DURHAM, N.C. — About an hour before Syracuse kicked off the first of three games that will decide if the team is worthy of a postseason appearance, there came the first signs of change.  Redshirt freshman Carlos Vettorello and Airon Servais swapped positions, moving Servais back to left tackle, the position he was slotted to play in August.

The move was one of several — including the hiring of a new defensive coordinator — that Syracuse head coach Dino Babers made prior Saturday’s game after a week off.

While there’s no guarantee a simple switch was the solution for the Orange, it led to Syracuse’s best offensive line performance of the season. Syracuse (4-6, 1-5 Atlantic Coast), who’s ranked in the bottom of the country in sacks this year, allowed only one. A team that’s rushed for more than 150 yards four times this season compiled a season-high 286. The 49-6 win marked the first time that the Orange had breached 27 points against a Power 5 team this season.

Yes, three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, gave SU the ball inside Duke’s territory on three consecutive possessions in the third quarter. But still, an offense that had limped through conference play finished opportunities the defense created and provided a spark when the Orange needed a win.

“If (the rushing unit was) going to do it, I didn’t want to take that opportunity out of their hands,” Babers said. “So, we kind of leaned on that a little bit more than we normally do and they got it done.”

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The changes came in minor schematic differences, too. On Syracuse’s first offensive snap, Trishton Jackson lined up in the slot instead of his normal outside position. With a one-on-one matchup in the middle, Jackson beat his cornerback on a slant route and racked up 50 yards. A few plays later, Jackson ran a similar route for a touchdown.

In the run game, the differences were even more visible. Moe Neal, who had his first 100-yard rushing day since Sept. 21, noted that he had more room than week’s past to maneuver after breaking through the line. Most of that came from Syracuse mauling Duke at the point of attack. While runs with pulling linemen opened big holes, basic zone run schemes also worked.

Neal’s first big run of the day came off a zone cutback. As the defense flowed to the strong side of the play, the side it appeared Neal should be running to, Servais dove and chipped his defensive end, the last line of defense to prevent a cutback. With one stomp into the ground, Neal reversed direction, running right through where Servais’ man would’ve stood for a 35-yard gain.

“I feel like it was very physical up front,” Neal said. “The offensive line did a great job opening holes, and you know I was able to hit the second level and do what I do best and make guys miss.”

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While Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito finished 6-of-15 for 105 yards and two touchdowns through the air, Neal had 17 carries for 115 yards and Jarveon Howard ran for the same total on nine touches.

Saturday was the first time Syracuse ran for four touchdowns this season, which represents the biggest step forward. When the Orange were handed opportunities, they finished them.

Throughout the season, offensive failures deep in opponent territory had plagued the Orange. Against Clemson it was three-straight run plays and an incomplete pass following an interception return to the two-yard line. Against North Carolina State, Syracuse couldn’t pick up a first down on four tries from the NC State 24-yard line. Even early against Boston College, while the score was still close, three failed rushes left Syracuse settling for a field goal after forcing a takeaway.

Against Duke, Syracuse didn’t kick a single field goal. At least for one day, the Orange mixed things up and it worked. If Syracuse is to salvage a bowl game out of this season, it will likely need continued complementary offense.

“You got to understand something,” Babers said, “Duke didn’t know what we’re going to do. So that’s a huge advantage for us and next week they will and we won’t have that advantage any longer.”

Published on November 17, 2019 at 10:12 pm

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