The Syracuse football team landed quite a guy in talented freshman tailback Jarveon Howard. We look into why he may be the future of this program.
Syracuse Football is finally starting to figure it out. As a fan, sometimes I felt like the Orange never would, but this year they’ve made huge strides.
Don’t believe me? Every contributor here at Inside the Loud House now has the Orange making a bowl game for once.
So what’s been the biggest difference this year that we haven’t seen over the last decade or so? The answer’s actually rather simple: a decent running game.
If there is anything I’ve learned about watching ACC play, or SEC play in general over the years, it’s that they win by running the football. They run, then run a second time, and then run some more. They run at you until you’re blue in the face.
Predictable? Maybe. Effective? Oh yeah.
Heck, elite teams like Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Penn State use the same tactic too. They run more often than they pass. Even though they have talented enough running quarterbacks, you still see them hand the ball off more often in the option than running it by themselves.
Why? The more you run the ball the more you wear down a defense.
The trick to having that plan of action work though is having a talented enough running back who can give you four to five yards per carry. That often means one power back for two downs and one speed back for third down.
For the most part lately, Syracuse has been stuck with backs that would hit a brick wall at the line of scrimmage. Is that the offensive line’s fault? Maybe, but in recent years the offensive line hasn’t been that shabby.
So what gives?
Fact is, even if the offensive line is garbage, a team that has a good power back to carry them for a few downs can still have a good running game.
Since the Orange haven’t really had a great tailback of late, that has forced quarterbacks like Eric Dungey to scramble and run the ball more to make up for the lack of the team’s running game. All those hits and runs wear on a quarterback over the course of a game and eventually the season.
This year is different though. Syracuse finally has a tailback who can run the ball effectively in freshman Jarveon Howard.
In some ways he reminds me of Beast Mode, aka Marshawn Lynch of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. Howard can just power through guys to get four or five yards and if he finds a hole, forget about it.
What’s the expression New York Yankees announcer Michael Kay says during games when a Yankees player hits a home run? Oh right, “See ya!”
That’s what the Orange get with their talented freshman running back this season. Take a look below at this 45-yard run by Howard against Florida State in Week 3.
Howard is a beast with the talent and speed. That is something the Orange have needed on offense for so long.
In a league as tough as the ACC, Syracuse needs a guy who can grind away yards against tough defensive lines like Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Miami. In Howard, the Orange can finally do that.
Heck, if it were me, I’d be giving this tailback 20 carries a game just so that the defense then has to honor the pass. Maybe that’s not a reality this year for Syracuse since it’s a committee running back rotation with Dontae Strickland and Moe Neal. But it could be something that happens next season.
Think I’m nuts? The numbers don’t lie. This year, Howard has 31 carries for 205 yards. That’s an average of 6.61 yards per carry.
Yes, he only has two touchdowns so far this season, but he can still add to that number. The Orange still have six matchups left in 2018 and likely a bowl game as well. That’s a whole lot of opportunities left for the rising star to find the end zone.
Next year, Syracuse will miss having Dungey under center and instead Tommy DeVito will likely be the school’s new starting signal caller. Yes, DeVito can run from the quarterback position, but he’s a better passer than he is a rusher.
That means the Orange’s coaches can, and should, rely more on the running game more in the coming seasons. With Howard in as the Syracuse’s starting running back for the first two downs and Neal in as the third down speed back, this team can be special going forward.
Syracuse Orange
The Orange will have the ability to run and pass that ball with ease and that can be scary for any defense to face. So is it so inconceivable to believe that Howard is the future of the Syracuse football program?
Maybe I’m crazy by expecting this based off of 31 carries from freshman running back, but I don’t think so.
Jarveon, if you’re reading this, just know I think you can live up to and exceed our expectations of you. Truth is, you’re awesome, and well, it’s time the world knows it!
Just keep doing your thing, keep chugging those legs for those extra yards, and show the ACC that there is a new legend in Syracuse!
The Orange football program has a rich history that is littered with amazing running backs such as Ernie Davis, Joe Morris, and Jim Brown just to name a few.
It’s been too long since Syracuse has had a running back to remember. Hopefully one day we’ll be able to add Howard to this list. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, who knows what he can accomplish.