RALEIGH, N.C. — The 48,961 fans that filled the Carrier Dome for Syracuse’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener against Clemson last Saturday were so loud that linebacker Marquis Spruill said the SU defense had trouble hearing play calls.

But in its road debut against North Carolina State, the Orange defense was greeted with silence each time the Wolfpack offense trotted onto the field.

It kept the 56,639 that filled Carter-Finley Stadium silent.

“If we can communicate and get our checks down, we can play with anybody in the country,” safety Durell Eskridge said.

Forced into playing 95 snaps — compared to the 61 its offense ran — the SU defense held North Carolina State (3-3, 0-3 Atlantic Coast) to just 3.7 yards per play and 7-of-23 third-down conversions in the team’s 24-10 win over the Wolfpack on Saturday. The Orange (3-3, 1-1) tightened its hinges playing for the first time without Keon Lyn, as well as linebacker Dyshawn Davis, who sprained his right ankle just before halftime.

Even the secondary, which head coach Scott Shafer called disappointing through the first five games of the season, appeared vastly improved.

“It felt like everyone was clicking, everyone was on the same page and we were ready to go,” Eskridge said.

After roughing the kicker penalty on Lewellyn Coker allowed N.C. State to drive the ball into the Orange red zone early in the second quarter, the defense clamped down. Facing a third-and-1 from the SU 7, Davis flattened 6-foot-5, 300-pound Wolfpack left guard Duran Christophe before wrapping up quarterback Pete Thomas in the backfield.

Then the secondary held its cover as the Wolfpack went for it on fourth down and Thomas was unable to find an open receiver.

“We always talk about 1. Sudden-change opportunities and 2. When we get within the 10 yard-line, your true character will be revealed,” Shafer said.

The Orange defense flustered Thomas and Co. for the entire half. Two drives later, Robert Welsh batted away his second-down attempt. Then Eskridge intercepted his overthrow on the third down.

“I saw the ball come right to me. It was like heaven,” he said.

The Wolfpack was able to punch in a score with a short field before the break, but in eight second-half drives, it managed just three points.

Josh Kirkland filled in for the injured Davis, and played a key part in the unit’s success. When he speared N.C. State wide receiver Quintin Payton on a crossing route to force the Wolfpack to punt early in the fourth quarter, the Syracuse sideline erupted.

Kirkland said Shafer had been asking the defense for big hits all week.

“During the week he was saying, ‘I want a lot of big hits this game. I want the defense flying around, making plays, effort always,’” Kirkland said.

It did on Saturday. From Davis’ steamrolling of Christophe to Jay Bromley’s hope-sucking sack on Thomas with five minutes left, the Orange defense out-toughed N.C. State for all four quarters.

Eskridge called the 52 points Syracuse allowed to Clemson last weekend “Christmas gifts.” He said the Tigers didn’t earn them. The Orange gave them to them.

On Saturday, the Orange gave nothing. It forced 13 tackles for loss, moving the Wolfpack offense backward on more than one of every eight plays.

It logged four sacks. And batted four passes.

With a tough ACC schedule ahead, and a team in need of three more wins to become bowl eligible, the SU defense appears to be playing its best football of the season.

“It was a letdown last week to lose,” linebacker Cameron Lynch said. “This week we came out and I just repeated ‘Let’s win this game. Let’s win this game.’

“Watching film I knew we could win this game.”

Published on October 12, 2013 at 9:47 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1