Could the solution to Syracuse’s woes be a two-hour drive away?

Adrian Autry eased the pressure he is facing a bit on Tuesday, as SU knocked off Georgia Tech on the road. It wasn’t as comfortable as the 10-point differential would imply, as Syracuse nearly blew a 20-point second half lead. SU improved to 1-1 in ACC action following a home loss to Clemson to kick off conference play.

There is a lot of season left. A final decision has not been made on Autry’s future yet, but he is definitely treading on thin ice. The ACC as a whole seems to have bounced back this season, setting the stage for a tough two months ahead. After losing to Hofstra earlier in December, Autry is running out of good will, fast.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for Autry to be fired. He has done a really nice job building this roster, the most talented one that Syracuse has had in close to a decade.

Autry has struggled with scheme

Unfortunately, his shortcomings are schematic. The offense lacks an identity and Autry struggles with in-game adjustments. He brings a lot to the program, but I have to wonder if he would not be better suited to be a general manager or director of basketball operations.

If the Orange decide to move on at the end of the season, replacing Autry should be straightforward. It would probably just require a two-hour drive east on I-90 to Loudenville. There you will find former Syracuse basketball men’s star and assistant coach Gerry McNamara.

McNamara has led Siena to a 10-4 start in his second campaign at the helm. The Saints’ 9-2 start was the program’s best record through 11 games in 75 years. While a 24-22 record overall might not sound overly impressive, it is important to note that Sienna went 4-28 the year before McNamara took over.

Would McNamara be a better fit?

Fans have pointed to McNamara’s success this season and wondered if SU made the wrong decision in appointing Autry his successor over McNamara. While hindsight is 20-20, it might wind up working out better for the Orange that McNamara left for Siena. It’s not like the Siena coaching job would keep McNamara from returning. His jersey hangs in the rafters of the Dome. I can’t see him turning down the opportunity to return to the program as the head coach.

However, instead of being an inexperienced, first-time head coach, McNamara would arrive with two years of running a program in the NIL and transfer portal era under his belt. That experience is invaluable, even at a smaller school.

While the idea of bringing in McNamara is exciting, he won’t suddenly solve every problem facing the Orange. Siena is one of the slowest teams in the country in terms of pace of play. They also struggle to convert from beyond the arc.

However, they are better when it comes to shooting free throws. The talent disparity could certainly account for McNamara’s approach with his Saints squad. It would be fascinating to see what he could do with a better talent pool and improved resources.

Perhaps McNamara would have hit the ground running if he had been named Jim Boeheim’s successor three years ago. We will never know. However, his detour could wind up being a blessing in disguise. One day, the program will be ready to embrace a vision from someone other than Boeheim or one of his disciples, but until then, we await McNamara making his triumphant return to Central New York ready to reshape the program and lead it into the modern era of college basketball.

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