Syracuse Football: Initial game analysis of Notre Dame

Paul A. Esden Sr. details the Syracuse football team taking the road to play Notre Dame, the No. 3 ranked team in the country at Yankee Stadium.

The 11th game of the 2018 Syracuse Orange Campaign is against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Yankee Stadium in what is called the Shamrock series. This game is a special one.

Since I left Central New York kicking and screaming to move to Mississippi in 2016. I have taken my son to a sporting event annually for some father and son bonding time.

The first one was Notre Dame versus Syracuse at MetLife Stadium, last year was Syracuse versus Pittsburgh in the Dome and this year we take our annual pilgrimage to Yankee Stadium. I look forward to this special time every year. Nothing could be better than spending time with my son and watching some Orange football. Father and son trying to live their best life.

We enter this game with our Orange ranked in the top 15 of the USA Today and AP and the most wins (for a season) that we have had in recent history.

This team Defended the Dome going a perfect 6-0! The Orange have officially ARRIVED! An astounding record of 8-2, the same number of wins that the past two seasons have achieved COMBINED!

With that being said we have two of the toughest games on our schedule remaining. The good news is we do not have to leave the state for the next one as the Orange travel to the Big City to take on the Golden Domers of Notre Dame.

Let’s get to work by looking this year’s numbers to date:

• Total Offense: SU (14th) vs Notre Dame (26th)
• Rushing: SU (27th) vs Notre Dame (42nd)
• Passing: SU (36th) vs Notre Dame (45th)
• Total Defense: SU (97th) vs Notre Dame (25th)
• Rushing: SU (70th) vs Notre Dame (41st)
• Passing: SU (107th) vs Notre Dame (29th)

Key insights for Syracuse:

• The biggest key for an Orange victory is stopping the run. The Irish have five players with over 200 yards rushing and are averaging 223 yards per game on the ground. Their strength is our weakness. This is when the boys have to tighten up their chin straps and bear down if Cuse is to have a punchers chance in this game.
• We need to hope Ian Book can start. What?!? We want their #1 QB to start? Yes you read that right. Our strength is in our defensive backfield, with Brandon Wimbush playing he brings the read-pass option which we can do without.

Keys insights for Notre Dame:

• The first player to watch out for is junior Ian Book. In what has become a trend in college football (there must be something to it as the #1-3 team in the country have done it; Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame), Brian Kelly pulled veteran starter Brandon Wimbush in the fourth game against Wake Forest and the Irish have not looked back. His statistics and record speak for themselves. He has a 75% completion percentage, is averaging around 300 yards and 3 touchdowns per game leading the Fighting Irish to six straight wins. He did not play against Florida State after receiving a rib injury against Northwestern Wildcats. He is however expected to play on Saturday in Yankee Stadium.
• Stopping Dexter Williams is a key for an Orange win. His statistics on the season are a solid 770 yards, 6.8 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns. These are respectable numbers until you realize two key factors.

1. The Irish are and always have been a running back by committee.
2. He accomplished these statistics in 6 games. Dexter was suspended for the first four games of the season for an undisclosed violation of team rules. He is lightning in a bottle and is a threat to break one at any moment.

Okay a little more about the numbers, as I was preparing to write this article I was astounded by what I found. Syracuse University Football offense leads Notre Dame in the Top 3 categories!

As one of Dino Babers’ toughest critics over the past few years I will be the first to give him a tip of the cap, The Orange is The New Fast is here to stay! The clear dichotomy here is as impressive as the offense has been the contrast with the defense stands out. It is good to remember that the OITNF also puts the defense on the field, many times with little rest. All year the Orange D has played bend but don’t break defense. For most of the year they have been in the top 5 in one of the most important defensive stats 3rd down conversions allowed. After 10 games they remain number 5 in the nation allowing only 26.2% conversions on third down.

This game will be like an Oklahoma drill, strength on strength. For those that are unfamiliar here are the details of the Oklahoma drill:

"The drill is called “Oklahoma drill” because Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson created it. The drill has several variations. The most common involves two players lined up three yards opposite one another. A corridor is set up typically using three blocking bags on each side of the players lined up top to bottom to create a wall, and the walls are spaced about one yard apart. This creates an area of about three feet by nine feet. The two players, at the sound of the whistle, then run at one another and the drill is over when one of the players is on the ground, or if a ball carrier is involved when he is tackled. If a player is able to drive the other player out of the corridor, that also ends the drill.  So to paraphrase the Orange and the Irish are going to line up in a confined space until one team walks out leaving the other one on the ground.  Or for you wresting fans this would be a “Last man standing match”."

So now after I have looked at the numbers, some key insights and now is the time for the prediction. Before I give this prediction it is time to “Confess my Sins”, I am a lifelong Notre Dame football fan. Lifelong = 45 years (starting cheering for them when I was 5). I am truly torn by who I want to win, as I have become a committed Orange fan (eight year season ticket holder) so I will keep that to myself.

As far as the prediction goes I am going on my knowledge from watching each game that both teams have played this year and the past three years. This game will come down to the fourth quarter and which defense can stay the freshest. Notre Dame’s depth will be too much for the Orange, so the Irish get the nod (42-38). This will be an exciting game that I cannot wait to watch in person with my namesake/buddy. Remember to be loud, be proud, BE ORANGE.