LOS ANGELES — Robert Woods was the target almost every play.

Syracuse cornerback Kevyn Scott said he has never seen a team try so hard to get one player the ball the way Southern California aimed to feed Woods. It only added to the difficulty for the SU secondary to cover the top wide receiver in the country.

‘He’s different because you got to expect every play, they’re going to get him the ball,’ Scott said. ‘I’ve never really went against a receiver where basically every play they’re going to try and get him the ball.’

SU actually did a better job covering Woods than USC’s first two opponents, holding him to less than 100 yard receiving for the first time this season despite losing 38-17. But the sophomore was still the leading receiver on a big night for the Trojans’ passing game, catching eight balls for 82 yards and a touchdown. Syracuse put the clamps on Woods for stretches in the game, bracketing its coverage and not letting him get many one-on-one situations.

But USC found ways to get the ball in the hands of its playmaker. And even when the Trojans didn’t, the attention Woods warranted opened up many big plays for other receivers.

‘We had a full game on offense and everyone pitched in,’ USC quarterback Matt Barkley said. ‘If Robert is getting doubled up, then we will give the ball to our other guys who are more than capable of carrying us.’

Up 7-3 in the second quarter, the Trojans called an end-around for Woods, faking a handoff left to Marc Tyler and sending the receiver free to the right. Nearly the entire SU front seven bit on the handoff, and the moment of hesitation allowed the speedy Woods to get to the outside for a 14-yard gain.

Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn said during the week that it would be his duty to follow Woods around the field unless he was in the slot. The Trojans lined Woods up in the slot often, leading to mismatches.

Once, linebacker Cameron Lynch somehow ended up with the duty of marking Woods on a crucial third-and-four play in the third quarter. Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley exploited that matchup, firing to Woods on a quick out route for a first down.

Woods set a USC record for the most receptions (33) over a three-game span, breaking a record previously held by Keyshawn Johnson.

‘This guy was everything,’ Scott said. ‘He was at fullback, he was at running back, he was at slot. And so they do a lot of things to kind of get him the ball.’

Big stage wasn’t intimidating for SU

Syracuse came out of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tunnel ready to play. The large crowd, the Trojans’ horse mascot, the aura of the building did not intimidate the Orange early.

Ryan Nassib completed his first 11 passes. Syracuse drove down the field and kicker Ross Krautman nailed a field goal through the goalposts behind which sat the USC band. Any nerves on the SU sideline didn’t come out with the offense.

‘That comes from preparation this past week,’ wide receiver Alec Lemon said. ‘From Sunday after the game at Rhode Island we started looking at USC. You don’t want to get intimidated with the stadium, the fans, the band and all that stuff.’

And if there are any positives to take from a 38-17 loss, SU showed that it could come out in the first quarter and challenge a top program in a tough venue. The final score doesn’t indicate Syracuse’s strong play in the first quarter. The Orange held the ball for the first 6:44 of the game and doubled USC’s time of possession in the first quarter.

Yet, Syracuse was down 7-3 after 15 minutes. The Orange outgained USC 99-61 and held the ball for 4:32 on its second drive. But SU was forced to punt soon after crossing midfield following a sack and a false-start penalty.

Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone said after the game that he isn’t one to take moral victories. The Orange went to USC to win, and while things clicked on offense, they faulted when it came to scoring points.

Said Marrone:

‘We had opportunities against a good team, and when you have good opportunities you have to convert.’

mcooperj@syr.edu

 

Published on September 19, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr