SB Nation - Ashton Broyld

Syracuse Football Roundtable, Week of September 17 (Minnesota)

JohnCassillo — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:00:34 -0000

Each week, we'll be holding a roundtable discussion with TNIAAM's football "experts" to get a read on the program's most pressing issues on- and off-the-field. Have differing opinions? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Biggest positive takeaway from the Stony Brook game?

Jeremy Ryan: The passing offense is still clicking, with Ryan Nassib and Marcus Sales really on a roll and Lemon rounding back into form. Throw in the three-headed monster of Jerome Smith, Prince-Tyson Gulley, and Ashton Broyld in the backfield and this could end up as one of the all-time great statistical offensive seasons.

Matt McClusky: The obvious is that Syracuse finally won a game! But outside of the W, and ignoring how difficult the game against the FCS Seawolves actually was, I'll go with the continued development of Ryan Nassib. Nassib looks like a real QB who, save for a couple of missed field goals and strange goal line calls, probably would have sat out the fourth quarter.

Andy Pregler: Best thing from the Stony Brook game was Ryan Nassib in the second half. I'm really starting to think he can get national attention for how well he is passing the ball, seeing the field, and running this no huddle offense. He's spreading the ball around and the touch throws look better every game.

Chris Daughtrey: I have to go with Nassib and Sales. The two of them have great chemistry and the ability to single handedly keep the Orange in games. It's exactly what happened against the Sea Wolves. Nassib kept the game close while the defense struggled in the first half. Then, when the D put the clamps on in the second, Nassib and Sales put the game away. If they have a little more consistent help, the Orange are 2-1 at least and maybe even 3-0 (unlikely, but still). I like the consistency. I like the rapport. I feel like, no matter what else happens, those two are going to do their part.

Dan Lyons: The halftime adjustments. I guess this could be a running theme for the season thus far. Stony Brook absolutely controlled the first half in almost every way, which was very disconcerting, but the second half was all Syracuse - the scoreboard doesn't accurately depict how much SU dominated the game after intermission. SU outgained SBU 307-24 in the second half, and could have put up over 40 points had they scored on both of the drives that stalled near the endzone. I wish the team would start games better, and they are a bit of an enigma in that regard, but they finish very well.

Sean Keeley: Once again, this Syracuse team proved it has no quit in it and, it seems, they don't get flustered in the second half. They came back from 22-down against Northwestern. They held strong for as long as possible against USC. And they didn't freak out when down at halftime to Stony Brook, eventually sorting themselves out and winning the game. As much as this team frustrates me and has issues, I do trust in them to always keep fighting and doing what they have to do.

John Cassillo: Seeing Syracuse football on SportsCenter's Top Plays! (kidding -- that was actually terrible) Realistically, though, the best part was the offense's ability to completely flip a switch in the second half and execute. Never felt as if we had that ability in the past. But now, unsure if there's any lead we can't make an opponent sweat out.

Biggest negative takeaway from the Stony Brook game?

JR: All facets of special teams are a mess right now. Punting, field goals, coverage, returns... you name it. Is it possible that taking on the dual roles of head coach and special teams coach is too much for one person?

MM: The defensive line was, for the most part, blown up by the Seawolves bigs up front. Stony Brook ran a ball control offense to perfection and they were able to do so because Syracuse couldn't stay in their gaps and couldn't get to the ball carriers. It was jarring to see how easy Stony Brook moved the ball in that first half.

AP: It has to be Syracuse's first half showing. I understand some teams have a natural tendency to be better in one half compared to another, but at this rate Louisville or Pitt could hang 40 on us by the half. The defense needs to make quicker adjustments and the offense cannot be so bland and slow. I'd love to see us storm out of the gates against Minnesota, but that won't happen.

CD: Run. Defense. Look, I recognize that Maysonet and Coker aren't chopped liver. Both are FBS quality backs, and good ones. But they were certainly helped by the fact that they had wide open holes to run through in the first half. And it's not just one thing the Orange are doing wrong. Against Stony Brook, it was a combination of bad scheme, poor execution and overconfidence. But I'll tell you what. If they play like that when Ray Graham comes to town, the Orange don't have a chance.

DL: In the same vein, the fact that we came out so flat once again is disconcerting. I get the whole "it's hard to motivate teams for FCS opponents" thing. It's not a great excuse but it is very true. Look at the story that has come out about the Michigan team against Appalachian State. I don't think anything like that is the case with SU, but coming off a game against USC in a massive NFL stadium, I can understand why going back to the ole' Carrier Dome against something called "the Seawolves" would be hard to get amped up for. However, this is not an excuse for the Northwestern game, and won't be for any game left on our schedule, especially at Minnesota, which could have huge bowl ramifications.

SK: Specific issues that have plagued Doug Marrone football teams include shaky special teams play, dumb penalties and strange mental mistakes. All of those things were on display against the Seawolves and show no signs of stopping. At this point I almost feel like you have to just assume and expect that they will continue. It's really weird because the sense I get of Doug Marrone is that he would do everything in his power to stop these kinds of things and yet...here we are.

JC: As a lump sum, let's just go with tackling. it's the reason we get beat on bubble screens, the reason we do a poor job on special teams coverage and the reason we can't defend the run in any way, shape or form. It's simple, guys. Go low, wrap up, drive down. Anyone who played football when they were as young as seven could tell you that. Why is this a foreign concept for D-I athletes?

Do you believe Syracuse is the best 1-2 team in the nation?

JR: That's hard to say. They can hang with one of the best teams in the nation one week and then struggle against an FCS school the next. I think 1-2 Arkansas, which is a hot mess right now, probably still has a better squad than SU.

MM: In a word, no. I think, like a lot of other SU observers, that this team may have been the best 0-2 in the nation, but after seeing the struggles with Stony Brook, it's difficult to remember the near win over Northwestern or the comeback against USC. Clearly, this Orange team has a LOT to work on. Which actually may end up being the biggest positive that comes from the game. Despite being 0-for the season, the Orange were feeling good about playing well. Now, the players should be a little embarrassed by the close game with an FCS opponent, which may lead to more concentration throughout the season.

AP: 1-2 is a lot different than best 0-2 team. There are a lot of one win teams out there that are dangerous, and I'd say we are a lot like Penn State right now: looking to fill huge gaps in our play week to week but always hanging around.

CD: I'll admit to not watching enough college football to be able to properly answer the question. I watch Syracuse and that's pretty much it. I can say, though, that they're not a bad 1-2 team and they're not as bad as their defensive statistics might make them out to be. Of course USC is gonna drop 42 on them. And against N'Western, if you take away the punt return TD and the fumble return TD, the Orange not only win, but also hold the Wildcats to a respectable tally. I'm gonna pull a Wilbon and push on this one. Syracuse has the ability to win every game left on the schedule. They also have the potential to lose all of them. Until we see some more consistent play, it's hard to say which it will be.

DL: Probably not. UNC is about to have the hammer dropped on them (maybe?) but they have some talent. Pitt's a total anomaly. Penn State looked pretty miserable in the first two weeks but just stomped Navy. Arkansas is reeling but they were still a preseason favorite and have crazy ESSEESEE SPEED. Auburn is Auburn, and Vanderbilt looks better than their record. So I guess my answer is, maybe? Probably not? We could be? Does it matter? I'd rather be the worst 2-1 team.

SK: The whole Best X-X Team in the Nation thing only really makes sense when you're 0-fer. After that, it gets a little silly. I don't have the time to track down the rest of the 1-2 teams out there but I will say this...very few teams are as battle-tested as Syracuse. Two nationally-ranked opponents, both of whom can now be considered BCS Bowl contenders, and the FCS team we played was among the best.

JC: No. But conversely, I believe we could've also been the worst 3-0 team (not a bad consolation prize, of course). For better or worse, there's a reason we've lost two games out of three -- some would even say there are several reasons. Of course there are plenty of 1-2 teams that couldn't keep pace with us. But there's also plenty that certainly could, too

Which Golden Gopher player has you most concerned?

JR: Max Shortell. From what I've read, the Gophers' backup quarterback is considered a better passer than their starter. MarQueis Gray creates offense with his legs, while Shortell is more of a traditional drop back QB. This could radically change the complexion of the Minnesota offense, and SU only has about a half a game's worth of film to study.

MM: It's not so much the players as much as the atmosphere. TCF Bank Stadium looks like it could be intimidating, especially at night in front of a (expected) decent crowd. While I think SU is probably much better than the Gophers, I worry because, in the past, the Orange lose these types of games. (Even Donovan McNabb couldn't avoid the pitfall during his time leading the Orange.)

AP: Hmmm.... I know it's a cop out but seen so many unknown backup QB's come in and dominate teams I follow. Max Shortell isn't anything special, but I would have no absolutely no qualms saying he will have a career day against Syracuse because our defense is that inconsistent and our luck is that bad.

CD: It would have been MarQueis Grey. That kind of dual-threat QB has all the makings of an Orange killer. But since he's going to be out, I'll go with running back Donnell Kirkwood. Syracuse has let anybody and everybody run roughshod all over them thus far. Minny's back up quarterback Max Shortell is much more of a pocket passer, so if Kirkwood can get going, that's going to open up the passing game for the Gophers. The Orange have yet to show they can stop both the run and the pass. Their saving grace against Stony Brook was that their QB was terrible. If Kirkwood and Shortell both have it going, it could be a long day for the Orange. Nassib might have to put up another 500 yards.

DL: To be honest, this Max Shortell guy. I've seen about one and a half Minnesota games this season so far (I'm a college football junkie), and despite our struggles in the past with mobile QBs, MarQueis Gray is like a poor man's BJ Daniels. Every bad tendency Daniels has, Gray seems to have to a higher degree. Plus, I think we have a lot more defensive speed this season compared to last, so mobile QBs don't scare me as much. Also, less time to prepare always seems to hurt our coaches, and we now have less film to study on the upcoming QB.

SK: QB Max Shortell actually has me more concerned than if MarQueis Gray were in there. He's more likely to air it out against our secondary. That said, I suppose he is the back-up so I'm probably making him out to be better in my head than he is in reality, but, I have concerns.

JC: It's Shortell, but only because I'm unsure what he brings to the table (beyond better passing). The Gophers' rushing game was a force, until Gray went down. How many of Kirkwood's yards were due to the threat of Gray lurking? I think this will be an offense in a steep transition, but that process ultimately comes down to Shortell's skill set.

Who (other than Ryan Nassib) is the Orange's X-factor player against Minnesota?

JR: Ashton Broyld. If he continues to get touches he is going to explode for a big game very soon. Will it be Saturday?

MM: Whoever is the guy to step up at running back, this would be a great game to do so! Outside of RB, I'll go with the front seven of the defense. That unit was exposed against Stony Brook in the first half. The second half was a different story, with credit going to defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, but the defense can't play the way it did in the first two quarters last Saturday if it expects to beat a Big Ten team on the road (even a Big Ten team like Minnesota).

AP: I really want Shamarko Thomas to lay a huge hit on a Gopher early in the game and let that set the tone. We haven't heard a lot of big plays from the defense this year and a couple of picks or Dyshawn Davis caliber big hits would be a nice injection into the D. Thomas is the one guy who can follow through on that by sheer will if nothing else.

CD: I'm gonna cheat a little and go with the linebacking corps as a whole. I think run defense is going to be critical in this game and the LBs are the key. They need to get back to the fundamentals; shed a blocker, make contact and wrap up. I know it's easier said than done, but the Minnesota coaches have seen the tape. They think that they're going to be able to run all over the Orange. The front seven need to take that as a personal affront and start knockigng dudes down.

DL: I'm gonna go with Marquis Spruill. Without Gray, Minnesota's production on the ground drops significantly. Gray is second on the team with 234 rushing yards, leads the team in rushing average (5.2), and leads in rushing TDs (2). Even though Shortell may actually be a better passing QB, Gray helps round out their attack. I think Spruill will help shut down a one-dimensional running game, and force Minnesota to try to beat SU through the air, and that may be a tall task with a relatively unproven signal caller.

SK: It seems like every week, Ashton Broyld gets a little stronger, a little faster and a little smarter on the football field. One of these days he's going to have a crazy breakout game where our jokes about him winning the Heisman become a little less jokey. Perhaps this is that game. He's got a taste for touchdowns...he's gonna want seven now.

JC: Marcus Sales. Whether he's catching the ball or not, he's going to impact the passing game. Defenders fear the deep ball, so he gets doubled, and then the flat's open. Or Jarrod West is open on the opposite side of the field. Then, when they focus their attention elsewhere, Nassib hits him for yet another long touchdown. Unsure how much we'll need to score to win Saturday, but Sales will be involved, regardless.

John Cassillo authors Atlantic Coast Convos, which chronicles every aspect of ACC (plus Syracuse & Pittsburgh) football. Check out the blog, and follow him on Twitter: @JohnCassillo

Syracuse Football: Stats, Stats, Stats & Stats

Sean Keeley — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:30:07 -0000

It's been a while since we could get all excited about the Syracuse Orange offensive stats as the season progresses. Let's check in with how the team is stacking up...

Ryan Nassib

Nassib is now No. 3 in the nation in Total Offense, No. 2 in Passing Yards/Game, No. 2 in Total Passing Yards and No. 6 in Completions/Game. He's doing very well.

Marcus Sales

Sales has racked up over 100 yards in all three games this season and is on a four-game streak if you count the Pinstripe Bowl. (As Brent Axe mentions, Syracuse only had four 100-yard receiving performances all of last season).

Sales has also caught a touchdown in four-consecutive games.

Sales is No. 4 in the nation in Total Receiving Yards.

Alec Lemon

Sir Alec moves to No. 3 on the SU career completion list. His 136 career receptions nudges him past some guy named Marvin Harrison (135). He trails Scott Schwedes and Shelby Hill (T-139).

Prince-Tyson Gulley

PTG had a big day, catching 5 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown to go with eleven carries for 28 yards. Couple that with a kickoff return and he ended the day with 110 all-purpose yards.

Jerome Smith

Smith is still the team's leading rusher overall with 175 yards. Gulley is right behind him at 134, followed by Ashton Broyld (85) and Nassib (62).

Marquis Spruill

Spruill is the team's leading tackler with 21 overall, followed by Dyshawn Davis (17), Shamarko Thomas (15), Siriki Diabate (15) and Ri'Shard Anderson (15). Dan Vaughn and Brandon Sharpe lead the team with 1.5 sacks each.

Syracuse

SU is No. 15 in the nation in Total Offense with 533.33 yards per game.

SU is No. 3 in the nation in Passing Offense.

SU is No. 69 in the nation in Rushing Offense.

SU is No. 55 in the nation in Total Defense with 364.33 opponents YPG.

SU is No. 97 in the nation in Rushing Defense.

SU is No. 18 in the nation in Passing Defense.

SU is No. 13 in the nation in 3rd Down Conversion Percentage (52.8%)

SU is tied for No. 38 in the nation in 4th Down Conversion Percentage (60%).

SU is No. 119 (next to last) in the nation in Net Punting with a 23.62 average.

Syracuse Defeats Stony Brook: Quotant Quotables

Sean Keeley — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:00:31 -0000

Saw a lot of interesting quotes to come out the Syracuse Orange's 28-17 win over Stony Brook on Saturday. Let's jump right in.

Alec Lemon on the crowd:

"It would be nice if everyone stayed the whole game and didn’t get up and leave. It’s kind of sucky when you see people get up and leave, but we’re out there playing the game."

On one hand, good for you, Sir Alec. On the other hand, not sure Doug Marrone wants you saying that. What was most interesting to me was that SU Athletics put it in the transcript. They usually take anything negative out (a couple things Doug Marrone said didn't make the transcript this week). Have to think a little statement being sent there by SUA.

Jarrod West on the difference between this game and the others:

"We just fell on top. We made more plays than we did in the past."

I don't know if you said that how you meant it, Jarrod, but, got it.

Macky MacPherson on the win:

"We got a win, and that’s the important thing. We’re 1-2 instead of 0-3 and it doesn’t matter if it was against Alabama or Stony Brook. That’s a good football team we just beat. They’re No. 17 in the FCS for a reason. We’re not going to hang our heads. It’s not like we just played St. Mary’s School For The Poor."

Coincidentally, Rutgers just scheduled a home-and-home with St. Mary’s School For The Poor.

Prince-Tyson Gulley on Stony Brook:

"I was very surprised, and we wanted to dominate and we believed they shouldn’t be on the field with us. They came ready today."

Jerome Smith on trailing Stony Brook at the half:

"I think we realized that they were a better team than we’d thought. Of late, we’ve been coming out strong in the second half, so we didn’t panic or anything like that. But we were mad, absolutely. Good team or not, we don’t ever think we should be losing at halftime."

Ashton Broyld on the win:

"They said that we were the best 0-2 team in the country. Now, we are the best 1-2 team in the country. We needed this win. It was very big for us and our confidence. We know what we have, and we just need to keep putting it together each week."

I think we can put the Best X-X Team In The Country thing to bed now.

Doug Marrone on Ashton Broyld:

"I have zero issues with his work ethic. He was upset after the first game. He said I want to play more and get in there. I said hey, I feel the same way, I want you to play more."

"He is a very, very good athlete. But in order to play more, you need to now the ins and outs of everything you are doing. He has been doing better and better and we would like to get him more carries."

Doug Marrone on the state of the team:

We are sitting here 1-2. We are going to go back to work tomorrow. We have a lot of work to do. I am happy for the players. They have worked hard. At the end of the day you earn your win. You earn what you deserve. Our first two games, we’ve lost. This game we won. We are 1-2. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

I wonder if we're 1-2.

Doug Marrone on Das Boot Ross Krautman:

"I’m more concerned with him than I’ve been in the last three years."

Guh.

Doug Marrone on the punting game:

"We’re not switching Riley Dixon and Jonathon Fisher. Jonathon is going to punt the ball for us. Riley is our sky kick, to get it up and get good height on it. Ross is obviously our PAT field goal kicker. Ryan Norton is obviously our kickoff guy. I’m learning a lot about that culture and how hard they work, the ins and outs of it. My roommate was a kicker here but he benched 400 pounds and played DB. He was a little different. These kids are good and work hard. I think we are trying to get more from them, as I am with the rest of the players from the team."

As Brent Axe asks, you have to wonder if Marrone trying to out-think the room here. There's a reason most teams have one punter.

Doug Marrone on the first failed fourth and goal:

"The first one, I told Coach Hackett, we are going to run it twice. We signaled in and had a miscommunication. It happens. Those things happen. And we wound up throwing the football. Then it goes to fourth and three. Now, we're going to throw it thinking they are going to pressure us with man as they have shown on film...We got 'em backed up. I'm thinking, the defense is starting to play better from what they did in the first half. I really didn't like the angle on the field goal and we had missed two field goals...I was upset. We were really running the ball well and I wanted to hit them with that same play we were hitting them with. We didn't get it."

Nate Hackett on the two failed fourth and goals:

"It's so funny, for two games everyone has been saying how great we are, and it's funny because I knew everyone was now going to be like, 'what were you thinking in the red zone! (laughs).

Hi-larious!

Doug Marrone on the team giving up big plays:

"We have been burned in three games. It’s a matter of focus and evaluating it and doing a better job with it. We got burned in three games and gave up some big plays. I was discouraged. We were burnt early. I was discouraged by their 75 yards right off the bat, hidden yardage that I’m sure you guys can see with a penalty here, a sack and a penalty. Things like that. We took points off the board when I say we missed two field goals. We go for two. We had a miscommunication with the signals. The first time I wanted to run the ball twice. We can’t afford to give up those plays. In the end, Marcus Sales makes some big plays and puts the game away. I was very happy Marcus was able to do that."

Doug Marrone on how the team comes out stronger in the second half:

"Honestly guys, I don’t know what it is. It’s my job to find out. If I had the answer, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about it."

Uh...

Syracuse 28 - Stony Brook 17: Well, We Won

Sean Keeley — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 23:29:16 -0000

The Syracuse Orange opened the season with two losses that felt about as good as losses could. The Northwestern game was an offense revelation and was one penalty away from being a win. The USC game showed that SU had the ability to hang around against one of the best team's in the nation.

The third game of the season, a 28-17 win over Stony Brook, finally brought a much-needed W to the board. So why does it feel like the most depressing outcome of all three?

Platitudes will be given. Stony Brook will be lauded for their effort. People will tell us that a win is a win. But in this moment, this doesn't feel like a win worth getting too excited about. Stony Brook didn't just hang around in this one, they flat-out controlled the entire first half, one that ended with a 17-14 Seawolves lead.

The Orange finally remembered who they were in the second half but only just barely. A few flashes of excellence were overshadowed by many more moments of WTF.

Kudos to Ryan Nassib, Ashton Broyld and Marcus Sales for great performances and stat-sheet stuffer numbers. But overall? I mean, the entire special teams unit needs a gigantic overhaul. The secondary just got torn up by a quarterback who completed 15 passes before this game (against an FCS and DII school). Tackling and technique seemed to go out the window at times. Marrone decisions and Hackett's game-calling were questionable at best.

I'm not quite sure how I felt better about an 0-2 team than I do about a 1-2 team, but, here we are. This morning, I said that this Syracuse team could hang with any Big East team this year. I actually meant the 0-2 SU squad. I'm not entirely sure about this 1-2 one.

We did get to hear Coach Mac be a lunatic during the broadcast, though, so there was that I suppose.

Syracuse Q&A with Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Paragon SC — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:00:36 -0000

It is Syracuse week! I am looking forward to the game here in NJ on Saturday. It will be my first in a very long time.

We did a Q&A with SBN's Syracuse Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

These are their answers to our questions...

- - -

1. Syracuse lost a close one to Northwestern last weekend. How do you think they respond against USC?

It's such a special situation to play a team of the caliber of USC that I think they'll put the Northwestern game out of their mind. What choice do they have? They can't worry about being 0-2 or losing that momentum that almost propelled them to a W. Doesn't matter. I think SU proved they're capable of making some fireworks but they did it against a team with much less talent than this one. To go into this game expecting to be able to put 40+ on the board would be silly.

2. How much different will this Orange team be this year compared to the one that faced the Trojans a season ago?

Offensively, you're going to see a much more open scheme with a bunch more weapons. If Alec Lemon plays (which is a big if), SU has a great 1-2 punch with Marcus Sales at WR. If not, we've got some young guns that can make plays, like burner Jeremiah Kobena. Ashton Broyld should see more PT and he's our Wildcat/wild card RB. Ryan Nassib likes his tight ends and he'll have two to choose from in Beckett Wales and David Stevens. If the offensive line can somehow hold off the Trojan defenders and give Nassib time, he can make plays and get these guys in position to make their own plays.

Defensively, the line might not ave the marquee name of a Chandler Jones, but I dare say it's a more balanced and deep unit across the board. The big question mark will be our secondary, which got torched by Barkley last year.

3. Ryan Nassib broke a couple school records last weekend, completing 44 passes for 465 yards and 4 touchdowns. How much has the senior signal caller improved from last season?

It's been a pleasure to watch Nassib mature over the last three seasons. He's got a real command of the position and this offense and his experience is finally paying big dividends. He's not gonna play on Sundays but he's got a chance to go down, statistically-speaking, in the same breath as Donovan McNabb and Don McPherson.

Nassib's big issues last season were making the big play, throwing the deep ball and decision-making in the pocket. He's never going to have the arm to make consistent big plays but he can do enough. And he's got all the weapons he could want, so as long as he keeps making good decisions, he'll keep up the good stats.

4. Considering Syracuse gave up 41 points to Northwestern, will Nassib have to play a near-perfect game in order for the Orange to stay within striking distance of USC?

I'm almost less concerned with Nassib being perfect than I am with the defensive secondary playing "adequately." I know they say you have to have a short memory as a DB but our guys have to be thinking about how Barkley, Lee and Woods made them look silly last year. If they can somehow limit the big plays, grab a turnover or two and if Shamarko Thomas can put some big hits on anyone going over the middle, that could make the biggest difference out of everything.

5. Where does Syracuse rank in the Big East? Offensively and defensively, how does this team as a whole stack up?

Based on what I've seen, and I know I'm biased, but I think we're somewhere in the 3-5 range right now. Offensively, I'll take us against anyone. Louisville obviously has a great QB and offense as well, but other than them, I don't see any in the league that can keep pace if we're firing on all cylinders. Defensively, we're strong in the front seven but our secondary remains a real liability. So long as we keep giving up big plays and making mental errors, we'll remain a middle of the pack, second-tier defense. But...I have hopes.

6. Game prediction? Does USC cover the 27-point spread?

I'm not gonna sit here and tell you I think Syracuse can win the game. I'll certainly be hoping for it. If nothing else, I'd like to see the Orange at least keep it competitive for 2 and a half quarters. I'm going with 38-24 as the Orange show big improvements across the board from last year, USC doesn't cover and the Orange can take the title of "Best 0-2 Team In The Nation" with them into next week.

Our answers will be up to their questions later today.

FIGHT ON!

Name Of The Week: Syracuse Edition

Rodger Sherman — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:00:29 -0000

And, verily, when they had traversed the wilderness for eight months, the people stopped and congregated. He spake until them.

You have struggled long and mightily, crossing barren distances with little hope of salvation. But now, the time is come: bring forth the most talented of the young, and of those, select the ones upon whom you have bestowed the silliest monikers. Rejoice and make merry in their midst, so we may remember the fallow months.

-II Barkevious, 24:18-21

Yes, it's name season again. I'm sure you've been eagerly awaiting this day, and now it's here. We have names, and we have plenty of names. I look forward to a rich, full season of discussing the best monikers Northwestern's opponents have to offer - let's get it started.

'Cuse has a nice, full offering off candidates, leaving a fine field of honorable mentions: RBs Ashton Broyld (Flame-Broyld!), Adonis Ameen-Moore, Prince-Tyson Gulley, SS Shamarko Thomas, DB Dontez Ford , and linebacker Lewellyn Coker weren't good enough to cut it.

So hit the jump for names!

No. 2, Quinta Funderburk, WR: La Quinta! I'm not sure whether Quinta is some sort of female version of "Quentin" or just a shoutout to the Spanish word for "fifth" or "a small country farm". I also like Funderburk. It's a fun name. It even has the word "fun" in it!

Quinta is a sophomore wide receiver whose page contains no information whatsoever. That's troubling, but I'm sure Quinta exists.

No. 31 Clay Cleveland, FB: This becomes a problem when it rains and the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame turns into mud and burying thousands of pieces of historic memorabilia, like the guitar Joe Perry was holding on some random Aerosmith album cover. Also, nice alliteration.

Clay is a walk-on fullback who played in nine games last year as a sophomore. He's projected to start at fullback, so that's nice.

No. 13, Deon Goggins, CB: FACT: There are no people named "Goggins" who are not characters in the Harry Potter series. FACT: There are no people named "Deon" who are not athletes, generally of African-American descent. THEREFORE: Deon Goggins is the only black character in the Harry Potter series. You never saw him because he is in Hufflepuff.

Goggy is a fifth-year senior who is gonna start for the second-straight season after transferring from JUCO. He had 1.5 sacks last year and forced a fumble against West Virginia.

No. 59, Macky MacPherson, C: Macky Mac! Gotta love Macky Mac.

Macky Mac is the grandson of former 'Cuse head coach Dick MacPherson - Dick Mac! - and has become a strong center for the Orange, starting every game last year as a sophomore and pencilled in to start again this year.

No. 26, Myles Davis, FB: Okay, your last name is Davis. You can do a lot with that. But what you can't do is name your kid "Miles", or any derivation thereof. You are leaving him bereft of hope for a life without people being like "oh, like the jazz guy?" So what? It's going to be annoying to him for his whole life. I gotta say, his parents kind of blew it when naming their son. Perhaps they were just flustered by the birth of the coolest future Syracuse fullback ever, as sometimes happens around life milestones, but still, bad call, guys. It just puts so much pressure on him to be way cooler than everybody else always. If I met Myles, and he wasn't smoking a cigarette outside a bar wearing a fedora, I'd be disappointed.

Side note: if I was Myles Davis, I'd say to people "if peeing your pants is cool, consider me Myles Davis" and then piss my pants a lot.

Myles is a freshman fullback, but 'Cuse just announced that he'll be out for the whole season.

Poll

NAME OF THE WEEK IS BACK!

Quinta Funderburk

67 votes

Clay Cleveland

2 votes

Deon Goggins

11 votes

Macky MacPherson

35 votes

Myles Davis

19 votes

134 votes | Poll has closed

Thursday Sips, Featuring Northwestern's Conference Basketball Schedule, and FOOTBALL

Rodger Sherman — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:20:21 -0000

FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL.

FOOOOOOOOOTBAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL: It starts tonight! Noteworthy for NU fans is the Vanderbilt game against No. 9 South Carolina - it would be awesome of the Commodores pulled off an upset and were primed for a letdown game next week - and Minnesota-UNLV, because I guess we should pay attention to Minnesota.

Northwestern's conference basketball schedule is out!: Here it is. What's noteworthy is that it's very back-heavy and the inverse of last season's in that NU won't travel to Wisconsin or Indiana while Nebraska and Michigan State won't visit Evanston.

Tell the guy who made all the videos: Bill Connelly ran down 100 reasons to fall back in love with college football. No. 74?

74. Kain Colter. Because he's quite possibly Northwestern's best quarterback, running back and wide receiver. And he will be used as all three.

We're not even that good at DDR: Legal expert Robert B. Wheel posted .GIF previews of the entire college footballsphere, and this is what he came up with for Northwestern.

Pretty accurate, I think.

this is an outrage: Belmont grilled cheese eatery/bar Cheesie's is opening up a second store in Evanston, meaning Northwestern students will have a late night spot to eat delicious gourmet grilled cheese while drinking Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. YOU DID THIS AFTER I GRADUATE I HATE YOU I HATE YOU YOU SICK BASTARDS

Basically, I just wish I could read TNIAAM all year long: They have a special list of things to tell their fans about Northwestern. Rihanna is featured, so go look at it.

Insult our lady laxers at your own peril: They also pointed out that Northwestern won the national championship in women's lax over Syracuse, and weren't too pleased about that outcome.

Northwestern stalled and delayed their way to an 8-6 victory in the Women's Lax National Championshipover Syracuse in what has to have been the most boring and most unwatchable sporting event in the history of the planet. The Wildcats play was described as "nauseatingly disgusting" by some, "a brutal, ugly brand of lacrosse" by others and led one Syracuse player to assume that NU players were scared to play fair.

Listen up, JERKS. I guess we should apologize for the fact Northwestern wanted to win and decided to play the way they did instead of playing like stupid losers, but guess what: WE'RE NOT SORRY. I'll would make a pair of brass knuckles out of all Northwestern's championship rings to punch you in the face with that, but I DON'T HAVE SIX FINGERS.

Way to rip off Kain Colter: Syracuse's Ashton Broyld is also a quarterback/wide receiver/running back, and it's not really clear how he'll be used Saturday. Real original, guys. That article also talks about 'Cuse's five-headed running back monster.

A Jew, a seven-foot tall Sudanese guy, and a half-Indian guy walk into a bar: And that bar is the Keg:

The @numensbball roster is so diverse & has intriguing backgrounds top to bottom. Fertilizer for great promo ideas. Have any?
— Shawn K. Sullivan (@shawnksullivan) August 30, 2012

Forgot to mention this a few days ago, but: Sunday Morning Quarterback is back, under the brilliant guidance of Matt Hinton. Go! Read it!

Thank you Based Ball: George Kontos got his first MLB win last night for the Giants! In other pro news, Jeremy Ebert had one catch for 18 yards in an ugly preseason game that Tom Brady didn't play in.

and your Tweet of the Day: There were a lot of great TODAY IS COLLEGE FOOTBALL tweets today. This was my favorite:

HEY OFFSEASON HEY OFFSEASON WE JUST SURVIVED THE HELL OUTTA YOU
— Jason Kirk (@JasonKirkSBN) August 30, 2012

Syracuse Vs. Northwestern: The Broyldening Approaches

Sean Keeley — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:00:35 -0000

The Syracuse Orange take on the Northwestern Wildcats to kick off the 2012 college football season on Saturday. Let's put some final touches on the lead-in before we get there.

First of all, the Daily Orange has posted their season preview, so go consume that if you haven't already. It includes Michael Cohen's eye-opening article on injuries last season, amongst other interesting articles.

One such article is all about Ashton Broyld, Syracuse football's wunderkind QB/RB/WR, who will have a definite impact on the field this season. How is the freshman handling the pressure?

"I don’t feel pressure; there is no pressure," Broyld said. "My job is just to come in here and do what I can do for the team, and that’s all I’m going to try to do."

While we're on the topic of Broyld, how does he see his place in the backfield shaping up?

"I think we’re just going to have a triple-headed monster or four-headed monster, whatever," he said. "It’s going to be something like that because we have backs who can do it all. We’ve got different styles of guys. We’ve got certain situation guys. It’s really hard to choose one guy because we all do something a little bit better or different than the next guy."

If I don't see a photoshopping of the Four-Headed Monster by 3pm, I'm gonna be pissed.

There are actually five running backs in the mix if you include George Morris III, so it's going to be interesting to see who plays and when.

And what of Marcus Sales? He very easily could be sitting in a jail cell right now instead of preparing for his final season with Syracuse. With everything he's been through and being so close to having it all taken away, you'd think he'd be a practice warrior at this point. It took a while but Sales is finally starting to understand that:

Sales will continue the ride interrupted in 2011. Moore expects Sales to make plays and pick up where he left off at Yankee Stadium two years ago.

"I’m just glad to be back out here competing with my friends and my teammates," Sales said. "I mean, just being out here, just to be able to play football — it’s a blessing."

As for Sales' battery-mate, Sir Alec Lemon, expect the senior to be out there even as he still recovers from a ~~leg~~ lower body injury.

"I missed a couple of practices, but I feel confident and ready to go," Lemon said during player interviews tonight at Manley Field House. "I’m just excited to get back on the field Saturday."

SU is still being a little coy about Lemon's status, which makes me think he's closer to 75% than 100%, so, we'll see. Jeremiah Kobena, stay loose.

And then there's Jay Bromley. The big hoss spent a good portion of the fall with his leg in a boot However, all signs point to him being there as part of that Meat.

"The last few days I’ve been practicing full speed," Bromley said Wednesday night. "I feel way better today than I did yesterday. I’m just trying to get a little better each day and hope it pays off."

Syracuse vs. Northwestern: Insert Carrier Dome Air Conditioning Joke Here

Sean Keeley — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:00:22 -0000

This isn't the Northwestern Wildcats' first barn dance in the Carrier Dome. They visited here a few years back and felt the Paulusy justice that only Greg Paulus could dish out. The Wildcats lost to the Syracuse Orange 37-34 on a last second Lichtenstein! field goal, but that's not what sticks out for them. What they remember most is...the Syracuse heat?

Senior defensive tackle Brian Arnfelt remembers one thing from Northwestern’s last trip to Syracuse in 2009.

"It’s hot," he said.

"We had a perfect day to prepare for what we’re going to have to see in the dome — (it was) warm, muggy outside," coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "We were outside a majority of practice and then went inside to try and simulate the crowd noise that we’ll see on Saturday. We couldn’t have asked for anything better, as far as weather-wise prep, for today."

Northwestern will look very different when they visit the Dome this time and a large part of that will be dual threat QB Kain Colter, the first of many SU will face this season. Colter is the realized potential of what Ashton Broyld could become.

In four starts at quarterback and seven as a receiver in 2011, Colter passed for 673 yards, ran for 654, and caught 14 passes for 466 yards. The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection accounted for 18 of the Wildcats’ 51 touchdowns last season – three as a receiver, nine as a runner and six as a passer.

For the Orange, it's no surprise to hear that All-Big-East tackle Justin Pugh will be on the sidelines for this one. He's probably going to stay there for a few more games as well.

"I’m just trying to get back as soon as possible," he said. "I’m running, I’m lifting. The progress I’m making, they say I’m ahead of schedule. It’s just the waiting game. They have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. But if things go right, if things swing in my favor, they won’t have to worry about (finding a replacement). I’m probably giving you the best-case scenario and he’s probably giving you the worst-case scenario. Hopefully it’s the best-case."

The Syracuse defense is all about meat metaphors. The best hit each week earns someone The Bone. The key cogs in the defensive line refer to themselves as The Meat. And when it comes to Davon Walls, he takes it one step further...

"I’m like a steak," he said. "People want it medium rare. That’s how I am. Right now I’m just doing what I have to do to help the team."

I'm not entirely sure what he means, but, I like it.

Obviously #44 Should Be Unretired, Just Not Right Now

Sean Keeley — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:00:24 -0000

So the Syracuse Orange world got itself into a tizzy again when the Syracuse Football Facebook page posted a photo of a current SU jersey with the No. 44 on it.

Obviously, this is the jersey used in that promotional video that's going to premiere Saturday and is not actually a jersey that someone will wear this year. Still, we needed clarification (via Dave Rahme).

That sparked a host of comments from fans wondering if the jersey, last worn by Orange fullback Rob Konrad in 1998, was being brought back. An email sent to SU just to be certain the number was being used as a promotional tool only was answered with the obvious: "There is no No. 44 on the roster."

I've made my case for why I think it's silly to retire No. 44 in the long-term and you can go read it here. I don't think there always needs to be a No. 44 but the option should be available if a player worthy of the honor wants to wear it.

That said, all due respect to the guys on the 2012 roster, I don't exactly see anyone who should be wearing it even it were available.

A little harsh, sure, but, you know... Delone Carter was probably the last guy who would have been 44-worthy and even then it's a tricky dance. Do you wait until someone has proven they have star potential before you give it to them or do you give it to them as a freshman based on potential and desire to wear it?

Ashton Broyld doesn't fit the mold of the bruising RBs that made the number famous, but perhaps the hype he carries with him would make him a worthy owner. Then again, he's probably going to be playing quarterback in a year or two so it's a moot point.

My guess is that it's going to take someone really special for DOC Gross to relent and bring No. 44 back on the field. Like a five-star RB who's choosing between Syracuse, Ohio State and Florida State and by offering him 44 it tips the scales. Of course, if Doug Marrone gets enough juice as coach here and wants to reinstate it (as I think he secretly does), maybe he can make it happen as well.

Until then, we'll keep rooting for the No. 32s and the No. 34s and the No. 1s all the same.