STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - They all headed back on the same plane after the game, but the Syracuse football team might as well have taken two separate charters back from Happy Valley Saturday afternoon.
In one plane resides the defense, riding high after an impressive goal-line stand that answered any questions about its fortitude. In the other you have the punchless offense, whose search for the mystical portion of the field known as the goal line has been like a journey to the middle of the Earth.
In the course of Penn State's methodical 28-7 victory over Syracuse, we found out that the SU defense has found an identity and the offense lacks one. Though the defensive showing is telling and important, the offense's lack of direction is the bigger concern facing Syracuse as it heads into what could be the biggest game of its season against Northwestern this Saturday at the Carrier Dome.
An identity is a key ingredient for any team. A style of play, a sense of consistency and a united effort all play a part in winning a football game. Offensively, an identity creates a style of play that allows a squad to be successful.
The offense was simply offensive on Saturday. Yes, SU played No. 7 Penn State, but the offense didn't seem like it had any life. The Orange has enough weapons in its attack to at least have put up a fight.
After teasing Syracuse fans for the first two quarters last weekend against Minnesota, with an energetic attack that included a balance of run and pass, we now see a unit that seems as lost as a tourist in New York City, just waiting for a jumpstart.
"I know our offense is trying to find our identity, and we are going to find that," quarterback Greg Paulus said. "We are working really hard in trying to execute. We trust in what our coaches are getting us to do and what they prepare us to do."
On some plays we see Delone Carter bruising up the middle. The next play, we see the Stallion formation with Antwon Bailey. Then we might see a dumpoff pass in the flat, followed by a longer attempt to Mike Williams.
This may seem like diversity and creativity for an offense, but not when there are few concrete results on the field. Syracuse had seven drives Saturday of five plays or fewer. Its only touchdown came in garbage time when half of the crowd had already started filing out. Once Penn State went up 14-0, the game seemed as if it were 49-0 with the SU offense's current state.
There's no sense of direction. The Stallion has become predictable, and Penn State had no problem shutting it down. Perhaps in a move to try and establish that package as a threat, SU went to the well one too many times.
In the passing game there are flashes of productivity, but those are followed up with failures. The offense moves the ball down the field in the third quarter to the Penn State red zone but can't punch it in from the 5-yard line. The deep passing game is nonexistent, and the short bubble screens are being flushed out from miles away.
After eight quarters of football this season, we don't know if this is a run-first or pass-first team. With no respect for a rushing game or passing game, there are no mismatches the offense can exploit. The only identity Syracuse has now is one of predictability, with the Stallion being overused and plenty of short passes for little success. There is no way to describe this offense.
Across the field, Penn State's identity seeped through on every drive: a pass-first offense. The Nittany Lions throw nearly every play and operate under the philosophy that you have to stop them, or they'll throw the ball down your throats. Syracuse learned that Saturday.
"It never comes naturally," Paulus said. "Even at Duke, my fours years there each team had a different identity through the course of games. You get that through with how you respond, what type of team you're going to make, what plays you're going to make and we have good guys here and good character guys here. I know we're going to be OK."
He might say they'll be OK, but Paulus and the offense have to go prove it. The defense proved it with four plays. After six quarters of futility, it's now time for the offense to show at least a pulse out there. An identity will eventually come, but hopefully for Doug Marrone, it appears sooner than later.
Matt Ehalt is a staff writer for The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at mrehalt@syr.edu.
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