Three things SU needs to improve on to avoid an upset

By: Andy McCullough and John Clayton

Posted: 9/5/08

Tackle better

Will the Orange be a good tackling team this season? Greg Robinson thinks so.

"We will be," he said during a press conference this week. "I know we will be."

But when? That's the question as the Orange faces the Zips Saturday.

Tyrell Sutton ran wild last week for Northwestern, ripping forward through arm tackles galore en route to 144 yards (backup Omar Conteh had himself a time too, slashing for 71 yards). The Orange was out-of-control at times, Robinson said after he watched the game film.

What's the answer? Sophomore linebacker Mike Mele said the team had to trust the fundamentals. Junior linebacker Mike Stenclik said it was something the Orange had to correct in practice. Mental errors and blown assignments can be corrected in the film room, but tackling had to be fixed on the field.

Stenclik, though, didn't think there would be any extra tackling this week.

"Coach Robinson usually stays with his type of practice," Stenclik said Tuesday. "So I don't expect any type of change."

-Andy McCullough, enterprise editor

ramccull@syr.edu

Start fast

Yes, it's always a good idea to jump on the other team. But the last thing Syracuse wants to do is trip over its own feet at the outset: a surefire recipe for a deflated Dome and inflated underdog opponent hoping for an upset.

It's more than just taking a shot on the first drive and hoping Lavar Lobdell or Donte Davis can break one deep - though that would be a nice change of pace after last week's steady diet of dump-offs and check-downs. It's more than making a big play or two. The Orange needs to establish control - and a lead - from the outset.

Let's face it: this team needs to run the ball to succeed. If they play from behind, they won't have a chance to establish whatever combination of Curtis Brinkley, Delone Carter and Doug Hogue they play to use at tailback. That carousel needs time to operate. An early touchdown drive would facilitate that.

-Andy McCullough, enterprise editor

ramccull@syr.edu

Rush the passer

No, Akron quarterback Chris Jacquemain isn't quite as good as Northwestern's C.J. Bacher. But he's no slouch. Against Wisconsin, the junior went 22-or-36 for 227 yards and had two touchdowns.

Granted, those numbers came in a losing effort, but Syracuse can't afford to let Jacquemain sit comfortably in the pocket. That's what Bacher was able to do, and he picked the Orange apart in the second half.

Akron doesn't spread the field quite as much as Northwestern, but expect to see Jacquemain slinging balls around the field. The onus will be on Syracuse defensive ends Jared Kimmel and Vincenzo Giruzzi to create a consistent rush off the edges. Giruzzi had SU's only sack last Saturday and was perhaps the best defensive player on the field for the Orange.

The challenge now is creating a consistent rush - not an easy task for a team that managed a pitiful nine sacks last year. But if Giruzzi, Kimmel and co. can create some pressure, that might force Jacquemain to make a few mistakes. Not to mention it would take some pressure off Syracuse's paper-thin secondary.

-John Clayton, sports editor

jsclayto@syr.edu