Syracuse football: RB Jordan Fredericks to transfer

The sophomore led the team in rushing in 2015.

This fall, Dino Babers’s Syracuse Orange football program has experienced the typical attrition associated with coaching changes. Whether it’s culture change, playing time or a host of other reasons, some players have been making decisions to take their talents elsewhere.

The latest, according to the Daily Orange? Sophomore running back Jordan Fredericks.

Fredericks, who led the team in rushing in 2015 with 607 yards, was not a major part of the ground attack this fall. He was fourth on the team with 139 rushing yards, though a lot of those were in garbage time. Dontae Strickland and Moe Neal received the majority of the carries instead.

This isn’t necessarily a surprise, given the change in scheme and Babers’s push for more speed between the tackles. Fredericks, nicknamed “Fat Back” last year, had explosive capabilities at times, but did not possess the same quickness of Strickland and Neal. SU backs are also in a unique situation in Babers’s system, calling out coverage and blocking schemes, which changed his role quite a bit from the previous season.

The Long Island (Cedarhurst) product is still a very serviceable runner, and in a more traditional halfback role, he should be able to catch on just fine at another program. Assuming he heads to another FBS school, he’ll have two years left to play once he sits out a season.

Fredericks is the fifth player to transfer from Syracuse this fall. Corey Winfield and Kenterius Womack announced their departures after the season ended, while Trey Dunkelberger and Anthony Giudice’s intentions to transfer went public earlier. The departure means there are 59 scholarship players on the roster right now, with 26 spots to fill. The team has 20 players committed for 2017 at the moment, including three running backs.

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Best of luck to Jordan on finding a better fit and a productive rest of his career!