SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Syracuse football picked up a road win over the weekend at Cal, and linebacker Marlowe Wax was a big reason why. The fifth-year senior had six tackles, a sack, and an interception. Wax’s defense needed to step up after allowing over 300 rushing yards in the loss to Boston College the week before.
“When we looked at the film last week, it left a nasty taste in our mouth,” said Wax after the Cal win. “We were just trying to focus on what we could do better this week. We did play a little bit better, but there’s still things we could be doing better. We’ll make sure to keep on doing that next week.”
Wax doesn’t have many weeks left playing for Syracuse, but he’s making the most of them. In just five games this fall, SU’s defensive leader has 4.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. Specifcially, the linebacker’s play at Cal was paramount to Syracuse’s most complete game of the season.
“Fadil Diggs lead those guys, him and Marlowe did a really good job on the defensive side of the ball,” said Fran Brown, Syracuse’s head coach, following the 33-25 victory. “I felt like it was the first time we had the chance to play complementary football against a good football team.”
Syracuse won the coin toss and elected to receive, going down the field and kicking a field goal to go up 3-0. Cal’s opening drive wasn’t as successful. It ended in Wax’s second career interception.
“Just me playing inside of scheme,” said Wax of his takeaway. “The defensive line got a good rush. I was just driving in my zone, doing what I’m told to do. Read the quarterback’s eyes an he threw it right to me.”
If you told Wax after Syracuse’s first game of the season that he’d help his team win games in November, he might not have believed you. That’s because the linebacker left the Ohio win with a lower leg injury which presented him with two options: shut down his season an return to Syracuse for a sixth year in 2025, or undergo a grueling rehab process which included running on underwater treadmills and taking new dietary supplements to return to the field this fall. For Wax, the later choice was a no-brainer.
“I felt great,” the linebacker said after Cal, his fourth game back from injury. “There’s no way I wasn’t going to be out there.”