Syracuse Football 2025 Preview: Analyzing the Orange's running back room this season

The lineage of Syracuse football running backs is as long and distinguished as any program in college football history. In 2024, the Orange had another good one with LeQuint Allen, who had over 1,000 rushing yards, over 500 receiving yards, and 20 total touchdowns. Needless to say, that kind of production is going to be difficult to replace.

Yet, Syracuse will have to find a way if the Orange expect to take another step forward in head coach Fran Brown’s second season. Let’s examine what the running back position looks like without Allen in 2025.

The starter

Yasin Willis looks poised to be the starter in 2025. He served as Allen’s primary backup for most of the 2024 campaign. Yet, with Allen dominating the snaps, Willis got just 36 carries last season, rushing for 130 yards and one touchdown. That’s not much of a track record, especially in an era when teams regularly give two or three running backs consistent playing time, which results in always having experience in the backfield.

Of course, Willis will gain experience quickly after seeing action in 11 games last season. He showed enough flashes in 2024 to make Orange fans think that he can be productive. Athlon Sports even made him a third-team All-ACC pick in the preseason. At 6’1’’, 235 pounds, Willis is a strong physical back who should be a force between the tackles. However, whether he has the speed to get outside or the pass-catching ability that Allen showed last season remains to be seen, which is why he probably won’t dominate the playing time in the backfield the way Allen did in 2024.

The backups

While Willis doesn’t bring back a ton of experience for a projected starter, Syracuse will get some of that from backup Will Nixon. The son of offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon had 19 carries and four catches in three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. He also had 54 carries and 20 catches across two seasons at Washington, so he brings some college experience. That should make him a valuable backup for Willis, especially in obvious passing situations.

Jaden Hart should also be in the mix for touches in the backfield. He earned just three carries as a freshman in 2024, although he saw the field in eight games. Hart should have a chance to work his way into the rotation. The same is true for Malachi James, who was used as a kick returner last season. James broke the New Jersey state record in the 100-meter dash in high school and moonlights on the Syracuse track & field team, so he has speed to burn. The Orange could find a bigger role for him in the backfield to help replace Allen.

The rest

Allen got so many touches last season that it could take more than three or four running backs to fill the void, especially if injuries hit the Syracuse backfield. That potentially opens the door for other running backs at some point in 2025. Freshman Malachi Coleman is another speedster who ran with the Syracuse track & field team. Fellow freshman Tylik Hill is a little undersized at 5’9’’ but is known for his speed, also playing basketball and running track in high school. Finally, sophomore Tyler Chandler is a preferred walk-on who figures to be used mostly on the scout team.

The skinny

There is virtually no way for a single player to replicate what Allen did for the Syracuse offense last season. That means the Orange will have to replace him “moneyball style,” in the aggregate. Willis will get the first chance to be the featured back, although the pass-catching ability of Nixon, the speed of James, and the talents of one or two other backs will all be needed to form a productive Syracuse backfield in 2025. The silver lining is that only Nixon is out of eligibility after this season, giving the Orange plenty of room for improvement and a chance to build a core that will be together for multiple seasons.