NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
The Syracuse Orange did something that rarely happens in college football when they walked into Clemson Memorial Stadium and beat the Clemson Tigers. It was a game that featured a significant delay, but after play resumed, Syracuse continued to have their foot on the gas. So how did they get it done?
Defense Amps Up
Start to finish, the defense did a lot of bending, but up until late in the game, they were keeping Clemson at bay. If you look at the stats, Cade Klubnick did, in fact, have a day going 37/60 for 363 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT, but that’s not the tale of the tape. You’d think a QB who threw the ball 60 times and completed 61% of his throws would’ve kept the game much closer, or under normal circumstances, would be winning. It just goes to show how the Orange were able to rise to the occasion against the Clemson offense.
Angeli Down
Syracuse’s momentum came to a screeching halt when quarterback Steven Angeli went down with an injury, and it was a big one. It’s being reported that Angeli’s injury is an Achilles injury, and he’ll be done for the rest of the season. That’s a big blow to the Orange offense, as he was leading college football in passing yards. Hopefully, this curse turns into a blessing in a way that lets the young QB become a student of the game.
If he can stay hungry and sharpen his football IQ when he rehabs an injury, it gives him an opportunity to see things from a different perspective. If he shadows his coaches in every aspect of the game as they work with Ricky Collins, he could pick their brains on a little extra knowledge he might not receive while preparing for a game. Doing so, he could come back even sharper than when he went out.
As Close To Perfect As It Gets
Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, as Syracuse was not without their flaws. However, they came to play at every level. Whether it was offense, defense, or special teams, you could tell they wanted this win, that it was going to be their statement game against a premier college program. Fran Brown coached to perfection, especially with an onside kick after the Orange’s opening drive. The media can say that Clemson isn’t playing up to their usual standards, but you have to give Syracuse their credit on this one. The Orange could’ve just been rolled over and let the Tigers have a bounce-back game.
Ricky Ready For Work
Despite only throwing the ball 8 times, Collins came in and threw a quick TD pass. He only completed 3 passes, but that touchdown gave the Orange the cushion they needed. Hopefully, coach Brown was correct when he said that Collins is only “one play away” and can now come in and continue to be the spark that Angeli was for this SU offense. He’ll need to pick up his pacing a little as Syracuse runs a fast-paced offense, but I wouldn’t count the Orange out just yet.
Stand Outs:
Johntay Cook II – 6 receptions, 113 Yards. – No scores, but kept the ball moving
Devin Grant – 8 Tckl 2 Ast. continues to improve and be a staple on D.
Yasin Willis – 18 carries, 94 yards. Continues to balance Orange Offense
The Syracuse Orange took it to Clemson for the first time in a long time. They’ll be back at the JMA Wireless Dome next week as they take on the Duke Blue Devils Saturday at 12 PM EST.
