The Daily OrangeMOVING TARGET: Syracuse defense looks to contain big play, WVU's Devine
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 10/9/09, 2:29 AM EST Section: Sports
It has been almost a year since Noel Devine blazed down the field to seal the seventh straight West Virginia victory against Syracuse last year, but Anthony Perkins still dreams about the play.
The junior defensive tackle continues to ruminate over all the 'what if' possibilities, had the Orange clamped down on the speedster. Mostly he wonders, if he had been in the game, whether he could've stopped Devine from knifing the Orange with a big play so late in the game.
Last year's run by Devine crushed the Orange (2-3, 0-1 Big East) in Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia (3-1) faced a 3rd-and-7 at its own 8-yard line with less than five minutes to go and leading 10-6. The Mountaineers ran a power play up the middle, and the blocking worked like clockwork, as Devine burst down the field to seal the game with 4:09 left.
"Last year after the game I thought about it," Perkins said. "Gosh, I wish I was out there. Just maybe I could've got 'em. Maybe I could have soaked up a block and somebody else could have been freed up, and I always think about that. I always do."
So as West Virginia rolls into the Carrier Dome for a noon matchup this Saturday, Syracuse will be looking to prevent Devine from breaking the Orange with another big play. Eliminating backbreaking plays has been a focus of the SU gameplan as it tries to pick up its first win of its past eight games against the Mountaineers.
"One thing we do know is (Devine) has the big-play potential," Perkins said. "The kid is fast and he runs hard and he's not very tall in stature, but he's a little muscle. The one thing we gotta worry about is containing him, keeping him inside and getting hits on him. I think the more shots he takes, the more he backs down and gets frustrated because he can't get in the open space and wiggle and run around."
Safety Mike Holmes said the play was a blown assignment and said it was "bad to watch." Safety Max Suter said he was too far up the field and Devine split between him and another defender as he bolted to the endzone. The 92-yard run is the longest play of Devine's career.
The junior defensive tackle continues to ruminate over all the 'what if' possibilities, had the Orange clamped down on the speedster. Mostly he wonders, if he had been in the game, whether he could've stopped Devine from knifing the Orange with a big play so late in the game.
Last year's run by Devine crushed the Orange (2-3, 0-1 Big East) in Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia (3-1) faced a 3rd-and-7 at its own 8-yard line with less than five minutes to go and leading 10-6. The Mountaineers ran a power play up the middle, and the blocking worked like clockwork, as Devine burst down the field to seal the game with 4:09 left.
"Last year after the game I thought about it," Perkins said. "Gosh, I wish I was out there. Just maybe I could've got 'em. Maybe I could have soaked up a block and somebody else could have been freed up, and I always think about that. I always do."
So as West Virginia rolls into the Carrier Dome for a noon matchup this Saturday, Syracuse will be looking to prevent Devine from breaking the Orange with another big play. Eliminating backbreaking plays has been a focus of the SU gameplan as it tries to pick up its first win of its past eight games against the Mountaineers.
"One thing we do know is (Devine) has the big-play potential," Perkins said. "The kid is fast and he runs hard and he's not very tall in stature, but he's a little muscle. The one thing we gotta worry about is containing him, keeping him inside and getting hits on him. I think the more shots he takes, the more he backs down and gets frustrated because he can't get in the open space and wiggle and run around."
Safety Mike Holmes said the play was a blown assignment and said it was "bad to watch." Safety Max Suter said he was too far up the field and Devine split between him and another defender as he bolted to the endzone. The 92-yard run is the longest play of Devine's career.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
pat O'Laughlin
posted 10/09/09 @ 8:26 PM EST
The Ben SWartzwalder trophy will return to it's rightful place tomorrow !
John
posted 10/09/09 @ 9:34 PM EST
A lot of people think the trophy is in it's rightful place already, since Ben was born, raised, and also coached here in WV. Ernie Davis was a super player, as Ben was at coaching. (Continued…)
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