:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38773180/20140913_jla_ai5_242.jpg.0.jpg)
The Syracuse offense needs to get better on first & 10. According to Scott Shafer, that's what he wants to improve upon most after last week's win over Central Michigan last week -- at least based on what he said during the ACC Coaches Teleconference.
I don't want to doubt Coach Shafer. But considering that I break down the Orange's plays each week, I was curious to see how pressing that improvement really needed to be. Here's every first & 10 play Syracuse faced on Saturday:
| Down | Ball | Run/Pass | Player | Direction | Result |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 35 | Run | Hunt | Dive R | 20 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 45 | Run | Gulley | Off-Tackle R | 2 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 29 | Play-Action Pass | Flemming | Screen R | 3 Yard Loss |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 31 | Play-Action Pass | Custis | Screen L | 1 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 44 | Run | Gulley | Dive R | 1 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 43 | Run | Ameen-Moore | Dive L | 6 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 33 | Run | Ameen-Moore | Off-Tackle R | 7 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 31 | Pass | McFarlane | Screen R | 9 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 43 | Play-Action Pass | Moore | Mid-Range M | 12 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 45 | Pass | Flemming | Mid-Range M | 15 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 30 | Run | Morris | End L | 8 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 20 | Play-Action Pass | Custis | Screen R | 3 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 5 | Run | Gulley | Off-Tackle R | 3 Yard Loss |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 25 | Pass | Gulley | Screen L | 3 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 41 | Pass | Hunt | Screen L | Incomplete |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 28 | Pass | Estime | Deep L | 20 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 48 | Run | McFarlane | End L | 0 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 40 | Pass | Hunt | Deep R | Incomplete |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 26 | Run | Phillips | End L | 1 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 36 | Run | Phillips | Counter L | 12 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 48 | Run | Phillips | Counter L | 4 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 40 | Run | Phillips | Off-Tackle R | 3 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 22 | Run | Phillips | Off-Tackle L | 12 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 19 | Pass | Estime | Mid-Range L | Incomplete |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 27 | Play-Action Pass | McFarlane | Screen L | 7 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 38 | Play-Action Pass | Hunt | Short M | Incomplete |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 47 | Run | Morris | Dive L | 4 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | CMU 35 | Run | Phillips | Dive R | 2 Yard Loss |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 14 | Run | Ameen-Moore | Off-Tackle L | 23 Yard Gain |
| 1st and 10 | SYR 37 | Play-Action Pass | Custis | Screen L | 2 Yard Gain |
By the numbers:
- Total plays: 30
- Run/Pass: 17/13
- Average yards per play: 5.7
- Plays that gained first down yardage: 7
- Plays that gained zero yards or less: 7
- Plays that gained five yards or more: 12
- Incomplete passes: 2
***
You can always improve, obviously, but is that the most pressing matter to fix for Syracuse after the Central Michigan game? That 5.7 yards per play average ain't too shabby. And seven first down plays also gained first down yardage. On the negative side, I guess those seven plays that gained zero or negative yards are also a bit disconcerting. If there's anything to fix, it's to knock that number down a little bit - even if it doesn't boost the "plays that gained first down yardage" figure in kind. I'll be adding this to the weekly stat tracking to see if SU makes progress at all.
But what do you think? Is this an acceptable record of first down success, or does Syracuse have a lot of work to do in that department? Do these number gloss over something Coach Shafer's keying in on?
Obviously Maryland can score points, so efficiency is going to be big for the Orange. I'd imagine cutting down on the need for third down conversions (as seemed to be the case last week) is a very good place to start.