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Buster Sjoberg texted head coach Joel Tyson asking him if they could talk after Wofford’s 1-7-1 spring 2021 season. In the conversation, the All-Conference defender informed Tyson of his intention to enter the transfer portal. 

Tyson did not look forward to Sjoberg’s text because in his two seasons at Wofford, the Swede started 26 games. In 2019, the centerback’s three goals and six points ranked second and third on the team respectively. 

“If you’re getting that from a player or girlfriend, (that’s) the worst text you can get,” Tyson said.

Sjoberg transferred, joining Syracuse ahead of the 2021 fall season. The defender has started all of his 23 games at SU, averaging a full 90 minutes each game. Sjoberg found his fit, using his quickness and ability to survey the pitch to propel the Orange’s backline.

When he was getting recruited, Wofford made Sjoberg a “priority” since the program was in a “bad spot” at the time. But since Sjoberg didn’t visit campus, Tyson relied on video footage and pictures to show Sjoberg what the program was like. The Terriers eventually picked him up because of Tyson’s connection with Alex Horwath, a former MLS goalkeeper who informed Tyson about Sjoberg.

But Tyson admitted that when Sjoberg joined Wofford, there was a big “party culture” among the team. The upperclassmen weren’t ideal models, so Sjoberg couldn’t benefit as a freshman. After winning just five games of 27 across two seasons, Tyson said he didn’t think Sjoberg enjoyed the overall environment. 

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“If we would have found Buster a year or two years later, he would be very happy here just because of the level of player and level of seriousness that would be around him,” Tyson said. “I was heartbroken, angry, disappointed (and) frustrated to lose him.”

When Sjoberg entered the portal, Tyson was bombarded with calls from competing programs who wanted the defender. He even got angry with some of the coaches, since everyone “knew” Sjoberg was going to be a high-level talent. 

But Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre was not one of the coaches who reached out to Tyson. McIntyre and assistant Jukka Masalin picked up Sjoberg through the transfer portal, and with him, all of the qualities that helped him thrive on the pitch with the Terriers. 

Sjoberg immediately jumped into the starting 11 at Wofford. The Terriers wanted to play a more possession-based system, and Tyson said the staff gave Sjoberg “full autonomy” to make in-game decisions. At 6-foot-5, Sjoberg’s passing range and ability to distribute were “fantastic” due to his “very agile feet.”

Over two seasons at Wofford, Sjoberg’s athleticism transformed the most, especially his speed and acceleration. It was evident that he spent a lot of time on his body back at home before his sophomore season, Tyson said. 

Tyson remembered a 2-1 loss against South Carolina where Sjoberg switched the field with long diagonal balls, won headers, controlled the ball with his feet out of the air and recovered defensively. 

In that game, Wofford used a 3-5-2 formation with Sjoberg in the center of the three defenders, a position similar to his at Syracuse. The backline’s strong, compact structure has allowed Syracuse to dominate that stat sheet offensively. In its three victories over ranked opponents in 2022, the Orange outshot its opponents, including a 22-3 advantage against then-No. 22 Notre Dame. 

Against then-No. 21 Penn State and the Fighting Irish, Sjoberg and the defense didn’t allow any meaningful threats on goal. In the upset over No. 1 Clemson, the Tigers penetrated through the backline, even netting one early. But SU still outshot the defending national champions 20-12. SU has only conceded two goals this far, tied for the third best average in the nation (.286).

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“(Sjoberg’s) a technical defender,” McIntyre said of Sjoberg. “He provides us that quality and calmness on the ball as well as in our back three to be able to kind of break through lines with his passing range.”

From a ball over the top to a simple ball out-wide or into the midfield, Sjoberg played anywhere on the pitch in order to develop a play. Sjoberg said the strongest aspects of his game is being able to read the field, share the ball and pick out passes. He’s the deepest player in Syracuse’s 3-5-2, having the best vision on attack’s development. 

“(Buster) being there as a person in the backline, he’s just…natural,” defender Noah Singelmann said. 

Against Penn State, Sjoberg won several 50-50 balls and headers, limiting the Nittany Lions attack. On one play, PSU tried to throw the ball deep down the sideline. It went over the head of Sjoberg to a Nittany Lion forward, but Sjoberg tracked back and forced Penn State to play back and send a cross-field ball completely out of bounds.

With his stature, SU utilizes Sjoberg on set pieces, including corners and free kicks. Against Drexel, he jumped up for a header in the left side of 18, headed the ball square across goal and assisted a Colin Biros score to the near post for the first goal of a 2-0 victory. 

“(Buster) is more than just a passer,” McIntyre said. “He adds that experience and organization. He has a voice out there to kind of manage the guys in front of him.”

Published on September 19, 2022 at 10:54 pm

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini