With a new coach, a new quarterback and a new influx of talent, Syracuse faces raised expectations heading into its season opener against visiting Ohio on Saturday afternoon.
The Orange hired Georgia defensive backs coach Fran Brown as their new coach last November while they were wrapping up a 6-7 season. They actually won their first four games before a midseason collapse ultimately cost Dino Babers his job.
Brown took aim at the transfer portal immediately and secured former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, among several other highly regarded players.
“(Saturday is) definitely a date that I’ve had circled on my calendar since the day I decided to come here,” said McCord, who threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Buckeyes last season.
Among the returning stars for the Orange are running back LeQuint Allen (1,064 rushing yards, nine TDs) and linebacker Marlowe Wax (110 tackles, four sacks). Together, the veteran leaders and newcomers are embracing Brown’s DART (detailed, accountable, relentless and tough) mentality.
“(I hope that Saturday), you can really see DART,” Brown said. “You can see that we play like that. And that it’s not just a saying. It’s who we are.”
Bobcats coach Tim Albin has a catch phrase of his own.
“I always say: ‘We fear none, respect all.’ We have our hands full (this weekend),” he said. “Coach Brown’s done a really good job. I’m really impressed by the film that we’re studying.”
Ohio won its final four games (all by double digits) last season and finished with a 10-3 record, capped by a 41-21 triumph over Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Parker Navarro started that game at quarterback for the Bobcats and went 11 of 16 for 120 yards with a touchdown, while adding 71 yards on the ground.
Navarro will guide the Bobcats’ offense with plenty of help from Rickey Hunt, who recorded a school record-tying five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) in the 2023 season finale.
Syracuse has won all three meetings with Ohio, most recently a 29-9 victory in the 2021 season opener.
