Great stuff from Rahme re: today's (Tuesday) practice...

[orangenirvana]

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2012/08/syracuse_university_football_p_33.html

Notes:

* WR Jarrod West was back and continues to look good (probably the 3rd receiver)

* RB Devonte McFarlane shows good burst and cutback abilities at running back

* WR Chris Clark is getting long looks on the 2nd team (even though he's only 159 pounds..yikes!)

* DL Deon Goggins is playing DT exclusively with Bromley out. Rahme credits this to the depth at DE, which is great if true. MP-B, Micah Robinson, Welsh mentioned.

* Sean Hickey gets better with each practice

* Beckett Wales and Nassib appear to have very good chemistry

 

[Toga]

I'm calling half-full

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

That's great news about Hickey. Let's see how much he learned in 4 weeks- and if he's good enough to move to the right side once Pugh comes back.

And hopefully West keeps getting better this season and beyond. He's going to be really, really important next year.

 

[tep624]

That's great news about Hickey. Let's see how much he learned in 4 weeks- and if he's good enough to move to the right side once Pugh comes back.

And hopefully West keeps getting better this season and beyond. He's going to be really, really important next year.

West has the potential to be the #1 wideout next year if he continues to develop.

It will be an interesting position battle next year to see how that position shakes out. You have Funderburke as well, along with Ben Lewis whose received nothing but praise.

Plus Cornelius, Hale, and Flemming. Going to be interesting, but West should be the most experienced heading into next season.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm going to take the under on Wales catching 51 passes.

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[orangenauburn]

I'm going to take the under on Wales catching 51 passes.

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agreed ... 30 - 33, still a solid season.

Thompson will snag 10 - 15 and Stevens 10 - 15

 

[rrlbees]

I'm going to take the under on Wales catching 51 passes.

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Stevens will have as many as Wales.

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[orangenauburn]

Stevens will have as many as Wales.

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it will be a good balance, and productive season from the TE position

 

[Chip]

Stevens will have as many as Wales.

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If that's the case, I hope neither of them end up anywhere near Provo's season record. The use of the TEs in the WVU game was the exception, not the norm.

If Sales were to break some single season reception records, I'd feel a lot better. It would probably better translate to points.

 

[Nick44]

The question is would everyone be terrified or excited if Mcfarlene is announced as the #1 RB the night before NW? I would terrified.

 

[bnoro]

If that's the case, I hope neither of them end up anywhere near Provo's season record. The use of the TEs in the WVU game was the exception, not the norm.

If Sales were to break some single season reception records, I'd feel a lot better. It would probably better translate to points.

If both TE's have that many catches that's a good thing, right? If Nassib completes 300 passes this year (around 40 more than last year), 50 to each TE, 100 to Lemon, and the other 150 between the rest of our WR's that would be a heck of a season offensively

 

[Chip]

The question is would everyone be terrified or excited if Mcfarlene is announced as the #1 RB the night before NW? I would terrified.

0.0% chance of that happening. Not just because he won't start, but also because the depth chart probably comes out Friday. They wrap up camp with tomorrow's scrimmage, Thursday is an off day.

The question is whether or not they're planning to use him as a situational playmaker, like the plan appears to be with Broyld. Not sure why we'd have 2 freshman filling that though.

It's a move for the future, could always see him more as the season progresses, but way too much to learn and not nearly enough reps to have learned it.

 

[Chip]

If both TE's have that many catches that's a good thing, right? If Nassib completes 300 passes this year (around 40 more than last year), 50 to each TE, 100 to Lemon, and the other 150 between the rest of our WR's that would be a heck of a season offensively

I guess it depends on how well those TE's are getting down the field. When I think of this offense, and think of 2 TEs each catching 50 passes, I think of a failed running game, and a good % of those TE passes being of the 2-3 yard check down nature.

By the way, your math is off. 50 to each TE, 100 to Lemon, 150 to the rest of the WRs (and RBs?) is 350 passes. 90 more than last year.

I'm hoping attempts goes down, and yards per attempt goes up, rushing goes up.

 

[bnoro]

I guess it depends on how well those TE's are getting down the field. When I think of this offense, and think of 2 TEs each catching 50 passes, I think of a failed running game, and a good % of those TE passes being of the 2-3 yard check down nature.

By the way, your math is off. 50 to each TE, 100 to Lemon, 150 to the rest of the WRs (and RBs?) is 350 passes. 90 more than last year.

I'm hoping attempts goes down, and yards per attempt goes up, rushing goes up.

Try the math again...

50+100+150=300.

I think of the way the Pats use their TEs and think they are very much a part of the game. While the talent clearly isn't similar, Beckett Wales is Gronk and Stevens/Thompson is Hernandez. That's our goal with TEs IMO.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I guess it depends on how well those TE's are getting down the field. When I think of this offense, and think of 2 TEs each catching 50 passes, I think of a failed running game, and a good % of those TE passes being of the 2-3 yard check down nature.

By the way, your math is off. 50 to each TE, 100 to Lemon, 150 to the rest of the WRs (and RBs?) is 350 passes. 90 more than last year.

I'm hoping attempts goes down, and yards per attempt goes up, rushing goes up.

Try the math again...

50+100+150=300.

I think of the way the Pats use their TEs and think they are very much a part of the game. While the talent clearly isn't similar, Beckett Wales is Gronk and Stevens/Thompson is Hernandez. That's our goal with TEs IMO.

I was going to say, wow to this. But he said each TE. Meaning, 50x2 + 100 + 150 = 350.

 

[ottodaorange]

If Rahme's "impressions are all accurate, this is good news. Although, I think the move of McFarlane was mostly to stimulate more competition. But all things considered, it sounds like it was a good practice today... and to borrow a word from Marrone, I'm excited about tommorw's scrimmage.

 

[RF2044]

The question is would everyone be terrified or excited if Mcfarlene is announced as the #1 RB the night before NW? I would terrified.

Maybe McFarlane is a good RB prospect who will benefit from a redshirt. Him not being able to crack the rotation this year [if it plays out that way] isn't necessarily a reflection of his talent level / potential. My expectation is that Smith will prove to be adequate, and that the supporting cast of AAM / Gulley / Morris will rise to the occasion in some capacity.

I'd love to see Morris redshirted to maximize his value as a long term asset, but if he beats out any of the incumbents, he should play. If McFarlane redshirts [an assumption on my part], we could be in a situation where all four of the top RBs return next season. Which in turn should enable the coaching staff to redshirt Gus Edwards, spacing out his eligibility from the others.

Regardless of how it plays out, we're starting to build much needed quality talent in the RB pipeline.

 

[bnoro]

I was going to say, wow to this. But he said each TE. Meaning, 50x2 + 100 + 150 = 350.

I'm an idiot. Oh Lord

Sorry Chip, I'll never question your math skills again.

 

[SUinNYC]

Maybe McFarlane is a good RB prospect who will benefit from a redshirt. Him not being able to crack the rotation [if it plays out that way] isn't necessarily a reflection of his talent level / potential. My expectation is that Smith will prove to be adequate, and that the supporting cast of AAM / Gulley / Morris will rise to the occasion in some capacity.

I'd love to see Morris redshirted to maximize his value as a long term asset, but if he beats out any of the incumbents, he should play. If McFarlane redshirts [an assumption on my part], we could be in a situation where all four of the top RBs return next season. Which in turn should enable the coaching staff to redshirt Gus Edwards, spacing out his eligibility from the others.

Regardless of how it plays out, we're starting to build quality talent in the RB pipeline.

Would love to see this happen. We haven't redshirted an RB in a while because we haven't had the talent or depth. Let's start stockpiling talent at skill positions.

 

[SmilinBob]

What I'm hoping for is that the SU defensive line is so good that the offensive line has been under appreciated and is actually pretty good.

I like the McFarlane move and one aspect of that is it gives the defense a different type of runner to practice against. Obviously if this kid can earn some PT and help the offense it would be wonderful but it sounds like he adds a different dimension.

I thought Wales had some decent talent just as I hoped Provo would show off his, as he did. I agree with Bnoro about the te's and I really don't recall Stevens actually staying in to block or in blocking situations that much, I may be wrong about that though. To me he's a flanker that is called a tightend.

One thing I want to see from Nassib is for him to have faith in his linemen, give the receivers time to get open and hit them instead of quick check downs to the tight end. I love the fact that SU uses the tightends but sometimes I think he gets a little too comfortable doing the safe thing.

 

[sutomcat]

Stevens will have as many as Wales.

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If a goal for this year is to improve the yards per catch, it would be prudent to throw to Stevens more than Wales. Not a dig on Wales, who is a solid blocking TE who can also catch the ball. Stevens is a lot faster and more agile, and based on what I have seen in practices, is capable of getting a lot more yards per catch than Wales.

Last year, our TEs had 73 catches as a unit. Provo had 51, Stevens 19 and Wales 3. I think we will probably end up throwing to the TEs a lot again in 2012. I project 75 completions to them this season.

My guess is that Stevens gets around 40, Wales around 25, and Cutler/Thompson another 10 or so. No one is talking about Cutler. Based on his time with the program, one would think that he would be in line for some playing time. But he didn't play much in the open practice...Thompson got a lot more reps. Sugar Bear won't share the Sugar Crisp@.

 

[kcsu]

lets just hope that the 75 catches the TE post dont go for 150 yards

 

[Deano]

Try the math again...

50+100+150=300.

I think of the way the Pats use their TEs and think they are very much a part of the game. While the talent clearly isn't similar, Beckett Wales is Gronk and Stevens/Thompson is Hernandez. That's our goal with TEs IMO.

Yeah but Nassib is no Tom Brady.

 

[orangenirvana]

No one is talking about Cutler. Based on his time with the program, one would think that he would be in line for some playing time. But he didn't play much in the open practice...Thompson got a lot more reps. Sugar Bear won't share the Sugar Crisp@.

That's probably because Cutler's "time with the program" has been spent on the sideline rehabbing ACL injuries.

 

[sutomcat]

That's probably because Cutler's "time with the program" has been spent on the sideline rehabbing ACL injuries.

You got that right.

Don't know Carl or his family but if I could wish good things to happen to one player on the team, it would probably be him (Hickey a close second). I hope he is able to stay healthy all year, I hope he gets some playing time and I hope he is able to take advantage of it. It has to be really tough to keep working, keep getting hurt, keep having surgeries and rehabbing, only to have it all start again, with no playing time or success to show for it.