Syracuse Signee Evaluation: Josh Hough

What the Orange is getting in running back Josh Hough

Mike McAllister | Dec 16, 2020

Syracuse Signee Evaluation: Josh Hough /

Player: Josh Hough

Position: Running Back

Height/Weight: 6-2, 235

School: Beaver Falls High (Beaver Falls, PA)

Other Notable Offers: Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kentucky, Pittsburgh

Evaluation via SI All-American:

Frame: Tall, complete physical frame with room to lean out some, if anything.

Athleticism: Explosive downhill runner with mentality of physically imposing his will. He is surprisingly agile for his size, and he is able to regain top speed quicker than expected. He is efficient as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and his lateral quickness is what you would expect for his frame. Surprising top-end speed, as he is a natural strider.

Instincts: Allows blocks to set up and times his upfield burst. Gets north and south effectively and shows off awareness to make lateral cuts at the second level.

Polish: Surprisingly athletic running back for his game. His lateral quickness could improve, but he displays solid field vision, is a natural strider, and his massive frame makes him tough to bring down, especially when he hits top-end speed.

Bottom Line: Hough is a downhill running back who is going to see early playing time at the college level just from his size alone. He is a natural runner who loves to bring contact. He runs through contact, and he has the hands to be effective in the passing game. He is surprisingly fast for his size, and there may not be another running back in the country that matches his frame. He will see a role at a Power 5 school over the course of his career.

Published Dec 16, 2020

MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting. EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans. After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years. Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports. Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College.