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Syracuse defensive back Antwan Cordy has been granted a medical redshirt, the junior safety announced on Twitter Sunday night. He will now have two more years of eligibility remaining after this season.
Cordy injured his forearm in the second half of Syracuse’s loss to Louisville last week. Syracuse Athletics announced on Friday that both Cordy and cornerback Juwan Dowels – Dowels suffered a knee injury in the same game – will miss the rest of the season.
I feel like this really God plan. Thank God For the medical redshirt. Two more years with Cuse instead of one
— Antwan (@CordyKidd8) September 19, 2016
Cordy recently underwent surgery, and tweeted the operation went well, while Dowels is scheduled to have surgery within a few weeks.
Syracuse coach Dino Babers said the season-ending injury could potentially be a “blessing” as Cordy will now have an extra year to develop in Baber’s Tampa-2 defense, while speaking to the media after Saturday’s loss to USF.
“With Antwan, we’re going to be able to get a redshirt year for him, which means now we now get number eight back the second and third year of this system,” Babers said. “That’s a blessing. Everything happens for a reason – and that’s what I told him.”
Despite the injury, Cordy has kept a positive outlook on the situation, recently tweeting both he and Dowels will “bounce back” and be ready to go next season.
Me and bro juwan will bounce back after this injury . #LackOfWorries pic.twitter.com/bpqzuKdUw9
— Antwan (@CordyKidd8) September 18, 2016
While Cordy receiving a medical redshirt is a nice boost for Syracuse’s secondary in the future, their present looks pretty grim. Cordy’s injury leaves redshirt junior Corey Winfield as the lone upperclassman starting defensive back, and one of only two listed on Syracuse’s most-recent two-man depth chart.
Redshirt sophomore Rodney Williams replaced Cordy in the starting lineup against USF, and fellow redshirt sophomore Cordell Hudson regained his starting spot and replaced Dowels.