Honestly, and I'll cop to perhaps being a bit dramatic with this, but these five recruits -- as a group -- are the single most important recruiting development for Syracuse football in the last 25 years. When Coach Mac had things really clicking in the Dome in the late 80s, we had well above grade offensive line units. And we had a top 20 program. One beget the other.
I'd argue that only once in the interceding 25 years (give or take), have we had the luxury of a top-flight OLine (let's define top flight as top 20 in the nation). And that came in 2012 with the Pugh-Chibane-MacPherson-Trudo-Hickey grouping. We won 8 games and routed the Mountaineers in the Pinstripe Bowl. Won at Mizzou, at USF, vs. Louisville (by 19). We've had some solid run blocking OLines in that span (think 1997-98 and 2001-02), but simultaneously they always struggled with pass protection.That year, we had both covered.
People on this board scoff at BC sometimes. At times it is justified, but they have consistently kicked our a-s-s on the OLine the last quarter century. It became their calling card, their brand. If we can best them in this regard, on the OLine, it will catipult SU a LONG LONG way toward becoming the top P5 program in the northeast, which should be our first goal every year.
I am excluding Ped State in that equation for now, but including Pitt, BC, Rutgers, and Maryland (UConn lost their seat at the table). If we are the best of that lot, we'll be winning 8-9 games consistently, and enjoying an occasional double-digit win campaign.
It can be done, ... and Sampson-White-Vottorello-Horan-Froumy are the golden ticket (along with last year's OLine haul being rock solid in it's own regard). Cannot wait.
