Syracuse Orange football spring training begins tomorrow morning, giving us our first glimpse of new head coach Fran Brown's lineup. As it stands, the team is already well over the scholarship cap, and with more players on the way, there should be stiff competition at several key positions.
With that in mind, here are some frequently asked questions from TNIAAM staff coming into camp.
Mike: McCord, Gadsden, and who?
Despite the obvious health issue, we know that the Kyle McCord and Orondo Gadsden connection will be at its best throughout next season. But who else will take on the big Uke role? The receiver's room is full of corpses that have potential but little in-game experience. The Orange could go a completely different route (pun intended) and use a multi-TE set with Dan Villari and Jamie Tremble wreaking havoc, but since Tremble isn't on campus yet, Fran And I just want to see what else OC Jeff Nixon has to work with in the passing game.
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Mark Konesny-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin: Who will emerge among the new players?
Syracuse added a number of new players to its offensive line, defensive line and wide receiver group. Will these transfers/freshmen make an immediate impact or will some of the returning youngsters take the next step in their development? There could be more roster exodus in the month.
Dom: Uncovering the potential of the trenches
As always with Syracuse football, consistent play from deep, especially on the offensive line, is always a concern heading into the season. The Orange already have quite a few players returning with some experience. It will be a battle for position to see which of the returning players or new players will rise to prominence. The same goes for the defense, especially with Elijah Robinson leading the way for a new version of The Mob.
Max: How quickly can the coaching staff gel?
Along with the new head coach comes a plethora of new assistant coaching talent. OC Jeff Nixon and DC Elijah Robinson previously worked with Fran Brown at Baylor University, but the trio didn't have much of a role. Special teams coordinator James Volono has no experience with Brown. Part of Dino Babers' staff will also remain, with Nunzio Campanile moving from tight ends to quarterbacks coach and Michael Johnson remaining in charge of wide receivers. There are also a lot of additional moving parts, so it will be interesting to see how the new coach attacks spring training.
Christian: Who wants that?
To be honest, many of my questions were accepted. My biggest concern on both sides of the ball is the grooves. Once you get past that, he has two interesting position battles on both sides of the ball. Mike mentioned wide receivers, but with Damian Alford leaving the program, there's more focus.
On the other side of the ball, Syracuse needs a new No. 1 cornerback to replace Isaiah Johnson. Fran Brown still coaches the cornerbacks, so the new primary corner will have full approval from the new head coach. Will Jaden Bellamy rise to claim the No. 1 spot, or will Deuce Chesnut's return mark his ascension to that honor? Covering wide receivers in the ACC is never easy; The head coaching position group will take on a huge burden.
