Syracuse’s best rusher from last season is no longer a first-stringer and its second-best on the ground wasn’t even a running back. The state of the Orange backfield has hardly been ideal in the past two seasons — SU running backs combined for two rushing scores in the entire 2014 season and two upperclassmen failed to deliver in 2015.

This year, the unit boasts more depth and more explosiveness at the top of the depth chart than in either of the two seasons prior. Sophomore Dontae Strickland headlines a group that also includes second-year back Jordan Fredericks (last year’s starter at the end of the season), freshman Moe Neal and senior George Morris.

If Neal pans out to be a reliable back, that’s five who can carry the ball for first downs on any respective play. Morris has struggled to break out in his three years on the field at SU. He showed only slight reason for optimism in 2015 and is listed fourth on Syracuse’s post-spring depth chart. But the dynamic Strickland along with Fredericks, who is working on slimming down, and somewhat of an unknown surrounding Neal, the Orange’s ground attack provides reason for hope.

Fredericks averaged 5.7 yards on 107 attempts and broke out for several big gains. Strickland played a hybrid role for then-offensive coordinator Tim Lester, which has been abolished in Dino Babers’ offense, so he’ll primarily be a rusher. That’s two young backs, one somewhat proven and one rising, that will guide a rushing attack that lacked flair two seasons ago and lacked consistency (the now departed Devante McFarlane and Morris not showing up) last season.

Whether or not they’ll be able to perform this year remains to be seen, but if two backs can show up on a weekly basis, they’ll help bolster a rushing attack that ranked 10th in the Atlantic Coast Conference last year.