Syracuse Football Report Card: Who shined for the Orange against Pitt?

Jordan Martin came back this week with a very solid game for the Syracuse defense. Last week, Martin really struggled to tackle NC State’s running backs in the open field. The graduate transfer from Toledo took over at the Free Safety position for Syracuse after senior leader Antwan Cordy went down with an injury.

When Martin came over from Toledo he was originally competing at the corner position. But with the improvements by Scoop Bradshaw and Chris Fredrick, Martin was moved to Free Safety, and has only been playing the position for just five weeks. As mentioned before, he has been burned at times in both coverage and open field tackling, but he was great against Pitt.

Martin recorded five tackles, all solo, meaning he was making the tackles in the open field in this game. Even more important than his tackling, Martin recorded two pass breakups and one that came in the end zone on a throw that would have likely been caught at the 2:12 mark in the third quarter. Instead of the touchdown that would have tied up the game, the Panthers had to settle for a field goal. In other words, Martin made a huge play that occurred at a big moment in the game.

Unlike preseason starter Antwan Cordy, Martin is a lengthy and rangy DB, standing at 6’3 inches and can lower the boom at 206-pounds. When he came to Syracuse from Toledo he had the reputation of being a solid cover corner and a big time hitter.

On the season Martin has 23 tackles, good for fifth most on the team. He is a valuable piece of Syracuse’s secondary, and his play should only elevate as he gets more familiar with the position. This weekend’s game will be a huge test for Syracuse’s defense. Last year, they were burned numerous times by the elite offense’s in the ACC like Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville.