Football roundtable: Beat writers review SU’s up, then down 2022 season
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Six weeks ago, Syracuse had its best start since 1987. No one expected SU to be undefeated, yet it climbed into the top 15 nationally. But the Orange lost their momentum just as fast as they built it, dealing with constant injuries and a lack of consistent offense en route to a five-game losing streak. They rebounded this past weekend against a poor BC team, and now have a few weeks to prepare for their first bowl game since 2018.
With the regular season in the books, our beat writers answered questions about Syracuse’s turbulent year:
1. Was the 2022 regular season a success?
Anthony Alandt: Taken as a whole, yes. This team was a few plays and incomplete passes away from having just three or four wins. The Orange did one thing right that they didn’t do last year: win close games. Think Purdue, Virginia and to a lesser extent NC State. Those games — and possibly even the Boston College win — wouldn’t have been victories last year. Flipping a 5-7 record to a 7-5 record is a success, even if there was a five game losing streak. It’s clear Syracuse has a depth problem, has difficulty winning on the road and still puts out questionable play calling. But it’s in a bowl game again and holds a winning record, with some really bright spots on the defense, offensive line and receiving group.
Alex Cirino: Absolutely. Even though Syracuse finished the season 1-5 after clinching a bowl game berth in Week 7, SU’s 2022 campaign surpassed its preseason expectations. It’s obvious that Robert Anae and Jason Beck’s transformation of the Orange’s offense had a major impact. This team was ranked because it was well-balanced, especially during its six-game winning streak. The way Syracuse’s undefeated stretch came to an end in Clemson after an 11-point first half lead and four forced turnovers was tough, and was certainly a “what could have been” moment. But Syracuse was competitive in the vast majority of its games this season. All the pieces came together and this Orange team got its fans excited.
Connor Smith: Yes. This was up for debate last year, when Syracuse had a bit of a transitional season, changing quarterbacks and offensive systems in a 5-7 finish. But the Orange lost their last three games and bowl eligibility. Players couldn’t agree on whether 2021 was a success. But this season is much different. SU had its first 6-0 start to a season in 35 years and should’ve beat Clemson on the road. Syracuse spent time in the national rankings, reaching as high as No. 14, and sold out the JMA Wireless Dome twice. None of that usually happens in central New York. The five-game losing streak was disappointing, but Garrett Shrader, Garrett Williams and Mikel Jones all missed time due to injuries. The fact of the matter is that, given where SU has been over the last 20 years (i.e. mediocre, sometimes plain awful), a 7-5 regular season is a success.
Eva Morris | Design Editor
2. What were the biggest reasons behind the five-game losing skid?
Alandt: Getting away from running the ball. Be it with Sean Tucker or LeQuint Allen, Syracuse’s offense is potent with an active ground game. When it doesn’t (like when Tucker had five carries against Clemson) it puts too much pressure on the passing game. Anae can implement as many pre snap motions and fun routes as possible, but if there’s zero threat with your All-American running back, then it’s an empty spectacle. Allen showed he’s really quick when he gets the ball. Wildcat plays with both Allen and Tucker in the backfield proved to be pretty successful against Boston College. It’s too bad Anae and Babers didn’t start using him until late in the season.
Cirino: Syracuse became too predictable. Heading into the season, the biggest question surrounding Shrader was whether or not he’d have a passing game, let alone the reliable targets to find. He found one in Oronde Gadsden II as well as Damien Alford and Devaughn Cooper at times. That improvement was one of the reasons he was statistically a top-10 quarterback in the country early on. Then ranked defenses started to focus on Shrader himself. It was obvious when the Orange would utilize Tucker or when Shrader would launch a deep ball. SU’s offensive line grew more inconsistent too. When Shrader wasn’t at 100% — especially during Syracuse’s scoring drought — very little could be accomplished, especially as the season got tougher.
Smith: Injuries have to be the primary one. Losing Shrader, Williams, Jones and a host of others was clearly detrimental to this team’s success. The fact that Syracuse also lost several other key contributors in Stefon Thompson, Chris Elmore and Terry Lockett early on in the season hurt big time. Perhaps SU beats Pitt if Shrader is playing at full strength. Perhaps the Orange beat Wake Forest if their defense is mostly healthy. There were some other minor factors, too, mainly poor special teams play, a struggling run defense and a weak stretch from Tucker. But if Syracuse had lost half the number of players it did to season-ending injuries, its year could have finished differently.
Eva Morris | Design Editor
3. What will it take for Syracuse to win its fifth bowl game since 2010?
Alandt: Stop committing costly penalties. There’s no reason Syracuse should still be stalling out long, competent offensive drives because of penalties. False starts and unsportsmanlike conduct calls almost lost the Orange an unprecedented sixth straight game. They also rank 117th in penalty yards. I don’t care who Syracuse draws or what bowl it gets into. If it continues to commit penalties at the rate it has all year, it’s not beating anyone.
Cirino: The Orange have momentum and the added bonus that they’ve found a way to get Tucker more involved. Syracuse is 20th in terms of fewest yards allowed per game and averages 2.5 sacks per game. Its opponent will likely match SU in terms of its offensive and defensive strengths. So I think the difference will be on special teams. How reliable can Andre Szmyt be in his final game in an Orange uniform? He’s missed six field goals this season — some of them not even close — kicking at a 66% completion rate, so trusting the 2018 Lou Groza Award winner may be key to a bowl game win.
Smith: It certainly depends on the opponent, but in any case, the Orange will need strong games out of their “triangle”: Shrader, Tucker and Gadsden. The offense showed some juice in its last two games, and that will need to continue in the bowl game. The injury-riddled defense will need to generate a turnover or two and play bend-but-don’t-break defense. The special teams unit will need to avoid the costly miscues it’s displayed in several games this season. SU will have a good shot at winning its eighth game, which will likely be against a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team, or one from the American Athletic Conference.
Eva Morris | Design Editor
4. How does Syracuse recreate this season’s early success next year?
Alandt: Syracuse has an easier start to the season next year than it did this year. Colgate, Western Michigan and Army are all below .500 this season. However, the Orange hit the road to face Florida State and North Carolina in back-to-back weeks, as well as heading to Purdue. The Orange will need a strong start from a defense that is likely without Jones, Williams or Marlowe Wax. It will also need Shrader to build early trust with a now-experienced group of receivers. Devaughn Cooper will be gone, but hopefully Trebor Pena can slide into that speedy slot role. It also needs to quickly figure out a starting five offensive line that’ll be without Carlos Vettorello and Matthew Bergeron.
Cirino: With the talent Syracuse could lose to the NFL Draft, the beginning of the 2023 season will be all about getting its young core to perform right out of training camp. That happened this season (to a lesser extent), but with a lot of roster turnover — especially on defense — 2023 will be the ultimate test for the Orange to see whether or not their development is heading in the right direction. Who will step up in Williams’ place? Who will be the new go-to center? The kicker? If Tucker happens to leave this offseason, has Allen proven himself as a consistent starter? Like this season, the early stages of 2023 will have its unknowns. But success will come from Syracuse’s new starters and leaders.
Stephanie Zaso | Design Editor
Smith: It starts by returning this season’s main pieces. Tucker, Jones, Williams, Wax and Bergeron could all leave early for the NFL Draft, which would leave the Orange with some gaping holes to fill. Shrader and Gadsden should return, and so should all three defensive line starters and most of the secondary. A majority of the injured players will return, including Thompson and Terry Lockett. The schedule will also be slightly easier, with a nonconference game against Army instead of Notre Dame, and the Orange playing Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, which were both underwhelming this year. If Shrader can stay healthy and build on his improved passing from this season, a few players return to school instead of going to the NFL and the Orange avoid major injuries, they should have a chance to seriously compete in the ACC next year.
