By Mark Pszonak
With the official firing of head coach Dino Babers, Syracuse players now have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal. Numerous players will be contacted by other schools with the hope that they make themselves available, but here are the five who will be the busiest in the coming weeks:
RB LeQuint Allen
The skinny: Allen has been the most explosive player for the Orange this season. He leads the team with 918 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, while grabbing 35 receptions, which also leads the team. And let’s not forget that he had to deal with that odd suspension earlier this year that was eventually overturned. An opportunity for a fresh start somewhere else may be too good to pass up.
Schools to watch: South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Ole Miss, Colorado
LB Marlowe Wax
The skinny: The junior has been productive since the day he stepped foot on campus back in 2020. A team leader, he is currently enjoying his best statistical season with 92 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception. A veteran linebacker that is highly productive, he would not have any problem finding a new home.
Schools to watch: Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Kentucky
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DL Kevin Jobity Jr.
The skinny: Jobity saw most of his recruiting interest coming from FCS schools before Syracuse reeled him in with a late offer. But that hasn’t slowed him down from being productive in his two seasons with the Orange. This fall he has 21 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. While these numbers aren’t eye-popping he has shown the potential and versatility that would draw interest.
Schools to watch: Boston College, Virginia, North Carolina, NC State, Duke
LB Leon Lowery
The skinny: The redshirt sophomore flashed his potential last season with 25 tackles, six tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks and has followed that up with 44 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks this season. Plus, at 6-foot-4 and 240-pounds, he has the athleticism to play either outside linebacker or defensive end depending on the defensive system, which would give him versatility.
Schools to watch: Rutgers, Pittsburgh, NC State, Louisville, Indiana
WR Umari Hatcher
The skinny: The Orange actually have a couple of other intriguing wide receivers (Damien Alford and Donovan Brown) but the choice here is Hatcher. After grabbing three receptions in the first 12 games of his career, the redshirt sophomore has 25 receptions for 375 yards and two touchdowns this season. He hasn’t been necessarily consistent, but that can also be blamed for inconsistent play at quarterback. Overall, he has shown enough to provide a boost to many wide receiver groups.
Schools to watch: Virginia Tech, Virginia, James Madison, Pittsburgh, Rutgers
