Syracuse football: Trebor Pena returns to bolster Orange offense

No longer hampered by injury, Pena is ready to take his game to the next level.

Trebor Pena had only scored one offensive touchdown in his Syracuse Orange career. That came on October 15, 2021 against Clemson – a 62-yard score from Garrett Shrader where Pena absorbed contact 40 yards downfield, span around a defender and was able to dive for the right pylon.

14 games later, Pena broke the plane of the end zone again.

It’s been a long road for Pena, who broke into the Syracuse team initially as a kick returner. A 98-yard kickoff return against NC State in 2020 is the only other time that Pena has scored for the Orange. His role increased in 2021 and 2022 as a slot receiver, which set up the Ocean Township, New Jersey native for an even bigger spotlight in 2023.

However, Syracuse fans won’t see how Pena would look in the 2023 season, as he was limited to only two punt returns in one game against Army in late September. Pena didn’t play the rest of the season due to injury.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

It had been 612 days since Pena last took an offensive snap for the Orange before he returned to the field in Syracuse opening game of the 2024 season against Ohio. The 2022 Pinstripe Bowl against Minnesota was the last time Pena took an offensive snap.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Pena.

Pena made the wait worth it, as he enjoyed a career day in Syracuse’s 38-22 win over Ohio. His six catches, 78 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns were all career highs. Pena also added a rushing touchdown to bolster his stat line and cement his importance to the team.

It became clear that Syracuse missed Pena’s presence in the slot last season. The Orange were last in the ACC in passing yards last season. After steadily improving in his prior two seasons, Pena looked ready to take the next step and demand more attention in the passing game. However, he never took an offensive snap in 2023.

“He was one of, like, probably within the first 10 guys that I met,” said Fran Brown. “We did some stuff together and kept showing him, and we were holding each other accountable. And he takes care of his body now.”

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

One of the things that Pena wanted to figure out with his new head coach was how to stay on the field. Brown mentioned that Pena voiced concern about always getting injured. So, the new Syracuse training staff help Pena in many different ways off the field to improve his habits to stay healthy.

“Eating the right things, drinking enough water and just getting enough sleep,” said Pena. “Just all of the little things, just making sure that I’m the best I am every day.”

In terms of eligibility, Pena is still a redshirt junior. However, he’s been on the Syracuse campus since 2020. Because of his various injuries, Pena has had plenty of time to study off the field to improve his game, and his performance against Ohio seemed to indicate that the time waiting has paid off.

Whether it was as a safety option on a crossing route or as an aggressive weapon on a streak or corner route, Pena was clearly one of Kyle McCord’s favorite and trusted receivers. Only Oronde Gadsden had more catches and yards against the Bobcats with seven grabs for 108 yards.

“I just think that he studies the game the way Kyle studies the game,” said Brown. “The kid’s always studying, always going through stuff, always working.”

Now with new habits leading to a healthier body, Pena is ready to have the breakout season he seemed destined to have last season.