In the win over Ohio, eight different receivers caught passes. EIGHT. That might sound almost unheard of, especially in a pro-style offense that new offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon has implemented for the Orange this year. As cool as it was to see everyone participate, I just can’t imagine that continuing week after week.
A major reason for this could be the situation. This is Kyle McCord’s first real game in Syracuse, and an important aspect of an offense is the chemistry between a quarterback and his receivers. Most likely, McCord was first sounding out the area to see who he could trust to make big plays. The most obvious answers to this question are Oronde Gadsden II and Trebor Pena, who combined for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air.
On the other hand, many of the “high-profile” wideouts didn’t get the ball as often as some might have hoped in their first game in Orange. Georgia transfers Zeed Haynes and Jackson Meeks combined for just six catches the entire game (though they made the most of every opportunity, totaling 113 yards). Even redshirt junior Umari Hatcher, who was expected to take a big step forward in this offense and was highly praised by Fran Brown, caught just one pass for eight yards.
These things take time, but you can see as the season goes on how much variety McCord uses on offense. Last season at Ohio State, McCord averaged seven different players per game, so maybe that’s the norm. But expect McCord to find his top players and rely on them more and more, especially as the schedule gets tougher with tough ACC opponents.
