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The Daily OrangeFB | Brinkley on pace to eclipse 1,000-yard barrier
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 10/20/08, 4:31 AM EST Section: Sports
TAMPA, Fla. - No matter how bad things get for Syracuse, Curtis Brinkley keeps on chugging.
For the second straight game, the senior tailback was the lone bright spot for the Orange in its disappointing 45-13 loss to No. 19 South Florida Saturday. Brinkley rushed for 112 yards - 106 in the first half - on 20 carries, including a 24-yard score for Syracuse's lone touchdown. He also added 26 receiving yards on two catches.
His strong outing comes a week after an impressive 144-yard performance against West Virginia. Brinkley is on pace to reach the 1,000-yard milestone, having compiled 733 rushing yards in seven games. He's having the best season of his career
Throughout the first half, when Syracuse was playing well and managed to stay within one score of the Bulls, Brinkley controlled the clock by running strong between the tackles. His touchdown came on the first play of the second quarter to cut the SU deficit to 14-10.
But like the rest of the Orange offense, Brinkley failed to maintain his pace in the second half, picking up only six more yards in the game's final 30 minutes. As Syracuse fell further and further behind, it was forced to turn to the passing game, which proved to be unsuccessful.
And also like the rest of the offense, he had no explanation for what went so wrong after halftime.
"South Florida came out in the second half, and I guess they made adjustments," Brinkley said. "They executed what they planned, and they executed very well."
The effort was not without controversy, though. After the game, Brinkley accused the Bulls of playing dirty and taking cheap shots, citing plays early in the game in which he thought USF players were going after his surgically repaired knees.
At his press conference Sunday afternoon, SU head coach Greg Robinson said he did not see anything particularly out of line.
"I didn't sense that," Robinson said. "I sensed that it was a fairly clean football game."
For the second straight game, the senior tailback was the lone bright spot for the Orange in its disappointing 45-13 loss to No. 19 South Florida Saturday. Brinkley rushed for 112 yards - 106 in the first half - on 20 carries, including a 24-yard score for Syracuse's lone touchdown. He also added 26 receiving yards on two catches.
His strong outing comes a week after an impressive 144-yard performance against West Virginia. Brinkley is on pace to reach the 1,000-yard milestone, having compiled 733 rushing yards in seven games. He's having the best season of his career
Throughout the first half, when Syracuse was playing well and managed to stay within one score of the Bulls, Brinkley controlled the clock by running strong between the tackles. His touchdown came on the first play of the second quarter to cut the SU deficit to 14-10.
But like the rest of the Orange offense, Brinkley failed to maintain his pace in the second half, picking up only six more yards in the game's final 30 minutes. As Syracuse fell further and further behind, it was forced to turn to the passing game, which proved to be unsuccessful.
And also like the rest of the offense, he had no explanation for what went so wrong after halftime.
"South Florida came out in the second half, and I guess they made adjustments," Brinkley said. "They executed what they planned, and they executed very well."
The effort was not without controversy, though. After the game, Brinkley accused the Bulls of playing dirty and taking cheap shots, citing plays early in the game in which he thought USF players were going after his surgically repaired knees.
At his press conference Sunday afternoon, SU head coach Greg Robinson said he did not see anything particularly out of line.
"I didn't sense that," Robinson said. "I sensed that it was a fairly clean football game."
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