Syracuse’s stunning 38-31 victory over Clemson last weekend came at a cost. The cost was not the $25,000 fine for “faking injuries”, but rather the non-contact injury of Steve Angeli. With Angeli out for the season with an achilles tear, Rickie Collins is set to make his first collegiate start as the Orange return home to face Duke.
While the sudden shift to Collins is less than ideal, Fran Brown and offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon should be thankful for the matchup at hand for their young and inexperienced quarterback.
Despite Duke accounting for wins versus Elon and N.C. State, and coming up just short against a solid Tulane squad, they have had their struggles on defense…to say the least. In the young season, the Blue Devils rank dead last in the ACC for overall defense and points given up. If you take away their week 1 victory over Elon, this unit has given up 112 points in just three competitions while also allowing an average of 310 passing yards per game during that stint. This gives Rickie Collins the opportunity to work into his starting role with ease.
Despite Collins’s exciting upside, and Duke’s depleted defense, Syracuse must rely on the legs of Yasin Willis and Will Nixon to emphasize the ground game. Especially while facing a Blue Devils team that has struggled mightily to stop the run, giving up over 150 yards per game. Saturday also stands as a test for Jeff Nixon, who looks to ease Collins into the starting role while simultaneously exploiting his ability and athleticism.
But when Collins does look to throw on obvious passing downs, the offensive line must create a clean pocket for him. The Orange’s front five comes into the JMA Dome fresh off perhaps their best performance of the season against a lethal Clemson defensive line. They look to carry their new found momentum into week 5.
Overall, limit your expectations for Rickie Collins this Saturday. Except a conservative game plan that emphasizes the ground game and limits the opportunities through the air for the young quarterback. While this conservative approach could be frustrating for some fans, Fran Brown, through the development of Kyle McCord and Steve Angeli, has earned the right to create a timetable for Collins.
