Last week we covered the Syracuse defense, and it’s time to take a look at the Orange offense in 2013. This unit that was orchestrated by Doug Marrone and Nathanial Hackett last season is now under the control of new offensive coordinator George McDonald, who could add a few new wrinkles to the offense we saw on the field last season.
The strength of the offense is undoubtedly at running back, as Syracuse will return a dynamic duo at running back in Jerome Smith, who rushed for 1,171 yards last season, and Prince-Tyson Gulley, who rushed for 830 yards last season; both averaged more than five yards per carry. Being added to the mix are redshirt freshmen George Morris and Devante McFarlane. The Orange could easily get by using only Smith and Gulley, but Morris and McFarlane are good enough so that McDonald will go out of his way to get them carries. Morris especially is a player to keep an eye on, after impressing coaches and teammates throughout spring practice and preseason camp. Syracuse could also find a way to utilize Adonis Ameen-Moore, who scored five touchdowns in their “tank” package last season, but moved to fullback during the spring. With so much talent and depth in their backfield, Syracuse’s offense this season should revolve around its rushing attack, which has a chance to be on of the best in the ACC.
For as many answers Syracuse has in their backfield, they have as many, if not more, questions at the wide receiver position, where the departure of seniors Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon have left them with 136 catches and nearly 2,000 yards of productivity to replace. Syracuse knows it has a steady and dependable target in Jarrod West, but the rest of the group is largely a mystery. The Orange are hopeful that Jeremiah Kobena and Chris Clark, who both have some experience, can use their speed to become deep threats and stretch the field against opposing defenses, but the two combined for just 17 catches last season, and they’ll have to do a lot better than that. Despite having no receptions in his career, senior Adrian Flemming is penciled in as a starter along with West, while there is serious competition among a variety of other candidates for playing time behind them. There is a fair amount of talent at wide receiver for Syracuse, but so little experience that it’s a position of great uncertainty heading into 2013, even after weeks of training camp.
Syracuse does have a steady and reliable pass catcher at tight end with senior Beckett Wales, but they have only freshmen behind him providing depth, which means the Orange will rely on Wales heavily throughout the season. Two wild cards in the Syracuse offense this season are sophomore Ashton Broyld and true freshman Brisly Estime, who are listed at the H-Back position on the depth chart. Broyld is a freakish athlete that could be used in a variety of ways that Syracuse needs to make a concerted effort to get the ball to. As for Estime, he is small but fast, and the coaching staff could look to get him a couple touches a game to see if he can make a difference with his speed.
A big part of Syracuse’s success on offense last season was due to their offensive line, which has to replace two starters, including first round draft pick Justin Pugh. Pugh and Zach Chibane anchored the left side of the line last season, and now guard Rob Trudo and tackle Sean Hickey are moving from the right side of the line to the left side of the line, where, along with center Macky MacPherson, they will be the strength of the Orange’s offensive line. Hickey is projected as a possible second or third round draft pick next year, but he has to fill the shoes of Pugh, who made a profound impact for Syracuse last season in both the passing game and the running game. The right side of the line is penciled in as Nick Robinson at guard and Ivan Foy at tackle, both of whom are low on experience and have a lot to prove. The unit as a whole will be one of the lightest in the ACC, and while there is reason to feel good about their ability to run block, there is less certainty about their pass blocking abilities, especially against the bigger and more physical defensive fronts they’ll be facing this season in the ACC.
Finally, there is the quarterback position, which has been the primary focus of the Orange ever since Ryan Nassib took his final kneel down against West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl last December. With less than a week to go before the season opener against Penn State, head coach Scott Shafer is yet to announce whether it’ll be sophomore Terrell Hunt or senior and Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen starting at quarterback for the Orange. Hunt is more athletic and more familiar with his receivers and the playbook after standing out during spring practice, while Allen has the better arm and is a more prototypical pocket passer. The competition during training camp has been tight, and at this point there may be no wrong choice. There’s also the possibility that Syracuse will use both throughout the season. In any event, it’s tough to know to expect out of either candidate, as Hunt has taken no snaps in a college game, while Allen has 30 career pass attempts.
As a whole, it’s tough to know what to expect from the Syracuse offense heading into the 2013 season. Not only is the quarterback position unsettled, but Syracuse also has a new offensive coordinator, who has never held that position before. The one thing we know is that they should be able to run the ball, and there is no shortage of backs capable of moving the ball on the ground. Outside of that, the Syracuse offense is largely a mystery that could go in any number of directions in 2013.
Bryan Zarpentine covers Syracuse Orange football and basketball for ChatSports.com. You can follow him on twitter @BZarp and @ChatSyracuse. Also, add him to your network on Google, and keep up with Syracuse at ChatSports.com/Syracuse-Orange.
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