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Syracuse head coach Dino Babers led off his weekly press conference by sending his thoughts and prayers to the University of Virginia and its football team.

On Sunday night, three UVA football players were shot and killed, while two other students were injured. Babers said that there were coaches in Syracuse’s locker room that are familiar with the UVA players that were taking phone calls about the situation. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae and quarterback coach Jason Beck spent the last six seasons at Virginia.

Then, he went back to reflect on Saturday’s 38-3 loss to Florida State, Syracuse’s worst loss of the season and its fourth straight on the year. Though he said that Anae will still be in charge of calling plays — he called six-straight perfect games — the team went into “deep meetings” over the last two days to discuss what went on during Saturday’s loss.

“We’re all disappointed about what happened on Saturday,” Babers said. “That’s not a direct reflection on what we’ve represented this year.”

Here are some takeaways from Babers’ press conference:

Getting back to the strengths

Garrett Shrader said after the loss to the Seminoles that the Orange need to get back to a sweet spot between the things they have done well and their strengths at the moment. To Babers, this meant Sean Tucker and Oronde Gadsden II. Tucker hasn’t run for over 100 yards and has only scored three touchdowns since his record-breaking game against Wagner. Gadsden, who quickly emerged at the beginning of the season as Syracuse’s new No. 1 receiving option, has one catch for 29 yards over the last two games.

Babers said that having Shrader at full strength is going to help the Orange, and he didn’t rule out the possibility of Shrader returning to 100% before the end of the regular season. He chalked up the answer to a medical decision between he and the team’s doctors.

“If we can’t get him at full strength, then we need someone else or other people to pick up for his weaknesses,” Babers said.

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The head coach said that in order to get back to the three-pronged offense that Syracuse had during its first six games of the season, it needs to return to showcasing Tucker, Gadsden and a healthy Shrader that can pass and scramble with similar success.

(Not really) grading Shrader in first game back

Shrader went a game-and-a-half on the sidelines between the losses to Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, but he returned as the starter against Florida State. Babers didn’t touch on how he thought Shrader did, despite the quarterback going 6-for-16 for 65 yards and netting -2 rushing yards. The biggest thing now for Babers is ensuring that after two straight games without a touchdown, the offense sticks together.

“I don’t think anybody’s happy about the point total,” Babers said. “But being divisive is not the answer.”

Babers wouldn’t say if Shrader’s film in practice or how he looked prior to the game determined if he would start or not. While the offense was stagnant under Carlos Del Rio-Wilson against the Panthers, it was nearly absent against a Seminole defense that allows the fewest yards per game in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Babers also referenced some injuries on the offensive line and having to move guys around as a challenge that Syracuse’s offense faced for the second straight game.

Dealing with depth in November

Syracuse is no stranger to injuries this season. It has been losing starters to season-long injuries since Stefon Thompson and Chris Elmore went down in the first game of the season. It has led to players like Kevon Darton, Derek McDonald and Anwar Sparrow emerging as playmakers on the defense. But Babers also said the team has to be patient with the players who come in, noting that they’ll be more penalized because of their lack of playing time.

For Babers, the depth in November goes back to the “cross training” that the Orange do with their players in training camp. Specifically, Babers has consistently been impressed by his offensive line’s versatility and ability to play multiple positions. Marlowe Wax started as a linebacker, but sometimes moves to defensive end to help a younger defensive line as an edge rusher.

“(You have to) try to get the guys on the field that have played the most, because those are the ones they’re going to be the most consistent,” Babers said.

Published on November 14, 2022 at 2:24 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt