Observations from SU’s loss to Florida State: Shrader returns, run defense struggles again

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After three straight losses bounced Syracuse out of the AP rankings, it faced the team at the edge of the poll in its final home game of the year. No. 25 Florida State posed the same challenges as the rest of the Orange’s opponents from the last few games — a strong run game (best in the ACC) and a stout defense (fourth-best in the ACC). 

For the fourth straight week, Syracuse struggled against those two things. It couldn’t get anything going offensively, finishing with 160 total yards of offense and zero touchdowns. Trey Benson recorded 163 yards against the Orange’s defense, while Jordan Travis added another 155 yards through the air. 

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (6-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast) 38-3 loss against the Seminoles (7-3, 5-3 ACC):

Run defense (again)

Last week, Syracuse gave up 168 yards on the ground to Pittsburgh’s backup running backs. But the performance itself was an improvement from the two games prior to that, when the Orange allowed 246 yards from Notre Dame and 293 yards from Clemson.

Saturday night was the same story. Benson burst down the left side of the field on the Seminoles second play of the game, helped by a block that moved Duce Chestnut inches away from his teammates on the sideline rather than a place where he could make a play on the ball. Mycah Pittman then gained 15 more on a jet sweep, and Travis capped the drive off untouched on a three-yard run.

Syracuse changed things up, keeping a four-man front at the line but having more movement from its secondary and linebackers to help stop the run. This worked momentarily, even resulting in a fumble after Derek McDonald took Travis down from behind. But the Orange fell 12 yards back on the ensuing drive, ending in a missed 51-yard field goal.

In the second half, Florida State continued to give Benson the ball, and Syracuse struggled against it. Benson picked up 24 yards on his first rush of the half, eventually leading to a touchdown from Kentron Poitier. He took advantage of other gaps in the middle of Syracuse’s defense throughout the next drive as well, combining for 39 yards on three straight rushes.

Shrader’s back

Garrett Shrader was given a standing ovation from the Syracuse crowd when he walked out for Syracuse’s first drive. After an unspecified injury left the Orange with Carlos Del Rio-Wilson at the helm of their offense for the second half against Notre Dame and all of last week’s loss to Pittsburgh, Shrader’s status was still unknown until the first drive.

Shrader returned to somewhat regular form, taking off whenever his first or second read wasn’t open. But he couldn’t make as many plays with legs as usual, often taken down in the backfield when he opted to run. 

He made the same questionable throws as well. One could have resulted in an easy interception after a miscommunication with Gadsden, who charged down field while Shrader’s throw went out of bounds 10 yards behind him. On Syracuse’s first drive of the second half, Shrader overthrew Damien Alford, who was streaking down the left side of the field. 

In the fourth quarter, a similar play conspired to the missed heave directed at Gadsden. Shrader stared Tucker from right after he got the snap, lofting him the ball on a wheel route down the right sideline. Tucker looked back, but the ball had already gone over his head. It was in the hands of Greedy Vance Jr. — Shrader’s sixth interception of the season. 

Where is Tucker? 

Tucker was absent for most of the game again after another opposing defense figured out how to stop him. The Seminoles didn’t let Tucker get any free sprints down the sideline throughout the night, forcing him to move laterally rather than forward if he ever cut outside.

Still, Tucker found some room, specifically on rushes down the middle when the blocking was proper. After Malik McClain scored, Tucker bolted up the gut of FSU’s defense for 16 yards on 1st-and-10. But on the next play, he had nowhere to go, left to flee sideways toward the right sideline. He made another big pick-up later in the second quarter, but a holding penalty was called on Matthew Bergeron.

One of the only times Shrader went out to him on a dump off pass, he dropped the ball. Tucker finished with 52 rushing yards, his second-worst performance this season.

Secondary mishaps

Chestnut stayed on the turf for a while before propping himself up after helping tackle Pittman after a punt return. He didn’t return for the next drive, instead putting freshman Jeremiah Wilson into the game.

The Seminoles recognized this immediately, waiting for the right moment on the drive to target the inexperienced corner. Once they reached the red zone, they placed McClain alone on the left side of the field opposite of Wilson. McClain faked sprinting forwards, coming back to the ball and making the grab. He turned upfield, stiff-arming Wilson before waltzing into the end zone.

Chestnut returned throughout the game, rotating with Wilson and Johnson at the two positions. He came out for Florida State’s sixth drive, which ended up being just one play. The Seminoles ran the same play on the opposite side with Johnny Wilson ahead of Chestnut. Like Johnny Wilson, Chestnut was left on the ground moments after the play began, and Johnny Wilson dove into the end zone for FSU’s third touchdown.

Final note: Special teams 

Syracuse’s special teams performance has improved exponentially from last season, when the unit continued to make mistakes without a designated special teams coordinator. Szmyt had a 5-for-5 performance against Virginia, including a game-winner, and Maximilian Von Marburg averaged 43.9 yards per punt against Clemson.

Here and there, SU has still had issues with the unit. But against the Seminoles, issues sprung up in all facets. First, Von Marburg shanked a punt to keep FSU in Syracuse territory. Then, Szmyt’s attempt from 51 yards wasn’t in line or strong enough to put Syracuse back on the board, instead resting on the turf at the front of the end zone. Another personal foul on Carter Clark moved FSU to the 25-yard line, where they scored on one play.

Syracuse opted for an onside kick to open the second half as well. Florida State made the easy recovery though, setting up a short field, which led its fourth touchdown seven plays later.