<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Thursday, March 28, 2024
March 28, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Resurgent Orange defense steps up

The Columbian
Published: October 28, 2010, 12:00am

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — The Syracuse defense is purring on the road as the Orange get set to travel to Cincinnati.

In posting impressive Big East road wins at South Florida and West Virginia, the resurgent Orange (5-2, 2-1 Big East) relied on the defense to keep them in both games. The elusive B.J. Daniels was intercepted twice and sacked four times in South Florida’s 13-9 loss three weeks ago. And West Virginia’s Geno Smith, who was completing 68 percent of his passes, threw three first-half interceptions and was sacked five times in a 19-14 loss last Saturday.

Senior linebacker Doug Hogue helped anchor a defense that kept the Mountaineers off the scoreboard for the final three quarters. He was honored with his second national defensive player of the week award for his performance — a team-high 10 tackles, two interceptions and a pass breakup.

Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is the mastermind of a unit that’s ranked 16th in the nation, allowing just over 300 yards and 19 points a game. Hogue and senior middle linebacker Derrell Smith are both former running backs, which is part of a philosophy Shafer learned a long time ago when his coaching sojourn began as a graduate assistant under Bill Mallory at Indiana.

Loading...