‘We never know who’s gonna start’: How Syracuse juggles 4 running backs
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.
Three games into 2026, Syracuse has had its fair share of problems. The quarterback situation is in flux after Steve Angeli was benched for Amari Odom during SU’s Week 3 loss to Pitt. Penalties have plagued the Orange all over. Uncertainty remains at several positions as SU enters its early bye week at 1-2.
Running back is one of the positions with that aforementioned uncertainty. But it’s a good type of uncertainty. Syracuse has four running backs who have consistently played, contributing to SU’s 492 total rushing yards.
“Going into practice, we never know who’s gonna start. We never know who’s gonna play the most,” Ju’Juan Johnson said. “We just all got the opportunity.”
The ground game hasn’t been the ultra-effective weapon Fran Brown and Co. wished it would be. But the room has been exactly as Johnson said — without a clear-cut No. 1 rusher. Three different backs have led the Orange in rushing in SU’s first three games. And the Orange are OK with that.
“That’s a bright spot in (the) offense,” Brown said of the rushing attack following the Pitt game.
Syracuse’s running backs have frankly been an afterthought in SU’s offense since Jeff Nixon took over as offensive coordinator. Since he and Brown arrived in 2024, the Orange have thrown the ball about as much as any team in the nation.
But the run’s always complemented the pass. That’s why LeQuint Allen Jr.’s 2024 season was one of Syracuse’s best from a running back in recent memory. And after losing 2025 starter Yasin Willis to Kansas this offseason, Brown had some gaps to fill in the backfield.
Abigail Aggarwala | Digital Design Director
The Orange added two backs in the transfer portal, with Johnson from LSU and Ahmad Miller from Jackson State. Sophomore Tylik Hill performed well throughout fall camp and earned his stripes with 91 rushing yards as the Week 1 starter when Johnson and Miller were hurt. True freshman Shavane Anderson Jr. rumbled for over 100 yards and three scores in the season opener, too, adding an unexpected option to the mix.
“We have a running back for anything that you need,” Johnson said. “We have a power back, we have a catching back, a blocking back. So I think we will be versatile and effective.”
“They all have fun together. We all compete and play,” Brown said of the group. “(There are) opportunities for everybody to get in.”
Against New Hampshire, Hill received the rock on Syracuse’s first five plays and finished the first quarter with 51 total yards. Anderson took over on SU’s third drive, dashing 37 yards up the middle on his first collegiate carry. He punched in a two-yard touchdown two plays later, a sign of things to come for the group.
Anderson totaled three touchdowns on the afternoon, getting loose for a 15-yard score and another two-yard touchdown in the first half. Hill also got in the end zone on Syracuse’s first drive of the second quarter. The two combined for 193 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Hill averaged almost six yards per carry while Anderson averaged a whopping 10.2 yards per attempt.
“I think all those running backs played well today,” Brown said after the UNH win. “They all continue to get better.
“Two guys were out, and (Anderson and Hill) were able to step up,” Brown added. “It helps guys not want to stay injured long. (They) got to hurry up and get back.”
Shavane Anderson Jr. takes a carry in Syracuse’s 27-13 loss to Pitt on Sept. 17. Anderson leads all Orange running backs with three touchdowns in 2026. Zoe Xixis | Asst. Photo Editor
By Week 2, Johnson and Miller did exactly that. Both were available for SU’s home contest with Cal, but Hill started again.
On the second play of the game, Hill broke free down the left sideline for what looked like a sure touchdown. But he slowed into a ginger jog as he neared the red zone and was pushed out of bounds after 55 yards. Brown later said Hill aggravated his quad, and he didn’t return.
It allowed Johnson to see his most volume of the year. He had 15 carries but mustered just 46 yards and a touchdown on 3.1 yards per attempt. Anderson ran nine times for 18 yards on even worse efficiency, while Miller’s debut featured just two carries for two yards. Hill led SU in rushing despite being on the field for two plays, and the Orange totaled just 118 yards on the ground.
“I think we got to get better,” Johnson said of SU’s running backs after the Cal loss. “We have to make plays when some people think we can’t make a play. Breaking tackles, finding the hole and hitting the hole as hard as we can. That’s what we gotta get better at.”
Against Pitt, the Orange did. SU totaled 135 rushing yards, mainly coming from Miller. He tallied 78 yards on 14 carries, finishing with 5.6 yards per attempt and a touchdown. Anderson got double-digit carries again, mustering 26 yards on 11 attempts, while Johnson totaled six yards on six carries.
“I thought we ran better than we normally been running,” Brown said after the loss.
Three games in, Anderson leads the crew with 30 carries, although Johnson’s 21, Hill’s 18 and Miller’s 16 aren’t far behind. Hill still leads the group with 147 yards despite not playing in Week 3 after the quad injury.
It creates a unique situation for Brown and Nixon. In the past, SU relied on one do-it-all back like Allen. Last season, Willis and Will Nixon were Syracuse’s one-two punch. Now, the Orange are using four running backs interchangeably. It’s been effective at times, like against New Hampshire and Pitt, but also ineffective against Cal.
At a time when the Orange offense is looking for anything to turn their season around, time will tell if their approach is sustainable.
