Fran Brown’s 34–21 win at Clemson was a masterclass of defense that sometimes bent between the 20s but repeatedly won the leverage moments and stopped Clemson from clawing back. They held the Tigers to a combined 4-of-18 on third and fourth downs and also denied a rushing touchdown despite a heavy Cade Klubnik volume day. Also, that late interception was a chef’s kiss. The Orange forced a fumble from Clemson’s 16 that flipped the field positions and finally sealed the deal for the Orange. Even though Clemson posted 503 yards, raw yardage is useless without any conversions to back it up.

And that defensive identity that beat Clemson can be up for a really major sideline subtraction. It’s not one of the players, but the brain behind what the players will do. Senior defensive analyst Kevin Coyle is being targeted to join a struggling Big Ten team midseason. That would pull the veteran’s voice from Fran Brown’s side midseason, and although the defense won’t come crumbling down, the shockwaves will still be seen throughout the season. Coyle is not just another name amid the plethora of personnel. He is an experienced expert who breathes the sport. 

And Syracuse might be on the verge of losing their institutional defensive man. According to a report by Ben Bolch, “UCLA is finalizing the addition of veteran assistant Kevin Coyle to help coach the defense for the rest of the season. Coyle had been the defensive coordinator at Fresno State under Tim Skipper last season.” It comes as a gut punch to the Oranges because Colye might have been just a senior defensive analyst but the core expertise and the NFL experience he brings to the team, is fundamental to the team. 

Coyle’s fingerprints have been all over the defense of Syracuse, and that too goes back decades. Coyle’s 1992-1993 stint for the Oranges led them to the top of the interceptions table by logging in 24 picks throughout the season in 1992 and just allowing 1007 yards in 11 games. He has served two stints as Fresno State’s DC, with his last season’s group finishing in the top 4 in Mountain West in both total and scoring defense. His Fresno State defense was also an expert blend of NFL-style coverage. He has spent time with the Bengals and Dolphins as their defensive coordinator, too. So, this loss is sure going to hurt Fran Brown as the season moves forward.

But from UCLA’s side, this is nothing but the exact band-aid that they should get their hands on to salvage the remainder of the season. Tim Skipper has already had some coaching reps with Coyle, so he knows how Coyle goes around his word. Given some time, it’s no question that UCLA will rise through the ranks if they do exactly what Coyle asks them to. If the move is finalized, then the Oranges should be redistributing Coyle’s prowess among other scouts, whereas UCLA will be up for some quality coaching from the sidelines.

Angeli’s injury—what happened

Steve Angeli had an unfortunate incident late in the third quarter as he went down without contact while rolling out. He immediately fell to the grass and grabbed his lower left leg before the trainers came onto the field and helped him walk out to the sidelines. Before the injury, he was having an average performance, going 18-of-31 for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He entered this week leading the nation in passing yards after a hot Week 2 performance. Backup QB Rickie Collins took the field and immediately found Justus Ross Simmons for an 18-yard touchdown to extend the lead.

Fran Brown praised Angeli’s stature within the team while going over specifics on the diagnosis. He said, “Steve will always be the leader of our football team,” and that the program would “support him, rally behind him to make sure he’s straight.” Brown then confirmed that “he won’t be here for a couple of weeks right now.” Steve will not be playing the next game, but seeing Collins’ form, the team is more than prepared to tackle their schedule with him under the center.