Well, Syracuse fans, you asked for it.

You were tired of a football program riddled by mediocrity and this year’s Orange is hardly mediocre. In fact, the Orange needs to win the rest of its games just to get to mediocrity.

SU has been spoiled by great success, by the legends of Floyd Little and Rob Moore, who attended Saturday’s game against Rutgers. After seeing the likes of Donovan McNabb and Marvin Harrison pass through the program, a five- or six-win season is not acceptable in Syracuse.

It used to be that Rutgers fans would kill for a six-win season. The Scarlet Knights last went to a bowl in 1978. They haven’t had a winning season since 1991. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

One thing that surely wasn’t beautiful Saturday was the Syracuse offense. Quarterbacks Perry Patterson and Joe Fields and running back Damien Rhodes could hardly hold on to the ball for most of the game, let alone put together a drive. The Orange put the ball on the ground nine times Saturday.

On a few occasions, the Syracuse University Marching Band played the theme from ‘Ghostbusters’ – Orange head coach Greg Robinson should take that as a sign. SU needs to call the Ghostbusters because its offense had so many demons it was downright frightening.

‘It’s hard,’ Robinson said. ‘I’m working every day just to get the details down, and to really assess you need hours and hours to do it. I’m not happy. Am I pleased? No. Are we functioning? No.’

But there is hope. It was in the Carrier Dome on Saturday and it wore scarlet.

Yes, I’m talking about Rutgers. RU is evidence of what a few years and a good coach can do to a program.

You have to crawl before you walk. The Rutgers team that crushed the Orange, 31-9, is living proof of that. As much as this game was big for the Orange, it’s even bigger for Rutgers.

The last time Rutgers won in the Carrier Dome was 1986. Many of the players on both teams hadn’t been born in 1986, much less strapped on a helmet and pads. The Scarlet Knights already have more Big East wins than they had last year. They’re 2-1 in the Big East for the first time ever, 4-2 overall and, unless something goes horribly wrong, on their way to a bowl game.

‘It’s a good feeling, but it won’t mean anything at all if we don’t go out and do well next week,’ Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. ‘But, I think it is important. Slowly, you’re starting to see Rutgers get some respect in the sport of football.’

Schiano built the program from the ground up. He recruited, he marketed, he did what it took to bring a decent football program to New Jersey. And now, in his fifth season, it looks like Rutgers has a team worthy of some talk.

Schiano and Robinson may have chatted after the game – they may not have. But Robinson could learn a few things from Schiano. Just like Schiano had to build a program in ruins, Robinson needs to take a program down on its luck and bring it back to where it was.

Robinson’s already shown his willingness to do the necessary things to bring a winner to Syracuse. He’s marketed his team and tried to appeal to fans that gave up on the Paul Pasqualoni era. All he needs to do now is win some games.

Rob Anthes is an assistant sports editor for The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. E-mail him at ranthes@gmail.com

Published on October 16, 2005 at 12:00 pm