Syracuse’s offense is clearly struggling, and fans are starting to point fingers. With¬†disappointing performances becoming the norm in Central New York, the blame can officially fall on the team‚Äôs starting quarterback, Terrel Hunt.
The Syracuse offense has blanked two weeks in a row despite the defense letting the team hang around.  Against Louisville, Hunt took the Orange’s chance of winning and squashed it.
Hunt completed just 17 of 32 passes for 196 yards. He threw two picks, and the offense was taken down twice in the end zone for safeties.
Last week, Hunt threw for 294 yards and an INT, although much of the yardage came once Notre Dame had a huge lead. Hunt had a QB rating of just 37.4. Against the Cardinals, the sequence at the 1-yard line said it all. Instead of allow his QB to make plays, George McDonald decided to run two trick plays. The Orange had an ineligible man downfield, and perhaps the best pass of the day was thrown by a wide receiver and dropped in the end zone.
The Orange faced one of the nation‚Äôs top run defenses, and¬†ran for only 59 yards.¬† Hunt carried five times for only eight yards.¬†On the season, Hunt has only thrown one touchdown and¬†four interceptions. That’s already half his total from¬†last year. He has only had two games with 200 yards passing and has thrown interceptions in three straight.
Hunt is missing wide-open receivers downfield, and is overthrowing receivers waiting for screen passes. Hunt lacks downfield vision. Opposing defenses are reading him well. Scott Shafer may have to think long and hard about making a change under center if this keeps up. Because right now it doesn’t seem like Hunt is fit for the job.
Posted: Jason Weingold
14 responses to “Buck Stops Here: Quarterback Terrel Hunt is Syracuse’s Big Problem”
I think this qualifies as the sports equivalent of red meat for those who are familiar with it in the political context.
I won’t lie, I have been very supportive of Hunt(as I would be of any SU qb), But the Hunt hate fest is overstated at times in my opinion. I’m not copping a plea for him and he has NOT been good. I never called him elite when he looked good(only stated that the team and him should be judged against their equal or superior opponents). But the offensive problems do not lie solely at Hunt’s feet.I remember re-watching a game basically cataloging each pass and play Hunt made and seeing that he has been hamstrung by inconsistency around him as well. I’ve seen some awful overthrown passes. I have also seen wr drop perfectly thrown or at the minimum very catchable balls that would have gone for first downs or significant gains. I’ve seen a running game that hasn’t consistently gotten it done. I’ve seen O Line play that has served to stall drives and negate positive plays. I’ve also seen some very questionable play calls. So to me, I don’t think Hunt is the man who deserves all the blame. I think his lack of accuracy sucks, but his running dimension has helped the team atleast move the ball in a pinch.
I truly believe that with qbs like Hunt, you will have to really call plays and formations that play to his particular skill set. Throwing Wilson or AJ(both of whom I actually like) might not work out much better if wr can’t consistently beat defenders downfield so that a Wilson can bomb it to them.
In somewhat of a nod to Terry, games against L’ville, and ND show that SU’s talent base isnt up to par with some other schools in terms of recruiting. Especially at the skill positions(really good qbs aren’t easy to find either). I’m not acting like the Cuse has the clout to get those types, but its clear that upgrades in talent are needed and will be on the way over the coming recruiting cycles.
Until, we get natural burners who consistently separate long enough for qbs to find them, I’d like to see SU try to integrate some more spread formations. Hunt is no where as good as a Tebow or any other running great running qb and we don’t have Percy Harvin(though Estime is someone to watch). But I think it could help him. Get West, Estime, Broyld and I’m going to say Cornelius on the field in 4 wr with any one of the backs. If the blocking does its job, I can see the team being able to get yards. Utilize the big targets in the redzone. Heck, Hunt isnt the most accurate and he is inconsistent, but I’d force the big targets like Moore(when healthy), Parris, Broyld, Flemming and Custis to try to erase over thrown balls down in the redzone. Try a couple of fade routes.
All in all, I watched on Friday and felt the pain that everyone feels. But I think there is plenty of blame to go around in this one.
The blame begins with McDonald and continues to Hunt. The play calling is terrible and the offense looks GROB all over again. Coach Schafer keeps saying he lets his assistants coach but there has to be a time when he steps up and says George what the hell are you doing the offense is going to cost all of us our jobs. There is no run game and its frustrating when the fans have no confidence in the offense. Again a toss sweep in the end zone, terrible and no power football from inside the 1. Hunt locks in on 1 WR and fails to see the field.
Section 129 has got it… starts with MCD…. Hunt is no where near elite and doesn’t have to worry about leaving for the NFL.. remember that BS.
All we where saying is they need to give the other QB’s some first team reps and think about developing them as possible answers for next year. Hunt hasn’t improved and won’t.
I feel bad for the kid. The media built up expectations beyond his ability. MCD can’t coach up our kids and calls a game that doesn’t play to the skills Hunt possesses.
There wS a reason Hunt wasn’t elected a captain… there has to be a leadership issue. The kids know who leads and who can play.
The media owns a lot of the blame for everyone’s surprise and disappointment.
Zion this site Ron called it and DA jumped his case.
DA not only looks like an idiot… he’s now jumping on the coaches/ kids. If I knew as little about my line of work as DA seems to know about football I’d be on one of OBama’s warfare programs!
Brooklyn Cuse‚Ķ‚ĶHit it on the head‚Ķ..Hunt is just part of the problem. He is not a prolific passer. He seems to lack some of the intrinsic skills that passers just have, like timing, and vision, and accuracy. Play calling and offensive strategy are severely lacking here. Down in the red zone, the play calling has been horrible‚Ķand that is not Hunt’s fault. We have several receivers 6-5, why not use them in the red zone? What happened to all the optimism about Custis? Ishmael made a great play against Louisville, did we go back to him? Offensive line: these guys are not getting the job done at all, this is the reason the run game has been shut down. I have seen enough of Hunt to say that he is what he is and is not getting better. We have 3 QB’s on the roster who still have 3 to 4 years left to play. Wilson?????, why not play the kid,even though he does not appear to have the skill set this offense calls for. I would not waste the red shirt year for AJ, even though I think he might have the best upside for this offense. Hunt’s failure really puts a different spin on this season. We missed out on a highly regarded Texas QB named Zach Allen, who flipped when Marrone dumped us‚Ķ..he is the #2 man now at TCU, which just upset Oklahoma. Talent like that now‚Ķmay have bailed us out of the jam we are in‚Ķ‚Ķ‚Ķ‚Ķ..and we are in a jam‚Ķ.
Oh my God! was that just Dr Bill the girls basketball coach… “Why not play Wilson”
That’s the same guy that called me negative.. who are you? Hater! all those names and stereotypes….
All I said was we need to get Wilson some reps in case Ron was right. He was!
Dr Bill …. your a hypocrite!
No more “elite” fan for you!
Jump on Hunt… God your negative. If your girls basketball team started loosing did you turn on them too?
Cuse 17 –
Any time fans and alumni are critical of play on the field there always fans like you that jump to the players defense by saying we’re “jumping all over the kid.” Or you try to label us as “negative” saying what SU really needs right now is positive thinking… All I’m thinking about it ways SU can start winning NOW !! That’s positive- winning is positive. Hoping things change despite evidence they won’t is insanity.
Shafer preaches about learning life lessons – he’s one: if you do not do your job you will be replaced REGARDLESS of what everyone else thinks or feels about you as a person.
Shafer needs to start walking his talk and insert a new QB now. The facts are overwhelming against Hunt continuing as QB. The supporting play and statistics span 15 games of offensiveness on offense. It is not a negative point of view.
Cuse 17
I think you just just like to start stuff!! I evaluate situations and people based on what I see, not what people tell me. My stance on Hunt has not really changed at all. What I have always said about Hunt is that the Coaching staff must feel that he gives us the best chance of winning as opposed to Wilson or any other QB on our roster…or else they would be playing and he would not be. I never said…nor did I agree with the statement that he was elite.
We are not winning now!. People were calling for Hunt’s head when we were 2-0!! I did not see a need for a change at QB‚Ķ‚ĶWe have now lost 3 straight games and Hunt has looked awful. I can support a change now. As for your constant references to coaching “Girl’s basketball‚Ķas if girls are not athletes‚Ķas if coaching girls‚Ķ‚Ķis any different from coaching anyone else‚Ķ..I have no idea what you are trying to imply here‚Ķ..
Hypocrit……….Cuse 17……..Really?
Here is what I said about Hunt..last month when we were 2-1:
DR. BILL
SEPTEMBER 20, 2014
I Know I have defended Hunt as a QB, and my response has consistently been the same…he is the best of bad bunch! I know this is only his second year as a starter, but he has been in the program for 4 years. At this late stage, it is doubtful he will become the kind of passer we really need to be a great offensive team. His technique is bad, his accuracy is bad, and he may never get any better at the things he’s does poorly at this point. The problem is who do we have that is better? We need a QB…..If I am I big time HS QB, I would give the Orange strong consideration……
Hunt sucks both mentally and physically as a quality QB. He will never improve from here on out. Back up QBs at SU are limited too!! Damn mess huh HCSS!!
DO NOT FORGET THE KIDS OF PSABUSEDU!! THE NCAA DID!!
Leadership needs mental toughness and from the first game Hunt has not had it. An FBS guy got under his skin to the extent he punched him? There goes the leader? Then in the MD game when he admitted that he didn’t see the entire play call and then threw the pick 6? (First of all say it was a miscommunication don’t admit something like that) The final straw is trying to call Time Out when we didn’t have one. Twice he has followed up big plays with bad decisions. AJ long? Maybe the kid who is still in Florida? Wilson or Kimble? If we are going to look this bad we might as well do it with a guy who is going to learn from his mistakes.
Terrel Hunt got hurt friday night during the game. He first got hurt in the Notre Dame Game and and just compounded the situation a week later. I believe that we’re going to see Austin Wilson starting on Saturday against FSU. Boy you talk about throwing a player to the wolves. If Austin plays the game the way that I believe he can,he will move the ball up and down the field better than what Hunt has done. I hated to see Terrel get hurt on Friday,but Terry and I started to tell you all last year that he wasn’t a Div I Qb and no one listened. Well we’re in a pickle now,it’s going to be interesting to see how the coaching staff reacts to the noise that the fans are making.
I wonder what Dr. Gross is thinking now? Will he show us all again what type of man he is and fire the coaching staff? Don’t you think his silence speaks volumns about the man. How come he isn’t in front of the local yo-yo’s(media)giving us his “STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS” TELLING US JUST HOW GOOD THINGS REALLY ARE?
“Against the Cardinals, the sequence at the 1-yard line said it all. Instead of allow his QB to make plays, George McDonald decided to run two trick plays. The Orange had an ineligible man downfield, and perhaps the best pass of the day was thrown by a wide receiver and dropped in the end zone.”
How is this Hunt’s fault? He wasn’t ineligible down field, he didn’t drop the pass, and he doesn’t call the plays. Coaching is the largest issues here. This offense is undisciplined and uncomfortable with play calls.
I respect everyone’s opinions, but I have to shake my head at some of the rationale some times.
The premise behind the article isn’t really factual. I don’t think simply removing Hunt instantly makes things better. The offense is a problem overall and multiple areas need to improve. If Wilson comes in and wr drop balls, it doesn’t help him. If Wilson can’t get any relief from a solid running game(via the Oline) then the offense will still sputter. If the play calling doesn’t accentuate the talents of the pieces, the offense will sputter. I think Hunt=blame is a simplistic way at looking at this. I find that we as fans always like to boil every issue down to one thing, when in reality most problems are more nuanced than that. We’ve seen plenty of average talent qbs become successful college starters. I think Hunt does have the goods to be a quality starter in college. I don’t feel like the playcalling has really accentuated the things that will consistently make the offense go. I pointed out things I saw when I went back and re-watched the 1st half of the Maryland game(another Hunt blame fest). Hunt isn’t the sole issue for this offense. He isn’t a consistent passer, but his inability to pass is grossly overstated. He lacks touch and has overthrown receivers definitely. But, I watched him throw plenty of catchable balls that receivers simply did not catch. I pray that Wilson(if he starts) or Hunt(if healthy) has a better go with Lester calling plays. As the qb coach, he knows what they can and can’t do and hopefully his playcalling reflects their strengths.
Terry has long cited the lack of top tier talent and No one disputes him on that. However, in the absence of such talent, your coaching must develop the raw talent and play up their strengths while hiding flaws. We’ve seen other programs with even less of a history and appeal than SU go out and play well with lesser known talent.
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