The Daily OrangeBreak out: After 2 straight losses Marrone, Syracuse return home seeking 1st win
By Matthew Ehalt
Posted: 9/18/09, 4:18 AM EST Section: Sports
Anthony Perkins can sense how close Syracuse is to breaking through the wall that separates victory and defeat. Though the wall has held for two games, the senior defensive tackle is starting to see it crumble.
"I feel like we're right there at the wall and we keep hitting it and it's cracking, and people are seeing that," said Perkins, a defensive tackle. "Sooner or later we're going to punch right through that wall, and you're going to see there it is. That's when people are going to say, 'Wow there it is. That's what they were working for.'"
For Perkins and the Syracuse football team, the chance to deliver that knockout blow to the wall presents itself once again this Saturday, as SU hosts Northwestern at 7 p.m. (TW26) in the Carrier Dome. After the Orange (0-2) failed to pick up wins its first two games against Big Ten opponents, SU will see if the third time is the charm, and try to avenge a 30-10 loss at Northwestern last year.
"We just want to go out and win," Perkins said. "I've been here for going on four years now, and I haven't won that much. I just want to win no matter what, at all costs. I just want to win."
Though the squad has made improvements in its first two games under new head coach Doug Marrone, the one statistic that matters the most has yet to appear in any box score: a win. Improvement or no improvement, wins are what count come bowl season.
SU certainly had chances in its opening game against Minnesota, taking a 20-17 lead late into the fourth quarter, but a costly interception in overtime allowed the Golden Gophers to escape with a 23-20 victory.
Last weekend in State College, Pa., against then-No. 7 Penn State, the Syracuse defense played valiantly enough to give the Orange a chance to win the game. But the offense faltered, and SU suffered a 28-7 defeat.
"I think we were ripe for a win in the first game. I felt we were ripe for one with the plan we had going into the second one. I know that it's important for our players to go out there and win a football game," Marrone said. "I think it would help this football team to go out and win. We preach it all the time. We expect them to go out and win every time we play and that's what I tell the players."
"I feel like we're right there at the wall and we keep hitting it and it's cracking, and people are seeing that," said Perkins, a defensive tackle. "Sooner or later we're going to punch right through that wall, and you're going to see there it is. That's when people are going to say, 'Wow there it is. That's what they were working for.'"
For Perkins and the Syracuse football team, the chance to deliver that knockout blow to the wall presents itself once again this Saturday, as SU hosts Northwestern at 7 p.m. (TW26) in the Carrier Dome. After the Orange (0-2) failed to pick up wins its first two games against Big Ten opponents, SU will see if the third time is the charm, and try to avenge a 30-10 loss at Northwestern last year.
"We just want to go out and win," Perkins said. "I've been here for going on four years now, and I haven't won that much. I just want to win no matter what, at all costs. I just want to win."
Though the squad has made improvements in its first two games under new head coach Doug Marrone, the one statistic that matters the most has yet to appear in any box score: a win. Improvement or no improvement, wins are what count come bowl season.
SU certainly had chances in its opening game against Minnesota, taking a 20-17 lead late into the fourth quarter, but a costly interception in overtime allowed the Golden Gophers to escape with a 23-20 victory.
Last weekend in State College, Pa., against then-No. 7 Penn State, the Syracuse defense played valiantly enough to give the Orange a chance to win the game. But the offense faltered, and SU suffered a 28-7 defeat.
"I think we were ripe for a win in the first game. I felt we were ripe for one with the plan we had going into the second one. I know that it's important for our players to go out there and win a football game," Marrone said. "I think it would help this football team to go out and win. We preach it all the time. We expect them to go out and win every time we play and that's what I tell the players."
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