Syracuse’s decision to stay mostly internal on the offensive line is looking shakier by the week, and Saturday’s 34-26 loss to Louisville put the problem back in plain view.
The Orange went into the offseason knowing the front needed help. Fran Brown and general manager Thomas Caporale chose continuity instead, keeping most of the group intact and bringing in Juan Castillo to coach it.
That plan might still pay off eventually, but the short-term results have been rough. Against Louisville, Syracuse’s protection broke down again, and the run game never found a rhythm.
Malachi Nelson was pressured on 31.8% of his drop backs, according to Pro Football Focus. He took pressure 15 times and was sacked five times. Four of those sacks were charged to the tackle pair of Trevion Mack and Kam Pringle, who combined to allow seven pressures overall.
The ground game didn’t fare much better. Mack earned a strong run-blocking grade of 83.6 from PFF, but he also committed a holding penalty on Syracuse’s penultimate possession, a play that helped stall the drive and lead to a turnover on downs.
Beyond Mack, no offensive lineman who played at least 20 snaps posted a run-blocking grade above 60. Center Joe Cruz and right guard Jayden Mann both finished below 50.
The numbers tell the broader story. Syracuse owns the ACC’s worst run-blocking grade this season at 48.2, a mark that ranks 132nd out of 138 teams nationally.
Among Power Four programs, only Purdue is worse. The Orange’s pass-blocking grade of 55.9 ranks 15th in the ACC and 114th nationally.
Brown still sees a group that is moving in the right direction.
“It’s just a few things that we have to continue to fix up, continue to clean,” Brown said after Saturday’s loss. “I think that we’ll be right where we’re supposed to be. ...
You see the talent. The players got a lot bigger.
The offensive line got a lot better.”
He pointed to Syracuse’s three one-possession losses among its four defeats as proof that the team is closer than its 2-4 record suggests. Brown also said the Orange’s sophomore class gives the program a bright future.
That young group includes Skylar Harvey, Matthew Hawn, Kahlil Stewart, Jayden Mann and Byron Washington on the offensive line, but 2026 has not been kind to them. Hawn has the best grade among that group at 61.1, and that came in just 28 offensive snaps.
None of the others are in the 60s, and Washington has the lowest mark at 49.9. Together, those five have allowed 12 sacks this season.
If Syracuse turns to the transfer portal again, the evaluation work has to improve. This year’s additions included Pringle, tackles David Ndukwe and Naquil Betrand, and guards Oluwafunto Akinshilo and Zach Rice.
Betrand barely sees the field. Rice and Ndukwe do not play.
Pringle has allowed 23 pressures, the fourth-most in the FBS. Akinshilo has been the best of the group, starting every game at left guard and posting a passing grade of 71.8.
The line’s issues are especially costly because Syracuse’s quarterback room is already battered. Its top three quarterbacks are injured, and three of the remaining four have never started an FBS game. If the Orange are going to pull out of this stretch - they’ve now lost 12 straight games against Power Four opponents - it has to start up front.
Saturday’s loss also added to a mixed day for several other players. Davien Kerr came away with two interceptions and a sack, which looked good in the box score, but Lincoln Keinholz and the Cardinals attacked him in coverage.
He gave up 125 yards on four catches. Kerr has seven interceptions in his Syracuse career, but the coverage lapses keep showing up.
Nelson’s performance remains another major concern. The former five-star recruit now has 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions after Saturday.
He also had three second-half turnovers that held Syracuse to three points. With Steve Angeli and Amari Odom possibly unavailable the rest of the season, Nelson may have to take another turn as a starter, and he’ll need to make better decisions if that chance comes.
The transfer portal has not solved much elsewhere, either. Wide receivers Cole Weaver, Zamondre Merriweather and Elijah Moore have not made an impact.
Merriweather has been plagued by penalties and drops, and Moore has been moved to safety. On defense, Keyshawn Johnson had 2.5 sacks against FCS New Hampshire in the opener and only 2.5 more over the next four games.
Tunmise Adeleye has three sacks. Nazir Ward has been average, Jai Eugene Jr. owns an overall defensive grade of 49, and Dillan Fontus received a 39.8 grade against Louisville.
Here are the final grades and snap counts from Saturday’s loss for Syracuse players who logged at least 20 snaps.
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