We continue our series of Syracuse position previews as we lead up to the season opener vs New Hampshire. Yesterday it was a look at the quarterbacks and now it’s the men charged with protecting them- the offensive line.
The offensive line will be led this season by Juan Castillo who replaces Dale Williams. Castillo comes with plenty of coaching experience at both the NFL and collegiate level and the hope is that he can work with some of the young talent in the room.
Here’s a look at the listed linemen
on the roster, in alphabetical order. It’s a lot of bodies so what will Syracuse do to find the best five-man unit from this group:
Oluwafunto Akinshilo 6th
Naquil Betrand Sr.
Adam Boeheim Jr.
Travis Brown-Miller Jr.
Brayden Charney Fr.
Javeion Cooper Fr.
Joe Cruz 5th
Skylar Harvey So.
Matthew Hawn So.
Shemaj Henry Fr.
Jackson Iak So.
Trevion Mack Sr.
Jayden Mann So.
David Ndukwe 6th
Ted Olsen Sr.
Kam Pringle Jr.
Zach Rice 5th
D’Joni Scatliffe So.
Kardiear Shepherd So.
Vito Shevchenko Jr.
Kahlil Stewart So.
Byron Washington So.
Joseph White Fr.
Based on Christian’s early practice observations, this is what the starting OL was looking to be as camp kicked off:
LT: Mack
LG: Akinshilo
C: Cruz
RG: Washington
RT: Pringle
Three of those players are returning to the Orange with some starting experience, but there are still questions about the overall quality of the unit. I think the offensive line is a group where the sum can certainly outweight individual parts and it has to start with the center position. Cruz has limited experience there, but he’s shown versatility during his Orange career and did not allow a sack last season. If he can work with the quarterbacks to read the defense and get the right protection calls, Syracuse’s group should see an improvement as he projects to be a better blocker than last year’s starter Austin Collins.
Trevion Mack returns at tackle and despite injury issues last season, he only allowed 1 sack in 348 opportunities. A good offensive lineman is often someone who doesn’t draw attention and just does their job. Mack has the job of protecting the blind side and he gives Syracuse a solid player on the outside.
On the other side it looks as though South Carolina transfer Kam Pringle will get the first shot. Pringle had some struggles last season, but maybe the former 5-star recruit can take that step forward under Castillo’s tutelage. Other players to watch at the tackle spot are Naquil Bertrand and David Ndukwe. Bertrand saw action in six games last season and Ndukwe was a starter at Houston before being injured last season.
At guard, the play of Washington will be critical to the run game. The massive sophomore saw a lot of time last year but only graded a 52.4 by PFF. He’s the type of in-line mauler who can control a defensive front and open space for the inside runs favored by this offense. He’ll be flanked by UCLA transfer Akinshilo, who didn’t play much for the Bruins but is familiar with Castillo’s scheme. I’d expect that the coaches will look at a number of options at left guard including Matthew Hawn, Jaden Mann and Zach Rice.
When it comes to the reserves, I’m keeping an eye on Hawn especially. He was at center in the spring, but as a true freshman Fran kept mentioning his name as a player impressing in practices. It seems like the Orange are cross-training him so they can move the line around to get the best combination. Could Hawn show enough to join Cruz on the interior of the line? Keep an eye out as we get closer to kickoff.
If any of the freshman are going to push for early playing time, it’s likely Cooper. The Florida product is one to keep an eye on- especially if the offensive line has some struggles in September.
There is a lot of concern among the Syracuse fanbase about replacing production at the skill positions, but if the offensive line can take a step forward this fall, I think the Orange have enough talent to move the ball and score points. The season opener will give us a bit of insight into this group’s potential- if they struggle to open running lanes or protect against New Hampshire, it could be another long season.
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Which players on the offensive line do you feel will be keys this fall?
