Syracuse has yet to find a consistent top receiving threat this season. On Saturday, that finally emerged as a horrifying issue.

The Orange’s wide receivers failed to catch a single pass against No. 3 Clemson. It led, in part, to a major regression from quarterback Terrel Hunt and an offense sputtering against the top team in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“There weren’t a lot of guys getting open,” Shafer said during the teleconference, “and that’s tough for a quarterback.”

Hunt completed just eight passes for 52 yards on Saturday after averaging more than 15 for 223 yards against Wagner and Tulane. The quarterback also threw his first three interceptions of the year, including one to each of the Tigers’ starting cornerbacks.

“They did a good job, played a lot of man-free and did an excellent job with their press-coverage technique,” Shafer said. “Big, strong kids. Some of the best corners I’ve seen in a long time at playing press coverage.”

The one exception among SU pass catchers was Ashton Broyld. Although he’s listed as an H-back on the depth chart and a running back on the roster, his role is in the slot. His spot on the field made it harder for the Tigers’ corners to play press coverage on him, but so did his rare combination of speed and strength.

Through five games, he’s the closest thing that SU has to a true No. 1 pass-catching weapon. He has shifted to an almost exclusively wide receiver role and immediately became Drew Allen’s favorite target when he started the year at quarterback. It took Hunt a bit more time, but against Clemson, Broyld was far and away Syracuse’s most potent receiver.

“He gets better week to week,” Shafer said, “and I really believe there will be a day where he just breaks out and then all of a sudden it can be one of those situations where we won’t have to talk about who he is because he’s got the ability to do that.”

Published on October 8, 2013 at 1:14 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2