Syracuse football preseason storylines, No. 6: How will SU’s secondary adjust to the Tampa 2
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Syracuse's defense will shift to a Tampa 2 scheme this year. How the transition unfolds could dictate the Orange's season.
With Syracuse football training camp a few weeks away, The Daily Orange beat writers, Chris Libonati, Jon Mettus and Matt Schneidman, will analyze one of the top 10 preseason storylines, top 10 position battles or reveal one of 10 player files each day. Check out dailyorange.com and follow along here to countdown to camp.
When Dino Babers was hired by Syracuse in December, his most-discussed system was the spread offense SU will use.
But the system that may be the most important is the Tampa 2. It’s a change from last season, and SU’s defensive backs will likely face the biggest challenge in the strategical flip. With the defensive line expected to take a step back from last season, SU’s linebackers and defensive backs will be crucial to the defense having success in 2016.
“I was like ‘Damn, I have to start over again,’” cornerback Corey Winfield said of the defensive switch during spring practice. “But once we got into it and start practicing it just got easier so. It got easier by the day.”
MORE PRESEASON COVERAGE:
- Preseason player file No. 7: Brisly Estime
- Position battle to watch, No. 7: Antwan Cordy vs. Chauncey Scissum
- Preseason storylines, No. 7: Rebuilding the offensive line
- Preseason player file No. 8: Ervin Philips
- Position battle to watch, No. 8: Jonathan Thomas vs. Ted Taylor
Under the system former head coach Scott Shafer and former defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough used, Syracuse’s defensive backs back pedaled and used different techniques than the Tampa 2 will use. In the Tampa 2, cornerbacks are each responsible for a quarter of the field and will be asked to read the quarterback and settle into a zone.
Most of Syracuse’s defensive backs are moving from a crucial development stage to a prove-it period of their careers. Of the top two players listed at each secondary position on the post-spring depth chart, each has had at least one year of decent playing time.
The Tampa 2 doesn’t necessarily jive with SU’s cornerbacks’ skill sets either. It’s a defense that typically requires bigger and longer cornerbacks. Of the Orange’s top two players at each secondary position, only three of the eight are listed as being at least 6 feet tall.
How Syracuse’s defensive backs adjust using their prior experience and mesh it with the new defense is worth watching.
Published on July 25, 2016 at 8:41 pm
Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati
