Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse left tackle Matthew Bergeron was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week following the Orange’s 34-point win against UConn. He becomes the third SU player (Sean Tucker and Marlowe Wax) to earn a conference weekly award in 2022. Bergeron turned in an Honorable Mention All-ACC season in 2021 after starting all 12 games at left tackle.

Against the Huskies, Bergeron played 65 snaps despite getting pulled from the game, along with the majority of the starting offense, a few minutes into the fourth quarter. He finished with five knockdown blocks and allowed just one quarterback pressure. Garrett Shrader was only sacked three times, and head coach Dino Babers attributed the sacks to Shrader’s skill and willingness to move around in the pocket on Monday.

“I give a lot of credit to the offensive line holding up. They hit on a couple of blocks,” Shrader said after the UConn win.

Bergeron is beginning to garner significant NFL attention, and Babers said last week that he has no doubts Bergeron can be a really good offensive lineman at the next level. Syracuse’s left tackle finished Saturday’s game with five knockdown blocks and allowed Shrader to throw for a career-high 292 passing yards. Pro Football Talk pointed toward Bergeron’s stellar short-area athleticism and lateral movement, both skills he’s used to help Tucker run for over 100 yards in two contests this season.

The Orange instituted a new offensive system with the addition of Robert Anae, one that included mesh, rub and flat routes in addition to a string of halfback screen passes to Tucker. While multiple SU defenders said the new routes were difficult to defend, the exterior linemen have seen more action at the second level. Bergeron has ensured that Tucker, who already has 10 receptions, has been well protected en route to 101 receiving yards, including a 55-yard receiving touchdown against Louisville.

Bergeron said during training camp that a main point of focus this offseason was improving his hands, ensuring they were inside on some of the better edge rushers he faced.

“I got in trouble a few times against good rushers with them having their hands inside of me and then you get knocked back,” Bergeron said.

He also wanted to improve his technique off the line, getting lower and “knocking” his opponent off the line directly after the snap.

Published on September 12, 2022 at 4:46 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt