Syracuse Orange football: Early schedule gives LeQuint Allen time to get in sync

Syracuse Orange players, coaches and fans received good news when LeQuint Allens settlement was announced.

Allen is scheduled to return in mid-August, so he will miss the start of Syracuse’s fall camp. Dino Babers can afford to give him time to get back up to game speed. The Orange open the 2023 season at home against Colgate and Western Michigan, and Allen should be the starting running back. That’s not to say Syracuse needs a regular workload for him, but he damn well needs to develop timing and chemistry with Garrett Shrader and the offensive line.

Syracuse’s first two opponents should allow the Orange to spread the touches on offense. Allen, Juwaun Price, Ike Daniels, Muwaffaq Parkman, Deston Hawkins and John Branham, Jr. could all get a chance against the Raiders and Broncos.

Last year, Allen had 58 touchdowns compared to 241 for starter Sean Tucker. I don’t doubt Allens ability to take the mantle at the helm, but after what he’s dealt with since December, I suggest the Orange show patience. The Pinstripe Bowl showed what Allen could do on offense as a dual threat in the backfield. Syracuse will have to try to keep him healthy through the ACC stretch, so there’s no need to force things early.

We saw what happened last year when injuries to Shrader and Tucker put too much pressure on the defense. We know the Dome crowd will be ready to explode when he gets his first start of 2023 – Babers and his staff just need to learn from past mistakes and not lose sight of the big picture in games the Orange should be able to handle.