Syracuse Spring Football: We Must Protect This #SHAMARKO

Most people know 4:20 as the best time of the day to smoke marijuana. A lesser-known fact is that it's the best time of the day to hit people with reckless abandon. Such is the reason Syracuse spring ball will begin at exactly that moment. That said, if anyone is planning in partaking in that first part, they better check for smoke alarms. The snow has pushed practice indoors for Day One.

The practices are open to the public and fans who wish to attend Tuesday can park in the South Manley lot, off of Colvin, then walk around to the main entrance to Manley off of Comstock Avenue.

Fans will be able to sit in the balcony above the practice field.

If you've always wanted to sit in the mostly-empty stands and yell critiques at the players and coaches like Joe McCoy, here's your chance. Though I would be remiss if I didn't remind you that Doug Marrone will be there and anyone yelling anything derogatory from the stands will likely have their liver extracted through their throat. So, fair warning.

Seventy-five players should take the field this afternoon. That means there are four players who won't see too much action, if any at all.

Tight end Cody Catalina and walk-on quarterback Nick Raven are out recovering from leg injuries while strong safety Shamarko Thomas and freshman tight end Louis Addazio will participate but have no contact, according to HCDM. Addazio is recovering from a shoulder injury.

TE Charlie Copa also remains off-the-field and has been declared medically ineligible by the SU medical staff as he still attempts to recover from an "undisclosed injury" suffered in the 2010 preseason.

Speaking of #SHAMARKO, you can thank some off-season surgery on his left arm for the reason Thomas takes it easy this spring. Thomas wore a brace on his arm most of the 2010 season. Surgery repaired his ulnar collateral ligament after an injury to his left elbow suffered in the Washington game.

They say you can't stop #SHAMARKO, you can only hope to contain him. And that's what Marrone is doing:

"He’ll be out there doing things, he just won’t be hitting," SU head coach Doug Marrone said. "We’re going to try to see how position-oriented we can get him … training his eyes, training him to play the safety position."

The pre-spring depth chart is out, and while you shouldn't read much of anything into it, there's a couple items worth noting:

WR - Marcus Sales takes his rightful place at the top, alongside Alec Lemon. Just funny to remember that Sales didn't even qualify for the depth chart a few months ago.

OL - I forget the stat but I know there is some kind of direct correlation between O-line experience and winning. With four returning starters, that's a good start. Macky has a big task ahead to replace Barty, but if he shotgun snap, he's already ahead of the game.

NT - Jay Bromley? Why am I drawing a blank here? I feel like I know nothing about this gentlemen. I wish to know more.

DL - Three seniors. Again, experience is a good thing.

S - Have we come up with a good nickname for Thomas & Thomas, LLC yet? Thomas' English Ruffins? No, that's terrible.

KOR - PTG and Kobena on the kick-offs with Dorian Graham available as well. I would think Graham might work his way up here, but let's see what Kobena can do.

P - Shane Raupers? Wait, what? Didn't he leave the team last year? Guess that means Marrone wasn't too psyched about the idea of LICHTENSTEIN! as his lone punter. Should be a battle.

Holder -  Let is never be said that Charley Loeb wasn't No. 1 on the depth chart somewhere.