With the Syracuse football season around the corner, we will breakdown each position. Let’s start with the running backs and who can step up in 2020.
Syracuse football seems to be going through an overhaul this season and hopes to forget last year and continue the momentum from 2018. In 2019 ‘Cuse finished 5-7 after an impressive 10-3 year, including a bowl victory. The Orange needs to improve once again, and a lot of it starts with the running game.
Last season Moe Neal led the Orange with nearly 850 yards rushing, and with his departure and others, they have now lost almost half of their run production. So it’s time for the Orange to look at their current weapons and how to best utilize them this season.
We will dive into each option for Syracuse from the running back position in this massive breakdown.
Currently, the three best choices for the Orange will be Abdul Adams, Jarveon Howard, and Jawhar Jordan.
Adams has the most experience as he was the lead back up behind Moe Neal. However, each back offers a unique set of skills that serves crucial for Syracuse in different ways.
Last season Syracuse ranked 71st in rushing yards out of 130 FBS football teams. The team posted 1,848 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Despite having multiple short yard rushing threats, they converted red zone touchdowns on the ground at an average pace.
‘Cuse also ranked top 30 in rushes per game; however, they sat around 100 in yards per rush. Despite committing to the running game head coach, Dino Babers did not get all the results he wanted from his running backs.
So let’s dive into the current running backs situation for Syracuse. And how each running back will benefit the Orange and how we believe Babers should use his running game to have a successful season. In 2018 Syracuse’s running game was decisive and helped the team to a double-digit win season.
Moe Neal had similar numbers with over 800 yards, but Dontae Strickland also contributed with over 500 yards on the ground. If Syracuse can find a one-two combo similar to 2018, then ‘Cuse will be successful this year on offense.
Abdul Adams
As the season approaches, Adams steps in as the number one at the running back position. With Moe Neal gone, it’s Adams’s turn to take the reins. As a redshirt senior, it’s his last opportunity to shine at the collegiate level.
His first two seasons were spent playing tailback for Oklahoma before choosing to join the Orange for two more full seasons of eligibility. First, let’s look at his stats with the Sooners and what he’s done while suiting up for the Orange.
Abdul Adams Oklahoma Stats:
- 825 rushing yards
- 7.4 yards per rush
- 105 receiving yards
Adams decided to leave Norman and head to Syracuse. Now he will have an opportunity to flourish and be the first option for the first time in his career. He was forced to sit out a year and his first game action for ‘Cuse was in the Camping World Bowl, where he scored twice. After that, he followed up with a decent 2019 campaign. Let’s look at his career donning the orange and blue.
Abdul Adams Syracuse Stats:
- 355 rushing yards
- 3.7 yards per rush
- 5 rushing touchdowns
- 141 receiving yards
In his first season with Syracuse, he did not get a lion share of the carries and that contributed to the reduced numbers. However, this season Adams will be the lead back. His style of play is more of a hard-nosed running back but will play on the first two downs and head into the year as a starter. The biggest weakness for Adams is his inability to be a capable receiver out of the backfield. Syracuse has other options that have better hands from the running back position.
Adams’s strength he has going in his favor is his ability to be well rounded on the ground. He has the power to drive through the middle of the line but also has enough skill to bounce to the outside and be involved from the shotgun. Look for Abdul Adams to be a key contributor this season and be alongside Tommy DeVito.
Jarveon Howard
Syracuse must have multiple threats out of the backfield to keep defenses on their toes. A few years ago, that was easy because Eric Dungey had incredible running capabilities. But Tommy DeVito does not possess those same abilities. So it’s imperative a second running back provides a complement to Abdul Adams.
Jarveon Howard is the guy behind Adams. In fact, he could have an even more significant impact than Adams in 2020.
So far, Howard has been consistently used in goal-line scenarios. The 5-foot-10, nearly 215 pound back, is a strong presence that can bowl his ways through opponents. Not only can he line up in close yard sets but also has speed from the shotgun.
Some of Howard’s highlights so far include dives through the middle from a shotgun set. This variety in his game provides an excellent complement to what Adams will be doing primarily. Let’s look at Howard’s first two seasons with the Orange.
Jarveon Howard career stats:
- 652 rushing yards
- 4.5 yards per carry
- 10 rushing touchdowns
Throughout his two years on the hill, Howard has been used heavily in the red zone and been used sparingly anywhere else on the field. But Dino Babers needs to realize the potential Howard possesses.
Babers needs to allow him to be a larger part of the team. Syracuse needed Howard, and he filled the role. But this season, he needs to take a more prominent role in the offense and he will thrive and excel to heights never thought of before.
Just like Adams, Howard’s downside is his inability to be a receiver from the backfield. He is purely a runner but has enough skill to get by being one dimensional in that aspect. However, Howard is anything but one dimensional.
Howard has a great downhill running ability and can make people miss. He doesn’t try to go east and west to make people miss, but instead, he runs straight through defenders. This fearless quality, paired with his talent, will be imperative for the Orange next season.
Jawhar Jordan
Now we talk about the biggest unknown for the Syracuse running game. Yet despite being unknown, Jawhar Jordan could prove to be the biggest x-factor for the Orange. Not just as a runner but, more importantly, as a tool with his speed on offense.
Jordan is the person that excites me the most for Syracuse, as he is potentially the fastest player on the roster. Jordan comes in as a redshirt freshman who did enter four games in his first year. Let’s take a look at his impact in limited snaps.
Jawhar Jordan career stats:
- 192 yards from scrimmage
- 7 yards per rush
- 1 touchdown
Now, these stats are skewed as Jordan only ran the ball 15 times, but he did show some sparks of his speed and previewed the impact he will have for the Orange. Speed is an undeniable strength for Jordan.
On top of that, his agility makes him a versatile weapon. While he may not be a typical workhorse running back, he will be pivotal in the passing game. Expect him to be the running back in the game during passing situations. If Syracuse needs a few yards to gain, then expect the shifty back to be on the field.
Whether there’s a trick play or a standard set, Jordan will be an ace up Dino Babers sleeve. He is not proven yet and has a lot to learn and mature. A lot of the things that don’t come up on the stat sheet like pass blocking and knowing the playbook would be Jordan’s weaknesses right now. But we can chalk that up to being a young player in the system.
The one apparent disadvantage is that Jawhar is only 5-foot-9 and not even 170 pounds. However, despite being smaller, it will work for Syracuse. If he was the lead back then, the defense could cue upon him quickly.
But if Dino Babers is smart and uses him among other backs, then Babers could have a perfect recipe on his hands. Don’t be surprised if Jordan gets reps at wide receiver this season either. With an inexperienced wideout corps, a true athlete like Jordan could slip in.
It should be exciting to see how Dino Babers uses Jawhar Jordan in this offense, but somehow he must show off his blazing speed in 2020.
Other options on the roster
Syracuse is going to have to rely heavily on the run game this season to put points on the board. The first three running backs mentioned will deal with the most carries. However, there are four more running backs listed on the roster. While these four players may not touch the ball a ton this season, they need to be ready in case they are called upon.
So let’s break down the remaining four and their credentials if required in a pinch for coach Babers.
First off, the reserves list should be redshirt junior Markenzy Pierre.
He is the only player to step foot on the field in their Syracuse tenure. Pierre has mainly played on special teams for the Orange through 27 games in three seasons.
In limited offensive action, Pierre ran the ball 38 times for 130 yards, which is around three and a half yards per carry. Out of the remaining options, Pierre has the most on-field experiences.
Next up is redshirt freshman Garrison Johnson. He is a powerful runner nearly 240 pounds and would be an option in short-yardage downs. If anything were to happen where the goal-line running back went down, then Johnson could be a viable option.
The last two names are Cooper Lutz and Jack Guida. Lutz is transitioning from his first two seasons at wide receiver and now becoming a running back. Guida is a redshirt junior that hasn’t played in a game yet. Neither of these players I expect to get much time this season but are an option if needed.