Syracuse RB Shavane Anderson Jr. named ACC Rookie of the Week
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Syracuse running back Shavane Anderson Jr. was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday. Anderson — a freshman from York, Pennsylvania — ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns in SU’s 66-3 win over New Hampshire on Sept. 5.
Anderson became the first ACC freshman running back in over 20 years to debut with at least 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He’s also SU’s first running back to win Rookie of the Week since Ike Daniels in Week 1 of 2023.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound back saw 10 carries in his first collegiate game, primarily due to the absences of projected starters Ju’Juan Johnson and Ahmad Miller, who both missed Saturday’s game with minor injuries. Anderson split carries with Tylik Hill throughout the day, as the two combined for 193 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
“It’s just the next man up,” Anderson said postgame. “I got the opportunity from all the older people going down. So once I got up there, I just had to step up.”
Anderson got his first carry on SU’s third drive of the game, gashing UNH’s defense up the middle for 37 yards. He polished off the effort with a two-yard touchdown run two plays later, his first collegiate score.
In the second quarter, Anderson cut back across the field and scampered 15 yards for his second touchdown. In the final minutes of the half, he broke free for 22 before completing his hat trick with another two-yard touchdown run.
Anderson saw just two second-half carries but finished with four runs of over 10 yards, contributing to a monstrous 10.2 yards per carry.
“This is what he does in practice,” Hill said of Anderson postgame. “He makes us all better in the room. So I wasn’t surprised seeing him do this today.”
Carries could be hard to come by for Anderson and Hill going forward, as head coach Fran Brown said Monday that Johnson and Miller should be back for Saturday’s matchup against California. But Anderson can clearly make the most of his opportunities. His performance versus UNH proved it.
