Syracuse’s overtime win over North Carolina gave the Orange more than a needed result. It also offered another sign that one of their boldest in-season adjustments is beginning to click.
The move that stands out most is Chris Peal’s switch from cornerback to safety. What started as a midseason gamble is now looking a lot smarter. Against UNC, Peal was all over the field, especially in the run game, and Syracuse’s coaches deserve credit for sticking with the change long enough to let it settle in.
Peal finished with seven tackles and did not miss one, according to Pro Football Focus. That performance helped anchor what PFF graded as Syracuse’s best tackling game of the season against an FBS opponent. The Orange missed only five tackles, their fewest since the season opener against New Hampshire.
The physical part of the job suited Peal on Saturday. He lined up in the box on 34 of North Carolina’s offensive snaps, and he has now spent 72 snaps there overall. For a player who prefers cornerback, he has become Syracuse’s most physical presence at safety.
His tackling has become a real trend, too. Over the past three games, Peal has made 18 tackles and has not missed any of them, per PFF.
The shift also mattered in coverage. Peal spent time matched up with tight end Jelani Thurman, one of UNC’s top pass-catching threats. When Peal was the primary defender, the Tar Heels targeted Thurman six times and completed only two of those passes.
Meanwhile, Thomas was UNC’s most targeted receiver in the passing game. Against other Syracuse defenders, he caught five passes on five targets.
Peal was on the field for 68 of Syracuse’s 70 defensive snaps, a heavy workload at a bruising position. Only linebacker Chris D’Appolonia, who played every snap, and cornerback Demetres Samuel Jr., who also played 68, matched that kind of usage.
The success didn’t happen overnight. Peal has missed only two tackles this season, and both came against UConn in his first game at the new spot, during a rough defensive outing in which Syracuse gave up 41 points.
The coaches could have backed off then. Instead, they let the plan continue.
Even with Peal settling in, Syracuse’s defense still has some moving parts. Nazir Ward, the player filling Peal’s old cornerback role, has trouble tackling.
The Orange are also cycling through multiple options at the other safety spot every week. Against UNC, Ward and starting safety Jai Eugene Jr. were the only Syracuse defenders to miss tackles.
There were other signs of the Orange’s adjustment paying off up front, too. Nissi Ogbebor was the more disruptive of the two standout young defensive tackles in the game, finishing with a game-high seven quarterback pressures.
UNC’s Xavier Lewis had three. Lewis leads the ACC in sacks this season, while Ogbebor now ranks second in the conference in quarterback pressures, behind only Pittsburgh’s Nick James.
Syracuse’s offensive line also held up well against Lewis. The Orange started Kahlil Stewart at center, another coaching move that worked. Stewart earned a strong pass-blocking grade, and Syracuse adjusted the line around him by sliding Joe Cruz to guard and benching transfer Oluwafunto Akinshilo.
At right tackle, Kam Pringle remained in the starting lineup, but Syracuse leaned more on Skylar Harvey against the Tar Heels. Harvey played 64 snaps to Pringle’s 25, and he posted the best run-blocking grade among the Orange linemen who played.
Here’s a look at Syracuse’s player grades and snap counts from its game against UNC as of Sunday morning.
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