In Pasqualoni's case, you would think that his track record of success speaks for itself. The concern, though, is last season's 6-5 campaign that saw the Orangemen miss out on a bowl appearance for the first time since '94. And for the second straight year, they were dominated by Miami (Fla.). There has also been a gradual decline in victories over the last four years -- from nine wins in '97, to eight in '98, to seven in '99, and six last season.

Orangemen at a glance

2001 schedule Aug 26. vs. Georgia Tech Sept. 1 at Tennessee Sept. 8 vs. Central Florida Sept. 15 vs. East Carolina Sept. 22 vs. Auburn Oct. 6 at Rutgers Oct. 13 at Pittsburgh Oct. 20 vs. Temple Oct. 27 at Virginia Tech Nov. 10 vs. West Virginia Nov. 17 at Miami Fla Nov. 24 vs. Boston College 2000 results (6-5, 4-3 Big East) Buffalo W 63-7 at Cincinnati L 12-10 at East Carolina L 34-17 BYU W 42-14 Pittsburgh W 24-17 at Boston College L 20-13 Virginia Tech L 22-14 at West Virginia W 31-27 at Temple W 31-12 Rutgers W 49-21

OFFENSE
Going into this challenging slate, the QB situation is currently unsettled. Junior Troy Nunes and sophomore R.J. Anderson are locked in a battle for the starting job, with freshman Cecil Howard also figuring to be in the mix. Howard has impressive size (6-2½, 215 pounds) and has proven to be adept at running the option. While he didn't throw the ball a great deal at the prep level, keep in mind that Syracuse grad Donovan McNabb also starred as an option QB in high school before developing into a super blue-chip NFL prospect.

While James Mungro is the incumbent at tailback, the Orangemen figure to utilize a number of options to formulate an effective ground game. Looking to push for significant playing time will be sophomore Diamond Ferri, redshirt freshman Walter Reyes and junior Barry Baker. In this group, especially with Reyes, the Orangemen have game-breaking potential. While there is excellent depth at tailback, the critical part of the equation is the return from the injury list of FB Kyle Johnson for his sixth year. The 6-1, 238-pounder missed virtually all of last season after going down with an ankle injury during the opener against Buffalo. His loss was huge. Johnson is not only a solid all-around fullback but also an invaluable leader and team captain.

Due to the combination of speed and athleticism the wideouts bring to the table, look for the Orangemen to go to a short, quick passing game that lessens the pressure on the offensive line and also allows for the likes of Maurice Jackson, Malik Campbell, David Tyree and Johnnie Morant to do damage after the reception. Also keep an eye on a pair of highly regarded redshirt freshmen, Andre Fontenette and converted QB Jared Jones. Senior Graham Manley (6-3, 255) is a capable tight end.

With four of five starters returning up front, the Orangemen should field a solid offensive line that will benefit from the short passing game that figures to be employed. Of the starters, center Nick Romeo is the only underclassman, and he was anchoring the line all of his redshirt freshman season. The rest of the unit, led by senior LT P.J. Alexander, are all seniors.

DEFENSE
Even though the Orangemen lost three starters along the defensive line to graduation, including Eric Downing (third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs), the players taking over all have the necessary experience. And most importantly, gifted pass-rushing senior DE Dwight Freeney will be back at 100 percent. The cat-quick 6-1, 250-pounder recorded 13 sacks in the first seven games, including 4½ against Virginia Tech and Michael Vick, before sitting out the final four contests due to a bruised spleen. Senior Mark Holtzman is currently listed as the starter at LDE, but sophomore Josh Thomas figures to be a factor in the fall. The 6-6, 256-pound third-year sophomore went down with a season-ending broken foot during the second game last year, then was limited in the spring as the injury continued to heal. Moving into starting roles along the interior at DT are sophomores Louis Gachelin and Christian Ferrara.

If the new DTs are able to get the job done, this will free up outstanding junior MLB Clifton Smith to likely post double figures in tackles every week. J.R. Johnson returns at one OLB spot, but on the other side the challenge will be to replace Morlon Greenwood. Over the 48 games he started with the Orangemen, Greenwood totaled an amazing 307 tackles. That's a tremendous amount of productivity lost. Battling to take over that spot are former WR Maurice Minter, Rich Scanlon, Jameel Dumas and juco transfer Jose Harris.

The other major loss on defense was that of CB Will Allen. Not only was Allen a top-flight cover man, but he also excelled as a kickoff returner. The other three starters in the deep patrol return, led by the experienced safety tandem of Quentin Harris and Keeon Walker. Opposite RCB Willie Ford, there is strength in numbers when it comes to replacing Allen. In the mix are senior Will Hunter, junior Latroy Oliver and highly regarded freshman Larry McClain.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior Mike Shafer returns to handle the punting duties, but after going just 7-of-20 on field goals, he likely will give way to redshirt freshman Collin Barber or incoming freshman Justin Sujansky, who spent last season at Valley Forge Military Academy. The questionable kicking situation must be resolved during fall practice.

Overview: Syracuse is joined by Florida State, Michigan and Nebraska as the only current programs with at least 14 straight winning seasons, but change could be in the air if Pasqualoni and his staff can't put together a successful 2001 campaign (Pasqualoni was defensive coordinator for the first four years of that streak and has been head coach for the last 10). While there has been a gradual decline in wins over the last four years (plus no bowl invitation last season), the bottom line is that Pasqualoni has enjoyed an outstanding tenure with the Orangemen. And look at his graduation rate -- 100 percent during McNabb's graduation year. In my opinion, his overall accomplishments should be enough to keep fans and alumni happy.

As for this year, the Orangemen have to overcome a schedule that includes nine bowl teams. Someone must come to the forefront at QB or you could see a revolving door all season; it will be interesting to see if talented freshman Cecil Howard pushes his way onto the field. There's plenty of depth at tailback and the return of FB Johnson is a major plus from a leadership standpoint. With the short passing game that will be featured, wideouts Jackson and Campbell will have an opportunity to pick up plenty of yards after the catch.