Nov. 25 1:35 a.m. – Greg Robinson started the 2007 season’s final postgame press conference – one that followed a 52-31 loss to Cincinnati and left the Orange with a 2-10 record – with some praise for his team going down fighting, and an acknowledgement that ‘a lot of things still need to be fixed.’

Whether Robinson will be at Syracuse next season to mend those problems remained an issue the head coach avoided discussing.

‘Getting into that stuff right now is all pretty nebulous,’ said Robinson, who finishes his third year at Syracuse with a 7-28 record and a 2-19 mark overall against Big East opponents.

In possibly his last hurrah as the SU head coach, Robinson might take solace in his offense finishing the season with an impressive bang in the Carrier Dome on Saturday before an announced 30,040 fans – the lowest total for a home game since 1986. But the defense’s inability to stop anything No. 24 Cincinnati threw at the Orange canceled out what the offense displayed.

Director of Athletics Daryl Gross refused comment through a Syracuse athletics spokeswoman after the game regarding Robinson’s job status. Gross walked into Robinson’s press conference minutes after it began and left the room immediately when Robinson finished.

Gross has previously stated he will evaluate the state of the program at the conclusion of the season and then announce his decision whether to keep Robinson or not at an undecided time, likely early this coming week.

‘I’m not worried about my job,’ Robinson said. ‘I’m never worried about my job. I just work every day. Go to work every day. Do the very best I can do. Do the very best I can control.’

The problems that have plagued the program throughout Robinson’s tenure highlighted the worst aspects of the 21-point loss to Cincinnati. Robinson witnessed the Bearcats sack Syracuse quarterback Andrew Robinson 11 times. With sacks factoring into rush yards on the NCAA level, Syracuse finished with minus-15 total yards running the ball. On defense, Greg Robinson watched his squad give up 40-plus points for the fifth time this season.

While Andrew Robinson passed for his second 400-yard game of the season, the statistics that seemed more consistent with the rest of the season were numbers that hampered the Orange all year.

Syracuse ranks near last of the 119 Division I-A teams in categories like sacks allowed (54), points allowed per game (34.8) and rushing offense (62.8 yards per game).

The defense’s atrocious performance might appear too much to overlook. Greg Robinson, a former defensive coordinator in several of his 33 years as an assistant coach, looked on as the SU defense gave up 544 total yards.

But trailing 35-31 midway through the third quarter, Syracuse had the ball and still a chance to give Robinson a statement victory. However, Andrew Robinson was blindsided by linebacker Corey Smith. Angelo Craig scooped up the subsequent fumble, returning it 16 yards for the backbreaking touchdown.

‘That was obviously a game-changing play,’ Andrew Robinson said. ‘We were right in the game and that kind of distanced them and put them out in front a little bit. I have to do a better job of holding onto the ball with pressure coming from the back.’

From the way the contest started out, it looked like Greg Robinson’s third season would end in a nightmare. Syracuse fell behind 14-0 less than five minutes into the game. The Bearcats scored its first touchdown while converting a 3rd-and-17.

But Andrew Robinson found his rhythm with receivers Mike Williams and Taj Smith. The sophomore Williams tied the record most receptions in a SU season, while extending his school record streak of nine consecutive games with a touchdown catch.

The Bearcats offense never let up. Quarterback Ben Mauk threw for 416 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another as the Orange lost its eighth game this season by three or more touchdowns.

Players stood by the head coach and the rest of the staff when asked about the criticisms Robinson and his assistants have endured. Season-ending injuries to two starting running backs and a roster filled with inexperience could merit Robinson a do-or-die fourth season.

‘It’s definitely unfair,’ said Joe Fields, a senior defensive back. ‘Guys have got to be accounted for the actions. But Coach Robinson – it all comes on somebody, and it seems it all comes on him.’

When asked to sum up his thoughts on the season, Robinson stated he was not ready to answer that question.

‘I haven’t got all figured out yet,’ Robinson said. ‘I really don’t. The bottom line is we’re 2-10. That’s the bottom line. The rest of it is you evaluate it you go through it all. And you try to figure out what is it? What do we have to do to improve? And I’m not ready to assess all that right now.’

Published on November 24, 2007 at 12:00 pm