1. Dominate with the offensive line

Sure, there have been glaring weaknesses with regards to many facets of the team through three games. There were the discipline issues last Saturday. There have been the muffed kick returns. There has been the subpar play of the defense as a whole.

But moving forward there is, perhaps, no aspect of this team that needs to get on page — and get on page faster — than the offensive line. In the Orange’s only real test this year against Washington, its weaknesses were on full display.

And in its last game, a home opener against an FCS school, the line did not dominate. Against these schools, domination should be an afterthought if fans are to expect SU to perform well in Big East play. It is not out of the question, and this is the last chance to try to prove it before conference play begins.

Justin Pugh has played better than expected, but the rest of the offensive line has been underwhelming until this point this year. Against the Huskies, the Orange averaged only 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. As for Ryan Nassib, the quarterback was sacked three times.

In its other games, and at times against the Huskies, SU has proved it has the chops to be a solid-to-good pass protection unit. The big bodies of Michael Hay, Zack Chibane, Andrew Tiller and Pugh have been able to provide the flanks to Ryan Bartholomew’s point man to create an imposing pocket.

It’ll be imposing again Saturday. Now the run-blocking needs to catch up or Delone Carter will struggle even more in two weeks in Tampa. Speaking of Delone Carter…

2. Delone Carter needs to break free

Just over 80 yards a game isn’t bad for a running back. Especially a running back who hasn’t been with the team for four months. But this is Delone Carter. This is the guy who many thought would be the man for the entirety of the Syracuse team this year.

This is the guy who the entire Louisville defense voted as the hardest Big East running back to face. Tougher than Dion Lewis. Tougher than Noel Devine.

This is the guy who, at his best, puts fear in defenders and makes people think that on every single play, he can break it for 30 yards because of the sheer fact that no one can bring him down alone.

But so far in 2010, whenever Carter has touched the ball, it hasn’t been a feeling of when he will break a long run. Carter hasn’t come across as a back who can go into the end zone on any play. Carter hasn’t dragged entire defensive lines with him on the regular. Carter hasn’t been Carter. Carter hasn’t been the man.

Yes, we probably should have expected somewhat of a slow start for Carter after he was gone for the summer. Yes, the run-blocking has shepherded entire defensive lines in his direction a slew of times more than they should have. They haven’t been opening holes for him.

But performances of 3.5 yards per carry against Akron aren’t going to cut it. Some of the fault is on the offensive line, but Carter needs to average more than five yards per touch Saturday. He needs to break out for a few 15-plus yard runs. He needs to start carrying entire FCS defensive lines by his biceps. That will be the proof of a Delone Carter who is ready for the Big East. 

3. Not let any big play passing plays come to fruition. That means any.

 

Derek Session can’t happen again. An FCS wide receiver about to break a game wide open and give an FCS school a 21-10 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half at the Carrier Dome, can’t happen again. Because if it happens again, well, the short-term ramifications will be six points. Doug Rosnick won’t drop it.

The long-term ramifications, well, they won’t temporarily tickle. They’ll sting. Big East play won’t be pretty.

Thanks to the way they played against Washington — 12.7 yards per completion and allowing four touchdowns to the Huskies — and in the first half against Maine, this secondary looks shaky heading into Big East play. They have the talent to shut good quarterbacks down. But so far this year, they also have had the tendency to slip up on plays here and there.

Slipping up on plays here and there won’t work in Tampa. They can’t occur this Saturday. They shouldn’t occur this Saturday.

The Raiders — a team that lost 45-15 to Furman — have one receiver who has made more than two catches on the year: Rosnick.

Then they have, well, nothing.

No one can, here and there, burn the SU secondary Saturday. No one can be allowed to drop a surefire touchdown, a touchdown that would have injected a feeling of ‘Here we go again’ into the Dome.

Because if something burns Syracuse again this weekend, there will be a sense of ‘Here we go again’ from seven days before. And as for conference play, there will be nothing to expect but ‘Here we go again.’

That feeling can’t happen.

—Compiled by Asst. Sports Editor Tony Olivero

Published on September 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm