The Upside | Syracusefan.com

The Upside

SWC75

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- After the 0-2 start and some games in recent years vs. FCS teams that were a lot closer than they should have been, (41-24, 21-14, 28-17), it was nice to win a game by one of those score you read about in the paper. When you are confronted with a bug, step on it. Despite some early frustration, it turned out to be a nice, relaxing afternoon in the Dome. And we needed one.


- Years ago, Bud Poliquin commented on the battle for the SU quarterback position between Wendall Lowery, Warren Prisby, Bill Scharr, Mark McDonald…and Marvin Graves.. by saying that “In life there is Gladys Knight. And then there are the Pips.” He suggested that Marvin was Gladys Knight and the rest of them were Pips. After today’s game, there can be little question about who is 2013’s Gladys and who are the Pips. The coaching staff had planned to alternate Drew Allen and Terrell Hunt but after Allent failed to gain a first down in three possessions, Hunt came in and directed the team to five touchdowns in his first five possessions, (which, with his late drive vs. Northwestern, made it six in a row),so they stuck with Hunt. Allen later came in in mop-up duty but…. Habemus Quarterbackum!


- Hunt wound up 15 for 18 for 265 yards and 3 TDs with no interceptions. A sideline pass to Jarrod West was actually complete because it was underthrown and a long TD pass to Clark probably had too flat a trajectory but other than that Hunt showed both an arm and accuracy. He looked over the whole field before throwing, (Allen continues to stare at his #1 guy and inevitably throws it there). Hunt’s running threat is not only a weapon in itself, (he had 22 yards in 3 carries and showed both moves and power), but it keeps the defense honest and opens up the passing. He also is a vocal and commanding presence out there. He can turn a weakness into a strength for us.


- Hunt was helped out by the fact that once he came in, we had a commitment to the running game. That’s where our strength clearly lies and we were more powerful up from than this team so that was the right approach in this game. It also set up Hunt’s passing. With Allen in there, we become purely a passing team with the coaches expecting him to pick apart the defense with his passes. But he isn’t doing that so it’s not working. The offense works better with Terrell in there and we’re going to see more and more of that as the season goes on.


- Scott Shafer likes to take a picture of the end of each play and count the orange helmets. This is what those pictures looked like today:
1284000256mediumthumbnail.jpg


- Our defense was just too strong and fast for the Seahawks and just crushed their offense like a soda can. We outgained this team 595-87. We had 27 first downs to 5. They were 2 for 14 on third down. We were +3 in turnovers. Not only did we not let them get off the runway, we didn’t let them off the tarmac.


- It’s a pleasure to see Ritchie Desir return punts after a decade of fair catches. Ritchie sees each punt as an opportunity to make a big play. He’s sure-handed when he has to call for a fair catch but he takes advantage of the opportunities in front of him. He didn’t have big numbers, 4 returns for 12 yards), but he had a fairly long one called back because of a clip.


- Riley Dixon averaged a Rob Long-like 43 yards on four punts.


- After having 7 turnovers in the first two games we had none in this one. We were -3 in turnover ratio but are now even.


- We got to play everybody, (almost). It’s a good thing to air out the roster from time to time.


1-2 with 9 (or 10) to do


LET’S GO ORANGE!
 
Nice quick assessment. Agree on Hunt, his mobility add new depth (or rather, the depth we should have had) to the offense and his cool head after the snap are an improvement.
 
As for the bama/a&m I never thought twice about it, I was going to the Dome.

I loved the fact that they pitched a shutout.

Desir not only is a decent runner but he has a lot of football sense as well back there.

It was a wonderful sight watching the offense click like that. I know the opponent wasn't top flight but you still have to execute and once they got rolling it just looked like they were having fun out there.

Happy/sad for Mr. West, a death in the family is tough and losing a grandparent is hard and I'll bet there was no one in heaven prouder than that man!
 
The ESPN3 analyst who did the game (who appeared to be a retired college coach) commented on Allen's tendency to lock onto a receiver.
 
So... Every measurable a QB could want except quick decision making?

Wouldn't it be easy to teach him to look off the intended receiver?
 
I don't know if it's upside or a downside but a game like this makes the posters that haven't been here in a while rise like zombies.
 
- He looked over the whole field before throwing, (Allen continues to stare at his #1 guy and inevitably throws it there).
- Hunt was helped out by the fact that once he came in, we had a commitment to the running game. That’s where our strength clearly lies and we were more powerful up from than this team so that was the right approach in this game. It also set up Hunt’s passing.
LET’S GO ORANGE!

This. I also felt that the play calling when Allen was QB was a little stale, and maybe that is due to him not being as mobile. I felt bad for the guy though, nobody talks to him much on the sidelines, and he stands by himself most of the time. I guess that is only natural when you transfer late in your career.
 

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