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

So 2018 was pretty cool, but will it be one and done?

Here are the players who are graduating from Syracuse of major impact:

• Eric Dungey
• Jamal Custis
• Cody Conway
• Koda Martin
• Aaron Roberts
• Chris Slayton
• Kielan Whitner
• Ryan Guthrie

Some overall thoughts here, Dungey is obviously one of the best quarterbacks in program history so he will be sorely missed. Jamal Custis had his best year of his Orange career, but the future of the receiver position looks good for 2019.

I can’t underestimate the loss of three starting offensive linemen for the Orange in 2019. If there’s any reason to be pessimistic about the future, that’s where you could point too.

Chris Slayton is a guy many in the national media don’t know extensively, but from people I speak with, he’s expected to be the best NFL prospect among Syracuse players moving on to the next level.

Another pair of linebackers are leaving Syracuse in back-to-back years. In 2017 it was Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett, now it’s Whitner and Guthrie. Franklin and Bennett were far more accomplished, but the transformation of Whitner and Guthrie was impressive.

Here are the new players who will be taking on larger roles in 2019:

• Tommy DeVito
• Abdul Adams
• Trishton Jackson

DeVito is the future and has been heralded as that since he has committed to the Orange. He’s got massive shoes to fill with Dungey leaving, but he should have plenty of pieces around him to try and succeed.

Namely Abdul and Trishton, two transfers coming from blue blood programs in Oklahoma and Michigan State respectively. Both have shown in the Spring Showcase in March and the Camping World Bowl in December that they’re ready for larger roles.

Here are important players who will be returning in 2019:

• Alton Robinson
• Kendall Coleman

Syracuse had the best defensive line in 2018 that they’ve had in a very long time. Both of these players are potential double digit sack artists and with both returning that won’t help ACC quarterbacks sleep any better at night.

What do the national pundits think of the 2019 Syracuse team to be?

In the 2019 WAY too early top-25 poll via ESPN, Syracuse is ranked 15th. ESPN sort of apologized for overlooking Syracuse in the prior year’s poll, but let’s be honest, Syracuse came out of nowhere. The team had back-to-back 4-8 seasons under Dino Babers before exploding in 2018 with the first 10 win season since 2001.

Here’s what we know so far about the 2019 schedule (via Cuse.com):

2019 Syracuse Football Schedule
Aug. 31 at Liberty
Sept. 7 at Maryland
Sept. 21 vs. Western Michigan
Sept. 28 vs. Holy Cross

ACC home games: Boston College, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest
ACC away games: Duke, Florida State, Louisville, NC State

Interesting nugget, Syracuse will face three schools that will have new head coaches in 2019 (Liberty, Maryland and Louisville).