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When John asked me if I wanted to track the defensive plays this year, my first thought was, "Sure! At least it's not the offensive play calling! This could actually be fun!"
Now, nine games in, I officially hate you, John.
The most glaring thing here is not the season-high 8.6 yards per play, or the season-high 7 yards per carry, or the season-high 10.1 yards per pass attempt - it's the total inability to cause negative plays, which has become a trend this season.
We noted earlier in the season against Wake Forest and Central Michigan that the defense gave up plenty of yards, but frequently forced a sack or a negative rushing play to derail the opponent's drive. In the first four games of the season, this manifested in negative yardage plays eight times against Rhode Island, nine times against Wake Forest, 11 against Central Michigan, and even nine against LSU. Since then, the Orange defense has struggled mightily to create those negative plays, causing just four (USF), six (UVA), six (Pitt), five (FSU), and matching its season low on Saturday with just four against the Cardinals.
Yes, the Orange created three turnovers, and that's something to be proud of. But unfortunately, as long as the opponent takes care of the football, it's becoming virtually impossible for the SU defense to get off the field.
Ultimately this post is about the play calling a lot more than about the execution. That's how we can have a post last week that ends up being pretty positive when reflecting on a total beatdown with the end result. That being said, we have to talk about something that relates to coaching, but isn't directly linked to Xs and Os: the tackling.
Time and time again, SU defenders missed tackles or were dragged for extra yards. We saw it on the second play of the game when Dowels missed a diving tackle that sprung a 52-yard gain. We saw it when Jonathan Thomas made a hit four yards shy of the marker, but the Louisville receiver carried him to the sticks. We saw it when Kielan Whitner took a stiff arm to the jaw and was unable to fight through to make the tackle. And that was just in the first half.
You can't help but wonder if a coaching staff that charts "big hits" isn't doing as good of a job coaching solid form tackling. If you watch closely, you see defenders constantly lunging or diving at the ball carrier, making them easier to shake, stiff arm or just run over. It's a problem that needs to be fixed.
Read on if you want to re-live the massacre once more blow by blow.
First Quarter
| DRIVE 1 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 15:00 | 1st and 10 | UL 25 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Right | 8 yard gain | Franklin Tackle |
| 14:26 | 2nd and 2 | UL 33 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Right | 52 yard gain | Dowels missed tackle on short pass, diving at receiver, broken for big gain, Hudson Tackle |
| 13:57 | 1st and 10 | SU 15 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 11 yard gain | Draw up middle, Hodge, Dowels Tackle |
| 13:23 | 1st and goal | SU 4 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 4 yard TD | Carried defenders 2 yards into end zone |
| DRIVE 2 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 11:10 | 1st and 10 | UL 42 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Poor throw over middle |
| 11:06 | 2nd and 10 | UL 42 | 5 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Simmons hurry, dropped pass in good coverage by Franlin |
| 11:01 | 3rd and 10 | UL 42 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | ROLB Blitz (rush 4) | Pass | Left | Interception | Hudson great play in zone coverage, read QBs eyes and undercut throw |
| DRIVE 3 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 10:08 | 1st and 10 | UL 24 | 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | No gain | Clark Tackle |
| 9:29 | 2nd and 10 | UL 24 | 1 RB, 4 WR | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 4) | Pass | Left | 9 yard gain | Hudson Tackle |
| 8:58 | 3rd and 1 | UL 33 | 2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB and RCB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Middle | No gain | Raymon great penetration, Thompson makes initial hit, Raymon Tackle |
| DRIVE 4 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 0:14 | 1st and 10 | UL 25 | False Start | 5 yard penalty | |||||
| 0:14 | 1st and 15 | UL 20 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 4) | Pass | Middle | 9 yard gain | Whitner, Taylor Tackle, forced fumble overturned by replay, Franklin QB Hurry |
Louisville Play Calls: 6 runs, 5 passes
Defensive personnel: 8 base defense, 3 subpackages
Blitzes: 7/11 (63.6%)
Another quarter with a combination of extreme good and bad. First, the bad: Syracuse continues to struggle with tackling, opening up the first drive with a missed tackle on a short pass leading to a 52 yard gain. Louisville ball carriers gained yards after contact on every play and literally dragged the Orange D into the end zone to open up an early lead.
On the positive side, Cordell Hudson made a terrific interception on a fantastic read in zone coverage. Louisville ran a route designed to make Hudson choose between covering the flat or the corner, and he read the quarterback's eyes perfectly and undercut the throw on a play that has beaten SU multiple times this season. Syracuse also stepped up for a big 3rd and short stop, thanks to great penetration from the defensive line, and actually got off the field in a clutch situation. Things were going OK at this point.
Second Quarter
| DRIVE 4 (cont) | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 15:00 | 2nd and 6 | UL 29 | 2 RB, 3 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Right | 6 yard gain | Hodge and Whitner missed tackles at line, Whitner and Taylor force OB |
| 14:34 | 1st and 10 | UL 35 | 2 RB, 3 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Right | 24 yard gain | Whitner Tackle |
| 14:04 | 1st and 10 | SU 41 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Franklin in coverage |
| 14:01 | 2nd and 10 | SU 41 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | 11 yard gain | Thomas dragged 4 extra yards for tackle |
| 13:33 | 1st and 10 | SU 30 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | 5 yard gain | Cordy Tackle |
| 13:00 | 1st and 10 | SU 19 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 6 yard gain | Sheppard Tackle |
| 12:22 | 2nd and 5 | SU 14 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Left | 4 yard gain | Hodge, Whitner Tackle |
| 11:51 | 1st and goal | SU 8 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Left | 4 yard gain | Thomas , Whitner Tackle |
| 11:03 | 2nd and goal | SU 4 | 3 RB, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB and ROLB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Middle | 1 yard gain, fumble recovery | Franklin forced fumble, recovered by Clark |
| DRIVE 5 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 9:20 | 1st and 10 | SU 48 | 2 RB, 3 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Right | 4 yard gain | Scissum Tackle |
| 8:46 | 2nd and 6 | SU 44 | 2 RB, 3 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | 4 yard gain | Cordy, Samuels Tackle |
| 7:58 | 3rd and 2 | SU 40 | 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Left | Incomplete | Slayton hurry, great job avoiding cut block on 3 step drop |
| 7:54 | 4th and 2 | SU 40 | Offensive pass interference wiped out play | ||||||
| DRIVE 6 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 3:32 | 1st and 10 | UL 11 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB and Safety Zone Blitz (rush 5) LDE in coverage | Pass | Right | 13 yard gain | Diving catch in gap in zone |
| 3:06 | 1st and 10 | UL 24 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | 16 yard gain | Cordy Tackle |
| 2:32 | 1st and 10 | UL 40 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | LOLB and LCB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Sack | 8 yard loss | Simmons Sack, Ellison also in on pressure from well timed blitz |
| 1:56 | 2nd and 18 | UL 32 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 4) | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Thompson chased QB out of pocket, Whitner pass breakup |
| 1:48 | 3rd and 18 | UL 32 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | MLB and ROLB Zone Blitz (Rush 4), LDE in coverage | Pass | Right | 16 yard gain | Hodge chased QB out of pocket, Hudson Tackle |
| 1:41 | 4th and 2 | UL 48 | 2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB and LCB Blitz (rush 6) | PA Pass | Right | 32 yard gain | TE throwback wide open for catch and run, Scissum Tackle |
| 1:31 | 1st and 10 | SU 20 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Right | 7 yard gain | Hodge Tackle |
| 1:27 | 2nd and 3 | SU 13 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Middle | 13 yard TD | Double move by TE to gap in zone |
| DRIVE 7 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 1:02 | 1st and 10 | UL 40 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 4) | Pass | Right | 5 yard gain | Hudson Tackle |
| 2nd and 5 | UL 45 | False Start | 5 yard penalty | ||||||
| 0:57 | 2nd and 10 | UL 40 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | LOLB, MLB, ROLB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Taylor came through on 6-man rush against 5 blockers, rushed pass |
| 0:54 | 3rd and 10 | UL 40 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | ROLB and MLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Right | 8 yard gain | Hodge QB hit, Taylor Tackle |
| DRIVE 8 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 0:14 | 1st and 10 | UL 31 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 11 yard gain | Ellison, Taylor Tackle |
| 0:06 | 1st and 10 | UL 42 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | N/A | Pass | Spike | Incomplete | |
| 0:05 | 2nd and 10 | UL 42 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | MLB, ROLB and LCB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Right | 26 yard gain | Blitz chased QB out of pocket, Hudson, Taylor Tackle |
Louisville Play Calls: 9 runs, 19 passes
Defensive personnel: 17 base defense, 9 subpackages
Blitzes: 15/26 (57.7%)
What to make of this quarter? The defense only gave up one touchdown, and a big turnover in a key spot. But the signs were already there that this should have been much worse, giving up 8 yards per play overall - 5 on called runs and 9.6 on called passes. The Orange generated just one negative play in the quarter, and the only thing that kept them from being completely run over was a big forced fumble near the goal line.
Third Quarter
| DRIVE 9 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 12:12 | 1st and 10 | UL 36 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB, ROLB and RCB Blitz (rush 7) | Run | Middle | 2 yard gain | Raymon, Samuels Tackle |
| 11:31 | 2nd and 8 | UL 38 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Middle | 18 yard gain | Hudson Tackle |
| 11:09 | 1st and 10 | SU 44 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Pass high, Hudson in coverage |
| 11:04 | 2nd and 10 | SU 44 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | LOLB, MLB, ROLB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Middle | 11 yard gain | Whitner Tackle |
| 10:35 | 1st and 10 | SU 33 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | 23 yard gain | Thompson almost hit QB, Cordy Tackle |
| 10:06 | 1st and goal | SU 10 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 5 yard gain | Holding penalty, 10 yards from spot wiped out TD |
| 10:01 | 1st and goal | SU 15 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | 5 yard gain | Hudson Tackle |
| 9:34 | 2nd and goal | SU 10 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB and MLB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Left | Incomplete | Pass high, Hudson in coverage |
| 9:30 | 3rd and goal | SU 10 | 4 WR, 1 TE | 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB | LOLB, MLB, ROLB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Right | 10 yard TD | 6 man rush left 1 on 1 coverage, Ellison got turned around on perfect pass |
| DRIVE 10 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 7:42 | 1st and 10 | UL 18 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 1 yard gain | Franklin Tackle |
| 7:05 | 2nd and 9 | UL 19 | 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | PA Pass | Right | 28 yard gain | Dowels Tackle |
| 6:40 | 1st and 10 | UL 47 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | 2 yard loss | Slayton Tackle, Hodge made first hit on well-timed blitz |
| 5:59 | 2nd and 12 | UL 45 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | 8 yard gain | Hudson, Thomas Tackle |
| 5:21 | 3rd and 4 | SU 47 | 1 RB, 4 WR | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Left | Incomplete | Hudson in coverage |
| DRIVE 11 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 3:44 | 1st and 10 | UL 28 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 46 yard gain | Cordy Tackle |
| 3:16 | 1st and 10 | SU 26 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB and ROLB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Left | 16 yard gain | Clark Tackle |
| 2:45 | 1st and goal | SU 10 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | 7 yard gain | Cordy Tackle |
| 2:11 | 2nd and goal | SU 3 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB Blitz (rush 5) | Run | Middle | 1 yard loss | Franklin Tackle |
| 1:29 | 3rd and goal | SU 4 | 2 RB, 3 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB and LCB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Middle | 2 yard gain | Franklin, Cordy Tackle |
Louisville Play Calls: 10 runs, 9 passes
Defensive personnel: 17 base defense, 2 subpackages
Blitzes: 11/19 (57.9%)
Three drives, one with a nice stop, another with a TD and another settling for a field goal. Once again, it was all about the negative plays, with the Orange generating two of its four in the game in the third quarter. When they stopped the ball carrier behind the line, it led directly to derailed drives - one by punt and one forcing a field goal in the red zone.
Fourth Quarter
| DRIVE 12 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 12:58 | 1st and 10 | UL 16 | 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Left | 17 yard gain | Should have been a loss, missed tackles, Whitner Tackle |
| 12:30 | 1st and 10 | UL 33 | 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB and MLB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Right | 7 yard gain | Hudson Tackle |
| 11:46 | 2nd and 3 | UL 40 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | ROLB and MLB Blitz (rush 6) | Run | Right | 25 yard gain | Whitner Tackle |
| 1st and 10 | SU 35 | Delay of game | 5 yard penalty | ||||||
| 11:07 | 1st and 15 | SU 40 | 4 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Screen Pass | Right | 5 yard gain | Hodge Tackle |
| 10:25 | 2nd and 10 | SU 35 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Pass | Middle | Forced fumble | Whitner Forced Fumble, Clark Recovered |
| DRIVE 13 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 9:58 | 1st and 10 | SU 12 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB Blitz (rush 5) | PA Pass | Left | 12 yard TD | Play action held defense, tight end slipped behind coverage |
| DRIVE 14 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 9:04 | 1st and goal | SU 6 | 1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 1 yard loss | Cordy Tackle |
| 2nd and goal | SU 7 | Holding penalty wiped out TD | |||||||
| 8:24 | 2nd and goal | SU 17 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Middle | 8 yard gain | Franklin, Thomas Tackle |
| 7:45 | 3rd and goal | SU 9 | 1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | MLB and LOLB Blitz (rush 6) | Pass | Middle | Incomplete | Clark Pass Deflected |
| DRIVE 15 | |||||||||
| Time | Down | Ball | O Personnel | D Personnel | Blitz | Run/Pass | Direction | Result | Note |
| 0:26 | 1st and 10 | UL 16 | 2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | N/A | Run | Right | 12 yard gain | Ellison Tackle |
| 0:17 | 1st and 10 | UL 28 | 2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE | 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB | LOLB and LCB Blitz (Rush 6) | Run | Left | 2 yard gain | Slayton, Clark Tackle |
Louisville Play Calls: 6 runs, 5 passes
Defensive personnel: 11 base defense, 0 subpackages
Blitzes: 5/11 (45.5%)
This was another fourth quarter of going through the motions with the game out of hand. Similar to the third quarter in that the defense made one very nice play on a strip by Whitner. It also gave up a touchdown on a short field, which isn't entirely its fault. What do you want me to say here?