But a more experienced roster will need to overcome the inconsistency that held the Orange back last fall. Syracuse does cover well, however. Note: players in bold below are 2014 returnees. The Orange will promote senior Ritchy Desir (47 tackles) to the top spot at safety, perhaps with some help from former JUCO transfer Darius Kelly. In a nutshell: Syracuse reached the postseason despite the occasional hiccup, with both sides of the ball ebbing and flowing between productivity and incompetence, salvaging another winning season thanks in large part to the continuity granted by the university's decision to promote Shafer as Doug Marrone's successor. Nightmare season: The Orange drop six games against ACC competition and split the non-conference slate, ending at four wins for the first time since 2009. Who's No. Date. There's hope in the incoming freshman class. The 2013 Syracuse Orange football team represented Syracuse University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season.The Orange were led by first year head coach Scott Shafer and played their home games at the Carrier Dome.The season marks their first as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, after their final season in the Big East Conference in 2012. It's Syracuse, as you might imagine. (Kind of an important detail there.). Wide receiver: Flares, screens and baby-step completions aren't good enough: Syracuse needs to stretch the field in the passing game. The Orange capped off their season with a win in the 2013 Texas Bowl over Minnesota. Syracuse football: If you always have faith, you never need results, For many in the fan base, we’ve reached a bit of a crossroads, On the bright side, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, Three takeaways from Syracuse’s 38-21 loss to Liberty. If not, look for Syracuse to use junior Ryan Norton, Krautman's replacement a season ago. I still wouldn't trust this secondary. I think that's what Shafer is looking for. Begin with Prince Tyson-Gulley (462 yards), the projected starter after spending last season in a change-of-pace role. Marv Albert4. Shouldn't that be "Lock The Doors?" Syracuse didn't allow a ton of big plays in 2013, but the ones the Orange allowed were a) probably through the air, and b) enormous. 13h ago width: 100%; display: block; And if the Orange can move up into the 50-60 range, another bowl is probably in the cards. Get to know sophomore Ron Thompson, a former four-star tight end who made the move to defensive end prior to last season – adding some production in reserve, if only sparingly, but showcasing the wide skill set needed to excel as an every-down end. Cameron Lynch is a dual-threat at OLB -- he's strong against run (eight non-sack tackles for loss) and pass (four sacks, six passes defensed) -- and free safety Durell Eskridge pulled off a rare combination in 2013 (four tackles for loss, four interceptions). He was both reliable and replaceable. Syracuse grads currently in sports broadcasting, 1. Way back in 1937, Ossie Solem kicked off his eight-year turn with a 5-2-1 finish. But Syracuse took those characteristics to the extremes, and when the team was bad, it was so bad that "upside" didn't really come into the conversation. High point: Beating Boston College to secure a bowl bid and topping Minnesota to secure a winning season. .m-sbnation-2014-college-football-countdown { Taking the amount of rushing into account, Syracuse played at a faster pace than the national average in 2013. How well will we do? Syracuse could be fun in 2014, with a high-paced, run-first offense and a TFLs-or-bust defense. Can the Orange maintain this play in 2014? The secondary is a concern. In 2012, when Shafer was wearing the defensive coordinator hat, Syracuse attacked and attacked and attacked. There are five top-40 squads on the schedule this time around, and only two come to the Carrier Dome. Based on the team's issues in 2013, however, I don't think the Orange go higher than five wins. The 2016 NBA finals had everything, and more! In a lot of ways, these are the characteristics of a young, reasonably high-upside team. The Orange will have three base uniforms next season, none of which are actually orange. He carried 16 times for 176 yards against Clemson and FSU. Prince-Tyson Gulley received an extra year of eligibility thanks to injuries suffered in 2011; he's not necessarily the most durable back in the world, but he's even better in the open field than Smith, and he'll be complemented by big Adonis Ameen-Moore and Devante McFarlane, who thrived in a reserve role. Syracuse is going to have to improve to reach its fourth bowl in five years. If tackle isn't a weakness, the end position could make this a great line. The Orange will milk all it can from a deep stable of backs. But I really like the Shafer hire and the continuity that comes with it; I also like his staff, though they still have to prove themselves as recruiters. One is the passing game: Syracuse lacks the ability and the personnel to stretch things downfield, so let's get ready for more of the horizontal attack. So...i'm afraid to ask, but...your initial thoughts??? A lot of this had to do with the Orange's ability to attack the run. The drop was minimal; Syracuse fell only from fourth in the country in tackles for loss in 2012 to 17th in 2013. pic.twitter.com/pSA7rxwnfY, Base road uniform pic.twitter.com/mM2vVBlOO9, The 3rd look @CNYcentral pic.twitter.com/YmTZOCTFEi, Alternate gray uniform pic.twitter.com/pSu3gu6Xom, It's a new era!!! Mike Tirico2. Tidbit (100 yards edition): Only one Football Bowl Subdivision team did not allow a 100-yard rusher in 2013.