Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Camping World Bowl: With SU’s Robinson Out, Now What?
December 26, 2018 04:35 PM | Football
ORLANDO – News out of Syracuse earlier this week that top pass rusher Alton Robinson will not play in this year's Camping World Bowl game against West Virginia could significantly impact how the Mountaineers deal with the Orange defense.
Robinson ranked second in the ACC in sacks this year with 10 and third with 17 tackles for loss, was credited with 11 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles in 12 regular season games.
Those are some very impressive numbers.
Consequently, the consistent pressure Robinson generated from the outside helped Syracuse lead the ACC in turnover margin at plus-14 and rank second in interceptions with 17.
A 10-sack, 17-TFL guy is an automatic double team, which was going to mean less pass routes and more pass protecting for emerging Mountaineer tight end Trevon Wesco, arguably one of West Virginia's more effective offensive weapons during the latter part of the season.
"Yeah, we had some things in to help us out on the edge so I don't know if that changes it up and we'll keep it in the game plan, but I know there was that extra little protection on the edge to try and slow him down," junior offensive tackle Colton McKivitz said Tuesday afternoon.
McKivitz said his preparation first begins with the scheme and then expands to account for the best playmakers in that scheme.
"You have your guys you are looking at, and obviously, you are not going to avoid a guy like that. He was definitely a cause for concern," McKivitz said.
So now what?
Syracuse is a pressure-oriented defense geared toward stopping the run and forcing teams into predictable passing situations. It's what they do. That's why the Orange were so successful generating turnovers and negative yardage plays while having the second best third-down defense in the ACC behind Clemson.
But Syracuse was in the middle of the pack in points allowed and rushing defense, and ranked near the bottom of the ACC in total yardage and pass defense.
The Orange gave up an average of 5.8 yards per play and teams effectively moved the football against them until they got into more confined areas, which is where Robinson was most effective.
Now it will fall on backups Kingsley Jonathan and Brandon Berry to generate Robinson's outside pressure. Jonathan and Berry combined for six sacks and four quarterback hurries, while Kendall Coleman, lined up opposite of Robinson, got to the quarterback seven times with five additional hurries.
That means 23 of Syracuse's 38 sacks came from the two defensive end positions.
"The guy on the other side (Coleman) is just as good or even better," McKivitz said. "There is always that issue of they're good at getting to the quarterback.
"Making us throw the ball is their big thing so I know we are going to have to do a good job as an offensive line of getting that run game going and that's going to be a key," he added.
It's anybody's guess how West Virginia will do that on Friday with Coach Dana Holgorsen now coordinating the offense and Jack Allison and Trey Lowe III behind center.
When offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was calling the plays and quarterback Will Grier was operating the offense, Grier had a lot of leeway at the line of scrimmage to change plays as he saw fit.
Spavital would usually signal in the plays early to give Grier enough time to study the defense and check into the best play. Holgorsen will likely handle that responsibility from the sidelines as he did before as WVU's offensive coordinator.
"Now it's coach Holgorsen's call and that's how it was when I played my redshirt freshman year (in 2016)," McKivitz said. "I think it will be a good deal."
Indeed, it could be a very good deal for the Mountaineers because Holgorsen is such an unpredictable play caller. Give him a light box in an obvious passing situation and he will run it without hesitation.
Bring lots of pressure and he will have answers. Play press coverage and he will have answers to that as well.
Because Holgorsen will likely shoulder a lot of the burden of identifying what Syracuse is doing defensively, that should take a lot of the pressure off of his two young quarterbacks.
Still, McKivitz admits it's a little strange hearing a different voice behind him calling out protections and listening for the different clapping sound that Allison makes before the ball is snapped.
"I think over the past couple of weeks of practices things have been going better, and I think the communication is a lot better than usual," McKivitz said. "We're taking steps in the right direction and I think we will be ready to go on Friday."
McKivitz believes the key to success on Friday will be West Virginia's ability to run the football - something it couldn't do in last year's Heart of Dallas Bowl loss against Utah when backup Chris Chugunov was operating the offense.
"Being one dimensional is never fun so it's going to be our job to make sure we're able to run the ball to get those passes in," McKivitz concluded.
Briefly:
* Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year David Long Jr. said facing a big, mobile quarterback like Dungey doesn't change how they play defense. "We've just got to get him down," he said. "He's going to be harder to tackle because he's 240."
West Virginia has had its difficulties defending mobile quarterbacks, but Long Jr. reasoned that the Mountaineers have had a lot preparation for Friday's Camping World Bowl based on the players they have faced in the Big 12 this season.
Long Jr. also said he was impressed with how hard Syracuse plays up front on the offensive line and how hard the Syracuse backs run with the football.
* Reflecting on West Virginia's last two games when so much was in front of it, Long Jr. admitted the ending to the season was a big personal disappointment.
"It still (makes me mad) how the season was going to go and then it didn't," he said. "It's not always going to turn out the way you want it to and you've got to deal with it. We're right here where we're at, we're 8-3, and it's better to go out 9-3 than it is 8-4 so that's what it is right now."
* Tuesday afternoon, safety Dravon Askew-Henry was asked about some of the challenges facing a mobile quarterback who is bigger than all of the second-level players trying to tackle him. "It's doing your job, everybody holding their gap and being disciplined," he explained.
Askew-Henry said Syracuse likes to take shots downfield with some big pass-catching targets on the outside and use quarterback Eric Dungey's talents to their advantage.
* Askew-Henry has been involved with winning bowl teams and losing bowl teams, and he believes teams with the most energy are the ones that are the most successful.
"The team that wants to be there and the team that's playing together and everybody is still bought in I feel that's the team that's going to come out on top at the end," he said.
Askew-Henry said all of the players in Orlando for Friday's Camping World Bowl game want to be here.
"Defensive side we're all ready to go," he said. "We've got a chip on our shoulder from those two losses we had so we want to finish this season with a win."
* West Virginia's Wednesday schedule includes a team event at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games followed by a player shopping spree at Best Buy. The players will have a late afternoon workout followed by a VIP reception for the coaches and athletic staff in the evening.
The Mountaineers are scheduled to have their final bowl workout on Thursday afternoon following a Camping World Press Conference at Rosen Plaza Hotel in the morning.
Coaches Dana Holgorsen and Dino Babers will be at the media event.
Wednesday Sound
Robinson ranked second in the ACC in sacks this year with 10 and third with 17 tackles for loss, was credited with 11 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles in 12 regular season games.
Those are some very impressive numbers.
Consequently, the consistent pressure Robinson generated from the outside helped Syracuse lead the ACC in turnover margin at plus-14 and rank second in interceptions with 17.
A 10-sack, 17-TFL guy is an automatic double team, which was going to mean less pass routes and more pass protecting for emerging Mountaineer tight end Trevon Wesco, arguably one of West Virginia's more effective offensive weapons during the latter part of the season.
"Yeah, we had some things in to help us out on the edge so I don't know if that changes it up and we'll keep it in the game plan, but I know there was that extra little protection on the edge to try and slow him down," junior offensive tackle Colton McKivitz said Tuesday afternoon.
McKivitz said his preparation first begins with the scheme and then expands to account for the best playmakers in that scheme.
"You have your guys you are looking at, and obviously, you are not going to avoid a guy like that. He was definitely a cause for concern," McKivitz said.
So now what?
Syracuse is a pressure-oriented defense geared toward stopping the run and forcing teams into predictable passing situations. It's what they do. That's why the Orange were so successful generating turnovers and negative yardage plays while having the second best third-down defense in the ACC behind Clemson.
But Syracuse was in the middle of the pack in points allowed and rushing defense, and ranked near the bottom of the ACC in total yardage and pass defense.
The Orange gave up an average of 5.8 yards per play and teams effectively moved the football against them until they got into more confined areas, which is where Robinson was most effective.
Now it will fall on backups Kingsley Jonathan and Brandon Berry to generate Robinson's outside pressure. Jonathan and Berry combined for six sacks and four quarterback hurries, while Kendall Coleman, lined up opposite of Robinson, got to the quarterback seven times with five additional hurries.
That means 23 of Syracuse's 38 sacks came from the two defensive end positions.
"The guy on the other side (Coleman) is just as good or even better," McKivitz said. "There is always that issue of they're good at getting to the quarterback.
"Making us throw the ball is their big thing so I know we are going to have to do a good job as an offensive line of getting that run game going and that's going to be a key," he added.
It's anybody's guess how West Virginia will do that on Friday with Coach Dana Holgorsen now coordinating the offense and Jack Allison and Trey Lowe III behind center.
When offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was calling the plays and quarterback Will Grier was operating the offense, Grier had a lot of leeway at the line of scrimmage to change plays as he saw fit.
Spavital would usually signal in the plays early to give Grier enough time to study the defense and check into the best play. Holgorsen will likely handle that responsibility from the sidelines as he did before as WVU's offensive coordinator.
"Now it's coach Holgorsen's call and that's how it was when I played my redshirt freshman year (in 2016)," McKivitz said. "I think it will be a good deal."
Indeed, it could be a very good deal for the Mountaineers because Holgorsen is such an unpredictable play caller. Give him a light box in an obvious passing situation and he will run it without hesitation.
Bring lots of pressure and he will have answers. Play press coverage and he will have answers to that as well.
Because Holgorsen will likely shoulder a lot of the burden of identifying what Syracuse is doing defensively, that should take a lot of the pressure off of his two young quarterbacks.
Still, McKivitz admits it's a little strange hearing a different voice behind him calling out protections and listening for the different clapping sound that Allison makes before the ball is snapped.
"I think over the past couple of weeks of practices things have been going better, and I think the communication is a lot better than usual," McKivitz said. "We're taking steps in the right direction and I think we will be ready to go on Friday."
McKivitz believes the key to success on Friday will be West Virginia's ability to run the football - something it couldn't do in last year's Heart of Dallas Bowl loss against Utah when backup Chris Chugunov was operating the offense.
"Being one dimensional is never fun so it's going to be our job to make sure we're able to run the ball to get those passes in," McKivitz concluded.
Briefly:
* Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year David Long Jr. said facing a big, mobile quarterback like Dungey doesn't change how they play defense. "We've just got to get him down," he said. "He's going to be harder to tackle because he's 240."West Virginia has had its difficulties defending mobile quarterbacks, but Long Jr. reasoned that the Mountaineers have had a lot preparation for Friday's Camping World Bowl based on the players they have faced in the Big 12 this season.
Long Jr. also said he was impressed with how hard Syracuse plays up front on the offensive line and how hard the Syracuse backs run with the football.
* Reflecting on West Virginia's last two games when so much was in front of it, Long Jr. admitted the ending to the season was a big personal disappointment.
"It still (makes me mad) how the season was going to go and then it didn't," he said. "It's not always going to turn out the way you want it to and you've got to deal with it. We're right here where we're at, we're 8-3, and it's better to go out 9-3 than it is 8-4 so that's what it is right now."
* Tuesday afternoon, safety Dravon Askew-Henry was asked about some of the challenges facing a mobile quarterback who is bigger than all of the second-level players trying to tackle him. "It's doing your job, everybody holding their gap and being disciplined," he explained.
Askew-Henry said Syracuse likes to take shots downfield with some big pass-catching targets on the outside and use quarterback Eric Dungey's talents to their advantage.
* Askew-Henry has been involved with winning bowl teams and losing bowl teams, and he believes teams with the most energy are the ones that are the most successful.
"The team that wants to be there and the team that's playing together and everybody is still bought in I feel that's the team that's going to come out on top at the end," he said.
Askew-Henry said all of the players in Orlando for Friday's Camping World Bowl game want to be here.
"Defensive side we're all ready to go," he said. "We've got a chip on our shoulder from those two losses we had so we want to finish this season with a win."
* West Virginia's Wednesday schedule includes a team event at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games followed by a player shopping spree at Best Buy. The players will have a late afternoon workout followed by a VIP reception for the coaches and athletic staff in the evening.
The Mountaineers are scheduled to have their final bowl workout on Thursday afternoon following a Camping World Press Conference at Rosen Plaza Hotel in the morning.
Coaches Dana Holgorsen and Dino Babers will be at the media event.
Wednesday Sound
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