Syracuse Football: DT Wayne Williams Expected to Play Against Central Michigan

Syracuse's defensive line was a bit of an issue two weeks ago against Villanova. This we know. But one player who did not factor into those problems was defensive tackle Wayne Williams. The JUCO transfer sat out game one against the Wildcats for no particular reason, but that seems likely to change come Saturday against Central Michigan. Said Head Coach Scott Shafer about Williams on Tuesday:

"More than anything, it's just his consistency with his technique both in the run game and in the passing game. Consistency is a big thing on defense, and when he's consistent, he's a pretty good football player. It just needs to be amped up a little bit."

So for those of us slightly concerned about Ron Thompson at starting defensive tackle, that may still be the case -- but it appears Williams will be working his way into the rotation a bit (which likely means Thompson jumping out to the edge, as he did in the first game too). Yes, even despite the fact he wasn't on the depth chart released yesterday.

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If you've forgotten all about Williams, allow us to refresh your memory: He arrived at Syracuse overweight, and that didn't thrill coaches. Now he's primed to do something, though that pesky work ethic still appears to be a concern, as evidence by Shafer's cautious, sort-of endorsement in the quote above.

We'll see if Williams ACTUALLY ends up seeing the field. But at least know that there are some reinforcements should things go south, as they appeared to against 'Nova.