Syracuse staring quarterback Garrett Shrader will miss all of the Orange’s spring football schedule after undergoing offseason surgery. Losing Shrader off the back of statistically the most successful season of his career stymies offseason progress for Syracuse, as they look to build on a seven-win 2022 season.
Garrett Shrader To Miss Syracuse Spring Ball Following Surgery
Syracuse announced Monday that their starting quarterback will miss all of spring practice following what was described as “a successful procedure for an injury to his right arm” in a press release from the ACC team.
“I’m disappointed to miss the rest of the spring,” Shrader added, as per the statement from the school. “But, looking forward to rehabbing and getting ready for this upcoming season.”
Shrader headed into the offseason after, statistically, the most successful season of his career. Throwing for a career-best 2,645 yards, 8.3 yards per attempt, 17 touchdowns, with a substantially improved 64.8 completion percentage, the former Mississippi State QB helped Syracuse race out to a 6-0 start.
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Adding 26 total touchdowns as a result of his dual-threat capability, the 6’4″, 230-pound quarterback propelled the Orange into the AP Poll Top 25, reaching as high as 14 following a 24-9 win over North Carolina State.
Shrader’s offseason work last spring alongside quarterbacks coach Jason Beck and offensive coordinator Robert Anae helped elevate the Syracuse passing game from the worst in the ACC in 2021, to the seventh — a considerable leap that almost doubled their passing touchdown production in just one year.
With the departure of Anae to North Carolina State, and the loss of running back Sean Tucker — another key element in Syracuse’s offensive success last season — to the NFL draft, spring football could be crucial to the Orange’s success in the upcoming season. Now, they’ll be without their starting QB, Shrader.
What Does It Mean for the Syracuse QB Room?
Shrader being sidelined for spring practice is a concern for Syracuse as they prepare for the 2023 college football campaign. It’s particularly concerning, given the lack of playing experience in the current QB room.
Although Shrader is confident that he’ll be fully fit and ready for the start of the season, there is a lost opportunity to help develop the team around him. Nevertheless, there is also the opportunity for one of the quarterbacks on the roster to impress Dino Babers and the coaching staff and cement themselves as the backup.
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, a transfer from Florida last year, was the primary backup for Syracuse in 2022. Wilson appeared in seven games with one start, attempting 51 passes and throwing a touchdown against Notre Dame. In his first career start, he completed just 34.8% of his passes in a 19-9 loss to the Pitt Panthers.
JaCobian Morgan and Luke MacPhail are two fourth-year quarterbacks with two starts between them in their college careers. It’s a dramatic example of how little experience there is in Syracuse’s QB room behind Shrader. Yet, there are signs of hope and something to be excited for during spring football.
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Justin Lamson impressed during the Syracuse Spring Game last season, throwing for 151 yards and two scores. There were high hopes inside the program, with the potential for him to challenge Shrader in his redshirt freshman season.
A season-ending injury suffered in the spring put an end to that potential QB battle, but comments from head coach Babers at the time point to the former NorCal Offensive Player of the Year being in position to impress this offseason.
“We’ve got high hopes for him, and we’re going to bring him back in the spring and get him a full year of recovery. That’ll make him extremely strong going into the 2023 season.”
With the surgery to Shrader sidelining him for the spring, the 6’3″, 209-pound third-year quarterback out of El Dorado Hills, California, should have the opportunity to renew his role for the Syracuse offense in what would be a remarkable offseason storyline. The Orange open spring practice on March 21.
