NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
After a tough loss to Boston College, the Syracuse Orange are back on the road to face the California Golden Bears. Syracuse fell to 6-3 in another close one. With an offensive line that reverted back to lackluster protection and a defense that couldn’t stop the run, it seemed like Syracuse had a full plate and someone just pilled on more mashed potatoes. With that being said, their season isn’t over and now’s not the time to check out. With three games on the schedule, how do the Orange buckle down and beat Cal?
Avoid The Midseason Burnout
The Orange started the season with the majority of their home games front-loaded. They finish out the season with home games against UConn and Miami. In the past 6 games, Virginia Tech was their sole home game in a six-game stretch. Fatigue has to be setting in for Syracuse but they need to find ways to keep the energy and intensity up. They have explosive playmakers on both sides of the football, they just need to find ways to rally the troops and keep on the attack.
Foot On The Gas
The California Golden Bears are no rollover team and Syracuse won’t be able to take them lightly. Cal might be 1-4 in conference and 5-4 overall, but they’ve all been tough losses. The Golden Bears have lost by a total of just 9 points in those four defeats which feature a 1-point loss to (12) Miami and a 2-point loss to Pitt. Syracuse has to get out ahead early and keep the momentum the entire game.
New Opponent, Same Story
If someone asked “What has been the weakness of the Syracuse defense?”, stopping the run would top the list. However, stopping the short-midrange passing attack would be a close second. Cal’s offense lists 6 ball carriers to cross the goal line this season and a TE leads the team in receiving yards. Despite just 1,065 yards on 311 carries (3.4 ypc.) for Cal (So.) Jaivian Thomas leads the way with 6.1 yards per carry and 5.1 against conference opponents. The Golden Bears’ rush attack outpaces their passing ~2:1, with 311 attempts on the ground and 222 through the air. Syracuse cannot afford another repeat performance where BC ran the ball 48 times for a whopping 321 yards but only passed 13 times.
Tight End Jack Endries might be leading the team with 39 catches for 460 yards (11.8 ypc.), Teammate Nyziah Hunter isn’t far behind with 29 for 390 and accounts for 5 of their 12 TD passes this season. The Orange need to focus on these two in the passing game but not key in as the only threats. Cal’s passing attack might not look strong on paper, however, they have 6 receivers with 19+ catches, and the lowest average per catch is 9.6. The Orange need to find a way to swarm the football and not allow the extra yards.
Utilize the Whole Playbook
There is no shortage of playmakers on the Syracuse Orange offense. Jackson Meeks leads the way in receiving. Trebor Pena has been the spark in his return season. Orande Gadsden II isn’t far behind in the total yards receiving column. Umari Hatcher, Darell Gill Jr., and Justus Ross-Simmons have proven to be threats in the passing game. LeQuint Allen has been everything Syracuse wanted him to be in the run game. The Orange have almost a 50/50 split in the rushing vs passing attack (271 vs 277).
This is probably the most balanced their offense has been with no shortage of playmakers on the roster. If ever there was a “secret stash” of plays, now would be the time to break them out. That’s not to say Syracuse can’t deploy their bread and butter plays as well. However, just as their rush-to-pass attack has been balanced so too should their approach be. This is the time when coaches have to make those tough calls and Syracuse needs to execute. This Orange team needs a late-season spark to not limp into the finale.
Finish Strong, Coach
Fran Brown needs to make an impact here. This is the point of the season where Syracuse falls into the “same ol’ song and dance” slump. It’s time. Coach, we need a new playlist. Our dance partner has already hit the remote start, but we want to keep this party going. If ever there was a time for an “everything but the kitchen sink” moment, it’s the last 3 games of 2024.
The Syracuse Orange fans and the eventual letdown have been through the hot start before. There hasn’t been a season since 2018 that hasn’t felt like Syracuse has broken even. Will it be where Brown puts his stamp on the game?
The Syracuse Orange take on the California Golden Bears, on Saturday, November 16th at 3 PM EST.
