Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Syracuse Orange season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
– Syracuse Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in ACC
Head Coach: Dino Babers, 4th year, 18-19
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SYRACUSE OFFENSE
– Now there’s the offense we’ve all been waiting for. The first part of the Dino Babers era showed off plenty of pyrotechnics for the passing game, but there wasn’t any consistency, and the points just weren’t there like they were supposed to be. Last year’s attack averaged 40 points and 465 yards per game with a good balance and a whole lot of explosion. There’s turnover with five starters gone, but it’ll still be a dangerous attack as long as …
– The Orange have to get past the Eric Dungey era. The former quarterback was the heart-and-soul type who ran well put up big numbers, and took a beating as he closed out with an All-ACC final season. But Tommy DeVito just might be better … at least that’s according to the hype. He has to be more accurate, but he’s got the huge arm and the passing skills to make the passing game shine, especially because …
– The receiving corps is loaded despite losing leading yardage receiver Jamal Custis. Sean Riley is back after coming up with a team-high 64 catches, and Taj Harris is a good-looking 6-2, 175-pound sophomore coming off a 40-catch season. Spreading the ball around won’t be a problem, and Nykeim Johnson should once again be one of the ACC’s most dangerous deep threats.
– The running game that averaged 200 yards per game won’t have the running of Dungey anymore, but the running backs should pick up the slack. Only two starters are back up front – expect plenty of jostling for positions on the left side and right tackle in fall camp – but the there’s size in the interior to blast away for the deep group of backs.
Moe Neal is back after leading the team with 869 yards averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and 5-10ish, 210ish pounders Jarveon Howard and Abdul Adams will handle the workload from time to time, too.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SYRACUSE DEFENSE
– The Orange defense brought the funk last year – finishing sixth in the nation in sacks – and it’s going to keep on grooving with one of the nation’s most dangerous 1-2 defensive end punches. Seniors Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman combined for 20 sacks and 29 tackles for loss, and there’s more talent behind them. They’ve got size, burst, and the help from the tackles to keep the heat off.
The loss of Chris Slayton on the inside hurts, but Josh Black and McKinley Williams are active veterans who’ll be just fine. The line will be terrific, and it needs to rock because …
– The linebacking corps isn’t starting over, but it loses 207 tackles of production from Ryan Guthrie and Kielan Whitner. There’s enough veteran talent returning to be okay – Andre Armstrong came up with 45 tackles last season – but the real fun should come from the two best players in the latest recruiting class. Lee Kpogba and Mikel Jones are build like safeties, but they can fly.
– The secondary is experienced, but the stops have to come. Even with the amazing pass rush applying the constant heat, the pass defense allowed 264 yards per game. All four starters return, starting with all-star pickoff artist Andre Cisco at one safety spot and big-tackling Evan Foster at the other. The corners can tackle, and they’ll win their share of battles, but they have to be tighter.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP SYRACUSE PLAYERS
Best Syracuse Offensive Player
PK Andre Szmyt, Soph.
The best offensive player needs to be Tommy DeVito, but Szmyt is a record-setting Lou Groza winner who hit 30 field goals including all three from beyond 50 yards. There are a few whiffs late in the season, but he nailed all four attempts in the win over Louisville, and was a key part of the shootout win over NC State with three field goals.
2. QB Tommy DeVito, Soph.
3. WR Sean Riley, Sr.
4. OG Evan Adams, Sr.
5. RB Moe Neal, Sr.
Best Syracuse Defensive Player
S Andre Cisco, Soph.
No complaints if you want to put either one of the killer defensive ends – Alton Robinson or Kendall Coleman – here, but the 6-0, 198-pound Cisco is coming off an All-America season with 60 tackles with seven picks and 11 broken up passes.
The instincts and nose for the ball are off the charts, coming up with an interception in three straight games late in the regular season as he grew into a big play star who’s always around the ball.
2. DE Alton Robinson, Sr.
3. DE Kendall Coleman, Sr.
4. S Evan Foster, Sr.
5. P Sterling Hofrichter, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Syracuse Offense
Give Tommy DeVito time to work. Granted, Eric Dungey was mobile enough to try making things happen that weren’t there, but he was also scrambling for his life at times behind a line that allowed way too many sacks and way too many plays in the backfield.
Even with three starters gone, this is a decent line that should be fine for the ground game, but DeVito isn’t Dungey when it comes to taking off. He’s a terrific passer who’s going to need a little while to work. Give him an extra beat or two, and he’ll light it up with this great receiving corps.
Biggest Key To The Syracuse Defense
Hold up against the teams that will commit to the run. The secondary might have had the most problems – the Orange finished 115th in the nation in pass defense – but it made up for a slew of the errors with interceptions. The run D was generally fine, but there were issues when it got ripped up.
The Orange had Clemson all but dead, but they couldn’t stop Travis Etienne and a Tiger ground attack that cranked out close to 300 yards. The following week, Pitt’s great backs went for 265 and three scores in the win. Western Michigan’s running game rolled up almost nine yards per carry and put up points in bunches in the 55-42 loss to SU.
Maryland, Clemson, and Western Michigan are all on the slate in September.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Tommy DeVito, Soph.
Dungey might have missed a bit too much time hurt over the course of his career, but last year he was a machine, throwing for close to 2,900 yards and 18 scores with 754 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
The 6-2, 207-pound DeVito isn’t the runner Dungey was, but he’s a pure passer who can wing the ball all over the yard. He’s experienced enough to be ready to handle the job, and now it’s his team to run for the next few years.
Key Game To The Syracuse Season
Clemson, Sept. 14
Including Alabama, no one has been better against Clemson over the last two seasons. The Orange swarmed all over the Tigers in a 27-24 win two seasons ago, and they were one stop away from taking them down last year.
In both games, SU knocked out the starting quarterback – Kelly Bryant and then Trevor Lawrence – and this time around, the defending national champs might come in a little beaten up after playing Texas A&M the week before.
– Syracuse Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Syracuse Fun Stats
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Syracuse 124 – Opponents 47
– 3rd Down Conversions: Syracuse 80-of-198 (40%) – Opponents 50-of-178 (28%)
– Points Off Turnovers: Syracuse 108 – Opponents 40
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. SYRACUSE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
Last year’s team caught a few nice breaks to get to ten wins.
Give the Orange credit for getting the job done – there’s never any complaining about a double-digit win bowl season – but Florida State wasn’t Florida State, North Carolina wasn’t North Carolina, and Louisville really wasn’t Louisville.
It also helped to have Western Michigan, Wagner, and UConn on the schedule, and it really helped that West Virginia’s Will Grier decided to sit out the bowl game.
Whatever. Any team that was good enough to almost beat Clemson and take down NC State did something right.
This year’s version might have a few concerns – the quarterback play has to be strong, the O line could use some work, and the linebacking corps might need a little tweaking – but the pieces are there to do it all again.
The pass rush will once again be among the nation’s best, the secondary is loaded with experience and upside, the receiving corps will be great, and the kicking tandem of PK Andre Szmyt and P Sterling Hofrichter might just be the strongest in college football. However …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 7
There can’t be any misses early. The Orange can and likely will lose to Clemson, but they have to take down Liberty and Maryland on the road and Western Michigan and Holy Cross at home to go into October 4-1.
The rest of the ACC slate isn’t anything to get into a twist over, and there’s no Notre Dame to deal with like there was late last season. However, going to NC State, Florida State, Duke and Louisville – the Cardinals are going to be better – is just sneaky-rough enough to come up with a misfire or two like the team did in last year’s loss to Pitt.
Here’s the deal. If FSU and Louisville really do need a lot more time and work, Syracuse will probably push for nine regular season wins again. Seven might not be what the base wants after the breakthrough 2018, but it’ll still be a strong season in a good conference.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
