THREE THINGS

STOP THE BIG PLAY

Noel Devine torched the Orange with a 92-yard touchdown run last year that burned down any chance of a Syracuse upset in Morgantown. SU will have to try to prevent him from doing the same in the Carrier Dome this year.

Devine finished the game with 188 yards. If Devine goes off for 188 yards with a long touchdown again, the Orange will not be improving to .500 in the Big East.

SU as a whole has been giving up too many big plays that have dictated the pace or fate of the games. The secondary is mostly at fault, with none of the plays being the result of running backs gashing the holes.

USF’s 85-yard touchdown pass last week changed the game, and if WVU can connect on one of those plays, it could do the same this week. Syracuse just does not have the personnel to overcome that type of play. If the Orange can stop Devine and the big plays, it can give the Mountaineers a run for its money.

– Matt Ehalt, staff writer

Go to Mike Williams

Greg Paulus does not need to be told where to look when he drops back to pass. Mike Williams has been one of the best wide receivers in the nation this season and has quickly become Paulus’ favorite target. Who could blame him? Williams caught 13 passes last week for 186 yards and two touchdowns, including one over double coverage. And that isn’t even his best stat line of the year.

If Syracuse has a chance of upsetting West Virginia Saturday, Williams will need to put together another spectacular performance. The Orange’s running game has not met expectations and no other wide receiver has established himself has a legitimate option. That puts the pressure on Williams to shoulder the load. To this point, he’s done just that and appears to be reveling in his all-important role.

So far this season, Williams has seen primarily man-on-man coverage from opposing secondaries. Despite his extraordinary numbers, he still seems to be sneaking up on some people. That probably will not happen against WVU. Mountaineers head coach Bill Stewart has made it clear that he is building his defense around stopping Williams and making somebody else beat his team. But the way Williams has played, it may not matter what the Mountaineers do.

– Jared Diamond, sports editor

Pressure the Quarterback

With its secondary getting torched like clockwork, Syracuse needs to get heat on the quarterback to somehow disrupt West Virginia’s passing game. Finally out of Pat White’s shadow, WVU quarterback Jarrett Brown is off to a hot start. Brown ranks second in the Big East with 237 yards passing per game. Like Greg Paulus in Syracuse, Brown sticks with one go-to guy most of the time. Speedy receiver Jock Sanders is going to get open for the Mountaineers. He’s on Eric Decker’s level. And we remember how that Minnesota game turned out.

To counter, the Orange must pepper Brown with blitzes. Early and often. It’ll be difficult to get pressure on Brown with just the front four. West Virginia offensive tackle Selvish Capers is a about as immovable as a brick wall.

The Orange has had some luck with blitzing. Jetting up the gut off Art Jones’ hip, middle linebacker Derrell Smith has 4.5 sacks this season. He’s a weapon the Orange must unleash. Sure, Syracuse sacrifices players in coverage by blitzing, but it’s a risk worth taking. Running back Noel Devine gets most of the attention – and rightfully so. But the Mountaineers passing game is very underrated. Brown has burned teams whenever they stack defenders in the box to shut down Devine.

– Tyler Dunne, staff writer

Published on October 8, 2009 at 12:00 pm