sutomcat
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SU News
Scott Shafer Hopes to Solidify Depth Chart by Tuesday (video; PS; Bailey)
Six days before Syracuse opens its season against Villanova, it appears there are still a few position battles ongoing.
SU head coach Scott Shafer said in his Saturday press conference that the staff's goal is to solidify the two-deep depth chart, internally, by Tuesday.
"We've got a lot of battles still being played out, which is great," Shafer said. "Anytime you have a tough decision because you like him and you like him, that's a good thing. We have a lot of that going on."
Here's a look at four of those uncertain spots:
...
Brisley Estime's Punt Return in the Texas Bowl Set Up an SU Victory
Shafer on SU Kick Returners: 'We Have Some Good Options. He's (Brisley) One of Them' (PS; Mink)
Syracuse primarily dipped into its surplus of running backs last season to handle kick return duties, and the results left plenty of room for improvement.
That might not necessarily change this year, but it's an area Syracuse wants to be more explosive in after ranking 94th in the nation last season with an average of 19.5 yards per return.
Speaking on Time Warner Cable's football preview show — taped earlier this summer — special teams coordinator Tim Daoust said it's "a unit I think we can really help our football team out with," adding "we're looking to see if we can get a few more yards out of that unit."
Who can help there?
...
Nick Robinson (68)
SU OG Nick Robinson's Foot Injury Will Keep Him Out of Villanova Game (PS; Mink)
Syracuse right guard Nick Robinson will not play in Friday night's season opener against Villanova, head coach Scott Shafer said this morning.
Robinson has been nursing a sprained foot for the last two weeks. A bye week follows the game, and Shafer is hopeful Robinson can return by the Sept. 13 game at Central Michigan.
"It's not a serious injury, but it's a nagging injury and you can't play offensive line without having power through that foot," Shafer said. "It's painful, so rather than try to push him through the pain to try to get him ready for this game, we're going to keep him in that boot and keep the treatments on the high side and try to get him healthy for the rest of the season."
With Robinson sidelined, the first-team offensive line will likely look like this against Villanova:
LT Sean Hickey
LG Omari Palmer
C John Miller
RG Rob Trudo
RT Ivan Foy
...
Individual Tickets for Florida State Go On Sale on Tuesday (PS; Carlson)
The Syracuse athletic department will put individual tickets for the football team's game against Florida State on sale on Tuesday, and a reserved selection will be sold as part of a two-sport ticket package on Wednesday.
Individual seats for the FSU game start at $35, a slight boost from the starting price of other Orange football games. For SU's season opener against Villanova, tickets start at $25. Tickets to the Maryland game and most others start at $30.
"This is the least expensive ticket to see Florida State (on the road) by half," said Joe Giansante, the chief of communication for the Syracuse athletic department. "The next is North Carolina State at $80. For this kind of entertainment it's very inexpensive. We've priced it very competitively. Now we hope fans will come out an support us."
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Austin Wilson (5)
Austin Wilson Discusses How He Evened Race to Backup Hunt (PS; Carlson)
Austin Wilson's advantage in the Syracuse backup quarterback competition is his arm strength. He's improved his positioning by putting that skill on the shelf.
Syracuse quarterback coach Tim Lester said on Wednesday that Wilson is currently playing the best of SU's three backup options, evening a competition with true freshman A.J. Long for the spot.
Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 214-pound redshirt freshman, has gotten there by changing the approach most quarterbacks carry since high school, accepting the need to use check-down options and backup routes.
"Coming out of high school, I did come out and throw the ball deep a lot," Wilson said. "That's one thing I've worked on, to take the check-downs and things like that. I've learned to play within the system and not get greedy, take what the defense gives you and be a good leader."
...
Clay Cleveland, Joe Nassib and Greg Tobias Awarded Scholarships (PS; Bailey)
Syracuse redshirt senior tight end Clay Cleveland, graduate student cornerback Joey Nassib and redshirt senior running back Greg Tobias were awarded scholarships on Thursday, SU head coach Scott Shafer said in a text message.
"Unselfish hard work pays off," Shafer said.
Cleveland, who debated transferring due to an offensive scheme change two years ago, and Nassib were also given scholarships around this time last year. Tobias has been a walk-on since joining the program as a sophomore at the start of spring practice in 2011.
...
Scott Shafer Supports Alin Edouard Whether He Arrives Tomorrow or in the Winter (PS; Bailey)
As Syracuse continues to prepare for its season opener against Villanova, highly touted freshman quarterback Alin Edouard remains in Miami dealing with family issues.
On Monday, SU head coach Scott Shafer said that Edouard, who participated in summer workouts, would definitely re-join the team for the fall semester. On Saturday, Shafer indicated that may not be the case anymore.
"All I'm telling you is I'm sticking by him," Shafer said. "When his family situation is such that he says, 'I can get back,' we'll bring him back. If that's tomorrow, great. If that's during the winter, great. Either way, he's my guy, and we're sticking by him."
...
SU's New OL Coach Joe Adam Has Landed with Syracuse From Humble Beginnings (PS; Poliquin)
Back when he was a kid coming out of high school, back when he left his Skokie home in Illinois and headed those 435 miles to Mankato where he believed he'd spend four years playing for the Minnesota State Mavericks, Joe Adam was all but tapping a toe.
He was an offensive lineman, the Division II Mavs had their 7,000 seats at Blakeslee Stadium, and Saturdays were going to be so many peeks under the tent and into heaven. Indeed, this was going … to … be … great.
But then something called "life" happened, and after one season of bliss Joe felt the tap on his shoulder and shrugged. And then he quit both school and football … and drove those same 435 miles back to Skokie.
"It was," he said earlier this week, "the hardest decision I ever had to make."
...
ACC News
Despite Losing Kelby Brown, Duke Still Has Division Title Dreams (PS; Mink)
...
Duke visits the Carrier Dome in early November — Senior Day. And to help us get an early feel for what the Blue Devils have for an encore, I called on Laura Keeley of the News & Observer.
Enjoy.
1. You probably don't need to go too far down the list of most surprising teams of 2013 before reaching Duke, and naturally everyone is wondering if it can replicate that charmed season this fall. I'm wondering about the long-term prognosis here, if Duke can do this longer than, say, Wake Forest, which went 28-12 in three seasons from 2006-08 before falling off. How has David Cutcliffe set up his program for sustained success? Have you seen increased administrative support to build off last year's 10-win team? And do you think Cutcliffe will finish out his career at Duke?
Keeley: The best indicator for long-term success is recruiting, and the Blue Devils have taken a jump in that department that is comparable to their jump on the field last year. Currently, Duke has the 24th-ranked 2015 recruiting class, per ESPN (23rd if you prefer the 247Sports composite rankings). For some perspective, Duke has never finished higher than 51st in either list. And by all accounts, they've loaded up on quality kids, not just quantity. And that is where Wake Forest truly failed — the Deacs didn't recruit well after their Orange Bowl appearance and ended up with a bunch of character question marks that blew up in their face.
...
Former Players
Nassib Looks Like Clear #2 QB for Giants After Another Strong Showing (PS; Mink)
The surest sign that former Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib has separated himself as the New York Giants' primary backup came during last night's preseason victory against the Jets.
Aside from starter Eli Manning, Nassib was the only quarterback to see the field. And for the second straight week, he led the Giants to victory in the second half.
Nassib, in his second year with the Giants, completed 8-of-12 passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including ones of 31 and 39 yards. In four preseason games this year, Nassib has completed 38-of-60 throws (63.3 percent) for 481 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. To put that in perspective, last preseason Nassib was 7-for-19 for 114 yards.
"It gets easier when you get into a rhythm and get into a little chemistry with your receivers and are able to go out there and play," Nassib told reporters afterward.
...
Jerome Smith Released by Atlanta Falcons (PS; Mink)
The Atlanta Falcons have released former Syracuse running back Jerome Smith.
NFL teams are required to cut their rosters to 75 players by 4 p.m. Tuesday, andSmith was one of 11 players released by the Falcons.
Linebacker Marquis Spruill, who tore his ACL during training camp and is sidelined for the year, was placed on the injured reserve list.
...
Scott Shafer Hopes to Solidify Depth Chart by Tuesday (video; PS; Bailey)
Six days before Syracuse opens its season against Villanova, it appears there are still a few position battles ongoing.
SU head coach Scott Shafer said in his Saturday press conference that the staff's goal is to solidify the two-deep depth chart, internally, by Tuesday.
"We've got a lot of battles still being played out, which is great," Shafer said. "Anytime you have a tough decision because you like him and you like him, that's a good thing. We have a lot of that going on."
Here's a look at four of those uncertain spots:
...
Brisley Estime's Punt Return in the Texas Bowl Set Up an SU Victory
Shafer on SU Kick Returners: 'We Have Some Good Options. He's (Brisley) One of Them' (PS; Mink)
Syracuse primarily dipped into its surplus of running backs last season to handle kick return duties, and the results left plenty of room for improvement.
That might not necessarily change this year, but it's an area Syracuse wants to be more explosive in after ranking 94th in the nation last season with an average of 19.5 yards per return.
Speaking on Time Warner Cable's football preview show — taped earlier this summer — special teams coordinator Tim Daoust said it's "a unit I think we can really help our football team out with," adding "we're looking to see if we can get a few more yards out of that unit."
Who can help there?
...
Nick Robinson (68)
SU OG Nick Robinson's Foot Injury Will Keep Him Out of Villanova Game (PS; Mink)
Syracuse right guard Nick Robinson will not play in Friday night's season opener against Villanova, head coach Scott Shafer said this morning.
Robinson has been nursing a sprained foot for the last two weeks. A bye week follows the game, and Shafer is hopeful Robinson can return by the Sept. 13 game at Central Michigan.
"It's not a serious injury, but it's a nagging injury and you can't play offensive line without having power through that foot," Shafer said. "It's painful, so rather than try to push him through the pain to try to get him ready for this game, we're going to keep him in that boot and keep the treatments on the high side and try to get him healthy for the rest of the season."
With Robinson sidelined, the first-team offensive line will likely look like this against Villanova:
LT Sean Hickey
LG Omari Palmer
C John Miller
RG Rob Trudo
RT Ivan Foy
...
Individual Tickets for Florida State Go On Sale on Tuesday (PS; Carlson)
The Syracuse athletic department will put individual tickets for the football team's game against Florida State on sale on Tuesday, and a reserved selection will be sold as part of a two-sport ticket package on Wednesday.
Individual seats for the FSU game start at $35, a slight boost from the starting price of other Orange football games. For SU's season opener against Villanova, tickets start at $25. Tickets to the Maryland game and most others start at $30.
"This is the least expensive ticket to see Florida State (on the road) by half," said Joe Giansante, the chief of communication for the Syracuse athletic department. "The next is North Carolina State at $80. For this kind of entertainment it's very inexpensive. We've priced it very competitively. Now we hope fans will come out an support us."
...
Austin Wilson (5)
Austin Wilson Discusses How He Evened Race to Backup Hunt (PS; Carlson)
Austin Wilson's advantage in the Syracuse backup quarterback competition is his arm strength. He's improved his positioning by putting that skill on the shelf.
Syracuse quarterback coach Tim Lester said on Wednesday that Wilson is currently playing the best of SU's three backup options, evening a competition with true freshman A.J. Long for the spot.
Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 214-pound redshirt freshman, has gotten there by changing the approach most quarterbacks carry since high school, accepting the need to use check-down options and backup routes.
"Coming out of high school, I did come out and throw the ball deep a lot," Wilson said. "That's one thing I've worked on, to take the check-downs and things like that. I've learned to play within the system and not get greedy, take what the defense gives you and be a good leader."
...
Clay Cleveland, Joe Nassib and Greg Tobias Awarded Scholarships (PS; Bailey)
Syracuse redshirt senior tight end Clay Cleveland, graduate student cornerback Joey Nassib and redshirt senior running back Greg Tobias were awarded scholarships on Thursday, SU head coach Scott Shafer said in a text message.
"Unselfish hard work pays off," Shafer said.
Cleveland, who debated transferring due to an offensive scheme change two years ago, and Nassib were also given scholarships around this time last year. Tobias has been a walk-on since joining the program as a sophomore at the start of spring practice in 2011.
...
Scott Shafer Supports Alin Edouard Whether He Arrives Tomorrow or in the Winter (PS; Bailey)
As Syracuse continues to prepare for its season opener against Villanova, highly touted freshman quarterback Alin Edouard remains in Miami dealing with family issues.
On Monday, SU head coach Scott Shafer said that Edouard, who participated in summer workouts, would definitely re-join the team for the fall semester. On Saturday, Shafer indicated that may not be the case anymore.
"All I'm telling you is I'm sticking by him," Shafer said. "When his family situation is such that he says, 'I can get back,' we'll bring him back. If that's tomorrow, great. If that's during the winter, great. Either way, he's my guy, and we're sticking by him."
...
SU's New OL Coach Joe Adam Has Landed with Syracuse From Humble Beginnings (PS; Poliquin)
Back when he was a kid coming out of high school, back when he left his Skokie home in Illinois and headed those 435 miles to Mankato where he believed he'd spend four years playing for the Minnesota State Mavericks, Joe Adam was all but tapping a toe.
He was an offensive lineman, the Division II Mavs had their 7,000 seats at Blakeslee Stadium, and Saturdays were going to be so many peeks under the tent and into heaven. Indeed, this was going … to … be … great.
But then something called "life" happened, and after one season of bliss Joe felt the tap on his shoulder and shrugged. And then he quit both school and football … and drove those same 435 miles back to Skokie.
"It was," he said earlier this week, "the hardest decision I ever had to make."
...
ACC News
Despite Losing Kelby Brown, Duke Still Has Division Title Dreams (PS; Mink)
...
Duke visits the Carrier Dome in early November — Senior Day. And to help us get an early feel for what the Blue Devils have for an encore, I called on Laura Keeley of the News & Observer.
Enjoy.
1. You probably don't need to go too far down the list of most surprising teams of 2013 before reaching Duke, and naturally everyone is wondering if it can replicate that charmed season this fall. I'm wondering about the long-term prognosis here, if Duke can do this longer than, say, Wake Forest, which went 28-12 in three seasons from 2006-08 before falling off. How has David Cutcliffe set up his program for sustained success? Have you seen increased administrative support to build off last year's 10-win team? And do you think Cutcliffe will finish out his career at Duke?
Keeley: The best indicator for long-term success is recruiting, and the Blue Devils have taken a jump in that department that is comparable to their jump on the field last year. Currently, Duke has the 24th-ranked 2015 recruiting class, per ESPN (23rd if you prefer the 247Sports composite rankings). For some perspective, Duke has never finished higher than 51st in either list. And by all accounts, they've loaded up on quality kids, not just quantity. And that is where Wake Forest truly failed — the Deacs didn't recruit well after their Orange Bowl appearance and ended up with a bunch of character question marks that blew up in their face.
...
Former Players
Nassib Looks Like Clear #2 QB for Giants After Another Strong Showing (PS; Mink)
The surest sign that former Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib has separated himself as the New York Giants' primary backup came during last night's preseason victory against the Jets.
Aside from starter Eli Manning, Nassib was the only quarterback to see the field. And for the second straight week, he led the Giants to victory in the second half.
Nassib, in his second year with the Giants, completed 8-of-12 passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including ones of 31 and 39 yards. In four preseason games this year, Nassib has completed 38-of-60 throws (63.3 percent) for 481 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. To put that in perspective, last preseason Nassib was 7-for-19 for 114 yards.
"It gets easier when you get into a rhythm and get into a little chemistry with your receivers and are able to go out there and play," Nassib told reporters afterward.
...
Jerome Smith Released by Atlanta Falcons (PS; Mink)
The Atlanta Falcons have released former Syracuse running back Jerome Smith.
NFL teams are required to cut their rosters to 75 players by 4 p.m. Tuesday, andSmith was one of 11 players released by the Falcons.
Linebacker Marquis Spruill, who tore his ACL during training camp and is sidelined for the year, was placed on the injured reserve list.
...
