After last season’s historic 6-0 start, everything fell apart for Dino Babers. The Orange lost six of their final seven games and had a chance to be the third FBS team ever to lose their first six after starting 6-0. There were many reasons why things got so bad and it can be hard to not focus on it, but you can’t forget about the start.
So let’s focus on all of the positives. What if everything goes right for the Orange this year? What does that look like and what has to happen?
Garrett Shrader Takes a Massive Leap Forward
It all starts with the QB1 because that’s just how football works. Each of the top four teams in the ACC preseason poll have top-caliber quarterbacks. If Syracuse goes on a run, Garrett Shrader has to look like one of the best QBs in the country. Shrader would have to finish with at least three thousand passing yards, 20 touchdowns and less than five interceptions. On top of that, he’d need at least 600 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Those numbers may seem crazy but that’s the progression that Shrader would need to show.
Rush Defense Has to be a Lot Better
Last year, the rush defense was one of the biggest reasons for Syracuse’s struggles. The Orange had the 68th-ranked rush defense in the country. A rank that is inflated by the good bowl game where SU gave up less than 100 yards on the ground. The Orange have to have a top 40 rush defense in the country to have a chance at long-term success.
On top of all of this, Syracuse needs to be just as good if not better in every other part of the game. The special teams need to show up. The pass defense needs to be good and Lequint Allen has to show he has what it takes to be a legit RB in the ACC.
If all of this happens, and Syracuse wins the games they should and pulls off a few upsets, then the ceiling can be really high. There’s a chance the Orange could finish near nine or ten wins. But all of this needs to go their way.
