In the time allotted in spring practice, Syracuse wide receiver Rice Moss saw Perry Patterson’s rating rise tremendously – 2.8 points to be exact.

Last year, when Patterson adjusted to the newly installed West Coast Offense and fulfilling the starting quarterback role, Moss ranked Patterson a seven on a 10-point scale. But after the offense won Saturday’s spring game, 34-25, Moss gave him a 9.8 rating.

‘Now I feel a lot more confident having a quarterback back there that has so much confidence in me and all the other receivers,’ Moss said. ‘He has confidence also in the offensive line. It’ll motivate our offense to do better.’

Spring football, similar to baseball’s spring training, is what it is – players often talk about a dedicated offseason and a new outlook. Sometimes that translates on the field the next year. Sometimes it doesn’t.

But in the spring game, Patterson at least showed he improved his accuracy and mobility, finishing 9-of-11 for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the offense never trailed against a defense that stayed in a base 4-3 the whole game and didn’t blitz.

The past two years, Syracuse fans often saw Patterson stay in the pocket too long, failing to see the linebackers from all angles.

On Saturday, he did the opposite. He showed patience to find the open receivers, but he also scrambled out of the pocket. On the first drive of the game, Patterson started it with an 11-yard draw and finished it with a 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tim Lane. Patterson enjoyed the luxury of quality protection and aimed dead-on to Lane.

‘It’s real symbolic,’ Patterson said of the long pass to Lane. ‘Last year we did not throw one deep ball, and we just had everybody up on the line. So now they’re confident in their ability. They can get the defender off them, bump them off a little bit.

‘It might not be a bomb all the time, but it’s all about the will,’ Patterson said. ‘When I put the ball in the air it’s about who wants it more. Sometimes last year it didn’t seem like they wanted it more.’

The Lane grab proved to be just the beginning of a couple impressive plays Patterson and Co. orchestrated. He led two touchdown drives on the first two series. In the first half, the first team offense didn’t allow the defense to score any points.

Nearly every pass to Moss, who finished with four receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, looked impressive. In the second half, Patterson launched a 21-yard touchdown pass to Moss. The pass landed crisply in front of Moss’ hands, something Patterson had a problem doing when he overthrew or underthrew receivers last year as a starter and in 2004 when he split snaps with Joe Fields.

In fact, Moss said the play wasn’t designed for him to make the grab. Patterson couldn’t recall ever running the play during spring ball because the defenses covered Moss deep. But not this time. After faking the post, Moss cut to the inside for the catch.

‘I know exactly where they’re going to be,’ Patterson said. ‘The receivers are put in places to their strength. We’re not going to have a guy who can’t beat people down a streak anymore.’

Having a second chance to better familiarize himself with the offense, Patterson said his biggest improvement points to communication and mental maturity. Now he’s less confused with running the offense and he’s more satisfied with his footwork.

Interestingly enough, Patterson said the same thing last August. He bemoaned how Paul Pasqualoni’s offense seemed more confusing and that the West Coast Offense was very simple. But the Orange ended up finishing 115th out of 117 Division I teams in total offense.

Unlike last year, Patterson thinks the Orange is perfecting three aspects – pass protection, route running and passing.

In 2005, Patterson said he often saw his team performing well in only two of the areas. Sometimes the offensive line provided protection but the receivers didn’t run quality routes. Sometimes he felt he didn’t throw the ball well. But he never looked at the pass protection as a lacking quality. Nonetheless Patterson thinks the overall offense has been making strides because the system is less confusing.

Despite whatever positive impression Patterson’s showcase on the field Saturday proved to be, it’s not quite enough to make SU head coach Greg Robinson officially name him the starter.

‘Perry’s just going to worry about Perry. He’s our first-string player and he’s going to start training camp the same way,’ Robinson said. ‘We don’t have a starter yet. We have guys who go out there and take the first rep.’

Published on April 17, 2006 at 12:00 pm