Spring Practice Day 1: E.J. Carter Back In, Mike Jones Out

by Sean Keeley on Mar 22, 2010 5:47 PM EDT

Here's Doug Marrone last week on Mike Jones, the speedster who was moved from running back to wide receiver heading into this season.

"I like him at receiver. I do," Marrone said. "He’s a guy who’s shown that he can make plays."

And...

Mike Jones is an interesting kid. He was a running back initially, he returned kicks for us and through some injury situations he wound up moving to the receiver position and really did well. He's someone who can make plays with the ball in his hands.

Sounds like a fantastic plan for the young man. A chance to shine. A way to get minutes quickly and play now rather than later. Jones will exemplify 2010's theme..."Multiple Versatility." Of course, someone probably should have checked with young Master Jones first to see if he was cool with it...

Junior wide receiver Mike Jones is not at practice and is no longer a member of the team, according to SU Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications Sue Edson.

Okay! Now I don't know if his move from RB-to-WR is the real reason he up and quit, but...I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it is. Real shame. Jones was a solid athlete that, as Marrone was predicting, could help the team in a few different areas with his speed and ball-control. Alas...

Two bits of good news on the day, though. One...welcome back E.J. Carter! Last year's longest-tenured starting WLB was off the depth chart as recently as last week but all of a sudden he's back on the team.

E.J. Carter, a sophomore outside linebacker who wasn't listed on the team's spring depth chart released last week, took the field with the rest of the Orange when the team began preparing for the 2010 season.

Last week, head coach Doug Marrone said Carter would not be involved in spring practice. As is his policy regarding players, the coach would not specify what the reasons were.

Hey, let's not complain. With the amount of guys who quit around here, we'll take anyone back no questions asked.

The other piece of good news?

At spring practice they have shamarko! Returning punts

#SHAMARKO!!!! Now that's some serious multiple versatility there.

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I can't wait...

…until the guy who creates the big heads busts some out for football. Early contenders? Big head for Shamarko, Delone Carter, Nassib, and of course…giant thighs for Doug Marrone.

"(BARF)" - Donovan McNabb, during his game winning drive against Virginia Tech in 1998

by kotite4ever on Mar 22, 2010 8:56 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I thought Nassib

already had a big head?

by 'CuseRugby on Mar 22, 2010 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

ZING!

Go Tartans!

by voteprime on Mar 23, 2010 7:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Hurts

this does. Mike Jones seems like the type of versatile athlete that Marrone wants multiples of.

If the move to WR is the real reason he left, I’m not sure what he was expecting. The talent that was in front of him last year is still in place with several promising recruits coming in. That, plus the move to WR probably makes sense given the knee injury he is coming off of.

by YodaWore44 on Mar 22, 2010 10:37 PM EDT reply actions

I'm less okay with guys walking away from the team THIS year

Mike Jones looked great last year, in the end though it’s the same as it was last year. If you don’t like the team, get the F out of the way and let someone else play.

Would be great to have his speed at WR, though I could agree perhaps he’s not crazy about the move.

Maybe he’s got hands like an OT out there.

by JonnyNYC on Mar 22, 2010 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

or bad grades, or he knocked up his gf, or his mother got sick, or he changed his mind and decided he wants to transfer to a school that offers a major in marine engineering, or he hit lotto and said fuck this football thing. There are a million reasons why the kid could be leaving.

Jim Boeheim for Coach of The Year

by ryanwk628 on Mar 23, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Weird - Even by Current Standards

Players leave – I get that. Specifically and repeatedly talking about how Mike Jones is going to be a key player at a position where the team needs help – and a position where he was already penciled in as a starter – and then the first day of practice he’s gone?

I know we’re talking about 20 year old kids and stuff happens, but it seems really odd given the fact that Jones had been talked about quite a bit.

by Russianator on Mar 23, 2010 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

This is beyond

frustrating now. Jones is such a versatile player. I’m hoping to God that Marrone’s thighs aren’t innappropriately touching these young men? Maybe Chris Hansen should come in and monitor practice?

'I like my baked potatoes with just a little bit of... nothing.'

by TheSportHump on Mar 23, 2010 9:03 AM EDT reply actions