Syracuse (3-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead against Virginia (2-4, 1-1) on Saturday. The Cavaliers cut SU’s lead to just three points with about 10 minutes remaining. With 6:52 left in the game, UVA got the ball on its own 4-yard line after a 47-yard Riley Dixon punt.

Virginia drove 88 yards and tied the game with a field goal on the last play of regulation to send it to overtime. UVA utilized several short passing plays and the longest play of the drive was 12 yards.

“Screens, screens, screens, screens and more screens,” Syracuse cornerback Julian Whigham said of Virginia’s game-tying drive in the fourth quarter. “They gameplanned I guess and they did a great job of running them. When they run screens like that, everybody knows we blitz so much, that’s what people do, they screen us.”

Here’s a breakdown of crucial plays on the Cavaliers’ final drive in regulation.

Canaan Severin 9-yard reception

Time: 6:16 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: Second-and-9 from UVA 5-yard line

 

Virginia lines up with two receivers at the top of the formation (light and dark blue rectangles). They both run in-routes, which eventually proves to be a successful route combination against the zone coverage. Syracuse’s cornerback (yellow circle) drops back beyond 10 yards. The outside linebacker (red circle) slides toward the line of scrimmage to cover the flat. The middle linebacker (light green circle) drops back as well.

 

As the middle linebacker (green circle) continues to drop, space opens up over the middle of the field in the soft spot of the zone (white rectangle). Severin’s (blue rectangle) route is headed right toward the empty space as soon as the middle linebacker clears out.

 

The ball (black circle) is thrown by quarterback Matt Johns and with the outside linebacker (red circle) significantly closer to the sideline now and the middle linebacker (green circle) 10 yards back, Severin slips into the empty space (white rectangle) for a 9-yard gain.

Zaire Franklin facemask penalty

Time: 5:07 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: Third-and-15 from UVA 9-yard line

 

Before the snap Syracuse has three down linemen and three linebackers showing blitz at the line of scrimmage (yellow rectangle). SU also has three safeties (blue circles) that are within 5-7 yards of the line of scrimmage. Before the ball is snapped, the three safeties and three linebackers all drop back deep. Holding Virginia to less than 15 yards here would mean SU would likely get the ball back with a chance to run out the clock.

 

By the time the ball (black circle) is snapped, the linebackers (yellow rectangle) leave enough space (white box) in the middle of the field for tailback Albert Reid (red rectangle). Considering it’s third-and-15 though, it wouldn’t cost Syracuse if he picks up 5 yards.

With everyone dropped back in coverage, Reid catches the pass for 6 yards, but while being tackled, linebacker Zaire Franklin yanks his facemask and UVA is given an automatic first down.

Taquan Mizzell 7-yard reception

Time: 3:52 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: Third-and-7 from UVA 33-yard line

 

Syracuse sets up with four down linemen, two linebackers (purple and blue circles) and a safety (green circle) within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage. Parris Bennett (purple circle) drops back into coverage and Ted Taylor (blue circle) follows Virginia’s tight end (yellow rectangle), which opens up space for Mizzell (red rectangle) in the middle of the field.

 

With space to make the easy catch, Mizzell takes a hit from a Syracuse defender. But he keeps moving forward in order to complete the first down. All of a sudden, Virginia is on its own 40-yard line and creeping toward field-goal range as a result of all these dink and dunk passes.

Mizzell 11-yard reception on fourth-down screen pass

Time: 2:04 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: Fourth-and-4 from UVA 47-yard line

 

Freshman safety Kielan Whitner (red circle) approaches the line of scrimmage before the snap. Whitner and Bennett (yellow circle) will play key roles on this play. Mizzell (blue rectangle) runs a pattern for a screen pass and UVA’s offensive line kicks out to set up blocks.

 

Mizzell (blue rectangle) catches the ball 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage but with several blockers out in front in of him. Bennett (yellow circle) is already blocked pretty well and another Virginia lineman (green rectangle) is moving to put a block on Whitner (red circle). Whitner is taken out of the play, and Mizzell has a clean lane to split between him and Bennett.

Olamide Zaccheaus 6-yard reception

Time: 1:31 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: First-and-10 from SU 30-yard line

 

Virginia sets up with two receivers on each side of the formation. Zaccheaus (yellow rectangle) will run an out route. SU’s cornerback (red circle) and safety (green circle) on that side of the field both drop into coverage to prevent a long pass. The linebackers (orange and purple circles) slide to that side of the field but leave a cushion for Zaccheaus to make the catch.

 

With the linebackers 7-8 yards behind the line of scrimmage, Zaccheaus turns 5 yards downfield to catch the ball (black circle). A cushion of space (white block) is created, which allows Zaccheaus to get out of bounds after making the catch to stop the clock.

Daniel Hamm 12-yard screen

Time: 1:24 left in fourth quarter

Down and distance: Second-and-4 from SU 24-yard line

 

Before the snap, Mizzell (orange rectangle) is in motion. That immediately draws the attention of two of Syracuse’s linebackers (purple and dark blue circles). Hamm (yellow rectangle) sets up for a screen pass to the opposite side. The attention that Mizzell got opens up space on the far sideline as the Orange’s four defensive linemen (red circle) all rush forward.

 

With two linemen out in front (red and green rectangles) Hamm has space to take advantage of. He brings UVA all the way down to the 12-yard line, prime position for the eventual game-tying field goal. All of a sudden, Virginia had marched nearly all the way down the field.

Published on October 20, 2015 at 10:26 am
Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds