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The Daily OrangeFB | UCan't: With passing game in disarray, Syracuse falls to 2-9 after loss to UConn
By Zach Schonbrun
Posted: 11/17/07, 5:10 PM EST Section: Sports
NOV. 17, 5:10 P.M. EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Syracuse football team cheered wildly on the sideline.
Greg Robinson, caught in a moment of animation, clapped his hands and pumped his fist. It was a goalline stand by the SU defense, and the Orange celebrated with vigor, perhaps forgetting that the score was still 30-7 Connecticut and the game had less than two minutes of life.
"What's me is that goalline stand," said Robinson, the Syracuse head coach, in response to whether the season has taken a toll on him. "That's me. That's what I'm all about."
Lately, that's what Syracuse football has been all about, too. Empty victories on top of losses, the latest coming here to UConn.
Welcome to New England.
The Orange allowed 21 first-half points to drop its record to 2-9 following a 30-7 defeat by Connecticut on a chilly, November afternoon at Rentschler Field in front of Huskies fans ready to see the new cream of the Big East's crop take down a past power.
Syracuse floundered offensively as penalties and missed opportunities on third down mollified any momentum and, while the running game finally gained positive yardage, the passing game seemed out of synch. SU quarterback Andrew Robinson, either rusty or sore from missing the last game with a rib injury, overthrew his receivers on several occasions, even one opportunity to a wide-open Taj Smith in the end zone in the first quarter.
Robinson completed seven passes for just 39 yards before halftime. And early in the second half, after a solid drive down to the UConn 3-yard line, Robinson forced a pass into double-coverage that was intercepted by safety Robert Vaughn.
"Obviously his stats tell you that he wasn't great," Greg Robinson said. "But I think later in the game he was feeling it a little bit. All in all, I think we weren't throwing the ball very well in general. … Obviously the passing game wasn't working."
The Huskies supplied Syracuse with a diet of screen passes and hard rushes, rarely attempting a pass deeper than the first-down markers, but they didn't need to. UConn's first touchdown came on a 63-yard pass from Lorenzen to receiver Terrence Jeffers; after that, short passes barely out of the backfield would suffice to get the offense going.
Greg Robinson, caught in a moment of animation, clapped his hands and pumped his fist. It was a goalline stand by the SU defense, and the Orange celebrated with vigor, perhaps forgetting that the score was still 30-7 Connecticut and the game had less than two minutes of life.
"What's me is that goalline stand," said Robinson, the Syracuse head coach, in response to whether the season has taken a toll on him. "That's me. That's what I'm all about."
Lately, that's what Syracuse football has been all about, too. Empty victories on top of losses, the latest coming here to UConn.
Welcome to New England.
The Orange allowed 21 first-half points to drop its record to 2-9 following a 30-7 defeat by Connecticut on a chilly, November afternoon at Rentschler Field in front of Huskies fans ready to see the new cream of the Big East's crop take down a past power.
Syracuse floundered offensively as penalties and missed opportunities on third down mollified any momentum and, while the running game finally gained positive yardage, the passing game seemed out of synch. SU quarterback Andrew Robinson, either rusty or sore from missing the last game with a rib injury, overthrew his receivers on several occasions, even one opportunity to a wide-open Taj Smith in the end zone in the first quarter.
Robinson completed seven passes for just 39 yards before halftime. And early in the second half, after a solid drive down to the UConn 3-yard line, Robinson forced a pass into double-coverage that was intercepted by safety Robert Vaughn.
"Obviously his stats tell you that he wasn't great," Greg Robinson said. "But I think later in the game he was feeling it a little bit. All in all, I think we weren't throwing the ball very well in general. … Obviously the passing game wasn't working."
The Huskies supplied Syracuse with a diet of screen passes and hard rushes, rarely attempting a pass deeper than the first-down markers, but they didn't need to. UConn's first touchdown came on a 63-yard pass from Lorenzen to receiver Terrence Jeffers; after that, short passes barely out of the backfield would suffice to get the offense going.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
mcneebus
Scott McNealus
posted 11/17/07 @ 9:29 PM EST
Another Saturday. Another pounding.
Anyone else getting tired of this? Hey wait ... I'm having a deja vu!
The obvious problems still continue and continue -
- out-classed in speed, size and talent
- stupid penalties
- receiver drops
- end zone interceptions
- fumbles
- poor, poor play calling
- etc. (Continued…)
Marc LeVine
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:34 AM EST
CLEAN HOUSE NOW! BIG TIME COLLEGE ADs and THEIR COACHES DON'T GET THE LUXURY OF JOB SECURITY. THREE YEARS OF LOSING IS ENOUGH.
GEORGE W. BUSH GOT 4 MORE YEARS TO PROVE THAT HIS FIRST 4 WERE NO FLUKE! BAD IS BAD. (Continued…)
g33k
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:56 AM EST
Ive been saying this for years. This coach should have been fired already....
Ive been saying it and saying it.
What it took you guys 3 years to figure out, Ive been calling for it since the end of his first season. (Continued…)
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