It took Syracuse Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel a little longer than usual to ponder the answer.

‘Paul Pasqualoni said he will be ‘more involved’ in football operations this year,’ Crouthamel was asked. ‘What does ‘more involved’ mean?’

He paused. ‘It means…,’ Crouthamel started, like he was trying to dance around a plot of landmines. ‘It means Paul will be…Involved. More. That’s the best answer I can give.’

It’s been two seasons since the Syracuse Orange football team has captured a winning season and a bowl berth. This off-season, Pasqualoni almost paid for it with his job. Instead, Crouthamel and the football staff promised changes: more responsibility, different job assignments and, perhaps, more accountability from the head coach.

But it seems, much like Crouthamel’s answer, the change is minimal.

‘The head coach will be responsible for everything that’s done offensively, defensively, from a special teams standpoint,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘That’s the way it’s been. That’s the way it’s always been.’

Though no members of the Syracuse coaching staff lost their jobs last season, in which the Orange went 6-6 and failed to make a bowl game, some responsibilities have been shuffled.

* George DeLeone was relieved of his duties as offensive coordinator but retained his job as offensive line coach and associate head coach. He will still relay plays to Pasqualoni from the control booth. * Steve Dunlap was named the defensive coordinator, replacing Chris Rippon. * R. Todd Littlejohn will be one of two secondary unit coaches. * Jim Reid was hired from Richmond as the defensive line coach, replacing the departed Jerry Azzinaro, who took a coaching job at Duke. * Rippon was also named special teams coordinator, replacing Chris White. * White was named the recruiting coordinator and will retain his job as tight ends coach.

‘The fact that we have the same people is encouraging,’ Crouthamel said. ‘The continuity is certainly going to help.’

DeLeone said the coaches were still adjusting to their new roles. But, he said, everyone would feel comfortable after all the preseason scrimmages were over. ‘It’s an excellent natural progression,’ he said.

This is not the first season in which Pasqualoni has taken a larger role. He said there have been seasons where he has scripted every play. There have been years he’s worked almost exclusively with the offense, and years when he’s given greater emphasis to defense or special teams.

Pasqualoni said he would be more involved in weekly preparation, not just gameday operations, which involve approving or nixing a play call. He also said his staff will be heavily consulted. But that has not changed from previous years.

‘I want an atmosphere where everyone’s contributing,’ Pasqualoni said, ‘where everyone has some responsibility. Whether you’re in football or business, you’d like to think that everyone takes a little ownership. That’s the way we work it.’

When asked about Pasqualoni’s job security, Crouthamel said he would continue to rate his performance by four criteria: 1) finishing in the top three of the Big East; 2) finishing among the Top 25 annually; 3) frequent bowl participation, including the Bowl Championship Series; and 4) a high graduation rate.

Crouthamel said Pasqualoni met the fourth criterion. ‘But I don’t take the criteria for one year and say, ‘OK, you failed. You’re done.’ ‘

He said Pasqualoni’s performance would be measured annually, but one or two bad seasons, stacked up against his career track record, wouldn’t merit a dismissal.

‘We’re not happy with the number of wins in the last two years,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘Our expectations are much higher.’

Published on September 1, 2004 at 12:00 pm