2023 Spring Practice

[Deleted member 7047]

IMO, our roster is way out of balance.

DL: 16 scholarship players for 3 (maybe 4) positions. And only Caleb O will run out of eligibility after this season. Too many players for too few positions equals a lack of playing time and will likely lead to someone transferring out.

OL: 13 scholarship players (IF all four guys show up in the summer) for 5 positions. I'd like to be three-deep. Can we get one more from the portal?

QB: 3 scholarship guys. 1 injured and 1 who entered the portal for a day back in January (no one talks about this). Would like to see us pick up a grad transfer or a young guy out of the portal in May for depth. Could Morgan possibly come back?

RB: Only 2 scholarship guys and 1 walk-on who figure to contribute this year. Both of the freshman appear to be small and need some physical development IMO. Would like to see one more guy added from the portal (a grad transfer?).

WR: We have 10 scholarship guys which seems about right. Only Adams will run out of eligibility this year, but both Gadsden and Alford will be draft eligible.

LB: 12 scholarship players for 3 positions. There's talent top to bottom in this group, but also several injuries. I'm wondering if the injuries are part of the reason we picked up Kahlil Gilmore this week (RS Jr, 6'4", 245 lb outside backer/edge player). Is he an insurance policy in case Thompson's recovery is delayed? No scholarship seniors, but several guys will be draft eligible following the season: Wax and Thompson being the top two.

CB: Only 5 scholarship players for two positions and one of these guys also entered the portal for a heart beat last December. With only one guy (Johnson) running out of eligibility after this season we are also young. Would like to us add one more thru the portal; an older guy with some size (>6') who can provide depth this year and maybe challenge for PT in 2024.

Safeties: 8 scholarship guys for three positions. Simmons will exhaust his eligibility this year and both Barron and Clark will be draft eligible following the season. Would like to see us add one more before the season. Is it possible for Hannah to come back?

Specialists: I'm not sure who in this group is on scholarship and who is not. Are all three punters on scholarship? 1 scholarship kicker. 2 long snappers. Is either LS (Stengle or Callahan) on scholarship?


I'm fairly certain we lose a few players to the portal following spring only because that's the way it is, not because I've heard anything specific.

How many scholarships are currently available for this year, 3 or 4?

With the portal being what it is, roster management has become an art.

Who was the QB who was in the Portal for a day in January? (I don't remember reading that anywhere.)

 

[sutomcat]

Who was the QB who was in the Portal for a day in January? (I don't remember reading that anywhere.)

I remember a cornerback, but not a quarterback.

 

[Deleted member 7047]

I remember a cornerback, but not a quarterback.

SUDadx2 said above that there was a QB in the Portal for a day in January. Under the CB section he also mentioned one CB in the Portal for a "heartbeat," which was Wilson.

 

[Jake]

Interesting report from Nunes on the QB battle. Thrilled there is separation. Don’t care which one it was, but that’s an indication we have quality depth.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Post Spring game the whole portal cycle will start up. Hopefully the staff is prepared to go hunting for some transfers from SEC/Big who just missed starting and are looking to land in open competition scenarios. Maybe guys looking to come back NE like Gould from Nebraska.

Actually the portal opens April 15th before the Spring Game...4/15-4/30.

 

[sutomcat]

Interesting report from Nunes on the QB battle. Thrilled there is separation. Don’t care which one it was, but that’s an indication we have quality depth.

Here is the link:

Syracuse football: Justin Lamson pulling away in spring Quarterback battle

The sophomore is making up for lost time with this prime opportunity.

www.nunesmagician.com

Coach Babers has been very careful in the statements regarding the QB situation this spring. I think he’s trying hard to prevent one of the guys from transferring.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Did they change the transfer windows? Otherwise nothing stops CDRW from transferring in the middle of the season like DeVito did.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Did they change the transfer windows? Otherwise nothing stops CDRW from transferring in the middle of the season like DeVito did.

A player can leave the team whenever he so chooses. He can only put his name in the portal during specific date ranges.

 

[GoSU96]

Did they change the transfer windows? Otherwise nothing stops CDRW from transferring in the middle of the season like DeVito did.

Will he be a grad student?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Did they change the transfer windows? Otherwise nothing stops CDRW from transferring in the middle of the season like DeVito did.

I would think that already using his freebie transfer already probably matters some.

 

[syrBossHogg]

Who was the QB who was in the Portal for a day in January? (I don't remember reading that anywhere.)

Looks like it was Lamson?

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

247sports.com

 

[sutomcat]

Looks like it was Lamson?

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

247sports.com

Good find. Scary.

I like both JL and CDRW a lot. but Justin is a dual threat guy and I think we really need a dual threat guy for our offense to be effective.

Maybe CDRW can be a dual threat guy too. It didn’t look like it when he got his chance last year but we were so thin at QB then, the staff might have told him not to run unless he absolutely had to.

Can CDRW run? Is he fast enough and athletic enough to beat guys at this level? This is one of the biggest things I want to see at the spring game. Right now, I really don’t know. His arm strength and bravado are really impressive.

The mental aspects of the job are also always big. Can he make the right reads? Can he check down to his second or third option under pressure? Can he make the right instantaneous decision whether to throw it away or run for it when a play breaks down?

I am unsure about the mental aspects for Justin too but I have seen enough from him to be convinced he is plenty athletic enough to be a dual threat guy.

I hope the staff gives both guys a chance to play with and against starters and backups. I think that will give us the best insight into where each QB currently stands. And I am hoping the QBs are allowed to run the real offense. It would be sad if they spend the whole spring game handing off and throwing screens.

 

[Finwad32]

Good find. Scary.

I like both JL and CDRW a lot. but Justin is a dual threat guy and I think we really need a dual threat guy for our offense to be effective.

Maybe CDRW can be a dual threat guy too. It didn’t look like it when he got his chance last year but we were so thin at QB then, the staff might have told him not to run unless he absolutely had to.

Can CDRW run? Is he fast enough and athletic enough to beat guys at this level? This is one of the biggest things I want to see at the spring game. Right now, I really don’t know. His arm strength and bravado are really impressive.

The mental aspects of the job are also always big. Can he make the right reads? Can he check down to his second or third option under pressure? Can he make the right instantaneous decision whether to throw it away or run for it when a play breaks down?

I am unsure about the mental aspects for Justin too but I have seen enough from him to be convinced he is plenty athletic enough to be a dual threat guy.

I hope the staff gives both guys a chance to play with and against starters and backups. I think that will give us the best insight into where each QB currently stands. And I am hoping the QBs are allowed to run the real offense. It would be sad if they spend the whole spring game handing off and throwing screens.

I loved Lamson’s potential last Spring. He’s still young and lost a season to injury. 1st year back from an ACL is usually difficult. And I also agree that dual-threat is the way to go, at least for us.

I’d have to believe that him and CDRW will nearly split at the Spring game. Really interested to see what that looks like. His arm strength is certainly there.

I, too, don’t really want to see Allen get 25 Spring game carries.

 

[MSOrange]

Good find. Scary.

I like both JL and CDRW a lot. but Justin is a dual threat guy and I think we really need a dual threat guy for our offense to be effective.

Maybe CDRW can be a dual threat guy too. It didn’t look like it when he got his chance last year but we were so thin at QB then, the staff might have told him not to run unless he absolutely had to.

Can CDRW run? Is he fast enough and athletic enough to beat guys at this level? This is one of the biggest things I want to see at the spring game. Right now, I really don’t know. His arm strength and bravado are really impressive.

The mental aspects of the job are also always big. Can he make the right reads? Can he check down to his second or third option under pressure? Can he make the right instantaneous decision whether to throw it away or run for it when a play breaks down?

I am unsure about the mental aspects for Justin too but I have seen enough from him to be convinced he is plenty athletic enough to be a dual threat guy.

I hope the staff gives both guys a chance to play with and against starters and backups. I think that will give us the best insight into where each QB currently stands. And I am hoping the QBs are allowed to run the real offense. It would be sad if they spend the whole spring game handing off and throwing screens.

I feel pretty confident both guys will have a chance to play with and against starters and backups throughout spring. Whether that will be during the spring game when the public can see, I am less confident.

 

[sufandu]

Good find. Scary.

I like both JL and CDRW a lot. but Justin is a dual threat guy and I think we really need a dual threat guy for our offense to be effective.

Maybe CDRW can be a dual threat guy too. It didn’t look like it when he got his chance last year but we were so thin at QB then, the staff might have told him not to run unless he absolutely had to.

Can CDRW run? Is he fast enough and athletic enough to beat guys at this level? This is one of the biggest things I want to see at the spring game. Right now, I really don’t know. His arm strength and bravado are really impressive.

The mental aspects of the job are also always big. Can he make the right reads? Can he check down to his second or third option under pressure? Can he make the right instantaneous decision whether to throw it away or run for it when a play breaks down?

I am unsure about the mental aspects for Justin too but I have seen enough from him to be convinced he is plenty athletic enough to be a dual threat guy.

I hope the staff gives both guys a chance to play with and against starters and backups. I think that will give us the best insight into where each QB currently stands. And I am hoping the QBs are allowed to run the real offense. It would be sad if they spend the whole spring game handing off and throwing screens.

I thought I remember him running a few times last year. Maybe not on designed runs, certainly not Shrader like, but scrambling, and I thought he looked pretty athletic. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong though.

 

[SuFTW]

Looks like it was Lamson?

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

247sports.com

I wonder if that could have been to leverage some NIL.

 

[sutomcat]

I thought I remember him running a few times last year. Maybe not on designed runs, certainly not Shrader like, but scrambling, and I thought he looked pretty athletic. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong though.

He did. Didn’t look like a dual threat guy when he did, but it could be he was instructed to run that way. We were so thin at QB at that point, that could be.

I hope so.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Did they change the transfer windows? Otherwise nothing stops CDRW from transferring in the middle of the season like DeVito did.

Unless he is a grad transfer he will have to sit out a year if he transfers again.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Just a fwiw the staff has brought in quite a few QBs to visit this recruiting cycle. One of them from this weekend posted a pic of the group of QB recruits sitting in the QB room watching film with Beck.

 

[Consigliere]

Looks like it was Lamson?

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

2023 College Football Transfer Portal

247sports.com

Remember that these sites simply report based on social media posts or other second hand information. The official transfer portal is administered by the NCAA. Names are entered by the current schools, not the player himself. And you need a verified login and credentials from an NCAA member institution for access. Pretty sure this was fake news.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Remember that these sites simply report based on social media posts or other second hand information. The official transfer portal is administered by the NCAA. Names are entered by the current schools, not the player himself. And you need a verified login and credentials from an NCAA member institution for access. Pretty sure this was fake news.

For a while, coaches were lending out their logins to 247 and Rivals people. I'm sure it still goes on, but the NCAA definitely cracked down on it.

I stopped doing my grad transfer site in part because I didn't have the nerve to start asking around for login access.

 

[NYCCuse826]

Unless he is a grad transfer he will have to sit out a year if he transfers again.

There's a mental health waiver. If it's true that Lamson surpassed him, he's gone. Him coming to SU was odd in that if he waited one season, he'd have had the chance to start for Florida this year.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]