Paul Pasqualoni hasn't catapulted Syracuse into the hunt for the national championship, but the veteran coach should be proud of his overall success rate (combining wins and losses with his players' academic standing).

	Pasqualoni

Entering his 12th season as head coach of the Orangemen, Pasqualoni has seen more than 70 percent of his players graduate in nine of his 11 years at the helm -- while guiding his squad to a winning record in each of those 11 seasons. His bowl record (6-2) speaks for itself, and he led Syracuse to three straight Big East championships from 1996-98.

Last year, after an 0-2 start, the Orangemen rebounded to win 10 of 11 regular-season games, culminating with a decisive 26-3 victory over Kansas State at the Insight.com Bowl. But nine starters on offense have moved on, and the defense must compensate for the loss of dominating outside pass rusher Dwight Freeney.

OFFENSE
While this qualifies as a transitional, rebuilding year, the Orange are fortunate to return starting QB R.J. Anderson and center Nick Romeo along with several others who saw significant playing time in 2001. Anderson needs to make strides in the accuracy department. Last season, he completed just 50 percent of his aerials (just 46.2 percent in 2000). Anderson reportedly showed improvement in the spring, and there's reason to believe he has the skills necessary to take his performance to new heights.

In the backfield, expect highly regarded freshman Damien Rhodes (6-1, 195) to be heavily in the mix. Rhodes rushed for more than 2,000 yards and scored 33 TDs during his senior year at the prep level, earning him Central New York player of the year honors. Sophomore Walter Reyes and senior Barry Baker must help make up for the graduation loss of 1,000-yard rusher James Mungro, who also finished fourth on the team in receptions. Reyes carried the ball just 42 times last season, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry. Baker saw action in eight games but had just nine carries for 30 yards. Meanwhile, fifth-year senior FB Chris Davis returns and is one of the team's captains this season.

Some experienced wideouts are back in the fold: junior Johnnie Morant, senior David Tyree and diminutive (5-7, 173) but electrifying junior Jamel Riddle (who doubles as a top-flight punt returner). Last season, Riddle averaged 23.1 yards on 14 receptions and returned 22 punts for an impressive 13.1-yard average. Jared Jones, a converted QB, also will compete for playing time. Junior Joe Donnelly may be the fastest tight end Pasqualoni has had at Syracuse, while junior Lenny Cusumano is a solid in-line blocker.

Even though Romeo is the only returning starter on the O-line, he's a quality pivot man. Huge sophomore LT Adam Terry (6-8, 290) and sophomore RG Matt Tarullo (6-6, 305) have both displayed potential.

DEFENSE
The huge graduation loss of Freeney could be lessened if physically gifted junior Josh Thomas (6-8, 280) is ready to make his mark as one of the nation's elite defensive ends. Thomas could see some action at defensive tackle as well, even though the interior of the D-line should be strong. Junior Christian Ferrara is an experienced veteran (4½ sacks and 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2001). Junior Louis Gachelin moves into a starting role after recording two sacks, five QB hurries and seven tackles for loss as a key backup last season. At right defensive end, there's strength in numbers; sophomores Julian Pollard, Ryan LaCasse and James Wyche are all in the hunt for a starting spot.

At linebacker, senior Clifton Smith was second on the team with 94 tackles last season (including 11 for loss) and had three sacks. Junior strongside LB Jameel Dumas brings speed and athleticism; last season, he was fourth on the team with 67 tackles. Not far behind was reliable junior Rich Scanlon (60 stops).

With FS Quentin Harris and CB Willie Ford lost to graduation, the Orangemen have some questions to answer in the secondary (Harris led the team with 126 tackles). But SS Keeon Walker and CB Latroy Oliver, both seniors, are back in the fold, solidifying at least half of the deep patrol. Senior Maurice McClain, who has seen action mostly on special teams, is being penciled in as the starter at free safety. But don't be surprised if senior Will Hunter shifts inside from cornerback to fill the void. This is contingent on the development of redshirt freshman CB Jeremiah Mason.

Special Teams: Punter Mike Shafer is coming off an impressive 2001 campaign that saw him average 42.6 yards on a Syracuse-record 77 punts. He also handled kickoffs. Sophomore Collin Barber returns to handle placekicking duties.

OVERVIEW
After Miami, there figures to be a wild scramble for second place in the Big East this season. And even the Hurricanes took serious hits in terms of super blue-chippers moving on to the NFL. I have Boston College in the second spot, but Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Syracuse should be in the mix. For the Orangemen to enjoy success in 2002 and maintain Pasqualoni's streak of 11 straight winning seasons, several things have to fall into place.

First, Anderson needs to become a more consistent overall QB, with improved accuracy particularly critical. With Diamond Ferri academically ineligible this season, the burden rests with Reyes, Walker and freshman Rhodes to juice up the running game. Morant, Tyree and Riddle form what should be a decent wideout corps, with Donnelly and Cusumano providing capable play at tight end. The O-line will be under the microscope early, with four new starters moving in. However, Romeo returns at center, while Tarullo and Terry have displayed potential at RG and LT, respectively.

Defensively, Thomas must become a major force at DE, elevating his sack total from last year's two to 10-plus. Led by Smith, Dumas and Scanlon, the linebacking corps should be solid. The secondary's reliability depends on how things shape up at FS and RCB.

As for the schedule, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Miami (Fla.) all travel to the super-loud Carrier Dome. But Syracuse travels for the rest of its non-conference slate: to BYU, Auburn and Central Florida. In the Big East, the toughest road battle is late in the year at Boston College.