26 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
SYRACUSE
HEAD COACH: Dino Babers OC: Jason Beck DC: Rocky Long
Syracuse, NY
2022 RECORD: 7-6 (4-4) FOUNDED: 1870 STADIUM: Carrier Dome (49,262)
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
The offense accomplished several nice things last season like averaging 4.2 yards a carry, 8.2 yards per pass attempt, six yards a play and only 13 turnovers. However, the Orange managed just 27.7 points a game, due in large part to converting 36.6 percent on third down. Quarterback Garrett Shrader posted impressive numbers: 2,640 yards passing, 274 rushing, 65 percent passing, but there were too many lapses as a unit. Oronde Gadsden II returns as one of the best receivers in the ACC. He looks to improve on 61 catches and 969 yards. Shrader expects Damien Alford to carry a larger load this season. LaQuint Allen and Juwaun Price form a formidable combo at running back. Dino Babers and his staff added depth to the offensive line through the portal, especially at tackle with Joe More (Richmond) and Dave Wohlabaugh (Kentucky).
Long-time head coach Rocky Long joins the staff to run the defense and his system relies on athletic linebackers who can make plays all over the field. Marlowe Wax and Stefon Thompson fit that mold well. Thompson missed all but one game last season with a leg injury, so he’s itching to create some contact. Wax plays the run and pass equally well. Derek McDonald and Leon Lowery will share duties on the other side. Caleb Okechukwu can get pressure upfront, and the arrival of Braylen Ingraham from Alabama through the portal will help tremendously. Syracuse likes nose tackles that can move, and both Terry Lockett and Kevon Darton fit that bill. But both are undersized at around 270. Justin Barron is a hitting machine at safety. He teams well with Alijah Clark, who is still improving. Isaiah Johnson is the best cover corner.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 6 20 19 5 80 81 70 76 55 74 77
PLAYER Garrett Shrader LaQuint Allen Oronde Gadsden II Damien Alford Isaiah Jones Maximilian Mang Enrique Cruz, Jr. Kalan Ellis Josh Ilaoa Jakob Bradford Joe More
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6-4 6-0 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-7 6-6 6-6 6-3 6-5 6-5
WT 228 195 215 210 204 262 303 375 316 300 302
CLASS SR SO JR JR JR JR SO JR JR JR SR
NO 4 90 52 15 2 7 24 20 8 5 14
PLAYER Caleb Okechukwu Terry Lockett Braylen Ingraham Derek McDonald Marlowe Wax Stefon Thompson Jeremiah Wilson Isaiah Johnson Justin Barron Alijah Clark Jason Simmons Jr.
POS DE NT DE LB LB LB CB CB S S NB
HT 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-0
WT 269 270 298 225 239 247 171 204 215 184 193
CLASS SR SO JR SO JR SO SO SR JR JR SR
16 28 17 85 2 89 72 75
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson QB Juwaun Price RB Umari Hatcher WR D’Marcus Adams WR Trebor Pena WR Dan Villari TE Mark Petry LT Austyn Kauhi LG J’Onre Reed C Wes Hoeh RG David Wohlabaugh Jr. RT
6-2 5-10 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-6
237 198 180 176 177 237 281 270 317 275 321
SO JR SO SR JR SO JR SO JR JR SO
94 0 58 16 12 42 11 22 21 19
Kevin Jobity Jr. Kevon Darton Denis Jaquez Jr. Leon Lowery Anwar Sparrow Austin Roon Jaeden Gould Quan Peterson Bralyn Oliver Jalil Martin Cornell Perry
DE NT DE LB LB LB CB CB S S NB
6-4 5-11 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-1
247 268 243 225 223 224 200 178 195 200 184
SO JR SO SO SO SO FR FR SO SO FR
180 175
SO SO
2 2
Trebor Pena Trebor Pena
177 177
JR JR
73
92 41
SPECIAL TEAMS
Brady Denaburg Jack Stonehouse
K P
6-0 6-1
2023 SCHEDULE S.2 ...............................Colgate
O.14 ............ at Florida State
S.9 ..........Western Michigan
O.26 ............ at Virginia Tech
S.16 ........................at Purdue
N.4 ...............Boston College
S.23 .................................Army
N.11 ......Pittsburgh (Bronx)
S.30 ..........................Clemson
N.18 ........... at Georgia Tech
O.7 ...........at North Carolina
N.25 .................. Wake Forest
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
6-0 6-0
NEWCOMERS Joe More, T — The transfer from Richmond should stabilize one side of the line. David Wohlabaugh Jr., OL — The big lineman is a bit of a tweener with the size of a tackle and the skill set of an interior lineman. At any rate, he will provide badly needed depth along the line and will likely line up at several positions this fall. Braylen Ingraham, DL — The Orange expects to improve production along the D-Line this season, and Ingraham will play a huge role in that improvement.
