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Down 35-13 and issues with the offensive line and consistent running attack, head coach Doug Marrone had to think of something quick. If not a blowout loss would happen at home to the chagrin of the home fans and be a poor indicator for future games. Though Syracuse suffered a loss after a terrific comeback there are positives to take away from the game.

Ryan Nassib struggled for portions of the game. Issues prevalent a year ago with how pressure affects the offensive line was apparent. Nassib’s pocket was collapsing so quick that a lot of football were ending up on the Carrier Dome turf. The speed of the pass rush had to be offset, and Marrone decided the only way to do it was push the tempo.

With the tempo increased Nassib took advantage of a poor Northwestern secondary and with each of his 45 completions, the team kept hurrying to the line of scrimmage. It not only saved time on the clock but it kept Northwestern defenders on their heels.

Throwing sixty six throws is not something that can lead to success every week. Syracuse does not have the offensive fire power to do so against stronger defensive teams. For a week though it was great to see Ryan Nassib’s maturation in one game. He did not let the team being down affect him. Each touchdown leading drive the team seemed to respond stronger defensively and offensively.

A bright side to the passing game was senior Marcus Sales and Jeremiah Kobena. Sales caught twelve of Nassib’s forty five completions including a grab in between a couple defenders for forty one yards. Freshman Ashton Broyld contributed as well. With Alec Lemon likely returning soon, the Orange do have many weapons at their disposal in the passing game.

One strength does not offset all weaknesses. Syracuse needs the offensive line to develop camaraderie. Protection needs to be better especially for the amount of drop back throws Nassib will likely have each week. As close as this game ended up, turnovers (3) were a deciding matter in the game. It’s going to take Syracuse flawless games in the turnover department to pull out these type of games.

Prince Tyson-Gulley was relegated to an all purpose back against Northwestern. His touches were minimal seven rushing and seven catching, but he made the most of them. Totaling near 100 yards combined. He had a nice run in the first half for a touchdown to give Syracuse a 13-7 lead. That would be the last touchdown Syracuse scored before giving up twenty eight straight to Northwestern.

Syracuse has a history in the Doug Marrone era of playing some awful quarters and than springing back to life. The game against West Virginia a season ago was one game that everything clicked on all cylinders. Nassib and Marcus Sales are both fifth year seniors that need to ensure the lulls stop.

Nassib has a solid arsenal of throws to get defenses off balance, even with a spotty offensive line. His jump ball quick throw to the tight end seems to be an offset to the defensive pass rush.

If Nassib can stay healthy he may break more than single game records. Hits come with pass attempts and Nassib seemed to be rattled after one throw in the first half. The hit seemed to have came right in his abdomen area. After staying down for a few minutes he was able to shake it off. With the way he performed, opposing coaches are going to want to knock Nassib around each chance the team gets.

Protection will be key to the rest of the season for the Orange, and Nassib.

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Yes Jim Boeheim is still head coach at Syracuse, and looks like he can do it well into his seventies. Boeheim and assistant coach Mike Hopkins are coming off a gold medal aiding the USA team from the sidelines. Once again Boeheim seemed to spark Carmelo Anthony, who shot a blistering percentage from three point range.

The focus now swings to a monumental year for the Orangmen. Their schedule has been patched together little by little, and the traditional hot start should be expected. With their last season in Big East play will the Orangemen continue to be conference powers with a strong Louisville team in the way?

Jim Boeheim and his coaching staff have done an excellent job at recruiting. So much that maybe last season they had too much talent. A top sixty five recruit in Trevor Cooney decided to red shirt because of the Orangemen’s depth. McDonalds All-American Michael Carter-Williams hardly stepped on the floor, even though his minutes of play seemed justified for more.

Ruts would not occur often but when they did it often came from the upper classmen on the team involving Scoop Jardine or Kris Joseph. Especially Joseph who seemed to of taken a few steps back from his sophomore and junior seasons as a senior. It was hard for the team to depend on Joseph and that became critical in the NCAA tournament when minutes and the nucleus of forward scoring shifted to James Southerland and CJ Fair.

The infusion of talent is always going to be there at Syracuse. Combining those skills and getting the zone to stay active a full season is the main question. Syracuse comes in yet again as a top ten contender in 2012 and should be.

Lanky big man Rakeem Christmas had a typical big man freshman campaign under Boeheim. He was thrown into the fire and took the heat from his coach as if he were an upper classmen. Much like Fab Melo had a vast transformation, expect the same from Christmas this season. Someone is going to need to contend with Gorgui Dieng, and Christmas will get the majority of minutes to defend him.

He did an admirable job in an increased role in the NCAA tournament, and seems to have been working hard in the off-season in preparation of a big role. Syracuse does have DaJuan Coleman and Baye Mousse Keita to rotate various lineups. Keita will likely see twelve to sixteen minutes a game strictly as a rotation guy.

DaJuan Coleman’s role is one of high interest. If he comes in with an understanding and in proper shape, Boeheim could go back to the Onuaku/Rick Jackson days. Placing Coleman and Christmas in the starting lineup. That may be down the road in the season though, as Syracuse will need offense from those two if that were the case. Christmas may be ready to step up offensively but can he remain effective defensively?

Instead of having the size on the backside of the zone, expect Syracuse to use their wing men in CJ Fair and James Southerland as starters. Even though Brandon Triche is the senior on this team, CJ Fair is the leader. This team will go as deep as Fair can take them. With limited shot attempts, Fair always seems to fill up the statistic box. His shot attempts will easily exceed last years. Off the bounce and inside fifteen feet Fair is hard to stop. His points per game average may be the highest since Wes Johnson was at Syracuse.

Southerland is one of those journeyman Syracuse players that has been buried behind talent most of his career. Mookie Jones and graduates are now gone, leaving Southerland a chance to shine. Much like Preston Shumphert started to come alive his junior year as an Orangemen, the same could be related to Southerland. He is athletic and tall at 6’8. Last season Boeheim was forced to go smaller at times and Southerland played the role fine, and is a presence as a weak side shot blocker.

Southerland just needs to refrain from shooting too many threes, as it hurts Syracuse defensively in transition.

Where Syracuse is going to have strength yet again is at the guard positions. Brandon Triche has been rotated in and out of the Syracuse lineup too much the last two seasons. A player can not get into proper rhythm in college basketball by being substituted as much as Triche was. Boeheim had to get Dion Waiters in, and also play Jardine, so it was a tough spot for Triche.

Now he will get thirty plus minutes a game and be the voice of this team. Triche has drawn high praise from Jay Bilas who stated on national televised games he believed Triche was the best Syracuse player, and that was with Dion Waiters on the roster. Triche is a hot and cold type player, but doesn’t settle. He will take the ball to the hoop and does not get over zealous with an outside jumper. Expect Triche to continue the trend of Syracuse seniors going in the second round of the NBA Draft.

Triche will be hungrier than any Orangemen with strong focus the whole year. He was on the teams that lost to Butler in the Sweet 16, Marquette, and last years elite eight.

The true gem of the team will be Michael Carter-Williams. He dazzled in limited action last year and could be on his way to the NBA with an all around year. Williams won the skills competition as a McDonald’s All American, and is a better passer than Scoop Jardine. Point guards that can run the zone offense off transition defense can get themselves in rhythm just off that.

Unlike Jardine who sometimes would get himself in trouble in half court offense, Carter-Williams has the size (6’5) and speed to run a half court offense efficiently.

Bench production will remain solid for the Orange. Trevor Cooney will likely be the first man off the bench to spell the backcourt. Incoming freshmens DaJuan Coleman and Jerami Grant will get significant minutes for typical freshman. Grant played in the USA under 18 team this summer and has ascended the top 100 rankings from when Syracuse received his commitment. If Southerland struggles, Grant could get minutes in the high teens.

Reloading is what Syracuse has continued to do the last three seasons. Ever since the tandem of Eric Devendorf, Jonny Flynn, and Paul Harris left, the team has had to deal with replacing three guys almost every year.

Boeheim knows he has been close to having National Title seasons in 2010 and last year. The moment will come and it could be this year. If sophomores Rakeem Christmas and Michael Carter-Williams flourish combined with the steady play of Triche and CJ Fair, there is no doubt this team can return to the Elite 8.

From there it would be matchups. 1987.…1996.….2003. The trend of ten years or under back to the national championship has to happen in 2013.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Zack Cimini writes about the Cuse’ and how they will live up to this years expectations.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/921584-boeheim-and-cuse-ready-to-live-up-to-pre-season-ranking

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Zack Cimini breaks down Syracuse’s 19-16 loss to Rutgers.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/874217-mistake-laden-cuse-proves-costly-vs-rutgers

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Is the Syracuse football program taking a turn in the right direction? Zack Cimini breaks down the issues over the last ten years, and points to the future as well.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/873595-syracuse-football-why-does-the-football-program-struggle-regularly

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Off-season training and increased attention to decreasing body fat and a proper diet are all heightened focuses in the off-season in college athletics. One area athletes can not get proper advances on is on the court experience. That can’t be said for a couple of returning Syracuse athletes.

Fab Melo went through about as rough a season as a McDonalds All-American could go through. Yanked and yelled at consistently for poor play, it seemed as if Melo was proving to be a bust. Jim Boeheim continued to start him, but his on the court action would dwindle from the first five minutes to the first dead ball. He was just becoming too much of a liability. Chemistry on the court was not there, and it was as if Syracuse was playing four on five. Melo’s slow rotation in the center of the zone, would cause the guards to drift down. Inevitably a break down in the zone would occur with a few scissor passes, and the Cuse would be down early.

As the team got into a funk, including a four game losing streak, Melo’s play worsened. The team was in the middle of the pack of the Big East with a tough schedule ahead. The season was fading fast, and Boeheim had to limit Melo’s minutes even more. Suddenly though Syracuse clawed it’s way out of tough stretch, and faced Cincinnati and DePaul. Two teams they handled with ease, and got Melo back onto the court. Practicing and learning from the sideline seemed to have finally sunk in. Melo was quicker with his decision making, and nimble on his feet when making moves with the basketball. He finally was playing at game speed. Come Big East tournament time, he ignited the Cuse when the team was stagnant, with two critical back to back plays. Showcasing great footwork for a couple of nifty layups.

He was in the middle of controversy this off-season involving his ex-girlfriend. That seems to be behind him, as he was a part of the Brazilian team this summer. Melo started for Brazil, and was able to put together a couple of impressive games. Scoring in double figures in a couple of contests. Jim Boeheim knows when to strike that extra level in a player, and Melo will be much needed after the departure of Rick Jackson. Getting his stamina up will be key, and also reducing the amount of fouls he gains while on the court.

As much as Melo will be needed for the Cuse to advance deep in the NCAA tournament, the majority of Syracuse’s chances will ride on their point guard play. Cuse fans will remember the ending last year against Marquette. An over and back call that parlayed into a dagger three pointer by Marquette. The blame circled on that over and back call.

Jim Boeheim blamed the truth. Too many turnovers. Scoop Jardine was a hot potato with turnovers all season long. Games he played great, Syracuse stormed over teams. As is key in the zone though, limiting your turnovers gets the zone settled in place defensively. The Cuse held Marquette too poor shooting, but their careless turnovers kept Marquette in the game. The team had eighteen, and Jardine seemed to be in on a good share even though the box score listed only three. One should have counted as a turnover. Right before the half, Syracuse gained control of an offensive rebound, and could have played for the last shot. Instead, Jardine chucked up and hoisted an ill advised three pointer. Not only did he miss, Marquette capitalized with a bucket of their own.

These are mistakes you didn’t expect from Jardine, who is now a fifth year senior. The year prior the team lost a heart breaking game to Butler in the sweet sixteen. Jardine knows how close he has been to getting to the final four, and that he has one last chance. Teaming with Kris Joseph, they’ll be out to get it one last time. Jardine’s trimmed down fifteen pounds and been involved with numerous NBA players basketball camps, including Chris Paul’s.

In the World Basketball tournament, Jardine gained premier experience. He didn’t shoot a lot of shots, but showed a strong ability to knock down the three ball. Something he has improved upon, year after year.

Does Jardine want to be a true leader, is the question? Not one game, but a floor leader for the entire Syracuse season. He has been under the tutelage and played with Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson, Paul Harris, Eric Devendorf, Jonny Flynn, and Donte Greene. They all were a part of his career at some point. All would want to be in Jardine’s shoes, to give it a shot one last time wearing the Orange.