NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
The Syracuse Orange will look to rebound this Saturday after what can only be described as the worst loss of the Fran Brown era. The Orange came out as flat as could be against the Duke Blue Devils and got pushed around the entire game. Now it’s time to turn the page to the next game and, hopefully, find out what the Orange are really made of.
No Easy Task
Despite being 2-2, Syracuse won’t be able to steamroll the Mustangs the way it did Colgate. SMU started the season with back-to-back 40+ point games. As of now, they’re currently averaging 35 PPG. Their biggest hurdle will be RB T.J. Harden, who has already run for 5 touchdowns.
With that being said, RBs statistically don’t seem to be involved in the passing attack. However, if Syracuse doesn’t adjust to the short game, SMU could easily take a page out of the Blue Devils playbook and adapt to quick passes. It’s time for SU to button up the short to medium game, as well as set the edge.
Better Blocking, Better Plays
At times against Duke, QB Rickie Collins looked like he was struggling to see over the linemen in front of him, but it might not be a size issue. Syracuse got worked up front, and defenders were in Collins’ face all game long. Whether or not they mix up plays and have some more designed runs, or move the pocket when he passes, Collins needs to be able to see downfield. He made some plays for the Orange, but also struggled with consistency. Both can improve with timing out of the backfield.
Stop Tipping Plays
In a postgame interview, coach Fran Brown said at times it seemed like Duke knew the plays they were calling. Part of that blame comes on coaching, with the ability to add some misdirection or disguise plays, but some of that responsibility also falls on QB1.
Collins isn’t to blame for the beating that Syracuse took. It happened on both sides of the football. However, he’s now steering the ship. He’s gotta bring the energy and pace to the line of scrimmage. He also has to develop the confidence that makes defenses second-guess where he’s going.
Some key drives came to a screeching halt with Collins keying in on where he was going with the football. He needs to build confidence and trust his WRs to bail him out when plays break down. That all comes from in-game experience. Collins was always going to struggle because he lacked that going into the game, but chemistry with his teammates at game speed will help him get someone involved other than the receiver the play was designed for. It’ll take time, but Collins should improve.
Don’t Throw In The Towel
When a program struggles, it’s easy for the casual fans to say “here we go again,” but with this Orange team, they shouldn’t. First and foremost, bad losses happen. There isn’t a single football program out there that hasn’t come out and stumbled against a team they were supposed to beat.
That being said, the season isn’t over just because Steve Angeli went down. This program wasn’t going to be a National Title contender overnight and will face some setbacks along the way. There’s talent, drive, and guys are coming to the program for the right reasons. Be patient, as the Orange have a perfect opportunity to rebound before the bye, despite it not being easy.
The Syracuse Orange will take on the SMU Mustangs on Saturday at 3:30 PM EST at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Can the team get back to their winning ways?
