Scott Shafer stepped up to the podium at 6:03 p.m. and began his opening statement about Syracuse’s upcoming game with North Carolina State.

His weekly Thursday press conference in Manley Field House’s Iocolano-Petty Football Wing auditorium had been rescheduled from its usual 10 a.m. start time because he had to travel to Chicago and back for a hearing regarding the NCAA’s investigation of Syracuse’s football and basketball programs.

As Shafer summed up his opening remarks about Saturday’s game, he addressed the elephant in the room before it could be addressed to him.

“With regards to today, I know you guys probably have questions,” Shafer said, “I’m not going to talk about the NCAA matters other than to say that I had a good trip out there earlier this morning, got back for meetings and practice today and I feel great about our situation. I feel great about my time here at Syracuse and we’ll just let that process take care of itself and focus on this N.C. State game.”

A couple of minutes after the press conference began, Shafer was asked to comment on which time period in SU’s football program the NCAA is investigating. Shafer declined and reiterated that he wouldn’t discuss it.

The first question Shafer fielded was about how much harder the trip to Chicago made his job as a head coach.

“It doesn’t. Fortunately or unfortunately, as Missy knows, we in college football are used to that kind of day,” Shafer said, referring to his wife, who was in attendance of the press conference. “Getting up early in the wee hours of the morning, jumping on an airplane, running around chasing 18-year-old kids and hustling back and coaching football.

“… For me, it just felt like a quick recruiting trip, except once I got there, I didn’t have to work at all. I just got to be a spectator and watch and listen.”

Shafer also said he simply worked harder earlier in the week to prepare for N.C. State in anticipation of having to leave.

“To be quite honest with you, my preparation for the game is probably the most overrated on the staff,” Shafer said. “The guys that really do the work are my coordinators and my assistant coaches, the young coaches and more importantly, the kids.

“I just try to manage things and I’m sure they were glad that I was out of the office,” Shafer said, prompting a bit of laughter from his audience, “for a few hours this morning.”

Published on October 30, 2014 at 7:10 pm

Contact Phil: pmdabbra@syr.edu | @PhilDAbb