Syracuse opens its season Saturday against New Hampshire, and before the Orange and Wildcats kick things off, Roger Brown of the New Hampshire Football Report offered a useful snapshot of what Syracuse should expect.
One of the biggest changes in Durham starts with new head coach Sean Goldrich. Brown said Goldrich has brought “the new school attitude, New Hampshire is very blue collar,” and described a coach trying to blend old and new ideas.
Goldrich said in his first press conference that he wanted to be “a mix of a new and old school coach,” and Brown pointed to visible changes around the program, including the coaches office and training center. On the field, New Hampshire showed an up-tempo offense in its first game, and Brown said more wrinkles should come as the season develops.
He also noted that Goldrich appears more open to the portal and has added players from higher-level programs such as James Madison, Syracuse and Temple.
Goldrich is taking over for Rick Santos, who moved on to take the head job at the University of Penn this year. Brown also pointed out that Goldrich and Santos both played under Sean McDonell, who coached the Wildcats for 23 seasons.
New Hampshire’s Week 1 performance left Brown with a mixed reaction, but one number stood out immediately: 374 rushing yards. That was especially surprising, he said, because UAlbany is a team that does not throw the ball much and was built to run.
The Great Danes used two quarterbacks, including one who was essentially a running quarterback, and Brown said they were only likely to pass if they fell behind. Even with that game plan on display, New Hampshire still gave up too much on the ground.
He was also surprised by the Wildcats’ offensive line. Brown said that group included players who were starters last year or already in the program, yet they still allowed four sacks. He added that Syracuse probably is not the best opponent to face in week two, and expects New Hampshire to improve, even if that doesn’t show up right away on the scoreboard.
Asked where the biggest improvement could come in Week 2, Brown pointed to the run game on both sides. He said New Hampshire needs to do a better job stopping the run, avoid giving up big plays and tackle more cleanly.
He also said running the ball has been a problem for the Wildcats over the years, so any production there would matter. Penalties are another issue, after New Hampshire was flagged 11 times for more than 97 yards last week.
For Syracuse fans looking for names to know, Brown highlighted linebacker Trevor Berry and receiver Ja’Carree Kelly. Berry was one of the Wildcats’ best defenders as a freshman, finishing with 78 total tackles and 42 solo tackles.
He followed that up last week with 13 tackles and a tackle for loss against UAlbany. Kelly, a transfer from Delaware, is expected to be one of New Hampshire’s main targets after the receiver room was hit hard in the portal.
Against the Great Danes, Kelly caught six passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Brown also mentioned that New Hampshire has a history of beating FBS opponents. From 2004 to 2009, the Wildcats beat Army, Ball State, Marshall, Northwestern and Rutgers. He said it is unlikely to happen this time, but still a fun detail to keep in mind.
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