Syracuse Football 2017 Wide Receivers/HB's

[Trueblue25]

Obviously our passing game hinges on much more than just the talent we're throwing to.

-Dungey's health
-QB competition
-The necessary improvement of our O Line
-The inevitable improvement of our run game (can't get worse in my opinion).

With all that said, what are your expectations for our wideouts/half backs this year? How deep are we actually? Who will see the field? Who has a chance to realistically help replace AET's production? Who's our deep threats/possession receivers/over the middle threat/red zone target/best in space/best creators?

We have:

Phillips
Ishmael
Enoicy
Custis
Riley
Perkins
Butler
Johnson
Johnson
RTB
Cam Jordan
Neal
Strickland

Am I forgetting anyone?

Would like to hear everybody's input, because I believe with attainable improvement from our line, a competent run option and Dungey holding up... we have the receiving core this year to compete with anybody.

Unfortunately that's a lot of "if's" though.

 

[Orijinal]

I'll start, I guess:

I think Nykeim Johnson sees the field beginning day 1. I think some see him as this generation's Brisly Estime. He's probably returning kicks immediately.

I don't know anyone that will be like AET, but maybe RTB?? Everyone seems to rave about him.

Think the team is loaded with kids that will prove to have excellent hands, so over the middle, red zone, best in space will not be a problem.

Don't know if anyone can blow the roof off a defense--that seems to be a rare find. But with Ish able to collect any ball thrown his way, I'll name him the best "space creator" just because it's not gonna matter much if he is covered one on one.

My First 5 Receivers on the field for any given game: Ishmael, Philips, Butler, RTB, and Neal (if he is indeed a receiver)

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Beyond Ishmael and Phillips, I have no idea what to expect. Can we expect anything out of Butler or Riley? Will Custis finally show something? How good are the freshmen? Who, if anyone, will leave the backfield for the slot? Will we bring in a grad transfer?

 

[RMH44]

Beyond Ishmael and Phillips, I have no idea what to expect. Can we expect anything out of Butler or Riley? Will Custis finally show something? How good are the freshmen? Who, if anyone, will leave the backfield for the slot? Will we bring in a grad transfer?

I expect big things from Butler and Custis on the outside. We need their speed to stretch the field. Ish, despite his lack of speed, finds ways to get open and should increase last year's numbers. Who fills out the two deep...RTB, Jordan?

Irv will be great again inside but needs a running partner. Do they move Strickland or Moe? Riley? Johnson & Johnson?

The wild card is our 4* pass catching TE! I think he has a chance to completely change how teams game plan for us. Spring ball is going to be interesting.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I expect big things from Butler and Custis on the outside. We need their speed to stretch the field. Ish, despite his lack of speed, finds ways to get open and should increase last year's numbers. Who fills out the two deep...RTB, Jordan?

Irv will be great again inside but needs a running partner. Do they move Strickland or Moe? Riley? Johnson & Johnson?

The wild card is our 4* pass catching TE! I think he has a chance to completely change how teams game plan for us. Spring ball is going to be interesting.

Didn't even think about Pierce. He's so key. Maybe it's because we're always looking for the next big thing out of recruitment and don't let guys develop, but I'm a wait and see on Custis. I'm not convinced he's going to do anything until he does. (Probably not fair, but so be it.)

 

[Trueblue25]

Will be big to see if anyone can get a "first block" on a lead tackler after a Phillips/Neal/Ishmael/Riley reception. All guys with homerun speed in my opinion not to mention the two Johnsons.

 

[Orangtiz]

Will be big to see if anyone can get a "first block" on a lead tackler after a Phillips/Neal/Ishmael/Riley reception. All guys with homerun speed in my opinion not to mention the two Johnsons.

Ish is lacking in Homerun speed IMO. I really would like to see Custis step up on the outside but I don't think its gonna happen (I am rooting for the kid though).

Basically when you break down the stats from last year there were four major targets that has a huge portion of our production at receiver. Ish, AET, Erv, and Estime. I think the four that will have the majority of production this year will be Ish, Erv, Pierce, then N. Johnson. The other outside receiver spot is completely up in the air between guys like RTB, Custis, Butler, Jordan.

We will here much more during spring ball and get a sense of who really grabs control of the position.

 

[RMH44]

Didn't even think about Pierce. He's so key. Maybe it's because we're always looking for the next big thing out of recruitment and don't let guys develop, but I'm a wait and see on Custis. I'm not convinced he's going to do anything until he does. (Probably not fair, but so be it.)

Fair assessment regarding Custis. I'm actually in the same mode. A couple of comments made about him by both HCDB and ED have me hoping for the best.

Besides, if the staff didn't like him, I think they would have played in the last few games of the season after rehabbing from his injury. It's encouraging (to me at least) that they thought enough of him to RS and have him available for two years.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I expect to see fewer four wide sets. Pierce, Hackett and Elmore should allow staff to mix formations more often.

 

[phil77]

I would think there is an outside WR position up for grabs...And I imagine we see more TE sets with Pierce...

Ishmael - Out
Phillips - In
Neal - In
??? - Out

Strickland will be starter at RB with the freshman getting carries.

 

[Ish88888]

I would think there is an outside WR position up for grabs...And I imagine we see more TE sets with Pierce...

Ishmael - Out
Phillips - In
Neal - In
??? - Out

Strickland will be starter at RB with the freshman getting carries.

Butler or custis as that other outside reciever? We have some good young talent. Agree that N Johnson will be epic as an IR. ish will be solid along with erv. Our incoming frosh with the hyphenated last name has a shot to impact quickly at OR.

 

[Trueblue25]

Looking back on tapes of Erv Phillips from last year, this kids good. I wonder how dynamic he can be for us this year and whether or not he can be a game changer.

 

[721Comstock]

Didn't even think about Pierce. He's so key. Maybe it's because we're always looking for the next big thing out of recruitment and don't let guys develop, but I'm a wait and see on Custis. I'm not convinced he's going to do anything until he does. (Probably not fair, but so be it.)

The coaches are even higher on Hackett - they say he's the only guy who can do all 3 things they want from a TE.
Nice to have 2 studs at a position that has been widely ignored in this offense to date.
Having a stud RB (or 2 - if we land Gus) will also help immensely.

 

[AAM62]

Looking back on tapes of Erv Phillips from last year, this kids good. I wonder how dynamic he can be for us this year and whether or not he can be a game changer.

by "tape" do you mean his highlight reel?

 

[Trueblue25]

by "tape" do you mean his highlight reel?

That and looking back at some of the games he had an impact in. (Tech/Pitt/FSU/BC/USF) Most very solid defenses by the way.

 

[chugg21]

The coaches are even higher on Hackett - they say he's the only guy who can do all 3 things they want from a TE.
Nice to have 2 studs at a position that has been widely ignored in this offense to date.
Having a stud RB (or 2 - if we land Gus) will also help immensely.

Pretty loose usage of "stud" there.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

The coaches are even higher on Hackett - they say he's the only guy who can do all 3 things they want from a TE.

I think a TE who can keep an extra defensive back in the game or force a linebacker to split out wide, regardless of who it is, is a huge upgrade.

 

[721Comstock]

Pretty loose usage of "stud" there.

The bar has been set pretty low at TE and RB for the past few seasons now.
Wouldnt take much to be a stud by comparison.

 

[AAM62]

That and looking back at some of the games he had an impact in. (Tech/Pitt/FSU/BC/USF) Most very solid defenses by the way.

Nice. I agree with you I was just wondering if you actually watched games again.

 

[TheCusian]

I think it's likely we see a battle for AET's outside spot between Custis/Butler (with an outside chance to RTB). Babers seems to favor starting the same WR on the outside pretty much all game, so who ever wins the job will get a lot of reps.

Phillips/Pierce/Ishmeal are the other starters. I think there is another battle for the other slot between Riley/Johnson/Strickland. I dunno who wins that one. I expect one of the losers of that battle back fielding punts and/or KO.

(If we can't get Gus from Miami, I wonder if Strickland will stay at RB.)

Cam Jordan should redshirt, as he's a little raw and I don't think we'll need him yet.

 

[sutomcat]

I still the depth chart looking like this:

RB: Strickland/Grad Transfer RB/Pierre/Stritz

OWR: Ishmael/Custis
OWR: Butler/RTB or Jordan

IWR: Phillips/S Johnson
IWR: Neal/I Johnson

TE: Pierce/Hackett/Elmore

There is a real opportunity for a grad transfer RB or a true frosh to get a lot of PT.

I think Elmore is going to be mostly used as a FB. When our opponent plays a lot of DBs or DB-like LBs, he will be inserted to discourage that practice.

I was impressed by how fast Butler flew up the depth chart last year. Think it is pretty clear Ish, Custis and Butler will be our top OWRs. Room for one more to get some playing time. RTB and Jordan will battle for it. I like them both a lot.

Obviously Phillips is really good and will get better. Thought Neal showed me enough last year for me to think he will be as good or better than Estime inside. Thing is, we have depth issues at RB and might be forced to leave him there. Hope we can add another RB to the mix; might be needed to allow Moe to play IWR. I think both Johnson crack the two deep and help...seems most of the Florida kids come really to play almost immediately.

Pierce should get a lot of touches. Hackett will play a lot too. Agree we will use 3 WR sets a lot more, using a TE instead of a 4th WR and I think in certain situations, we will see sets with two TEs.

 

[SoBristol]

Agree with nearly all of TomCat's opinions above, but also think this is a fluid situation.

Last year at this time, we would have projected Cornelius as a starting WR and Fredericks as the starting RB. Then, there was a position move (Strickland to RB), a frosh emerged in the Spring (Moe Neal), and after Spring practices Babers found a WR (Etta-Tawo) better than any WR on the roster.

Babers has 5 or 6 open scholarships. There will be grad transfers available at RB, outside WR, and inside slot receiver -- an opportunity to upgrade 3 key positions in the offense. Grad transfers will want to play in this offense. We have promising kids for these positions in Butler, Riley and the Johnsons, Strickland/Neal, but I doubt Babers will want to stand pat.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

There will be grad transfers available at RB, outside WR, and inside slot receiver -- an opportunity to upgrade 3 key positions in the offense.

Be careful with that statement - "upgrade." While a starter/top player like Jeff Badet will pop up, most of the guys who have announced intent to transfer or have switched schools are rotation players at best. While talent may be there and worth taking a shot at, there's as much of a chance that a guy can be a Drew Allen as an Amba Etta-Tawo. There's no guarantees.

 

[SoBristol]

Be careful with that statement - "upgrade." While a starter/top player like Jeff Badet will pop up, most of the guys who have announced intent to transfer or have switched schools are rotation players at best. While talent may be there and worth taking a shot at, there's as much of a chance that a guy can be a Drew Allen as an Amba Etta-Tawo. There's no guarantees.

Sure, it is "an opportunity" and there are no guarantees. The same is true for the true frosh and our returning players who have yet to make a mark on the field (Butler, Custis). And that is the major point -- there is plenty of opportunity for an upgrade compared to what we have.

Consider, the grad transfers available to Babers by late Spring won't be just the guys who have already announced. When did you know about Etta Tawo or the DEs who became available (Sherrod who we lost to MSU, Wilson who came here)?

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Sure, it is "an opportunity" and there are no guarantees. The same is true for the true frosh and our returning players who have yet to make a mark on the field (Butler, Custis). And that is the major point -- there is plenty of opportunity for an upgrade compared to what we have.

Consider, the grad transfers available to Babers by late Spring won't be just the guys who have already announced. When did you know about Etta Tawo or the DEs who became available (Sherrod who we lost to MSU, Wilson who came here)?

I've spent the last month or so trying to make myself into an expert on grad transfers. I'm telling you, the majority of guys who are leaving are looking for a fresh start. The number of sure things is pretty low.