Scouting Louisville with Shamarko Thomas
As part of Syracuse’s 13th-ranked defensive unit, safety Shamarko Thomas has racked up 36 total tackles and two sacks and a fumble recovery through the Orange’s first eight games this season. Against West Virginia, Thomas had seven tackles and assisted on the final sack of WVU quarterback Geno Smith to end SU’s 19-14 victory. On Saturday, the Orange defense faces a new challenge coming from the nation’s No. 4 rusher in Bilal Powell. The Daily Orange spoke to Thomas this week to discuss how the unit is preparing for the Louisville offense.
The Daily Orange: What is the team’s mentality heading into this game after winning two in a row on the road?
Thomas: We just need to stay focused and take it one game at a time. We’re only worried about getting this ‘W.’ Go 1-0 every week. It’s just another game, and we need to stay focused and get back to work.
The defense has played well in back-to-back games now coming off the disappointing game against Pittsburgh. What did that loss to Pitt do for you guys?
We had some miscues against Pitt. But it ultimately helped us become an even better defense. That game helped us mature. We had a little discussion and we talked it out and we were determined to step it up. We have been playing great, and that’s just from staying focused and having great defensive leadership.
What do you guys expect this week against an improved Louisville offense?
It’s the same mentality. Our whole mindset has changed from the beginning of the year. I tell our guys, ‘We’ve got a different kind of swagger.’ I mean, we know what we can do, and against a good Louisville offense, it’ll be another chance to prove it.
What opportunities are presented for you guys as a defense going up against one of the top running backs in the country in Louisville running back Bilal Powell?
It’s not just him, Louisville has a great offense so we’re not just focused on him. We’re focused on the whole offense. We’re looking forward to the challenge.
Does it change your game plan if he does not play on Saturday?
Not at all. We’re focused on that matchup, but the approach is the same every week. Like I said before, our mindset is to go 1-0 and play balls-out, balls-to-the-wall. Like our coaches always tell us, fly to the ball. That has been our theme. Every week, we just want to get better and better, and that’s our goal.
What are you guys looking to focus on specifically with this offense? What kind of things have stood out to you in watching film?
Big plays. On film, they make a lot of big plays. Deep balls, screens and a lot of other stuff. So our goal is to eliminate the big plays they make on offense.
How do you guys stay grounded coming off two big wins? How do you not allow Louisville to come into the Carrier Dome and catch you guys off guard?
We always have to persevere and stay strong and stay together as a team. This is our family, so (SU head coach Doug Marrone) taught us how to grow with each other and stay together. He’s showed us how to win. He speaks about that a lot, about winning and coming together as a team.
