Once-proud 'Cuse might be ready to put Robinson on express out of town

It must be getting strange at Syracuse when an actor has his say about the state of the program.

Jim Brown is not just an actor, of course, but when he pronounces sentence on your football team, you tend to listen.

It's been one big headache for Robinson at Syracuse. (AP)

"Oh, it's terrible," Brown told me. "I like the coach as a person but I think they're going to have to make a move. You can't let the program go so low."

Yes, that Jim Brown, Syracuse class of 1957, veteran of football, film and politics -- a citizen of the world, really, speaking about Orange coach Greg Robinson. Brown was in town last week for the premiere of The Express, a biopic about Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Robinson was in town, for now, coaching his 39th game for Syracuse against Penn State, a 55-13 loss.

Whether Syracuse wants him on the sideline much longer is one of the more pressing questions of this young season. Robinson is one of at least two major-college coaches who look like they might not make it to the end of the season -- maybe not to the end of the week. Washington's Tyrone Willingham, also 0-3, is the other.

You can cut the tension with a butter knife. It's uncomfortable for everyone -- recruits, coaches, players, media and former superstars.

"I don't know how it got so low," Brown said. "That's a mystery. It got terrible. It should never be the way it is now. It's sad."

Watching coaches dangle at the end of a rope of speculation is one of the saddest sights in the sport. Ask Ron Zook. His time at Florida was over after an inexcusable loss to Mississippi State in 2004. Zook soldiered on for the final four regular-season games that year. Coaches are forced to grit their teeth and give their all to a job at which they failed. Players' loyalties are divided, their futures in question.

Syracuse, along with Washington, might soon be in that spot. There are increasing rumblings that Robinson might not make it through the season, especially if he doesn't beat I-AA Northeastern this week. Unless Syracuse somehow goes to a bowl, AD Daryl Gross seemingly has to do something.

• The Big East isn't exactly the SEC. And still Robinson has won only two of 21 conference games.

• Of Robinson's seven victories at Syracuse, only three have come against BCS conference opponents.

Robinson keeps talking about the youth of his team. Thirteen true freshmen and redshirt freshmen have played this season. At one point Saturday, there were three true freshmen on offense going against Penn State. It's a matter of perception. Robinson is losing with kids. Southern California's Pete Carroll proudly advertises that he wins with them -- 84 true freshmen have played since he arrived in 2001.

There are injuries. Everyone has injuries. This is The 'Cuse, the program that gave us Floyd Little, Art Monk, Donovan McNabb, Davis and Brown. Robinson was hired because of his defensive prowess. Syracuse's D has ranked no better than No. 57 nationally since he arrived. It is currently 115th out of 120 I-A teams.