Syracuse Football: Clean up the rushing defense, or Liberty will run wild

Syracuse football got totally crushed in the running game against Duke, and up next is a Liberty team that excels in its rushing attack.

First and foremost, Syracuse football is suffering through a massive list of injuries as the Orange prepares to take the field this Saturday afternoon versus unbeaten non-conference foe Liberty from the Carrier Dome.

It’s a total bummer, and I feel for these young men on the ‘Cuse roster. But Saturday’s contest still must go on, and if the Orange doesn’t fare better in the rushing department, this duel could prove a blow-out.

In all fairness, Syracuse football (1-3) has absolutely played a tougher schedule to date than Liberty, an FBS independent outfit in football.

The Orange has fallen to a top-five North Carolina unit and then-No. 25 Pittsburgh on the road, beaten Georgia Tech on the Hill, and last weekend the ‘Cuse got roughed up by previously winless Duke in Central New York.

Conversely, Liberty has bested the likes of Western Kentucky, Florida International, North Alabama and Louisiana-Monroe. So, yes, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison between Syracuse football and the Flames (4-0).

Syracuse football must tighten up its run defense against Liberty, or this encounter could prove painful for the ‘Cuse.

Regardless, the Orange coughed up a whopping 363 rushing yards to the Blue Devils this past Saturday, and Duke presently checks in at No. 47 nationally in rushing yards generated a game, according to ncaa.com.

Liberty, meanwhile, produces a stellar 250.8 rushing yards per affair, good for No. 7 across the country. And, by extension, the ‘Cuse allows a massive 231.3 rushing yards every time out, and that’s No. 71 of out 76 squads nationally. Ugh.

With trips to No. 1 Clemson and No. 4 Notre Dame lurking on the horizon for the Orange, Syracuse football has to notch a success versus the Flames to gain a bit of momentum and optimism moving forward.

Perhaps the two main Liberty players that the ‘Cuse will attempt to clamp down on are redshirt junior quarterback Malik Willis and redshirt senior running back Joshua Mack.

Willis, a transfer from Auburn, is a talented dual-threat quarterback who boasts 340 rushing yards and four touchdowns scored to date in the 2020 stanza, per a report by Mike Curtis of Syracuse.com.

Mack, one of the top running backs in the sport, has compiled 359 yards and one touchdown so far. Both Mack and Willis currently reside in the top 20 around the country in rushing yards tallied in the fall term.