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Offensive Woes Cripple Syracuse and Longshot Big East Championship Hopes

November 20, 2010   Brian Grummell   No comments

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Once-proud Syracuse football is experiencing a modest revival. Bowl eligible for the first time since 2004, the Orange are sitting at seven wins and until falling to Connecticut 23-6 Saturday, were in contention for an unlikely Big East championship and trip to a BCS bowl.

But, something’s missing. Namely, a credible offense.

Coach Doug Marrone (right) and several players testified afterward that Saturday’s woes — and by extension their season-long drab showing — were just a matter of execution. They felt that some combination of focus or matchup might turn the tables.

Don’t be fooled.

Quarterback Ryan Nassib spoke most clearly to the problems the Orange have had. “If you see an offense is not doing very well, it’s really a direct reflection on how the quarterback is playing. Today I didn’t really play very well and you can see that in the whole offense.”

 

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Louisville Delays Syracuse Bowl Party

November 06, 2010   Brian Grummell   No comments

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Louisville SyracuseSYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse football has something important to play for in 2010. Unfortunately for the Orange, it just won’t be a Big East championship. Coach Doug Marrone stressed from day one, at Big East media day in Newport, R. I. way back in August, his goal was to get his team to a winning record and a bowl appearance.

After Saturday, Syracuse is still very much likely to achieve that goal, but along the way a funny thing happened — it started winning more than is fair share of conference games. First, it took out South Florida. A resurgent Pittsburgh blasted the Orange at home 45-14, but the Orange rebounded with wins over Cincinnati and Rutgers to stay within striking distance of a conference crown.

Suddenly there was a chance to upgrade to loftier ambitions, capturing the Big East and heading to a BCS bowl game. Had it done that, Syracuse would have been the darling of college football.

But then Louisville happened.

The Orange struggled through yet another home game Saturday, hemorrhaging ground yards in falling 28-20 to a Louisville outfit that had been crushed by Pittsburgh the previous week and had lost its starting quarterback and tailback. Syracuse radio hosts not-so-boldly predicted a defensive shutdown ahead of the game. How could ‘Cuse lose? Even with an offense prone to fits and starts, Syracuse’s defense was gaining in strength in limiting some of the conference’s best offenses.

 

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Big East Report: America’s Most Balanced Conference

October 21, 2010   Brian Grummell   No comments

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There isn’t a more balanced, conference in America right now than the Big East. Last Thursday’s battle between West Virginia and USF was arguably a matchup between the Big East’s best and worst teams. While the Mountaineers came out on top 20-6, South Florida played excellent defensive football, about as well as a team at the bottom of a major conference can play. It made difficult open field tackles all night against three of the quickest offensive players around in Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin. Its offense is struggling and was never a threat but if you listen to conference coaches, it will come around.

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart felt the USF defensive team speed was on par with LSU‘s. “They made great open field tackles,” he added. Meanwhile, Butch Jones, coach of upcoming opponent Cincinnati said, “They’re extremely close (offensively), when they put it together they’re going to put it together big.” Adding to the praise, he said the Bulls “probably are the best defense we’ve faced to date.” That includes BCS No. 1 Oklahoma.

Point being, the gap between Big East elite and bottom feeders right now is narrow, although West Virginia and maybe Cincinnati have a chance to put some legitimate distance between themselves and the rest of the conference pack between now and the end of the regular season.

 

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Five-Step Drop: Back to School Busts

August 12, 2010   Matt Snyder   No comments

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Mike ShermanFanHouse’s college football staff provides you with a personal quarterback. We do the primary and secondary reads for you so you can properly start your day. FanHouse will do a Five-Step Drop several times a week during the summer and then daily once preseason practice starts.

1. The always-entertaining Dr. Saturday blog over at Yahoo! put together a top 10 list of the biggest busts among coaches who once coached in the NFL and then returned to college.

The only active coach to make the list is Texas A&M’s Mike Sherman, but there are some really great blasts from the past on there. I’m actually surprised Bill Callahan wasn’t higher on the list for his debacle at Nebraska.

And, of course, the name many people west of L.A. want to say (Mike Slive refers to him as “the former Tennessee coach”) is not on the list. And rightfully so, as he’s 7-6 after one season.

I wonder how many busts could be included if the list included former NFL assistants? I immediately thought of Cam Cameron, being an Indiana fan. He went from coaching quarterbacks for the Washington Redskins to falling far short of the expectations he willfully set for his new program.

And there have to be stories like that all over the nation. So remember, coaching in the NFL doesn’t equate to a successful collegiate head coach.

 

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Delone Carter Reinstated at Syracuse

August 09, 2010   Brian Grummell   No comments

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Delone CarterDelone Carter‘s troubled offseason is heading to a positive conclusion. Arrested in April after allegedly punching another Orange student in February after a snowball was thrown at his vehicle, Syracuse’s senior running back was suspended from the football program and university. On Monday, football coach Doug Marrone announced the school had re-instated Carter.

In addition, Marrone said Carter had already been internally punished and faces no further penalty. Carter’s return is well-timed, as the longshot Heisman Trophy candidate will likely return to his spot as the Orange’s top back. Expected replacement Averin Collier was recently deemed ineligible for the fall after failing to make grade.

 

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Delone Carter Reinstatement Plan in Place, Says Syracuse Assistant

July 29, 2010   Brian Grummell   No comments

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Delone CarterDelone Carter‘s time in limbo may be coming to a positive end. Syracuse assistant coach Bob Casullo told a radio station Thursday that the administration and football coaches are maneuvering for the Orange’s star running back — who we deem a longshot Heisman Trophy candidate — to return to the team. He is currently suspended from school (and, in turn, the football team) for punching another student he mistakenly felt had thrown a snowball at his car. That decision netted him a trip to jail and a swift boot out of school.

According to ESPN’s Brian Bennett, Casullo said the following to Syracuse-based ESPN Radio 97.7: “Trust me, Coach [Doug] Marrone and the administration have come up with a plan for Delone, and in my heart I believe it’s going to work out for the best for him and for this football team … we’ll welcome him back with open arms … once he serves his penance, I’m sure he’ll be back.”

 

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