The numbers speak for themselves.

Fifty-two plays. Eighty-seven yards. Four first downs. Zero points.

Whether it was a product of Syracuse’s defense or Wagner’s sheer ineptitude, the Seahawks’ offense was as pitiful as any to step on the Carrier Dome turf in the stadium’s 33-year history.

“This week we did a good job,” linebacker Dyshawn Davis said. “We were able to correct the little things. Everything just carried on to the field and we were just able to play dominant football.”

Wagner’s offense produced at a rare level of futility in the Orange’s home opener. SU (1-2) shut out the Seahawks (1-2), 54-0, in front of 33,299 on Saturday for Syracuse’s first shutout since a game against Buffalo in 2005, and the fewest yards it’s allowed since 1997 against Rutgers.

For six possessions offensive futility was the theme of the game. The first six drives — three for each team — yielded five three-and-outs, two fumbles, zero yards and just three points.

Through five drives, the Seahawks had totaled negative yardage.

The sloppy game eventually turned for SU, coinciding with Terrel Hunt taking over at quarterback, but for Wagner it remained the same. The clearly overmatched Football Championship Subdivision team operated listlessly and didn’t pick up a first down until the final minute of the first half.

After 41 Seahawk snaps, the Orange turned to a defensive lineup made up of reserves. At that point, SU had allowed just 33 yards.

“In the past we’ve struggled looking good against some of the smaller schools that we’ve played, and we’ve won games but didn’t win them pretty,” head coach Scott Shafer said. “I wanted to win this one pretty.”

The offense was certainly pretty, picking apart a lesser Wagner team for 54 points, and the defense made Wagner’s offense look ugly throughout. The Seahawks had three drives that ended with negative yardage and didn’t find any consistent rhythm until SU cleared the bench.

“We were very motivated,” said Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge, who intercepted a pass in the third quarter, “we knew we just had to come out, play hard and communicate well.”

In each of SU’s first two games it was torched through the air. First, a true freshman threw for 278 yards in his debut. Then, last week, then-No. 19 Northwestern’s two quarterbacks combined for 375 passing yards.

It left Syracuse with a defense that was, in Shafer’s words, “pissed.”

“Tuesday, Wednesday practice it got kind of physical at times and I felt kind of bad for the scout team,” Shafer said. “They were taking their frustrations out on them.”

So even against an FCS foe, it’s a performance with which the defense can be impressed.

When the second half resumed and SU already held a 37-0 lead, it didn’t relent.

On just the second play of the third quarter, Jay Bromley, the defensive tackle who already had forced a fumble, charged into the backfield to sack Matt Misley for a 10-yard loss.

“The defenders executed the plan and where they were supposed to be,” defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough said. “And if one guy jumps out of their gap in that kind of scheme you get gassed, so it was a really good performance by the defense.”

The starting quarterback Misley, who also is the punter, completed just four passes and kicked the ball away 11 times. The Seahawks’ quarterbacks went just 6-for-21.

But the defense was also the beneficiary of an atrocious Wagner offense that got outscored by Division II Merrimack earlier in the season.

The Seahawks were plagued by drops to exacerbate some already dreadful offensive numbers. On one instance in the third quarter, backup quarterback Chris Andrews fired a pass across the middle toward tight end Bryant Watts, but running back Dominique Williams dove in front of the pass to make a play and the ball fell to the turf.

It was that sort of day for a miserable Wagner offense, but one that was also caused by what Davis said was the best game the Syracuse defense has played this season.

“It’s fun,” Davis said. “We lost the first two and it’s kind of frustrating because everyone wants to win. Man, it just feels good to feel that first win.”

Published on September 14, 2013 at 9:42 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2