Today we continue our first look at the teams in the ACC Atlantic by sneaking a peak at Syracuse, and what we expect from the Orange in 2020.
CJ Cribb:
After a disastrous 2019, Dino Babers looks to get his Syracuse team back on track in 2020. Last year the Orange were just plain bad, all the way around. Tommy DeVito just doesn’t look like the answer at QB, although they willk likely ride or die with him next season. The offensive line was absolutely abysmal, making things worse for DeVito.
They lose their best running back and two best receivers, meaning things don’t appear to be looking up. They brought on new coordinators on both sides of the ball and with spring ball being wiped out, the orange are going to have a ton to learn in a short time once camp opens.
Vegas set their win total at 5.5….. give me the under.
Freddie Huth:
Saying 2019 was a disappointment for Syracuse may be an understatement. The Orange began the season with so much momentum and expectations after 2018. They were being hyped as a sleeper in the ACC. Some even thought the Orange could possibly beat Clemson and represent the Atlantic Division in the championship game.
Syracuse has already had two different defensive coordinators this offseason. It will also be really hard to replace two of the best defensive linemen in the ACC in Kendall Coleman and Alton Robinson. Departing with them are a host of linebackers and a couple of starters in the secondary. The Orange’s defensive success will really depend on how the team deploys their starters up front. It’ll be interesting to see how they mold the experience they do have into the 3-3-5.
The Orange’s leading rusher, Moe Neal’s, departure will be felt as he solidified the Orange’s offense each of the last two years. It will be a must for at least one of Abdul Adams or Jarveon Howard to step up. They also lose wideouts Trishton Jackson and Sean Riley after accounting for 41% of Syracuse’s catches and 45% of their yards.
The next question for the Syracuse offense will be can Tommy DeVito take them to the next level. He’s put up some glossy numbers with 19 touchdowns and a 63.2% completion rate but he was relatively statuesque in the pocket and was on his butt a good bit due to a leaky offensive line. He’s expected to start once again in 2020. The Orange hope that new Offensive Coordinator, Sterlin Gilbert, can work with him on his poor decision making and teach him a better feel in the pocket.
The Orange are another team that I expect to be better overall but I’m not sold on them being back to the team that we saw in 2018 with all of the changes. Coach Babers is another Coach that may be on the hot seat if the coaching changes aren’t enough to make them a lot better in a hurry. The one thing that makes me really weary, is the fact that Syracuse is completely changing their defensive scheme. Especially when you add in the fact that they are having to do this while dealing with down time due to the Coronavirus.
The Morgan Thomas Show:
