Quick Hits: Syracuse football’s Szmyt sets school record

Albany
Sep 18, 2021; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange running back Sean Tucker (34) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Albany Great Danes during the first half at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Here are some quick hit observations from Syracuse’s 62-24 rout of FCS Albany on Saturday afternoon.

  • Sean Tucker is a perfect fit for the Orange running game. The zone-read looks they run allow Tucker to pick his hole when it opens and he responds assertively, making a sharp cut and accelerating into the open space.
  • With top wide receiver Taj Harris missing the game due to injury, nine different Orange players caught at least one pass. None caught more than three, as the blowout allowed for liberal substitution in the second half.
  • While the Orange did not give up any sacks in the game, both Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader were forced to scramble at times, probably with enough frequency than you would like against an FCS opponent. It is a credit to their athleticism that the offense only ran two plays that lost yards along with an errant snap that had to be covered up for a major loss.

  • Where SU really gave up yards was by committing 16 accepted penalties for 164 yards, including four holding penalties and four false starts. The Orange committed more penalties in this game than their opponents have in all three games combined.
  • The Syracuse defense played very well, dominating the line of scrimmage for most of the game. They also were very stingy on third down allowing conversions on just 4-of-14 opportunities, bringing their season-long mark to 12-of-41 (29.3 percent). However, one troubling aspect is that they have created just two turnovers on the season, adding a fumble recovery against Albany to a lone interception in the opener.
  • Andre Szmyt took over the leaderboard for field goals made in the Syracuse record book with 60. His 48-yarder in the second quarter tied him with Cole Murphy, then Szmyt took sole possession of the record the following quarter on a 28-yard field goal.

» Related: Syracuse’s Sean Tucker explodes for 5 TDs in win over Albany

  • The Orange will close this three-game homestand on Friday night when Liberty travels to Syracuse. The Flames will bring a 3-0 record into the game, having defeated Old Dominion on Saturday, 45-17.
  • Malik Willis completed 16-of-20 passes with one touchdown and added another on the ground in Liberty’s 38-21 win at SU last season. Three of the Flames’ touchdowns in that game covered at least 36 yards, including 75- and 52-yard runs by Shedro Louis, who raced for 170 of the team’s 338 rushing yards in the game. Sean Tucker had his second 100-yard rushing performance for SU, picking up 111 yards on the afternoon.
  • Kickoff is set for 8:00pm with the ACC Network handling the broadcast.

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About Jim Stechschulte 894 Articles
A 1996 graduate of Syracuse University, Jim has reported on Syracuse sports for the Syracuse University Alumni Club of Southern California on nearly a decade. He has also written a fantasy basketball column published by NBA.com. He currently resides in Syracuse.