You may have picked up on a theme when looking ahead to Syracuse Football’s (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) upcoming season that begins in just under two weeks … The offense looks a lot different than it did last year. At quarterback, Kyle McCord is now with the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Tight end Oronde Gadsden II is out west with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Wideout Trebor Pena transferred to Penn State.
And if you were hoping the running back room would be an exception… that’s not the case. LeQuint Allen, SU’s starter the past two seasons, is turning heads at Jacksonville Jaguars training camp after earning All-ACC honors in back-to-back campaigns.
Of course, replacing someone like Allen is no easy task, especially when he earned praise like this from head coach Fran Brown:
“He’s the toughest player on the team,” said Brown last season. “He’s different.”
Those words hold a ton of weight and replacing a player of that stature often takes more than one guy. So who will carry the load for the Orange this fall?
Yasin Willis (Sophomore)
Last season, Yasin Willis, a highly touted prospect from Newark, New Jersey appeared in 11 games for Syracuse and had 36 carries for 130 yards. As a freshman, he took the second-most reps in the backfield behind Allen.
His breakout game came in SU’s 44-41 OT win over No. 25 UNLV on Oct. 4th. Willis ran for 62 yards on eight attempts and scored his lone touchdown of the season.
Willis also contributed on special teams returning kickoffs and punts. He had 10 return attempts, his longest was a 43-yard kickoff return in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State.
Expect Willis to see significant time in the backfield this season.
Will Nixon (Redshirt Senior)
The name Nixon may sound familiar… and that’s because Offensive coordinator and running backs coach Jeff Nixon is the father of Will Nixon, another contender for reps in SU’s backfield.
Last season was cut short for Nixon, who suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 5 against Holy Cross.
Before the injury, the Texas native had 19 carries for 76 yards in three games. What sets Nixon apart is his versatility, he caught four passes for 44 yards in limited action last season and has shown he can be a threat in the passing game.
Nixon’s experience is also an asset. He began his college career at Nebraska, but an early injury limited his playing time. He then transferred to Washington, where he played two seasons. In 2023, his redshirt sophomore year, Nixon appeared in all 15 games as the Huskies won the Pac-12 title and advanced to the national championship game. He finished second on the team with 201 rushing yards.
If Nixon can stay healthy, he could be a serious dual-threat weapon for the Orange.
Jaden Hart (Sophomore)
Jaden Hart, a name you maybe haven’t heard too much, is going into his sophomore season with a little bit of experience under his belt. Hart appeared in eight games his freshman campaign with three rushes for 18 yards.
Out of the state of Indiana he was a three star prospect and a top 10 recruit in the state per 247Sports. Hart chose the Orange over schools like Duke, Kentucky, Purdue, Nebraska and Iowa State out of high school. The tailback will continue to battle for snaps this season, but don’t be surprised if his workload significantly increases in his sophomore year.
Malachi James (Sophomore), Malachi Coleman (Freshman)
To round out the running backs room, we have two Malachis… so of course they’re grouped together.
James, a sophomore from Willingboro, New Jersey, played in six games last season, primarily on special teams. He returned eight kickoffs for 152 yards. A former three-star prospect, James has elite speed. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.18 seconds, the fastest time in state history. Expect him to remain a key contributor in the return game, especially with Trebor Pena, who saw a lot of time on special teams last season, with Penn State now.
Coleman, a freshman from Roanoke, Virginia, was also a three-star prospect. ESPN ranked him as a top-20 recruit in Virginia and a top-45 running back nationally. While he may need to climb the depth chart to see consistent playing time, Coleman is another promising talent for Coach Fran Brown and the offensive staff to develop.
Overall
The loss of LeQuint Allen will certainly be felt, but Syracuse’s running back room still has depth and potential. Each of the players mentioned brings a different skill set to the table and will aim to fill the gap Allen left behind.
“We definitely have some talented running backs,” said offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon. “They’re making plays in the run and pass game.”
The ground game has been a staple of Syracuse’s offense in recent years. This season, expect a heavy committee approach to uphold that success in the backfield.