Syracuse Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths & question marks coming out of spring

The quarterback situation is much more settled headed into 2014. Terrel Hunt will almost certainly retain his starting spot and looks like he’s ready to build on a solid end to 2013.

The running back unit lost Jerome Smith but includes a bevy of guys ready to step up, including Prince Tyson-Gulley, Devante McFarlane and Adonis Ameen-Moore.

Defensively, the linebacking unit remains one of the strongest on the squad, with a mix of returning starters and quality young players.

If there are areas to be concerned with, it would start with the offensive line. The Orange are replacing a three-year starter at center and are dealing with multiple injuries that could affect the lineup.

Defensively, Jay Bromley leaves a huge hole on the defensive line and right now it’s a scramble to see who is going to step up to fill the gap. The secondary remains an ongoing question mark as well.

Name a few breakout players to keep an eye on in 2014

Keep an eye on both Brisly Estime and Ashton Broyld. The two speedsters defy specific positions and will instead be utilized across the board on offense. Expect to see them in the backfield, lined up as receivers, in the H-Back slot and generally trying to cause havoc elsewhere. If Hunt can get the ball in either of their hands, they can be dangerous.

We’re hearing very good things about Eric Crume and Ron Thompson on the defensive line. Crume has been waiting his turn for a while now and the 300+ pound lineman might just be due. Meanwhile, Thompson came to Syracuse as a four-star tight end prospect. Injuries and roster shifts moved him over to the DL where he’s expected to excel once he gets the position down.

And of course there’s also John Raymon. Raymon transferred from Iowa two years ago, missed most of last season with an injury and, if ready to go, could finally make good on a lot of potential.

Grade each position group

QB: B+ (Hunt leads a young, increasingly-impressive unit)

RB: B (Losing Smith hurts but the four-man field should be able to fill the void)

WR: C+ (A lot of young, unproven talent. Could be great, could be mediocre)

TE: B (Josh Parris should be the next great SU tight end)

OL: B- (Talent is there, question marks about experience and injuries)

DL: B- (Same as the OL. Could be a breakout unit, or could get broken up)

LB: B+ (The most consistent unit on the squad)

DB: C (Lots of uncertainly, injuries an issue here as well)

ST: B (Punter Riley Dixon is solid, speed on kick returns will be best in years)

What can we expect from Syracuse in 2014?

SU fans joke that, no matter what happened in the previous season, everyone always picks us to go 4-8 the following year. So far, that’s exactly what we’ve seen from a lot of pundits.

However, Syracuse is coming off a 7-6 season that ended with two emotional victories. It returns Terrel Hunt at quarterback and an offense full of weapons. Head coach Scott Shafer and offensive coordinator George McDonald have a season under their belts and both improved over time. The schedule includes some beasts (FSU, Clemson) but also a lot of winnable games.

Looking down the schedule, I see the Orange right now as a 7-5/8-4 squad headed to their third-consecutive bowl game and fourth in five years. But, of course, we’ll see how that plays out.

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Sean Keeley of Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician provided the information for our Syracuse Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up. For more Syracuse  football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Sean on Twitter @NunesMagician.

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