Adrian Autry talks reaching March Madness, offseason changes at SU media day
Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry discussed the potential of his team, which features five freshmen and six transfers, at his season-opening press conference. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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Syracuse made history in its second season under head coach Adrian Autry. However, not the kind to brag about. The Orange tallied their worst win percentage since the late 1960s and missed the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
In hopes of revamping SU, Autry and his staff inserted a new cast of characters. Only J.J. Starling and Donnie Freeman return from a season ago, and the Orange inserted the No. 17 recruiting class in the country.
“This is a new season, new team. That’s what it is. And everything that’s in the past is in the past,” Autry said Wednesday.
Here are some takeaways from Autry’s preseason press conference ahead of his third season:
Reaching March
Spilled throughout the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center is the phrase “The Orange Standard.” Whether on a t-shirt or even on the wall behind Autry’s desk, the mantra represents all the program has accomplished in the past and hopes to accomplish in the present. Autry is aiming for the consistency of his predecessor in the legendary Jim Boeheim.
“I want to make the tournament every year. I’m not here just to be mediocre,” Autry said.
“I think that’s what this community expects. I expect it,” he added. “So not shying away from that. That’s what I want, too. We want to be able to play meaningful games. We want to make deep March runs and try to win one. That’s the goal. That’s always the goal.”
SU’s four-year NCAA Tournament drought is its longest since a six-year stretch from the 1966-67 season to the 1971-72 season. Boeheim never missed the tournament more than two consecutive years through his 47-year career.
Syracuse’s schedule features multiple nonconference games against teams outside KenPom’s top 200. It also features Quad 1 opponents like Houston, Kansas and possibly Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The balance will give the Orange more opportunity to build their resume before conference play.
“The game has changed. That’s why it’s so hard to make the tournament. Because of the numbers and how everything kind of shifts,” Autry said.
Roster building
Once Starling and Freeman decided to return to the Orange, Autry made the duo part of the recruiting process. Syracuse had a flurry of spots to fill through the transfer portal, and both Starling and Freeman reached out directly to the players the coaching staff chased. The process resulted in SU bringing in six transfers and depth Autry could’ve only dreamed of a year ago.
“Our ninth, 10th, 11th man this year is going to be someone that could probably be our sixth, fifth or fourth man,” Autry said. “That’s the type of talent that we have on the team this year.”
Autry’s vision for the Orange stems around versatility, depth and pace: three attributes they lacked last year. With no versatility, SU’s defense allowed 77.8 points per game — the second most in the conference. A lack of depth made the Orange one dimensional once Starling and Freeman went down with injuries. Syracuse’s pace hampered any source of momentum.
To build pace over the offseason, Autry said the group got to work in July on developing their speed both on and off the court. The Orange built versatility through the additions of 6-foot-9 freshman Sadiq White, 6-foot-8 Cincinnati transfer Tyler Betsey, 6-foot-9 forward William Kyle III and more. Autry said he wants to change the center position, using it like a quarterback. He hopes his center can move and direct offense, while still protecting the rim.
The team got bigger overall, which was key to Autry’s offseason plan. It also became quicker, which he thinks will fix defensive woes.
“Offensively, even with last year’s struggles, we still scored enough points. We just couldn’t stop anybody,” Autry said.
SU begins the season with scrimmages against Buffalo and Pace. Autry’s looking to test his roster’s depth to find which lineups work and don’t. He sees depth as a reason why the Orange will reach the level of play he envisions.
Autry’s second year didn’t go as planned. Instead of building off a 20-win season, Syracuse won just 14 games. A victory over Florida State in the ACC Tournament showed growth, but it was far too late.
The Orange attacked the offseason, knowing they had improvements to make if they wanted to be competitive in the ACC. Another noncompetitive season could result in Autry’s future with the program being in limbo. He now seems to have the pieces to build Syracuse into the product he desires.
“We look to really compete on every possession this year, on the defensive end and offensively, looking to move the ball and share the ball and just play with a lot of passion and joy,” Autry said. “We’re excited. This group has really put the work in and responded. So we’re looking forward to the season.”
