PS: Can Syracuse football running game break out in Year 3 under Babers? (RBs preview)

[money3189]

In terms of points allowed, the better defensive efforts were the three October games and the Nov 4 game ( 24, 24, 27, 27), and then the deluge in the final 3. By that time, we were without Dungey, playing a lot of second unit guys in the secondary, and the defense was worn down generally. Frankly, Wake and BC were tougher and better than the guys we had on the field. To pin point the cause -- lack of depth.

Is that fixed? Maybe on the DL. In the LB unit and the secondary, a lot depends on Babers' recruits being as good as advertised and working into the second unit.

facts.

 

[money3189]

Im not sure how many knows how limited Babers was the last two years offensively. He had to tweek a lot of things to get production out of a young O line and backfield. We stuggled in the redzone a lot because of that. Dungey had injuries and he still was learning the offense. Im not saying Babers is gonna put up 45 points a game but this year we will see what the offense can truly be. I think we will mildly improve on defense because of increased size, strength and depth.

 

[Chip]

100%.

No Dungey, no rangy safety, hurt LB's.

I think the DL injuries and breakdown was the biggest of the problems.

Need to be able to rotate 8-10 this year early and often.

As for the run game struggles, that OL wasn't going to be built overnight. This should be the best we've seen since 2012. I hope it translates and we're not just spending the year drooling for the Abdul Adams era to begin.

 

[upperdeck]

It would be nice to see 5-10 nice holes a game instead of 2-3.

 

[Ish88888]

Experienced OL, Experienced dynamic QB, potential star TE.


The only thing I can imagine that may limit our running game is the initial inexperience and unlikely inability of our WR’s to create a deep or over middle threat.

Strickland and Moe have the ability. I’d like to see them and Pierre extensively used and Howard given the ability to shirt.

I love the direction of our OL but don't think RP is a significant run blocker. He will catch passes in space, but he doesnt have the size to playin the box IMHO. Hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Ish88888]

The run game has to be better this year period. An O line with a large amount of upperclassmen and a ton of experience and two RBs who each have 3 years in the system. I know theres major question marks at WR but the Running game needs to be a strength this year or at least not a weakness.

In the end, we still need the wrs to step up and pass the ball first. Modern day fb, including the pros has reversed the norm of strategy and thinking. Teams pass the ball to make players bail from the box and that's when running opportunities open up. Its a different ball game.

 

[Trueblue25]

I love the direction of our OL but don't think RP is a significant run blocker. He will catch passes in space, but he doesnt have the size to playin the box IMHO. Hope he proves me wrong.

He’s laid some mean blocks, but regardless hes their to catch passes and draw defenders. Hackett and Horan can block

 

[Ish88888]

He’s laid some mean blocks, but regardless hes their to catch passes and draw defenders. Hackett and Horan can block

Good point, hopefully we are running after establishing him as a reciever and the play action game ignites!

 

[Chip]

Bailey is doing a good job on these. Looking forward to the next one.

 

[Oakland]

Can the running break out - yes it can. I expect it to be much better.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

The running game MVP this fall is going to be Mike Cavanaugh.

The Mystery Man? Oh wait, sorry, wrong thread, and wrong Cavanaugh.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

If you look at the Baylor system that this one is based off of, they made a HUGE jump in scoring output in year 3. Year 2 is kind of an aberration for them though, because RG III was injured early in year 2. They average 28, then 20, then 31.2

SU has gone from 26 to 28 in its first two years under Babers. In Baylor's 4th year under Briles it went from 31 to 45. So in two years that team upped their scoring by 25 ppg. That's huge.

I don't expect to jump that high, but if Dungey stays healthy, and the O-Line is as good as advertised, I could certainly see this team averaging in the 31-34 ppg range.

 

[sufandu]

If you look at the Baylor system that this one is based off of, they made a HUGE jump in scoring output in year 3. Year 2 is kind of an aberration for them though, because RG III was injured early in year 2. They average 28, then 20, then 31.2

SU has gone from 26 to 28 in its first two years under Babers. In Baylor's 4th year under Briles it went from 31 to 45. So in two years that team upped their scoring by 25 ppg. That's huge.

I don't expect to jump that high, but if Dungey stays healthy, and the O-Line is as good as advertised, I could certainly see this team averaging in the 31-34 ppg range.

With regards to time table, this comparison probably makes more sense than the two year comparisons we were using based on Dino's previous two stops.

 

[TheCusian]

Why unlikely? I think the WR core is the biggest red flag going into camp. I remember the later Pasqualoni years where the run game was squashed by 8 and 9 man fronts who knew we couldn't throw over them.

Because

-Dino has never had bad WR corp
-Tempo in practice means more reps which means cream rises to the top and then gets a ton of chances to get better
-Dino would absolutely love to see a 9 man front; he’d figure it out