The Firing Line: Syracuse Makes First Move to Replace Robinson

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Syracuse Coach Greg Robinson…

Syracuse University has taken a tangible step toward firing its football coach, Greg Robinson, enlisting a search firm to help find his replacement. A person with knowledge of the plan said the university was using Chuck Neinas, a veteran consultant and former commissioner of the Big Eight Conference, for assistance in hiring Robinson’s replacement. – New York Times

Syracuse University director of athletics Daryl Gross denied Wednesday night a report in The New York Times that he has enlisted a search firm to assist in securing a replacement for embattled Orange football coach Greg Robinson. The Times quoted an unnamed source who said Gross and Syracuse are using consultant Chuck Neinas, the former director of the College Football Association and commissioner of the Big Eight Conference, to help in the process of finding a new football coach. Gross said he has not hired Neinas or any consulting firm. “No, it’s absolutely not true,” Gross told The Post-Standard. “The reality is . . . I haven’t hired anyone and the university hasn’t hired anyone. It’s speculation and it would be inappropriate for me to hire someone (a consulting firm or search firm) at this point.” Gross is under intense pressure to fire Robinson, who is 1-6 this season and 8-34 overall since replacing Paul Pasqualoni after the 2004 season. It’s possible Robinson’s tenure is on a week-to-week basis. – Syracuse Post-Standard

Of course, Robinson is still employed despite his 8-34 record. The Orange (1-6) have a bye this week. Schools have found many creative ways of contacting prospective coaches without actually talking to them, using consultants and agents and other layers. So who knows what the truth is here. But if Gross is really interested in finding a successor, he should go ahead and fire Robinson now. – ESPN

A “Lock” at Syracuse?

Sources tell Football Rumor Mill that, while Syracuse would like its next coach to have head coaching experience, Athletic Director Daryl Gross could very well look to an assistant to take over when he fires the embattled Greg Robinson.

The top two assistants thought to be under consideration are USC Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian and Illinois OC Mike Locksey.  Sarkisian has a previous relationship with Gross having worked with him at USC.  Locksley has very solid support and has been quietly working behind the scenes since early last season in order to position himself to take over the Orange. 

If Gross decides to go with head coaching experience, he could tab current Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin, who could to be relieved of his current duties at any second.

“Feeling Pressure” at Syracuse

Syracuse Coach Greg Robinson thinks his boss, AD Daryl Gross, is simply “feeling pressure” because he lives in a “political world.” Apparently, Robinson thinks his lack of success as a head coach has nothing to do with that “pressure”…

Read more on Robinson from Alan Trubow of the Austin American-Statesman:

Former Texas co-defensive coordinator Greg Robinson appears to be on his way out as Syracuse’s head coach, most likely at the end of the 2008 season.

“It isn’t working out,” Syracuse athletics director Daryl Gross said. “It’s very disappointing. … He has some work to do out in front of him.”

Robinson has guided the Orange to a 2-22 record in the Big East the past three years. He led the Texas defense for just one season, in 2004, before leaving for Syracuse.

The Orange ended a seven-game losing streak Saturday with a 30-21 defeat of Northeastern, a Football Championship Subdivision school.

“He gets a lot of crap,” Robinson said of Gross. “I understand it. You know what? (Syracuse football) ain’t as bad as people think. He’s feeling pressure. … He’s got a political world to live in. My world is not that way.”

Orange Headed for Gross-Out?

Many fans in Syracuse think Athletic Director Daryl Gross should be ushered out the door with soon-to-be-fired football Coach Greg Robinson. In fact, one columnist says Gross could be even more vilified than Robinson himself…

The only person more vilified than Greg Robinson in Syracuse these days is the man who brought him here to coach the football team. Syracuse University athletic director Daryl Gross is a lightning rod for the contempt of a frustrated community fed up with the football program. Because Gross hired Robinson on Jan. 12, 2005, he’s now paying for that sin in public condemnation. The Orange is 8-31 under Robinson, whose future employment appears grim. The outrage over the football team has turned as much toward Gross as it has toward the coach: Gross was booed at halftime of the Penn State game, along with SU chancellor Nancy Cantor. ESPN GameDay’s Lee Corso, reading from a script during last weekend’s show in Auburn, directed a tirade toward Gross for firing Paul Pasqualoni. Orange County Register columnist Scott Reid wrote a blistering column about Gross last week in which he said his previous job as an associate AD at the University of Southern California was “marked by a relentless and shameless self-promotion that was perhaps unmatched in Division I.” There is a Web site called getgrossout.com. Internet message boards offer a daily dose of Gross loathing. – The Post-Standard