Tim Daoust not concerned with Cole Murphy’s 2 deep misses against UVA
Sam Maller | Staff Photographer
Cole Murphy, pictured above against Notre Dame last season, missed two field goals against Virginia on Saturday. Both misses were from 48 yards.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — After converting on 81.3 percent of his field goals last year, sophomore kicker Cole Murphy dipped to 66.7 percent in 2015 after two misses against Virginia Saturday.
He pushed a 48-yarder well left in the second quarter and another wide right from 48 yards in the third overtime of Syracuse’s (3-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) 44-38, triple-overtime loss to UVA (2-4, 1-1) at Scott Stadium. It’s the third miss in the last three games for Murphy, who also wears No. 48, but special teams coordinator Tim Daoust didn’t seem too concerned after the loss to the Cavaliers.
“He hit the one good off his foot and then pushed it and then that one he didn’t hit cleanly,” Daoust said. “So we’ll go back to the drawing board … and Cole’s a good kicker.”
Murphy was one of 30 named to the preseason Lou Groza Award Watch List, the honor given to the country’s top kicker. So far this season, he’s 8-for-12 with a long of 43 yards against then-No. 8 Louisiana State on Sept. 26.
Murphy’s 44-yard miss in the second quarter against Rhode Island on Sept. 4 was inconsequential, but a 31-yard shank right before halftime against LSU came back to bite. It sent the Orange into the break trailing by four instead of one, and three Zack Mahoney touchdown passes in the second half couldn’t pull SU within a score late against the Tigers.
Murphy’s first miss on Saturday came with 11:33 left in the second, when the game was still scoreless. He did connect on a 33-yarder that stretched the Orange’s lead to 24-14 late in the third, but a touchdown and an Ian Frye chip shot sent the game to overtime with two seconds left in regulation.
After both teams matched touchdown for touchdown through the first two overtimes, Murphy stepped up for a 48-yarder following Eric Dungey taking a sack for a loss of 6 yards.
The attempt drifted wide, opening the doors for Virginia to steal a game once comfortably in Syracuse’s grasp.
“Obviously he’s kicking himself for that one,” Daoust said. “We lost, the whole team did, period.”
Published on October 18, 2015 at 11:37 am
Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman
