The transition from Dino Babers to Fran Brown as head coach for Syracuse football was one that many across the 315 are particularly fond of. The change in the driver’s seat saw a new culture brought into the program, one of detail, accountability, relentlessness, and toughness. This new mentality brought in a strong amount of additions (such as quarterback Kyle McCord,) but also saw its share of subtractions from SU football. One of the players to hit the road: running back Muwaffaq Parkman.
Parkman decided to hit the transfer portal following the 2023 season and announced his new destination this past Thursday. The former Orange recruit will be taking his talents to Robert Morris University, an FCS-level program located in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The interesting part about this commitment though is that Parkman is joining a program coached by Jerome Smith, a former star who ranks thirteenth all-time in rushing yards at SU. Alongside Smith on the coaching staff is Bart Tanski, who worked on the sidelines at Syracuse from 2015 to 2017 as a defensive quality control coach.
Muwaffaq Parkman measures in at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, and was a three-star commit in the Class of 2023. Parkman ranked as the 1,431st best player coming out of Hillside, New Jersey. During his time with the Orange, Parkman was redshirted and did not see a snap.
Is Fran Brown responsible for Parkman’s departure? Well, yes and no. Last season, junior LeQuint Allen Jr. solidified himself as the top back for the SU offense with an All-ACC season. Behind him though, Brown landed a top recruit in Yasin Willis, who many are expecting to have a strong breakout as a true freshman. After that is Will Nixon, who transferred into the program to follow in the footsteps of his father, leaving Parkman in a logjam in the running back room.
At the end of the day for 2024, the adds outweigh the minuses as we approach week one against Ohio. Expect a whole lot of usage from Syracuse’s running backs, with all three of the aforementioned names getting strong numbers of carries in hopes of winning football games.
