Syracuse Football Practice, Day 8 & 9: Phase One Complete

Days 8 & 9 of Syracuse Orange football practice are behind us as the team took Sunday off to recoup and prepare for two-a-days starting Monday. Let's get caught up...

RB

Of the three big backs for the Orange, Rahme says "Bailey is the most diverse, Gulley is the quickest and Ameen-Moore is a pile mover."

WR

How's this for a shocking result. "Redshirt freshman Jarrod West has been the best receiver in camp," says Rahme. So much for all that talking we did about Marcus Sales in the off-season.

Kyle Foster is also turning some heads.

No one really has anything to saw about Van Chew or Alec Lemon. Hmmm...

TE

Nassib apparently has an eye for Nick Provo this year. Chances that he'll be our leading receiver grow every day.

OL

The big news from the weekend is, of course, injury-related. The Orange lose yet another offensive lineman, Sean Hickey, and he's done for the year with a torn ACL.

According to the SU football office, Hickey had pain and swelling in his left knee after Saturday's practice. An MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a lateral meniscus tear. Surgery is planned soon, the release said.

Add him to Nick Lepak (concussion), Ian Allport (concussion) and Jarel Lowery (knee) and you can see we've got some concerns. There is only one backup tackle left active that has any experience (Andrew Phillips). Pray for him.

Rob Trudo switched over to center to help out while the line is depleted, however that sounds like a temporary move.

Rahme says the most impressive newcomer has been tackle Kristofer Curtis. Then again, just by staying healthy, that's impressive.

Some more good news? Macky MacPherson is apparently ten times the shotgun-snapper that his predecessor was.

DL

"Best Punch" is the new "Bone."

Quote of the day came from defensive ends coach Tim Daoust, who offered "five points" to the player who could come up with the best "punch" during a drill. Each player had two chances to deliver a blow to an opposing teammate’s shoulder pads. Star defensive end Chandler Jones made a mighty roar when he went, but Daoust was unimpressed. "Soft. Soft. You make a lot of noise with your mouth. Make noise with your hands." The winner was Torrey Ball.

LB

You can probably consider Marquis Spruill, Dan Vaughan and Dyshawn Davis a lock as the starting trio. Freshmen Oliver Vigille and Cameron Lynch are getting better but don't seem there yet.

DB

Because I don't think we officially mentioned, Keon Lyn dislocated his right shoulder during Thursday’s practice and will be out indefinitely. "Out indefinitely" is the phrase of the summer.

Jaston George, Ritchy Desir and Brandon Reddish remain in a battle for the No. 4 corner spot and all four are beating themselves as much as one another.

Kevyn Scott, however, continues to look solid and a lock on his starting spot.

Special Teams

Rahme says that while the kicker spot is locked up by Das Boot, the punting spot is wide open. Shane Raupers and freshman Jonathan Fisher are even seeing competition from walk-on Riley Dixon.

Coaches

Marrone says he wants to have as much decided as possible, as far as positions, by 10 days prior to the season opener against Wake Forest on Sept. 1. With two-a-days starting today, it's now or never for the players on the fringe.

"I think we’ve got to do a better job of dealing with adversity," he said. "I’m concerned about the mental toughness and the physical toughness of our team, and how do we go forward and not have those types of ups and downs which are occurring right now."

Best exchange of the day goes to Marrone and a Syracuse fan in section 327:

"We’ll be up in Section 327," a man promised Marrone, "screaming our heads off for you."

"That’s good," Doug told the guy. "Maybe I’ll come up and join you if things are going bad."

Videos

Doug Marrone makes fans a priority at Fanfest.

Interview with Durell Eskridge during Media Day.