AUBURN, Ala. — Soon after Syracuse’s heartbreaking 37-34 triple-overtime loss to Auburn Saturday night, SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni tried his best to defuse the inevitable, controversial question.

Given Troy Nunes’ fourth-quarter and overtime performances, has the starting-quarterback question resurfaced?

‘I don’t think so,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘(R.J. Anderson) is the starter.’

Pasqualoni is right about one thing — there is no question about who should start next week. But he’s dead wrong about another — Nunes should be the clear-cut starter.

Nunes, a co-captain, led Syracuse on a heroic fourth-quarter drive. Using the veteran savvy only a fifth-year senior brings, Nunes methodically marched the Orangemen down the field to tie the game at 24 with 23 seconds remaining.

Nunes eluded the pass rush when he needed to, completing passes both from the pocket and on the run. He found Andre Fontenette, a talented but rarely utilized receiver, three times on the 80-yard drive. He clicked with receiver Jared Jones three times, using a slant pattern that looks awfully difficult to defend.

On the drive, he completed seven passes, surpassing Anderson’s game total of five. Nunes finished 9-of-11 for 80 yards and a touchdown.

‘It was pretty special,’ safety Keeon Walker said. ‘He played like a leader.’

And like the guy who should lead Syracuse when it begins its Big East schedule at home next week against Pittsburgh.

On Saturday, Nunes was everything Anderson wasn’t. To be fair, Anderson’s fourth-quarter numbers won’t be considered. He took several hard hits in the third quarter and after the game said he didn’t remember anything from the fourth.

Save wooziness, Anderson was still pitiful. He was just 3-of-9 for 57 yards in the first half. And those numbers are skewed, considering in the second quarter, Jamel Riddle turned a two-yard pass into a 31-yard strike by slipping a tackle and dashing up the Syracuse sideline. Without that play, Anderson completed 2-of-8 passes for 26 yards and an interception.

Despite those miserable numbers, Syracuse managed a 17-3 halftime lead, which Anderson nearly threw away early in the third quarter. His first pass of the second half went off Jones’ hands and into the arms of Carlos Rogers, who returned the ball to the Syracuse 31. Minutes later, SU’s lead whittled to 17-10.

Three possessions later, Anderson threw deep into double coverage for David Tyree, but was again picked off by Rogers. An Auburn goal-line fumble saved the Orangemen from that turnover costing them six points, too.

Nunes, meanwhile, has quietly witnessed atrocities like these from the sidelines. He watched Anderson collect a 42.3 completion percentage and throw six picks compared to two touchdowns through three games without saying a word. He’s been the consummate team player, serving as both co-captain and backup.

‘From what I remember, he came in and did a great job,’ Anderson said. ‘He did everything a backup is supposed to do.’

‘It’s my job to be the backup quarterback,’ Nunes said. ‘If something happens, then I come in. The 2002 Syracuse football team is R.J.’s. If they need me, I’ll come in.

‘I prepare every week. It’s really hard to go the whole season with one guy.’

Which is exactly what Pasqualoni should come to terms with. His intentions of avoiding another quarterback controversy — the same kind that has plagued Syracuse since the departure of Donovan McNabb — are noble.

But a stable depth chart takes a back seat to winning. And when it comes to that, Nunes showed Saturday that he’s the better man for the job.

Pete Iorizzo is an assistant sports editor for The Daily Orange, where his columns appear regularly. E-mail him at pniorizz@syr.edu.

Published on September 29, 2002 at 12:00 pm