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After his fourth straight game with over 100 yards rushing, Sean Tucker won the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Running Back of the Week award. Tucker rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in addition to a 28-yard touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter that sent the game into overtime.

Tucker leads the nation in all-purpose yards (995) and all-purpose yards per game (165.83). The second-year running back is also second in the nation in total rushing yards (791) and rushing yards per game (131.8).

After the Orange fell 40-37 in overtime to No. 19 Wake Forest, Tucker sent out his weekly tweet — a practice that has grown popular among SU fans.

“I’m pleased with my performance but not happy with the outcome,” it read. “I wish I could have done more.”

Tucker is one game short of tying Syracuse’s record for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games (five, from Curtis Brinkley). His most crucial score last week came when the Orange trailed by seven and needed a touchdown to force overtime with 2:00 left. The offense marched 91 yards downfield, capped off by Tucker’s 28-yard catch and run on a dropoff pass from quarterback Garrett Shrader.

“Just watching the way that Tucker ran that ball and then how that guy came across at the 5-yard line,” head coach Dino Babers said when asked about the play. “(Tucker) could’ve jumped, he could’ve done something, but he just took his body and ran right through that guy. It was like I was watching old tape, and when guys are running like that, they’re giving that kind of effort, they’re not worried about their body. It was electric.”

The Orange have leaned on Shrader and Tucker heavily. SU’s star running back is responsible for 40.3% of the Orange’s scrimmage yards, the highest rate in Football Bowl Subdivision by more than 4%. While Babers had questions earlier in the season if Tucker could handle the increased load, he’s proven he can handle it thus far.

Published on October 11, 2021 at 3:04 pm

Contact Roshan: rferna04@syr.edu | @Roshan_f16