sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 26,689
- Like
- 116,388
I am temporarily filling in for my friend OE, who is undergoing major surgery today. If you have time, please say a prayer for him. Get well soon Dan.
SU News
Sean Hickey, AA Candidate at OT
USA Today Says Syracuse #75 Team in College Football (usatoday.com; Myerberg)
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PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Offense: It's not a major shift, but keep an eye on one offensive storyline: Syracuse and coordinator George McDonald want this unit to move quicker, quicker and quicker, developing a fast-paced tempo and style in and out of ACC play – a pace McDonald has called "full-bore fast." This mentality began to take hold early last season, eventually placing the Orange among the league's top four in plays per game, but look for even more of an up-tempo feel in 2014; McDonald has streamlined the offense in an effort to make things less complex, in turn allowing his offense to spend more time acting and less time reacting. As elsewhere – say, at Auburn – the key is not just quarterback play but overall offensive rhythm. Not that quarterback play won't define the offense's overall success.
The Orange need more from junior Terrel Hunt (1,632 yards and 10 touchdowns), a second-year starter with solid dual-threat athleticism – he added 500 yards and seven scores on the ground – but still-developing poise and presence as a passer. As such, McDonald will continue to utilize heavy doses of short, can't-fail screens and flares, attempts that keep Hunt away from potential missteps while keeping the Orange's passing game stuck in neutral. How important is this offseason? It's vital for Hunt, who needs to show an ability to push the ball downfield – a development that would keep defenses honest, for one, but also create more running room for Syracuse's horizontal passing game. Of equal concern is the team's lack of a proven rotation at wide receiver.
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Dual Threat QB John Robertson (19) is One of the Top Players in the FCS
A Villanova Win Over Syracuse 'Wouldn't Be the Biggest Shock on the (Opening) Weekend (PS; Mink)
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Today, we let Mike Kern of the Philadelphia Daily News do the heavy lifting and shed some light on the Villanova Wildcats.
1. It seems like any sort of talk about Villanova football has to include John Robertson. How would you assess his development throughout his career and how does he pose a threat to Syracuse?
Kern: "Well, he's about as good a run-throw combo as you'll find at that level. Last year, problem was all his best receivers got hurt, so they didn't throw as much. And they relied too much on his running. I expect them to be a lot more diverse this year, if they can. But he's still the focal point, for all the obvious reasons. They need other people to run the ball more, especially Kevin Monangai."
2. What do you see as being the biggest change from the team that knocked off Towson on the road last year to this year's group?
Kern: "Not much. They lost a lot of tough games last year. But they were probably as good as the team from the year before. And most everybody is back. They could have beat BC in last year's opener. There won't be as much pressure on them this year, because they won't start out No. 5 in the country again. But they could be really good, playoff material."
3. Syracuse is going to have a couple of new starters in the secondary this year. Who on Villanova can stretch the field vertically?
Kern: "That's been the problem. They really didn't throw long much at all last year. They usually rely more on short passing game. And the run."
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What School is the Real 'Quarterback U'? Syracuse Ranked #25 (collegespun.com; Zillmer)
Here are the results:
25. (TIE) Michigan: 11 Points (3 Selections)
Michigan would have been higher on this list if we would have included college quarterbacks drafted into the NFL at different positions (Denard “Shoelace” Robinson was drafted as a WR). But for the sake of this list, which values quarterbacks being drafted into the NFL, we included only college quarterbacks drafted at that same position. Michigan’s highest draft pick was Chad Henne (2008) in the second round but its most successful alum is obviously sixth-round pick, and three-time Super Bowl Champion, Tom Brady (2000).
25. (TIE) Syracuse: 11 Points (2 Selections)
Not many would have guessed that the Orange would have snuck onto this list. The second overall pick of the 1999 NFL draft was none other than Donovan McNabb — Syracuse’s most prized quarterback. The school’s other selection at the quarterback position came in 2013, when Ryan Nassib was drafted in the fourth round. Syracuse is one of the few known “basketball schools” to crack this list.
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Recruiting
Poll: How is the Class of 2015 Shaping Up? (PS; Bailey)
As of 6:55 AM, over 84% are thrilled or happy with the class...
Syracuse is racking up verbal commitments at a historic rate for its Class of 2015.
Tuesday's pledge from Andrejas Duerig pushed the Orange into the top 30 of 247Sports.com's team rankingswith 12 commitments. Then Connecticut defensive end Brandon Ginnetti became No. 13 on Wednesday.
Last season, SU had only four verbal commits as of June 19 -- Naesean Howard, A.J. Long, Zaire Franklin and Colton Moskal. And the Orange hasn't had 13 commitments before July 1 since at least 2002, when At their request, this network is being blocked from this site. started tracking pledge dates.
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Mohamed Berry Verbals to Wisconsin But Will Still Visit Syracuse (PS; Mink)
Mohamed Barry, a linebacker from Georgia who received 64 handwritten letters from Syracuse last month, has verbally committed to Wisconsin.
Barry, who cannot sign a binding agreement with a school until Feb. 4, is one of the top linebacker prospects on Syracuse's recruiting board. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder committed to the Badgers on Wednesday.
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PA LB Brett Zanotto Commits to Terps (testudotimes.com; Volk)
Maryland has picked up their 10th commitment in the past 30 days in the Class of 2015, securing a pledge from Murrysville (Pa.) Franklin Regional linebacker Brett Zanotto Thursday, as first reported by Scout. Zanotto joins fellow linebacker Gus Little as the Terps' two commitments on the day. Maryland now moves up to the 27th-best class in the nation (closely behind Ole Miss), good for sixth in the Big Ten -- behind just Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan.
Zanotto, listed at 6'0" and 215 pounds, picked up an offer from the Terrapins in early May. He fits in with a certain model of some recent Maryland commitments under Randy Edsall -- a slightly undersized defensive player from Pennsylvania with offers from MAC schools (see: Kulka, Brett and Dean, Brock). Zanotto claimed offers from Toledo and Massachusetts before his Terrapin offer came in, and received offers late from Temple, Syracuse and Eastern Michigan.
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Syracuse Football Recruiting Surging Through Summer (cnycentral.com; Tamurian)
Syracuse University Football still has more than two months to go until the season opener with Villanova on Friday, August 29th but already the Orange has a head of steam this summer.
Over the past ten days, four different Class of 2015 recruits have pledged verbal commitments to Coach Scott Shafer and the Orange.
The total is five in the month of June.
While these student-athletes won't hit the field until next fall, in 2015 of course, it's still a very exciting turn of events.
Consider this, by late June of 2013 the Orange had just 4 or 5 verbal commitments that the public knew about and the Class of 2014 turned out to be the best (at least on paper) recruiting class in a decade for the Orange.
The most clear and basic reason for the spike in commitments is the sustained success Syracuse has enjoyed in recent seasons. The Orange has won three bowl games in the last four years and is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-2001.
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Other
Where Would Syracuse Play Football and Basketball Games if the Carrier Dome is Unavailable? (PS; Carlson)
...
Basketball options
First Niagara Center (Buffalo) — Pros: One of the shortest commutes among the out-of-town options with good capacity (19,200). Good chicken wings at Duff's. Cons: Not much of a destination arena. Would need to schedule around Buffalo Sabres.
Izod Center (East Rutherford, N.J.) — Pros: No athletic team uses it as its main arena, so it would likely be available and relatively inexpensive. With capacity of 20,049, it could accommodate more season-ticket holders than any other option. Cons: A four-hour drive from Syracuse. Wasn't good enough for the Nets or Seton Hall to stick around.
Madison Square Garden (Manhattan) — Pros: Familiarity and nostalgia for Syracuse fan base. Incredible basketball environment could cater to New York City alumni. Cons: Would likely be expensive to rent. Difficult day trip for fans.
Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) — Pros: Would cater to New York City fan base. Nicknamed "The Rock." Cons: Distance from Syracuse. Seton Hall plays there.
Barclays Center (Brooklyn) — Pros: New arena would be a nice draw and exciting for players. Maybe Jay-Z would show up. Cons: Capacity of 17,732 is lowest among the major arenas.
Times Union Center (Albany) — Pros: Would keep money in the Capital Region/Upstate area and limit travel distance. With lack of professional tenants would likely be cheap option. Cons: Capacity of only 15,229. Who wants to go to Albany?
Syracuse War Memorial (Syracuse) — Pros: Easy commute. Cons: Massive number of displaced fans.
...
SU News
Sean Hickey, AA Candidate at OT
USA Today Says Syracuse #75 Team in College Football (usatoday.com; Myerberg)
...
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Offense: It's not a major shift, but keep an eye on one offensive storyline: Syracuse and coordinator George McDonald want this unit to move quicker, quicker and quicker, developing a fast-paced tempo and style in and out of ACC play – a pace McDonald has called "full-bore fast." This mentality began to take hold early last season, eventually placing the Orange among the league's top four in plays per game, but look for even more of an up-tempo feel in 2014; McDonald has streamlined the offense in an effort to make things less complex, in turn allowing his offense to spend more time acting and less time reacting. As elsewhere – say, at Auburn – the key is not just quarterback play but overall offensive rhythm. Not that quarterback play won't define the offense's overall success.
The Orange need more from junior Terrel Hunt (1,632 yards and 10 touchdowns), a second-year starter with solid dual-threat athleticism – he added 500 yards and seven scores on the ground – but still-developing poise and presence as a passer. As such, McDonald will continue to utilize heavy doses of short, can't-fail screens and flares, attempts that keep Hunt away from potential missteps while keeping the Orange's passing game stuck in neutral. How important is this offseason? It's vital for Hunt, who needs to show an ability to push the ball downfield – a development that would keep defenses honest, for one, but also create more running room for Syracuse's horizontal passing game. Of equal concern is the team's lack of a proven rotation at wide receiver.
...
Dual Threat QB John Robertson (19) is One of the Top Players in the FCS
A Villanova Win Over Syracuse 'Wouldn't Be the Biggest Shock on the (Opening) Weekend (PS; Mink)
...
Today, we let Mike Kern of the Philadelphia Daily News do the heavy lifting and shed some light on the Villanova Wildcats.
1. It seems like any sort of talk about Villanova football has to include John Robertson. How would you assess his development throughout his career and how does he pose a threat to Syracuse?
Kern: "Well, he's about as good a run-throw combo as you'll find at that level. Last year, problem was all his best receivers got hurt, so they didn't throw as much. And they relied too much on his running. I expect them to be a lot more diverse this year, if they can. But he's still the focal point, for all the obvious reasons. They need other people to run the ball more, especially Kevin Monangai."
2. What do you see as being the biggest change from the team that knocked off Towson on the road last year to this year's group?
Kern: "Not much. They lost a lot of tough games last year. But they were probably as good as the team from the year before. And most everybody is back. They could have beat BC in last year's opener. There won't be as much pressure on them this year, because they won't start out No. 5 in the country again. But they could be really good, playoff material."
3. Syracuse is going to have a couple of new starters in the secondary this year. Who on Villanova can stretch the field vertically?
Kern: "That's been the problem. They really didn't throw long much at all last year. They usually rely more on short passing game. And the run."
...
What School is the Real 'Quarterback U'? Syracuse Ranked #25 (collegespun.com; Zillmer)
Here are the results:
25. (TIE) Michigan: 11 Points (3 Selections)
Michigan would have been higher on this list if we would have included college quarterbacks drafted into the NFL at different positions (Denard “Shoelace” Robinson was drafted as a WR). But for the sake of this list, which values quarterbacks being drafted into the NFL, we included only college quarterbacks drafted at that same position. Michigan’s highest draft pick was Chad Henne (2008) in the second round but its most successful alum is obviously sixth-round pick, and three-time Super Bowl Champion, Tom Brady (2000).
25. (TIE) Syracuse: 11 Points (2 Selections)
Not many would have guessed that the Orange would have snuck onto this list. The second overall pick of the 1999 NFL draft was none other than Donovan McNabb — Syracuse’s most prized quarterback. The school’s other selection at the quarterback position came in 2013, when Ryan Nassib was drafted in the fourth round. Syracuse is one of the few known “basketball schools” to crack this list.
...
Recruiting
Poll: How is the Class of 2015 Shaping Up? (PS; Bailey)
As of 6:55 AM, over 84% are thrilled or happy with the class...
Syracuse is racking up verbal commitments at a historic rate for its Class of 2015.
Tuesday's pledge from Andrejas Duerig pushed the Orange into the top 30 of 247Sports.com's team rankingswith 12 commitments. Then Connecticut defensive end Brandon Ginnetti became No. 13 on Wednesday.
Last season, SU had only four verbal commits as of June 19 -- Naesean Howard, A.J. Long, Zaire Franklin and Colton Moskal. And the Orange hasn't had 13 commitments before July 1 since at least 2002, when At their request, this network is being blocked from this site. started tracking pledge dates.
...
Mohamed Berry Verbals to Wisconsin But Will Still Visit Syracuse (PS; Mink)
Mohamed Barry, a linebacker from Georgia who received 64 handwritten letters from Syracuse last month, has verbally committed to Wisconsin.
Barry, who cannot sign a binding agreement with a school until Feb. 4, is one of the top linebacker prospects on Syracuse's recruiting board. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder committed to the Badgers on Wednesday.
...
PA LB Brett Zanotto Commits to Terps (testudotimes.com; Volk)
Maryland has picked up their 10th commitment in the past 30 days in the Class of 2015, securing a pledge from Murrysville (Pa.) Franklin Regional linebacker Brett Zanotto Thursday, as first reported by Scout. Zanotto joins fellow linebacker Gus Little as the Terps' two commitments on the day. Maryland now moves up to the 27th-best class in the nation (closely behind Ole Miss), good for sixth in the Big Ten -- behind just Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan.
Zanotto, listed at 6'0" and 215 pounds, picked up an offer from the Terrapins in early May. He fits in with a certain model of some recent Maryland commitments under Randy Edsall -- a slightly undersized defensive player from Pennsylvania with offers from MAC schools (see: Kulka, Brett and Dean, Brock). Zanotto claimed offers from Toledo and Massachusetts before his Terrapin offer came in, and received offers late from Temple, Syracuse and Eastern Michigan.
...
Syracuse Football Recruiting Surging Through Summer (cnycentral.com; Tamurian)
Syracuse University Football still has more than two months to go until the season opener with Villanova on Friday, August 29th but already the Orange has a head of steam this summer.
Over the past ten days, four different Class of 2015 recruits have pledged verbal commitments to Coach Scott Shafer and the Orange.
The total is five in the month of June.
While these student-athletes won't hit the field until next fall, in 2015 of course, it's still a very exciting turn of events.
Consider this, by late June of 2013 the Orange had just 4 or 5 verbal commitments that the public knew about and the Class of 2014 turned out to be the best (at least on paper) recruiting class in a decade for the Orange.
The most clear and basic reason for the spike in commitments is the sustained success Syracuse has enjoyed in recent seasons. The Orange has won three bowl games in the last four years and is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-2001.
...
Other
Where Would Syracuse Play Football and Basketball Games if the Carrier Dome is Unavailable? (PS; Carlson)
...
Basketball options
First Niagara Center (Buffalo) — Pros: One of the shortest commutes among the out-of-town options with good capacity (19,200). Good chicken wings at Duff's. Cons: Not much of a destination arena. Would need to schedule around Buffalo Sabres.
Izod Center (East Rutherford, N.J.) — Pros: No athletic team uses it as its main arena, so it would likely be available and relatively inexpensive. With capacity of 20,049, it could accommodate more season-ticket holders than any other option. Cons: A four-hour drive from Syracuse. Wasn't good enough for the Nets or Seton Hall to stick around.
Madison Square Garden (Manhattan) — Pros: Familiarity and nostalgia for Syracuse fan base. Incredible basketball environment could cater to New York City alumni. Cons: Would likely be expensive to rent. Difficult day trip for fans.
Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) — Pros: Would cater to New York City fan base. Nicknamed "The Rock." Cons: Distance from Syracuse. Seton Hall plays there.
Barclays Center (Brooklyn) — Pros: New arena would be a nice draw and exciting for players. Maybe Jay-Z would show up. Cons: Capacity of 17,732 is lowest among the major arenas.
Times Union Center (Albany) — Pros: Would keep money in the Capital Region/Upstate area and limit travel distance. With lack of professional tenants would likely be cheap option. Cons: Capacity of only 15,229. Who wants to go to Albany?
Syracuse War Memorial (Syracuse) — Pros: Easy commute. Cons: Massive number of displaced fans.
...
