Syracuse Football: Top keys for the Orange to stun No. 18 North Carolina

Syracuse football will have its hands full at North Carolina on Saturday, and here’s what the Orange needs to do to succeed.

Syracuse football kicks off its 2020 campaign at No. 18 North Carolina on Saturday at noon, and the first test for the Orange is a daunting one.

The ‘Cuse has low expectations in 2020, according to national and Atlantic Coast Conference pundits, while the Tar Heels are primed for a possible top-three finish in the league.

While no fans will watch this ACC clash in-person, UNC is still a massive betting favorite, at around 22 points. Should Syracuse football hope to shock the Tar Heels, the Orange will have to perform admirably in a bunch of departments. Let’s examine them.

Contain North Carolina’s stellar offense
Easier said than done. To say that the Tar Heels boast an explosive offense is an understatement. Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell put forth a record-setting freshman term in 2019 and could prove a serious Heisman Trophy contender this stanza. UNC’s offensive weapons include senior running back Michael Carter and senior wide receiver Dazz Newsome. Moreover, Syracuse football will attempt to shine versus the Tar Heels’ offense while the ‘Cuse rolls out a new 3-3-5 defensive scheme. This could prove rough.

Orange secondary must excel
Speaking of the North Carolina offense and the Orange’s brand-new defensive system, the Syracuse football secondary has to fare well as Howell seeks to pile up the passing yards. Leading the charge in this arena are junior safety Andre Cisco, a pre-season All-American candidate who will serve as the secondary’s rover, and fellow junior Trill Williams, the free safety. These guys have to flourish.

The ‘Cuse running game is critical
This is a huge question mark as the 2020 campaign gets underway. Redshirt senior Abdul Adams and junior Jarveon Howard entered this fall as the top-two returning running backs from 2019 on the Syracuse football depth chart, and both have reportedly opted out of the 2020 stanza. That puts pressure on starting running back Jawhar Jordan, a redshirt freshman, as well as redshirt junior Markenzy Pierre, the team’s back-up at this position. A solid running attack is vital for the Orange, in part because it can slow down the North Carolina offense and give the Syracuse football defense a much-welcomed breather.

Tommy DeVito must put points on the board
Redshirt junior quarterback Tommy DeVito is the squad’s starter, and sometimes I think that he unfairly gets criticized by the ‘Cuse fan base. He had a relatively decent 2019 term, and if the offensive line holds up this year, DeVito can thrive, in my opinion. He will have to command the offense with precision and produce some touchdowns if the Orange has any realistic chance of conquering the Tar Heels. The Syracuse football wide receivers also must prosper.

The offensive line can’t fall apart
When the ‘Cuse released its first depth chart of 2020 earlier this week, media reports indicated that the offensive line is dealing with some injuries. Redshirt junior offensive guard Dakota Davis, a starter in 2019, is not listed on this depth chart. Senior tight end/defensive tackle Chris Elmore is arranged at left guard. Redshirt sophomore Chris Bleich has yet to hear from the NCAA on his waiver request for immediate eligibility, and Bleich reportedly underwent surgery this off-season. The offensive line did woefully a campaign ago, and I don’t have a lot of optimism for this group in 2020, at least for now.

Punt big, and don’t settle for field goals
Nolan Cooney, a redshirt senior, will serve as the Orange’s punter and holder on field-goal/extra-point kicks, after he beat out freshman James Williams. Cooney will have to consistently pin the UNC offense deep in its own territory. Finally, while ‘Cuse redshirt junior placekicker Andre Szmyt is fantastic, for Syracuse football to prevail versus the Tar Heels, field goal after field goal won’t work. The Orange has to get the ball into the end zone.