Orange grades: Coaches ace, secondary stars in ACC opener win at Clemson
Fran Brown and his staff had their finest hour while Syracuse’s secondary locked all windows and doors in Death Valley. Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer
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CLEMSON, S.C. — Syracuse jumped into Atlantic Coast Conference play with a statement. The Orange never trailed against Clemson on Saturday and secured their first-ever win in Death Valley.
Here are position-group grades for Syracuse’s ACC opening win over Clemson:
Quarterback: A-
Steve Angeli was unafraid. Syracuse’s starting quarterback faced a ferocious Tigers defense with multiple future NFL Draft picks. He simply didn’t care. Angeli stuck in the pocket with each hit and delivered dime after dime to SU’s weapons.
Angeli’s connection with his top three weapons — Justus Ross-Simmons, Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. — was again on full display with multiple tight-window, sideline throws. Angeli’s slot fade pass to Gill in the right corner of the endzone was arguably the best pass of his career.
With Angeli’s health in jeopardy, Rickie Collins entered and delivered a much-needed cushion with a touchdown pass to Ross-Simmons. Collins finished 3-for-8 and had a few key misses. He must step it up, as he’ll likely be QB1 for the foreseeable future.
Running back: B+
SU’s running backs built off an impressive performance against Colgate to post another big day in Death Valley. The Orange finished with 4.1 yards per carry, but Yasin Willis and Will Nixon combined for over five YPC on 28 rushes.
Game by game, we see Willis’ physicality as a clear X-factor. He’s able to match the strength of opposing defenses and be a true tone-setter for the offense, setting up more explosive plays through the air. His 94 yards on the ground featured 60 yards through the middle, per Pro Football Focus.
Nixon found the endzone and was efficient in his pass catching at 7.7 yards per reception. This room has filled LeQuint Allen Jr.’s departure nicely. Their performance against the Tigers was another positive step.
Receiver/Tight End: A+
This feels repetitive at this point. Syracuse’s wide receivers and tight ends again aced the test. Angeli proclaimed during fall camp that he felt the Orange had one of the best wide receiver corps in the country. I was a little skeptical after SU lost Oronde Gadsden II, Jackson Meeks and Trebor Peña. But Angeli clearly knew his personnel better than me.
Ross-Simmons’ two touchdowns versus Clemson proved yet again that he’s a physical specimen that can’t be stopped. Gill scored too. But Cook, who SU head coach Fran Brown says still isn’t fully healthy, broke out for a career-high 113 receiving yards.
Even looking at the tight end usage, Dan Villari averaged over 10 yards per reception to move the chains, and David Clement and Chase Simmons were key in run blocking. This unit is a well-oiled machine and will be pivotal in helping Collins find comfort as the new starter.
Offensive line: B+
The offensive line was given a tall task against Clemson’s front. Yes, the Orange allowed a few sacks, and Angeli exited injured. But Angeli’s injury was a freak accident. And SU actually produced an impressive performance up front.
Da’Metrius Weatherspoon, TJ Ferguson and Austin Collins all played 79 snaps. Trevion Mack returned from a two-game absence and held down the left tackle position. Byron Washington also mixed in at the guard position for 15 snaps.
Plain and simple, Syracuse’s offensive line did its job. The gaps for the running game up the middle were plentiful for Willis to find. The passing game thrived under Angeli as the communication in a hostile environment was handled well. Bravo.
Defensive line: B
Syracuse’s pass rush continues to not produce the eye-popping numbers in the box score everyone loves. When you look at a defensive line, all you really want to see is sacks. The Orange once again failed to do so.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was under duress, however, multiple times as defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson brought pressure from all over. Rashard Perry excelled on the interior as SU’s depth was tested. Dion “Tank” Wilson Jr. and Chris Thomas Jr. both went down with injuries, but Perry posted a team-high 80.6 defensive grade along with three tackles and three pressures.
Tigers running back Adam Randall did tally 130 rushing yards, which was partially an issue with Syracuse’s defensive line failing to set the edge. But overall, this unit produced enough pressure to slow Klubnik — and even get in his head.
Linebackers: B+
SU’s linebacker corps continues to post solid performances. True freshman Antoine Deslauriers is evolving into a star. He tallied a career-high six tackles and a key forced fumble deep in Clemson’s end. The Montreal native is now at 14 tackles in four games.
Gary Bryant III also produced another key performance with five tackles and a big hit on Klubnik. Seasoned veteran Derek McDonald didn’t record a snap per PFF, a sign of him being fazed out of the rotation.
Instead, it was Jamie Tremble playing 26 snaps and Anwar Sparrow at 20. James Heard Jr. also mixed in with six snaps. With help from safety Devin Grant often in the box, the linebackers made key stops at the second level to limit big-time plays.
Secondary: A
Safety Duce Chestnut came into the game Saturday listed as questionable, and he only recorded five snaps. The Orange showed off their depth to fill the void and saw great performances from Braheem Long Jr. and Cornell Perry. Long even recorded a sack for the second straight game.
The return of Grant paid extreme dividends as he tallied a team-high 10 tackles as a Swiss Army Knife to pair with Long’s eight. SU’s cornerbacks also had near-perfect performances. Demetres Samuel Jr. played a team-high 82 snaps and made six tackles.
Chris Peal had another big day on the opposite side of the field from Samuel. He allowed six receptions on 12 targets with one exquisite pass break-up down the right sideline. This is the unit Brown specializes in. His eye for talent and the development of them showed off against the Tigers.
Special teams: A
The special teams unit was a clear net-negative for Syracuse in Brown’s first season. The Orange switched from James Vollono to Ricky Brumfield early in the offseason, and so far, it’s excelling. Versus Clemson, the unit performed at its peak.
Jadyn Oh executed the surprise onside kick well as Greg Delaine pounced on the ball in the split second it crossed the 10-yard threshold. A pooch punt by Angeli pinned the Tigers in deep and early in the third quarter, and kicker Tripp Woody drilled a 49-yard field goal, the longest of his career, to extend SU’s lead to 13.
The only hiccup in this unit was a kickoff out of bounds by Oh. Other than the one marginal mistake, this unit is now a clear net-positive in all aspects.
Coaching: A+
This was Brown and his staff’s finest hour. Brown made multiple big swings, unafraid of the consequences. He was rewarded for nearly all of them. The onside kick was pure genius by Brumfield and Brown, but also a statement. Brown trusts his staff.
Robinson also deserves some heavy praise as Syracuse’s defense looks to be highly improved week by week. The matchup with Clemson was, in my opinion, Robinson’s best in his time with the Orange. Out of the lightning delay, SU’s defense seemed even more prepared, allowing just seven points in the second half.
Dabo Swinney is regarded as one of the best and most accomplished coaches in the sport. Brown and Co. simply outcoached him.
