Paul A. Esden Sr gets you ready for the eighth game on the schedule for the Syracuse football squad. Here’s all you need to know about the Wolfpack.
The eighth game of the 2018 Syracuse Orange Campaign is against the North Carolina State Wolf Pack. I have a confession to make before beginning. I am a closet member of the Wolf Pack.
Going back to my youth, my father and I watched a lot of college basketball back in the day mainly around tournament time. Each year we would pick an underdog before the tournament started and root for them throughout the tournament.
The year that stands out for me was 1982 and we picked Coach V and the Wolfpack, as most of you know the rest is history. The classic David versus Goliath matchup in the Championship game and the Wolfpack turned into Cinderella and the shoe fit.
With that being said, since then I have always had a soft spot for the Pack with fond memories of spending time with my father. OK enough sentimental stuff, I am putting this behind me 36 years later, I now bleed Orange through and through (and I have converted my Dad to being a Syracuse fan). But I digress….
We enter this game with the most wins (for a season) that we have had for four years at 5-2 with five games left on the slate. The ‘Quest for 6’ is so close we can almost taste it.
Now let’s look at this year’s numbers to date:
- Total Offense: SU (19th) vs NC State (34th)
- Rushing: SU (32nd) vs NC State (102nd)
- Passing: SU (35th) vs NC State (12th)
- Total Defense: SU (94th) vs NC State (49th)
- Rushing: SU (90th) vs NC State (9th)
- Passing: SU (85th) vs NC State (104th)
Key insights for Syracuse:
- The insight for this game will be around who will be the starting quarterback when the Orange take the field Saturday night. Both QB’s are able to energize the team as evidenced on Eric’s return in the Western Michigan game or in Tommy’s taking the field last week leading the Orange to victory. In both cases the entire team rallied around the quarterback and the team played at another level. Dino’s mantra this week has been one where he has high confidence in both of them and that they are both experienced and capable of taking the field in any situation and being successful. I expect to see both of them take the field at different points of the contest with Eric providing the running threat against the Pack’s suspect defense and Tommy coming in as needed to stretch the field.
- Our solid one two punch in the running game (three if you count Eric) should be relied on heavily as the Pack has one of the worst rushing defenses in the NCAA.
Keys insights for NC State:
- The good news for the Orange defense is that NC State does not run the ball well. Through six games they are averaging around 130 yards per game (compared to the Orange who average around 100 yards more). This will allow us to focus more on stopping the pass.
- This is an example of where getting lost in the statistics does not always tell the full story. The Orange come in with the 94th ranked defense in the NCAA does not tell you what we all know. They are a bend but don’t break defense that has been in the top five in the country at stopping third down conversions and 27th in red zone defense. This coupled with our ability to take the ball away should bode well for the Orange.
So now after I have looked at the numbers, some key insights and now is the time for the prediction. Earlier this year I said a win against an ailing Florida State was not worthy of being called a ‘skin’. Well here is our chance.
We face a nationally ranked opponent, in prime time on our home field with a chance to advance to a record of 6-2 and put us back on the map! This is the game we have all waited for as Orange faithful. It is time to show the country we have arrived. We will get that skin on the wall, we will complete our ‘Quest for 6’ and we will win the game and tack this Wolf pelt on the wall of our locker room. Remember to be loud, be proud, BE ORANGE.