After a year in which he hauled in 94 passes, accumulated 1,482 receiving yards, caught 14 touchdowns and set multiple program records, Syracuse wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo [4]was voted to the All-ACC First Team by the conference's coaches on Thursday afternoon. Etta-Tawo was also named a second-team All-American by Sporting News earlier in the week.
The senior wide out had the best season of his college career by far. After transferring from Maryland, Etta-Tawo racked up more total catches, yards, and touchdowns this season than he did in his three combined seasons as a Terrapin.
In one season, Etta-Tawo vaulted himself all the way to 16th place on Syracuse’s all-time receiving yards list with his 1,482 yards, and to ninth place on the school’s all-time receiving touchdowns list.
Etta-Tawo set multiple program records, including receiving yards in a game (249), receiving touchdowns in a game (5), receptions in a season (94), receiving yards in a season (1,482), most touchdowns in a season (14), and 100-yard receiving games in a season (7).
Although Etta-Tawo’s breakout season can be attributed to his abilities, the gaudy numbers may have something to do with Syracuse’s first-year head coach, Dino Babers [5].
Babers was known for his up-tempo offense at Bowling Green and he brought that identity to the Orange. Under Babers, the Orange broke the record for most plays run in a game (105), and tied the school record for most consecutive 300-yard passing performances (three, by sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey [6]).
Along with Etta-Tawo, Syracuse football had one player, wide receiver Brisly Estime [6], named to the All-ACC second team by the coaches, and three who received honorable mentions: linebacker Zaire Franklin [7], punter Sterling Hofrichter [8] and wide receiver Ervin Philips.
Estime didn’t boast the flashiest numbers, but he was a solid special teams player (466 return yards) and a reliable receiving option (48 catches for 518 yards). Meanwhile, Franklin (101 tackles) anchored the defense and Hofrichter (42.7 avg. yards per punt) punted the ball well this season. Philips [9] temporarily held the program record for most receptions in a season (90) before Etta-Tawo swooped in.
