sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
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I am temporarily filling in for OE as he recovers from surgery. Get well soon Dan.
News
Scott Shafer's Early Goal for 2014 Season: More Wins (PS; Mink)
The first look at Scott Shafer's second team as Syracuse head coach comes in just nine days at the annual spring scrimmage.
Momentum is streaking following two dramatic, come-from-behind victories to close last season and a top 50 recruiting class signed and ready to join the team in August.
But I'll just say this now: Don't expect to see a team anywhere close to full strength next weekend at the Carrier Dome. Injuries across the offensive line have led to some creative reshuffling up front. Some minor bumps and bruises have struck some key contributors throughout spring practice, and a couple more starters are being held out for precautionary reasons.
Still, there have been enough encouraging developments over the last month to plant some excitement inside the football wing of Manley Field House. Terrel Hunt has been steady leading the up-tempo offense. Marqez Hodge has shown he is ready to take over at middle linebacker. Ron Thompson might be the breakout star on the defensive line. And the wide receivers are helping to produce chunk plays for an offense that needed some juice, including Quinta Funderburk, the enigmatic transfer from Arkansas who seemingly has turned a corner academically and socially and is ready to contribute...
AAA Scores a TD Against Temple
AAM, aka -150, Just Wants to Help This Team (PS; Mink)
It seems like every day there is a new nickname for running back Adonis-Ameen Moore. He's been called "little bus" since high school. Lately teammates have dubbed him "-150," like the Ford truck. And then there's the name offensive graduate assistant BJ Coad gave him, translated to mean "Nigerian nightmare."
"They all mess with me," said Ameen-Moore, the 5-foot-11, 240-pound wrecking ball for the Syracuse University football team.
There was more symbolism during Tuesday's practice for Ameen-Moore. He took a handoff inside before showing nimble feet and bouncing it wide down the sideline. After it took two defenders to drag him down out of bounds, tight end Josh Parris started choo-chooing like a train whistle.
The same scene played out almost every time Ameen-Moore touched the ball during the second half of practice, whether he was taking reps with the ones or the twos. He rumbled forward, showing good balance and footwork, and would not stop churning his legs until multiple tacklers brought him to the ground.
There is renewed optimism that Ameen-Moore's senior year will be one of significant contribution, his last chance to do what has driven him to show up to practice day after day despite having such a limited role each of his first three years in the program.
"Just help this team," Ameen-Moore said. "Same thing that was on my mind back then. Just help this team win an ACC and national championship and have a role into that."
Video: Terrel Hunt Gives an Update on SU Spring Practice (PS; Axe)
The local media was allowed to take a peek at Syracuse University football practice for the first time during 2014 spring practice on Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.
What we saw was a good day for the SU offense as they scrimmaged against the SU defense despite being down some offensive lineman.
Syracuse University football quarterback Terrel Hunt says that the offense didn't start off well in that scrimmage, but eventually got things going for a very good day.
In the video above, Hunt provides an update on what he sees from the offense so far this spring, including some teammates who have stood out in his eyes.
Spring Shame No Longer (TNIIAM; McClusky)
...
But that seems to be changing, what with the news that next week's game will feature...things and probably a real game to boot!
...
Recruiting
Donnie Foster Commits to Syracuse (Class of 2014) as Preferred Walk-On (DO; Dougherty)
IMG Academy (Fla.) center Donnie Foster has committed to be a preferred walk-on at Syracuse, he tweeted Saturday night.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound lineman tweeted “Been blessed to have the opportunity to continue academics and athletics at #Syracuse can’t wait to be a part of #CuseNation #CUSE14″
As a preferred walk-on, Foster is assured a spot on Syracuse’s roster in 2014, but will not be a scholarship athlete. He chose between Syracuse and Georgia Tech, according to At their request, this network is being blocked from this site.
Foster is not ranked positionally, or in the 2014 class by Scout, and joins Chicago natives Aaron Roberts and Denzel Ward as the third offensive lineman expected to join Syracuse for the 2014 season.
Another preferred walk-on who was promised a scholarship if he can win a starting job (like Riley Dixon did).
SU Special Teams Quality Control Coach Chris Gould
Jakubowski Raw But Will Provide Much Needed Depth as Kicking Specialist (PS; Mink)
It was not some 55-yard field goal or a booming punt that caught the eye of Chris Gould when he combed over Evan Jakubowski's Hudl tape late last year.
Instead, the special teams quality control coach for Syracuse closely watched Jakubowski's hands and had seen enough to send an email to his high school coach, intensifying the recruiting process with a player who only kicked in high school for one season.
"A lot of things he doesn't see when he's recruiting kids is the hands and how quick the get-off time needs to be," said Jakubowski, also a shortstop on the Wheaton Warrenville South High School baseball team in Illinois. "He likes that a lot."
So much so that the Syracuse coaching staff offered Jakubowski an opportunity to join the football program in August as a preferred walk-on. Similar to punter Riley Dixon, there will be a chance for Jakubowski to earn a scholarship during the course of his career. Until then, he will pay his own way to attend Syracuse.
Jakubowski will provide depth to the punting position, which begins the 2014 season with Dixon as the only experienced punter on roster. Jakubowski will likely practice field goals and kickoffs as well, he said.
He visited campus over winter. By the end of his visit, the school ranked at the top of a list of schools including Missouri and Miami (Ohio). Having little football kicking experience, no school offered him a scholarship. He said Syracuse stayed in contact the most throughout the recruiting process, which made it stand out even more when making a final decision...
ACC News
ACC Blog: Connette's Transfer Big Hit to Duke Offense/UL Gets UGa Transfer/ACC Lunchtime Links (espn.com)
This is a bittersweet parting for Duke.
Quarterback Brandon Connette, who accounted for a school-record 27 touchdowns last year, has been granted his release to transfer to a school closer to his home in Corona, Calif. Connette wants to be -- and should be -- near his mother, Nancy, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2013.
Duke will miss Brandon Connette's ability to run as well as pass.
While it’s a huge loss for Duke -- significant enough to diminish the Blue Devils' chances of defending the ACC’s Coastal Division title -- it’s a monumental win for Connette, who has had to endure his mother’s struggle against cancer from a distance.
“Being away from my family during my mother’s illness has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to endure,” he said. ...
ACC Spring Football Highlighted with Seven Spring Games This Weekend (theACC.com)
Spring football takes center stage this weekend as seven schools which will be competing for the 2014 ACC Football Championship will be holding their annual spring games and four others will be holding practices, scrimmages or events.
Clemson (4 p.m.), Florida State (3 p.m.), Miami (6 p.m.), North Carolina (3 p.m.), NC State (1 p.m.) and Virginia (1 p.m.) will conclude their 15 spring practice sessions with their annual spring games this Saturday.
Miami’s spring game is labeled the UNITE.14 Spring Game & Family Festival Presented by BankUnited on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium.
NC State’s spring game is the “Kay Yow Spring Football Game”, named in honor of its legendary women’s basketball coach.
Louisville, which will join the ACC on July 1, will finish its spring sessions one day earlier on Friday (7:30 p.m.) with its Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Spring Game at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium...
Other
PSU Beat Writers Talk About New PSU HC James Franklin (Includes Nate Mink) (statecollege.com; Poorman)
...
NATE MINK covers Syracuse football for the Post-Standard and Syracuse Media Group and has previously worked in State College, Philadelphia and Allentown.
“One of the big story lines from James Franklin’s early tenure is his recruiting record. Not unlike Bill O’Brien, he understands the path to the playoff will be player performance. What’s that he said? The plays work better with really good players. Both coaches understood the SEC is king, and it would be prudent to structure the program in a similar mold. O'Brien did so from the core on up, implementing 'structural changes.' With those in place, it has enabled Franklin time and resources to ramp up on recruiting.
“Franklin has been as aggressive as anybody in his quest to put the program at the pinnacle of the Northeast, using various multimedia and social media platforms to broaden his reach.
“This plan to dominate the region has implications for many northeast schools, including Syracuse. Scott Shafer wants to reach into Pennsylvania and New Jersey a little more moving forward and hired Bobby Acosta, someone with long ties to Jersey, to coach the tight ends. Making those inroads for elite prospects remains daunting.” ...
Scott Loy
Men's Lax: Syracuse Must Beat UNC for Chance at ACC Tourney Berth (DO; D'Abbraccio)
Three Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season matchups remain, posing a number of seeding scenarios for the conference tournament at April’s end.
But for Syracuse, those hypothetical scenarios are meaningless without a win over North Carolina on Saturday.
“With this schedule we’ve had all year, I think everything’s really been a tough turnaround,” senior attack Derek Maltz said. “We already know what happened (last) weekend with a couple ACC teams winning in our favor, so we know what needs to get done.”
Despite falling into a 0-3 hole to start conference play, Syracuse still has a chance to qualify for the four-team ACC tournament. After a momentum-stirring win at No. 6 Cornell on Tuesday, the No. 7 Orange (7-3, 1-3 ACC) hosts No. 4 North Carolina (9-2, 2-2) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome with conference playoff hopes on the line.
With a win over UNC, Syracuse would most likely earn itself the No. 3 or 4 spot in the ACC tournament. But a loss to the Tar Heels would certainly pencil Syracuse in for the consolation matchup between the fifth- and sixth-ranked teams, on the eve of the ACC championship game, and on the same PPL Park grass in Chester, Pa.
“We’re not trying to miss the first ACC tournament we can be a part of,” attack Kevin Rice said. “It’s a huge game for us.” ...
SU Senior Attacker Alyssa Murray
Women's Lax: SU Preps to Face UNC in Battle of Nation's Best Two Offenses (DO; Blum)
Gary Gait didn’t mind interrupting.
Standing in a pack of reporters Wednesday afternoon, the Syracuse head coach was in the middle of being asked about facing the nation’s top offense in North Carolina.
Gait unabashedly stopped the interview to ask what his team was ranked in that category. The answer was second, right behind the Tar Heels.
“There you go,” Gait said with a smile. “One and two.”
On Saturday, the country’s two top offenses will go head-to-head at the Carrier Dome at 3 p.m. No. 3 Syracuse (12-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) hosts defending national champion and top-ranked North Carolina (12-1, 5-0) with the top ranking in the ACC, and potentially the nation, on the line.
Syracuse averages 16.15 goals per game, while the Tar Heels find the cage 17.31 times a contest.
“Offensively, we’re really starting to click,” said SU attack Alyssa Murray. “I think that’s good, especially coming into a game where their offense can put up so many points, too.”
Murray said UNC has been on everyone’s minds since Syracuse defeated Virginia Tech on Saturday, and the team has had a “work week.”
At the beginning of practice Monday, the team did its “perfect passing drill.” Normally it’s an exhausting conditioning drill that the players hate. But Murray said everyone was excitedly cheering each other on.
“Even though we were out of breath,” Murray said, “but just the cheer and the support throughout the lines were just really loud. Everyone came to play.” ...
News
Scott Shafer's Early Goal for 2014 Season: More Wins (PS; Mink)
The first look at Scott Shafer's second team as Syracuse head coach comes in just nine days at the annual spring scrimmage.
Momentum is streaking following two dramatic, come-from-behind victories to close last season and a top 50 recruiting class signed and ready to join the team in August.
But I'll just say this now: Don't expect to see a team anywhere close to full strength next weekend at the Carrier Dome. Injuries across the offensive line have led to some creative reshuffling up front. Some minor bumps and bruises have struck some key contributors throughout spring practice, and a couple more starters are being held out for precautionary reasons.
Still, there have been enough encouraging developments over the last month to plant some excitement inside the football wing of Manley Field House. Terrel Hunt has been steady leading the up-tempo offense. Marqez Hodge has shown he is ready to take over at middle linebacker. Ron Thompson might be the breakout star on the defensive line. And the wide receivers are helping to produce chunk plays for an offense that needed some juice, including Quinta Funderburk, the enigmatic transfer from Arkansas who seemingly has turned a corner academically and socially and is ready to contribute...
AAA Scores a TD Against Temple
AAM, aka -150, Just Wants to Help This Team (PS; Mink)
It seems like every day there is a new nickname for running back Adonis-Ameen Moore. He's been called "little bus" since high school. Lately teammates have dubbed him "-150," like the Ford truck. And then there's the name offensive graduate assistant BJ Coad gave him, translated to mean "Nigerian nightmare."
"They all mess with me," said Ameen-Moore, the 5-foot-11, 240-pound wrecking ball for the Syracuse University football team.
There was more symbolism during Tuesday's practice for Ameen-Moore. He took a handoff inside before showing nimble feet and bouncing it wide down the sideline. After it took two defenders to drag him down out of bounds, tight end Josh Parris started choo-chooing like a train whistle.
The same scene played out almost every time Ameen-Moore touched the ball during the second half of practice, whether he was taking reps with the ones or the twos. He rumbled forward, showing good balance and footwork, and would not stop churning his legs until multiple tacklers brought him to the ground.
There is renewed optimism that Ameen-Moore's senior year will be one of significant contribution, his last chance to do what has driven him to show up to practice day after day despite having such a limited role each of his first three years in the program.
"Just help this team," Ameen-Moore said. "Same thing that was on my mind back then. Just help this team win an ACC and national championship and have a role into that."
Video: Terrel Hunt Gives an Update on SU Spring Practice (PS; Axe)
The local media was allowed to take a peek at Syracuse University football practice for the first time during 2014 spring practice on Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.
What we saw was a good day for the SU offense as they scrimmaged against the SU defense despite being down some offensive lineman.
Syracuse University football quarterback Terrel Hunt says that the offense didn't start off well in that scrimmage, but eventually got things going for a very good day.
In the video above, Hunt provides an update on what he sees from the offense so far this spring, including some teammates who have stood out in his eyes.
Spring Shame No Longer (TNIIAM; McClusky)
...
But that seems to be changing, what with the news that next week's game will feature...things and probably a real game to boot!
- During the game, a fan will be selected to attempt a field goal to win a pair of 2014 football season tickets.
- The Syracuse Marching Band, Orange spirit squad and Otto will perform throughout the event.
- Following the game, fans are invited onto the Dome field for a 30 minute autograph session with the team.
- Inflatable jumpies!!!
...
Recruiting
Donnie Foster Commits to Syracuse (Class of 2014) as Preferred Walk-On (DO; Dougherty)
IMG Academy (Fla.) center Donnie Foster has committed to be a preferred walk-on at Syracuse, he tweeted Saturday night.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound lineman tweeted “Been blessed to have the opportunity to continue academics and athletics at #Syracuse can’t wait to be a part of #CuseNation #CUSE14″
As a preferred walk-on, Foster is assured a spot on Syracuse’s roster in 2014, but will not be a scholarship athlete. He chose between Syracuse and Georgia Tech, according to At their request, this network is being blocked from this site.
Foster is not ranked positionally, or in the 2014 class by Scout, and joins Chicago natives Aaron Roberts and Denzel Ward as the third offensive lineman expected to join Syracuse for the 2014 season.
Another preferred walk-on who was promised a scholarship if he can win a starting job (like Riley Dixon did).
SU Special Teams Quality Control Coach Chris Gould
Jakubowski Raw But Will Provide Much Needed Depth as Kicking Specialist (PS; Mink)
It was not some 55-yard field goal or a booming punt that caught the eye of Chris Gould when he combed over Evan Jakubowski's Hudl tape late last year.
Instead, the special teams quality control coach for Syracuse closely watched Jakubowski's hands and had seen enough to send an email to his high school coach, intensifying the recruiting process with a player who only kicked in high school for one season.
"A lot of things he doesn't see when he's recruiting kids is the hands and how quick the get-off time needs to be," said Jakubowski, also a shortstop on the Wheaton Warrenville South High School baseball team in Illinois. "He likes that a lot."
So much so that the Syracuse coaching staff offered Jakubowski an opportunity to join the football program in August as a preferred walk-on. Similar to punter Riley Dixon, there will be a chance for Jakubowski to earn a scholarship during the course of his career. Until then, he will pay his own way to attend Syracuse.
Jakubowski will provide depth to the punting position, which begins the 2014 season with Dixon as the only experienced punter on roster. Jakubowski will likely practice field goals and kickoffs as well, he said.
He visited campus over winter. By the end of his visit, the school ranked at the top of a list of schools including Missouri and Miami (Ohio). Having little football kicking experience, no school offered him a scholarship. He said Syracuse stayed in contact the most throughout the recruiting process, which made it stand out even more when making a final decision...
ACC News
ACC Blog: Connette's Transfer Big Hit to Duke Offense/UL Gets UGa Transfer/ACC Lunchtime Links (espn.com)
This is a bittersweet parting for Duke.
Quarterback Brandon Connette, who accounted for a school-record 27 touchdowns last year, has been granted his release to transfer to a school closer to his home in Corona, Calif. Connette wants to be -- and should be -- near his mother, Nancy, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2013.
Duke will miss Brandon Connette's ability to run as well as pass.
While it’s a huge loss for Duke -- significant enough to diminish the Blue Devils' chances of defending the ACC’s Coastal Division title -- it’s a monumental win for Connette, who has had to endure his mother’s struggle against cancer from a distance.
“Being away from my family during my mother’s illness has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to endure,” he said. ...
ACC Spring Football Highlighted with Seven Spring Games This Weekend (theACC.com)
Spring football takes center stage this weekend as seven schools which will be competing for the 2014 ACC Football Championship will be holding their annual spring games and four others will be holding practices, scrimmages or events.
Clemson (4 p.m.), Florida State (3 p.m.), Miami (6 p.m.), North Carolina (3 p.m.), NC State (1 p.m.) and Virginia (1 p.m.) will conclude their 15 spring practice sessions with their annual spring games this Saturday.
Miami’s spring game is labeled the UNITE.14 Spring Game & Family Festival Presented by BankUnited on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium.
NC State’s spring game is the “Kay Yow Spring Football Game”, named in honor of its legendary women’s basketball coach.
Louisville, which will join the ACC on July 1, will finish its spring sessions one day earlier on Friday (7:30 p.m.) with its Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Spring Game at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium...
Other
PSU Beat Writers Talk About New PSU HC James Franklin (Includes Nate Mink) (statecollege.com; Poorman)
...
NATE MINK covers Syracuse football for the Post-Standard and Syracuse Media Group and has previously worked in State College, Philadelphia and Allentown.
“One of the big story lines from James Franklin’s early tenure is his recruiting record. Not unlike Bill O’Brien, he understands the path to the playoff will be player performance. What’s that he said? The plays work better with really good players. Both coaches understood the SEC is king, and it would be prudent to structure the program in a similar mold. O'Brien did so from the core on up, implementing 'structural changes.' With those in place, it has enabled Franklin time and resources to ramp up on recruiting.
“Franklin has been as aggressive as anybody in his quest to put the program at the pinnacle of the Northeast, using various multimedia and social media platforms to broaden his reach.
“This plan to dominate the region has implications for many northeast schools, including Syracuse. Scott Shafer wants to reach into Pennsylvania and New Jersey a little more moving forward and hired Bobby Acosta, someone with long ties to Jersey, to coach the tight ends. Making those inroads for elite prospects remains daunting.” ...
Scott Loy
Men's Lax: Syracuse Must Beat UNC for Chance at ACC Tourney Berth (DO; D'Abbraccio)
Three Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season matchups remain, posing a number of seeding scenarios for the conference tournament at April’s end.
But for Syracuse, those hypothetical scenarios are meaningless without a win over North Carolina on Saturday.
“With this schedule we’ve had all year, I think everything’s really been a tough turnaround,” senior attack Derek Maltz said. “We already know what happened (last) weekend with a couple ACC teams winning in our favor, so we know what needs to get done.”
Despite falling into a 0-3 hole to start conference play, Syracuse still has a chance to qualify for the four-team ACC tournament. After a momentum-stirring win at No. 6 Cornell on Tuesday, the No. 7 Orange (7-3, 1-3 ACC) hosts No. 4 North Carolina (9-2, 2-2) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome with conference playoff hopes on the line.
With a win over UNC, Syracuse would most likely earn itself the No. 3 or 4 spot in the ACC tournament. But a loss to the Tar Heels would certainly pencil Syracuse in for the consolation matchup between the fifth- and sixth-ranked teams, on the eve of the ACC championship game, and on the same PPL Park grass in Chester, Pa.
“We’re not trying to miss the first ACC tournament we can be a part of,” attack Kevin Rice said. “It’s a huge game for us.” ...
SU Senior Attacker Alyssa Murray
Women's Lax: SU Preps to Face UNC in Battle of Nation's Best Two Offenses (DO; Blum)
Gary Gait didn’t mind interrupting.
Standing in a pack of reporters Wednesday afternoon, the Syracuse head coach was in the middle of being asked about facing the nation’s top offense in North Carolina.
Gait unabashedly stopped the interview to ask what his team was ranked in that category. The answer was second, right behind the Tar Heels.
“There you go,” Gait said with a smile. “One and two.”
On Saturday, the country’s two top offenses will go head-to-head at the Carrier Dome at 3 p.m. No. 3 Syracuse (12-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) hosts defending national champion and top-ranked North Carolina (12-1, 5-0) with the top ranking in the ACC, and potentially the nation, on the line.
Syracuse averages 16.15 goals per game, while the Tar Heels find the cage 17.31 times a contest.
“Offensively, we’re really starting to click,” said SU attack Alyssa Murray. “I think that’s good, especially coming into a game where their offense can put up so many points, too.”
Murray said UNC has been on everyone’s minds since Syracuse defeated Virginia Tech on Saturday, and the team has had a “work week.”
At the beginning of practice Monday, the team did its “perfect passing drill.” Normally it’s an exhausting conditioning drill that the players hate. But Murray said everyone was excitedly cheering each other on.
“Even though we were out of breath,” Murray said, “but just the cheer and the support throughout the lines were just really loud. Everyone came to play.” ...
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