Big East Thermometer: Syracuse

The Big East Thermometer is a weekly postgame feature that attempts to analyze the "hotness" or "notness" of a team's performance. It is based on a points system that contains no substantive guidance and is sure to be rife with errors, omissions, and inconsistencies.

A quote from The Natural is probably in order:

Losing is a disease . . .
As contagious as polio.
Losing is a disease . . .
As contagious as syphilis.
Losing is a disease . . .
As contagious as bubonic plague.

Until a cure is found, Syracuse is bound to continue with its debilitating maladies.

Corey Chavers and Larry Norton: -35
Syracuse's entire offensive line played like a sieve against Washington, but it was Chavers and Norton that were the most prominent transgressors. Sporting equal part ineptitude and incompetence, Chavers and Norton continually allowed the Huskies' outside rushers to pursue virtually unabated to the quarterback. Whether one points to this tandem's lack of agility or poor handwork, the conclusion is always the same: the offensive tackle position for the Orange is an absolute mess.

The bigger issue for Syracuse, however, is that the Chavers-Norton combination must find a way to functionally perform. Each are upperclassmen with redshirt freshmen -- Tucker Baumbach behind Chavers and Jonathan Meldrum behind Norton -- positioned second on the depth chart. Much has been made of the talents of Baumbach and Meldrum, but considering that these two could not wrestle away a starting gig from Chavers and Norton, serious questions surround whether these two young Orange actually have the talent necessary to contribute.

Halftime Adjustments: -28
At the close of the first half, Syracuse trailed Ty Willingham's Washington Huskies 14-6. Rushing into the locker room, Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson told ESPN sideline reporter Rob Stone that he and his coaches planned to use the intermission to discuss how to stop Washington freshman Jake Locker.

The result of such discussions? A 28-point second-half outburst from the Huskies with Syracuse managing to only tally a late game touchdown against Washington's scrubs. Thinking, apparently, is vastly overrated.

Special Teams: +9
Syracuse kicker Patrick Shadle either put on 30 pounds this offseason or was stung by a thousand bees. His gain in girth, however, has not diminished his acumen for field goal conversions. The stout West Virginian did miss an extra point attempt late in the fourth quarter, but considering the fact that Washington had already packed up for the evening, the miss did not significantly affect his overall performance.

With respect to Syracuse's kick return unit, Max Suter -- a true freshman -- may have the goods necessary to provide the Orange with its first legitimate return threat since Kevin Johnson. With a long of 48 yards and an average return of just under 30 yards, Suter generated only 30 fewer yards than Syracuse's entire offensive unit (207-178).

Linebacker Performance: -25
Ben Maljovec, Jake Flaherty, and Vincenzo Giruzzi are not good at football. It is just that simple.

This triumvirate of unmitigated disappointment managed to make Washington running back Louis Rankin look like a cross between Jim Brown and Bugs Bunny. The group consistently took poor tackling angles and simply were outworked to the sideline. Unable to identify spread offense principles, the group looked lost from a philosophical perspective and did not maintain any semblance of competency.

Andrew Robinson: +5
It is tough to start at quarterback as a sophomore. It is even tougher when you are asked to start at quarterback as a sophomore, run a Pop Warner offense, and perform behind one of the worst offensive lines in the history of everything.

The final statistic line is mildly impressive: 20-32, 199 yards, one touchdown. When one considers, however, that Robinson was asked to run the Orange offense from the pistol and took seven tattoos on the evening, the fact that Robinson has not already withdrawn from the university is an accomplishment in and of itself. Robinson may not be Joe Montana, but he is at least a functional object, which is infinitely better than what Perry Patterson provided the Orange just one-year ago.

TOTAL POINTS: -74
SEASON TOTAL: -74