Sunday Sidebar: 'Stay Together'
10/7/2018 10:00:00 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Minutes after the Orange's 44-37 loss in overtime to Pittsburgh, head coach Dino Babers stood at the podium in the bowels of Heinz Field to address the media. The setback was tough to swallow, Babers acknowledged, but he had one message for his team and for Syracuse fans across the country:
"Stay together," Babers said. "This football team's not done. It hurts. Those guys are young men, and old men – we take it really hard – but we've got to learn from it."
After six games, the Orange go into their bye week 4-2. They had an excellent opportunity to be 6-0, leading at Clemson and at Pittsburgh late in the fourth quarter, before coming up short.
Still, much like at Clemson the week before, there were positives in all three phases of yesterday's game against the Panthers. Syracuse scored a touchdown on its opening possession of the game, the fourth time in six games this year the Orange found pay dirt on their first series. The Orange were also a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone, extending their streak of consecutive red-zone scores to 16.
Defensively, the Orange recorded three takeaways (one interception and two fumble recoveries) and have now forced at least one turnover in every game this season. Junior defensive end Alton Robinson set career highs in both tackles (8) and tackles for loss (4), including two sacks.
In the kicking game, redshirt freshman Andre Szmyt continued to shine, tying his career high with three field goals, including a 54-yarder. The kick tied for the second-longest field goal in Heinz Field history (college or pro) and was the fourth-longest in team history.
Now, Syracuse plans to use the week off to build on those positives and learn from their mistakes. More importantly, the open date gives the Orange an opportunity to recover physically, move past its two road losses, and concentrate on the second half of the season.
"I think it's going to be a big week for us," senior quarterback Eric Dungey said. "We'll get some guys healthy and go into North Carolina feeling fresh. I think it'll be a big thing for us, especially midway through the season.
"We can't let [the losses] define us. I've still got all the faith in the world in these guys, and that's really all that matters. I've got my brothers, and they've got my back. We're going to get moving forward."
Senior defensive lineman Kendall Coleman echoed the veteran signal-caller's sentiments.Â
"We're not done yet," Coleman said. "We've got to push through this. Adversity hits every team, and teams are defined by how they fight through it or choose not to."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
"Stay together," Babers said. "This football team's not done. It hurts. Those guys are young men, and old men – we take it really hard – but we've got to learn from it."
After six games, the Orange go into their bye week 4-2. They had an excellent opportunity to be 6-0, leading at Clemson and at Pittsburgh late in the fourth quarter, before coming up short.
Still, much like at Clemson the week before, there were positives in all three phases of yesterday's game against the Panthers. Syracuse scored a touchdown on its opening possession of the game, the fourth time in six games this year the Orange found pay dirt on their first series. The Orange were also a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone, extending their streak of consecutive red-zone scores to 16.
Defensively, the Orange recorded three takeaways (one interception and two fumble recoveries) and have now forced at least one turnover in every game this season. Junior defensive end Alton Robinson set career highs in both tackles (8) and tackles for loss (4), including two sacks.
In the kicking game, redshirt freshman Andre Szmyt continued to shine, tying his career high with three field goals, including a 54-yarder. The kick tied for the second-longest field goal in Heinz Field history (college or pro) and was the fourth-longest in team history.
Now, Syracuse plans to use the week off to build on those positives and learn from their mistakes. More importantly, the open date gives the Orange an opportunity to recover physically, move past its two road losses, and concentrate on the second half of the season.
"I think it's going to be a big week for us," senior quarterback Eric Dungey said. "We'll get some guys healthy and go into North Carolina feeling fresh. I think it'll be a big thing for us, especially midway through the season.
"We can't let [the losses] define us. I've still got all the faith in the world in these guys, and that's really all that matters. I've got my brothers, and they've got my back. We're going to get moving forward."
Senior defensive lineman Kendall Coleman echoed the veteran signal-caller's sentiments.Â
"We're not done yet," Coleman said. "We've got to push through this. Adversity hits every team, and teams are defined by how they fight through it or choose not to."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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