sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to VFW Day!
Each year on September 29th VFW Day is celebrated at Posts and in communities around the world. It’s a day devoted to the organization and its dedicated members who are so deeply committed to serving those who bravely serve this nation.
This year marks the 111th year since the VFW was established. On this date in 1899, a small group of Spanish-America war veterans joined together to form what would become the nation’s largest and most dedicated group of combat veterans.
For 111 years the VFW has been unwavering in its devotion “to honor the dead by helping the living.” VFW and its Auxiliary members carry out this mission by promoting good will, patriotism and youth scholarship. Their commitment is demonstrated through national veterans and legislative services, military assistance and community service programs, youth activities and scholarship programs, as well as millions of volunteer hours in their local communities each year.
Show your support by honoring all members and veterans in your community. Today everyone is invited to celebrate the tradition of continuous service and steadfast devotion that defines the VFW.
SU News
Amir Watts (center)
3-Star DL Amir Watts Schedules Official Visit to Syracuse (PS; Bailey)
Chicago defensive lineman Amir Watts will take an official visit to Syracuse from Dec. 11-13, according to CuseNation.com.
The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Philips Academy High School senior is rated three stars and the No. 44 defensive tackle in the Class of 2016. It's unclear if the Orange is targeting Watts at defensive tackle or end. He was committed to Western Michigan earlier in the cycle before reneging on his pledge in August.
Watts told CuseNation.com that Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Central Florida and Kansas are receiving consideration for his other four officials. Tennessee, which has been in contact but has not offered, would likely get a visit if the Volunteers extend an offer, according to the report.
Syracuse currently has 14 players committed to its Class of 2016, counting 2015 holdover defensive end Brandon Ginnetti. He and New Jersey defensive end Jamal Holloway are the only defensive linemen in the group.
The Orange is expected to take between 17 and 20 players in order to stay under the NCAA cap of 85 scholarships.
All verbal commitments are non-binding until the player signs a national letter of intent in February.
SU Football Primer: Bye Week Notes (DO; Schwedelson)
Syracuse (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) has a bye week after an admirable effort in a 34-24 loss to then-No. 8 Louisiana State. The Orange was within seven points in both the third and fourth quarters but couldn’t pull off the upset.
SU will return to action at South Florida (1-2) on Saturday Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Injury report
Head coach Scott Shafer said on Saturday he hopes to get freshman quarterbackEric Dungey back either ‘early or midweek.’ Dungey took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter of the Orange’s Week 3 game against Central Michigan. Until that point, Dungey went 21-of-36 for 428 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
After sustaining a lower-body injury against Rhode Island in Week 1, sophomore hybrid Ervin Philips is expected to come back at some point in the next two weeks. The original projection for his recovery was 3-4 weeks and with the bye, Syracuse’s next game will be five weeks since the Rhode Island game.
O-line shakeup
After starting center Rob Trudo suffered a lower-body injury against Central Michigan, junior Jason Emerich started in his place. Against LSU, Emerich stayed at center and Trudo returned to the lineup at right guard. Senior walk-on Seamus Shanley, who started the first three games at right guard, was bumped from the lineup. The bye week allows time to evaluate who fits where best.
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One Third Complete, SU Football on Track for a Bowl Game (thejuice; Bierman)
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For the most part, are you pleased with the Orange on the field so far in ‘15? What’s not to like, except for perhaps not pulling off the LSU upset, assorted potentially fixable ailments across all three units, and the illegal hit by Central Michigan D-lineman Mitch Stanitzek on Dungey in the Sept. 19 game?
There’s very few dominating teams across the national landscape, and the total number of unbeaten teams, which currently stands at 29, will be greatly reduced a month from now. Why won’t the Orange have a good shot at winning virtually every game left on the schedule?
Yes, the likely exceptions are No. 9/11 Florida State at Tallahassee on Oct. 31, and No. 11/12 Clemson invading the Dome on Nov. 14, although that game, like the competitive LSU loss, will provide another chance at a monumental program win inside the (hopeful) Loud House. After those two ACC division rivals when you look at South Florida, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Louisville, N.C. State and Boston College, precluding an onslaught of more injuries, they’re six winnable games even the one’s on the road, and that’s the mentality inside, and at the top, of the program.
“We can win any game we play,” Shafer said is response to a question concerning the program’s national perception after playing LSU close until the final 12:00 of the game. “Our kids, I think our kids believe that, I really do. And I want our fans to believe that to. We’ve had some incredible circumstances over the last couple of seasons being down some guys (with injuries), but we can beat anybody in the country, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
That message gained traction with the players each week of September as the competition increased, culminating with the on field performance against a stellar SEC team in LSU with former fifth string quarterback Mahoney leading the offensive charge, and sophomore captain Zaire Franklin anchoring the equally young but athletic and improving defense.
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We Need to Talk About the SU Secondary (TNIAAM; Cassillo)
The Syracuse Orange secondary has played inconsistently for a decade or so. Sometimes the group is slightly better, sometimes it's slightly worse. But you just know, by and large, there will be some rough patches each and every season. This season is more than just a rough patch, though, and it's a culmination of three increasingly disastrous years under DBs coach Fred Reed. This is not a hit piece on Reed or any of the players in the secondary. But rather, a presentation of facts that encourage some changes.
We start with the LSU game. On just eight completions, Syracuse was burned for 157 yards and a touchdown. Julian Whigham, in particular, was repeatedly torched for big gains while the Orange gave their usual 10-yard cushions. The previous week, against Central Michigan, SU allowed 430 passing yards (!!!) and two touchdowns on 37 completions. Against Wake Forest, John Wolford completed 31 passes for 373 yards and a score, and SU was only bailed out by three picks.
Our own Michael Burke broke down some of the issues in last week's film review, but some additional numbers on the season to give you the full scope of our problems in the secondary:
Completions Allowed: 85 (27th-most in FBS)
Opponent Completion Percentage: 64.4 percent (T-20th highest in FBS)
Passing Yards Allowed: 1020 (29th-most in FBS)
Yards-Per-Completion Allowed: 7.7 (35th-most in FBS)
Explosive Plays Allowed (All): 19 for 20+, 9 for 30+, 6 for 40+ (all in bottom-third of FBS)
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