2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeFB | SCARLET FEVER: Syracuse shut down by Rutgers in 35-17 defeat
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 11/8/08, 3:30 PM EST Section: Sports
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But the one player the group most wanted to hear from wasn't yet there. Quarterback Cameron Dantley waited until many of his teammates headed for the bus before emerging from the visitor's locker room.
Dantley probably knew what was coming. After all, he oversaw three quarters of the Orange's dismal offensive performance in its 35-17 loss to Rutgers (4-5, 3-2 Big East) Saturday afternoon - a loss that officially eliminated Syracuse (2-7, 1-4) from the postseason for the fourth straight season. Everyone wanted to why Syracuse looked so inept on offense.
And all Dantley could do was shake his head.
"Everything wasn't going well for us in terms of the defense they were running," Dantley said. "They were trying to bluff us a lot and trying to catch us on a lot of things they knew we would get out of. At times like that we have to make a couple plays, and we didn't do that."
The offense managed only 168 yards and seven first downs all game. That includes tailback Doug Hogue's first-quarter 82-yard touchdown run, accounting for 48 percent of Syracuse's total output. And SU was destroyed in the time of possession battle - Rutgers held the ball for 15:48 more.
Dantley struggled, going 3-of-12 for 19 yards before exiting with an ankle injury late in the third quarter. Backup Andrew Robinson didn't fare any better, completing 2-of-7 passes for 12 yards. Even tailback Curtis Brinkley, Syracuse's rock all season long, could muster only 67 yards on 18 carries.
It started so well, too. The Orange led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter after Hogue's long run and a blocked punt recovered in the end zone by Da'Mon Merkerson. For 15 minutes, it looked like SU had turned a corner after its emotional win at the Carrier Dome last weekend over Louisville. The team was primed for another upset.
Then reality set in, like it always seems to do for this Syracuse team, and the momentum vanished. SU gained 68 yards of offense after the first quarter and missed a field goal at the end of the half with a chance to take a 17-14 lead. Despite the Orange's auspicious start, the announced crowd of 42,172 ultimately saw the same old Syracuse.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Bob Burwell
posted 11/08/08 @ 11:46 PM EST
Nothing here but us crickets chirping (10:47 PM)
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