Heading into Saturday’s matchup with SMU, Syracuse’s offense has a clear mission: keep the ball moving the way it has all season, and do it with the same steady control that has made this unit tick.
The Orange are 5th in the ACC in total offense against FBS opponents at 440 yards per game (#Brand!). That number trails only Miami, Louisville, SMU and Wake Forest, and Syracuse has gotten there more through ball control than through fireworks. The Orange rank 2nd in the ACC in time of possession, and over the last few weeks they’ve leaned hard into a run-heavy approach to dictate the pace.
A few adjustments up front have helped make that possible. Against UNC, Syracuse shuffled the offensive line by moving Joe Cruz from center to guard, with Khalil Stewart stepping in at center. Jayden Mann replaced Byron Washington at the other guard spot, and Skylar Harvey played far more than starter Kam Pringle, out-snapping him 64 to 25 in Chapel Hill.
The run game responded. By PFF grades, Harvey posted a 68.2 in run blocking, Mann a 67.4, Cruz a 66.5 and Stewart a 63.4.
None of those numbers jumps off the page on its own, but across the season only Trevion Mack has graded above 62 with a 65.9. In other words, this was a step forward for a group that needed one.
Pass protection was less clean, though there were bright spots there too. Mack put up an 89.3 pass-blocking grade against UNC, while Mann checked in at 82.7 and Stewart at 80.9. Whether that group can build on that with more time together this week is one of the key things to watch.
The ground game has also gotten a boost from Ahmad Miller, who was limited early in the year but has now taken over as the lead back. He has forced a team-high 24 missed tackles, and while fans may not love the number of inside runs Jeff Nixon calls, Miller’s knack for grinding out tough yards can pull safeties closer to the box and open up more one-on-one chances outside.
Tylik Hill’s workload has dipped over the last two weeks, but if he can get back to 100%, he adds patience and the ability to bounce runs to the edge. Along with Ju’Juan Johnson in a third-down role, Hill and Miller could give Syracuse a useful backfield trio. Against UNC, that group produced 137 yards after contact, and now it gets a tougher assignment: a SMU defense that has held opponents below 4 yards per carry.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Added A Center Who Could Change Its Identity Inside
Syracuse bolstered its frontcourt with the addition of Luke Wilson, a 6-foot-9 transfer from Appalachian State who went through a crowded portal market before settling on the Orange. Wilson had multiple Power Five options on the table, but Syracuses coaching staff proved to be the draw, especially the chance to develop under big man coach Arinze Onuaku.
For a roster looking to define its interior identity, Wilson arrives with a skill set that stands out immediately. He is expected to compete for the starting center job, and his defensive profile is already established after leading the Sun Belt in blocks last season. If that edge carries over, Syracuse may have found a player who changes the way opponents attack the paint. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Gets A Real ACC Test With Momentum Finally Back
Syracuse finally snapped its conference skid with an overtime win, a result that gave the Orange a much-needed lift after a rough stretch in ACC play. Steve Angeli helped lead the way, and now the challenge shifts quickly from relief to reality, with a red-hot SMU team coming to town and the conference race tightening around both sides.
Kevin Jennings has been the centerpiece of SMUs climb, piling up the kind of production that has made him the most prolific passer in Mustangs history and helped position his team near the top of the ACC standings. SMU is tied for second and chasing a fifth straight win, which makes this a far sturdier measuring stick for Syracuse than the one it just passed, with the Orange trying to prove last week was a turning point rather than a one-off. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Found Unexpected Difference Makers In Its Breakthrough ACC Win
Syracuses first ACC win of the season came with a few unexpected names stepping into the spotlight in the 31-30 overtime victory at North Carolina. The Orange finally snapped a conference losing streak that had stretched more than a year, and the performance felt less like a one-off upset than a reminder that help can emerge from all over a roster when a game turns tight late.
Among the players who drew strong PFF grades were freshman offensive lineman Jayden Mann, junior running back Ahmad Miller, true freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell III and junior linebacker Zyian Moultrie-Goddard. Their work fed a balanced offensive effort and gave Syracuse enough defensive resistance to survive a one-point thriller, leaving the bigger question now whether these breakout contributions can become part of something more lasting as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]