SWC75
Bored Historian
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- Aug 26, 2011
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- It made no sense, twice. A Syracuse team that turned out to be a lot worse than this one will be was down to our 5th string quarterback, Zach Mahoney and facing 8th ranked LSU in the Dome last September 26. Yet we gave the Tigers all they could ask for in a 24-34 loss that was not deceiving: we really did compete that well with them. But LSU was a one-dimensional team, easy to prepare for. Just meet them at the point of attack. When #1 ranked Clemson came into the Dome on November 14th, they had a multi-threat quarterback in DeShaun Watson and top talent everywhere you looked: we now had to cover the whole field. And, after more injuries we were again down to Mahoney at quarterback. But we lost only 27-37 in a game where it looked for a while that we might be able to pull off a monumental upset. It didn’t make any sense. But it happened- twice.
- And here’s something else that happened twice. On 10/23/11 an 11th ranked West Virginia came in here and got pounded 49-23. And a year later, on 11/10/12 and 11th ranked Louisville team came in here and got pounded 45-26. They were virtually the same game, with SU ignoring the rankings, going right after it’s foe, forcing them into the ropes and pummeling them until they crashed to the canvas, (or the football equivalent). We dominated those games from beginning to end. Louisville is currently ranked 13th.
- The way to defend multi-threat quarterbacks is to cover all their options and then close in on them, kind of like the battle of the Little Big Horn. We’ve bene lousy at that over the years. Before Shafer we played a sort of “head ‘em off at the pass” defense where we let the other team run the play and then sort of tried to get in their way. Then with Shafer, we became Custer, playing “meet at the quarterback” defense that sometimes resulted in big plays and sometimes resulted in disaster. What I saw last Friday was SU defense that keeps 8 guys back to cover everyone and everything, (even 6-4 receivers), then closes in, maintaining their lanes and makes clear, crisp “Hawk” tackles with plenty of defenders around the guy with the ball. That’s what we need against this team- and Notre Dame, Clemson and Florida State – and whoever we meet in the bowl game.
- The one area where we don’t need to apologize to anybody for what we put on the field is in the area of playmakers. Eric Dungey may not be as electrifying as Lamar Jackson but, ultimate, a quarterback’s job is to be a conduit for the ball from the center to the running backs and receivers who will actually gain the yards and he can do that as well as anybody. He has size, athleticism and a wonder touch of his passes, which are very accurate. He keeps his cool and finds way to make plays, even if they don’t’ win up on Sports Center. Dontae Strickland, Jordan Fredericks and Moe Neal are threats to go all the way if they see an opening. Erv Phillips, Brisley Estime and Sean Riley combine speed and moves and can tu8rn short plays into long ones. Amba Etta-Tawo is the equal of anyone Louisville has and Steve Ismael was supposed to be our #1 threat coming into the season. Colgate knew that and decided to prevent him from getting the ball with the result that ET and Phillips set records. I’m still concerned with the lien but these guys can make big plays and lots of small ones if given the chance.
- Those guys will also be available to return kicks and you know they are going to come up with a big one at some point.
- Colgate coach Dan Hunt on SU’s offense: "I think we're lucky we caught them in Game 1," Hunt said. "Don't get me wrong, it was fast. It was fast. But as we prepared for this, watching Bowling Green's film, that was faster. … When they have some time with this it's going to be faster. I don't think you've seen much yet... "It's a challenge," Hunt said. "It's perceived chaos. There's times you think it's faster than it is. But I don't think I'm over-stepping my bounds by saying they're going to get much faster." Colgate linebacker Kyle Denier: "They have a unique style with the run-pass options they run," Diener said. "Everything can go both ways. The ball can be anywhere. You can't hone in on anything, which is really frustrating as a defense to go against. You see the mesh, you make what you think is the right play, and then the ball just pops out across the field." Dino Babers: “This is the slowest you will ever see us play.” (Syracuse.com) You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
1-0 with 11+ to go!
LET’S GO ORANGE!!!!
- And here’s something else that happened twice. On 10/23/11 an 11th ranked West Virginia came in here and got pounded 49-23. And a year later, on 11/10/12 and 11th ranked Louisville team came in here and got pounded 45-26. They were virtually the same game, with SU ignoring the rankings, going right after it’s foe, forcing them into the ropes and pummeling them until they crashed to the canvas, (or the football equivalent). We dominated those games from beginning to end. Louisville is currently ranked 13th.
- The way to defend multi-threat quarterbacks is to cover all their options and then close in on them, kind of like the battle of the Little Big Horn. We’ve bene lousy at that over the years. Before Shafer we played a sort of “head ‘em off at the pass” defense where we let the other team run the play and then sort of tried to get in their way. Then with Shafer, we became Custer, playing “meet at the quarterback” defense that sometimes resulted in big plays and sometimes resulted in disaster. What I saw last Friday was SU defense that keeps 8 guys back to cover everyone and everything, (even 6-4 receivers), then closes in, maintaining their lanes and makes clear, crisp “Hawk” tackles with plenty of defenders around the guy with the ball. That’s what we need against this team- and Notre Dame, Clemson and Florida State – and whoever we meet in the bowl game.
- The one area where we don’t need to apologize to anybody for what we put on the field is in the area of playmakers. Eric Dungey may not be as electrifying as Lamar Jackson but, ultimate, a quarterback’s job is to be a conduit for the ball from the center to the running backs and receivers who will actually gain the yards and he can do that as well as anybody. He has size, athleticism and a wonder touch of his passes, which are very accurate. He keeps his cool and finds way to make plays, even if they don’t’ win up on Sports Center. Dontae Strickland, Jordan Fredericks and Moe Neal are threats to go all the way if they see an opening. Erv Phillips, Brisley Estime and Sean Riley combine speed and moves and can tu8rn short plays into long ones. Amba Etta-Tawo is the equal of anyone Louisville has and Steve Ismael was supposed to be our #1 threat coming into the season. Colgate knew that and decided to prevent him from getting the ball with the result that ET and Phillips set records. I’m still concerned with the lien but these guys can make big plays and lots of small ones if given the chance.
- Those guys will also be available to return kicks and you know they are going to come up with a big one at some point.
- Colgate coach Dan Hunt on SU’s offense: "I think we're lucky we caught them in Game 1," Hunt said. "Don't get me wrong, it was fast. It was fast. But as we prepared for this, watching Bowling Green's film, that was faster. … When they have some time with this it's going to be faster. I don't think you've seen much yet... "It's a challenge," Hunt said. "It's perceived chaos. There's times you think it's faster than it is. But I don't think I'm over-stepping my bounds by saying they're going to get much faster." Colgate linebacker Kyle Denier: "They have a unique style with the run-pass options they run," Diener said. "Everything can go both ways. The ball can be anywhere. You can't hone in on anything, which is really frustrating as a defense to go against. You see the mesh, you make what you think is the right play, and then the ball just pops out across the field." Dino Babers: “This is the slowest you will ever see us play.” (Syracuse.com) You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
1-0 with 11+ to go!
LET’S GO ORANGE!!!!
