Mikhail Marinovich remembers what the community was like last season at this time, when the Syracuse football team was two days away from beginning another season, and nobody seemed to care. Why would they? The initial disappointment from the Greg Robinson era had finally turned into an unshakable feeling of hopelessness.

But things seem different now. Whenever Marinovich leaves his apartment, he can’t escape the buzz.

It’s a jolt of electricity, growing stronger as the weekend draws near. It’s a sense of optimism and confidence. It’s the possibility that a new coach, a new quarterback and a new mentality can propel the Orange back into the national consciousness. The Doug Marrone era officially starts Saturday, when Syracuse takes on Minnesota in the Carrier Dome (noon, ESPN2). Greg Paulus will make his debut at quarterback after a four-year basketball career at Duke.

After four miserable seasons, the Orange is ready to begin a new chapter.

‘There definitely is a new life on the campus to this football team,’ Marinovich said. ‘A lot of people are taking notice, and it’s good to see. There was always a frustration toward this team. There was a feeling of, ‘I hope we’re better but…’ Now I hope people have some hope, that people have something to look forward to.’

It seems like the fans have responded. SU Athletics is expecting more than 40,000 people at the Dome Saturday for the first time since Sept. 13, 2008, when the building was filled with a large contingent of Penn State fans. Before that, the last time SU had an attendance of more than 40,000 was Aug. 31, 2007 against Washington.

‘We’re going to have a full Dome out there. I can’t wait to get up there and wave my arms and get the crowd going,’ said Art Jones, senior defensive tackle. ‘I feed off of that. I can’t wait. It’s been a long offseason and a long summer, and we’re tired of beating up on each other.’

But the hype and excitement can only go so far. When Robinson took over as head coach before the 2005 season, there were similar grand expectations and buildup leading to his first game. There were 45,418 fans in the Carrier Dome on Sept. 4 for the first contest of Robinson’s tenure. The Orange lost, 15-7, to West Virginia, setting the tone for the worst stretch in program history.

Marrone said in his weekly press conference Monday that Saturday is simply another game – not more important than any other. Still, for a disgruntled fan base and student body, it could mean so much more.

That’s why the players are viewing the contest against Minnesota as a chance to prove themselves. Despite the palpable feelings of goodwill, there is still an air of skepticism surrounding the program. At least until the Orange collect a few wins.

‘It’s a tremendous opportunity,’ Paulus said. ‘I think that’s the way we’re looking at it. With coach Marrone’s first game, and all the great things he’s done at Syracuse since he’s gotten that job, I know the team is anxious about it. We want to show some of the things that we’ve been working on. We’ve been working hard, and playing against a different opponent will let us see where we’re at.’

It will also let everyone see where Paulus is at. The Orange’s starting quarterback hasn’t played in a meaningful football game in nearly five years, when he led Christian Brothers Academy to a state championship in the Carrier Dome. Paulus said he has tried not to think about the magnitude of the moment and is focused on the game plan and Minnesota’s defense.

Yet with such a large crowd, Paulus will almost certainly be feeling butterflies. With that in mind, his teammates on offense are hoping to jump out to a quick start, calm Paulus’ nerves and keep the crowd in the game.

‘It’s very important to us,’ tailback Delone Carter said of the first drive. ‘We’re trying to come out here and shock the world early, get out to an early lead and show you how potent we can be on offense.’

On Saturday, Syracuse will finally be able to showcase how much it has improved. The words and promises were enough this summer, but now it’s about what happens on the field.

Marrone is not concerned about the past. As far as he’s concerned, the last four years have been washed away. This weekend, the next period of Syracuse football begins.

‘The team only has one goal and that’s to get to a bowl,’ Marrone said. ‘That’s our goal.’

jediamon@syr.edu

 

Published on September 2, 2009 at 12:00 pm