AKRON, Ohio — Aaron Weaver knew there were questions. His unit is inexperienced. Unproven. Unknown.

‘There were a lot of questions: Can we do it? Can we come through? We know what we have. We decided to prove them wrong. We did that tonight.’

On Saturday, Weaver and the Syracuse wide receivers didn’t alleviate all of those questions. But with a dominating performance from the unit in the team’s opening 29-3 victory over Akron, there is much more certainty from one of the Orange’s biggest areas of inexperience coming into the season.

With Weaver, Van Chew, Alec Lemon and Antwon Bailey leading the way, SU quarterback Ryan Nassib had consistent options to look to all night. There were long, explosive, eye-popping plays. There were in-sync routes that kept the offense flowing. And there were the move-the-chains, third-down conversion plays that kept drives moving.

‘We have a lot of talent,’ Weaver said. ‘A lot of people want to look at stats and numbers. … We just try to get better every day. The confidence is getting better with us, and the quarterback’s timing is getting down.’

It started with Weaver — a senior transfer out of Hofstra — who had the offense’s first big play on the game’s first drive. Leading up to it, a couple of key third-down conversions from a calm, poised Nassib kept the drive going. There was a 10-yard strike to Alec Lemon over the middle. Then, a last-option pass to Antwon Bailey out of the backfield that he grabbed one-handed out of the air.

Syracuse faced another third down — third-and-six — from the Akron 23-yard line later in that same drive. A simple slant pattern and 23 yards later, Weaver was in the end zone, going practically untouched along the way.

‘He can do it week-in and week-out,’ Chew said of Weaver. ‘Since he came here, he’s been a hard worker. He’s just pushed everybody. He raises my game up to another level.’

One of the game’s biggest surprises, the junior Chew raised his game to the highest level his has seen. He caught three balls for 79 yards and a touchdown, looking like he could play the part of explosive, big-play receiver for Nassib.

On Saturday, Chew and Nassib played ‘throw-it-up-and-I’ll-catch-it.’ Chew bailed Nassib out of one throw, turning a jump ball into the game’s biggest gain — a 45-yard pass early in the second quarter that led to a 47-yard field goal from Ross Krautman, putting the Orange up 10-0.

‘What was good to see was Van Chew make plays,’ SU head coach Doug Marrone said. ‘He’s going to be a key, because he has the speed to get behind defenses. So I was excited for him.’

Chew raised his game to the occasion once again with the Orange facing its only adversity of the day late in the first half. SU’s offense started its drive with 1:12 remaining in the half, just after the Zips had taken a fumble deep into Syracuse territory and turned it into three points.

The offense flowed, starting at its own 35-yard line and moving quickly. Nassib to Lemon for 20. Nassib to Lemon for eight. An Antwon Bailey rush for eight yards that temporarily stopped the clock to move the chains.

As he stepped under center with the clock ticking — 18 … 17 … 16 — Nassib looked as if he might spike the ball and kill the clock. Then he went to a play call that he and Chew have perfected through the summer and in preseason camp. Chew said he and Nassib worked on the in-and-go route every day throughout the summer.

It worked. Nassib pumped. The corner bit. And a sprawled-out Chew made a diving catch in the end zone with five seconds remaining in the half, halting any Akron momentum and giving the Orange a two-touchdown lead headed into halftime.

‘We needed that score,’ Chew said. ‘After that score, that kind of shifted the momentum back to our side a little bit more.’

Seventeen completions from Nassib were spread out among seven different receivers — versatility. Third-down conversions kept drives moving and led to backbreaking moments — big play ability.

For Weaver, it’s not perfect. But it’s a start in a season-long question-and-answer session.

‘There’s still a lot more to prove,’ Weaver said. ‘I don’t think we answered every question that everyone had for the season’s goals. But we’re confident in what we do, and we’re confident in the talent we have as a group.

‘We’re ready to prove a lot of people wrong.’

bplogiur@syr.edu

Published on September 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm