Syracuse Football: 2018 season report card, looking ahead to 2019

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Kendall Coleman #55 of the Syracuse Orange celebrates with Brandon Berry #97 after a sack against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the fourth quarter of the Camping World Bowl at Camping World Stadium on December 28, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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A+. . . Syracuse Orange. OVERALL SPECIAL TEAMS

I believe the moniker is “defense wins championships”, but it should be changed to “special teams wins championships”. While Syracuse didn’t walk away with the National Championship, they walked away with the Camping World Bowl trophy, almost as good.

Andre Szmyt went from unknown walk-on to Lou Groza award winner. The best part? He still has another three years on the hill left here with the Orange. This wasn’t just a historic season for Andre, it was almost the best season we’ve ever seen from a kicker in college football history (finishing just one made field goal short of the single season record).

Sterling Hofrichter wasn’t the same superstar he was in 2017 this season, but still ended up as one of the best punters in the nation.

Syracuse overall ended with a top-five (out of the whole country) special teams efficiency rating from ESPN. They didn’t give up big plays on returns and Sean Riley had a tremendous impact as a returner, that is a recipe that separates the good teams from the great teams.

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