Syracuse football is getting lucky in 2019 with Western Michigan matchup

The Syracuse football vs Western Michigan matchup is going to be a lot easier in 2019. Here are all the details and how the Orange got lucky.

On Saturday at noon, Syracuse football will face off against Western Michigan for only the second time in history.

In 2018 things were going according to plan in Week 1. The Orange held a dominant 34-7 lead at halftime and everything was under control.

Then the Orange defense was introduced to Western Michigan wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge.

After only catching two passes for 42 yards, Eskridge had a second half for the ages.

The Broncos scored an incredible 28 points in the third quarter alone. D’Wayne caught six more passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. His longest of the day went for 84-yards. So in totality Eskridge finished with eight receptions for 240 yards and two touchdowns.

It was a career-year overall: 38 receptions for 776 yards and three touchdowns. Eskridge also averaged over 20 yards per reception.

Syracuse ended up winning the game thanks to some late Eric Dungey heroics: 55-42.

So why are the Orange lucky in 2019?

D’Wayne Eskridge is no longer playing wide receiver exclusively for the Western Michigan Broncos.

*A collective sigh of relief from Syracuse football fans and Orange defensive backs everywhere.*

Despite returning as the highest-graded wide receiver in the MAC conference, the team thought Eskridge had better odds of making the pros at defensive back.

With Western Michigan being a run dominant team, the coaching staff thought Eskridge’s talents were being wasted and marginalized at the wide receiver position.

Listed at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds he’s a small receiver or cornerback no matter what way you slice it.

When you’re that small, you have to overcompensate in another area. For Eskridge, he brings elite speed for days.

"“D’Wayne is a three-time state champion sprinter, twice winning the 200-meter dash and bringing home the 100-meter title as a senior at the Indiana High School Athletic Association state meet. He was selected as the state’s “Mr. Track and Field” in 2016,” per Nick Buckley of the Battle Creek Enquirer."

Leading up to his junior season, Eskridge clocked a 4.33 40-yard dash which was the best on the team, until running back LeVante Bellamy posted a 4.32. So long story short, Syracuse will have to mind the speed of the Broncos on Saturday.

Something the Orange won’t have to worry about is Eskridge. While he’s listed as a two-way player at both defensive back and wide receiver, he’s only tallied one reception for 20 yards so far this season.

WMU head coach and former Orange assistant Tim Lester revealed the thought process of the position change via the Battle Creek Enquirer report:

"“I didn’t feel like we were playing well enough at corner, and it was hurting our defense last year… In the bowl game, our corners gave up four touchdowns. I always knew Dee would be a great corner. He’s got the mentality, he likes to hit.Scouts will tell you short, fast receivers are everywhere, and they don’t have a lot of value. One scout mentioned to me the only chance he has at moving up and going in the third or fourth round would be at corner, because a 5’9 corner that can run like that would be special.”"

This spring was the first time in D’Wayne’s football career that he has ever played the cornerback position. He hasn’t had a ton of time to learn the position especially with him being a senior in 2019, his time is running out.

Syracuse football fans wish him all the best with his position change and his future endeavors in the NFL. As long as he doesn’t burn the Orange secondary on Saturday as he did in 2018, we’ll be happy.