STANFORD – While Friday’s game marks the first time Stanford will ever play Syracuse, one Cardinal player is more than familiar with the East Coast school.
Backup quarterback Justin Lamson played two seasons for the Orange before transferring to Stanford last season.
Heading into the program’s first ACC game, Stanford coaches have leaned on Lamson for intel.
Lamson is only featured in certain offensive packages but has given teammates insight into what it is like to play in JMA Wireless Dome.
“I know it’s a hostile environment,” Lamson said in a news conference on Monday. “They love football in Syracuse, so I kind of just relayed to the offense just to be ready for some noise, especially on third down.
“Also, just trying to give as much insight as I can on the defensive players that I know just to try to give us an edge in any way possible.”
Lamson, a Sacramento-area native, struggled to see the field in his two seasons at Syracuse. A three-star recruit coming out of Oak Ridge High, he redshirted his freshman season and suffered a season-ending injury a year later before transferring to Stanford.
He started three games for the Cardinal in 2023 and appeared in 11. He finished the season completing 38 of 88 passes while rushing for five touchdowns.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Lamson showed flashes of what he can provide when he threw for a touchdown and rushed for another in the Cardinal’s season-opening loss to TCU last month.
“Spending time at Syracuse, he has an idea of some of their personnel,” Stanford coach Troy Taylor said. “What Justin brings to our team is leadership and toughness. He’s a great teammate. He always thinks of the team first and the edge and toughness he gives us when he’s on the field is very unique.
“Sometimes when you come in as a transfer, it’s hard to mix in just because you don’t know everybody. He is such a good person and gets along with everybody that he melded into our team really quickly. I think that makes a difference.”
While disappointed that he didn’t win the starting job in the summer, Lamson said he is happy to help starting quarterback Ashton Daniels prepare each week.
“There’s been some tough days, obviously I want to be the main guy,” he said. “Ashton’s doing a great job. I’m super close with Ashton, so it’s nothing personal. We’re both there to make the team better and I think we both have the mindset of, ‘We need to lead the team when our name is called.’”
Stopping a potent offense
If Stanford hopes to win Friday’s game, defense will play a key role.
Syracuse’s offense, loaded with talent, is led by former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. In two games this season, McCord has completed 59 of 85 passes for 735 yards and eight touchdowns.
Tight end Oronde Gadsden II and wide receiver Trebor Pena are Syracuse’s top pass catchers, providing McCord with athleticism and speed on the outside.
In Syracuse’s 31-28 win over Georgia Tech in Week 2, the Orange had 515 yards of offense and averaged 6.6 yards per play.
“They have a great offense,” said Stanford senior safety Mitch Leigber. “It’s very explosive. Their QB is very experienced and he’s a great passer. I think we just need to trust our scheme and trust the game plan.”
First ACC game
While Taylor likes to treat every game the same, he can’t ignore the historic moment that will occur when Stanford takes the field for its first ACC game.
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“We’re really excited to play in the ACC,” Taylor said. “I guess gratitude is the best feeling I could say. When you’re out of a conference for the amount of time we were – and then all of a sudden to be welcomed into a conference like the ACC – we just feel a lot of gratitude. Our guys are excited to be going to these different venues.”
Getting down a routine
The trip across the country will be an adjustment for Stanford, which will fly east again next week when it plays at Clemson.
“I think the biggest thing for me is just not sleeping on the plane,” Lamson said. “I don’t want to get into a bad sleep schedule where it’s a six hour flight and I’m sleeping half of the time.”
Leigber also said he does not plan to sleep on the flight to Syracuse and added, “One big thing our staff emphasizes is a lot of hydrating, especially on these long flights.”
According to Taylor, the team will leave on Wednesday afternoon and arrive later that evening.
