Syracuse Football: Was it the system or the talent for Dino Babers?

Perhaps the biggest question facing Dino Babers and the Syracuse football squad is whether the production has been the system or the talent.

This article is third in a series previewing the Ninth Life (my name for this season as this cat has definitely gone through its first eight) by Paul A. Esden Sr.

For this Volume I will focus on one of the challenges that will be facing the OITNF on the Quest for Six! I am not at the point of ranking the challenges that face the team but this next one may be the biggest.

So for the first two years of Dino Babers’ tenure he has been fortunate in the one of the key positions in the machine that is OITNF, wide receiver.

His fast tempo offense has really played to the talents of the players he has had at the skill positions, quarterback and wide receivers.

The type of production that he has squeezed out of his talent is remarkable. In the first year, the OITNF produced truly video game numbers that shattered Syracuse Orange records. Which is remarkable until you remember some of the other prolific receivers that have suited up for the Orange (Art Monk, Marvin Harrison) and then it is really unbelievable.

The following year it really was the next man up as seasoned receivers shattered expectations:

As you look at the numbers you see there was a slight drop off in output but still phenomenal.

So as we enter the 2018 campaign, one of the biggest challenges/questions facing Dino is how is he going to replace that production?

Entering 2018 the roster does not have an Ervin Philips or Steve Ishmael with game experience and results. So let’s take a close look at what wide receivers they do have:

(Trishton Jackson is not eligible to play until 2019 due to current NCAA transfer rules)

So we have crunched all the wide receiver numbers of Dino’s tenure and reviewed our current roster, only one question remains…

Is there an Amba or Steve lurking on this list (or the freshmen class)?

This may be the biggest mystery going into the season. I will not sit here and say it’s impossible because no one could have predicted the past success of the middling receivers that launched their careers in this offense. But looking at the field, I am not overly positive either.

Next: Syracuse Football: Ranking every SU first round pick in NFL Draft history

On the offense this is one of the triad pieces that Dino needs in order to make the Quest for Six!  We have discussed the need for establishing the run (a concept foreign to our head coach).  Coming up in Volume 4 we will discuss the last key piece that holds Dino’s hopes together like glue. The health of Eric Dungey.  More to come.