Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSU understands importance of 4-game home stretch
By John Clayton
Posted: 9/5/08, 12:39 AM EST Section: Sports
Greg Robinson knows how important these next four games are.
The Syracuse head coach knows his team needs to use this quartet of games - all in the familiar confines of the Carrier Dome - to build confidence and momentum heading into the Big East schedule.
Not that these four games will be a walk in the park. After Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Akron, SU will play host to No. 19 Penn State, Northeastern and Pittsburgh the next three weekends. The Orange will be heavy underdogs against the Nittany Lions and Panthers.
Regardless, Syracuse will need to produce some results in those games. Or else it will find itself in desperate times, with a meager record staring down a daunting Big East spell, in October.
"It's an opportunity for us to have four games and really position ourselves well to make a run in the Big East," Robinson said. "That's really how I see it. We've got a chance to really work ourselves to get into a groove to where we need to be."
Except homefield advantage hasn't counted for all that much during the Greg Robinson era. The Orange is 5-14 at the Dome over the last three seasons, including a 1-6 mark last season.
That will need to change this year. After its homestand, the Orange will embark on back-to-back trips to No. 8 West Virginia and No. 17 South Florida.
"Confidence is a part of it. And when we play well and win, that builds confidence," Robinson said. "We've got to take advantage of these next four football games to play better, one, and win football games."
First things first, Syracuse will have to fend off its Mid-American Conference foes. The Orange lost to Miami (Ohio) from the MAC last year.
That lost was away, though. SU is banking on its homefield helping to prevent a similar fate this year.
"When I look at the Akron film, I see Akron is a pretty aggressive team," said SU tailback Curtis Brinkley. "I haven't actually gotten a chance to break them down yet, but they showed it yesterday that Akron is aggressive and it should be a good matchup."
The Syracuse head coach knows his team needs to use this quartet of games - all in the familiar confines of the Carrier Dome - to build confidence and momentum heading into the Big East schedule.
Not that these four games will be a walk in the park. After Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Akron, SU will play host to No. 19 Penn State, Northeastern and Pittsburgh the next three weekends. The Orange will be heavy underdogs against the Nittany Lions and Panthers.
Regardless, Syracuse will need to produce some results in those games. Or else it will find itself in desperate times, with a meager record staring down a daunting Big East spell, in October.
"It's an opportunity for us to have four games and really position ourselves well to make a run in the Big East," Robinson said. "That's really how I see it. We've got a chance to really work ourselves to get into a groove to where we need to be."
Except homefield advantage hasn't counted for all that much during the Greg Robinson era. The Orange is 5-14 at the Dome over the last three seasons, including a 1-6 mark last season.
That will need to change this year. After its homestand, the Orange will embark on back-to-back trips to No. 8 West Virginia and No. 17 South Florida.
"Confidence is a part of it. And when we play well and win, that builds confidence," Robinson said. "We've got to take advantage of these next four football games to play better, one, and win football games."
First things first, Syracuse will have to fend off its Mid-American Conference foes. The Orange lost to Miami (Ohio) from the MAC last year.
That lost was away, though. SU is banking on its homefield helping to prevent a similar fate this year.
"When I look at the Akron film, I see Akron is a pretty aggressive team," said SU tailback Curtis Brinkley. "I haven't actually gotten a chance to break them down yet, but they showed it yesterday that Akron is aggressive and it should be a good matchup."
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