The Syracuse winter weather is winding down, schools are on spring break or just back from it, and I’m excited that Syracuse football spring practices have begun.
Last season saw the football program win seven games and go to a bowl game. We’ve also seen some staff changes. And as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, which will take place from April 27 to April 29, four to five Syracuse football players could potentially see their dreams come true and get drafted.
And with that comes expectations and opportunities but then again that’s normal with the beginning of a new season. But it feels like if you win seven games and go to a bowl game and do not win it, some fans still want more like eight to nine victories and a bowl win.
With that I say, please tread lightly with your expectations but remain optimistic and hopeful as there is some changeover and a lot can happen as we saw last season, good and bad. But while we are at it, don’t forget that this is a program that was picked to win four to five games max last season by many, and Syracuse football started out 6-0.
I’m pumped about Syracuse football spring football!
There are team leaders returning like Marlowe Wax Jr., Caleb Okechukwu, Garrett Shrader and Oronde Gadsden II. There are also younger guys, who maybe watched more than they played in 2022, but could step up this coming season, such as Justin Barron, LeQuint Allen Jr., Enrique Cruz Jr. and Terry Lockett.
There are also players like Stefon Thompson and Isaiah Jones returning from injury and former transfers like Alijah Clark with all the potential in the world to step up. In fact, in an interview on ACC PM, Head Coach Dino Babers himself stated he’s already named three captains (Wax, Shrader and Barron) and will name three more in August.
So with the team’s Spring Game scheduled for April 21, I think there are reasons to be excited about the 2023 season and you can see for yourself next Friday in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Nobody knows how many wins a team will get in spring or who will win any game but one thing we can do is enjoy the wait. We can do so with cautious optimism and excitement that in a couple more months, the ‘Cuse will be back in action for real.
I for one am excited to see who steps up this season, grab some Dome Dogs and root for my favorite team, the Syracuse Orange.