RIP Walter Reyes

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangePA]

1700 yards from scrimmage and 21 TD his junior year

How did this guy not make it at the next level?

I never had any doubt he would.

 

[OrangePA]

I still remember the year we recruited him, wondering whether we'd get Diamond Ferri OR Walter Reyes, and being so excited to land both.

I thought for sure Reyes was going elsewhere -- was pleasantly surprised when we landed him.

I've had the pleasure of watching a ton of terrific running backs at SU of varying talent levels -- from Joe Morris, Robert Drummond, Malcolm Thomas, James Mungro, Dee Brown, Rob Konrad, David Walker -- but it is entirely possible that Reyes was the best of them all [at least in my lifetime]. Really too bad that his shoulder dislocation injury happened when it did, or he might have been discussed as being right up there with the all time program greats we've had carry the ball.

Great post.

He was the best I ever saw for the Orange.

 

[OrangePA]

RIP...one of the best RBs in program history. In the same class as Jim Brown, Davis, Csonka, Little, Morris.

Came across this recent interview with him Gets interesting around the 40 min mark when he starts to reminisce about his days at SU.

Just listened to Coach DeLeone's podcast with Bud.

He confirmed that Walter was offered but turned down No. 44.

He indicated that Walter was recruited by Billy Maxwell.

He noted that Walter ran a 4.4 forty and 10.6 100 meters.

Said he was a great young man who was a pleasure to coach.

What a horrible loss.

 

[DNABB5]

Just reading this news. Man, thats tragic. I recall chanting his name in the closing minutes of the Syracuse hoops win at the Joyce center in 2004, a couple months after the 5 TD gave in the dome.

WAL-ter REY-es

RIP. Thanks for the memories thirty-nine

 

[Brian Orange]

Truly heartbreaking. He was in his prime when I was on the Hill. Legit fast. Great junior year. Can still remember his recruiting class. Ferri, Morant, Jared Jones, Walter. That was my freshman year and I ate up anything Syracuse sports related. Remember going home for Christmas break on logging onto the internet for updates on them.

 

[Millhouse]

How did this guy not make it at the next level?

I never had any doubt he would.

i think running backs are a dime a dozen and he's one of the unlucky ones who just didn't get the shot

aside from the great ones, i can hardly tell the difference between any RB they grab off the street. i'm sure he was just as good as most nfl rbs of his age. it's a bummer.

 

[JoeySimz]

RIP...one of the best RBs in program history. In the same class as Jim Brown, Davis, Csonka, Little, Morris.

Came across this recent interview with him Gets interesting around the 40 min mark when he starts to reminisce about his days at SU.

Thanks for posting this. I listened to part one and part two. He chronicles his entire playing career and has a jb-like photographic memory of plays, stats , and other players from middle school on. Cool nuggets about why he chose Syracuse, his jersey number, Coach P, etc. What an honest, humble, genuine guy.

The end of part two where they ask him to share his parting words was particularly uplifting but now very sad in retrospect. RIP #39.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Great podcast. So glad he had as many wonderful memories of his time at Syracuse as we have of him being here. Such a solid guy with such a great work ethic. RIP.

Here’s part 2 of that same podcast starting with his best year, junior year.

 

[Cheriehoop]

JoeySimz - Are you the same Joey Sims from Walter’s high school years mentioned in the podcast?

 

[OrangeXtreme]