The last couple of weeks had been rough for Syracuse’s run game. Against Stanford, SU had less than 30 rushing yards. Then when tasked with FCS Holy Cross, Syracuse only managed around three yards a carry on 39 attempts. Not great.
Well last night, any worries may have been cured. As SU upset #25 UNLV 44-41 in overtime, the hero was the run game. More specifically, it was running back LeQuint Allen. The junior had four touchdowns, including the game-winner, as part of a 129 all-purpose-yard day. So that begs the question, is Syracuse’s running game fully back?
Yes…
It’s time to fully say that this is a fundamentally different Syracuse rush offense than last year. Allen is yet to hit 100 rushing yards in a game this year, yet his presence has been felt massively. He had a pair of receiving touchdowns last night, but on a first-and-goal situation with the game on the line, SU was still able to go to Allen on the ground to get the win.
Even when not scoring, Allen had huge plays. Late in the fourth, the running back converted on a fourth-and-one to keep SU’s game-tying drive going.
Syracuse has finally found a way to balance the rush and pass games. The Orange had an insane 63 passing plays last night. That was 30 more than SU’s 33 run plays. But each run play meant something to the game. And the Orange still managed 156 ground yards.
Additionally, Yasin Willis welcomed himself to the world last night. In a nationally televised game, the TRUE freshman had eight carries for 62 yards. A 26-yard rush in the third brought Syracuse into the red zone. And later that quarter, Willis had his first career touchdown. Not bad.
But…
Syracuse fans have to hold their breath for an injury report this week. Allen got banged up in the third but continued to play. He could be seen limping after a third-quarter touchdown, yet still played the rest of the game. That’s as D.A.R.T as it gets.
Even with other options, Allen is the heart and soul of Syracuse’s run game. He’s very dedicated (after the game, Allen said “I would die for my teammates out there if I could,”). So his status for next week’s game at NC State is imperative.
Here’s why not to worry…
If anyone’s able to recover quickly, it’s Allen. The New Jersey native embodies the Northeast Tough attitude for this team.
The Orange were also able to do this without their usual backup running back Will Nixon. The timeline for Nixon’s return is unclear, but SU showed a good ability to adapt.
Finally, SU fans probably saw the running back of the future last night. Willis had been highly talked of, but last night he showed he is the real deal.
