Syracuse’s rough start has obscured one of the few bright spots on offense: Tylik Hill is turning into the Orange’s clear No. 1 back.
The sophomore has made the most of a bigger opportunity. Injuries in camp opened the door for more carries against New Hampshire, and even after getting banged up himself, Hill has held onto the lead job. Through four games, he’s piled up 69 carries for 405 yards and one touchdown.
That production puts him in rare ACC company. Hill is one of only two league running backs averaging more than 100 yards per game at 101, and the only one close to Louisville’s Isaac Brown, who is sitting at 148.6 yards per game. He’s also been Syracuse’s most dangerous runner when it comes to chunk plays, with 12 carries of more than 10 yards.
The Orange felt his absence against California and Pitt. Hill has been the team’s steadiest back, showing patience, setting up blocks and working the interior with a calmness the offense has leaned on. In last week’s game, he was on the field for just 24 snaps, but Syracuse handed him the ball on 23 of them, and he turned that workload into 118 yards.
There is one catch, though. The injury he picked up against Cal has limited his breakaway ability.
Over the last two games, he’s had two chances to finish long runs with touchdowns and had to give himself up instead. Against Virginia, Syracuse couldn’t turn one of those long runs into points early in the second half.
So the challenge now is pretty clear: Syracuse needs Hill’s production without wearing him down. Getting more help from the other backs would ease the strain, but what Hill has already done has put him alongside some impressive company.
And with the quarterback situation where it is, the Orange are likely to lean back into the run game again Saturday night. The question is whether Hill can keep Syracuse in control of the ball - and keep Brown on the sideline.
In Other News...
Gerry McNamara Just Framed Syracuses Rebuild Around One New Reality
Gerry McNamara spent part of a recent public meet-and-greet at Destiny USA doing more than signing autographs. The Syracuse mens basketball coach used the appearance to underline how much the programs rebuild now depends on community partnerships, player development and the kind of off-court support that has become a bigger part of roster building across the sport.
McNamara also made clear that his job no longer stops at coaching the team on the floor. With general manager Greg Fahey, he is involved in both roster management and the business side of the operation, including NIL opportunities for players such as Sadiq White Jr. He also pointed to the grind of getting players ready for pro basketball, stressing the need for accountability and execution as Syracuse tries to set a new standard under a changing model. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Enters Crucial Louisville Test With Its Offense Still Unsettled
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Louisville brings the kind of pressure test Syracuse does not need right now, with an offense that can score and a defense that has been vulnerable enough to keep the Orange interested. The challenge, though, is on the edge, where Clev Lubin can disrupt the pocket and make life difficult for a passing game that still appears unsettled. For Syracuse, the stakes are simple enough: find enough stability to stay competitive, and do it before the latest conference skid gets longer. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuses New Transfer Guard Already Puts The Early Rotation In Question
Aiden Tobiasons first impression in a Syracuse uniform was cut short Tuesday night, and now the Orange have a little more uncertainty in the backcourt as the regular season approaches. Gerry McNamara said the Temple transfer left the exhibition game early with a right leg injury that appears to be a hamstring issue, and the guard is expected to sit out the next exhibition against Siena while he recovers.
The timing matters because Tobiason arrived with starter-level experience and looked like someone who could factor into the early rotation right away. Syracuse is giving him one to two weeks to get back on track, with the focus on having him available for the Nov. 2 season opener against New Haven, but any missed time now only tightens the pressure on the Orange to sort out their guard minutes before games start counting. [Read more 🡒]