Syracuse Orange Report Card: Georgia Tech
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
‘Inside The Loud House’ will be giving grades for Syracuse after every game for the 2013 season. Here is what we took away from Georgia Tech’s 56-0 win over the Orange.
QUARTERBACKS
Terrel Hunt wasn’t very good on Saturday which is obvious for so many reasons. He only completed 50% of his passes and averaged only 4.9 yards per attempt. His one interception was a bad throw, too. So, Scott Shafer goes to Drew Allen and gets more of the same. I didn’t like the change. I don’t think Allen gives you a better chance to win than Hunt, despite Hunt’s poor first half. The Allen experiment was over a long time ago and Hunt has at least two more years after this. Might as well get him all the experience you can.
GRADE: F
RUNNING BACKS
The running game never got any rhythm mainly because the defense couldn’t get off the field and the offense as a whole as a disaster. The Orange needed to run over Georgia Tech and didn’t really get a chance to. Prince-Tyson Gulley averaged 5.1 yards per carry, but only had seven carries. Jerome Smith had only 11 carries. The running game wasn’t a factor and that usually is disaster for Syracuse.
GRADE: C
RECEIVERS
When your quarterbacks are that bad, it’s hard to say anything positive or negative about the receivers. They are still not getting the ball in the hands of Austin Broyld enough, but I guess that’s because they aren’t getting the ball in anyone’s hands enough.
GRADE: C
OFFENSIVE LINE
The fact Syracuse had zero points doesn’t say much for anyone on the unit. When Macky MacPherson went down in the first half, it was just more bad news. At least it was only a stinger and he won’t have any long term issues. Overall, it wasn’t good effort up front, but it’s hard to judge considering how little the Orange had the ball.
GRADE: D
DEFENSIVE LINE
They were pounded in the center of defense by the dive play and just had not answers physically. Jay Bromley, who has been the Orange’s best interior lineman was non-existent. Micah Robinson had the only sack although that’s not significant since the game was already over and pressure on the quarterback is not an issue when the opponent only throw five passes.
GRADE: D
LINEBACKERS
The Orange linebackers looked like the rest of the defense. One step too slow reacting and lost in the scheme. Dyshawn Davis missed the game but I don’t think it would have mattered anyway. The good news was the play of freshman Marqez Hodge who had 12 tackles. Otherwise, a tough day for this crew.
GRADE: D
SECONDARY
Even though the secondary wasn’t busy with the passing game, they were busy trying to chase down Yellow Jacket ball carries as Georgia Tech continually got to the second level with ease all day long. Ri’Shard Anderson had key interception to stop a drive early, but even that is tempered by the fact a wide receiver threw it.
GRADE: C
SPECIAL TEAMS
The early blocked punt hurt and the coverage teams also gave up some big returns. Kicking game was non-existent because of the problems with the offense. If you are looking for a bright spot, Brisly Estime looked good returning punts and Tyson-Gulley had some decent kickoff returns. How pathetic when that is basically the bright side of the whole day?
GRADE: C
COACHING
The switch from 4-3 to a 3-4 defense was a disaster. I am not one to blame coaching, but the Orange looked lost the whole day on defense. Don’t forget, Georgia Tech had lost three straight so apparently the option can be slowed down a bit. Also, I can understand Shafer’s urge to change quarterbacks for a spark, but Allen has been so bad and is not in the team’s future, so it made no sense.
GRADE: F
OVERALL
Just when you thought the Orange were making process they take a step back. The good news is this counts as one loss. It doesn’t matter if it was 125-0 or 2-0. They have an off week to look ahead rather than worry about what happened in Atlanta. I don’t think this team is that bad (or Georgia Tech is that good). It was one of those situations that snowballed. They get Wake Forest at home in two weeks and a win will put them back on track to bowl eligibility.
GRADE: F