Syracuse, N.Y. -- For Syracuse football's offense to live up to its potential, the rushing attack must build on what started to occur in the middle of last season.
For a five-week stretch starting with an early October victory against Pittsburgh in the Carrier Dome, quarterback Eric Dungey didn't have to be the primary guy to move the ball on the ground.
Running back Dontae Strickland went for 80 yards on 25 carries that day. It wasn't a performance filled with long runs but rather a consistent pounding that helped melt the game away. By the end of the day, he racked up more than 100 yards from scrimmage, the first of three such performances in a five-game span (and he racked up 98 yards from scrimmage against Clemson in that same span).