Sean Tucker Leads the Nation in All-Purpose Yards
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker is just five yard short of 1,000 all-purpose yards on the 2021 season. His 995 yards (791 rushing, 204 receiving) is tops in all of college football. Wide receiver Calvin Austin of Memphis is second with 972 yards. In addition, Tucker's 791 rushing yards is good for second in the nation (trailing Michigan State's Kenneth Walker who has 913 rushing yards) while his nine rushing touchdowns is tied for fourth.
Tucker has had a tremendous first half of the 2021 campaign. If he has the same production in the second half of the season as he did in the first, he will eclipse Joe Morris' program record of 1,372. In fact, Tucker needs to average just 97 yards per game to pass Morris. Tucker has surpassed that in five of six games this season. The one game he did not was against Rutgers, when he only had 13 carries.
Tucker has also proven to be valuable as a receiver this season. He became the only Syracuse player in program history to record over 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game when he accomplished the feat against Albany.
Despite being the focal point of opposing teams' game plans, Tucker has still run around and through stout run defenses. His performances have been so good, there has been chatter amongst a portion of the fan base that he deserves to have the number 44 unretired and given to Tucker.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but Tucker has certainly been fun to watch for Orange fans this season.
