Syracuse football redshirt tracking through three weeks

As you may recall, college football introduced a new redshirt rule for this season that allows players to participate in as many as four games without it counting toward a year of eligibility.

For a program like the Syracuse Orange, it’s incredibly useful to be able to audition younger players and then make a decision after four games or so about whether or not they’ll be contributing for the rest of the season.

With that in mind, we wanted to look at Syracuse’s younger and/or injured players to see who’s on track for a redshirt, who might be and who isn’t so far in 2018.

scholarship players only*

Will redshirt (zero games)

• Tre Allison, LB
• Chance Amie, QB
• Nadarius Fagan, LB
• Wil Froumy, OT
• Ed Hendrix, WR (injury)
• Gabe Horan, TE
• Cam Jonas, S
• Cooper Lutz, WR
• Zach Morton, DE (injury — would be medical redshirt for sixth year)
• Caleb Okechukwu, DE
• Jake Pickard, DE (injury — would be medical redshirt for sixth year)
• Anthony Queeley, WR
• Qadir White, OT

Not many surprising names above. They’re mostly true freshman at positions that are fairly deep. Jonas is really the most surprising, given how he was higher up on the depth chart in the summer and the secondary has been a long-term concern for Syracuse.

Three known injuries up there too, though, and two could be potential medical redshirts granting a sixth year since both Morton and Pickard have already redshirted. Hendrix, whose season-ending injury we found out about on Wednesday, has yet to redshirt, however.

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Likely redshirt (one game so far)

• Lakiem Williams, LB (injury)
• Shaq Grosvenor, DT
• Allen Stritzinger, DB
• Carlos Vettorello, OT

Williams has only played two seasons so far (in the JUCO ranks), so if his injury sustained during/after the Western Michigan game happens to linger a bit longer, he’s able to use that redshirt. Grosvenor played against Wagner but that’s it. As another JUCO guy without a redshirt yet, he’s an option to take one this year if everyone stays healthy on the line.

Vettorello’s lone action was against Wagner too. You’d like to see the true frosh be able to keep a year of eligibility if at all possible. Stritzinger is also here after the position change from running back over the offseason and his only action was against Wagner.

Possible redshirt (two games so far)

• Nykeim Johnson, WR
• Jarveon Howard, RB
• Markenzy Pierre, RB
• Taj Harris, WR

Let’s be honest: Of the four names above, Pierre (a sophomore) is the only one with a real shot to redshirt this year. He hasn’t played a huge part in the offense so far, and with Howard’s apparent ascendance, that seems even less likely now. Dino Babers discussed Jarveon Howard at length this week, and it’s likely his role in the offense increases.

Johnson’s among the most dangerous players on the team with the ball, and missed game one with an injury. He’s not redshirting. Taj Harris has looked good in limited action over the last two games (including a nice touchdown grab against Wagner). He’s also unlikely to redshirt and could be the first man up if any starting receivers get questioned.

Not redshirting (three games so far)

• Andre Cisco, S
• Patrick Davis, OT
• Aaron Hackett, TE
• Juan Wallace, LB
• Trill Williams, CB

Cisco has three picks already and is a rising star, while Williams scored a touchdown on a blocked punt against Wagner and also seems poised to make a long-term impact on this defense. Hackett continues to be a standout special teams player, as does Wallace. Davis is among the team’s best reserve lineman.

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