However, Syracuse has named Greg Paulus its starting quarterback. I’m beginning to think Marrone has a good feeling about his team if only because he could opt for a promising redshirt freshman and the future or a somewhat reliable senior and the present and instead went off the grid a little and picked a former ACC point guard.

Or he and I could both be wrong. I’ll say this, the Big East will be fun to follow this season and Syracuse gives us another reason why.

I know the immediate reaction: Woe is Syracuse. QB depth must be bad. Same old same old. Maybe that’s right.

When I say Marrone is feeling good about his team, I don’t mean contend-for-the-league-title good. I mean he has the potential to generate some excitement, publicity, positivity … basically things that haven’t been around since Paul Pasqualoni charmed us with option football, burly fullbacks, first-round picks and a mesmerizing combination of deep blue eyes and a furry brow.

… where was I? Oh, Paulus. Hey, Syracuse is topical now. There’s been more written about the Orange nationally, and in a not-insulting tone, no less, than there has been in quite some time. They kind of matter in the Big East, which is also a recent rarity, and their supporters are suddenly a little feisty. People will stop and look, either in person or on television. You can’t accurately estimate what this means to recruits, either. Here’s a coach and a school that gives kids a little freedom and a chance to be who they want to be … and remember, Syracuse was the “it” school for a few years for those football-basketball guys.

Is Syracuse going to be very good? Probably not. Could they win six games? I would think that’s attainable with a bunch of favorable breaks, including a red-hot Paulus. But the truth is a green Paulus isn’t very different from Ryan Nassib or Cam Dantley. Maybe the latter two are more prepared to win right now, but I’m not so sure the rest of the cast is. So what do they really have to lose? More football games?