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Kyle McCord heard the jeers of Fran Brown after his forgettable first drive with Syracuse.

“Haha, you went three-and-out,” Brown said to his quarterback.

It wasn’t a pretty possession. McCord’s first pass sailed through Ohio linebacker Blake Leake’s hands. His lone completion went for six yards to Zeed Haynes. A final downfield toss intended for Oronde Gadsden II bounced off of Bobcats’ safety Austin Brawley. The Orange looked static, and were forced to punt. But Brown still felt comfortable with a joke.

“(I) just messed around with him because you know what he can do,” Brown said of McCord. “We have that type of relationship. You’ll be alright. Get them next time. You never worry.”

McCord quickly settled in on SU’s second drive and never looked back. He was poised in the pocket, picking apart Ohio’s secondary with well-anticipated throws, pristine footwork and rapid decision-making. The Ohio State transfer finished his Orange debut with 27 completions for 354 passing yards and four touchdowns — all career-highs.

Here’s a breakdown of McCord’s stellar Syracuse debut in its 38-22 season-opening victory over Ohio Saturday:

2nd quarter, 14:29 & 13:45 — 2 completions to Peña get McCord in rhythm

Down 6-0 to the Bobcats after the first quarter, McCord hadn’t found his rhythm. And he needed to — fast. Syracuse faced a third-and-4 at its own 31-yard line, in danger of suffering two straight three-and-outs.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon called a gun-empty set for McCord, giving him time to see the field against a three-man Ohio pass rush with five options at his disposal. As McCord received the snap and went into a two-step drop back, he clearly positioned his eyes toward Gadsden, who ran a curl route in the left seam. But Ohio linebacker Shay Taylor blanketed SU’s tight end while defensive end Bradley Weaver drove right tackle Savion Washington deep into the pocket.

McCord stayed calm, rotating his eyes to the weak side where Trebor Peña was sandwiched in between two Bobcats defenders. He didn’t hesitate to fire a low, high-velocity ball to Peña, who fell to his right and corralled the five-yard first-down pickup.

The quarterback’s confidence and commitment to working from the pocket are among the most glaring differences between him and former SU quarterback Garrett Shrader. That’s what he did for the Orange to move the chains for the first time last Saturday, and it’s what he did two plays later to unleash his first big gain of the year.

On a second-and-10 at Syracuse’s 36-yard line, Peña lined up from the slot with McCord in the shotgun. Peña took advantage of Ohio’s 4-4 zone defense, running a go-route and quickly finding a cushion in between the Bobcats’ second and third levels of the defense.

McCord’s eyes were locked on Peña from the moment Ohio’s linebackers froze up on the snap. Reading the play from the start, he executed a perfectly-anticipated throw into the high-outstretched arms of Peña just before the Bobcats’ two high safeties could converge.

The 20-yard completion put SU into opposing territory for the first time all game. Two simple, but quick and accurate, decisions by McCord were his first signs of developing a rhythm in the pocket.

2nd quarter, 0:10 — 20-yard TD dime caps off superb 1-minute drill

Syracuse embarked on an eight-play, 75-yard drive in just 54 seconds to take a 17-9 lead into the half. Under former head coach Dino Babers, punting or conservative play calling would have been a likely option with 59 seconds left in the half. Yet, McCord’s high-level field vision is why Brown trusted his quarterback to deliver an improbable six points.

On a second-and-10 along the right hash marks of Ohio’s 20-yard line, Syracuse spread four receivers out wide and sported traditional protection. With 10 seconds left and no timeouts for the Orange, it was paramount for McCord to think fast.

“That situation is something that we’ve practiced a lot, especially in fall camp,” McCord said, detailing the play postgame. “It was really, take a shot in the end zone and if we don’t get it, we’re probably kicking a field goal.”

He said Ohio began in a two-high shell defense, so he was reading the high-outside corner — Kendall Bannister, who matched up with SU wide receiver Umari Hatcher. Peña lined up next to Hatcher and the two overlapped routes, with Hatcher running a post toward the end zone and Peña cutting slightly left behind him.

Bannister got caught in the middle while Ohio’s nearby high safety, Brawley, decided to break away and defend Hatcher. It left Peña wide-open for a couple seconds as he streaked toward the end zone. As soon as he realized Bannister hadn’t committed, McCord tossed the ball near the left side of the end zone, allowing Peña to track it.

The ball landed just over Peña’s left shoulder and into his hands before Bannister even got close to making a play on the ball. If McCord made up his mind any later, though, it could have been a broken play. But McCord’s elite snap-decision making is why Brown exudes confidence in his transfer quarterback.

3rd quarter, 6:44 — McCord finds his tailback in a tight window for 6

If Shrader was still on the field, this is a play where SU’s old quarterback may have ducked out to the left and scrambled toward the end zone. Shrader required more assurance to pull the trigger in the red zone than McCord does, and the latter shows that here.

Up 17-16 midway into the third quarter, Syracuse lined up in a trips formation to the left with three wide receivers and Gadsden on the right side as a down lineman. LeQuint Allen Jr., originally positioned left of McCord, motioned behind the quarterback and switched to the right side. Nixon’s play call included all three receivers to the left running curl routes, which was clearly designed to draw the defense away from Gadsden and Allen Jr. on the right.

McCord’s eyes never leave the right side of the field. Yet Gadsden, likely his first option in the back of the end zone, was covered. Allen Jr. ran an out route and broke late, not drawing much separation with safety Jaylen Johnson. McCord didn’t have anyone open. There was some space to the left for a scramble, but McCord’s better than that.

He placed the short-range pass within reach of Allen Jr.’s outstretched left arm. It was just high enough to keep the ball away from Johnson, yet just close enough for Allen Jr. to make a play on it. It takes a lot to trust a running back to make a miraculous catch. But McCord has that luxury. Allen Jr. came up with the grab, which wouldn’t have been possible without McCord’s ability as a technician reading the defense from the pocket.

3rd quarter, 4:50 — Perfect footwork propels McCord’s hellacious seed to Meeks

McCord didn’t have to exert his arm strength too much versus Ohio. Though on a play that led to Syracuse finishing the drive with a dagger touchdown to Peña, McCord finally let one rip.

The Orange lined up in the shotgun with four wide receivers split evenly and Allen Jr. to the left of McCord. It was third-and-7 with SU up 24-16. A punt would have given the Bobcats possession back in a one-score game. So, McCord got aggressive.

Georgia transfer wideout Jackson Meeks, positioned on the far-right side of the field against Ohio cornerback Tank Pearson, ran a vertical route. McCord looked for him the entire way. Meeks didn’t blaze past Pearson, yet he stayed in front of him.

McCord faced the challenge of leading his receiver while not overthrowing the ball right into Pearson’s arms. Not only was his throw well-timed, it was in the only place Meeks could get it — a few feet in front of him, but close enough to keep his momentum forward.

With the throw coming from the far-left hash marks of SU’s 30-yard line to the right sideline of Ohio’s 30, McCord’s arm strength stood out. It was a product of his footwork. McCord took two shuffles backward as his eyes locked onto Meeks. He set himself in a stable position before launching his body forward by taking a long stride with his left foot. At the same time, his right arm snapped forward.

The subtle yet violent move from McCord generated enough power to unleash a hellacious seed across the field and into a diving Meeks’s outstretched arms for a 35-yard gain.

Published on September 3, 2024 at 10:57 pm

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews