I don’t want to overstate things too much, because I recognize that Syracuse football played a clearly outmatched foe on Saturday in Central New York.
But with how the Orange’s ground game had been performing over the past two games, I did find it encouraging how the ‘Cuse rushing attacked fared when Syracuse football (5-0) destroyed Wagner, 59-0, in week five.
After the Orange’s two-point win over Virginia at home in week four, I opined that I felt the ‘Cuse running game, and the squad’s offensive line, needed to spruce up their play as Syracuse football prepares for a daunting seven-game stretch following an upcoming bye week.
To reiterate, the FCS Seahawks (0-4) are struggling on the field in 2022, and they have in other recent stanzas, so what the Orange did on the ground versus Wagner isn’t a huge barometer of what could transpire in the near future.
Nonetheless, the ‘Cuse piling up nearly 400 rushing yards against the Seahawks is still an encouraging sign to me.
Syracuse football did a lot of positive things on the ground in handling Wagner.
In reaching 5-0 to start a season for the first time since 1987, Syracuse football didn’t own a turnover or have to punt versus the Seahawks, although the Orange desperately needs to clean up the number of penalties that it continues to commit.
On the ground, All-American running back Sean Tucker, who had been stymied a bit in his rushing performances over the last two affairs, went full beast mode against Wagner.
He amassed 232 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground. Why Tucker was in the game to start the second half, with Syracuse football ahead 49-0, is ridiculous to me, but in any event, SU Athletics says that he now stands at No. 7 all-time in career rushing yards for the Orange.
As much as Tucker was awesome on Saturday, what I really enjoyed seeing was the performance of backup running back LeQuint Allen Jr.
The freshman from New Jersey carried four times for 112 rushing yards, a ridiculous average of 28 yards per carry, according to ESPN statistics.
Allen had a rushing score and also burst onto the scene with a 90-yard run. Cuse.com says that he is the first Syracuse football player to possess a run of at least 90 yards since 1949.
Blessed🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/BkAnykWvG5
— LeQuint Allen Jr (@JrLequint) October 2, 2022
A three-star recruit in the 2022 class, Allen was a stand-out for Millville High School in Millville, N.J. As a senior, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey, when he rushed for 1,903 yards and 26 touchdowns, according to SU Athletics.
Obviously, Sean Tucker is the main guy at running back for Syracuse football this term. However, with the schedule coming up for the Orange, it’s great to know that the team has a strong backup in LeQuint Allen Jr.
I believe that he will be a star for Syracuse football as well down the line. Depth at running back is imperative, and it was fantastic to see the ‘Cuse get back on track in the rushing department this past weekend.