The Syracuse football landscape has proven to be a wild one after the conclusion of the regular season. The Orange have lost two wide receivers and starting defensive backs to the portal, but in return, have gained two four star DBs. Even without a defensive coordinator in place (until yesterday), SU has brought it good talent from other programs, with the promise of immediate playing time and a potential NFL future.
So why doesn’t Syracuse basketball do the same?
Let’s be honest: the Orange are struggling with teams in non-conference play that shouldn’t be a problem. If anyone told you the 2012 edition of Jim Boeheim’s squad was struggling with Monmouth, your eyes would pop out of your head. However, this year’s crew is young, without a real identity, and weak points from the starting five to the end of the bench. And we all know what Boeheim will say when asked about this. “We’re a young team, we need to get better, these guys aren’t ready.”
Well, why not go to a place where the players are older, seasoned and battle-tested? Why wait for two years to play a center when you can get one with two years of college muscle and game-planning? A point guard who can shoot? To fill needs for one or two years while the younger guys develop?
The transfer portal is the place to answer all these questions. There are gambles with getting guys from the portal, in that there’s a limited amount of time to teach them the scheme, and for them to get acclimated with the other players. But there’s also a ton of data already out there on these players. They’re proven talents. Look at Cole Swider. Look at Mounir Hima. Coach Boeheim doesn’t take transfers often, but both of those players have made major contributions to the ‘Cuse in the past two years.
The Orange are 0fer right now in the class of 2023. There’s not a whole lot of momentum going for Syracuse as it stands. The portal can breathe new life into this program.
