The Orange open up the Dino Babers era with a manageable schedule and a sneaky amount of talent returning from last season’s 4-8 squad. Can they improve the record in year one of a major rebuild, or will it take time to get the “Loud House” rocking again?
The Coach
Dino Babers brings his high-powered offense to a program that sorely needs an infusion of scoring. Last season, Bowling Green finished fifth in the nation in passing offense with 366.8 yards per game under the guidance of Babers and his Baylor-styled attack.
Factor in the ground game and the Falcons had the fourth best total offense in the land a year ago (546.8 YPG). Naturally, many will be skeptical of those kinds of numbers because they were racked up against primarily MAC conference foes. However, for the 2015 season-opener the Falcons headed to Knoxville and gave No. 25 Tennessee fits putting up 557 total yards and 24 first downs. The Volunteers led just 35-27 in the third quarter before pulling away late for a comfortable win.
Babers has installed quite possibly the most wide-open passing scheme in Orange history, but do they have the horses to make it go right now?
The Offense
#Cuse avg 9.28 yards/dropback (passes, sacks, scrambles) on 1st down last year — 7th-best in P5, same rate as Cal (& No. 1 pick Jared Goff).
— ?????? (@ADavidHaleJoint) August 15, 2016
There is some talent on offense starting with the ever-important quarterback slot. Sophomore Eric Dungey returns after a promising first season was cut short after a series of nasty hits. He played in eight games and completed 59.7% of his passes for 1,298 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Dungey also ran for 351 yards and five scores.
Zack Mahoney returns for his junior season after playing in eight games and starting four last year. He went from fifth-string to starter after a series of injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. Mahoney threw for 535 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions with 151 yards and two scores on the ground.
Depth at quarterback pairs well with some intriguing receivers led by Steve Ishmael. The Miami-native led the Orange last year with 39 receptions for 570 yards and seven touchdowns. The seven scores were tied for fifth in the ACC and those numbers should go up, especially if Eric Dungey stays healthy.
21 days until kickoff! Chauncey Scissum ranked fourth on the team with 43 tackles in 2015. #OrangeIsTheNewFast pic.twitter.com/j1F6EV7uc9
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) August 12, 2016
Running back is a bigger question mark after redshirt senior George Morris had ankle surgery and will be out for an undetermined period of time. That means that the bulk of the load will fall to sophomores Dontae Strickland and Jordan Fredericks.
The goal is to improve on last season when the Orange finished 77th nationally in scoring offense. Dungey has plenty of skill and the potential is there for a vast improvement.
The Defense
Redshirt sophomore Chris Slayton will be the anchor of the defensive line. He played inside at tackle last season, but he spent time working out at defensive end as well this offseason. At 6’4″, 296 pounds he has the size to create match up issues wherever he lines up. His performance will be a key to the success of the defense’s switch to the Tampa 2 scheme.
Dino Babers installed the zone-heavy defense that puts a premium on linemen attacking the quarterback. Recent defenses generated pressure with aggressive blitz packages so it’s quite a shift. Linebackers will also be dropping into coverage rather than rushing the quarterback. It mostly comes down to the line and creating pressure though. Without it, a good quarterback can sit back and wait for holes in the zone to pick apart.
Inexperience on the outside of the line is a major concern, which is why Slayton may see time at end as well as tackle. In the spring scrimmage the Orange started two freshman defensive ends in Jake Pickard and Kenneth Ruff. True freshmen Kendall Coleman has gotten some first team reps this summer and really, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the lineup will shake out. We’ll likely see many combinations this season unless one group takes hold.
The Schedule
Being in the Coastal division means that Syracuse always draws the tough conference match ups. Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville are all on the docket as well as Coastal division foes Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh. The Orange will take on UConn, South Florida, and Notre Dame in non-conference. All three of those teams made a bowl game last season. The only gimme this year is the opener against Colgate September 2 in the Carrier Dome.
The Outlook
The Orange probably won’t vastly improve on the record from last season, but expect the offense to show flashes of what Dino Babers wants down the line. The defense has some bigger question marks and the growing pains will likely be more evident. The aim is for the short term sacrifice to pay off down the line. The Orange may not be an easy out, especially at home. Expect them to give at least one team that should beat them — maybe NC State or Virginia Tech — all they can handle in the Dome.