Syracuse Orange: ACC Atlantic preview
Everything went wrong for Syracuse last year: too many TOs, too few downfield plays, and just 265 yards and 18 points per game. The OL allowed 3.5 sacks and 7.5 TLFs per game, among the most in all of college football. Their defense was poor against the run and they lost too many pieces of their secondary.
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2021-2022 ACC Atlantic preview: Syracuse Orange
Syracuse's strength: The run game's lead rusher, Sean Tucker, had 626 rushing yards and four TDs last year. They have a solid group returning from opt-outs: Abdul Adams and Jarveon Howard. The backfield was able to find success regardless of the mediocre OL.
Syracuse's weakness: The OL, of course. QB Tommy DeVito got thrown around from a lack of protection and it hurt the offense's stats in the process: 38 sacks in 11 games. He didn't have time to throw in the pocket and find his open targets. It'll be another tough year for Syracuse and a painful one for DeVito.
Syracuse Orange Key Players: Offense
WR Taj Harris - Harris is one of the few highlights on the offense. He averaged close to 14 yards per catch last year. Over the past three years, he has 135 catches for 1,857 yards and ten TDs.
He's a talented WR1 who had 130+ yards against Duke and NC State. The offense needs to target him more as he has proven he can handle the workload.
QB Garrett Shrader - The former Miss State QB isn't predicted to win the starting job but is a dual-threat backup who can give DeVito breaks. He also has experience starting in the high-powered SEC.
Syracuse Orange Key Players: Defense
LB: Mikel Jones - Jones lost 12 pounds in the offseason to get down to 218. He led the lead with 68 tackles and four INTs. He'll see more time lining up as an edge rusher.
S: Ja'Had Carter - He was the second tackle leader on the team and takes over as a starter. Carter still has great upside as a young prospect.
2021-2022 Syracuse Orange ACC schedule
Week 1: Saturday, September 4, at Ohio
Week 2: Saturday, September 11, vs Rutgers
Week 3: Saturday, September 18, vs Albany
Week 4: Friday, September 24, vs Liberty
Week 5: Saturday, October 2, as Florida State
Week 6: Saturday, October 9, vs Wake Forest
Week 7: Friday, October 15, vs Clemson
Week 8: Saturday, October 23, at Virginia Tech
Week 9: Saturday, October 30, vs Boston College
Week 10: Saturday, November 13, at Louisville
Week 11: Saturday, November 20, at NC State
Week 12: Saturday, November 27, vs Pittsburgh
2021-2022 Syracuse Orange ACC prediction (5-7, 2-6 ACC)
They improved from at least one win last year. They'll start 2-0, fall to Albany, get back at Liberty, and then have a stretch of four losses. It's better than a single win in a season.
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