Following two straight losses to open the 2013 season and a tepid start to its game against Wagner, the Syracuse Orange football team’s season was rapidly starting to resemble that photo of the Niagara River about to go over the top. Not much had gone right in the opening two contests against Penn State […]
Following two straight losses to open the 2013 season and a tepid start to its game against Wagner, the Syracuse Orange football team’s season was rapidly starting to resemble that photo of the Niagara River about to go over the top.
Not much had gone right in the opening two contests against Penn State and Northwestern, especially for the Syracuse offense. Quarterback Drew Allen, the acclaimed transfer from the University Oklahoma, had thrown six interceptions and just one touchdown pass as Syracuse was outscored 71-44 in the two games.
And then in the third contest last Saturday, Sept. 14 against the Wagner Seahawks — an opponent from the FCS, a lower level of college football — Allen and the Orange offense failed to gain a single first down in their first three possessions. Syracuse was favored by 30 points and should have been routing Wagner from the start, not up just 3-0 as it was. The time for a change had come.
Enter Terrel Hunt, the redshirt sophomore quarterback from the New York City area. He had led Syracuse on a touchdown drive in his only action of the young season in the final drive of the 48-27 loss at Northwestern on Sept. 7. He came into the Wagner game on Syracuse’s fourth possession and proceeded to lead the Orange to a touchdown. Many more scores would follow as Syracuse rolled to a 54-0 victory to bring its record to 1-2 this season.
In all, Hunt played on seven drives against the Seahawks, posting six touchdowns and one field goal. SU has yet to punt or commit a turnover with Hunt as the pilot of its offense.
Two days after the Wagner game, Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer named Hunt the starting quarterback for the game against the Tulane Green Wave this Saturday, Sept. 21, but indicated that Allen would also see playing time.
Yes, Hunt and the reinvigorated Orange offense still have to prove they can do it against a stronger opponent. They will get their first chance against Tulane, with hopefully a larger crowd watching. The announced paid attendance for the Wagner game was only 33,299. And the number of fans that showed up was probably closer to 20,000.
With Hunt’s emergence, there is reason for hope the rest of this season, which should attract more fans. Stay tuned.
Adam Rombel is editor-in-chief of The Central New York Business Journal. Contact him at arombel@cnybj.com