Syracuse Football: Sean Tucker sounds off on ‘Cuse play-calling in Pitt loss

Syracuse football star running back Sean Tucker fell short in his bid to win the country’s rushing title in 2021, but he did have a historic season and led the Atlantic Coast Conference in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game. He also made the All-ACC first team.

However, in the wake of the Orange’s 31-14 setback at the hands of Pittsburgh this past weekend on the Hill, the sophomore was not pleased with the team’s result, nor the play-calling by ‘Cuse coaches, in the final regular-season game for Syracuse football in the 2021 campaign.

Against the top-20 Panthers (10-2, 7-1) in Central New York, the Orange (5-7, 2-6) yet again struggled on both sides of the field. Tucker only got 13 carries for 29 yards on the ground, and that certainly was not what he imagined in his final 2021 contest.

"Tucker, whose tweets this season have proven interesting to say the least, noted via Twitter, “We lost our last game Pitt 31 Syr 14. I’m not pleased with the outcome of the game or the play calling. I wanted to do so much more but I don’t call the plays. Good luck to all the seniors moving on.”"

Syracuse football running back Sean Tucker still had a magnificent 2021 stanza.

Despite a sub-par statistical game versus Pittsburgh, Tucker culminated 2021 with 246 carries for 1,496 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, per ESPN.

Tucker finished at No. 4 across the country in rushing yards, which is excellent. And he eclipsed Orange legend Joe Morris for the single-season rushing record on the Hill, as Morris had rushed for 1,372 yards in 1979.

But I absolutely can understand Tucker wanting more carries, and him wanting to have a larger impact, in the ‘Cuse encounter against the Panthers, a squad that is playing in the ACC championship game on December 4 versus Wake Forest.

Personally, I simply don’t get why Tucker wasn’t utilized more, and I don’t blame him for being unhappy with what transpired in the team’s loss to Pittsburgh.

A lot of Syracuse football fans want head coach Dino Babers gone, but he will be back in 2022, according to media reports, although some of his assistant coaches will not be returning.

Hey, the Orange had five victories in 2021, as compared to one win a term ago. That’s a big-time improvement. But with Tucker seemingly under-utilized at times, and the ‘Cuse having numerous opportunities to qualify for a post-season bowl game but failing to do so, I for one am a bit frustrated with how things ultimately panned out for Syracuse football.