Syracuse

Ahh, Parents Weekend. The time when you pretend that your dorm room is always just that clean. Nouns in the stories collegiates retell get conveniently switched as shots become books and bars become libraries. Somehow, even though you are on a full meal plan, you find a way to get Mom and Dad to dump $150 at the grocery store. For my unfortunate children, every weekend is parents weekend, so they have learned that Sherlock and Watson are always lingering around their friends and professors. Tough luck kids, tailgates are free, but there are no secrets in Tallahassee.

In the things you don't see on TV category...Syracuse ran the wildcat three times this game. In this formation, the QB lines up wide at WR and a specialist lines up in the shotgun and traditionally runs the ball. Well, The 'Cuse QB went to the wide side of the field because that is as far away from the play as he can get and presumably out of harm's way on an interior run. To quote Julia Roberts...Mistake, Big Mistake. Jalen lined up in his face in press coverage and the first two times they ran the wildcat, Ramsey absolutely picked up Dungey and buried him in the Doak turf. On the 3rd attempt, the QB starts to go to the wide side, looks at #8 and then goes over to the opposite side of the field and asks the wideout to switch with him; all the while Jalen is standing there waving his arms at #2 like his best friend is leaving the playground at sundown. I know that Clemson has the best talent at WR that we will see all season, but our two corners are just playing lights out. I thought Javien played his best game this week as well. He may not be blessed with the freakish Norse gifts like Derwin or Jalen, but he is in the right place all the time. I really hope that we get Terrence back this week, or the slots and backs are going to run all over us. Reggie gives incredible effort, but he is simply not able to cover, and this weakness will be magnified like an ant on a sidewalk against a better offense. Speaking of James, did you realize that he was blitzing on the play where he caused the fumble. That's right, he was going full tilt into the backfield, stopped and chased the QB down from behind, made the tackle, ripped the ball out and put the game on ice. He also had an incredibly rare PBU and tackle on one play where he knocked the pass out of the air back at the QB and then tackled him. Stat sheet stuffer as they say in hoops.

Although his celebration dance will not garner any Dancing with the Stars invites this week, Derrick Nnadi just tossed aside SU's all-conference center like he was a spare throw pillow on your wife's overdecorated bed. He and NLS are about as stout a twosome in the middle as you will find in college ball, and DeMarcus Christmas ain't far behind. Odell has done a terrific job of rotation here and it is paying off. Meanwhile, even though we are playing a bunch of guys, we are starting to see some true separation at the DE spot. Walker and Sweat are just dominating forces and a great compliment to each other with their speed and power. Can you ever recall a freshman DE as talented as Josh to play for us? He outruns backs to the edge, and is a nightmare to call a screen against with his wingspan and closing speed. When this young man adds 20 pounds, good night. For as much as I have railed against our DC, this unit has been remarkably consistent this season, and if...if...we can get a healthy Smith and Nate Andrews back, it is built to stop the spread. We have a chance to compete next week because we are as talented at the boys in Orange are on this side of the ball. 

Last week I bemoaned our lack of a downfield passing game, begging for the second team offense to get some time and show me the future. Well, thank you...that will do nicely. If you think that first catch and run by Travis was not fueled by a week of mulling his Atlanta transgressions, then I can't help you. Poor #11 from the Orange had two missed tackles and one death-by-stiffarm on one play. He decided his best course of action to avoid any more post Sports Center calls from his grandma was to trail Travis by 10 yards on the next toss and just allow an innocuous wide open TD. Good decision. But clearly, the story was not the grabs, but the throws and more importantly the vision to see these guys actually breaking open. Sean may not be elusive, but I am not sure the decision to go forward with him is all that tough. He knows the offense. This saves 8 seconds of every down avoiding the staredown at the ugly playsheet wrist decoration and translating it in the huddle. It also gives him extra time behind center making checks and simulating a snap to get the defense to show their hand. He was able to audible and checkdown successfully on a number of occasions when Chad Maverty decided to take yet another play off and rest his 337 pound belly. Big Chad must be training to be Santa, because otherwise how in the World can you be that out of shape this late in the season. Back to Sean, his best throw was the incompletion to George Campbell that was dropped in an elevator shaft 50 yards downfield. Yes, this line is going to get him mauled. And, we will most likely need EG again after we have to spatula young #10 off the turf, but he will take the linebackers and more importantly the safeties off the LOS, and allow one of our myriad of five stars backs some room to roam.

Watching Jacques Patrick this game was like 3rd grade science class video of a time lapse ancient gargantuan plant growing up. Every snap he got better, more confident and scarier. By the third quarter, he was balanced, pads forward and actively deciding whether to avoid the tackle or maul them forward for another 4 yards. Tough to believe we should have short yardage or red zone issues going forward with this cat in the backfield. What was equally as impressive were his hands. He caught everything that was near him and they were not all perfect aerials. We may not see him much before the Mighty Mocs come to town, but this kid is a keeper. Again, the reason that we ran so successfully this week against an average run defense was the downfield passing game. For the most part the OL struggled. The aforementioned weight watchers candidate at LG and Brock Ruble at RT were just technique disasters this week. Bad balance, footwork, arm angles and weight distribution. All of these issues combine to make it like a preschooler trying to leverage a truck. Roadkill. Maybe Are and Kelly are healthy enough to return but we are giving Trickett some No Doze film sessions. I was impressed with Alec Eberle at center. One bad early snap and a mandatory center false start were the only mental mistakes. The interior of the Orange line were fairly effective this season (their issues were in the secondary) and Alec acquitted himself well. All these OL travails will pay off in spades in 2016, but the pain until then will be felt by all of us...especially our QB du jour.

The punt return unit was another chocolate mess this weekend. Bobo misfielded three punts this game. One he fair caught at the five with no one near him (why?), and two more he let fall and gave up about 40 yards of field position. The one return he did have - because the dude hit it 20 yards over his head - we treated him to multiple blocks in the back and thus gave that punt a net 73 yard gain. Cason is quietly getting his groove back just as Roberto is quietly in a funk. This week would be a good time to break out of this only-1-kick-over-40 all year quagmire. Kermit was the forgotten man on offense this week as Smag only had eyes for Travis, but if can ever get a KO to return, a big one is coming...you can just feel it.

So, the away train is on schedule this weekend as we head to Death Valley in the fabulous Tailgate truck. It will actually be nice to be a double digit dog to a team that appears for all the World to be a playoff lock. I guess we have no chance. Ok...bring it on!