Baseball Guru
05-01-2002, 02:12 PM
Quarterbacks R. J. Anderson, Cecil Howard both on target
April 28, 2002
By Donnie Webb
Staff writer
The Syracuse University defense is hurting. The heart of the lineup - starting nose tackle Christian Ferrara, middle linebacker Clifton Smith and free safety Maurice McClain - all watched the final scrimmage of spring practice on the sidelines because of injuries.
That didn't excuse what happened on Saturday.
The Syracuse offense unleashed a big-play passing attack, scorching the secondary with one long play after another as the Orangemen wrapped up spring practice with an unexpected scoring barrage during their annual scrimmage at the Carrier Dome.
Quarterback R.J. Anderson passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns and backup Cecil Howard passed for 182 yards and a touchdown as the offense defeated the defense 50-27 before a crowd of about 4,000 fans. Points during the 75-play scrimmage were accumulated based on everything from first downs and long plays on offense to negative yardage plays and sacks for the defense.
The Orangemen produced 492 yards total offense, scored five touchdowns and kicked a field goal. Anderson had touchdown passes of 35 and 80 yards. He also rushed for a 15-yard touchdown on a bootleg. Howard tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass. He had 58-yard completion to Jamel Riddle, who was tripped up at the 1.
How bad did it get for the defense?
The offense actually pulled off the throwback play to the tight end on fourth-and-3 from the 35. Anderson rolled right and tossed a completion back across the field to wide open Joe Donnelly, who ran it in for a 35-yard score. Donnelly said the Orangemen botched the play twice last week during practices against the defense. It's Syracuse's favorite play, which always seems to work. But against its own defense?
"We have a lot of young guys," said senior cornerback Will Hunter. "That's the major reason why everything is falling apart right now. We'll be fine. We have the whole summer to work out our kinks."
It wasn't all bad for the defense. SU went five straight series before picking up their initial first down. The offense also looked awful on short-yardage plays, an old problem that disappeared last year but seems to have re-emerged this spring. Offensive coordinator George DeLeone said the offensive line must assume responsibility.
The defense recorded seven sacks, five of them coming against Howard. There were nine offensive plays that were stopped for negative yardage. And there were three pass break-ups. However, the defense was unable to come up with a turnover, a stat that disappointed defensive coordinator Chris Rippon.
"The offense did a great job tempo-wise," Rippon said. "They got those young kids, in particular, on their heels with the shifts and the motions. We had three plays where nobody was covering anybody."
Anderson completed 8-of-14 passes. He had an 80-yard touchdown pass to Donnelly. Anderson fired a side-arm pass across the middle to Donnelly on his second read. The tight end took the ball in stride, picked up a block and just beat Hunter to the end zone.
Howard, the heralded redshirt freshman making his Syracuse debut, accounted for two touchdowns. Another Howard-led drive ended in a 48-yard Collin Barber Field goal. Howard completed 9-of-14 passes for 182 yards. He also rushed 14 times for 36 yards including a 1-yard touchdown run.
Howard tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Jamel Riddle, who caught the slightly underthrown ball , beat cornerback Moe Sidibe and raced to the end zone.
"I haven't thrown a touchdown pass in forever, since my junior year in high school," Howard said. "I went to the sideline and wasn't really smiling. Troy and R.J. are like, you can smile now. It was pretty funny."
That depends on which unit you play.
"We've got a lot of key figures who are hurt," said defensive end Josh Thomas. "That definitely takes away from the chemistry of the team."
Notes: Junior receiver Johnny Morant was suspended from the spring game for breaking an unspecified team rule. Pasqualoni said the suspension was just for the spring game. ... Fullback George Scott was excused to attend a funeral. ... Chris Davis, Will Hunter, Troy Nunes, Clifton Smith and David Tyree were elected 2002 co-captains by their teammates. ... Players that did not dress because of injuries included Nunes, Smith, James Dumervil, Christian Ferrara, Billy Wilson, Troy Swittenburg, Justin Sujansky and Maurice McClain.
April 28, 2002
By Donnie Webb
Staff writer
The Syracuse University defense is hurting. The heart of the lineup - starting nose tackle Christian Ferrara, middle linebacker Clifton Smith and free safety Maurice McClain - all watched the final scrimmage of spring practice on the sidelines because of injuries.
That didn't excuse what happened on Saturday.
The Syracuse offense unleashed a big-play passing attack, scorching the secondary with one long play after another as the Orangemen wrapped up spring practice with an unexpected scoring barrage during their annual scrimmage at the Carrier Dome.
Quarterback R.J. Anderson passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns and backup Cecil Howard passed for 182 yards and a touchdown as the offense defeated the defense 50-27 before a crowd of about 4,000 fans. Points during the 75-play scrimmage were accumulated based on everything from first downs and long plays on offense to negative yardage plays and sacks for the defense.
The Orangemen produced 492 yards total offense, scored five touchdowns and kicked a field goal. Anderson had touchdown passes of 35 and 80 yards. He also rushed for a 15-yard touchdown on a bootleg. Howard tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass. He had 58-yard completion to Jamel Riddle, who was tripped up at the 1.
How bad did it get for the defense?
The offense actually pulled off the throwback play to the tight end on fourth-and-3 from the 35. Anderson rolled right and tossed a completion back across the field to wide open Joe Donnelly, who ran it in for a 35-yard score. Donnelly said the Orangemen botched the play twice last week during practices against the defense. It's Syracuse's favorite play, which always seems to work. But against its own defense?
"We have a lot of young guys," said senior cornerback Will Hunter. "That's the major reason why everything is falling apart right now. We'll be fine. We have the whole summer to work out our kinks."
It wasn't all bad for the defense. SU went five straight series before picking up their initial first down. The offense also looked awful on short-yardage plays, an old problem that disappeared last year but seems to have re-emerged this spring. Offensive coordinator George DeLeone said the offensive line must assume responsibility.
The defense recorded seven sacks, five of them coming against Howard. There were nine offensive plays that were stopped for negative yardage. And there were three pass break-ups. However, the defense was unable to come up with a turnover, a stat that disappointed defensive coordinator Chris Rippon.
"The offense did a great job tempo-wise," Rippon said. "They got those young kids, in particular, on their heels with the shifts and the motions. We had three plays where nobody was covering anybody."
Anderson completed 8-of-14 passes. He had an 80-yard touchdown pass to Donnelly. Anderson fired a side-arm pass across the middle to Donnelly on his second read. The tight end took the ball in stride, picked up a block and just beat Hunter to the end zone.
Howard, the heralded redshirt freshman making his Syracuse debut, accounted for two touchdowns. Another Howard-led drive ended in a 48-yard Collin Barber Field goal. Howard completed 9-of-14 passes for 182 yards. He also rushed 14 times for 36 yards including a 1-yard touchdown run.
Howard tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Jamel Riddle, who caught the slightly underthrown ball , beat cornerback Moe Sidibe and raced to the end zone.
"I haven't thrown a touchdown pass in forever, since my junior year in high school," Howard said. "I went to the sideline and wasn't really smiling. Troy and R.J. are like, you can smile now. It was pretty funny."
That depends on which unit you play.
"We've got a lot of key figures who are hurt," said defensive end Josh Thomas. "That definitely takes away from the chemistry of the team."
Notes: Junior receiver Johnny Morant was suspended from the spring game for breaking an unspecified team rule. Pasqualoni said the suspension was just for the spring game. ... Fullback George Scott was excused to attend a funeral. ... Chris Davis, Will Hunter, Troy Nunes, Clifton Smith and David Tyree were elected 2002 co-captains by their teammates. ... Players that did not dress because of injuries included Nunes, Smith, James Dumervil, Christian Ferrara, Billy Wilson, Troy Swittenburg, Justin Sujansky and Maurice McClain.