NEW YORK — Marquis Spruill sat out the first half of Saturday’s Pinstripe Bowl after head coach Doug Marrone said his starting outside linebacker would miss a “significant portion” of the game following his arrest in early December.

Starting in his place was sophomore Cameron Lynch, as he joined Siriki Diabate and Dyshawn Davis in the starting lineup. Lynch, who was the team’s fourth linebacker this season, played beautifully in Syracuse’s 38-14 win over West Virginia, tallying six tackles, one sack and forcing two fumbles.

His highlight play came in the second quarter with the Mountaineers backed up inside their own 5-yard line. Spruill and safety Durell Eskridge blitzed off the right side of the offensive line, forcing West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith deep into his end zone. And as the rest of the SU defensive front closed in, Lynch and Diabate smothered him for the first of two safeties.

The safety gave Syracuse a 5-0 lead midway through the second quarter, an appropriate score for a game played inside Yankee Stadium. And it was part of a defensive effort that limited West Virginia, a team that averaged more than 41 points per game this season, to a measly 14.

The Mountaineers managed only 285 yards of total offense, or 226 fewer than Syracuse.

“I couldn’t be prouder of a group of kids that really answered the bell three years in a row against a group of talented kids and a well-coached football team,” said SU defensive coordinator Scott Shafer after the Orange beat West Virginia for a third straight time.

Spruill took the field on the first defensive sequence for Syracuse in the second half, but he failed to make his presence felt like Lynch. (Lynch’s six tackles were tied for second most on the team).

In two quarters of action, Spruill tallied a pair of tackles.

Published on December 30, 2012 at 12:53 am

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13