***** NCAA Football Preview - Syracuse Orange *****

By Pat Taggart, Associate College Football Editor

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
2009 SEASON IN REVIEW: Make no mistake, Doug Marrone inherited a Syracuse
program that was in shambles in 2009. The previous regime drove a once-proud
program into the ground, and Marrone needed to instill discipline and a
positive attitude into the holdovers.

The Orange fought hard in the 2009 opener against Minnesota, but the result of
that tilt was a heart-breaking 23-20 overtime setback. That loss was followed
by a 21-point setback at Penn State in week two, and fans figured they were in
for yet another dismal campaign. To the credit of Marrone and the players,
they were able to post back-to-back victories to close out September, most
notably a three-point triumph over Northwestern. Clearly, however, Syracuse
wasn't much of a match for the better teams in the Big East. In fact, the lone
league victory came on November 21st against Rutgers, a result that surprised
most onlookers.

Marrone's first season yielded just four victories, but it is hard not to view
the campaign as a success, all things conside......