The Daily OrangeThree things: Rutgers
By Tyler Dunne and Jared Diamond
Posted: 11/19/09, 11:25 PM EST Section: Sports
IMPROVE SPECIAL TEAMS
Syracuse's special teams, in virtually every aspect, have been an issue all season.
Mike Jones, the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing unit, is out for the season. He consistently gave the Orange solid field position in the kick-return game. With the way the offense has played lately, it needs that support. Whoever replaces Jones will not have the same explosiveness or big-play potential.
Meanwhile, Syracuse also has to replace snapper Dalton Phillips, who was solid in field-goal packages. Max Leo, Phillips' backup, delivered a poor snap on an extra point last week that may have cost the Orange a victory over Louisville. Leo had a full week of practice to try and correct his mistakes.
Doug Marrone has talked about his kick and punt coverage groups all season and has mixed and matched personnel liberally. Nevertheless, despite the bevy of combinations, nothing has seemed to work. Punt returner Trent Guy destroyed Syracuse last Saturday. That is starting to become the norm, and it is clear Marrone is frustrated. But with so many players injured the Orange simply may not have enough depth to put an adequate special teams package on the field.
- Jared Diamond, sports editor
Ride Delone Carter
Exit, Mike Williams. Enter, Delone Carter. There's no secret what Syracuse wants to do on offense now. In two games without the ex-wideout, Carter has rushed for 272 yards on 45 carries with one touchdown. After starting the season slow, Carter has heated up in a hurry. The explosion he flashed as a freshman - before the crushing hip injury - is back. Give the patchwork Orange offensive line credit for carving out cutback lanes. But Carter is busting loose for chunks of yardage after initial contact. Rather than toy around with different spread sets, SU should ram the ball down Rutgers' throat and try to win the possession battle. It won't be easy. The Rutgers rush defense ranks 12th in the nation, one spot ahead of SU. But with a steady dose of Carter, maybe Greg Paulus fools the defense with one, backbreaking play-action pass.
- Tyler Dunne, staff writer
Reinforce the Middle
In two weeks, the heart of SU's defense was ripped out. For the entire season, Art Jones and Derrell Smith have been most responsible for Syracuse's incredible rise from 101st to 13th against the run. Jones drew double-teams and Smith was free to track down the running back, a simple formula. With both out for the rest of season, new players must step up. Senior Mike Stenclik will probably supplant Smith with SU continuing to rotate Bud Tribbey and Anthony Perkins at Jones' spot. Stenclik, who started three games a couple years ago, will be under the microscope Saturday. He draws the assignment of stopping the dangerous Joe Martinek from Rutgers. Experienced and well-versed in Scott Shafer's defense, Stenclik could do better than most think.
- Tyler Dunne, staff writer
Syracuse's special teams, in virtually every aspect, have been an issue all season.
Mike Jones, the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing unit, is out for the season. He consistently gave the Orange solid field position in the kick-return game. With the way the offense has played lately, it needs that support. Whoever replaces Jones will not have the same explosiveness or big-play potential.
Meanwhile, Syracuse also has to replace snapper Dalton Phillips, who was solid in field-goal packages. Max Leo, Phillips' backup, delivered a poor snap on an extra point last week that may have cost the Orange a victory over Louisville. Leo had a full week of practice to try and correct his mistakes.
Doug Marrone has talked about his kick and punt coverage groups all season and has mixed and matched personnel liberally. Nevertheless, despite the bevy of combinations, nothing has seemed to work. Punt returner Trent Guy destroyed Syracuse last Saturday. That is starting to become the norm, and it is clear Marrone is frustrated. But with so many players injured the Orange simply may not have enough depth to put an adequate special teams package on the field.
- Jared Diamond, sports editor
Ride Delone Carter
Exit, Mike Williams. Enter, Delone Carter. There's no secret what Syracuse wants to do on offense now. In two games without the ex-wideout, Carter has rushed for 272 yards on 45 carries with one touchdown. After starting the season slow, Carter has heated up in a hurry. The explosion he flashed as a freshman - before the crushing hip injury - is back. Give the patchwork Orange offensive line credit for carving out cutback lanes. But Carter is busting loose for chunks of yardage after initial contact. Rather than toy around with different spread sets, SU should ram the ball down Rutgers' throat and try to win the possession battle. It won't be easy. The Rutgers rush defense ranks 12th in the nation, one spot ahead of SU. But with a steady dose of Carter, maybe Greg Paulus fools the defense with one, backbreaking play-action pass.
- Tyler Dunne, staff writer
Reinforce the Middle
In two weeks, the heart of SU's defense was ripped out. For the entire season, Art Jones and Derrell Smith have been most responsible for Syracuse's incredible rise from 101st to 13th against the run. Jones drew double-teams and Smith was free to track down the running back, a simple formula. With both out for the rest of season, new players must step up. Senior Mike Stenclik will probably supplant Smith with SU continuing to rotate Bud Tribbey and Anthony Perkins at Jones' spot. Stenclik, who started three games a couple years ago, will be under the microscope Saturday. He draws the assignment of stopping the dangerous Joe Martinek from Rutgers. Experienced and well-versed in Scott Shafer's defense, Stenclik could do better than most think.
- Tyler Dunne, staff writer
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