sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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Syracuse News
Veteran DE Robert Welsh (94)
SU Football 14 in '14: How Much Will Experience Help the Orange? (PS; Axe)
As if a new coaching staff and entering a new league wasn't enough on the plate of the Syracuse University football team entering the 2013 season, it was also one of the least experienced teams in the country.
Entering 2013, Syracuse ranked 108th in the country according to college football expert Phil Steele.
Syracuse had to replace Ryan Nassib at quarterback, two starters on the offensive line (Justin Pugh and Zach Chibane) and two productive wide receivers (Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon). Deon Goggins, Brandon Sharpe, Markus Pierce-Brewster had to be replaced on the defensive line along with middle linebacker Siriki Diabate and safety Shamarko Thomas, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Entering the 2014 season, the script has been flipped for Syracuse in the experience department as the Orange ranks 17th in the country according to Phil Steele.
...
Scott and Wolfgang Shafer
Scott Shafer Appeared on ESN, ESPN News as Part of Annual Car Wash Monday (PS; Bailey)
Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer will be all over the ESPN series of platforms on Monday as he participates in the annual car wash with other Atlantic Coast Conference coaches.
...
Embattled Rutgers HC Kyle Flood Says Rutgers 'Moves the Needle More Than Any Other Program in NY/NJ Region' But Doesn't Say In What Direction (PS; Carlson)
...
"I grew up in New York City, and there's no doubt in my mind, Rutgers has always been the football program over the last decade that moves the needle in New York," Flood said July 21 on the MoJo Radio Show. "When you look at ratings and you look at what college football teams are being watched in this area, Rutgers is at the top of the list every time."
With only one other power-five conference team in the two states, its relatively obvious which program Flood is comparing Rutgers too. Syracuse's current branding effort labels the Orange as "New York's College Team."
...
Game, Set, Match Shafer.
Recruiting
Jake Zembiac of Rochester is Rated as the Top Recruit in NYS for the 2016 Class and is a Potential HS AA
Syracuse Football 'Way Ahead of the Curve' Recruiting QBs for the Class of 2016 (PS; Bailey)
For Syracuse quarterbacks coach Tim Lester, it's been a weird 2015 recruiting cycle.
He's spent most of his time focusing on building relationships in Tampa and Orlando, Fla., rather than looking at Class of 2015 quarterbacks. Because with six QBs on roster, none of which are seniors and four of which have four years of eligibility left, the Orange isn't taking any this cycle.
"It was hard for me," Lester said in an interview on Wednesday. "It was hard not to go watch quarterbacks throw and stuff because we weren't taking any."
...
Former SU Recruit KJ Williams Reopens His Recruitment (PS; Mink)
Wide receiver K.J. Williams, the four-star recruit who signed with Syracuse in February before failing to academically qualify, is reopening his recruitment, according to a post Sunday night on Twitter.
Doing so is the latest indication that Williams may never play for Syracuse, an outlook that the program and Williams have apparently come to accept.
...
NJ Top 50 DT David Ryslik Says Syracuse and Duke Stand Out (nj.com; Hunt)
...
No. 43 Chapelle Cook says he is in the process of setting up visits to Pitt and Michigan State. Rutgers and Temple still positioned well, here.
No. 44 David Ryslik recently updated his recruitment with NJ.com. Syracuse and Duke stand out.
No. 45 Liam Smith, a class of 2016 prospect, recently earned a Syracuse offer, adding to his tenders from Miami (Fla.), Virginia and Rutgers.
No. 46 Ronnie James, brother of Rutgers RB Paul James, tells NJ.com his top four schools are Rutgers, Pitt, Army and Syracuse and he could make his decision "hopefully soon."
College Football
2014 College Football Preview/Haiku Fest: Nos/ 16-20 (How Much Will Georgia Jump; PS; Stevens)
...
16. GEORGIA
Besides the habit of its defensive players to find their way into the police blotter this offseason, there's nothing overtly bad about Georgia. It's just that there's a bunch of different elements that make it hard to go all-in on the Bulldogs.
They get three conference home games. They lost career passing leader Aaron Murray (with fifth-year senior Hutson Mason getting his turn this year). They have a new defense, though the switch from Todd Grantham to Jeremy Pruitt is probably a plus, especially after Pruitt's work running the Florida State defense last year.
Still, is that side of the ball going to be fully settled in the opening weeks of the season as it goes against Clemson and South Carolina? Yes, Clemson lost a bunch off its own offense, but that's still a game that has all the makings of a 38-35 contest — much like last year's was.
This should be the second-best team in the SEC East, and one of the top five teams in the SEC. As usual, both of those things count for something. It's also a team that should have things figured out much better come November than it does out of the chute.
It might, in fact, be 2011 all over again. A year after a sluggish season, the Bulldogs could very well drop their first two games and then zip through the rest of the regular season. But if Georgia does make it through mid-September unscathed, it will be looking at a top-10 season and a place in the SEC title game.
Georgia in haiku:
Stop if you've heard this
"Mark Richt has lost control of ..."
High-quality meme
...
2014 College Football Preview/Haiku Fest: Nos. 21-25 (UL Remains a Top 25 Team as it Enters the ACC; PS; Stevens)
...
23. LOUISVILLE
There are so many prisms through which to view this Louisville season, and all of them seem a bit trite.
The Cardinals have the new conference angle (again), entering the ACC just a decade after wrapping up their time in Conference USA. They're poised to do quite well in their new nest, though a repeat of last year's 12-1 record is probably asking too much.
There's the well-worn Bobby Petrino storyline, which could very well work out in all the ways good and bad that Petrino's last stop in Louisville did. For now, it means the Cardinals aren't going to lose to many (if any) teams they are more talented than. Petrino's programs rarely do.
There's the who-will-replace-Teddy-Bridgewater subplot, and that answer is sophomore Will Gardner. He has enough toys to toss or hand off to and a sharp offensive coach in Petrino to be in good shape to succeed.
So what narrative isn't being looked at enough? The defense, which was brilliantly constructed under former coach Charlie Strong but loses a bunch of talent and shifts to a 3-4. It can regress and the Cardinals will still be fine. But if it somehow stays in the top 20 nationally, Louisville's ceiling will go up as well.
Louisville in haiku:
Bored at times last year
Should not be an issue now
Big challenge awaits
...
Uniform Nation Ranks the ACC Football Uniforms (landgrantholyland.com; Lind)
Before shifting gears to the non-power conferences, our conference-by-conference uniform rankings take a look at the ACC. The Atlantic Coast Conference may be full of historical programs, but few wear traditional uniforms, making this list a little tougher to compile. Taking every team's home, road, and alternate uniforms into consideration, my rankings are listed below:
...
Clemson
Miami
Florida State
Virginia
Pittsburgh
Louisville
Virginia Tech
NC State
North Carolina
Duke
Boston College
Georgia Tech
Wake Forest
Syracuse
In the past decade or so, Syracuse has had a hard time committing to one look. The Orange added a block "S" to the side of the helmets and slightly modified the jerseys until they had a pretty solid look...until now. The number font alone is enough to put Syracuse at the bottom of this list.
Former Players
Ryan Nassib Continues to Struggle with NY Giants in Training Camp (PS; Bailey)
...
For the first time this summer, the Giants were running 1-on-1s between their receivers and defensive backs. Their quarterbacks (Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib and Curtis Painter) were alternating throws. It wasn't going well for anyone, but the drill was particularly troublesome for Nassib.
On one play, he overthrew wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan deep down the middle (see video below). The very next play he threw behind tight end Daniel Fells. Moments later, Nassib missed a wide-open Marcus Harris on a deep ball down the left sideline. To finish off the drill, he threw about eight yards wide on an 8-yard out route.
Nassib's struggles had eyelids pulled open and eyebrows raised. What the heck was going on out there, everyone watching seemed to ask?
...
Macky MacPherson Forced to Defend Himself During Fight in Bills Training Camp (PS; Fairburn)
Midway through Bills practice Monday, defensive end Bryan Johnson picked a fight with an unlikely opponent.
After a passing play went for a good chunk of yardage, Johnson turned to center Macky MacPherson and tried to pick a fight. MacPherson didn't seem interested at first, but Johnson starting throwing punches and MacPherson had no choice but to defend himself.
"That's just two guys playing football," MacPherson said after practice. "That happens."
After the exchange, head coach Doug Marrone, who coached MacPherson at Syracuse, had a discussion with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson and called a huddle between the offensive and defensive lines to put an end to the fighting. MacPherson versus Johnson was the second of two skirmishes at practice on Monday.
...
Bird Cage
Chiefs Put Smile on Fan's Face/Carrier Dome a White Elephant/More Drivel (PS; Poliquin)
As promised, at this time in every week this is (mostly) your space and (mostly) your space only. Which means I plan to sit back, put my feet up and let you do the heavy lifting.
Have you got something that you'd like to say … um, write? Well, here's your chance and here's your forum — every Monday.
...
Veteran DE Robert Welsh (94)
SU Football 14 in '14: How Much Will Experience Help the Orange? (PS; Axe)
As if a new coaching staff and entering a new league wasn't enough on the plate of the Syracuse University football team entering the 2013 season, it was also one of the least experienced teams in the country.
Entering 2013, Syracuse ranked 108th in the country according to college football expert Phil Steele.
Syracuse had to replace Ryan Nassib at quarterback, two starters on the offensive line (Justin Pugh and Zach Chibane) and two productive wide receivers (Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon). Deon Goggins, Brandon Sharpe, Markus Pierce-Brewster had to be replaced on the defensive line along with middle linebacker Siriki Diabate and safety Shamarko Thomas, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Entering the 2014 season, the script has been flipped for Syracuse in the experience department as the Orange ranks 17th in the country according to Phil Steele.
...
Scott and Wolfgang Shafer
Scott Shafer Appeared on ESN, ESPN News as Part of Annual Car Wash Monday (PS; Bailey)
Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer will be all over the ESPN series of platforms on Monday as he participates in the annual car wash with other Atlantic Coast Conference coaches.
...
Embattled Rutgers HC Kyle Flood Says Rutgers 'Moves the Needle More Than Any Other Program in NY/NJ Region' But Doesn't Say In What Direction (PS; Carlson)
...
"I grew up in New York City, and there's no doubt in my mind, Rutgers has always been the football program over the last decade that moves the needle in New York," Flood said July 21 on the MoJo Radio Show. "When you look at ratings and you look at what college football teams are being watched in this area, Rutgers is at the top of the list every time."
With only one other power-five conference team in the two states, its relatively obvious which program Flood is comparing Rutgers too. Syracuse's current branding effort labels the Orange as "New York's College Team."
...
Game, Set, Match Shafer.
Recruiting
Jake Zembiac of Rochester is Rated as the Top Recruit in NYS for the 2016 Class and is a Potential HS AA
Syracuse Football 'Way Ahead of the Curve' Recruiting QBs for the Class of 2016 (PS; Bailey)
For Syracuse quarterbacks coach Tim Lester, it's been a weird 2015 recruiting cycle.
He's spent most of his time focusing on building relationships in Tampa and Orlando, Fla., rather than looking at Class of 2015 quarterbacks. Because with six QBs on roster, none of which are seniors and four of which have four years of eligibility left, the Orange isn't taking any this cycle.
"It was hard for me," Lester said in an interview on Wednesday. "It was hard not to go watch quarterbacks throw and stuff because we weren't taking any."
...
Former SU Recruit KJ Williams Reopens His Recruitment (PS; Mink)
Wide receiver K.J. Williams, the four-star recruit who signed with Syracuse in February before failing to academically qualify, is reopening his recruitment, according to a post Sunday night on Twitter.
Doing so is the latest indication that Williams may never play for Syracuse, an outlook that the program and Williams have apparently come to accept.
...
NJ Top 50 DT David Ryslik Says Syracuse and Duke Stand Out (nj.com; Hunt)
...
No. 43 Chapelle Cook says he is in the process of setting up visits to Pitt and Michigan State. Rutgers and Temple still positioned well, here.
No. 44 David Ryslik recently updated his recruitment with NJ.com. Syracuse and Duke stand out.
No. 45 Liam Smith, a class of 2016 prospect, recently earned a Syracuse offer, adding to his tenders from Miami (Fla.), Virginia and Rutgers.
No. 46 Ronnie James, brother of Rutgers RB Paul James, tells NJ.com his top four schools are Rutgers, Pitt, Army and Syracuse and he could make his decision "hopefully soon."
College Football
2014 College Football Preview/Haiku Fest: Nos/ 16-20 (How Much Will Georgia Jump; PS; Stevens)
...
16. GEORGIA
Besides the habit of its defensive players to find their way into the police blotter this offseason, there's nothing overtly bad about Georgia. It's just that there's a bunch of different elements that make it hard to go all-in on the Bulldogs.
They get three conference home games. They lost career passing leader Aaron Murray (with fifth-year senior Hutson Mason getting his turn this year). They have a new defense, though the switch from Todd Grantham to Jeremy Pruitt is probably a plus, especially after Pruitt's work running the Florida State defense last year.
Still, is that side of the ball going to be fully settled in the opening weeks of the season as it goes against Clemson and South Carolina? Yes, Clemson lost a bunch off its own offense, but that's still a game that has all the makings of a 38-35 contest — much like last year's was.
This should be the second-best team in the SEC East, and one of the top five teams in the SEC. As usual, both of those things count for something. It's also a team that should have things figured out much better come November than it does out of the chute.
It might, in fact, be 2011 all over again. A year after a sluggish season, the Bulldogs could very well drop their first two games and then zip through the rest of the regular season. But if Georgia does make it through mid-September unscathed, it will be looking at a top-10 season and a place in the SEC title game.
Georgia in haiku:
Stop if you've heard this
"Mark Richt has lost control of ..."
High-quality meme
...
2014 College Football Preview/Haiku Fest: Nos. 21-25 (UL Remains a Top 25 Team as it Enters the ACC; PS; Stevens)
...
23. LOUISVILLE
There are so many prisms through which to view this Louisville season, and all of them seem a bit trite.
The Cardinals have the new conference angle (again), entering the ACC just a decade after wrapping up their time in Conference USA. They're poised to do quite well in their new nest, though a repeat of last year's 12-1 record is probably asking too much.
There's the well-worn Bobby Petrino storyline, which could very well work out in all the ways good and bad that Petrino's last stop in Louisville did. For now, it means the Cardinals aren't going to lose to many (if any) teams they are more talented than. Petrino's programs rarely do.
There's the who-will-replace-Teddy-Bridgewater subplot, and that answer is sophomore Will Gardner. He has enough toys to toss or hand off to and a sharp offensive coach in Petrino to be in good shape to succeed.
So what narrative isn't being looked at enough? The defense, which was brilliantly constructed under former coach Charlie Strong but loses a bunch of talent and shifts to a 3-4. It can regress and the Cardinals will still be fine. But if it somehow stays in the top 20 nationally, Louisville's ceiling will go up as well.
Louisville in haiku:
Bored at times last year
Should not be an issue now
Big challenge awaits
...
Uniform Nation Ranks the ACC Football Uniforms (landgrantholyland.com; Lind)
Before shifting gears to the non-power conferences, our conference-by-conference uniform rankings take a look at the ACC. The Atlantic Coast Conference may be full of historical programs, but few wear traditional uniforms, making this list a little tougher to compile. Taking every team's home, road, and alternate uniforms into consideration, my rankings are listed below:
...
Clemson
Miami
Florida State
Virginia
Pittsburgh
Louisville
Virginia Tech
NC State
North Carolina
Duke
Boston College
Georgia Tech
Wake Forest
Syracuse
In the past decade or so, Syracuse has had a hard time committing to one look. The Orange added a block "S" to the side of the helmets and slightly modified the jerseys until they had a pretty solid look...until now. The number font alone is enough to put Syracuse at the bottom of this list.
Former Players
Ryan Nassib Continues to Struggle with NY Giants in Training Camp (PS; Bailey)
...
For the first time this summer, the Giants were running 1-on-1s between their receivers and defensive backs. Their quarterbacks (Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib and Curtis Painter) were alternating throws. It wasn't going well for anyone, but the drill was particularly troublesome for Nassib.
On one play, he overthrew wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan deep down the middle (see video below). The very next play he threw behind tight end Daniel Fells. Moments later, Nassib missed a wide-open Marcus Harris on a deep ball down the left sideline. To finish off the drill, he threw about eight yards wide on an 8-yard out route.
Nassib's struggles had eyelids pulled open and eyebrows raised. What the heck was going on out there, everyone watching seemed to ask?
...
Macky MacPherson Forced to Defend Himself During Fight in Bills Training Camp (PS; Fairburn)
Midway through Bills practice Monday, defensive end Bryan Johnson picked a fight with an unlikely opponent.
After a passing play went for a good chunk of yardage, Johnson turned to center Macky MacPherson and tried to pick a fight. MacPherson didn't seem interested at first, but Johnson starting throwing punches and MacPherson had no choice but to defend himself.
"That's just two guys playing football," MacPherson said after practice. "That happens."
After the exchange, head coach Doug Marrone, who coached MacPherson at Syracuse, had a discussion with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson and called a huddle between the offensive and defensive lines to put an end to the fighting. MacPherson versus Johnson was the second of two skirmishes at practice on Monday.
...
Bird Cage
Chiefs Put Smile on Fan's Face/Carrier Dome a White Elephant/More Drivel (PS; Poliquin)
As promised, at this time in every week this is (mostly) your space and (mostly) your space only. Which means I plan to sit back, put my feet up and let you do the heavy lifting.
Have you got something that you'd like to say … um, write? Well, here's your chance and here's your forum — every Monday.
...
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