Babers: 'We've Got to be Able to Execute'
SYRACUSE, NY — Syracuse head coach Dino Babers is both optimistic and realistic following the Orange’s 31-6 loss to No. 18 North Carolina in the season opener. The Syracuse defense, led by first year coordinator Tony White, intercepted Tar Heels quarterback Sam Howell twice and held him to just one passing touchdown. The offense failed to capitalize on turnovers, however, settling for field goals when they needed touchdowns.
“The defense did a fantastic job of getting the ball back to us,” Babers said in his virtual post-game press conference Saturday. “I think we had numerous opportunities to try to punch something in on offense and make this thing a game. First quarter, second quarter, third quarter. But, you know, they're good. They have good players, too. And we've got to be able to execute.”
Scoring opportunities included interceptions by Mikel Jones and Andre Cisco, plus a muffed punt recovery on special teams. All three takeaways set-up the Orange offense in Tar Heel territory. Sacks (7), dropped-passes and stuffed-runs all contributed to stalled Syracuse drives.
“When you have a guy open, you've got to make the throw,” Babers said frankly. “When the throw is made, you have to make the catch. And then when you get an opportunity to make a big play, you need to finish the play. And I just think there was a bunch of mishaps. And when you're on the edge as we are, we need those plays to happen. We need those throws to happen. And that's how we get our big momentum. And we just didn't have it today.”
Momentum was up for grabs in the first three quarters as twenty-one point favored Carolina clung to a four-point lead entering the fourth quarter. The inability to sustain drives on offense finally took its toll on Syracuse’s gritty defensive effort. On the first play of the final quarter, Tar Heel RB Javonte Willams pounded his way from one-yard out to score UNC’s first touchdown since their first drive of the game. Williams was just getting started as he found the end zone a total of three times in the game’s last fifteen minutes. Babers said the fatigue wasn’t surprising considering the last time Syracuse played full-speed football.
“I thought we tackled very well early,” Babers said of his defense. “Now, these backs are big and they're good backs. And then they wore us down a little bit from the conditioning standpoint. But like I said, those 70 plays for us was the most live plays that we've put in since the Boston College game last year in 2019.”
Syracuse actually ran more plays (73) than North Carolina (70), but the time of possession tipped in UNC’s direction - 32:50 compared to the Orange’s 27:50. Converting four of 19 third-down attempts and registering only two field goals in three red zone trips didn’t come close to giving Tony White’s defense the support they needed.
“If we're going to play the way we play (defensively), then we need to score points,” Babers said. “That's the key. We have to be able to score points so that we can take that pressure off the defense and get that offense that's chasing us one dimensional.”
Armed with sixty-minutes of live game tape, Babers and his staff will attempt to iron out the kinks leftover from an abbreviated offseason. Their next challenge comes next Saturday on-the-road at ACC rival Pittsburgh.
