Our Paul A. Esden Sr gives you all the juicy information you need to know about Wagner, ahead of their matchup with the Syracuse football squad.
First things first, great job to the Orange putting one in the W column on the road against a opponent that would just not go away. So far so good with my predictions in the Quest for 6!
I will go out on a limb and predict that the upcoming Dome opener will also yield a much needed win. Unlike what you will normally see in my game prediction piece, this one we won’t spend a lot of time on. We should win this game and win it going away. Bottom line, this is a team from a lower conference that won four games last year.
Now before we go too far down the blow out road, this team has a bunch of players who will be energized to put their ‘skin’ on the wall for the season… Ours! The diamond in the rough for Wagner is their veteran running back.
Syracuse Orange
Ryan Fulse is a Sophomore, who last year averaged 118 yards on the ground per game, at a six yard average per rush. This 5-foot-11, 194 pound dynamo ran for 271 yards last week on 20 carries.
It is a little ironic that two of my areas of concern in the offseason for the Orange would be addressed in Week 1 of the regular season:
First keeping Eric Dungey safe. I would like to take a moment to yell to Dino Babers that let’s not pull Eric Dungey until I don’t know the THIRD QUARTER PLEASE! I do not expect any miracle comebacks’ from the Seahawks but it does impact our gunslingers statistics and his outside shot at the Heisman.
Secondly, getting the running game going. Now as we all know stats can get twisted 12 ways to Sunday but outside of #Dungey4Heisman our running game was anemic.
This game should be just what the doctor ordered to get two of my priorities for the Orange on track before we enter ACC play.
This will be an opportunity for the Orange to focus in on stopping the run, which is something that will be key as we peek forward to our ACC opener against another running back who gave us fits last year (Cam Akers, 199 yards vs Syracuse last season), but I digress.
There is not too much more to dissect for the OITNF, as Ryan is not used very much as a receiver only having seven catches in 13 career games played. So the front seven need to man up and shutdown the Seahawks ground game. And please keep the total offense given up to under let’s say 400 yards… please?
The last component that we need to direct the attention to is the passing game. I will not rehash last week’s article but I will say that completing passes to only four players (two of them running backs) will not get it done. The Orange Is the New Fast needs to get back on track, which should not be an issue against Wagner who gave up over 350 yards passing to Bowie State!
To summarize the Orange will win big and be one third of the way to the Quest for 6, they will then be geared up, tuned up and poised for next week’s opponent Florida State. Until then, Be loud, be proud, BE ORANGE.