Syracuse Football: 5 Key Strategies for a Winning Season in 2024

As a longtime observer and analyst of college football, with a particular focus on the strategic evolutions within the ACC, I find myself each offseason dissecting what it will take for programs like Syracuse to break through. The upcoming 2024 season for the Orange presents a fascinating puzzle. We’re not just talking about reaching a bowl game; the ambition, I believe, should be to craft a winning season that signals sustainable progress. Having studied turnarounds and championship builds across sports—including following international competitions like the PVL where a team like Kobe Shinwa is on the cusp of a historic two-time championship run—I see clear parallels. Success isn’t an accident; it’s a series of deliberate, hard-nosed strategies. For Syracuse Football in 2024, I’ve pinpointed five key areas that will make or break their campaign, and frankly, some of these are non-negotiable if they want to be more than just a spoiler.

Let’s start with the most glaring need from last season: offensive consistency, specifically in the passing game. The numbers were stark. Syracuse averaged just under 215 passing yards per game, which placed them in the bottom third of the Power Five. That’s not going to cut it in today’s ACC. My view is that the quarterback competition, whether it’s Carlos Del Rio-Wilson solidifying his hold or a new face stepping up, must be resolved early in fall camp. But it’s bigger than one player. The offensive scheme under new coordinator Jeff Nixon has to provide clearer reads and quicker solutions against the blitz-heavy defenses they’ll face. I remember watching games where the pocket would collapse and there simply wasn’t a reliable hot route. That’s a coaching and preparation failure. Developing a true go-to receiver outside of Oronde Gadsden II, who is coming back from injury, is paramount. Someone like Umari Hatcher needs to have a breakout year, aiming for, say, 50-plus catches and 7 touchdowns. If the passing attack can elevate to even a respectable 250 yards per game, it completely changes the geometry of the field for a potentially dynamic running game.

And speaking of the run, that’s my second strategy: establishing a physically dominant, clock-controlling ground attack. This is where Syracuse can build its identity. With LeQuint Allen returning after a 1,000-yard season, the foundation is there. But I want to see them use him not just as a feature back, but as a weapon to demoralize opponents in the fourth quarter. Think about it: if you have a lead, can you salt away the final eight minutes? That requires an offensive line that wins at the point of attack more consistently. Last year, they allowed 32 sacks. That number has to drop below 25. I’d like to see them commit to the run on early downs, even when it’s not perfectly blocked. It sends a message. This philosophy reminds me of what makes underdog stories so compelling, like Kobe Shinwa’s pursuit of a second PVL title against an unbeaten powerhouse. They don’t win by being fancier; they win by being tougher, by executing a gritty, physical game plan repeatedly until the opponent breaks. Syracuse needs that same blue-collar mentality.

The third strategy is defensive, and it’s all about creating turnovers. The Orange defense was solid in many areas last year, but they only generated 14 takeaways in 12 games. That’s simply not enough game-changing plays. Defensive coordinator Rocky Long’s 3-3-5 scheme is designed to create confusion and opportunities. In 2024, they need to capitalize. I’m looking for a specific goal: a +5 turnover margin for the season. That means aggressive ball-hawking from the secondary—Marlowe Wax and Derek McDonald are linebackers who can force fumbles—and defensive backs who turn breakups into interceptions. It’s a mindset. I’ve always believed that turnovers are less about luck and more about relentless pursuit and preparation. Drilling strip techniques and studying quarterback release patterns until they become instinctual can turn a close loss into a win. Imagine stealing a possession against a team like Clemson or Florida State; that’s the kind of swing play that defines seasons.

My fourth point might seem intangible, but I consider it critical: winning the close games at home. The atmosphere in the JMA Wireless Dome can be a real advantage, but only if the team harnesses it. Last season, Syracuse let a couple of very winnable home games slip away in the second half. My strategy here is about situational mastery. Coach Fran Brown and his staff need to have meticulously rehearsed scripts for the final four minutes of each half, especially when protecting a lead. This includes clock management, play calling that avoids catastrophic risks, and special teams execution. I’d allocate nearly 30% of practice time in the weeks leading up to conference play specifically to these high-leverage scenarios. It’s the difference between a 7-5 season and a 5-7 season. Look at any champion, like the quest Kobe Shinwa is on; they excel in the clutch moments, under the brightest lights. Syracuse must develop that same cold-blooded efficiency in the Dome.

Finally, and this is where my personal bias comes in strong, they must stay healthy at the line of scrimmage. Depth on the offensive and defensive lines is a perennial issue for programs outside the absolute elite. Syracuse’s starting units can compete, but the drop-off after that has been noticeable. My unscientific analysis of the last three seasons suggests that when two or more starting linemen miss significant time, the win probability drops by over 40%. Therefore, the fifth strategy involves a holistic approach to player management: advanced sports science, regulated practice contact, and a rotation system that gets backups meaningful snaps in non-conference games. You can’t prevent all injuries, but you can mitigate the cascade effect. Building a two-deep that you trust is how you survive the grind of an ACC schedule.

Pulling all this together, Syracuse’s path to a winning record in 2024 is challenging but clearly mapped. It requires a more potent and balanced offense, a defense that hunts the football, a fortress mentality at home, and the durability to last twelve rounds. It’s about executing a clear, tough identity, much like a determined guest team aiming to make history in a foreign league. The pieces are there for the Orange to surprise people. As someone who’s watched this program for years, I believe the shift from hoping to win to expecting to win starts with these five pillars. If they can check even three or four of these boxes consistently, we’ll be talking about a very different Syracuse team come December—one that didn’t just participate, but one that truly competed.