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Today the Syracuse Orange and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons played a football game. This game ended 40-37 in overtime. In what was a crazy back-and-forth game, Orange’s offense posted flashy numbers in the 354-yard rushing loss, 178 to Garrett Shrader, 153 to Sean Tucker. Orange’s defense came a few games away from starting a great game, but ultimately Syracuse went 3-3 (0-2) this season as Sam Hartman and the Deacs pushed them back into overtime.
We see the Jekyll and Hyde from this offense.
The increased use of pre-snap motion added a different aspect to the offense that we didn’t see. Sterlin Gilbert in the first half changed the tempo and the playcall in ways we haven’t seen this season. His mix of RPO and deployment, along with a few staggered passing calls, really opened up Wake Forest’s defense and took offense to a new level, leading to 21 points in the first half.
That said, it ended at half-time and the offense barely adjusted to the changes Orange must have anticipated Wake would make at the end of the half-time. Shrader’s feet kept the Orange out of three other situations in their first workout, but overall the pressure continued to come in after Wake dialed in more moves and stunts against an inexperienced forehead, with the loss of Airon Servais in the middle of the match and Kalan Ellis leaving for Chris Bleich that day. Shrader’s insistence on running before seeking to pass certain plays can really identify a passing offense where many options are wide open.
On a positive note, with his 26 runs for 153 yards this game, Sean Tucker has now climbed the charts in Orange history. His fourth straight and eighth career 100-yard game tied him to Bill Hurley, Jerome Smith and Malcolm Thomas for ninth place in Syracuse history. The train continues to run, many of these sites arrive after contact. His ability to find a hole and cut is still impressive, watching him week after week.
Coaching decisions can have an impact
Accepting possession of the third and 13th allowed the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to convert the third and 23rd, which they did, ultimately leading to a Wake touchdown. I’m not sure if accepting the penalty was the right or wrong choice, but if you accept, the game made up after giving Sam Hartman all day to find a clash against linebacker Stefon Thompson and play the lag. Rushing in three with a spy and a soft zone on top to let the receivers and Hartman have all the time in the world to shake things up.
Again in the fourth quarter, the staff increased the pressure by 3.5 men on the 3rd and 22nd when Hartman had parted the Orange defense with time on the third and long preceding, being again reduced by 20 yards. The staff’s decision to go for the field goal in the fourth quarter, fourth and short with the driving offense was questionable, and in the end Andre Szmyt missed his attempt for 45 yards.
It’s no secret that time management is not the strength of the coaching staff, and today was no exception. The aforementioned acceptance of the penalty ended up wasting a lot of time when they converted, but it’s okay if they don’t. It’s a bet. At the end of the game, the Oranges huddled on the sidelines setting up a delay as the team wanted to aim for the two and the victory in regulation. Whether or not you agree with the call to play, a game delay in this situation with your team on the pitch is a real eye-catcher. The time-out before the game’s delay in overtime was similar in appearance.
Bend don’t break nature of defense is tested with plays on top.
Three of Wake’s big landmarks were long dropped passes over Orange’s high school. The first was a game that Jason Simmons Jr. lost his man, the second a game that Garrett Williams was pulled in and beaten on a post road. Mixing that with consistent play in the short to medium term caused a lot of trouble for the Orange defense.
The Wake Forest line’s ability to handle the pressure of five men, no matter how it was put together, gave Sam Hartman plenty of time to get into a lot of situations. This kept the secondary in a tough position on a few games and also set in motion the odd RPO delayed transfer that Wake has been running all day. They let AT Perry go wild in three games, for three touchdowns, the last of which was the overtime winner.
There will be some things that coach Tony White will need to take away from this game and will need to adjust some of his coverages and game calls against better quarter passes. That said, even with the score, the defense played well enough to take the win, even if they didn’t.
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