Your Favorite Offensive and Defensive Cuse Player of All Time

[OrangePA]

On offense, I was considering Csonka and Daryl Johnston but then remembered Jim Nance. He was the biggest, baddest fullback ever and was never tackled for a loss in his college career so I have to go with him. Pretty good sportscaster too. On defense, Conley/Freeney. There are no losers there.

Love the Jim Nance reference.

One the all-time greats who is vastly underappreciated on both the college and pro levels.

 

[kcsu]

Floyd, Freeny

 

[oldpinepoint]

Out of the box because I played oline and d line

Offense- John Flannery
Defense- Kevin Mitchell

 

[RobCWhatUp]

I'll go a little outside the box too because my offensive player is Quinton Spotwood but that was more because of his punt returning skills (former returner myself so I have an appreciation there and I know that isn't truly "offense" per se). But, I enjoyed that era's offense the most with McNabb, McIntosh, Dee Brown, Konrad, Kevin Johnson, Jim Turner, and the two NFL TE's Roland Williams and Kaseem Sinceno etc.

On defense, I'm always partial to a big hitting DB so I will say Donovan Darius or Tebucky Jones.

 

[xc84]

I would like to add Scott Schwedes to the mix. Always an exciting player to watch as a receiver and punt returner. He's up there as a "favorite" in my book.

 

[RoatanCuse]

Combos of Jim Nance & Floyd Little and Larry Czonka & Floyd Little on O. Dan Conley on D. Monk, Ernie Davis, Joe Morris, Jim Brown, Green, Harrison, Graves, McPherson, Gedney, Moose Johnston and, of course, Mr. John Mackey all deserve to be up there, as well as the LB who played with Conley.

 

[OburgOrange]

O - Donnie M (should have won ghe Heisman)
D- Dan Conley (heart and sole, he is legend!)

 

[OrangePA]

Offense: McNabb, runner up is Graves.

Defense: Conley, runner up is Freeney. If Freeney had 4 healthy playing years, might have been him.

Honorable mention Offense: Qadry, Harrison, Shelby Hill, David Walker

Honorable mention Defense: Kevin Mitchell, Glen Young, Darius, Abrams

If we were just saying how they played against Notre Dame, I'd go with Walter Reyes and Art Jones, as each dominated them.

Reyes at the Dome against ND - junior year - best offensive performance that I can ever recall seeing in person by an SU player.

 

[CaliCuse]

On offense, I was considering Csonka and Daryl Johnston but then remembered Jim Nance. He was the biggest, baddest fullback ever and was never tackled for a loss in his college career so I have to go with him. Pretty good sportscaster too. On defense, Conley/Freeney. There are no losers there.

Big Jim Nance was also the first 300bRB not Perry. I played pick up basketball with Nance and I assure you you don't want to take a charge call on him with no refs. I did and was knocked off my vertical and hard to the floor. Jim helped me up and kind of laughed when I chocked out the word "water please" Down in the locker room I and another friend of mine were getting into our regular civvies and Nance came out of the showers with a towel wrapped around him and let me assure you he was looking at 300lbs in the rear view mirror. He was a good guy . When he passes by our lockers he asked if"I was all right?" I shook my head to make sure there were no loose parts. This isn't a set-up for insults so keep going.
As fot basketball my favorite player is GMAC . A kid with nerves of ice . How many times did he take that last minute/second shot and swish it? He was the best clutch shooter I've ever seen at Syracuse.

 

[CaliCuse]

Reyes at the Dome against ND - junior year - best offensive performance that I can ever recall seeing in person by an SU player.

David Walker was a terrific RB I tried hard to pump him up when speaking to GMGeorge Young the Giants GM at the time but George asked the key question about his speed. I wasn't going to lie to the man and said that Walker wasn't a speed demon but that his effort was always such that he got more yards on a given snap than might have been expected after the snap. I would take Walker in my backfield on a Div1 team anytime.

 

[Phillymoose]

Commenting just to ensure Marcus Paul's name makes it into this thread. Definitely a favorite of mine during my time on the hill. He hit very hard and picked a lot of balls.

 

[RICuse44]

I'll go a little outside the box too because my offensive player is Quinton Spotwood but that was more because of his punt returning skills (former returner myself so I have an appreciation there and I know that isn't truly "offense" per se). But, I enjoyed that era's offense the most with McNabb, McIntosh, Dee Brown, Konrad, Kevin Johnson, Jim Turner, and the two NFL TE's Roland Williams and Kaseem Sinceno etc.

On defense, I'm always partial to a big hitting DB so I will say Donovan Darius or Tebucky Jones.

Pre injury no one was more electrifying on returns than spotwood.

 

[RICuse44]

Offense- Donovan
Defense- freeney (loved Conley but convinced freeney got us 3-4 more wins his senior year with huge plays at key times)

One game offense and defense- diamond ferri

 

[CUSU]

People I actually remember watching:

Offense: Reyes - would run at people in open field just to run them over.
Defense: Shamarko - his reckless abandon was fun to watch, would throw his body anywhere.

 

[njorange]

O- Don McPherson
D - Terry Wooden

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Offense - Lil Joe

Offensive Honorable mention- Qadry​

Defense - Tim Green

Defense Honorable mention - Ted Gregory​

I loved Morris and he would have been my #1 but have to go with McNabb. On defense both Green and Gregory are solid selections, along with Kevin Mitchell. Not sure who I would take. Lots of great options. Much harder on defense: Freeney, Conley, T-buck, Burnett.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Offense: McNabb, runner up is Graves.

Defense: Conley, runner up is Freeney. If Freeney had 4 healthy playing years, might have been him.

Honorable mention Offense: Qadry, Harrison, Shelby Hill, David Walker

Honorable mention Defense: Kevin Mitchell, Glen Young, Darius, Abrams

If we were just saying how they played against Notre Dame, I'd go with Walter Reyes and Art Jones, as each dominated them.

Glad to see Shelby Hill get a mention. People forget about him. And Tommy Kane. Both had pretty good senior seasons.

 

[money3189]

First Offense - McNabb- Second- Graves

First Defense-Freeney Second- Bullock

 

[Chip]

Glad to see Shelby Hill get a mention. People forget about him. And Tommy Kane. Both had pretty good senior seasons.

A lot of people forgetting Kevin Mitchell too. He was a beast as a 250 lb NT, unheard of at that time.

Tommy Kane was a little before my time. 1991 was when I started on this adventure.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

McNabb & Darius

 

[cusefan88]

Diamond Ferri for both!

 

[anomander]

Marvin Graves
Tebucky Jones

 

[Scooch]

McNabb and Freeney.

I can't believe so many of you didn't see McNabb play, and yet are big SU fans. Honestly if I didn't have the warm glow from the 90s I would barely pay attention to this program. You people are heroes. Or insane.

 

[OrangeBass]

Since the question asks for favorites:
Offense: Bill Hurley followed closely by Joe Morris. Yes, I believe McNabb is the best I have seen since I started watching in 1972.
Defense: Tim Green...favorite play was against Army I believe where he tackled the QB and RB together.

 

[Crusty]

Favorite of course does not mean who we think was the best so, to stick with the question literally, I would have to say, McNabb and Shamarko (just loved his story and style of play).

As for the best - just impossible to say as there are so many greats - which is one reason I am a SU fan.