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

Well the streak of record breaking video game numbers ended (kind of) in 2018. I guess every year of Dino Babers there will be some sort of offensive historical figure destroyed, but there wasn’t a Steve Ishmael –or– Amba Etta-Tawo like season.

The leading receiver was Jamal Custis, a fifth year senior, with 46 receptions for a team leading 826 yards and six touchdowns. Pedestrian numbers really when you consider what Ishmael and Etta-Tawo accomplished years prior.

But just because they didn’t have a single guy take the reins, doesn’t mean it wasn’t successful. Sean Riley led team in receptions (63) and really matured in 2018.

Since we’re also considering tight ends in this group Ravian Pierce was the lead man. But sadly much of his season was robbed away via injury. Pierce had such a high ceiling coming over as a JUCO transfer and if we’re being brutally honest, he never reached his true potential for a variety of reasons in Orange.

This year was interesting, but 2019 (more on that later) will be truly special for the Orange. When you think of all the players that slowly developed this season from Nykeim Johnson and his big play ability to Taj Harris, things are only going to go up from here.