Road Game at Pitt is Next for Orange
11/2/2009 5:27:18 PM | Football
Read the Game Notes (PDF)
Read Head Coach Doug Marrone's Press Conference Transcript
The Orange will travel to face No. 14 Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 7 (12:00 p.m., ESPNU) in its first road game in nearly two months. Syracuse played seven of its first eight, including a school-record six consecutive home games, in the Carrier Dome. The contest against the Panthers is the second in a row and the fourth in the last five against a ranked opponent. Syracuse's 2009 schedule is rated the 14th-toughest in college football this year.
"We'll have a good game plan versus Pittsburgh," said head coach Doug Marrone. "They have a very physical team. They're big, they're strong, and their running backs are running the ball extremely well on offense. Defensively, their defense is creating great push. No one's really getting a lot of deep balls on them. We'll be ready to play going into Pittsburgh. I'm excited about the opportunity. I enjoy playing games like this against good opponents, good football teams. We'll just keep fighting and scratching and we look for a victory."
The Orange has played Pittsburgh 64 times, the third-longest series in the 119-year history of the program. Syracuse won 11 straight games against the Panthers from 1991 to 2001. The Orange (3-5) lost to fifth-ranked Cincinnati, 28-7, last Saturday. Pittsburgh (7-1) beat South Florida, 41-14, last weekend.
"One thing about this conference is that at the beginning of the year, people said, 'Where are all the BIG EAST teams in the top 20?' We just played the No. 4 team in the country and now we're getting ready to play the 14th team in the country, Marrone said. “All a part of the BIG EAST schedule. South Florida was ranked, West Virginia was ranked. We're playing all these great football teams within our conference. I think that's a credit to the BIG EAST Conference.
“Pittsburgh has a very physical team. They're big, they're strong, and their running backs are running the ball extremely well. Their defense is creating great push. No one's really getting a lot of deep balls on them. We'll be ready to play going into Pittsburgh. I'm excited about the opportunity. I enjoy playing games like this against good opponents, good football teams. We'll just keep fighting and scratching and we look for a victory.”
Senior defensive tackle Arthur Jones continued his climb up Syracuse record lists with his performane against Cincinnati. He had 1.5 tackles for a loss of yards, increasing his career total to 38.5, which is third in Syracuse history and the most by an interior defensive lineman in school history … Jones is tied for fourth in the BIG EAST with 0.25 fumble recoveries per game. His 145 career
tackles ranks 10th on the Syracuse record list for tackles by a down lineman. He is a candidate for the Nagurski and Outland Trophies, as well as the Bednarik Award.
"Arthur has made plays for us and I'm excited about that," Marrone said. "Last game, you saw him make some plays and beat a couple of guys. He's been getting a lot of attention. He's the guy who probably every offensive line coach talks about when they come in to play us, 'Hey, we have to make sure we stop him. He's their key player.' There have been a lot of double teams and people coming in trying to make a name for themselves as they play against Arthur. That's a challenge for any good player and he's done very well. He made some plays in the last game and now he faces a Pitt team that is going to be physical upfront."
Marrone announced during the press conference that senior wide receiver Mike Williams quit the team.
"Just so everyone is aware, Mike Williams came to me today and has quit the program,” Marrone said. “"We're heading forward. There's no one individual, including myself, that's more important in the program. The program is heading forward. I go back to my original statement. You may not see it in the win-loss column, but if you're looking, you can see it with the players."
Syracuse returns to its final home game on Saturday, November 21 to face Rutgers. Tickets are available online and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (888-DOME-TIX).
