SWC75
Bored Historian
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- Aug 26, 2011
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- In the last four years, Syracuse is 14-18 in September and October and 1-14 in November. We just don’t have the depth to continue to compete through a 12 game schedule. We can’t replace injured people and even the guys who play are too hurt and exhausted to play at full capacity. I suspect that true of most FBS teams. Jim Brown’s teams played just 8 games. Later that became 9 and then 10 and then 11 and now 12, all so the schools could make more money. The pros play 16 games but they are pros and can spend all their time preparing for the games. Obviously, the NCAA isn’t going to reduce the number games, even though they should, (I always thought 10 was about right). So we’ve got to find a way to build up enough depth to stay strong throughout these seasons.
- After giving up 610 yards and 5TDs to Lamar Jackson last year, we held him to 381 yards and 4 scores this year. Of course, he had 342 of those yards and 3 of those scores at halftime: he stayed in the game last year because we moved the ball and scored 4TDs of our own. We were totally punchless today, so he could take the second half off.
- Malik Williams had a nice, easy day: 9 carries for 180 yards and 2 scores. Louisville averaged 9.8 yards per carry.
- The Cardinals flew by us for TDs of 46, 43, 33, 72, 34, 19, 56 and 29 yards. Out tackling in the open field was so lousy it can’t be described as tackling. We took so many bad angles and weak “stick out your arm” efforts you can’t even describe it as tackling. We were just chasing. A big problem is the loss of our safeties, particularly Cordy and Ellison. Those guys really know how to hit. I saw more fast breaks in the football game than the basketball game.
- Meanwhile, our offense plodded along. Zach Mahoney was 5 for 15 for 49 yards and three 2 interceptions. The Mahoney of the first half against Wake Forest has completely disappeared. Rex Culpepper replaced him and was 8 for 19 for 89 yards with two more picks. We ran the ball some but for 4.4 yards per carry, none of them more than 19 yards.
- The Cards, now that they are healthy again, have some exceptional defensive backs in Jaire Alexander, Trumaine Washington and Chucky Williams. They held our big weapons, Ismael and Phillips to a combined 4 catches for 42 yards and no scores. We were running a go cart in the Indy 500.
- It was, incredibly, our 7th straight game without a defensive turnover. We are now -10 on the season in this stat. That's an uphill climb to win a game.
- In every one of our five road games we threw an interception on our first possession and fell way behind: 3-21 at LSU, 7-26 at NC State, 3-13 at Miami, 7-21 at Florida State and, well, 3-56 in this game. That we made any of those games competitive is remarkable. That we made four of them competitive is a miracle. No miracles today.
- So the dreams of a bowl game have finally been euthanized, (apparently even the 5-7 formula won’t work for us this year). We lose the opportunity to get what Coach Mac called “bowl credibility” and also the 15 practices that would have come with it. Curse you, Middle Tennessee State!!!
- After giving up 610 yards and 5TDs to Lamar Jackson last year, we held him to 381 yards and 4 scores this year. Of course, he had 342 of those yards and 3 of those scores at halftime: he stayed in the game last year because we moved the ball and scored 4TDs of our own. We were totally punchless today, so he could take the second half off.
- Malik Williams had a nice, easy day: 9 carries for 180 yards and 2 scores. Louisville averaged 9.8 yards per carry.
- The Cardinals flew by us for TDs of 46, 43, 33, 72, 34, 19, 56 and 29 yards. Out tackling in the open field was so lousy it can’t be described as tackling. We took so many bad angles and weak “stick out your arm” efforts you can’t even describe it as tackling. We were just chasing. A big problem is the loss of our safeties, particularly Cordy and Ellison. Those guys really know how to hit. I saw more fast breaks in the football game than the basketball game.
- Meanwhile, our offense plodded along. Zach Mahoney was 5 for 15 for 49 yards and three 2 interceptions. The Mahoney of the first half against Wake Forest has completely disappeared. Rex Culpepper replaced him and was 8 for 19 for 89 yards with two more picks. We ran the ball some but for 4.4 yards per carry, none of them more than 19 yards.
- The Cards, now that they are healthy again, have some exceptional defensive backs in Jaire Alexander, Trumaine Washington and Chucky Williams. They held our big weapons, Ismael and Phillips to a combined 4 catches for 42 yards and no scores. We were running a go cart in the Indy 500.
- It was, incredibly, our 7th straight game without a defensive turnover. We are now -10 on the season in this stat. That's an uphill climb to win a game.
- In every one of our five road games we threw an interception on our first possession and fell way behind: 3-21 at LSU, 7-26 at NC State, 3-13 at Miami, 7-21 at Florida State and, well, 3-56 in this game. That we made any of those games competitive is remarkable. That we made four of them competitive is a miracle. No miracles today.
- So the dreams of a bowl game have finally been euthanized, (apparently even the 5-7 formula won’t work for us this year). We lose the opportunity to get what Coach Mac called “bowl credibility” and also the 15 practices that would have come with it. Curse you, Middle Tennessee State!!!
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