Syracuse’s special teams problems have pushed the Orange into an unusual spot, and the latest roster move shows just how seriously the team is treating the issue.
On Thursday, Syracuse added soccer player Quinn Olcott to the football roster, according to Mike McAllister of 24/7 Sports. Olcott has not recorded any stats for the soccer team this season, but he gives the Orange another body as they try to stabilize a position that has cost them plenty already.
That need is hard to ignore. Syracuse has missed the most field goals and extra points in the country, and the damage has shown up on the scoreboard.
The Orange likely could have beaten Cal in Week 2, and the same argument applies to the Louisville game in Week 6, when missed kicks again left points on the field. With more reliable kicking, Syracuse might already be bowl eligible and sitting in a much stronger spot in the ACC race.
For now, the Orange remain 3-4 entering Saturday afternoon’s home game against SMU. That record leaves room for two very different views of the season. The pessimistic one starts with the standings: Syracuse went 3-9 a year ago, has only one ACC win after going more than a calendar year without one, and faces a tough closing stretch that could leave the team under .500 and out of a bowl for the second straight season.
The optimistic view is built on the future. Syracuse is still developing young talent like Calvin Russell III, and it has had to deal with a shaky quarterback situation in which each of its top three signal callers has been injured at some point this season.
Even with those positives, the kicking issues have remained the loudest problem. Olcott is not expected to jump ahead of Shay Barker or Tripp Woody, but Woody has dealt with injury this season, and Olcott gives Syracuse some insurance if that situation gets worse.
The Orange will face No. 19 SMU at noon ET on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome. The Mustangs arrive after a 59-20 win over Cal, while Syracuse is coming off a 31-30 overtime victory against North Carolina last Saturday.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Got A Strong Fran Brown Message From Its New AD
Syracuses football leadership got a clear public vote of confidence this week when athletic director Bryan Blair talked about Fran Brown on ESPN Radio. Blair did not dance around the subject, stressing Browns value to the program and pushing back on the old-school idea that a new athletic director has to immediately bring in his guy to make his mark.
Blair also used the interview to touch on the broader changes happening inside the athletic department, while giving a look ahead at the Oranges upcoming football schedule. For a program trying to build momentum under Brown, the message from the top was less about change for changes sake and more about keeping the focus on what Syracuse already has in place. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Turns To An Unconventional Kicking Fix Before Its Next ACC Test
Syracuse is trying something a little out of the ordinary as it gets ready for its next ACC test, adding mens soccer midfielder Quinn Olcott as a kicker, according to coach Fran Brown. The move comes after missed field goals from current options Shay Barker and Tripp Woody, a reminder that the Orange are still searching for more certainty on special teams.
Olcott is not a finished product at the position, but Syracuse is willing to take a look after he showed some range in practice, including a 55-yard field goal. For a team trying to steady itself before another conference game, the bigger question now is whether an unconventional crossover can give the Orange a more dependable answer when they need one most. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Got A Clear Warning About SMUs Biggest Threat
SMUs recent form has given Syracuse a useful scouting report, and it starts with the same thing that has been hanging over the Mustangs all season: turnovers. In a Q&A with Underdog Dynastys Steve Helwick, the conversation centered on how SMU has navigated those mistakes, what quarterback Kevin Jennings brings to the offense, and how playmaker Yamir Knight fits into the picture as the Orange prepare for a tougher test.
For Syracuse, the bigger concern is how SMU wants to attack. The Mustangs have enough speed and skill talent to stress a defense if the ball is protected, and Helwick walked through the offensive ideas that could put pressure on the Orange on both the perimeter and in space. Health is part of the equation too, but the main thread is clear: Syracuse is getting a warning about the one area where SMU can still swing a game if it cleans things up. [Read more 🡒]