Syracuse defeated Connecticut 51-21 to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 1991. The beat writers discuss SU’s win over UConn and what to expect in this week’s matchup at No. 3 Clemson.

JOSH SCHAFER: Aaand we’re back, the D.O Sportscast,  Josh Schafer here with Matt Liberman and Andrew Graham, talking Syracuse football once again. Matt and Andrew you guys covered on Saturday, I did not in Syracuse’s 51-21 win over Connecticut. Andrew we’re going to start with you on a quick take away from the UConn game — a positive takeaway.

ANDREW GRAHAM: Uhh Syracuse’s pass rush went to work. I ended up writing my sider about it but from pretty much the opening snap, I mean on UConn’s first drive, Pindell dropped the ball, Josh Black was right there and fell on it. From there Syracuse’s defensive line was in the backfield on seemingly every snap. Alton Robinson dominated. Even Kielan Whitner and Antwan Cordy got in on the sack party.

SCHAFER: Matt who you got?

MATT LIBERMAN: I’m going to go with the fact that, right now, after the first game of the season it looked the wide receiver corps was pretty weak, I think they actually have a much deeper unit than they’ve had in year’s past. Even though that there isn’t one standout guy, I think, like Amba Etta-Tawo or Steve Ishmael I don’t think Jamal Custis is that level. But I think that they’re able to spread the ball out more.

SCHAFER: Interesting. Graham, what is one thing that someone can take out of, that might, that should scare Syracuse moving forward out of a 51-21 win. Obviously, they won big but I think there are still some things there kind of hidden under the rubble.

GRAHAM: Yeah I don’t know if it’s necessarily scare but something that definitely needs to be tightened up, obviously with Clemson lurking. Syracuse didn’t tackle all that well, I mentioned the pass rush getting in the backfield but you know there were times that Pindell didn’t get wrapped up Kevin Mensa had a good third-down run where he broke three or four tackles. And you know, I mean, it was fine Syracuse was up two, three, four touchdowns at any given point but if you’re playing a road game in the ACC against the number three team in the country, you can’t be missing tackles.

SCHAFER: Matt?

LIBERMAN: I’m honestly going to piggyback off of what Andrew said because I think it’s that important. When you look at the rest of this game, yeah there were little things here and there that you could say might disappoint SU fans, but I think this is the big thing that stands out to me. There were times where, Kevin Mensa, for instance, shed four tackles on one play on what should’ve been a four-yard loss in the backfield and ended up going into what? Like a 13- or 14-yard gain. And that allowed a drive for UConn to continue. That’s something that you can’t have because if you’re allowing that against one of the worst FBS teams in the country, what’s going to happen when you go to Death Valley and you’re trying to tackle some of those four- and five-star recruits? Mostly five-star recruits that Clemson put upfront, because they may not be the number one team in the country right now but they very well might be the most talented team in the country.

SCHAFER: And with Clemson we’re just going to get right into them because that’s kind of the more interesting part of this week. Obviously, Syracuse travels to the number three team, noon o’clock, or noon o’clock (laughs), for a noon kickoff against Clemson.

GRAHAM: Big noon o’clock start.

SCHAFER: In that noon o’clock start that we are referencing, Clemson’s defensive line will line up against Syracuse’s. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant, four players that could all go in the first round. Those are the four preseason All-ACC defensive linemen. Clemson had all four of them.

LIBERMAN: There’s a very real chance, I think, that all four of these guys end as top 10 picks.

SCHAFER: So they’ve been called the power rangers, some could call them the fantastic four. Matt, what is your favorite group of four ever?

LIBERMAN: I’m going to have to go with the friends on Seinfeld, the show.

SCHAFER: Can you name them all?

LIBERMAN: Yes, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, George.

SCHAFER: Just saying you have to be able to name them all.

LIBERMAN: Of course.

GRAHAM: It’s very important.

LIBERMAN: Seinfeld, an all-time classic show, changed the way that a lot of people look at television arguably the greatest comedy of all time and just overall there are few things that I’d rather do than turn on the tv and watch four friends talk about nothing for a half hour, somehow.

GRAHAM: No soup for you.

LIBERMAN: No soup for you, that is correct.

GRAHAM: I got to go with a childhood classic, the teenage mutant ninja turtles.

LIBERMAN: Can you name them all?

GRAHAM: I have them here but I do know them, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo, obviously all named famous painters

SCHAFER: For those who can’t see at home he looked at his laptop.

GRAHAM: But yeah no big fan of ninja turtles big fan turtles, big fan of ninjas. Mutants, indifferent but when they’re ninja turtles that’s pretty cool. And I love pizza so big TMNT.

SCHAFER: Big fan of pizza, mine is an age old classic, believe it was made around 1932, not exactly sure

GRAHAM: I wasn’t around.

SCHAFER: No one fact check that at home the Wizard of Oz we have Dorothy, the cowardly lion, the tin man, I don’t know if he another little adjective in there, he might …

GRAHAM: Nope he’s the tin man.

SCHAFER: And then the scarecrow, again I don’t know if he gets an adjective.

LIBERMAN: I think he’s just the scarecrow.

SCHAFER: So — 

GRAHAM: Honorable mention to Toto.

SCHAFER: But like, no.

GRAHAM: Eh?

SCHAFER: That’s our four I think, and you know it’s a classic movie, probably one of the first movies I ever watched, so we’ll give them a shout out. Thinking of groups of four was harder than I thought, I will say that.

GRAHAM: Yeah there’s a lot of threes.

SCHAFER: I don’t know if you guys have — What honorable mentions did we come up with?

LIBERMAN: I think the A team has to be one.

GRAHAM: The Beatles.

SCHAFER: Yeah, if I was a Beatles fan I think I would’ve screamed.

GRAHAM: Well, George and Ringo!

SCHAFER: Yeah, I just don’t really — eh.

GRAHAM: To all of our listeners, I apologize for Josh Schafer’s indifference to the Beatles.

SCHAFER: But, talking about long hair and the Beatles — transition alert! — Trevor Lawrence has really long, blonde hair. And he’ll be starting for Clemson this Saturday at quarterback. When you look at Trevor Lawrence, what sort of quarterback do you see, and what’s been the difference with him and Kelly Bryant this year? Andrew, we can start with you.

GRAHAM: Well, obviously Kelly Bryant brings more of a running element, that’s sort of his signature dish, if you will, on that offense. He’s a capable passer but he’s really electric when he runs and Lawrence is kind of — the alternate is, you know he, he was challenging Deshaun Watson’s passing records in Georgia high school football and now obviously at Clemson, the parallels are easy but he has an arm. You know, it’s a cannon. The first throw I watched him make this season, the first time I saw him in a game was when he checked in at Texas A&M and his first throw was that bullet to T. Higgins down the left sideline for a touchdown. Obviously Higgins made a great play but the kid just puts the ball in the right spot every time it seems. He’s been efficient, he has a cannon, he’s surgical and just — that hair. It’s beautiful.

SCHAFER: Now when I see that hair, what movie character am I thinking of?

GRAHAM: Oh Sunshine, easily.

SCHAFER: Yeah, just checking. Liberman, go ahead.

LIBERMAN: Well, to start off, he looks like a Clydesdale. I’m just gonna go with that. Like you said, he has an absolute cannon. When I think about guys in college who have had an arm like that, the only name that comes immediately to mind is Pat Mahomes. Watch Trevor Lawrence throw the football and it just zips — it can go 70 yards. I’m a little surprised, to be honest, that they’re starting him over Bryant. Just because Kelly Bryant is a guy that thrives at home, he’s great at — like you said, running the ball — and with Syracuse’s run defense, I don’t know if they’d be able to stop a guy like Kelly Bryant. Even though Trevor Lawrence is definitely the more talented player, the more talented passer, it’s still — Syracuse has proven to be a solid defense so far this year. And this is a team that beat Clemson last year. I’m a little surprised they’re going with Lawrence to start. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came in in the second half.

SCHAFER: It’s interesting to start a true freshman in a game where your team — they’re favored by 22 and a half or something like that, but still there’s this hint of a potential upset when a 4-0 team is coming to your house.

GRAHAM: A 4-0 team that beat you last year.

SCHAFER: Right. You’d think that you’d want to start the experienced guy. The guy that, if he played the full game last year, everyone says Clemson wins.

LIBERMAN: Well, the other thing is, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he wouldn’t make a change until he saw a clear difference in talent and ability to lead the team. Kelly Bryant has started the first four games for Clemson. Clemson’s played very, very well while he’s been on the field. So yes, I understand like, we’re not there for practice to watch every day, but Kelly Bryant is a more than capable college quarterback.

GRAHAM: Dabo must sleep so easy at night sometimes.

LIBERMAN: Think about Nick Saban too, and Kirby Smart —

SCHAFER: No college football coach in the country sleeps easy.

GRAHAM: Fair.

SCHAFER: That’s why they are who they are. Always think about who’s behind you and who’s coming. With the tight end situation on Syracuse — no transition this time — Ravian Pierce is out for the foreseeable future. We don’t really know how long, but he has an upper-body injury, and Dino basically said he’s out for a little while. How does that change the tight end scenario for Syracuse? Who do you guys think will be replacing him? How much do you think they’ll be used? Because I think, from my perspective looking at it, I think you have Chris Elmore who will play kinda the wing, and the tight end and the blocking, but I’d be surprised to see Elmore going down in the three-point stance and coming out in the spread offense and running routes.

GRAHAM: Oh I would love to see that though.

LIBERMAN: That’s just not something we’re going to see.

SCHAFER: But what will we see?

GRAHAM: I think we see a blend between the two tight ends below Elmore on the depth chart are Aaron Hackett and Gabe Horan, who made the touchdown catch obviously in Pierce’s absence on Sunday, 7-yarder, his only catch, but right now Hackett above him on the depth chart, I’m guessing we see a blend. I mean Pierce was kind of like Syracuse’s secret weapon a little bit. They didn’t go to him often but when they did they always had a good look drawn up for him like that touchdown in the Florida State game. So I think we see some similar stuff. I mean, the tight end is not heavily involved in this offense but I think it is losing a security blanket target like that is never great.

SCHAFER: It’s a sneaky aspect to the offense.

LIBERMAN: It’s something you always have to watch out for if you’re defense, and Syracuse has proven the ability to sneak that behind defenses so far, but I also think that it’s something that really won’t impact them too much like you said. Like they won’t — they haven’t gone to Pierce a lot, he’s had six catches in the team’s first three games. And, yes, I know we talked throughout the week and in learning about this and his impact on the team, I’m sure that against a team like Clemson you like to have him because there’s obviously plays you haven’t shown to other teams that you would plan to show to the number three team in the country. That said, why not do the same plays with Aaron Hackett, or Gabe Horan? If you are a tight end on a power-five team, you are capable of catching a football. And that is what they needed Ravian Pierce to do.

SCHAFER: Do you guys think Syracuse has the number one running back at this point? Do you think that position’s solidified?

GRAHAM: Based on the way touches are being distributed, yes. Dino probably won’t say as much and I believe the starters were co-listed again this week, but I mean, Moe Neal has almost twice as many touches as Dontae Strickland, and almost twice as many yards. The only stat where he falls behind is touchdowns, but I mean —

SCHAFER: Strickland’s more of a power back.

GRAHAM: Exactly. But when you’re toting the rock twice as many times as the other running back, that tells me all I need to know.

SCHAFER: Matt?

LIBERMAN: Yeah, I think that Moe Neal is certainly the number one back in this offense even if nobody will admit it. Besides one or two long runs for Strickland, he’s been really inefficient running the ball, whereas Moe Neal has been the guy to get you chunk yardage just about every time he touches it thus far this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to just watch the numbers continue to dwindle for Strickland and continue to rise for Moe Neal.

GRAHAM: Yeah, and I also think — you know, the emergence of Jarveon Howard is interesting to me, obviously not the number one running back in that — that fumble on the goal line probably doesn’t have him in Dino’s good books, at least early in the week in practice. But you know, he’s looked really good in power situations and he seems to be good for his one like 40-yard carry to the goal line where he gets chased down.

SCHAFER: It’ll be interesting to see how Howard slides in as the season goes on, if he continues to get carries or not.

LIBERMAN: He’s also a good blocker, so that’s something to keep in mind. He’s a powerful guy.

GRAHAM: He’s huge.

SCHAFER: I just know fumbling sometimes, as a freshman, is sometimes like a scare-away.

GRAHAM: It will keep you on the sideline.

SCHAFER: Like a game like Clemson on the road, you can’t give the ball away. With the game against Clemson, Matt, who do you think wins the game against Clemson?

LIBERMAN: I’m gonna pick Clemson. I don’t think it’s going to be an absolute blowout. I also don’t think it’s going to be particularly close. I know when Andrew and I talked about it on The Final Word after UConn, I said that this is going to be one of those games where, I think Syracuse will keep it within two scores during the first half, and Syracuse fans will look at it and be like, “Hey, the team’s playing pretty well, they’re within 10 or 14,” and maybe they can do something in the second half, but when it comes time to actually to do something, just the athleticism and the power and the strength, the speed of those guys, that were top 10 recruits, top 20 recruits, just outmuscles and overpowers some of the guys for Syracuse that just can’t handle that on the road.

GRAHAM: Yeah, I’m going to have to pick Clemson to. It’s the No. 3 team in the country, they’re dominate, they returned three guys on the defensive line …

SCHAFER:  They were No. 2 last year!

LIBERMAN: Keep in mind this …

GRAHAM: I’m not foolish.

LIBERMAN:  … Yes, the thing people also forget about. When Kelly Bryant suited up in the first half, he also had a high ankle sprain. That basically took away his biggest weapon, which is the ability to run the football. And Clemson and Syracuse were locked when he was just being used as a passer. Now take that passing, multiple it by about three, and you have Trevor Lawrence on his home field.

SCHAFER: So let’s look at it from a couple different perspectives then. The spread right now is 22.5. Does Syracuse lose by over or under that, Andrew?

GRAHAM: I think that they come just under. I think it’s probably about a three touchdown-game at the end of it. Looking at this game if you’re Syracuse, you’re going to go down and try to beat Clemson. But you gotta be realistic with things here. And when you’re thinking about outcomes, it’s don’t be leaving banged up. People gotta be leaving this game healthy, if you’re trying to make a Bowl Game this season. And don’t get blown out. As long as those two things don’t happen, whatever happens on the field happens on the field. I don’t think Syracuse gets blown out.

SCHAFER: Can you lose a 21 point game and call it not a blowout?

GRAHAM: Against the No. 3 team in the country on the road I think you can. I mean, it depends on how it goes.

SCHAFER: It’s just an interesting thing to think about.

GRAHAM: If you get down 28-7, and the game ends 35-14, that’s a lot different than if you’re 28-21 and the game ends 42-21. So, I think it varies.

SCHAFER: Matt, do they, 22.5 points, under (or) over?

LIBERMAN: I’m gonna say under as well. I think that that 21 is about the perfect number. That said, I could see it going to 24. I don’t think it will go any higher than 24.

SCHAFER: I’m giving Syracuse credit. I think they lose by 17.

LIBERMAN: Seventeen? I think 21 is like that perfect number. About three touchdowns, I think that’s the difference between these two teams.

SCHAFER: If I’m a Syracuse fan, and I want to see growth from the Orange, who lost 58-0 …

GRAHAM: 54-0.

SCHAFER: 54-0 against Syracuse in 2016. I’m sorry, against Clemson in 2016. What do I need to see Syracuse do on Saturday? What’s the score?

LIBERMAN: Not starting Zack Mahoney.

SCHAFER: What’s the game look like for Syracuse on Saturday that can make you feel OK, even though they’re likely going to lose?

GRAHAM: I think you look at a couple facets of the ball that make this team click. If the pass rush can be somewhat effective. I’m saying you need to go down there and get four sacks, but if you can move the quarterback off his spot. You know, Dino talked about that after the game, the big thing is moving the quarterback off their spot, making them uncomfortable to some degree.

SCHAFER: And if the offense plays fast?

GRAHAM: If the offense plays fast, then they’re Orange, right? I think that’s a big thing, just not offensively, some consistency moving the ball. Being able to move the ball, not getting stuffed on the run and having it to throw it, or Dungey struggling and only feeling comfortable running the ball. If you can play your game, and not feel like you have to alter your gameplan because of how good Clemson is, or how the game is going, I think you feel pretty confident. Weirdly, the more sort of mundane this game is for Syracuse, kind of, the better it is.

LIBERMAN: I just care about what I see in the trenches. Again, the D-line, if they are able to get some pressure on Trevor Lawrence or Kelly Bryant, whoever’s in the game, whatever, if they’re able to do that, that something I’m going to take a lot of pride in, if I’m a Syracuse fan, the fact that they are able to overpower and outmuscle some of the guys that are four- and five-star recruits. And look at the offensive line. If the offensive line can hold up against those guys … if Christian Wilkins can be held in check, that’s something that, if you’re a Syracuse fan, you have to look at and say, “Hey, if we can do this, think about what will happen with Syracuse plays a team like North Carolina or NC State” … that a lot of people entering the season thought these would be a loss. Now, I think if the offensive line could hold, that frees up so many other parts of the game.

SCHAFER: If Syracuse holds that defensive line in check …

GRAHAM: They might win.

SCHAFER: … That has 16 sacks through four games. They could win.

GRAHAM: They have a sack a player, per game, on the defensive line.

SCHAFER: Yeah, if you break it down that way. That’s horrifying. Aw, I would not want to be a quarterback …

LIBERMAN: Over or under three sacks?

GRAHAM: Push.

LIBERMAN: Push?

SCHAFER: Push is fair.

GRAHAM: One of them will be like the Dungey shoestring tackle where he manages to roll out and two others where he just gets eaten up.

SCHAFER: If it’s over three, Syracuse is having a bad day. You add up four, five, six sacks, that’s a bad day.

GRAHAM: Remember when Christian Hackenberg got sacked 10 times against Temple.

SCHAFER: Sure.

LIBERMAN: That was a bad day for Penn State.

SCHAFER: Do you want that to be your 30-second soundoff Graham, because we’re about to start the clock in 3, 2, 1 go!

GRAHAM: That is not my 30-second soundoff. My 30-second soundoff is actually about Monday Night Football, which is going on right now. I like the new crew, I think Jason Witten has room to grow, Joe Tessitore’s been great and Booger McFarland’s really good. But the thing he is sitting on during those games, that rig that goes up and down the sidelines, is utterly ridiculous. I don’t … I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s so ridiculous. I get distracted by it. Booger really knows what he’s talking about, he’s a good football commentator, and let the man be on the sidelines like a normal human being.

SCHAFER: Right at 30 seconds, Matt you have “Oh, I messed up,” 3, 2, 1, go!

LIBERMAN: After the Browns won their first game since 2016, Baker Mayfield had his phone with him in the press conference. Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre made the decision to go after Baker because it wasn’t enough when Cower tried to say that Baker was a bad teammate and was proven wrong. They now have to do this, “Hey, it might be possible he’s texting his parents after he won his first NFL game.” Cowherd and McIntyre said Aaron Rodgers would never do this. If you look at a picture from 2010, Aaron Rodgers has the Lombardi Trophy in one hand, a cell phone in the other.

SCHAFER: Interesting. Well, we’re traveling to Clemson Friday morning. We’ll find out what happens to Syracuse next and well check back in next Monday.

GRAHAM: Join us at noon o’clock.

SCHAFER: This has been The D.O. Sportscast.

Published on September 25, 2018 at 9:06 am