Syracuse Football: Garrett Shrader playing like nation’s top dual-threat QB

We’ll see how senior quarterback Garrett Shrader and the rest of the Syracuse football team fare this Saturday afternoon when the Orange hosts Clemson to open Atlantic Coast Conference competition for the ‘Cuse.

But leading up to this conference clash, Shrader in recent days has garnered some pretty darn high praise from both a Syracuse football legend as well as national pundits. Based on what Shrader has done so far in the 2023 season, that praise is well deserved.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Shrader, who hails from Charlotte, N.C., has played a huge role in helping lead the ‘Cuse to a 4-0 record during the non-conference portion of the team’s 2023 term. That being said, the Orange’s upcoming schedule is brutal, with a home date against the Tigers (2-2) followed by consecutive road battles versus top-15 North Carolina and top-five Florida State.

From a statistical standpoint, Garrett Shrader has proven quite excellent thus far in 2023, with his rushing totals simply phenomenal and his passing stats fairly solid. It’s no wonder that, this week, legendary ‘Cuse quarterback Don McPherson said of Shrader to Syracuse.com’s Brent Axe, “He’s unlike any other quarterback.”

Syracuse football senior quarterback Garrett Shrader is shredding defenses with his arm and his legs.

Before I get into some of Shrader’s numbers to date in the 2023 term, I want to note here that he was recently named as a semifinalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, an annual award that honors the sport’s top scholar-athlete.

Shrader, who was named to several preseason watch lists for national awards, is performing at a high level on the field, but he’s also doing similar things in the classroom at Syracuse University, and I applaud him for that.

Okay. Here’s the deal on Garrett Shrader through the first four games of the 2023 stanza. Through the air, he’s completing 66.7 percent of his pass attempts and has thrown for 972 total yards, or 9.0 yards per attempt, to go along with six touchdowns and three interceptions. His passer rating is 155.0.

In the rushing department, he’s carried the ball 46 times for 316 yards and a half-dozen scores on the ground. He’s averaging 6.87 yards per carry and 79.0 rushing yards per contest. And, of course, let’s not forget that he tallied a ridiculous 195 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns earlier this month when Syracuse football won at Purdue.

Within the ACC, at the time of this writing, his passer rating is No. 5. He’s No. 8 in total passing yards and No. 8 in passing yards per game, at 243.0. He’s No. 6 in the conference at 79.0 rushing yards per encounter, and Garrett Shrader is tied for No. 4 in the ACC with six touchdowns scored.

On a national level, per the NCAA’s Web site, he is No. 36 in passing efficiency, tied for No. 35 in completion percentage, No. 48 in passing yards per game, No. 49 in total passing yards, tied for No. 40 in rushing yards per affair, No. 37 in total rushing yards, No. 9 in rushing yards per carry, and tied for No. 8 in rushing touchdowns.

I’m not in any way saying Garrett Shrader is a significant contender at this juncture for, say, the Heisman Trophy, but let’s remember, he’s putting up solid ACC and national passing numbers, as well as pretty stellar rushing stats – and he’s a quarterback. A true dual-threat QB, in fact.

To that end, 247Sports national writer Chris Hummer recently published a story where he looked at various players in college football who are “breaking out and making big leaps in 2023.”

I’m pleased to say that Shrader is included in this piece. Hummer wrote in part, “The best dual-threat QB in college football right now? It’s likely Shrader, whose play is the biggest reason Syracuse sits at 4-0. Shrader is doing everything well right now.”

I hope that continues as the ‘Cuse eyes a 5-0 record when the Orange welcomes Clemson to the Hill this Saturday afternoon.