Orange Enjoying New Defense

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – When Dino Babers first considered shifting the Orange's base defense from a nickel scheme to the 3-3-5 this past winter, he consulted one of the nation's top coaches – in basketball.

Babers sat down with Orange Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, whose 2-3 zone has flummoxed opponents unfamiliar with attacking it for decades.

"I would be remiss if I didn't tell you he affected me a little bit by some of the things that he said," Babers told The Athletic in June. "It helped me make a decision to go to this new defense."

Most college football teams have some variation of the 3-3-5 in their playbook, but only a handful run it exclusively and do it well. Babers reasoned if Syracuse could execute the defense at a high level the Orange would become less predictable. The added stress on opposing coaches not used to preparing for it on a consistent basis would also be to Syracuse's advantage.

To install the 3-3-5, Babers hired Tony White in February as Syracuse's defensive coordinator. White learned from former New Mexico and San Diego State head coach Rocky Long, who is considered the mastermind of the modern 3-3-5 defense. White studied under Long for 10 seasons, first as New Mexico's linebackers coach in 2008 and then as San Diego State's cornerbacks coach from 2009-17. In White's nine years at San Diego State, the Aztecs went to eight bowl games and won three Mountain West Conference championships.

In 2018, White followed another Long protégé – Danny Gonzalez – to Arizona State. When Gonzalez left ASU to become of the head coach at New Mexico in December 2019, White was elevated from his position as cornerbacks coach/passing game coordinator to defensive coordinator. With White running the show in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl versus Florida State, the Sun Devils didn't miss a beat. Arizona State shut out FSU for nearly three quarters and scored a defensive touchdown in a 20-14 victory.

Upon arriving at Syracuse, White began teaching the 3-3-5 to the defensive staff as well as the players. That process was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted spring ball after only three practices. However, starting cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu doesn't think the lack of spring practice time will impact the team's understanding of the defense.

"We had so long to actually learn it. Maybe there's some communication stuff [that needs to improve], but if you think about it, we started learning it in March," Melifonwu said. "Then we had a couple of spring practices, then the whole quarantine and the whole summer to learn it. Guys pretty much know it now."

Both Melifonwu and defensive end Kingsley Jonathan said the Orange are enjoying the new scheme.

"The guys love the defense. It gives everyone the opportunity to run around and make plays," Jonathan said. "We are accepting it. We're looking forward to seeing how it plays out on the field."

That first glimpse will come on Saturday, Sept. 12 when the Orange kick off the 2020 season against North Carolina in Kenan Stadium. Babers hopes the view is similar to what he's witnessed while watching Syracuse basketball.

"I think the 2-3 [zone] defense for our basketball team gives us a unique advantage. And I think that our defense is the exact same thing," Babers said. "If it can be as much of a nuisance as the 2-3 [zone] defense is for our basketball team, then I think it will have been a good decision for us. We'll have to see."

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