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On Saturday against Cal, Syracuse finished its road schedule with a 33-25 victory, clinching a winning record on the road in Fran Brown’s first season. With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Orange sit fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

SU takes on UConn in the penultimate game of the regular season. A win would clinch Syracuse’s first winning record in November since 2018, and its most wins in a season since the same year. The contest is the final nonconference clash for the Orange before their regular-season finale against ACC title contender Miami.

The Huskies are 7-3 in their third season under Jim Mora and currently ride a three-game winning streak into the JMA Wireless Dome. However, UConn has struggled against Power Four foes, losing all three games by a combined 51-point margin.

“We both 7-3. UConn has played two teams in our conference and only lost by less than one touchdown,” Brown said. “Everybody in our conference always comes down to the fourth quarter. They’re a team that’s just like every other team in our conference.”

Here are some takeaways from Brown’s weekly press conference before Syracuse’s matchup versus UConn on Saturday:

Coordinator interest

Other than its seventh win of the season, the biggest news surrounding Syracuse’s program this weekend came from Philadelphia. On Sunday, Temple fired Stan Drayton following three seasons as its head coach.

The job opening is an intriguing spot for both of SU’s current coordinators, Jeff Nixon and Elijah Robinson. Brown and Robinson coached the Owls through different stints in the 2010s, while Nixon coached running backs and wide receivers for Temple in 2006. Brown acknowledged the strength of the opening for his coordinators but emphasized their current enjoyment with the Orange.

“I think Temple is an amazing job for someone to get. I think there are a lot of schools opening up right now,” Brown said. “But I feel that when you’re at a university as prestigious as Syracuse is, and when we continue to win the way that we’ll continue to win, I think there’ll be opportunities that open up that’ll put them in the same Power Four level, instead of trying to have to go down a level to coach.”

Nixon was linked to the job, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday, as both sides showed mutual interest. Brown spoke on the possibility of Nixon leaving for the position, hinting at it being unlikely.

“Me and (Nixon) haven’t obviously sat there and talked about it, but I know that we’ve talked a lot before about that,” Brown said. “So I didn’t have to go to him about that because I already know me and (Nixon) knew each other for a while. But that isn’t something that (Nixon) is going to go on and explore.”

As for Robinson, who’s 11 years younger than Nixon and served as the interim head coach to end the 2023 season at Texas A&M, the job opening doesn’t seem very intriguing, per Brown.

“That isn’t something that him or his wife want to be in that situation. They want to kind of stay away. And by me and Coach Robinson being so close and growing up together, we feel that we should be competing against each other in a conference one day and not go the other way,” Brown said.

Brown, however, didn’t totally rule out the idea, as money does tend to talk.

“But if they want to come get him, and you know, we pay a lot of money here too,” Brown said. “So if they do want to come get him and they break the bank, then I’m gonna push his butt up.”

UConn preview

Previewing the Huskies, Brown mentioned their usage of two quarterbacks. UConn has fluctuated each game between Joe Fagnano and Nick Evers, with both totaling over 100 passing attempts.

Brown then pointed out the three-headed monster UConn possesses at running back. Durell Robinson, Cam Edwards and Mel Brown each have over 500 rushing yards, helping to make the Huskies offense a greater threat.

“These guys really stress the run. And I think the run opens up their passing game,” Brown said.

UConn presents a strong offensive line. Its tackles Chase Lundt and Valentin Senn are in the top three for offense grades, according to Pro Football Focus, and are leaders of the unit that Brown described as “big and athletic.”

Entering the contest, Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord is 273 passing yards and two touchdowns away from matching Ryan Nassib’s program records set in 2012. Brown noted the only statistic he cares about is the win column but recognized the accomplishment his quarterback could break this week against the Huskies.

“It means a lot that he’s able to do that. I think that’s a good deal. I’m thankful for it,” Brown said. “I just want to win, though. I want Kyle to win. I think he’s a good player. I think he’ll have a great career after he leaves Syracuse, but I’m all about just trying to win.”

Additional notes

Brown also added multiple personnel notes ahead of the UConn game. Usual starting left tackle Da’Metrius Weatherspoon is dealing with a shoulder injury that he suffered against Boston College. While Weatherspoon was somewhat injured against Cal, David Wohlabaugh Jr. played 71 snaps compared to Weatherspoon’s 17.

Also on the injury front, Brown said Denis Jaquez Jr. will be back this week after missing the last three games due to injury. Jayden Bellamy missed last week’s game due to injury and Brown said he’s working his way back.

One group that Brown pointed out he’s been proud of is the special teams. The unit has increased production in the past few weeks after the elevation of Jackson Kennedy to kicker and overall has improved.

While noting the help of veteran punter Jack Stonehouse, the adjustment of linebacker Derek McDonald to shield on punts and long snapper Tom Callahan playing through injury, Brown largely credited the work of special teams coordinator James Vollono.

“Thankful for our special teams coordinator. Keeping his head down and just constantly working. Just staying focused on the main thing being the main thing,” Brown said.

Published on November 18, 2024 at 6:19 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky