Julian Whigham still gets the same texts every morning from defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough. “It’s your ball,” they’ve read, since well before the season even started.

This season, though, it’s yet to be Whigham’s ball. The starting senior cornerback has not recorded an interception, and was the centerpiece of the turning point in Syracuse’s 34-24 loss to Louisiana State for all the wrong reasons.

“As a corner, you’re gonna get beat,” Whigham said. “That happens.”

Facing a third-and-9 and having seen its lead slimmed to a touchdown difference, the Orange had LSU on the ropes early in the fourth quarter. The next two plays, though, Whigham was beat badly. The first a 51-yarder. The second — a touchdown — Whigham said happened partially because he had yet to recover mentally from the first.

On Saturday, Whigham will try to get his season back on track when the Orange (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) travels to Florida — Whigham’s home state — for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against USF (1-3, 0-1 American Athletic).

“He definitey took a look at himself this week,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Whig progress the rest of the season.”

After the LSU game, Bullough refused to discuss Whigham’s two plays, saying, “I don’t ever talk about my players’ mistakes.” But Whigham was up front about them saying, “that was just me hanging on to the last play too long.”

Whigham has joked that instead of it being his ball, like Bullough predicts every morning, it has, to this point, been Corey Winfield’s ball. The sophomore cornerback has recorded two interceptions in SU’s first four games.

Still Whigham insists that he’s improved this season.

He does lead the team in pass breakups with three — nobody else has more than one. And he was named ACC co-defensive player of the week following SU’s win over Wake Forest on Sept. 12, a game in which the defense shut out the Demon Deacons in the second half.

Though some parts of Whigham’s first four games have been a slog, to this point, he doesn’t believe they have defined his season.

“I’ve been one of the most productive players on the team,” Whigham said. “I’m proud of how I’ve done … I’ve followed through on everything I’ve said.”

Published on October 9, 2015 at 2:52 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3