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Robert Anae pulled out his reading glasses and situated his headset on top of his head. Jason Beck hung back next to him, yelling play calls and formations at the offensive group walking down to the south end of the turf practice field. 

Tony White stood on the other sideline, prepping the defense for the first goal line and short yardage drill on Tuesday. Head coach Dino Babers stood around the 40-yard line overseeing the team with his arms folded behind his back.

Despite a secondary that could be one of the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference with Duce Chestnut and Garrett Williams, Garrett Shrader led a dismantling sequence against them. The first play was a seamless power run to the left side. Shrader calmly handed the ball off to All-American Sean Tucker and watched him bounce outside a block and run in for a touchdown. The next was a run-pass option that Shrader kept. Once he saw a smothered young defensive line, he ducked into a hole untouched.

“It may not be perfect, each tape how we want it,” Shrader said. “But if we’re on the same page, we make it happen, that’s all that matters.”

The final two plays opened up the defense just enough for quick passes at the goal line which led to touchdowns, a byproduct of a more pass-heavy offense. With one more week of training camp left before turning its full focus on Louisville, Syracuse has worked on ironing out nearly every position throughout camp. 

Babers expressed his excitement in blending his style of defensive coaching with Anae and Beck, who come from a Virginia program with much more experience in pass-heavy offenses. Tucker called the new offense more “pass-centric” at the first press conference of training camp and one he’s looking forward to as the running back who enjoys operating in the flat. SU has showcased those screens, mesh routes and routes that some defenders haven’t seen from Syracuse’s offense in the past.

Megan Thompson | Digital Design Director

On Friday, Garrett Williams, who enters the season as a top-20 prospect according to Pro Football Focus, said he asked an offensive player for the name of one route following a scrimmage play because he didn’t recognize it. The new looks have kept the defense on their heels, helping improve a secondary that returns playmakers such as Williams, Chestnut, Mikel Jones and adds transfers like Alijah Clark from Rutgers.

“It’s an iron sharpens iron type of deal,” Jones said.

Williams and Chestnut have both noted that the offense has applied a great deal of pressure to the back end of the 3-3-5 formation. Redshirt freshman Bralyn Oliver and sophomore Ja’Had Carter have split first-team reps as the boundary safety, with Rob Hanna also cycling in periodically. They’ve seen struggles and huge blown coverages, especially during 11-on-11 series.

After Friday’s practice, Hanna stretched out on the sidelines while Babers hovered over him. The two debated Hanna’s missteps during team drills, culminating in the safety dropping down for 10 push ups.

Syracuse also enters the season with a young, unproven defensive line. Babers called the unit “crazy” and like “young puppies.” The line contains a large crop of emerging players that include sophomores Kevon Darton, Steve Linton and Stefon Thompson. Thompson, who described himself as a hybrid between a linebacker and a defensive lineman, routinely stays after practice to work one-on-one with some of the younger players like Linton and Chase Simmons.

Megan Thompson | Digital Design Director

“We just got to stay honest when we’re guarding the running backs, because if we’re not, then they’re gonna pick which way we’re not (going),” Thompson said.

Later in practice, Shrader tested the defense again, dumping off the first pass of the 11-on-11 two minute drill to Tucker on a flat route. 

But Shrader is still adjusting to throwing more, working on his accuracy on long balls. Beck still tells him to be more urgent and stresses the need to hit windows across the middle. On the ensuing play, a linebacker punched out a potential first down catch by Damien Alford because Shrader’s throw came up short.

Courtney Jackson countered the breakup by nabbing a high throw for a 10 yard gain. The chess match continued to play out between the offense and defense. The safeties cut off the chance for a deep ball, but left Tucker open down low in front of the linebacker’s zone coverage. Shrader tried to find Devaughn Cooper on a post route, but Hanna ensured the transfer slot receiver wouldn’t bring down the catch.

Shrader wound up on third and long. Receiver Oronde Gadsden II sold the go route before cutting across the middle about 20 yards down field. But Shrader’s ball to the sophomore went high, allowing the defense to readjust and settle into double coverage on Gadsden. 

Gadsden lept and corraled the ball, winning the two-on-one battle while ending the two-minute drill with a well-contested win for the offense.

“This offense is the first new offense for me since I’ve been here,” Jones said on Aug. 5. “You can see a lot of new things, a lot of good new things. A better connection with the receivers and quarterbacks and running backs.”

Published on August 21, 2022 at 10:33 pm

Contact Anthony: [email protected] | @anthonyalandt