Weekly Preview: Syracuse

Image Credit: Rant Sports

Opponent: Syracuse Orange (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference)
Game Date/Time: Saturday, November 9, 2013; 3:30 PM ET
Venue: Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium (54,000)
TV/Radio Broadcasts: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Terrapin Sports Radio Network
All-Time Record: 14-18-2 Syracuse

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Returning From Injury:

The Terps were without many key players last week against Clemson, but are getting a large number of them back this week for the game against Syracuse. Not only are there players back after missing just a week or two, but there are also players back on the two-deep for the first time this season.

C.J. Brown is back at quarterback for the Terps this week after missing the last game due to injury. He still wasn’t totally healthy for the game against Wake Forest, and seems to finally be good to go for the first time in many weeks. In fact, this is the first time he’s been listed as the sole starter at quarterback since the game against Florida State. His presence should help sure up the offense, and allow Mike Locksley to open up the playbook once again.

Brandon Ross returns at running back this week after missing the Clemson game due to injury. Albert Reid performed well in his absence, but the team likes Ross as the starter. Running north-and-south instead of east-and-west has been a challenge for him this season, and he needs to continue to improve on that if he wants to keep the majority of the team’s carries for himself.

Dave Stinebaugh returns at tight end after a one-week absence. He has been a good asset for the team this season, both in the blocking game and as a receiver. His senior presence has really helped, and he has proven to be a good safety net for C.J. Brown. Look for him to get more involved in the passing game this week due to the injuries to the wide receivers.

L.A. Goree returns alongside Cole Farrand at inside linebacker. He has been one of the Terps’ best defenders this season, and has proven to be a tackling machine. The linebacking corps as a whole is a lot more healthy now than a few weeks ago, and they’ll have all 4 starters back for this game.

Anthony Nixon is back at safety after missing the Clemson game due to injury. The Terps need solid games from both of their safeties after losing their top two cornerbacks early in the season. Nixon is a solid safety alongside Sean Davis, and both are very versatile.

Fullback Tyler Cierski and offensive lineman Nick Klemm are both back on the two-deep for the first time this season. Cierski is listed as the backup fullback to Kenneth Goins, and Nick Klemm is listed as the backup right tackle to Ryan Doyle. Luckily their absences haven’t been missed much, as their replacements have performed very well.

Week Two for New Wideouts:

This will be the first game in which the new wide receiving corps will work with C.J. Brown. Levern Jacobs shone in his first test replacing Stefon Diggs last week, grabbing 8 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown. He will need to continue that effort for the rest of the season if the Terps want to have any success in the passing game. He will be asked to do a lot out of the slot receiver position. From running slants and quick outs to running deep cuts over the middle, the slot position has been a perfect way to get Stefon Diggs a lot of touches. Now it’s Jacobs’ turn to get all of those touches.

Amba Etta-Tawo’s first start was a rocky one last week. He had 3 catches for 26 yards and a score, but could have had a lot more if not for a few key drops and miscommunication with quarterback Caleb Rowe. The Terps won’t run a lot of deep routes with C.J. Brown taking the snaps, so look for Etta-Tawo to get a few screens and quick hitters, similar to what the team tried to do with Deon Long.

Nigel King is now listed as the sole starter at the only receiver position that hasn’t been hit by injury. No one receiver has been able to lock down the position, as King and Malcolm Culmer have essentially shared it all season. This week’s depth chart lists King as the sole starter, so it’s his turn to earn the spot. His 5 catch, 76 yard, 1 touchdown performance against Clemson probably helped him earn the nod, and he’ll need to be a big target for C.J. Brown against Syracuse. Consistency was a big problem for the wideouts last week, and King needs to step up and take the pressure off of inexperienced receivers like Etta-Tawo.

New Left Tackle:

After Mike Madaras abruptly left the University of Maryland, the Terps needed a new left tackle. They found him in the form of true freshman Moise Larose. I profiled Larose as a part of our “Meet the Recruits” series last year, and here is a link to his profile.

Larose is a very talented young man who can play on both sides of the ball. However, most recruiting analysts saw him as an offensive tackle. He has been the Terps’ backup right tackle all season behind Ryan Doyle, but now moves over to left tackle. He originally committed to Rutgers, but switched his commitment to Maryland. He was a consensus 3-star recruit out of Wilde Lake High School in Fort Meade, MD.

This will be the second time in two years that a true freshman will start at left tackle for the Terps. With Madaras leaving, this is Larose’s chance to show the coaching staff that he should start at left tackle for the team in 2014 and beyond.

Zack’s Keys to the Game:

• Win while you still can – Looking at the Terps’ schedule, this is the game they need to win to get to a bowl game. Playing at Virginia Tech and N.C. State figure to be losses, and Boston College has proven to be better than everyone thought. If the Terps can beat the Orange this week, they’ll be headed to their first bowl game in the Randy Edsall era.
• Get C.J. Brown involved early – If he is truly 100% healthy, Mike Locksley needs to get C.J. Brown involved in this game early. His legs are what make him so special, so get him into an early rhythm in the read-option game.
• Stop the run – The Orange no longer have Ryan Nassib under center, and are relying heavily on their run game. The Terps have a healthy front 7 on defense, and should be able to stop the run. They need to be able to do that to shut down the Orange’s offense and get the ball back to C.J. Brown.
• Score early – In games like this, it’s crucial not to get stuck in a rut. The Terps need to score early in this game to take pressure off of the entire team. They know that this is a game they need to win, so get them some confidence on both sides of the ball early.
  
• Run the ball – With C.J. Brown and Brandon Ross back, the Terps need to focus on the running game. Because if you are able to do that, you can run play-action off of those runs for easy passes for C.J. Brown. Mike Locksley wants to run the ball about 60% of the time, so success with the run will be crucial in this game.