NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
After a bye week last weekend, the Syracuse Orange head on a road trip not too far from home as they take on the UConn Huskies. It’ll be a tough test for Syracuse, and walking away with anything but a win might derail their season. The Orange are 1-2 so far this season and need to get back on the right track. They don’t particularly have an easy game in the coming weeks, but in order to go on a win streak, you have to win the first one. How do they pull out a win:
Bring Out The Big Guns:
Calvin Russell III returns at a much-needed time for Syracuse. He’s been the top recruit for the Orange who sat out early in the season due to an Achilles injury he suffered earlier this year. It couldn’t have happened at a better time, as the Orange offense has struggled with consistency this year. Steve Angeli has been hit or miss out on the field and seems to have far more misses than hits. Having a weapon such as Russell in your arsenal instantly improves the offense and could easily provide stability to take pressure off of other receivers. Even as a decoy out there if he’s not 100% healthy, the Huskies will be forced to guard him.
Keep A Short Leash:
If Angeli can’t get into a rhythm early on, Fran Brown can’t be afraid to shake things up. He’s already stated his QB1 will continue that role against UConn, but there can’t be a hesitation to spark some energy in the unit. So far this season, Angeli is completing just over 50% of his passes with 4 TDs to 5 INTs. That’s not exactly the momentum you want going into your toughest part of the season. Syracuse might need to spread the ball around and stick to their bread and butter until Angeli can get in a rhythm, or a mix-and-match on personnel might be the right move. Brown has already said backup QB Amari Odom might have a role in this game, and how to use these pieces without throwing off momentum will be the Orange’s toughest challenge.
Big Time Defense
The defense has gone out and been impressive. Now with a week’s rest, hopefully they’ll be ready to be tested. UConn is no stranger to high-scoring affairs. In 2 of their 4 games, they’ve put up over 40 points. The other two were 14 and 21, but Syracuse still needs to be on their toes. If the Orange can rely on their offense to get their defense some rest, we might be able to see what this unit is truly made of. There have been plenty of positives, and more often than not, they come to play. However, if UConn does end up wearing them down over time without proper rest, it’ll be tough to come back from.
It might be too early in the season for a “must-win,” but unfortunately the Syracuse Orange are facing a must-win. They need to get back on track, and they need to save their season. Not just in terms of competing for a bowl game, but to not lose fan interest. This is the same story year in and year out, so the Orange need to show they’re still alive against the Huskies this Saturday.
