ACC Spring Football Preview

[OrangeXtreme]

Spring football preview: Carson Beck, Bill Belichick add intrigue to ACC

As spring practices get underway, we begin our conference-by-conference previews with the ACC.

www.espn.com

Syracuse Orange
2024 record: 10-3 (5-3)

Spring storyline: Fran Brown surprised and impressed in Year 1, leading Syracuse to its first 10-win season since 2018, including a regular-season finale victory over Miami that kept the Hurricanes out of the ACC title game. But this will be a very different team on offense this spring with Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden all gone to the NFL draft. Indeed, the biggest questions this spring surround how the Orange are going to replace all that production.

Position of intrigue: Replacing McCord is at the top of the list. Syracuse signed transfer Rickie Collins from LSU and returns backup Michael Johnson Jr. and redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams. In addition, the Orange signed two freshmen quarterbacks in Luke Carney and Rich Belin. Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon said Syracuse will have an open quarterback competition this spring. Though the room is missing the veteran presence McCord brought last season, Nixon said he is pleased with the depth he has among his quarterbacks.

Player to watch: Syracuse was not nearly as aggressive in the transfer portal as it was a year ago, but landing defensive lineman Chris Thomas Jr. from Marshall should help shore up a run defense that was inconsistent for most of last season.

 

[SouthernCuse]

Jeez, I have not thought about 2025 yet, but that is a he'll of a lot of proven offensive production to replace.

 

[Cuse12]

Jeez, I have not thought about 2025 yet, but that is a he'll of a lot of proven offensive production to replace.

So happy we have our WR bell cow back in Peña! He will be very valuable to our new QB. I think we have a ton of weapons at WR to fill in. I feel bullish on Willis/Nixon in the backfield. TE is a mystery, can Tremble step it up and be a solid receiving threat? Our line will be extremely important for our new QB. I think jury’s out on that group for next year, we will have to wait and see.

Of course the biggest drop off (impossible to replace) is McCord. That’s my largest worry and question mark on the offense this year hands down. It’s going to be fascinating who trots out onto the field in Atlanta.

 

[UnknownOrange]

if zeed is back (as far as I know we're good there) that makes the receiving core VERY solid.

JRS, Pena, Zeed, Gill, plus a ton more young talent

Tremble? You don't need to be gadsden, but can you be reliable with production alongside DV

 

[GoSU96]

TE should be good, Gadsdens production can go to the WRs to an extent

Villari, Clement, Tremble, Washington-Baker are a good starting point at the position

 

[upperdeck]

We lost a ton. But then we did a ton with bodies that were not there in 2023 as well. Meeks was like 6-7th option when the season started in most projections. Two guys we expected much from barely played.

I don't worry that we can get production at wide out.
I don't worry that we can get production at RB

We will drop off at QB, but by how much and in what way. We could have worse stats but more explosive plays .

the oline will be the mystery. We cant trust that the ball will come out as fast or as accurate. But maybe we block better and the throwing windows are bigger to offset some of that,

 

[shu 49]

we will drop off in points but to be decent we better get a better defense and fast. If our d and specials step up big we could maybe win 8 which in this schedule would bemassive in my book.

 

[upperdeck]

We could get worse on offense and score more pts.

For all we did last year we vastly underperformed in pts