sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Appomattox Day!
Appomattox Day marks the date when the terms of surrender were signed to end the Civil War, after almost four years of fighting. Confederate commander Robert E. Lee had recently abandoned the Confederate capital, Richmond, as well as Petersburg, Virginia. His goal was to regroup his troops, who were low on supplies and food, and fight on. On April 8, his troops were almost completely surrounded near Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Still, on the following morning, the Confederates mounted an offensive under the command of Major General John B. Gordon. At first it was going well for the Confederates, but eventually they were turned back as they were outnumbered. General Lee is noted as saying, "There is nothing left me to do but to go and see Gen. Grant, and I would rather die a thousand deaths."
Robert E. Lee surrendered to commanding Union general Ulysses S. Grant in the front parlor of the home of Wilmer McLean. Lee had sent a message to Grant earlier in the day saying he would surrender, and they met at 1 pm. Representative of the nature of the two men, Lee arrived impeccably dressed, with sash and sword, while Grant wore a field uniform that had mud splattered on it. Grant quickly wrote the terms of surrender after Lee asked for them. The Confederate troops were pardoned. The soldiers were allowed to keep their horses, which would be helpful for spring planting, and were allowed to return home. They also were given Union rations so they wouldn't starve. Confederate officers could keep their swords and sidearms.
SU News
SU doubled its Class of 2025 following a snowy weekend. What did recruits think? ‘I love the snow’ (PS; $; Leiker)
As a late-winter storm rolled through Central New York on the second-to-last weekend of March, so did 40-50 Syracuse football recruits through Ensley Athletic Center.
They shuffled in through the lobby – most with at least one family member, guardian or coach accompanying them – in a stream that ran almost uninterrupted for several minutes, escaping the still-falling snow and the slushy ground outside.
Up to 13 inches fell around the region that weekend. It was the most snow Marcus Upton, a defensive back from New Jersey, said he’s seen since he was 8 or 9 years old.
“The snow really isn’t a problem,” Byron Washington, an offensive lineman from Texas, told syracuse.com. “I love the snow. My logic is, if you’re in the snow you can put on jackets to make yourself warm. But if you’re in the heat there’s nothing you can do.”
The weather did nothing to deter both Washington and Upton from committing to the Orange the night of March 23.
Upton and Washington were two of five Class of 2025 prospects who verbally committed to the Orange within 72 hours of visiting March 23. The class had just three members prior to the big recruiting weekend.
With a few more verbal commits since, the class of 12 commits is currently ranked No. 10 in the country by the 247Sports Composite.
Though Fran Brown is prohibited from talking about recruits, he did speak about his mentality when it comes to having recruits visit and brought up the wicked weather that weekend, seeming to imply other coaches might use it to deter players from committing to Syracuse.
“They talk to them about going there in the cold. ‘Don’t get up, it’s going to be cold,’ ” Brown said. “We don’t want to hide anything. Let’s see what it’s like to be in the snow. Then you realize it’s not as cold as people say it is.
“We play inside anyway. You’ll see guys from Florida, Texas, all over the place out there diving in the snow, having fun.”
Upton, Washington and New York defensive back Jordan Gibbs each spoke with syracuse.com about their visits and their recruitments by Syracuse.
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Jalil Hall (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Syracuse football in the Top 5 for Class of 2025 wide receiver from Philadelphia (PS; $; Leiker)
A Class of 2025 wide receiver from Philadelphia named Syracuse football to his Top 5 on Saturday.
Jalil Hall included the Orange alongside West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland and Duke. He will commit June 29.
Hall (6-foot-4, 185 pounds) is a three-star and the No. 19 player in Pennsylvania according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s the No. 107 wide receiver in the class.
Hall plays for Monsignor Bonner, which finished 8-3 last season. He also plays defensive end.
Hall received his offer from Syracuse on Feb. 27 and has set an official visit for June 7-9. He will visit West Virginia on May 31-June 2.
SU currently has 12 players verbally committed to its 2025 class. Several other prospects have already set official visits for the summer like Hall, including four-star offensive lineman Jaelyne Matthews (May 31-June 2), four-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III (May 31-June 2) and three-star wide receiver Qeanu Johnson (June 14-16).
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MaxPreps
Composite four star OL Hardy Watts recaps Syracuse visit (247sports.com'; McAllister)
Class of 2025 Brookline (MA) Dexter School offensive lineman Hardy Watts is one of the top players in the Northeast regardless of position. The composite four star recruit has an impressive offer list that includes Alabama, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Wisconsin and more. He was on the Syracuse campus over the weekend for an unofficial visit.
"The visit was great," Watts said. "I was excited to get out there and check it out because there had been a lot of buzz about Syracuse lately. I got to see the campus and the athletic facilities, watch practice, and I got to meet all the coaches. The best part was the practice. The amount of competing and one on one drills was amazing."
Attending practice gave the 6-6, 290 pounder insight into how the staff coaches.
"The practice was great," Watts said. "The coaches had amazing energy. Coach Dale Williams, who doesn't seem too intense over the phone, was one of the most intense coaches I've seen."
After spending time with the Syracuse coaches and getting a closer look at the program and its culture, Watts says the visit only enhanced his interest in the Orange.
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Syracuse named as potential landing spot for Wagner transfer TE (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football is being considered alongside five other schools as a potential landing spot for a transfer tight end.
Justin Wolf, who spent three seasons at Wagner and has two seasons of eligibility remaining, named the Top 6 programs he’s looking at Monday afternoon on social media.
Syracuse is included alongside Kansas State, Alabama, Texas A&M, UCLA and West Virginia.
At Wagner, he appeared in 23 games on special teams and offense. He had seven receptions and one touchdown. Wolf entered the transfer portal during its first window following the conclusion of the 2023 regular season.
Wolf (6-foot-4, 240 pounds) is from Brooklyn, New York, and attended Xaverian High School. He was unrated out of high school in the 2020 recruiting class.
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(youtube; video; Cuse Sports Talk)
Joe More "The 315" 4-8-24
Head Coach Mykel Benson Compares Syracuse Football 2026 Recruit Demetres Samuel to Travis Hunter (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football Head Coach Fran Brown recently landed 2026 Four-Star/Top-80 High School recruit Demetres Samuel Jr. Heritage High School Head Coach Mykel Benson compares Samuel to Colorado Cornerback/Wide Receiver Travis Hunter.
30 Minutes in Orange Nation 4-8-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia kick off today’s show discussing Syracuse men’s basketball’s roster and which players that the team has been linked to in the portal could be a good fit. Then, the guys hear some quotes from a Syracuse football commit about Fran Brown’s activity recruiting locally. Later, Jordan joins the guys to discuss this past weekend’s women’s basketball National Championship as well as a gripe Paulie had with WrestleMania.
Syracuse football: how are defensive players and coaches feeling after two weeks of spring practice? (TNIAAM; Tomiaiuolo)
We’re just past the halfway point of Syracuse Orange football’s spring practices: three weeks down and two weeks to go before its spring game on April 20. Let’s check in on the latest thoughts of defensive players and coaches as the Orange continues to ramp up activities.
It’s become clear that Fran Brown’s practice style is much different from the previous regime. Drills are incredibly fast-paced and change nearly every five minutes. Players have little time to catch their breath, conditioning them for game-like scenarios this fall.
“Getting that work in right now and getting accustomed to that speed, by the time we get to the season, we should be ready for [the regular season],” linebacker Derek McDonald said.
This upped tempo is part of Brown’s philosophy, which made him a national champion as a defensive backs coach at Georgia two years ago. He noted that many players hold off on their intensity in practice until the summer months. But why wait?
“I’m not promised September, so I’m going to dominate April. I just try to live one week at a time. That’s as far as [our team] likes to look out because if you keep looking down the line, you won’t be ready when the time comes,” Brown said.
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Pros and Cons of Syracuse Football Roster Turnover (orangefizz.net; Shalam)
Syracuse football has been like an airport this offseason, with 37 departures and 34 arrivals so far. The turnover under Fran Brown has been unprecedented for Syracuse, with changes that haven’t occurred since the late ’80s and mid-’90s. Some of the standout names in the transfer class include Texas A&M edge Fadil Diggs and Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. While these additions have been noteworthy, SU has also witnessed the departure of their best wide receiver from last season, Damien Alford, and sacks leader Kevon Darton.
The changes implemented by Brown have propelled Syracuse to its highest-ranked class this century, but there is still ample reason to be cautious that things may go awry.
The transfer of McCord symbolizes an increasing level of talent at Syracuse not seen since the Donovan McNabb era in the mid-’90s. McNabb, third all-time for passing yards, threw for 2,488 yards in his junior season. McCord threw for 3,170 yards last year and aims to surpass McNabb’s season highs this year. Bringing in a seasoned veteran like McCord is vital to Syracuse’s success next season. He will mentor new teammates and bring Big Ten experience to a weaker ACC conference.
Another high-impact player added to Brown’s squad this year is Diggs, who amassed four sacks this past season with the Aggies. The New Jersey product was a four-star recruit out of high school and highlights a stacked Orange defensive line. However, one player who made a significant impact for SU last season will be absent from that defensive line.
Darton was arguably the Orange’s best defensive lineman last year. Along with a team-leading five sacks, he ranked second on the team with 12 tackles for loss last season. While Darton’s absence will be felt on defense, Alford’s absence will be just as prevalent on the offensive side of the ball
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ACC News
Could Florida State/Clemson leaving the ACC lead to a NEW conference? l College Football Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on College Football)
Could Florida State/Clemson leaving the ACC lead to a NEW conference? l College Football Podcast
BIGGEST Spring Game Takeaways for Clemson, Auburn, NC State + College Football Headlines (youtube; podcast; Cover 3)
BIGGEST Spring Game Takeaways for Clemson, Auburn, NC State + College Football Headlines
Upcoming Dates To REMEMBER in FSU vs. The ACC (youtube; podcsat; Voice of College Football)
Upcoming Dates To REMEMBER in FSU vs. The ACC
2024 ACC Schools, Biggest to Smallest (RX; HM)
2024 ACC Schools, Biggest to Smallest
The largest ACC school is nearly 6X as big as the smallest - which happens to also be the smallest in all of the power conferences. Here's a look at ACC schools ranked by enrollment:
| Rank | Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment |
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | 1885 | Public | 47,961 |
| 2 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 1851 | Public | 45,493 |
| 3 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 1868 | Public | 45,307 |
| 4 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA | 1872 | Public (land-grant) | 36,383 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC | 1887 | Public (land-grant) | 36,304 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 1789 | Public | 30,101 |
| 7 | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | 1787 | Public (state-related) | 28,391 |
| 8 | Clemson University | Clemson, SC | 1889 | Public (land-grant) | 25,822 |
| 9 | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | 1819 | Public | 25,018 |
| 10 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY | 1798 | Public | 21,430 |
| 11 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 1870 | Private (non-sectarian) | 21,322 |
| 12 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 1925 | Private (non-sectarian) | 17,811 |
| 13 | Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 1891 | Private (non-sectarian) | 17,326 |
| 14 | Duke University | Durham, NC | 1838 | Private (Methodist) | 16,780 |
| 15 | Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1863 | Private (Jesuit) | 14,890 |
| 16 | University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 1842 | Private (Holy Cross) | 12,681 |
| 17 | Southern Methodist University | Dallas, TX | 1911 | Private (Methodist) | 12,373 |
| 18 | Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC | 1834 | Private (Baptist) | 8,789 |
I was more than a little surprised to see Georgia Tech at the top of this list! The number of undergraduates is more in line with what I expected: 19,505 as of last Fall. However, the Institute has another 28k+ graduate students. While that latter group probably doesn't attend as many football games as the former, it's still paying customers for the school.
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2024 ACC Undergrad Enrollment (RX; HM)
2024 ACC Undergrad Enrollment
Yesterday we looked at total enrollment by school, and we learned a few things about the ACC... However, all students are not necessarily football or basketball fans, though it's much more likely that undergraduates are (or will be by the time they graduate). Again, there is a huge difference between the largest and smallest ACC school in terms of undergraduate enrollment - over 6:1! Here's a look at ACC schools ranked by undergraduate enrollment:
| Rank | College Name | Undergrads |
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | 33,078 |
| 2 | Florida State University | 32,936 |
| 3 | Virginia Tech | 30,434 |
| 4 | North Carolina State | 26,254 |
| 5 | University of Pittsburgh | 24,420 |
| 6 | Clemson University | 22,566 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina | 20,029 |
| 8 | Georgia Tech | 18,415 |
| 9 | University of Virginia | 17,444 |
| 10 | University of Louisville | 15,921 |
| 11 | Syracuse University | 15,421 |
| 12 | University of Miami | 12,504 |
| 13 | Boston College | 9,982 |
| 14 | University of Notre Dame | 8,971 |
| 15 | Stanford Universit | 7,841 |
| 16 | Southern Methodist University | 7,056 |
| 17 | Duke University | 6,640 |
| 18 | Wake Forest University | 5,447 |
Cal will come into the ACC and immediately surpass FSU as the school with the most undergrads. Virginia Tech is third, followed by NC State, Pitt, Clemson, UNC, and finally Georgia Tech (which was at the top in terms of total students).
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Canisius hires former BC coach Jim Christian to take over men’s basketball team (PS; AP)
Canisius University hired former Boston College coach Jim Christian to take over its men’s basketball program on Monday.
The 59-year-old Christian joins the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference program after spending the past two seasons as an assistant at Kent State. In 2022-23, the Golden Flashes won 28 games and the Mid-American Conference tournament title to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
At Canisius, he replaces Reggie Witherspoon, who’s contract was not renewed after eight seasons. Based in Buffalo, New York, the Golden Griffins spent much of last season without three key contributors in finishing 14-18, their fifth losing record in six years.
Christian has 19 seasons of college head-coaching experience, including stops at Kent State, TCU and Ohio, with an overall record of 317-273. He went 75-119 at Boston College from 2014-20, which included a 19-win season and an NIT berth in 2017-18.
Other
A gorgeous view of the 2024 total solar eclipse at East Syracuse Minoa High School on Monday, April 8, 2024. Photo: Doug Burns
Here are your photos of the 2024 total solar eclipse in Central NY (PS; $; photo gallery; Hernandez)
Pesky clouds did not stop people from documenting the solar eclipse on April 8 in Central New York. After a beautiful sunny morning, the clouds rolled in and many enthusiastic eclipse watchers waited for that brief moment that the clouds would part to see the eclipse in totality.
If you’re stuck in traffic on I-81 — and not driving — check out our gallery of photos that our readers sent in.
Want to submit your photos and videos? Please send them to feedback@syracuse.com or tag us at @syracusedotcom on Instagram. Please include the place where the images or videos were taken, along with the person who should be credited.
Country star added to CMAC concert lineup in Upstate NY (PS; $; Herbert)
A country star has been added to CMAC’s 2024 concert lineup in Upstate New York.
Miranda Lambert will perform at CMAC (Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center) in Canandaigua on Friday, Aug. 30. No opening act has been named for the show, which begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 12, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Prices may vary.
Lambert is a popular country singer who was won three Grammys, 14 CMA Awards, and 31 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the ACM Awards’ Entertainer of the Year in 2022. Her hits include “The House That Built Me,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Automatic,” “Gunpowder & Lead,” “Somethin’ Bad” (with Carrie Underwood), “If I Was a Cowboy,” “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” (with Elle King), and “Boys Round Here” (with ex-husband Blake Shelton and her band Pistol Annies).
CMAC is her only New York stop on her 2024 tour dates, which follow a “Velvet Rodeo” residency in Las Vegas.
The outdoor amphitheater, located on the Finger Lakes Community College campus, has more than a dozen concerts scheduled for the 2024 season.
CMAC 2024 concert lineup
May 24: The Avett Brothers w/ Sierra Ferrell (tickets)
June 2: Zac Brown Band (tickets)
June 9: Warren Haynes (tickets)
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