You know, sometimes you’re just scrolling Twitter (or X, whichever you prefer) and a post will catch your eye that you would never think about. Well, this tweet from College Football Report about returning roster players for college football programs really had me thinking, how important is strength in returning numbers?
As you can see, the ‘Cuse has 13 returning roster players for the 2024 campaign excluding special teams, which ranks 19th in the country and 5th in the ACC. It may not seem like a big deal, but keeping a core of players together has a large impact on the chemistry of a unit.
Syracuse finds itself in a unique position for 2024 when it comes to returning players. Those who were a part of the Dino Babers regime are coming back to a team completely flipped upside down, with new coaches and some strong new roster players to complement them. The biggest of the bunch of course is Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord. As a matter of fact, the arrival of McCord was the only reason standout tight end Oronde Gadsden II returned to the program, according to Coach Brown at this week’s ACC Media Day.
But a tight-knit group of strong leaders such as Gadsden and Marlowe Wax could pay dividends in a season where the Orange have so much hype. There might be moments throughout the fall where a first-time head coach in Brown could be overwhelmed by a moment, most likely where most rookie coaches struggle, clock management. Having veterans in the program who know how to play in a packed JMA Wireless Dome to take over in big moments is something you should look for when crafting a squad destined for success.
So it’ll be interesting to see what goes down when the leaders mix with the youth of Syracuse football. Anything can happen, and many SU fans cannot wait for August 31st to see the season kick-off against the Ohio Bobcats.
