final five games. Still, this is not a program in need of rescue, only a little patience.

Who will Syracuse basketball play in ACC-Big Ten Challenge? Sizing up possibilities (Syracuse.com)

Michigan State: Yes, the Spartans hosted Notre Dame in last year’s Challenge, but the idea of pairing Michigan State and Syracuse in a rematch of their NCAA tournament game is tempting. Maryland: If Syracuse could play Wisconsin two years in a row, why not Maryland? A game in College Park, Md., would make sense for Syracuse. The Orange regularly recruits the Baltimore-DC area and this year’s SU-Georgetown game is at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse’s Air Gait: The play that changed college lacrosse (Syracuse.com)

Lacrosse had its big bang moment on May 28, 1988. That’s when Syracuse University’s Gary Gait took off from behind the net with 5:30 remaining in the second quarter of an NCAA Final Four game against the University of Pennsylvania and scored. The ‘Air Gait’ was born and Syracuse University lacrosse was on the national sports map like never before.

5 potential draft targets for the Pacers at the start of the NBA combine (Indianapolis Star)

Tyus Battle (Syracuse): Like a lot of guards with the Orange, the 21-year-old can be suspect but he carried them into the tournament as they exceeded expectations. At 6-7, Battle can toggle between guard and forward. He has an NBA body, is physical and defensively is probably ahead of most early-entries. Add a consistent jumper to his game and he’ll be considered a steal late in the first round.

2018 NBA Mock Draft of entire first round (Pro Basketball Talk)

29. Brooklyn Nets (via Raptors): Tyus Battle, 6’7” wing (Syracuse). He had to carry the Syracuse attack last season as their only good shot creator, so his efficiency should go up in the NBA. He has NBA size, can play with the ball in his hands, and he has the potential to be a good NBA defender.

Five big-name colleges will be watching this NBA draft closely (New York Post)

Chandler Jones believes shift to 4-3 defense will be big for Robert Nkemdiche (Cards Wire)

Syracuse women’s rowing head coach Justin Moore to leave SU (Daily Orange)

Former Syracuse football WR Brisly Estime fails physical for CFL's Blue Bombers (Syracuse.com)

Ranking the Toughest Games on Florida State Football’s Schedule (Athlon Sports)