Freshman CB Keon Lyn spent much of the early season out with mononucleosis. There's a lot of symptoms of mono, the most pressing for football players being the level of fatigue. Unfortunately, it's claimed another victim on the SU football team, freshman Prince-Tyson Gulley.
Gulley is the second SU player to be diagnosed with mono since training camp started in August. True freshman Keon Lyn contracted it in camp and was out for close to six weeks before returning to practice. Six weeks is the average recovery time for mono, although getting back into football-playing shape is a whole other issue.
Gulley was replaced by Dorian Graham as Syracuse’s deep returner Saturday. Graham dropped the opening kickoff but picked it up and returned it 16 yards to the SU 18-yard line. It was his only return of the game.
The big issue now is, as usual, depth. Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey are the workhorses but after that the SU running back depth chart is 20,000 fathoms under the sea. Gulley is joined by Steve Rene on he injury list and Averin Collier is sitting out the season due to academics.
Doug Marrone was cryptic when mentioning that a current player who is not a RB will be getting reps this week at the position. He would only say that the player is not a starter (don't worry, Doug Hogue) and that the player doesn't know about the move yet.