In an otherwise ordinary news conference on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday in November, an embattled Greg Robinson pounded on the lectern in front of him and made an announcement – a plea, even – to reporters and fans who questioned whether Robinson was the right man to coach Syracuse football.

‘Wherever I’ve been as a coach, they’ve always said I was a great recruiter,’ he said at the time. It was similar to Rudy Giuliani saying ‘Wait ’til Florida.’ We saw how that worked out.

Yesterday, in the same place where Robinson made his November address, he returned with a different look on his face. This time, the look was less ‘Give me time’ and more ‘I told you so.’ Robinson proved he could recruit, announcing a Signing Day haul of 27 players, highlighted by two in-state players who arrive with the ratings of the finest recruits Robinson has brought to Syracuse. He won his Florida, so to speak.

For that much, Robinson deserves credit. He’s taken his share of criticism during the past few months – with these pages as one of the primary culprits – and it’s only fair to recognize when he lives up to his billing.

What makes it even more impressive was he did this after a 2-10 season.

‘Were we 2-10?’ Robinson asked. ‘I can’t remember back. …To me, it is ancient history.’

Yet ‘ancient history’ serves as a lesson for Syracuse. It says something of Robinson’s recruiting ability, considering the quality and depth after such a disappointing season. But it also says something that the Orange was even in that position in Robinson’s third year on the job. Throughout the trying final weeks of the season, the message from those around the program – Robinson and Director of Athletics Daryl Gross included – was patience. Wait until this class comes in. Let his past recruiting classes develop.

And now, with Signing Day the unofficial start of the 2008 season, Robinson’s two paths diverge. His recruiting has carried him this far. His coaching will have to do the rest.

There is no disguising the fact good recruiting is a good way to appear like a good coach. But a look around the college football unemployment line will show worthy recruiters who could not cut it as a head coach, or at least not in the time the administration allowed.

Whatever the appeal for the members of this year’s class to sign, whether it was instant playing time or inroads made by the coaching staff during the past three years, Robinson’s recruiting has no doubt worked.

The three recruits who enrolled in the spring semester – Averin Collier, Van Chew and Mikhail Marinovich – all said the 2007 record didn’t affect SU’s status, nor did it affect the recruits’ perception. Austin Wallis, a technical 2008 recruit who greyshirted the 2007 season, never reconsidered his decision to come to Syracuse during the struggles.

‘You can’t look where a team is now,’ Collier said. ‘You got to look at where the team is going in the future. I’m not there during the (2-10) season. I don’t want to be a part of that. I want to be there during the 2008 season because I want to make a change.’

Most of the players had other options at high-profile schools with more recent success than Syracuse. Collier could have picked Clemson or Alabama. Chew, who committed for last season but needed to get his academics in order, considered Virginia and Virginia Tech. Marinovich spurned Miami (Fla.).

In all three cases, they remarked how joining something on the bottom had some appeal. And in separate ways, they all mentioned Robinson.

‘We don’t talk a whole lot different than what we did our first year,’ Robinson said. ‘It’s really what our intent is and what we are looking for. It isn’t just a pitch – I really think it’s what we have (at Syracuse).’

Robinson mentioned how last year he pitched five players on the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. This year, Robinson mentioned they can discuss Art Monk’s Hall of Fame induction and Tom Coughlin and David Tyree’s Super Bowl heroics. But those are all peripheral pitches. What is working – and has worked – is simply Robinson being Robinson.

‘A lot of coaches, when you go out there – go to Miami, go to Pittsburgh – they put on their Sunday’s best and say we’ll do this and that,’ Marinovich said. ‘But you get more of a genuine feeling here. What they tell is what they’ve always done.’

Hopefully, that doesn’t mean losing to Rutgers.

Yet recruiting is at least one area in which Robinson has proved as effective as advertised. The players who have pledged under him have sworn their loyalty. Even when losses piled and frustration mounted, one of the constants from Syracuse’s young players was a steadfast allegiance to Robinson.

That’s important because they will have a role in whether Robinson remains at Syracuse throughout their careers. Keeping his job is no longer about what Robinson can do in February. It’s about winning in September, October and November – and if he’s really going to keep his job, winning in December or January, too.

Zach Berman is the featured sports columnist for The Daily Orange, where his column appears weekly. E-mail him at [email protected].

Published on February 6, 2008 at 12:00 pm