1. Inconsistency at Quarterback – Drew Allen started the season, but Terrel Hunt is now the guy after Allen struggled out of the gate. Hunt was superb against Wagner and Tulane, but they are Wagner and Tulane. In the ACC, he has yet to throw a touchdown pass and has six interceptions. He was better last week against Wake Forest, as he did not throw an INT for the first time in conference play. But he still missed wide open players down the field on a few occasions.
2. Playmakers – Syracuse has been searching for an offensive playmaker that they could rely on. Saturday, one may have emerged in true freshman Brisly Estime. He caught nine passes, many on quick passes in the flat, and scored a touchdown. He’s really, really fast and shows good quickness on his cuts. Other than that, the Orange are limited in the playmaker department.
3. Run Game – The clear strength of the Orange offensively is the run game. Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley make a nice one-two punch. The problem has been teams stacking the box, as Wake Forest did with 8 or 9 guys over and over last week. That limits the running lanes, but it is still the best option for Syracuse offensively.
4. Offensive Line Coming Together – Over the last few weeks, the offensive line has been getting better. After early season struggled, they have been giving Hunt time and been solid on the ground attack. Sean Hickey is the best of the bunch and has the look of an NFL player.
5. Strong Defensive Front – The Syracuse front seven, except for the Georgia Tech game, has been solid all season. They have been better than expected at pressuring the quarterback, though they are not dominant by any stretch. The linebackers move all over the formation and blitz from a variety of spots. They were outstanding against Wake Forest as Tanner Price was running for his life all game long. True freshman Isaiah Johnson has the most upside, while Ron Thompson has been coming on strong lately. Defensive tackle Jay Bromley is playing at an All-ACC level.
6. Struggling Secondary – The defensive backfield was supposed to be the strength of the defense coming into the season, but has not lived up to expectations. They have allowed opponents to get open down the field, and struggled with communication at times. Brandon Reddish and Julian Whigham are the best cover corners, while the Orange rotate several guys in at free safety. Durrel Eskridge is the guy at strong safety, and is solid against the run.
7. Aggressive Defensive Style – Defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough has been aggressive all season long. He blitzes a lot, using all of his linebackers, corners and safeties at different times. That should not change this week. The Orange are able to keep guys fresh as they rotate their front seven players quite frequently.
8. Issues at Kicker – Syracuse had an off the field issue that resulted in kicker Ryan Norton missing last week’s game. With him returning this week, the position is still lacking consistency. Ross Krautman was supposed to be the guy, but is out for the season with an injury. Norton has been very hit or miss all season since taking over. He has a decent leg, but even extra points are a bit worrisome for the Orange.
9. Weapon at Punter – Punter isn’t a sexy position, but it has been one of strength for Syracuse in recent weeks. Since Riley Dixon took over for Jonathan Fisher, Syracuse has been strong at that spot. Dixon has a strong leg and gets good hang time that helps the Orange flip field position.
10. Lack of Dynamics in the Return Game – The return game has been an area of major weakness for Syracuse this season. Ritchy Desir is OK as a punt returner, as he does not make mistakes. But he is not a threat for a big return. Head coach Scott Shafer likes to use backup running backs as kick returners, and Devante McFarlane as well as Prince-Tyson Gulley are the guys back there. George Morris normally starts in place of Gulley, but has been hurt in recent weeks. Regardless, Syracuse fails to get to the 20 more often than not. Interestingly, they have dynamic athletes in Brisly Estime and Darius Kelly who have experience returning kicks before they arrived at Syracuse, but Shafer has not shown the willingness to use them except in garbage time.
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