Pasch-ion Play: Pasqualoni Deserves Recognition
11/1/2001 3:03:56 PM | Football
Me: "Hey Paul, you've got some players. A lot of guys the so called experts don't know about."
Coach P: "I think we've got some players, and it doesn't bother me nobody thinks much of Syracuse this year. I think we'll surprise a lot of people by the end of October."
Coach, I think they're surprised.
I've got to admit, I've always been a fan of Pasqualoni personally. He's a good man, who recruits good kids, and becomes their surrogate father. If I had a son who played football, there's nobody I'd rather leave him with for five years than Paul. However, I don't think I'm letting my personal feelings get in the way of my judgment on this one. Pasqualoni should be the coach of the year in The BIG EAST Conference. It may be early, but nobody has done a better job in the league this year than Coach P. Larry Coker at Miami has done a great job, but he has the best players in America. Tom O'Brien has done a nice job at BC, but the Eagles haven't had Syracuse's schedule.
To start 0-2 and then be bowl eligible by the end of October despite a 12 game schedule is amazing. Throw in the fact the Orange were down at halftime in game three after a "hail mary" by Central Florida, and it's more incredible. How about wins against Auburn, pre-season top 25 East Carolina, and at 5th ranked Virginia Tech?
The Orange are doing it with turnover free football on offense, a stifling and turnover happy defense, and outstanding special teams play. It's the exact blueprint Pasqualoni drew before the season.
Pasqualoni knew this team couldn't win like some of the previous high-powered offensive teams at Syracuse. The quarterback doesn't have to win the game, just don't make the mistakes that can cost you the game. In fact, SU's two biggest wins have come with the Orange passing for fewer than 100 yards. They only had six completions and 52 yards passing against Virginia Tech, but won the game with field position, and great execution on third down. Hokie opponents were converting only 15 percent of their third downs. SU went 8-for-18. Syracuse's average starting field position was its own 38. Tech started on average at its own 22, and only once started past its own 35.
Meanwhile, on defense, the Orange are on pace to force more turnovers than any team during Coach P's tenure, and are playing incredible red zone defense, despite losing four third round or better draft picks the last two years.
This is the formula for success in 2001. Coach P and his staff deserve credit for instituting it, and the players for executing it.
