Observations from SU’s 41-3 loss to No. 4 FSU: Shrader struggles, worn out defense

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Prior to the start of the year, Syracuse knew this midseason, three-game stretch was going to be difficult. Consecutive games against Clemson, then-No. 14 North Carolina and No. 4 Florida State — the final two on the road — were going to test where the Orange stood as a program. But two losses that included self-inflicted wounds and a blowout against the Tar Heels brought upon more questions for Syracuse.

Heading into its game against the Seminoles, head coach Dino Babers juxtaposed the programs, stating that last year’s 38-3 loss to Florida State showed him the importance of name, image and likeness. Syracuse, conversely, was used to seeing its depth bought away. Though the Orange’s defense showed up against a prolific Seminoles offense, Syracuse couldn’t get anything going offensively.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (4-3, 0-3 Atlantic Coast) 41-3 loss to No. 4 Florida State (6-0, 4-0):

Garrett Shrader struggles to pass

From the first drive, it was clear Shrader was going to have his worst Saturday of 2023. Babers praised Florida State’s veteran defense Monday, one that starts eight upperclassmen and three redshirt sophomores. They held the Orange to just three points last year and haven’t allowed more than 29 points from an opponent this season.

“There’s a lot of NFL guys, a lot of guys that passed up the NFL so they could come back and win a national championship,” Babers said on Monday.

Shrader misfired to Damien Alford on a 2nd-and-15 against the far sideline. On the next drive, Shrader pump faked to Umari Hatcher then tried to throw across the middle, but his pass was batted down.

To begin the second quarter, Syracuse was driving, getting its first snap across the 50-yard line four plays into the drive. On a 3rd-and-6, Shrader dropped back then tried to hit Hatcher across the middle. He threw it too high, and Hatcher could only graze the ball with his right hand as it fell incomplete.

Ending the first half just 7-for-13 for 62 yards, Shrader was finally able to get the Orange into the red zone with seven minutes left in the third quarter. After executing a hard snap count and drawing a Florida State defensive lineman offside, Shrader rifled a pass to Hatcher on the sideline getting SU to the 18-yard line. But the drive stalled out because Shrader’s pass over the middle on 3rd-and-6 was tippedand batted down. Shrader ended the day just 9-for-21 with 99 yards and without a passing touchdown for the second straight game.

Jordan Travis is elusive

Babers told the ESPN broadcast that his goal was to “try and make Jordan Travis uncomfortable.” After North Carolina’s Drake Maye sliced through the Orange last week en route to a 40-7 win, Syracuse knew the only way to keep the game within reach was to pressure the Heisman candidate. As a dual threat, Travis has compiled 119 rushing yards along with 1,198 passing yards. Even when Caleb Okechukwu swung around the right side and blew up the pocket, Travis scampered off to his left and threw it away. Florida State managed to stay in field goal range to go up 10-0.

After a third down conversion, Syracuse dialed up a blitz. Travis dropped back and surveyed his receivers downfield, taking a few steps back to create time, enough to open Keon Coleman up on the left side. With a step on Isaiah Johnson, Coleman had nothing but open space in front of him. Travis hit Coleman in stride for the 58-yard touchdown.

Florida State’s second drive in the third quarter started off with a rollout pass to a tight end. Then the Seminoles had three straight runs by Trey Benson to get them down to the 1-yard line. The 17-3 lead that looked manageable was about to become a three-score advantage early in the third quarter. When Travis got to the line of scrimmage, he audibled after seeing Justin Barron positioned over the top inside the tackles. Travis faked a handoff, getting Barron to bite before walking into the end zone untouched.

Syracuse doesn’t seem to have an offensive identity

Babers told the television broadcast that Syracuse had three modes: red, yellow, green. Green is the up-tempo style that Babers is known for with the Orange. Yellow means getting to the line quickly, but taking time to survey the defense. Red is a slow bleed style with a copious amount of run plays. After an opening drive with three pass plays and a three-and-out, the Orange switched to a run-heavy approach to try and keep the ball away from Travis.

Florida State managed 17 points in the first half while the Orange only took five snaps on FSU’s side of the field, going 3-for-10 on third down conversions. Syracuse ran the ball 17 times while passing 14 times, one of the most balanced halves offensively that the Orange have had this season. Florida State quickly adjusted after Syracuse successfully implemented its jumbo set, highlighted by a third down conversion from LeQuint Allen Jr. that he bounced outside for eight yards.

The Seminoles stuffed the box and stymied the run game, ensuring that Syracuse had to pass more than it wanted to. Syracuse continued to struggle, completing just one pass over 20 yards while struggling to convert third down conversions.

Defense holds its own, but gets worn down

Rocky Long came out of retirement and moved across the country to take over Syracuse’s defense because he wanted to coach against schools like Florida State. Prior to the game, he sat on a bench on SU’s sideline as Doak Campbell Stadium began to fill up. The task ahead of him — stopping a quarterback with Heisman and National Football League potential — was daunting, especially after Maye’s performance against SU.

Big plays and Travis’ performance were likely going to happen no matter what Long dialed up. The Orange needed to play sound, meaning they couldn’t be on the field as much as they were on Saturday. But with the offense unable to put together a drive longer than a few minutes, the defense stayed out on the field, strung out by Travis’s arm and Coleman. The 17-3 deficit at halftime felt manageable. The Orange’s defense was playing better than they had over the last two weeks, notably stopping the Seminoles on two fourth downs deep in SU territory.

They’d caused Travis to begin yelling at head coach Mike Norvell after a failed fourth-and-1 conversion, vehemently asking why they ran out of the shotgun. They’d disrupted him and frequently flushed him out of the pocket while stifling the run game. But Travis began to adjust and Syracuse wore down, seeing Anwar Sparrow and Kevon Darton take time off for injury while Jayden Bellamy got helped off the field. The cracks in Long’s 3-3-5 dam became too much to handle.

Eventually, on a 50-yard rush from Lawrance Toafili, the flood gates broke. Jason Simmons Jr. was the high safety, but quickly found himself trailing off behind Toafili as he flew past the Orange’s defense.