Syracuse head coach Dino Babers addressed his team at the start of practice on Friday morning, the first day of the Orange’s two-a-days. He gathered SU and talked about giving full effort for two-a-days and catching up to other teams in the conference.

Syracuse.com has published the full video.

After practice, Babers explained that he wanted his team to know it can’t waste time.

“Just to make sure that we take advantage of every opportunity, that we don’t waste a single minute,” Babers said of his speech. “We don’t have a minute to waste. We’ve only been together for what, 15 plus 10, 25 practices. We can’t waste an opportunity, that’s all.”

Here’s a transcript of Babers’ speech.

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“This is the first day … This is what’s going through my mind. Guys are thinking, ‘I’ve got two practices today. I’ve got to save something for the second practice.’ If it’s not in your mind, you’re going to go through practice thinking, ‘I’ve got to pull back because I’ve got another practice today.’ I can’t let you do that.

“We’re behind. As a family, we’re behind the other teams in the conference. But these are the days that we catch up. These are the days that we run them down. There’s coaches that are starting two-a-days and they’re cruising. They’re not coaching both practices. They’re coaching one. There are players that are really good that are cruising. They’re not going to practice twice today. They’re going to practice once.

“I’m so tired of this, ‘It’s a grind bullsh*t.’ It’s not a grind. Let those other son of a b*tches say it’s a grind.

“What is it?” (Indiscernible response from the team) “Let’s find out where in the hell we’re at. Let’s find out if his ass is any good (pointing at assistant athletics director for athletic performance Sean Edinger). He ran your ass the whole damn summer. He said if you did exactly what he told you to do that you’d be able to run this offense and run this defense and run this special teams and get through these practices … Did he not say that?” (Team responds, ‘Yes sir.’) “Let’s find out where he’s at. Let’s have faith — belief without evidence — that he knows exactly what in the hell he’s talking about. I need you guys to go today. I need you to G-O, G-O, G-O. Drop the damn E. No freaking ego. Drop it and G-O. I got to tell you now because if it’s after practice and it’s not right. We lost one. We don’t have none to lose.

“Coaches, you guys are no damn different. I need all of you today. Both halves. First half. Second half. Championship. Championship staff. The core of these guys have been together four years. Four conference championships, 210 different athletes. Four conference championships. Three total championships. Two hundred ten different cats. Two different equipment guys, two different trainers, two different doctors, two different administrations. Championship. Championship. You’re good, I know you were in the bathroom, Jon (Burton). You’re good.

“Give me your eye. Have faith. Believe in what the hell they’re telling you and let’s G-O. You guys feel me? ( Team responds “Yes, sir.”)

“…Where’s Omari (Palmer)? (Raises hand) Omari, I want to say something about you. I remember the spring. Omari, tempo, tempo, on the line, get set. Omari’s last. On the line, get set — this in the spring. Omari’s last. We had the one play on 4th-and-1, he was last. He’s good ever since. Here’s my point: He’s taking his cruise meter off — he’s starting to believe. We need you guys to take that sh*t off. Go as hard as you can. If you fall down, (head athletic trainer Denny Kellington) will help you. Brad (Kimble, Syracuse’s assistant athletic trainer) will help you and we’ll get somebody in there. Not in a negative way, but we need to be fast and get a fresh guy in there for tempo.

“When you run the quarter, quarter mile — and I know some of you O-lineman (indiscernable) — when you run the quarter, you start off fast and go slow at the end, you’re gassed. You go slow at the beginning and go fast at the end, you’re gassed. If you run fast all the way around, you’re gassed. And I got news for you. If you go through the whole way around, your ass is still gassed. You can’t get around it. Your ass is going to be gassed. Go like this for one week of practice. G-O. This is our first half vs. Colgate.

“If we practice like champions, we got a chance to be 6-0. Why not? Why not? If we cruise, we could be 1-5. Wish in one hand. Wish we were strong. Wish we were better conditioned. Wish we took care of our bodies. Wish in one hand. Sh*t in the other. … Stop all the wishing today. Get this sh*t done.”

Published on August 12, 2016 at 9:23 am