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Syracuse Football: Orange fans should be thanking the Maryland Terrapins

ByPaul A. Esden Jr.|
COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOVEMBER 29: Wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo #84 of the Maryland Terrapins rushes for a touchdown after catching a pass against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Byrd Stadium on November 29, 2014 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOVEMBER 29: Wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo #84 of the Maryland Terrapins rushes for a touchdown after catching a pass against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Byrd Stadium on November 29, 2014 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Before the Syracuse football squad and Maryland square off in Week 2, Orange fans should say thank you. Why? We provide the juicy details.

Thank you.

That’s what Syracuse football fans SHOULD be saying to Maryland Terrapins ahead of its Week 2 matchup.

Huh?

Typically when any different colored jersey steps across the field from the Orange, they should be the mortal enemy.

Syracuse fans want to annihilate its opponent, regardless of who it is. They should still want that vs Maryland, but early in game week they should thank them for a special gift that was delivered back in 2016. Still not ringing a bell?

Amba Etta-Tawo.

After a middling two-year career with the Terps that resulted in a grand total of 30 receptions for 438 yards and one touchdown, he decided to transfer.

After some consultation with friends and family, he decided to join forces with Dino Babers.

Considering what he did at Maryland and the weapons already on the Orange, not much was expected of Amba.

Despite minimal expectations, Etta-Tawo transformed a bench-warming career to one of (if not) the greatest single season for an Orange wide receiver in program history.

This is a program that has multiple Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receivers mind you (Marvin Harrison and Art Monk).

In 12 games he snagged 94 receptions for 1,482 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into that special season:

  • 7 of his 12 games he registered over 100 yards receiving (two games he went for over 200 and one game he NEARLY went for 300 yards).
  • In 4 of the 12 games, Amba had 10 receptions or more.
  • In 25 percent of the games, Amba scored multiple touchdowns.
  • While the final game of his Orange career resulted in one of the craziest college football games in history (for a short time it was the highest-scoring game in FBS history).
    • Amba caught five touchdown passes in that game vs the Pittsburgh Panthers.

    So in other words, you could say things worked out pretty well for Amba on the hill. He only spent one year at Syracuse as a grad-transfer before moving on to the NFL as a journeyman. While he didn’t have a long career with the Orange, his impact will forever live beyond him.

    Etta-Tawo started a tradition at Syracuse. If a receiver comes to play for Dino Babers, they’ll be the beneficiary of the sales pitch, ‘Orange is the New Fast’. Amba suddenly became Dino’s poster child for what could happen if you work your butt off and play in a dome for half of your season.

    Steve Ishmael continued that trend with a record-breaking season himself the very next year (2017). While those magical numbers didn’t pop in 2018, there are plenty of candidates on the roster that can continue that tradition in 2019.

    While all Syracuse fans hope the Orange crush Maryland this Saturday in Week 2, make sure before the game you simply say, thank you.

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