Even with victory, shaky SU defense realizes improvement necessary heading into Big East play
Minutes after Syracuse was putting the final touches on a blowout victory over Colgate Saturday, Doug Hogue let his mind wander. He wasn’t thinking about the two weeks of rest that awaited Syracuse. Or the program’s best starts since 2003. Instead, his focus was on what lies just around the corner.
And although the SU defense allowed just a single touchdown against the Raiders, Hogue still wants to see this defense get better before facing South Florida in Tampa in two weeks.
‘After every game you play, you always feel like could do better,’ Hogue said. ‘… Going into the Big East in the next two weeks, we’ve got to pick that up and step our game up.’
Hogue isn’t just being a perfectionist, either. Despite allowing just seven points in a 42-7 beatdown, the Orange allowed an alarming 23 first downs and 376 yards of total offense to its FCS counterparts from just down the road. SU allowed the Raiders to complete 4-of-7 fourth-down conversions and consistently move the ball, keeping the Orange defense on the field for long stretches.
Colgate running back Nate Eachus carved the defense up for 147 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He was the catalyst behind a running game that pounded the ball for 230 yards against SU. With experience Syracuse has, that should not happen.
The Orange now has two weeks to fix the problem before carrying into Big East play. Though the defense has held its opponents to eight points per game in its three wins, it allowed the only BCS conference team on its schedule — Washington — to drop 41 points in a road situation. A similar situation that SU now faces in its next matchup.
When asked what the defense needs to work on specifically, Hogue only had one word. ‘Everything,’ he said.
Freshman linebacker Marquis Spruill, who led the Orange with 12 tackles Saturday, agreed with Hogue. He too recognized that the defense needs to address some issues before taking the field against USF.
‘It feels good,’ Spruill said about only allowing seven points. ‘But we’re going to go watch film and see what we can get better at and make new goals for South Florida. … Colgate is a good team, but South Florida isn’t going to be Colgate.’
Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone cracked a rare smile at the podium after the game, relieved to be heading into the break with some momentum. The Orange did exactly what it was supposed to do, and looked impressive while doing it.
But after glancing at the numbers on a stat she that was handed to him, Marrone’s smile quickly disappeared and that serious demeanor took over again.
‘We only gave up one touchdown, so I’m excited about that,’ Marrone said. ‘… But at the end of the day, we’re talking about a football team that needs to get better and better every week, and that’s going to be the key for us.’
Yet three quarters in, despite the inconsistency, SU was eyeing its first defensive shutout since 2005. Colgate’s penalties and a touchdown it had that was brought back kept Syracuse a live for what, on paper, would have proven to be a great defensive effort.
Against USF, that won’t fly. Against any other Big East team, 376 yards allowed will result in a blowout. But not with the Orange on the winning end. That was on full display in Washington.
That’s why heading into Big East play, there will be a lot riding on this defense. And it’s something Hogue and his teammates realize needs to be rectified during the bye week.
Said Hogue: ‘We need to become a better team when the Big East comes up, so that we can win some games.’
