Another Syracuse loss brought this team to 1-6 on Saturday. It hasn’t been the football season fans have wanted, here are the biggest takeaways from another abysmal performance:
The Rex Culpepper Experiment is Over
Fans begged for Rex Culpepper to be replaced all game, his final line against the Demon Deacons wasn’t impressive, 15/27 passing for just 85 yards, a touchdown, and two picks, one of which was returned for six. By the second half, it was clear Dino Babers should’ve given an opportunity to one of his young guns. True Freshman JaCobian Morgann eventually got his chance to show off his skills late in the fourth quarter, and show off he did. The 6’4” 203 lbs right-hander drove down the field and scored with ease. On his only drive of the game, he was 7/7 for 57 yards and a touchdown, which he threw to Luke Benson, a tight end! A target both Tommy DeVito and Rex Culpepper fully neglected in their time on the field. So after that, it seems fairly cut and dry that Morgan should be given a chance to be this team’s QB right? Not in Babers’ eyes. After the game, Dino was asked about the young QB’s performance, he said, “I wouldn’t put too much stock on that.” Absolutely crushing to hear fo SU fans, as it most likely means Culpepper will be back out there Saturday to lead to the charge against BC.
This Team has Two Solid Running Backs
Sean Tucker was out against Wake Forest due to an injury he sustained down in Clemson. In his absence, another running back rose. It wasn’t Jawhar Jordan nor Markenzy Pierre, it was Cooper Lutz, a redshirt sophomore out of Pennsylvania. Lutz was featured on most snaps and was extremely productive. Number 24 got the ball 15 times on the ground and took it 81 yards for an average of 5.4. He also was a threat in the aerial attack, Lutz caught four passes for 25 yards. This adds a lot to an offense that still hasn’t found its identity. Without Tommy DeVito or an extremely talented receiving corps, the pass option really isn’t there, so it’s important that Syracuse is able to rely on the ground game, with two good running backs, that’s possible. When both healthy Tucker and Lutz could create and a great tandem, and possibly win a few games for the ‘Cuse.
The Future is Potentially Bright
This team has a future. The players aren’t at the point in which they can compete well within the ACC right now, but they can be in a few years. The young guns in the secondary like Garrett Williams, Rob Hanna, and Ja’Had Carter have shown flashes of greatness, and both Sean Tucker and now Cooper Lutz have shown they can hold their own and be effective against solid ACC opponents. This team is a couple years and a few pieces away from being a really solid squad. If one of these young QBs can turn into the face of this program the Orange will have a real shot going forward, do not give up on this program.
