Syracuse’s first depth chart of the season brought a few early wrinkles, and the biggest one came at running back.
Fran Brown said in his press conference that Ju’Juan Johnson is likely to be held out this weekend against New Hampshire, even though he has been cleared to play. Ahmad Miller is expected to go, but he is also dealing with some sort of injury. That leaves Tylik Hill or Matthew Ouetten in line to handle the starting job on Saturday.
Hill has picked up strong reviews throughout camp, while Syracuse has also made it clear that Ouetten needs touches at wide receiver, running back and returner. It’s a spot worth watching, but not one that calls for alarm, especially with New Hampshire coming off a game in which it allowed more than 7 yards per carry to UAlbany.
The injury-related absences didn’t stop there. Tyshawn Russell is not listed at slot receiver, with Darius Johnson and Darien Williams taking those spots instead.
Justus Ross-Simmons is also missing from the depth chart. He is eligible to play, so the question now is whether he has done enough to get on the field.
There’s also a little intrigue up front. Matthew Hawn shows up at two backup spots on the offensive line, and Brown has been pointing to him for the last year. If Syracuse’s line needs a shakeup, Hawn could be one of the names that gets pulled into the mix.
Defensively, the chart points toward Vince Kehres using the 4-2-5 look. Nissi Ogbebor has worked his way into a starting role on the defensive line, while Gary Bryant is not listed among the linebackers this week. Antoine Deslauriers and Chris D’Appolonia are set to handle those two back spots.
One more secondary note stands out: Nazir Ward is in the mix to start at corner or nickel. He could end up being an important piece for Syracuse this season, and he should see plenty of snaps, especially against teams that lean on four-receiver sets.
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Syracuse Lost A Champion Whose Legacy Reaches Far Beyond Football
Gerhard H. Schwedes, the Syracuse University football standout who helped steer the program to its only national championship, died Aug. 23 at his home in Fayetteville, New York. A 1959 captain and All-American, Schwedes was central to an undefeated Orange season that ended with a Cotton Bowl victory, a standard the program still measures itself against all these years later.
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The bigger immediate questions are on the depth chart. Transfer running back JuJuan Johnson is expected to sit out the opener as a precaution, and the backup quarterback spot remains unsettled with Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson still competing for the job. Browns comments suggested the Orange are close to final answers, but not quite there yet, which leaves a few important details unresolved as Syracuse gets ready for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Gerry McNamara Enters Syracuse With A Tougher ACC Bar To Clear
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The ACC, in particular, has begun to raise the bar for newcomers, with recent first-year coaches turning in stronger seasons than the broad national average. That matters for McNamara because Syracuse is not just asking for a reset, it is asking for immediate competitiveness in a league where the early returns on first-year hires have improved and the margin for a quiet transition has narrowed. [Read more 🡒]