He suggested the impossible, insisted the implausible, believed the unbelievable.

When Todd Littlejohn came to Syracuse after last season – and suggested Syracuse could finish in the top 40 in pass defense in 2003, one year after allowing 304 passing yards a game, last in the nation – some people thought the new cornerbacks coach was crazy.

‘The pass defense has been glaring for so long,’ Littlejohn said, ‘We’ve been 100th in the country in pass defense, 92, 75, but it keeps moving up. They’re seeing the numbers drop. Like I said, and people thought I was crazy, but we can be in the Top 25. Now at least these kids see I’m not crazy.’

Not after SU held Miami to 80 yards passing, the lowest output an opponent produced against the Orangemen this season. Syracuse is now ranked No. 73 in the nation in pass defense, allowing 230.1 yards per game, and the pass defense has evolved from a liability to a dependable unit.

Since the beginning of the season – when SU allowed 340 passing yards in a 49-47 triple-overtime win Sept. 6 over North Carolina – SU has progressively improved. Calling checks, knowing assignments, mastering techniques, memorizing coverages. SU’s defense has accomplished it all.

The reason? The starting lineup is set. Cornerbacks Troy Swittenburg and Steve Gregory and safeties Anthony Smith and Diamond Ferri finally know their roles. WIth a stable group, communication is easier.

‘Continuity definitely helps,’ Littlejohn said. ‘And those guys were getting experience each day. I knew these guys never played together coming into this year. We fused four new guys together. They needed to get a familiarity of each other.’

Entering the season, Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni concentrated on improving SU’s defense, hounding it during preseason drills and scrimmages. Coaches overhauled the secondary, replacing three of four members, Gregory being the only exception. Freshman Terrell Lemon impressed coaches enough to earn a starting role to at the beginning of the season.

Initially, SU struggled, and whispers began circulating about a repeat of 2002. Cornerback Thomas Whitfield began splitting time with Lemon. Coaches started using Swittenburg off the bench more. With so many different players in and out, communication became a problem.

Swittenburg became the starter for the Pittsburgh game and has stayed there since. Lemon, meanwhile, has been relegated to special teams duty. Coaches sprinkle in Whitfield on third downs and in dime packages, moving Swittenburg to safety, his position after last season.

‘It helps sometimes because Troy is like a safety,’ Ferri said. ‘We’re playing with three safeties out there, basically. If I don’t see a coverage, he can call it out. He’s helped.’

Then came the game against Miami. Each week, the players and coaches make goals for the upcoming game. For Miami, SU hoped to hold the ‘Canes to less than 200 yards passing.

Sure, the ‘Canes attempted just 15 passes, focusing more on the run.

‘But,’ Littlejohn said, ‘they were (ITALICS)trying(ITALICS) to pass. And that shows something, because although (Miami quarterback Derrick Crudup) didn’t pass the ball a lot, that’s because we were holding them down in coverages. Nobody was open, that’s what it was.’

SU has reached a new level now, expecting more out of itself than just holding opponents to 80 yards. On one incompletion Saturday, Littlejohn became upset after Gregory couldn’t pick an overthrown ball.

‘Of course he should’ve had that one,’ Littlejohn said. ‘I just told him, ‘As many ball drills as we work on and you drop that?’ And that’s just because turnover margin is so important to me.’

Ferri, too, wanted to see more from the unit. Upset about missing tackles on Miami running back Tyrone Hill, Ferri wanted SU to adapt a more intense approach.

‘We tackle all right,’ Ferri said, ‘but we need to get that guy down on initial contact. We’re not where we should be. I’d like to see guys not get dumb penalties, like passing interference. Like little dumb things. I want to see guys flying around out there.’

SU has looked for improvement each week and has clearly found it. So what is the goal for SU this week?

‘We want to get 150 (passing yards against) this weekend, just for improvement’s sake,’ Whitfield said. ‘But every week now, we’re always fighting for zero.’

Published on November 18, 2003 at 12:00 pm