Syracuse Orange football: You are viewing the players in the series

The Syracuse Orange Offseason got some more unexpected turmoil with the suspension of LeQuint Allens.

Syracuse is now looking at a pivotal season without its presumed running back, so what are the options behind Allen? Syracusepe.com looked, but they missed out on one incoming player, and that could be an intriguing confirmation.

Next up is Juwaun Price, who transferred to Syracuse from New Mexico State after the 2021 season. Price caught just eight passes for 39 yards with the Orange, but in 2021 he had 135 carries for 693 yards (5.13 ypc) and 10 touchdowns for the Aggies. He also added 26 receptions for 181 receiving yards.

A player not mentioned in the linked article was JUCO transfer Deston Hawkins. He weighs 61,210 pounds from Foothill College. 247 ranked him 5th as a JUCO running back as he carried 137 times for 1,164 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Those two players, along with freshman Ike Daniels and Muwaffaq Parkman, would get more opportunities if Allen isn’t returned in time for camp. Daniels seemed like the better rated player, but he was sidelined in the spring game while Parkman handled some moves with the 3rd string offense. Behind them are walk-ons Mario and Josh Escobar, who would provide practice depth and contribute on special teams.

Orange has one more chance to increase its position before August. Completed transfers could enter the portal at any time, and if Syracuse doesn’t have a clear-cut starter, they could become an attractive option for a player looking to make an impact.

Are any of those players there a month before camp? It’s hard to know, but with an extra year of COVID still going on, there just might be.

The clear best bet for Syracuse is to get Allen back and eligible this fall, but if that doesn’t happen, the Orange will have to find a way to adjust to the hand they’re dealt.