Q and A with Syracuse Football Insider Mike McAllister
Syracuse football had a rough 2020 season, going 1-10 for many reasons. I recently caught-up with Mike McAllister of Sports Illustrated to recap the year, chat about the QB position, find out the latest in recruiting and more.
ML: When you lose 10 games, positives and high points are certainly hard to come by. Do you have high point for Syracuse for 2020?
MM: The high point is pretty simple. The win over Georgia Tech. Syracuse looked pretty solid in that game and improved the record to 1-2. There was hope they could string a few wins together after that performance, though it never materialized. Despite that, the lone victory has to be the high point.
ML: What’s next for the Orange QB situation?
MM: It sounds like DeVito will be back, which gives Syracuse someone with experience in the offense. JaCobian Morgan and Dillon Markiewicz will be another year into the system, and incoming will be Justin Lamson. I think Lamson is the future of the position, but it may not hurt to bring in a transfer to compete with DeVito next season. I’m not sure Morgan will be ready to do that quite yet.
ML: John Wildhack said Dino Babers is safe as head coach. Should he be?
MM: Absolutely. Syracuse needs continuity. You can’t keep recycling coaches. The 2020 season is one I don’t put much stock into as far as evaluating the head coach with all of the injuries (more than 25 players down going into the finale), the lack of a normal offseason with two new coordinators, etc. If Syracuse has another 4-8, 3-9 or worse type season in 2021, then it’s fair to have that discussion.
ML: How close is the current situation to the Greg Robinson era in terms of wins, losses, the fan base being down again and more?
MM: Not even close. Syracuse went 1-10 in 2020 with more than 20 players out, using three quarterbacks, losing three starting safeties, being down to their fifth running back and losing other key contributors. All of that combined with changing both coordinators but having neither spring ball nor a traditional offseason for development and system knowledge. The Greg Robinson era was other worldly incompetent despite being healthy and having adequate preparation time. They aren’t the same situations. Not to mention Babers has had success here. Robinson never did.
ML: You just hopped on with Sports Illustrated! How did it all come together and what’s different if anything than your last media stop?
MM: I was not looking to leave 247Sports, but SI presented an opportunity that was too good to pass up. There’s really not an interesting back story. As far as what will be different, we will continue to have in-depth recruiting coverage as well as team analysis. I think you will have some more of that but to a greater degree, some fun stories including Top 10 lists for various subjects, and from a source you know you can trust as being plugged into the program from all angles.
ML: How about three quick hit football recruiting subjects to close?
MM: Defensive end Jatius Geer is really good and is not getting enough hype in this class. He will have a strong Syracuse career. I love the depth of the 2021 class overall, and the headliners Duce Chestnut (DB) and Enrique Cruz (OL) are the real deals. Cruz is up to 290 pounds and will have a legitimate shot to crack the two deep as a true freshman. Lastly, I expect Syracuse to be active in the transfer market after signing day. I’m especially looking at the offensive line to be an area they may focus on. 
ML: Thanks Mike and continued success.
MM: Thank you!
Follow Mike McAllister on Twitter here: @McAllisterMike1. Here is a link to the Sports Illustrated Syracuse Orange coverage: https://www.si.com/college/syracuse/.
Mike Lindsley has been in sports media for 20 years. He is the host of the ML Sports Platter Podcast, which you can download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports and visit his Yankee/MLB website www. pinstripepassion.com for offseason news, notes and articles. Be sure to follow Table Hopping on Twitter @TableHoppingCNY.
Music & Events Calendar
