Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Orange Extra: Hello, Old Friend
10/3/2018 1:29:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse jumps right back into the Atlantic Coast Conference fray this Saturday when it takes on rival Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. The Orange hope to build off an impressive showing last weekend in a 27-23 loss at No. 3 Clemson.
LONGTIME ACQUAINTANCES
Pittsburgh is Syracuse's most frequent foe in football. The two programs have squared off 73 times previously in a series that dates back to 1916. Second on that list is Penn State – the Orange and the Nittany Lions have 71 matchups on the books.
The Panthers have a 38-32-3 advantage in pairings with the Orange. Pittsburgh has won eight of the last 10 encounters, although the Orange prevailed a season ago, 27-24. The Panthers have a 21-11 record in home contests against Syracuse, including a wild, 76-61 triumph at Heinz Field in 2016.
Syracuse and Pittsburgh shared membership in the BIG EAST Conference from 1991-2012. The two programs joined the ACC together in 2013.
KICKING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY SCREAMING
Stellar special teams play is one of the reasons Syracuse is off to a 4-1 start. Two standouts from the unit are redshirt junior punter Sterling Hofrichter and placekicker Andre Szmyt, a redshirt freshman.
Good things were forecast for Hofrichter heading into the campaign. He was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team by media who cover the conference and was one of 55 players on the initial watch list for the 2018 Ray Guy Award, presented annually to college football's top punter.
After the first five games, Hofrichter is averaging 46 yards per kick on 23 attempts. He has had eight kicks travel 50 yards or more, has placed 13-of-23 inside the 20-yard line, and had three touchbacks. Not only has Hofrichter punted for average, his kicks have helped limit teams' tries at setting up a return. Syracuse foes have only returned three punts this fall for a total of -1 yards. Another 11 of Hofrichter's boots have been fair caught.
He leads the ACC and ranks ninth nationally in punting average. Hofrichter's 43.4 career average ranks second in Orange history.
Hofrichter has also capably handled Syracuse's kickoff duties. He has kicked off 44 times this season and owns a 58.9 average. Of the 44 kickoffs, 21 have resulted in touchbacks. Hofrichter's leg strength, combined with Syracuse's coverage units, have limited the opposition to 12 kickoff returns and a 15.0 average. The longest kickoff return versus the Orange this season is just 22 yards.
Szmyt, who beat out the competition in August camp, has continued to excel when called upon. He has connected on all 26 extra-point attempts this season. Szmyt has been near perfect on field-goal tries, converting 13-of-14 to date, including a career-best, 51-yarder at Clemson.
His scoring average of 13 points per game is tied for third nationally. He has 65 points, good for fourth in FBS, and first among kickers. Szmyt's 2.6 field goals per game leads the country and his .929 percentage is 13th in the country (12 players have not missed a field goal with their number of attempts ranging from four to eight). Szmyt is one of three FBS kickers who have made at least 10 field goals this year.
Along with the 51-yarder he nailed against Clemson, Szmyt also had a 50-yard make versus Wagner. He joins Syracuse greats Dave Jacobs, Gary Anderson, Don McAulay and Cole Murphy as players who have made two 50-yarders in the same season.
The first-year kicker has already earned ACC Specialist of the Week twice, following games with Florida State and Clemson.
UNDER PRESSURE
The Syracuse defense has been turning up the heat this season. The Orange have accumulated 17 sacks in five games, an average of 3.4 per contest. Syracuse ranks second in the ACC and 11th among Division I FBS programs.
Over the last three games, their quarterback sack average is an even more impressive 4.7 per contest.
Junior defensive end Kendall Coleman has been the most destructive with an ACC-leading six sacks this year. Junior defensive end Alton Robinson is right behind Coleman, with five sacks. Robinson had three of those takedowns in Syracuse's win against Connecticut.
 For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
LONGTIME ACQUAINTANCES
Pittsburgh is Syracuse's most frequent foe in football. The two programs have squared off 73 times previously in a series that dates back to 1916. Second on that list is Penn State – the Orange and the Nittany Lions have 71 matchups on the books.
The Panthers have a 38-32-3 advantage in pairings with the Orange. Pittsburgh has won eight of the last 10 encounters, although the Orange prevailed a season ago, 27-24. The Panthers have a 21-11 record in home contests against Syracuse, including a wild, 76-61 triumph at Heinz Field in 2016.
Syracuse and Pittsburgh shared membership in the BIG EAST Conference from 1991-2012. The two programs joined the ACC together in 2013.
KICKING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY SCREAMING
Stellar special teams play is one of the reasons Syracuse is off to a 4-1 start. Two standouts from the unit are redshirt junior punter Sterling Hofrichter and placekicker Andre Szmyt, a redshirt freshman.
Good things were forecast for Hofrichter heading into the campaign. He was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team by media who cover the conference and was one of 55 players on the initial watch list for the 2018 Ray Guy Award, presented annually to college football's top punter.
After the first five games, Hofrichter is averaging 46 yards per kick on 23 attempts. He has had eight kicks travel 50 yards or more, has placed 13-of-23 inside the 20-yard line, and had three touchbacks. Not only has Hofrichter punted for average, his kicks have helped limit teams' tries at setting up a return. Syracuse foes have only returned three punts this fall for a total of -1 yards. Another 11 of Hofrichter's boots have been fair caught.
He leads the ACC and ranks ninth nationally in punting average. Hofrichter's 43.4 career average ranks second in Orange history.
Hofrichter has also capably handled Syracuse's kickoff duties. He has kicked off 44 times this season and owns a 58.9 average. Of the 44 kickoffs, 21 have resulted in touchbacks. Hofrichter's leg strength, combined with Syracuse's coverage units, have limited the opposition to 12 kickoff returns and a 15.0 average. The longest kickoff return versus the Orange this season is just 22 yards.
Szmyt, who beat out the competition in August camp, has continued to excel when called upon. He has connected on all 26 extra-point attempts this season. Szmyt has been near perfect on field-goal tries, converting 13-of-14 to date, including a career-best, 51-yarder at Clemson.
His scoring average of 13 points per game is tied for third nationally. He has 65 points, good for fourth in FBS, and first among kickers. Szmyt's 2.6 field goals per game leads the country and his .929 percentage is 13th in the country (12 players have not missed a field goal with their number of attempts ranging from four to eight). Szmyt is one of three FBS kickers who have made at least 10 field goals this year.
Along with the 51-yarder he nailed against Clemson, Szmyt also had a 50-yard make versus Wagner. He joins Syracuse greats Dave Jacobs, Gary Anderson, Don McAulay and Cole Murphy as players who have made two 50-yarders in the same season.
The first-year kicker has already earned ACC Specialist of the Week twice, following games with Florida State and Clemson.
UNDER PRESSURE
The Syracuse defense has been turning up the heat this season. The Orange have accumulated 17 sacks in five games, an average of 3.4 per contest. Syracuse ranks second in the ACC and 11th among Division I FBS programs.
Over the last three games, their quarterback sack average is an even more impressive 4.7 per contest.
Junior defensive end Kendall Coleman has been the most destructive with an ACC-leading six sacks this year. Junior defensive end Alton Robinson is right behind Coleman, with five sacks. Robinson had three of those takedowns in Syracuse's win against Connecticut.
 For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Players Mentioned
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