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Syracuse finished its first season under Fran Brown 9-3. The Orange catapulted themselves into national attention, knocking off three AP Top 25 teams, including an upset win over then-No. 8 Miami in the regular-season finale. SU was ranked No. 22 in the final AP Poll.

Here are position-group grades for Syracuse’s 2024 regular season:

Quarterback: A

The Orange couldn’t have asked for a better quarterback to lead the way in 2024. Kyle McCord played 969 total snaps in 2024, while Michael Johnson Jr. played just 12. McCord’s 4,326 passing yards led the nation. He broke nearly every single-season program record and carried an unmatched workload, leading the nation with 558 passing attempts.

McCord and the quarterbacks earn an A, just missing out on an A+. McCord was undoubtedly the best quarterback in almost every game Syracuse played this season, even out-dueling Heisman Trophy contender Cam Ward.

Still, it’s hard to forget about his dreadful Thursday night in Pittsburgh, where he threw five interceptions and three pick-sixes. Without McCord’s mishap at Acrisure Stadium, it’s an A+ season.

Running back: A-

LeQuint Allen Jr. had another strong year for Syracuse, setting up a potential professional career. He was efficient on the ground, totaling 900-plus rushing yards for the second straight season.

Along with his multiple clutch touchdowns to close out wins, Allen also became a vital option in the passing game, totaling a career-high 61 receptions and 476 receiving yards.

While Allen was excellent, the running back room lacked depth. Transferring from Washington, Will Nixon got injured early and couldn’t help much. Freshman Yasin Willis showed flashes of a reliable running back but had key mishaps, including a third-quarter fumble against Miami. The unit was sometimes successful but often lacked dependability and depth beyond Allen, garnering an A-.

Receiver/Tight End: A+

SU’s strongest unit came in the passing game. Led by Ross Douglas, Syracuse’s wide-receiving core became a juggernaut in 2024, even with Zeed Haynes’ absence. The redshirt freshman was considered a top option for McCord during training camp, but he missed the final 10 games due to a personal matter.

In Haynes’ absence, multiple weapons emerged for the Orange. Justus Ross-Simmons sparked SU in its comeback win over Virginia Tech, while Darrell Gill Jr. had a massive performance against UConn. Yet the most consistent three threats were Jackson Meeks, Trebor Peña and Oronde Gadsden II.

Peña led SU in receptions, Meeks led in yards and Gadsden was balanced across the board as a First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference tight end. Dan Villari had an enormous fall-off at tight end, but overall, the receiving core mixed with Gadsden aced every test it faced, evolving into one of the best units in the country and earning an A+.

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Offensive line: B

Keeping McCord healthy through all 12 games is a miraculous accomplishment for the offensive line. The unit deserves credit for that feat. However, taking a step back and analyzing SU’s offensive line, it was mostly unimpressive.

Syracuse recorded a 61.2 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking 84th in the country. The Orange fluctuated between multiple offensive linemen, with six recording 300 or more snaps. As much as they helped McCord thrive when needed, they also caused some of his biggest struggles.

Against Pitt, McCord was under pressure 33% of the time, per PFF, being sacked four times. In the loss to Boston College, left tackle Da’Metrius Weatherspoon allowed ACC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Ezeiruaku multiple free rushes on McCord. The unit had its moments, but overall was a faulty group that often had its mishaps covered by McCord’s quick hits. The offensive line earns a B.

Defensive line: B-

The addition of Fadil Diggs in the transfer portal looked like a game-changer for the Orange. But it was quickly proven SU needed more than just Diggs to get after the quarterback. Diggs finished with a team-high 7.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss, while the rest of the unit mostly struggled.

Freshman Maraad Watson impressed on the interior, stuffing the run at an 82.4 grade, according to PFF. However, injuries to Kevin Jobity Jr. and Dion Wilson Jr. in early October prevented the unit from becoming formidable.

Syracuse switched between three-down and four-down fronts to get pressure but often needed safety or linebacker help to get home. It ranked in the bottom half of the conference in sacks and recorded eight games with 2.0 sacks or less. SU’s unit never impressed, only hanging around just enough to sometimes get the job done, finishing with a B-.

Linebackers: B+

Syracuse’s linebacker core was an interesting barrage of talent in 2024. After losing Marlowe Wax in the season-opener, the Orange got creative to fill his void. Diggs dropped back. Justin Barron moved up. Derek McDonald played more.

No matter how you slice it, SU lost its top linebacker and found a way to survive. What earns the group a B+ is largely Barron’s play. Brown said he felt Barron would be a linebacker at the next level and followed suit. Barron then recorded four games of seven or more tackles, including an outstanding day against NC State.

Where this group faltered was in its tackling. The Orange ranked 109th in the nation, according to PFF, posting a 60.4 tackling grade. Linebackers often foot much of the blame for poor tackling, and though Wax’s return aided the group, I’m still going to blame the unit here.

Secondary: B+

The Orange’s secondary had their fair share of getting torn up in 2024. A win over Miami capped SU’s season but not before allowing 349 yards through the air. The experienced safety duo of Duce Chestnut and Alijah Clark held down the fort. However, Syracuse was pretty easy to break through on the outside.

Early in the year, the Orange relied on freshman Marcellus Barnes Jr. to shoulder the load. Though, following his injury, SU had no one to consistently pair with Clarence Lewis. Davien Kerr showed flashes but is still very much a work in progress.

The Orange allowed 216 passing yards per game, the sixth least in the ACC. Still, the secondary wasn’t the most trusted group on the back end and didn’t do enough to squeak into the A-range.

Special teams: C-

SU’s most glaring weakness came within its special teams unit. Kickers are usually only noticed if they’re really good or really bad. It was the latter for the Orange.

Syracuse cycled through three kickers this year, moving from Brady Denaburg to Jadyn Oh and then to Jackson Kennedy. The Cornell transfer added some strength in the final few games but wasn’t a massive upgrade, as SU finished 12-for-20 on field goal attempts.

Outside of kicking, the Orange had mishaps in their game against UNLV, where two punts were blocked. Challenges persisted throughout the season, and while Syracuse cleaned many up toward the end, it was a C- year for the special teams.

Coaching: B+

There’s no question Brown’s been an unbelievable coach in all aspects of building a program. His first go around as head coach, however, saw multiple blunders that led to narrow losses.

On a fourth-and-9 play in the fourth quarter versus Stanford, he left Lewis one-on-one with top receiver Elic Ayomanor. He caught the pass, and the Cardinal kicked the game-winning field goal seconds later.

Against Boston College, the Orange sent 10 rushers on a fourth down, allowing a wide-open play-action-pass touchdown to seal the game. Two plays led to two losses. Brown, through all of this, has taken full responsibility. However, in Year 1, a learning curve was still at play, just missing an A-.

Published on December 9, 2024 at 9:30 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky