Seven Syracuse Players Named All-ECAC, Duce Chestnut Rookie of the Year

The Orange had several players honored by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) released its All-FBS team and other major awards, and eight total Syracuse players were honored. Seven made the All-ECAC team while another player was named Rookie of the Year. 

The All-ECAC offensive team included three Syracuse players. Sean Tucker was the top running back. Offensive linemen Airon Servais and Matthew Bergeron were also named to the offensive team. 

The All-ECAC defensive team featured four Orange players. Defensive linemen Josh Black and Cody Roscoe were selected. Mikel Jones was the lone Syracuse linebacker on the team. Garrett Williams was Syracuse's only defensive back selected. 

In addition to those seven players, Syracuse defensive back Duce Chestnut was named ECAC Rookie of the Year. 

Tucker ran for 1,496 yards during the 2021 season, breaking Joe Morris' 42 year old school record in the process. Tucker also set program records for most 100 yard performances in a season and most consecutive 100 yard games. Tucker finished fourth in the nation in rushing yards, fourth in total scrimmage yards and fifth in all-purpose yards. Servais and Bergeron were instrumental in helping to pave the way for Tucker's success. 

Cody Roscoe led the Orange with 8.5 sacks, and tied for 27th nationally in sacks per game. Black finished the season with 35 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. Jones was an All-ACC First Team selection, leading Syracuse with 110 tackles and 13.0 tackles for loss. Garrett Williams was second in the ACC in passes defended per game (1.0) and finished with 10 total. 

Duce Chestnut was strong beyond his years right from the opening game. He had an interception against Ohio, his first of a team leading three on the season. Chestnut added 43 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss on top of that. 

The ECAC describes itself as follows:

The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-two-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.