Five Things to Watch For as Syracuse Football Starts Training Camp
Syracuse football is set to kickoff training camp this week and there are some interesting things to watch leading up to the start of the 2023 season.
1. Backup Quarterback Battle
Garrett Shrader is the starter, but the backup spot is up in the air. In each of the last several seasons, the backup quarterback has had to play meaningful snaps. Therefore, whoever wins that job could end up having an impact on the season. The primary candidates are Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Braden Davis. Del Rio-Wilson transferred in during the 2022 offseason from Florida while Davis came from South Carolina this past offseason. Both are talented, former four star recruits. Del Rio-Wilson has the advantage having been in the program for a year and with a start under his belt. But that position is not definitively secure. With a strong camp, Davis has a chance to pass Del Rio-Wilson. Either way, Syracuse has three former SEC quarterbacks in its QB room and the battle for the backup spot will be an intriguing one to watch.
2. Offensive Line Battles
Both tackle positions and the center position are up for grabs as last year's starters have exhausted their eligibility or turned pro. Josh Ilaoa and J'Onre Reed will battle for the center spot. The tackle positions have interesting options including transfer Joe More, transfer David Wohlabaugh, Enrique Cruz, Joe Cruz and others. Who earns those spots will be interesting to watch. Do returning players who have been on the two-deep such as Ilaoa and Cruz earn spots? Or do incoming transfers/junior college prospects beat them out?
3. Health
Injuries have been an unfortunate storyline in each of the last handful of Syracuse football seasons. The last thing you want is for that to rear its ugly head before a game is even played. Watch the health of the team throughout camp in the hopes that the Orange is whole for the start of the season.
4. Who Emerges in the Secondary
There is turnover in the secondary, with starters Duce Chestnut, Ja'Had Carter and Garrett Williams gone to transfer or the NFL. Syracuse also brought in several transfers at both corner and safety including Jaeden Gould, Jalil Martin, Jayden Bellamy and junior college prospects. They will be battling with returning players such as Isaiah Johnson, Jeremiah Wilson, Jason Simmons, Bralyn Oliver and others for playing time. Still, those positions, especially at safety, are not secure. How it all mixes together with new faces will be something to monitor.
5. Special Teams
Syracuse lost its kicker from last season (Andre Szmyt) as he exhausted his eligibility. The punting spot was a major weakness in special teams last year. Therefore, both positions are in flux. Missouri transfer Jack Stonehouse has joined the team and will battle Max Von Marburg for punting duties. Stonehouse is the favorite as Von Marburg really struggled last season, but as a new player, nothing is set in stone (pun intended). The kicker position is an even bigger question. With no Szmyt, Syracuse has Brady Denaburg and Ian Hawkins on the roster to battle for that spot. Denaburg was the team's kickoff specialist last year, showing a solid leg. He will now look to earn the starting kicker spot as well. Hawkins was the team's starting punter down the stretch of last season, but was originally brought in as a kicker. Syracuse needs one of the two to emerge as a consistently effective kicker to bolster its special teams.
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