Quick thoughts on a 3-1 start

Going into the season we all talked about starting the season 3-1. The schedule was in our favor, and frankly, it would be pretty disappointing if SU had lost to Akron, Colgate or Maine. You don't throw parades for teams that do simply what they're supposed to do, but I think we can take a moment to enjoy the situation a little bit. Here's a look at the good, the bad and the optimistic from a mostly-positive first month of football in Syracuse.

Syracuse.com

The Good
Syracuse is 3-1 for the first time since 2003
Sure there were no signature wins in there, but 3-1 is still 3-1. Let's hope when HCDM makes those recruting calls, the poor young saps on the other line don't have any idea who the Orange actually played in those three wins. Plus, there's the possibility the momentum could carry on into the Big East season and lead to some upsets.

The defense looks good
Again, we're talking about taking care of business as expected. We thought the defense would be good, and it has lived up to expectations, with the exception of three awful quarters of pass defense in Seattle. They'll need to keep improving to match up with the Big East teams, but so far, so good.

Nassib has been a pleasant surprise
It was tough to tell what to expect from Nassib in his first season as a starter, but the sophomore has exceeded nearly all expectations to this point. With nine TDs and just two INTs, Nassib has probably been the most impressive performer in the young season.

The Bad
The schedule was as soft as possible
True, the three wins are actually two in terms of qualifying for a bowl. And true, Akron proved to be more inept than we probably thought for that one FBS win. So we need to keep it all perspective a little bit.


The pass defense looked atrocious against Washington
The one challenge to the defense didn't go so well for Syracuse. Jake Locker and the rest of the Huskies basically had their way with the Orange in Seattle. Locker looks like he's going to the NFL and maybe SU just had a bad day, but the competition will likely be closer to Washington than Colgate from here on out.

Aaron Weaver will be missed
The Hofstra transfer looked good in the first two games, grabbing six catches for 86 yards. No one has stepped up in his absence for the third receiver slot, which is worrisome against teams like Maine and Colgate. 


The optimistic
Nassib is improving
Obviously, the sophomore is going to improve with each game. He's already had more experience this season than all of last year. In the first two games, he showed off that cannon, but mixed in some questionable decisions, which led to fumbles and interceptions. In his last two (albeit against weaker competition), he's settled down and thrown six touchdowns and no interceptions. The confidence is building, right when it needs to be.


The Big East is awful
There are two teams with three wins in the Big East right now. One is West Virginia. The other is Syracuse. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are 1-2 and 1-3, respectively. The most impressive win this season was probably West Virginia over Maryland, which was hardly a signature victory. And UConn lost to Temple, by two touchdowns! If there was ever a season to steal a couple wins from the Big East, this is it. Three wins down, four to go for a bowl bid, and it's looking more and more possible every day.