Syracuse Football: 3 biggest questions heading into summer 2020

1. Will new defensive coordinator Tony White improve the defense?

Simply put, Syracuse’s defense in 2019 was brutal. Opponents topped 40 points in four games and averaged 30.7 points per game.

Enter new defensive coordinator Tony White.

White comes to central New York after two successful seasons at Arizona State. The Sun Devils ranked 12th in the nation in with 65 passes defended in 2019 and went to a bowl game in both seasons with White.

White will bring a new scheme to the Orange, implementing his 3-3-5 defense. This new system will highlight the athleticism of a secondary that intercepted 13 passes last season. Junior safety Andre Cisco, a two-year starter with 12 career interceptions, and junior cornerback Trill Williams, who returned a fumble for a touchdown last year, will lead the talented secondary.

The Orange’s defensive line, despite losing its top two defensive ends Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman to the NFL, still returns a lot of talent.

Time will tell, but all signs point to White being able to turn around the Orange defense.