Connecticut Huskies vs Syracuse Orange Football Preview

Among the reunions that have taken place in the Big East Conference this season, the one in New England this weekend will pack a particular emotional wallop.

Head coach Paul Pasqualoni will lead his Connecticut team onto the field to take on the school he won multiple Big East championships at in the 1990s, Syracuse. It will be the first time he’s coached against Syracuse since he was dismissed in 2001. When Pasqualoni takes the field, he won’t have Donovan McNabb and the like at his disposal; instead, he’ll field an extremely challenged offense with issues across the board. Syracuse, meanwhile, enters the game on the heels of an exhilarating win and a depressing loss, neither of which really tells fans which is the real Syracuse team. The Orange dominated West Virginia at home two weeks ago, only to go on the road and get equally dominated by Louisville. Which team shows up on Saturday will determine if the Orange get win number six and clinch a bowl berth for the second consecutive season.

Syracuse’s fortunes start and stop with the play of quarterback Ryan Nassib. Nassib was machine-like in his efficiency against West Virginia only to be hurried and inaccurate for most of the Louisville game. The Louisville struggle was more of an aberration, as Nassib has quietly become a reliable weapon in Doug Marrone’s pro-style offense. When Nassib drops back to pass, his favorite weapon is tight end Nick Provo. Provo is the quintessential tight end, a ferocious blocker and a reliable target over the middle. Through eight games, Provo’s caught 32 passes and five touchdowns. On the ground, the Orange rely on Antwon Bailey, who has struggled to get going due to his own injuries and injuries to the offensive line. With all finally healthy, Syracuse will try to maintain balance on offense against a good Connecticut defense.

While Nassib is a stable, reliable quarterback for Syracuse, Connecticut has no such thing. Johnny McEntee has somehow held onto the starting job through the season, but he and the passing game have been erratic at best. McCentee is completing barely fifty percent of his passes and the offenses’s struggles have trickled over to the defensive side of the ball. Forced to play far more snaps than usual, the Huskies defense has simply worn down. Opposing teams from Western Michigan to West Virginia have had no problem throwing the ball against Connecticut. The Huskies currently rank 106th nationally in passing defense, allowing an eye-popping 283 yards per game through the air. That’s bad news for a defense facing a senior quarterback in Nassib that can pick them apart.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer