The Orange went 7-5 (4-3 in the Big East) with a win at West Virginia and close losses to Louisville and Boston College. The Orange returned 13 starters from a team that went 4-8 (1-6 in the Big East) but lost two games by a combined four points including one in overtime.
QB Ryan Nassib has completed 56% of his passes for 2,095 yards with 16 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2010. He completed 68% of his passes vs. Maine for 260 yards and 5 touchdown passes. He threw two picks vs. Pittsburgh and had picks in 6 other games. The Orange wanted to implement a new downfield throwing attack and Nassib has the arm strength to do just that.
RB's Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey have combined for 1,539 yards (1,035 by Carter) on 311 carries (204 by Carter) (4.9 yards/carry) with 9 touchdowns (7 by Carter). Carter's best game came vs. Colgate where he rushed for 172 yards on 14 carries (12.3 yards/carry) and had 4 touchdowns. Bailey is used mostly in Syracuse's "Stallion" formation. His best game was a 94 yard outing at West Virginia.
Carter and Bailey will run behind an offensive line that features two seniors (C Ryan Bartholomew and RG Adam Rosner), one junior (RT Michael Hay) and two sophomore's (LT Justin Pugh and LG Zack Chibane). It is an offensive line that has allowed Nassib to be sacked 29 times.
WR's Van Chew and Alec Lemon have combined for 988 yards (611 by Chew) with 9 touchdowns (5 by Chew). Lemon was considered to be a rising star going into this season. Chew's best game came vs Maine when he had 113 yards on 7 catches and a touchdown. Lemon's best game came vs. Pittsburgh when he had 108 yards on 8 catches. He had two touchdowns vs. Maine.
Defensively, the Orange have LB's Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue who bring a ton of speed (they are both former RB's). RDE Chandler Jones can be a dominating force. In the secondary CB Michael Holmes can play both S and CB. Last season Syracuse gave up 24 touchdown passes while this season they've only given up 13.
The Orange have the best kickers in the Big East conference in P Rob Long and PK Ryan Lichtenstein (the depth chart shows freshmen Ross Krautman as the FG/PAT man). Long is 1st team All Big East and handles kickoff's and holding duties. Lichtenstein went from walk on to dependable kicker in one season.
