Syracuse Football: Linebacker Juan Wallace Jr. heading to Kent State

Syracuse football reserve linebacker Juan Wallace Jr. will encounter some Orange ties at Kent State.

Syracuse football reserve linebacker Juan Wallace Jr. is transferring to Kent State, where he will link up with former Orange coaches.

The 6-foot-2, 227-pound Wallace, a three-star prospect in high school who is now a rising junior in college, revealed his new home on Twitter.

Wallace, who hails from Washington, D.C., played in 11 contests for the ‘Cuse during his sophomore campaign, primarily as a member of the kick-off return and punt-coverage units.

Overall in his Syracuse career, Wallace suited up in 24 games across two stanzas. He saw spot duty on defense as a sophomore, collecting seven tackles, including two that were solo.

https://twitter.com/JuanWallaceJr/status/1268943004452245504

Wallace, who said on May 18 that he would enter the transfer portal, will move to Kent State, a university located in Kent, Ohio., where the linebacker will enjoy a few ‘Cuse connections.

Syracuse football linebacker Juan Wallace Jr. will meet up with former Orange coaches at Kent State.

Kent State, for one, is led by head coach Sean Lewis, who was hired to that position in December of 2017. Prior to coming on board with the Golden Flashes, Lewis served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Orange head coach Dino Babers.

Lewis had spent six seasons alongside Babers at the ‘Cuse, Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois. Additionally, Kent State defensive coordinator Tom Kaufman worked with Wallace as the Orange’s linebackers coach during Wallace’s first term in Central New York, according to a report from Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com.

Prior to going to the Hill, Wallace attended H.D. Woodson High School in our nation’s capital and then the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. As a senior at IMG, he tallied 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks for a group that went 8-0 and finished ranked No. 2 in USA Today’s Super 25 poll.

Wallace chose the Orange over Duke and Maryland, before SEC powerhouse Georgia “courted him late in the process,” Bailey wrote in his article.

Another reserve ‘Cuse linebacker, Kadeem Trotter, also recently entered his name into the transfer portal. Trotter will become a redshirt junior during the upcoming 2020 campaign.