When it was over, when his final game at the Carrier Dome had ended, Jake Flaherty trotted toward the Syracuse locker room and looked up at rows and rows of empty silver bleachers. Most of the 28,081 fans had fled, save for a small set of Connecticut supporters reveling in the Huskies 39-14 thumping of the Orange. Flaherty wore his helmet as he walked off.

The ending fit. The end of Senior Day was gloomy, but it fit. Flaherty, a senior and the starting middle linebacker for Syracuse these past two seasons, has won nine times and lost 36 in his Syracuse career. The Dome holds mostly sour memories these days, even for someone who grew up wishing to wear these colors and play in front of these fans. Even for someone who wants to remain a part of this program after his playing days end in two weeks.

‘I’ve been coming to games here since I was three years old, and I always dreamed about playing here,’ Flaherty said. ‘I think it’s one of those things, I’d like to say teammates know I left everything out on the field today.

‘Maybe it’ll hit me even more, later on.’

For now, the specter of Saturday’s implosion is enough.

Donald Brown, the nation’s leading rusher, gashed the Syracuse defense for 131 yards and a 49-yard touchdown. The Syracuse offense, meanwhile, tanked for the second game in a row: The Orange gained just 147 yards.

Syracuse kept it close early, but big plays torpedoed any second-half hopes. By the end of the third quarter, it was over. UConn’s Jasper Howard returned a punt for a touchdown. Two plays later, Robert McClain intercepted an Andrew Robinson pass and streaked in for another score. Syracuse fans flooded the exit gates.

In other words, little news to report.

Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson’s career record now dwells at 9-36, the same record as Flaherty’s. The coach’s future is pendulous at best. Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross was not available for comment after the game.

But Robinson insisted this trying season has not worn him down. ‘I don’t know that I’ve ever been around a more special group of young people than this group,’ Robinson said. ‘I mean that. From the seniors all the way down.’

Still, Saturday was business as usual for seniors like Flaherty and defensive back Bruce Williams: An ugly loss, with few people watching by the end.

Williams finished the game in street clothes, his leg swollen. ‘It sucked,’ said Williams, a team captain along with Flaherty. ‘Senior Night, all of us seniors wanted to go out with at least a win under all belt for the last game at the Dome. But it didn’t happen.’

The defense, the unit Flaherty leads, was part of the reason for that. The Orange’s struggles and Flaherty’s struggles are linked. He has never been a standout for Syracuse. He will not win All-American honors this year – most of his accolades are for academics. Flaherty’s back often bowed when pulling guards or fullback Anthony Sherman charged through holes to greet him. Blockers tangled him up and shoved him away from the action.

Flaherty whiffed on Jordan Todman on a second quarter run, and Todman scooted past for a 50-yard touchdown. He was nowhere to be found on Donald Brown’s second quarter jaunt.

He finished with a team-high seven tackles. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t close. These will be his final mementos of playing at the Dome.

All the seniors were honored before the game. They ran out onto the field and greeted family members waiting for them. Flaherty hugged him mother Joellen and his father Todd. His parents attended every game this year. Todd Flaherty lettered here in 1969 as a linebacker.

His son will finish with four letters, improbable as it may be.

In 2004, Scout.com rated Flaherty the 119th best high school linebacker prospect in the country. He made his name as a quarterback at Rhode Island’s South Kingston High.

But like many Orange players under Robinson’s watch, Flaherty converted positions. He became a linebacker. He bulked up. Flaherty played in all 11 games as a freshman in 2005 and all 12 games in 2006. He has started every game since. He plays almost every defensive down, looking at the sidelines as assistant defensive coordinator Derrick Jackson flashes signals.

That is his role. The team named him one of four captains this season.

‘They’re my best friends,’ Flaherty said of his teammates. ‘I don’t know. I’m going to miss them a lot. I’m going to miss going to war with them in the Dome, for sure.’

After the game, Flaherty wore his Syracuse warm-ups and spoke with reporters. Beads of water rested in his blonde crew cut. He answered questions for a few minutes, then he was done. He rounded a corner and walked out the Carrier Dome, through the double air-lock doors of stadium control, for the last time as a player.

‘It’s a huge deal, but, you know, my father and I will continue to come to games here,’ Flaherty said. ‘It’ll be different, because I’m not suiting up obviously, but we’ll still come and embrace the program.

‘Someday I might have a son that plays here, too.’

ramccull@syr.edu

Published on November 15, 2008 at 12:00 pm