Get to Know Your Orange Man: #85, DL Josh Black

Name: Josh Black

Position: Defensive end

Year: (Redshirt) Senior

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 284

Hometown: Loves Park, Ill.

High School: Harlem

2020 stats: Started every game for the Syracuse Orange for the second year in a row. Black had 36 tackles, including two sacks and an interception.

2021 projections: Returning for a sixth season means Black will be counted on to be even more disruptive on the interior for a defense replacing three NFL draft picks. The 3-3-5 doesn’t mean a lot of stats for these guys but the Orange will be looking for Black to create more than four tackles behind the line.

How’d he get here?: The Orange were able to pull Black away from schools such as Minnesota, Illinois, Bowling Green, Ball State and Toledo and kept another Big Ten school from poaching him this off-season.

What’d recruiting sites say?: Three starts from both 247Sports and Rivals

Money Quote: A December rumor had Black heading to Indiana to join his brother who is a graduate assistant with the Hoosiers. This is how Josh responded when he announced he was coming back for his sixth year with Syracuse.

“It is my duty to lead and get Syracuse back on track. I wouldn’t trade this team for the world, and we will be better. Thanks for all the endless support. I’m orange for life.”

Twitter feed: @jnblack85

Tweets of wonder: Josh knows what sport is the one to join in the Fall. We almost found out how many Notre Dame runners he could take out in the first 40 meters of the ACC XC Championships

What movie would Dino recommend for him?: If you have a guy who wants to be The Rock’s stunt double then you send him to find out what he’ll need to prepare for so Josh will be watching “Rampage” as his homework assignment from Dino. The movie’s title will be Dino’s reminder of how he wants his veteran to approach his on-field performance this season.

Interesting nugget o’interest: With a Christmas birthday maybe that’s why Josh enjoys delivering hits on the football field.