MT welcomes hostile environment of Syracuse

The great thing about college football is win or lose, there’s almost always another game the following week. After a 22-point loss to Vanderbilt in the season opener, the Blue Raiders have all but put that game behind them, focused on Week 2 opponent Syracuse.

"Looking at Syracuse, it's another really good football team,” MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said during Monday’s press conference. “They scored 50 last week in their opener. It's a really high-powered offense. They're very explosive, have good players, are up-tempo, have nine returning starters off that team, so Coach Fabors is getting his offensive philosophy installed.

“Defensively, they have nine starters returning also. I think they're really good up front. They're big, they can run, so it's another good defense. It's going to be a challenge going on the road and playing in the dome up there. It's another really good opponent. We have to have a good week of preparation. We had a good day yesterday practicing and I anticipate the same moving forward."

Syracuse is coming off a 50-7 dismantling of Central Connecticut State in its season opener. Led by junior quarterback Eric Dungey, the Orange offense is somewhat of a different animal than Vanderbilt.

"I think they'll try to throw it 50 or 60 times,” coach Stockstill said. “I think they'll try to spread us out because that's what they do. I don't anticipate anything different."

It’s no secret that Dino Babers likes to throw the ball. In his first season at Syracuse, the Orange threw the ball an average of 30 times per game. Syracuse returns senior wideout Ervin Phillips, who is coming off a 90 reception, six touchdown season, and paired with fellow senior Steve Ishmael, who had 12 receptions for 134 yards last week, the Blue Raider defense will have its hands full.

“Obviously, we've got to be ready for tempo, where against Vanderbilt is a huddle team,” coach Stockstill said. “We've got to be prepared for that, the speed that they'll go at between plays. No matter what we do, we just need to execute the call. Whether you’re in this coverage, dropping this many people, or blitzing this many people. I don't think there is anything we need to change, just go out and execute the call."

"One thing that makes them so successful is their tempo,” linebacker D.J. Sanders added. “We're going to have to get the calls quickly and make our checks. We have to clean our missed assignments we had from last week, whether it's just one step or our eyes in the wrong place. We have to clean that up this week.”

Although there is no Ralph Webb to worry about, the up-tempo offense Syracuse employs will be opposite of what Vanderbilt threw at MTSU last week.

"It's difficult at times,” Sanders said. “But we go against one of the best spread offenses in the country in practice, during camp they were going no-huddle and it was hard for us at first. As camp went on, we got used to it and we were clicking, all on the same page. We were making checks and making calls no matter how fast they were going so we just have to keep that up this game. It's going to be hard because it's a different environment and different tempo. But, it's something we can adjust to."

Syracuse will be the second of three-consecutive Power 5 schools MTSU faces to begin the season. Not only will the Blue Raiders need to adapt to playing a school from a major conference, they will have to adjust to the difference in environment and crowd size as well.

"I don't think we worry too much about the crowd noise,” quarterback Brent Stockstill said. “It's a tough environment, but we've played in tough environments over my years; like playing at Alabama then playing in the dome at UTSA. We're going to have a plan to be able to battle that and make sure we execute so that (noise) isn't a factor."

There is a little something extra riding on this game for new defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, who coached at Syracuse from 2009-2015 – serving as the head coach from 2013-2015 after Doug Marrone left for the Buffalo Bills job. Under Shafer, Syracuse’s defense went from ranked 101st to a top-20 defense -- even producing 2012 first-round draft pick Chandler Jones.

"He said we would all be best friends for life if we beat Syracuse,” Sanders said. “So, that's extra motivation for us. It's maybe kind of personal for him, but for us it's just another game and that's how we're going to approach it."

The good news for MTSU is they will be facing a defense that surrendered 38.5 points and 501.1 yards of total offense per game in 2016. Vanderbilt is an SEC defense, and while not taking anything away from the ACC, Syracuse is not Vanderbilt.

Both Rick and Brent Stockstill have promised to rally the troops and present a better on-field product in Week 2.

"The response that I wanted was a team that was going to be resilient, not feel sorry for themselves and hang their head,” coach Stockstill said. “Come out knowing that we still have 12 games left, to work to improve, work to get better, stay committed to the cause and what our objective is and that's what I got."