Recap of Syracuse RB Sean Tucker vs. Clemson’s DT Bryan Bresee, DE Myles Murphy, and ILB Trenton Simpson
Clemson scored 17 points in the 4th quarter to come back and take down Syracuse 27-21. Syracuse was held scoreless in the second half, and many believe the lack of touches for running back Sean Tucker was a big reason why. Sean Tucker ended the day with only 5 carries which were turned into 54 yards. He also tacked on 5 catches for 18 yards and a touchdown. For Tucker to only receive 5 total carries is quite the head-scratcher. Arguably a top-five running back in the country, the game script favored him as Syracuse built a quick lead, but he still only received 2 carries in the second half. On those two carries, he went for 23 and 15 yards, which makes his lack of touches even more mind-boggling. Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers admitted after the game that they didn’t get Tucker enough touches, and it was on the coaching staff. There were a lot of read-option plays run by Syracuse, and their quarterback Garrett Shrader did keep a lot of those instead of giving the ball to Tucker. But regardless, it was a total lack of awareness for Syracuse not to get the ball in Tucker’s hands more often, especially in the second half. As for the Clemson defense, defensive tackle Bryan Bresee struggled, primarily on passing downs. He still doesn’t look himself as he is still working his way back to a full workload. Defensive end Myles Murphy limited Syracuse to running inside due to his length and ability to hold the edge throughout the game. As for Trenton Simpson, he showed his athleticism and versatility by being able to cover Tucker, along with tight ends, and even found himself holding his own in man-to-man coverage against Syracuse receivers on a few downs. This Clemson defense still hasn’t reached its potential and has much to be desired. But they did shut out Syracuse in the second half and remained undefeated. They will need to figure it out soon, especially if they want to complete their undefeated regular season and compete for a national championship.
This Week's Matchup to Watch
Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
This week we head to the Big 10 to see Ohio State face its first true road test at Penn State. And yes, both names we are highlighting this week are the sons of former NFL greats Marvin Harrison and Joey Porter. The Ohio State offense is currently one of the most feared in the country, with an elite passing attack that has been missing their star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But Harrison has stepped into being their elite receiver to lean on. Ohio State has so many ways to beat you with a Heisman candidate quarterback, several options in the passing game, and elite running backs. This opens Marvin Harrison to find himself in a lot of 1-1 coverage due to the defense having to pick their poison to where they devote their resources to. Harrison stands at 6’3 and 202 pounds which gives him the build of an elite wideout at the next level. Add in his frame with his ability to catch-point the ball at its highest, and he becomes a nightmare to defend in man coverage. Harrison sits atop many 2024 wide receiver draft boards and is getting the platform this year due to injuries to showcase his ability.
The man getting the assignment on Harrison Saturday will most likely be cornerback Joey Porter, who is currently projected as one of the top cornerbacks for the upcoming 2023 draft, and rightfully so. Porter, over the last six games, has only given up five catches for 33 yards. He stands at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and has the ability to be extremely physical with bigger wideouts but also has the athleticism and speed to turn and run with receivers. Porter’s statistics don’t jump off the page at you, but that is mainly because he is one of the least targeted defensive backs in college football this year due to his suffocating man-to-man coverage. Porter’s one downfall at times has been his physicality, and he sometimes finds himself being flagged often because of it. We do expect Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith Njigba to be active, but on a limited snap count and most likely not at full strength. With all the options Ohio State has elsewhere, this sets up Joey Porter to be on an island with Marvin Harrison for most of the night. For Penn State to have any chance of pulling this upset, Porter will have to at least shut Harrison down to give them a fighter’s chance. If not, we could see this Ohio State offense roll through another Big 10 opponent without much effort.