In The Huddle, Oct. 21, 2011

West Virginia AT Syracuse

IN THE

October 21-23, 2011

HUDDLE A publication of

Into the fire Syracuse must stop West Virginia’s explosive offense to earn 1st Big East win

Heavy lifting Syracuse will have its hands full against one of the best passing attacks in the nation. Page 3

Moment in Morgantown Syracuse upset a ranked West Virginia team on the road last year as a result of its opportunistic defense. Page 5

Pregame breakdown Check out key matchups and starting lineups for Syracuse’s game with West Virginia. Pages 12-13

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ga m eday w eek en d

t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of s y r acuse , n e w yor k

Dara McBride

Amrita Mainthia

editor in chief

managing editor

Sports Editor Presentation Director Photo Editor Copy Chief Asst. Presentation Director Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor

Michael Cohen Becca McGovern Brandon Weight Laurence Leveille Ankur Patankar Mark Cooper Ryne Gery Stacie Fanelli Stephen Bailey Andrew Tredinnick

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Peter Waack Mike Escalante Derek Ostrander Harold Heron Cecilia Jayo Yoli Worth Bianca Rodriguez Kelsey Rowland Andrew Steinbach Yiwei Wu Michael Kang Joyce Placito Olivia St. Denis Assel Baitassova Brooke Williams Tim Bennett

weather today

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cover photo: mitchell franz | staff photographer

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mitchell franz | staff photographer Siriki diabate (18) and the Syracuse defense face a tough test Friday in West Virginia’s explosive offense. The Orange defense must contain WVU quarterback Geno Smith.

Aerial bombardment West Virginia’s Smith to test Orange defense, secondary with passing game

By Mark Cooper

T

Asst. Sports Editor

he past week has been merciless on Scott Shafer’s arm. The Syracuse defensive coordinator has given extra emphasis to throwing deep balls and testing his secondary in an effort to improve a pass defense that has been one of the 10 worst in college football in 2011.

With one of the most proficient quarterbacks in the nation coming to Syracuse on Friday, it’s needed. But that doesn’t mean the effort hasn’t taken a toll on the 44-year-old Shafer.

“My arm’s sore,” Shafer said. “Throwing a lot of deep balls, trying to give them opportunities to play the ball with their eyes.”

More than likely, West Virginia’s method of bombardment will be through the air. The Mountaineers currently rank fourth in the country in passing offense, as quarterback Geno Smith has embraced the “air-raid” offensive scheme of first-year head coach Dana Hol-

gorsen. Three of the top four receivers in the Big East in yards per game line up for the Mountaineers, and Smith averages nearly 360 yards per game passing.

For a reeling Syracuse (4-2, 0-1 Big East) pass defense that has given up 300 yards passing to four of its first six opponents, Friday’s game against the No. 11 Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0) at 8 p.m. in the Carrier Dome could be its stiffest test yet.

“The thing is, for Toledo, we had one wide receiver that was really dangerous,” SU linebacker Marquis Spruill said, “and for Wake Forest, we had another one. But for this team, it’s a whole lot of threats.”

Although Syracuse has already played perhaps the best singular receiver in the nation in Southern California’s Robert Woods, the Mountaineers provide multiple matchup problems with its deep receiving corps.

Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Ivan

McCartney combine to form the most dynamic trio of receivers in the Big East. All three have more than 30 receptions, and six players total have double-digit receptions for WVU. McCartney believes the Mountaineers receiving group’s depth and talent are unparalleled.

“Me, personally, I don’t believe there’s no other receiving corps like ours, and we haven’t released our full potential yet,” said McCartney, who has 34 catches and three touchdowns this year. “And I’m pretty sure that the rest of our receiving corps feel the same way.”

The Mountaineers come to Syracuse looking to exact revenge for last season, when the Orange upset a then-ranked WVU team 19-14 in Morgantown, W. Va. That Orange defense gave Smith fits, forcing him to throw three interceptions and holding him to less than 200 yards passing. see west virginia page 4

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west virginia from page 3

But this Syracuse defense has yet to duplicate the successes of its predecessor. Shafer’s unit has been torched by the likes of Wake Forest, USC, Toledo and Tulane, giving up 29 points or more to each of those teams.

That’s why Shafer has been working vigorously to improve the secondary’s efforts on deep balls. The Orange was burned on two deep touchdowns in its last game Oct. 8 at Tulane, with both starting cornerbacks, Kevyn Scott and Keon Lyn, giving up long touchdowns.

Smith has completed a pass of more than 40 yards in five straight games for WVU. “More than anything is making sure where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there and how the offense is going to try to attack us,” Shafer said. “So really that’s been the focus.”

Shafer said it starts with a player’s eyes because if he can locate the ball first, his hands and feet will follow and come through.

That’s something Lyn said he looks to improve this week as SU takes on a quarterback in Smith who threw for 450 yards and four scores in his last game against Connecticut.

“I had a lot of plays this year I should have made plays on,” Lyn said. “But I got the cast and just having trouble seeing the ball, so we’ve just been working deep balls this week, getting our eyes well prepared so I can be able to make better plays when the ball’s deep.”

The cast Lyn referred to is on his left hand.

Both Lyn and cornerback Ri’Shard Anderson have been playing with casts on their hands,

something that has hindered their ability to haul in interceptions. Especially during jump ball situations with a defender.

After Syracuse’s loss to Rutgers on Oct. 1, Orange head coach Doug Marrone said he has been a part of coaching staffs that see a cast on the hand of an opponent’s cornerback and implement more go routes in their game plans.

Rutgers began throwing deep balls in the second half of that game. Tulane did it to Syracuse all game.

West Virginia has been throwing deep, successfully, for six games this season. And McCartney said the Mountaineers will be going at Syracuse the same way.

“We’re just looking at this game as the same as we look at every game,” McCartney said.

“Just a game to improve, a game to win, and we don’t feel like no team can touch us.” mcooperj@syr.edu

Mountains of stats West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith entered the 2011 season with the expectations to be the best player in the Big East, and so far he’s lived up to the billing. The junior has completed 64 percent of his passes and has led the No. 11 Mountaineers’ offense to more than 30 points in five of six games. Here’s a look at Smith’s game-by-game statistics this season: Opponent

Comp-Att

Yards

TD/INT

Marshall 26-35 249 2/0 Norfolk State 20-34 371 4/0 Maryland 36-49 388 1/1 LSU 38-65 463 2/2 Bowling Green 18-30 238 3/0 Connecticut 27-45 450 4/0

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october 21-23, 2 011

Last time they played Chandler Jones glanced up at the scoreboard as the clock dwindled down to the one-minute mark. He knew Syracuse was on the verge of turning in one of its best performances of the season. But it would all be for naught if the defense could not buckle down in the 60 seconds to halt one last West Virginia drive.

“I looked back at the clock and there was one minute and three seconds left, and I was like, ‘This is it, the game is on our shoulders,’” Jones said after the game.

With Syracuse holding a slim five-point lead and the Mountaineers just 20 yards from the end zone, the Orange turned away three straight attempts for West Virginia to break through.

And on fourth-and-22, SU humbled the dynamic Mountaineer offense one last time. Jones, Anthony Perkins and Shamarko Thomas sent WVU quarterback Geno Smith to the turf for the team’s fifth sack of the afternoon, securing a 19-14 victory on the road on Oct. 23, 2010.

In SU’s arguably most impressive game of last season, the Orange earned a hard-fought win over the Mountaineers in front of 58,112 at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va. Syracuse took home the Ben Schwartzwalder

Syracuse 19 West Virginia 14

Trophy, awarded to the game’s winner, for the first time since 2001.

SU’s defense was at the forefront of the upset victory. The Orange allowed just 99 yards of total offense. After West Virginia scored touchdowns on two of its first three possessions, the defense settled in and held the Mountaineers scoreless for the final three quarters.

A week after surrendering 45 points to Pittsburgh in an embarrassing loss in the Carrier Dome, SU ended up spoiling West Virginia’s homecoming with an upset win.

“We weren’t playing to (preserve) the win,” defensive end Mikhail Marinovich said after the game. “We were playing to attack, attack, attack. … That’s the mindset we went out with.”

The Orange defense made crucial plays down the stretch — in addition to the final drive — to fuel the victory. Phillip Thomas intercepted Geno Smith on the goal line, and linebacker Doug Hogue added two interceptions of his own on the afternoon.

The Orange was able to capitalize off of those miscues, tallying nine points off turnovers. SU simply took advantage of its opportunities to score points.

Oct. 23, 2010

Ryan Nassib threw a touchdown pass to Van Chew in the first quarter, and Ross Krautman added four field goals to shock the Mountaineers.

“West Virginia is a great football team,” SU head coach Doug Marrone said after the game.

“There is no plan or anything to beating a West Virginia football team. The only way is you go out there and you play your heart out. … And at the end of the day, you hope you can execute better and take advantage of maybe some miscues.

And we were able to do that.”

The win over then-No. 20 West Virginia was the signature win for Marrone in his second year at the helm of the Orange. The 2010 team went 5-1 on the road, and this game epitomized SU’s ability to win away from home in a hostile environment.

It was a career-defining win for the SU players.

“There was a lot of pressure to keep them out of the end zone,” Hogue said after the game. “But it was amazing. We just played solid football, stayed disciplined and got the job done.

“It’s still settling in on me. It’s just a great feeling.”

—Compiled by Andrew Tredinnick, asst. copy editor, adtredin@syr.edu

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Perspectives compiled by stephen bailey and stacie fanelli | the daily orange

If you could ask Doug Marrone one question, what would it be?

“When will you beat a Top 25 team?” “What changed from last year?”

Brendan McCauley

Sophomore aerospace engineering major

Brian Weber

Sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

“Why don’t you throw the ball more?”

“Why did you invest all your time in Richard Ackah football?”

Sophomore sport management major

Evan Bianchi

Sophomore political science and music major

“What’s the pregame meal, the dinner “Would you allow a girl to play on your “What do you do to relieve stress?” team?”

Liang Yin before the game?”

Michele DiLella

“Who is your favorite quarterback?”

Sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

Brian Grove

Junior advertising major

Courtney Perdiue

Sophomore in the School of Information Studies

Freshman biology major

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october 21-23, 2 011

7

Q & A with Syracuse left tackle Justin Pugh

By Michael Cohen Sports Editor

Syracuse left tackle Justin Pugh has helped anchor an offensive line that seems to be finding its stride in recent weeks. The unit helped pave the way for running back Antwon Bailey to eclipse 100 yards in each of the past three games, and it’s done a solid job of protecting quarterback Ryan Nassib all season long.

Friday, the Orange offensive line faces a West Virginia defense that runs a 3-3-5 scheme. The Mountaineers defense ranks 36th in the country against the run and 16th in total defense.

The Daily Orange caught up with Pugh to discuss the challenges of facing West Virginia on Friday.

The Daily Orange: West Virginia’s defense is different than a lot of other teams with that 3-3-5 look. Is that different for the offensive line blocking-wise?

Justin Pugh: It’s different for us, but we started the year with Wake Forest, which is a three-down

front team. We’ve kind of seen a lot of different fronts this year, which has been good for us, obviously, as the offensive line. And also having the bye week gave us a couple extra days to prepare, so I think that will helps us. And now, now it’s kind of second nature, this West Virginia defense.

Whereas last year as a freshman — I wouldn’t tell you guys this last year — but last year, I went into the game and I was like, ‘Oh, my god.’ I was kind of confused. But now going into this year, I’ve really looked back and learned from last year, and I think it’s definitely going to pay off for me. And I’ve kind of been able to help other guys along the line like Macky (MacPherson), so we’ll be good.

You mentioned you wanted to see 125 yards running the ball. Between those four guys, would you like to see 150 or 175 total on Friday?

I’d like to see 200 total. I mean, it depends how the game is, what the score is. Obviously, I would love to run the ball. Instead of them bull rushing me every play, I get to get after them a little bit, so that will be good.

This is a high-scoring team in West Virginia. If you guys can run the ball and control the clock, I’ve got to think that’s going to help you on Friday.

You never want to have a slow start, but against a team that is in the Top 25 in the country that’s coming into the Carrier Dome, is it even more important to jump on top of them early?

a team like West Virginia, after they get things rolling they start to really get going. You see the teams they played, they’ll score once and then a turnover, score again, score again. Like against UConn, they got up by 21 points just like that in the third quarter. So we want to make sure that we stay on them, and it’s always good to have a close game. It’s more competitive, and it allows us to be more versatile on offense.

It’s another game where you get to go with that underdog mentality that I know the team likes.

Talk about how that plays into this week.

We went down there last year and no one gave us a shot, and that’s the way we’re going to go into this game. They’re like 15th in the country, 11th in the country, something like that. So we’re going to go into this game thinking, I mean, everyone around this area thinks we’ve got a shot. And we’ve just got to go out there and show the world what we’ve been working on for the past two weeks.

You definitely want to get on them early because

mjcohe02@syr.edu

We saw last year that we were able to keep them off the field. I mean, a little bit. Our defense obviously forced a lot of turnovers, so if we can generate some turnovers on defense and we can establish the run game and not go three-and-out.

I mean, every drive you obviously want to score.

It’s somewhat unrealistic, but you just want to make sure you’re not going three-and-out every time and establishing drives. If you establish drives, it gives you good field position, puts the defense in better position, and it’s just positive for everyone.

Scouting West Virginia with Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn

By Mark Cooper Asst. Sports Editor

Keon Lyn is taking Friday’s game personally.

The Syracuse cornerback will be lining up against one wide receiver, Ivan McCartney, who played with him when they were seniors at Miramar (Fla.) High School. He’ll be facing two other Miramar products — quarterback Geno Smith and receiver Stedman Bailey — who, although they never played with Lyn, are familiar to the Orange sophomore.

Lyn said he and McCartney have been talking about going up against each other since the summer.

“Every day. We’ve been talking about it every day since before the season started,” Lyn said.

“We were working out together back at home, so it’s going to be a great game on Friday. I can’t wait for the world to see it.”

Smith and Bailey graduated from Miramar a year before Lyn and didn’t play with him, but Lyn said he’s familiar with their games and tendencies. And the Orange may need Lyn’s familiarity to help him make a play against a Mountaineers team that ranks fourth in the nation in passing yards per game.

The Daily Orange talked to Lyn this week about West Virginia’s biggest playmakers and what Syracuse will need to do on defense to limit the Mountaineers’ success through the air.

The Daily Orange: How much do you know the tendencies of these players from Miramar and

what makes each of them so talented?

Keon Lyn: I know everybody, they’re all bringing something different to the table. So it’s about adjusting to their elements. Geno’s a great quarterback, the great receivers, they’re all great.

They got all their own attributes in different ways, so it’s going to be fun on Friday, and I just got to bring something different to the table.

Coming off the bye week, you guys had some time to correct some things on defense. Now you’re going up against a high-powered passing offense. What’d you guys do to get ready for this type of offense?

You just got to look at the elements, and you just got to look at how they make their plays and the great offensive coordinator. They have great playmakers all around the ball, so you just got to attack it straight up, hands up, to be able to make plays on the ball and make turnovers.

Did you kind of use that bye week to get back to better health, too?

Yeah, we evaluated the hand, it got smaller, we are still evaluating it, anything can happen, it could come off tomorrow, anything can happen. We’re just going to keep evaluating the hand, and it was a good bye week to get some extra film on West Virginia, extra game plan on West Virginia, so I think it will be a better outcome.

With Geno Smith, what are his biggest strengths and weaknesses?

A lot of quarterbacks, they can’t make plays once their main target’s not open. A lot of quarterbacks

fold. He’s able to still create something else if where he’s going is not open. He’s able to move out of the pocket, move around the pocket, throw down the field, throw short. Great accuracy, he’s been like that for a long time. So I told my team what we’re going against, and they know we got a great quarterback with great receivers coming into our house.

You played with WVU receiver Ivan McCartney, and Stedman Bailey went to Miramar the year

before you. What do they do that makes them great?

They’ve been doing it since high school. Their hands are great. (Ivan’s) great down the field. Sted, if the ball is thrown anywhere to him he’s going to catch it, he’s got good body control. They’re good off the line, all of them bring something different to the table and all of them are good in their own way, so it should be good this week. mcooperj@syr.edu

SYRACUSE NO.

1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 37 38 39 40 41 41 42

NAME

Phillip Thomas Olando Fisher Durell Eskridge Brandon Reddish Marcus Sales Ritchy Desir Terrel Hunt Jonny Miller Oliver Vigille Corey Edsall Keon Lyn Ri’Shard Anderson Dorian Graham Marquis Spruill Ryan Nassib Deon Goggins John Kinder Alec Lemon Shu Mungwa Keenan Hale James Jarrett Charley Loeb Siriki Diabate Nick Raven Ryan Lichtenstein Mitchell Piasecki Greg Tobias Shamarko Thomas Adrian Flemming Prince-Tyson Gulley Jaston George Jeremiah Kobena Kevyn Scott Nathaniel Forer Joe Nassib Jeremi Wilkes Antwon Bailey Steve Rene Clay Cleveland Travon Burke Dan Vaughan Tombe Kose Dyshawn Davis Adonis Ameen-Moore Ross Krautman Chris McKenzie Cameron Lynch Dom Anene Zachary McCarrell Shane Raupers Donnie Simmons Shane Kimmel

POS.

FS SS FS CB WR CB QB QB LB QB/P CB CB WR LB QB DT QB WR SS WR SS QB LB TE K FB RB SS WR RB CB WR CB QB CB FS RB RB FB RB LB FB LB RB K FS LB LB LB P DE FB

HT

5-11 5-10 6-2 5-10 6-0 5-11 6-3 6-1 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-4 5-10 6-4 5-11 5-11 5-10 5-10 6-3 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-3 5-9 5-9 5-7 5-7 6-0 6-1 6-2 5-9 6-3 5-10 5-7 5-10 5-11 6-1 5-11 5-9 6-2 6-1

WT

190 207 196 179 183 168 203 212 212 211 190 189 185 216 229 272 181 202 207 185 202 212 210 230 161 252 169 208 196 181 159 180 208 228 170 189 201 176 236 253 219 240 213 244 155 206 223 224 188 184 226 232

CLASS

Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Fr. So. Jr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Gr. Fr. So. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Jr. So. Jr. Fr. Sr.

NO.

43 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 74 75 76 77 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

NAME

Mario Tull Jerome Smith Jonathan Fisher Sam Rodgers Carl Cutler Adam Harris Femi Aliyu Eric Crume Ollie Haney Lucas Albrecht Mikhail Marinovich Rob Trudo Cory Boatman Lewellyn Coker Macky MacPherson Sean Hickey Eric Morris Andrew Phillips Ryan Sloan Jarel Lowery Andrew Tiller Justin Pugh Nick Robinson Jesse Wolf-Gould Ivan Foy Nick Lepak Michael Hay Zack Chibane Ian Allport Lou Alexander Kristofer Curtis Nick Provo Louie Addazio Van Chew Max Beaulieu Michael Acchione Beckett Wales David Stevens Kyle Foster Jarrod West Thomas Trendowski Cayden Feifer Brandon Sharpe Riley Dixon Robert Welsh Micah Robinson Daniel Anyaegbunam Torrey Ball Jay Bromley Macauley Hill Kyle Ishman Chandler Jones

POS.

RB RB P LS FB FB LB NT NT DT DE C NT LB C OT LS OT DT OG OG OT OT OL OG OG OT OG C OG OT TE TE WR TE WR TE TE WR WR TE WR DE K/P NT DE DT DE DT WR WR DE

HT

6-0 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-5 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-6 5-9 6-6 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-3 5-11 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-5

WT

207 213 209 215 250 248 215 332 290 255 253 300 281 218 269 282 227 279 324 309 334 292 295 321 318 363 283 293 296 331 291 249 241 175 240 174 253 231 207 204 242 169 245 202 260 252 288 253 280 198 181 265

CLASS

So. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. So. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Gr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Gr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Fr. So. R-Sr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. So. So. Sr. So. Fr. So. Sr.

WEST VIRGINIA NO.

1 2 3 4 6 5 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 20 22 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 29 30 30 31 31 32 33 34 34 35 35 36 37 38 39 40 40 41 41 42 42

NAME

Tavon Austin Brad Starks Stedman Bailey Devon Brown Pat Miller Ivan McCartney Trey Johnson Mikal Mayo Keith Tandy Vernard Roberts Michael Dorsey Bruce Irvin Rob Kressler Geno Smith Andrew Buie Paul Millard Anthony Vecchio Coley White Michael Burchett Terrell Chestnut Josh Francis Mack Van Gorder Brantwon Bowser William Marable KJ Myers Nana Agyire Shawne Alston Avery Williams Dustin Brown Brodrick Jenkins Anthony Gutta Matt Shull Eain Smith Darwin Cook Eric Gerber Travis Bell Trent Lusk Vance Roberts Terence Garvin Dustin Garrison Dominick Bryan Steve Paskorz Isaiah Bruce Nate Majnaric Ryan Clarke Jared Barber Ishmael Banks J.D. Izon Nick Kwiatkoski Lawrence Smith Shaq Petteway Wes Tonkery Matt Lindamood Nick Cadwell Tyler Bitancurt Alex Burdette Lucas Henn Ricky Kovatch Jerry Cooper Donovan Miles

POS.

IR WR IR IR DB WR RB DB DB RB DB DE QB QB RB QB DB IR QB DB LB DB DB DB WR DB RB DB IR DB RB WR DB DB IR FS LS DB DB RB LB LB LB RB RB LB DB RB DB DB LB DB RB DB K DB DB RB LS LB

HT

5-9 6-3 5-10 5-10 5-10 6-3 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-9 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-3 5-9 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-2 6-1 5-11 5-11 5-9 5-10 5-11 6-4 5-11 5-11 5-8 6-2 5-9 5-8 6-3 5-8 5-11 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-0 6-1 5-11 5-9 6-2 5-9 6-0 6-1 6-0 5-9 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-1

WT

176 193 190 188 188 178 183 170 199 184 219 245 200 214 191 218 180 174 205 177 221 200 188 192 185 185 221 181 182 184 230 185 202 204 160 202 208 170 222 165 215 242 215 225 228 215 181 175 215 181 200 203 236 185 203 175 196 235 206 242

CLASS

Jr. R-Sr. R-So. R-Sr. Jr. So. So. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. So. Sr. R-So. Jr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. R-So. Fr. Fr. R-Sr. R-So. Fr. So. R-Jr. Fr. Jr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Jr. Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Jr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Jr. R-Jr. R-Jr. Fr. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. R-Jr.

NO.

43 44 44 45 46 47 48 48 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 56 57 57 60 62 64 65 67 70 71 72 73 74 76 77 79 80 81 82 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 88 89 90 90 91 91 91 92 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

NAME

Casey Vance Ismail Showell Corey Smith Cecil Level Matt Moro Doug Rigg Pete Miller Michael Molinari Troy Gloster Juan Guerra Taige Redman Josh Contraguerro Najee Goode Tyler Anderson Hunter Bittner Tyler Rader Chidoziem Ezemma Jewone Snow Jeff Braun Kelvin Owusu John Bassler Curtis Feigt Don Barclay Chad Snodgrass Quinton Spain Brandon Jackson Marquis Lucas Cole Bowers Russell Haughton-James Joe Madsen Pat Eger Josh Jenkins Nick Kindler Ryan Nehlen J.D. Woods Kendrick Barnes Dante Campbell Connor Arlia Andrew Goldbaugh Willie Milhouse Matt Sokoloski Cody Nutter Cody Clay Blair Strejeck Tyler Urban Derrick Bryant Shaq Rowell J.B. Lageman Soraya Alsien-Ogbebar Arthur Johannes Trevor Demko David Slonski Kyle Rose Josh Taylor Ben Tomasek Ted Rietschlin Julian Miller Will Clarke Jorge Wright

POS.

LB DB K/P DB DB LB IR K LB LB LB LB LB LB LB OL LB LB OL LB OL OL OL OL OL OG OT OL OT OL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR IR WR WR LS LS IR TE IR DE DL DE IR DL DE DL DE DL DL DE DL DE DL

HT

5-9 5-11 5-11 5-10 5-11 6-1 5-9 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-6 6-2 6-0 6-0 6-5 5-10 5-9 6-0 5-11 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-5 5-11 6-6 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-0 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-2

WT

222 175 208 184 190 235 175 196 227 230 227 228 241 235 223 296 203 230 322 240 300 314 310 298 338 320 310 298 280 301 301 305 295 203 195 175 205 185 182 207 220 243 250 230 251 251 308 274 255 280 255 230 240 285 230 270 268 265 289

CLASS

R-Sr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Jr. Jr. So. R-Jr. R-Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. R-So. R-Jr. R-Sr. R-So. R-Jr. R-Sr. R-So. R-Fr. R-Jr. Fr. R-Jr. R-So. R-Sr. R-Sr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-So. Fr. R-Jr. R-So. Sr. R-So. R-Jr. R-Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Fr. Sr. R-Fr. So. R-Jr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Fr. R-So. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Sr. R-So. R-Jr.

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key matchups

west virginia AT syracuse

11 Smith has thrown for more than 370 yards in four of West Virginia’s six games this year. He has 16 touchdown passes to just three interceptions. SU will need someone in the secondary to be a playmaker, and Thomas leads the Orange with three picks.

phillip thomas fs

Friday, 8 p.m., ESPN

starting lineups

geno smith qb

1

Pressure might be the key for SU to slow down this dynamic offense, and expect Jones to come out on a mission in his first game back since suffering a lower body injury in the season opener.

chandler jones de

35

don barclay lt

26 Bailey has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games entering Friday’s matchup. SU will try to keep its defense on the sideline as long as possible by establishing a strong ground game, led

by Bailey. Goode is tied for the team lead with 41 tackles on the season.

antwon bailey rb

najee goode slb

3

1

64 57

they said it

Doug Marrone

SU head coach

“Losing to Rutgers has put us in a hole in the Big East. We’ve got to go out there this week and definitely it’d be great to win. But West Virginia’s a great team, so we’ve got to come out and play our game.”

Justin Pugh SU offensive lineman

AT LOUISVILLE

Oct. 29, noon

15

8 89

5

28

11

56 52 99

97

8

75 59 66 74 12 Syracuse on offense 49 29

“I think I would be naive not to think that we had gone to Morgantown (last year) and might have caught them off guard a little bit. … I don’t think that will be the case this year.”

UP Next >>

54

25 43

6

West Virginia’s 643 yards of offense against Bowling Green on Oct. 1 was the third-highest total in a single game in school history. The best performance was a 674-yard outburst against Washington and Lee in 1923, and the second best was 654 yards against Syracuse in 1993.

13

12 29

24

did you know?

33

74 55 76

west virginia on offense

stedman bailey wr

At the halfway point of the season, Ryan Nassib is on track to have the best season for a quarterback in Syracuse history. He is on pace to set the school record for completions, attempts and yards in a season. And he is on track to tie the SU record for touchdown passes.

11

99 96

Scott didn’t have a great game against Tulane, but he has proved he can step up when his teammates need him to — evidenced by his play late against Wake Forest and Toledo. If he can hang with the Mountaineers’ receivers and make some big plays, it could spark a huge upset.

kevyn scott cb

21

67

80

west virginia Offense 12 QB Geno Smith 29 RB Dustin Garrison 3 WR Stedman Bailey 1 IR Tavon Austin 89 IR Tyler Urban 5 WR Ivan McCartney 64 LT Don Barclay 57 LG Jeff Braun 74 C Joe Madsen 55 RG Tyler Rader 76 RT Pat Eger

Syracuse Defense 99 DE chandler jones 13 NT Deon Goggins 96 DT Jay Bromley 54 DE Mikhail Marinovich 33 SLB Dan Vaughan 11 MLB Marquis Spruill 35 WLB Dyshawn Davis 26 H CB Kevyn Scott 21 SS Shamarko Thomas 1 FS Phillip Thomas 8 CB Keon Lyn

Syracuse offense 12 QB Ryan Nassib 29 RB Antwon Bailey 49 FB Adam Harris 82 WR Van Chew 15 WR Alec Lemon 80 TE Nick Provo 67 LT Justin Pugh 75 LG Zack Chibane 59 C Macky MacPherson 66 RG Andrew Tiller 74 RT Michael Hay

west virginia Defense 11 DE Bruce Irvin 99 NT Jorge Wright 97 DT Julian Miller 52 SLB Najee Goode 56 MLB Jewone Snow 43 WLB Casey Vance 8 CB Keith Tandy 28 SS Terence Garvin 24 FS Eain Smith 25 BS Darwin Cook 6 CB Pat Miller

AT CONNECTICUT

Nov. 5, TBD

82

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october 21-23, 2 011

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS MARK COOPER West Virginia 42 Syracuse 27 Geno Smith will pad his stats. Many West Virginia receivers will score touchdowns. Fans will likely be able to leave early.

No fault to Syracuse, the Mountaineers are just on another level.

MICHAEL COHEN West Virginia 45 Syracuse 20 The Mountaineers scored 33 points in 13:53 against UConn.

Apply that rate to a full game and West Virginia could put up more than 132 points on Friday. Math doesn’t lie, and neither does Zach Brown.

ZACH BROWN West Virginia 41 Syracuse 17 The Orange is not going to catch West Virginia off guard this time around. Look for Geno Smith to have a monster game, and this one could get out of hand quickly.

BY THE NUMBERS

9

The number of 100-yard performances by West Virginia receivers this season, the most in one year in team history. Four separate Mountaineers have surpassed the century mark through six games.

463

The number of passing yards West Virginia racked up against No. 1 Louisiana State earlier this season. Particularly impressive against LSU’s No. 4 defense in the country.

293

Passing yards allowed per game by the Syracuse defense. The Orange is 112th in the country against the pass.

4

The number of 100-yard rushing games by SU running back Antwon Bailey this year.

He is tied with Pittsburgh’s Ray Graham and Connecticut’s Lyle McCombs for most 100yard games in the Big East.

73

The number of yards rushing by UConn’s McCombs last week against WVU. He averaged 3.7 yards per carry in the Huskies’ 43-16 loss to the Mountaineers.

SOUTH FLORIDA

Nov. 11, 8 p.m.

sports.dailyorange.com

13

14 o c t o b e r 2 1 - 2 3 , 2 0 1 1

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

tale of the tape

Quarterbacks

Tight Ends

Other than that stinker of a game against Rutgers, Ryan Nassib had a solid first half of the season, and he is on pace to break multiple Syracuse single-season records. But Geno Smith ranks fifth in the country with 360 passing yards per game and has 16 touchdown passes to just three interceptions.

SU’s Nick Provo was just named to the John Mackey Award midseason watch list and ranks second on the Orange with 22 catches this year. West Virginia has no use for a tight end in its spread offense. The only one on its roster is redshirt freshman Blair Strejek, and he hasn’t stepped on the field this season.

Running backs

Offensive Line

Advantage: West Virginia

Advantage: Syracuse

Antwon Bailey has had great success since the Orange made a more concerted effort to run the ball, producing three straight 100-yard games. He’s on pace to break the 1,000-yard mark by season’s end. Mountaineer back Dustin Garrison does have 436 yards on the ground this year, but more than half of those — 291 yards — came two weeks ago in a romp over Bowling Green.

Syracuse’s O-line looked a bit shaky to start the season, but with the new emphasis on the ground game, the unit has opened up big holes for Bailey during the last few games. But on the other side, Smith has thrown more than 250 times this year and has been sacked just seven times.

Wide Receivers

Defensive Line

Advantage: Syracuse

Four different West Virginia receivers have broken the century mark in a game this season.

They have three wideouts with more than 30 catches for more than 450 yards halfway through the season. Alec Lemon is the only SU receiver with more than 30 receptions, and he leads the team with 322 yards.

Advantage: West Virginia

Advantage: West Virginia

West Virginia’s three-man front has combined for 4.5 of the team’s very low total of eight sacks.

SU has held opponents to less than three yards per carry on the ground, and the pass rush could get a huge boost from defensive end Chandler Jones’ return to the starting lineup.

Linebackers

Advantage: Syracuse

This has been SU’s best unit on defense. The top four all have 25 tackles or more and have produced 6.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries. Two of West Virginia’s starters haven’t broken the 20-tackle mark yet.

Secondary

Advantage: Syracuse

This has been SU’s worst unit on offense or defense. The Orange ranks 112th in the country against the pass and four of its six opponents have broken the 300-yard mark. West Virginia is 17th in the country in passing defense and gives up an average of 181 yards through the air per game.

Special Teams

Advantage: West Virginia

Syracuse freshman Jeremiah Kobena has looked like a budding star bringing back kicks for the Orange, but SU has struggled in the kicking game. Mountaineers kicker Tyler Bitancurt has made 11-of-12 attempts, and West Virginia’s dangerous group of wide receivers contribute in the return game.

Advantage: West Virginia

Coaching

Dana Holgorsen is one of the best offensive minds in the country, but it’s hard to give the edge to a guy entering his seventh game ever as a Division-I head coach. Marrone has put Syracuse back on the right path since he took the reins and seems poised to return the Orange to contender status in the near future.

Advantage: Syracuse

16 o c t o b e r 2 1 - 2 3 , 2 0 1 1

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AROUND THE BIG EAST STANDINGS

1 2 2 4

Rutgers

4 6

Pittsburgh

4-2 (0-1)

Two premier Big East defenses will face off on Friday night. The Cardinals and Scarlet Knights are ranked in the top 30 nationally in rush defense, total defense and scoring defense. Rutgers has been slightly better statistically. The Scarlet Knights are currently second in the nation in sacks per game and fourth in tackles for loss per game, while the Cardinals are tied for 15th and sixth in those categories, respectively. Louisville has had trouble stopping big plays this season, so look for Rutgers to throw the ball downfield.

6 8

Louisville

CINCINNATI (5-1, 1-0) AT SOUTH FLORIDA (4-2, 0-2), NOON, BIG EAST NETWORK

South Florida

The Bearcats are on an absolute tear entering their matchup with South Florida in Raymond James Stadium on Saturday. Cincinnati has won its last four games by a combined score of 155-44. The Bearcats defense has allowed no more than 16 points in any of those games.

Offensively, Zach Collaros is second to West Virginia star Geno Smith in passer rating in the Big East. Isaiah Pead is second in the conference with 104 rushing yards per game and is averaging an impressive 6.8 yards per carry. Coming off two straight losses, USF desperately needs a win over the red-hot Bearcats.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

5-1 (2-0)

courtesy of pittsburgh athletics media relations

Cincinnati 5-1 (1-0)

NAME

SCHOOL

Tavon Austin

West Virginia 94

3-4 (1-1)

3-4 (1-1)

Syracuse

2-4 (0-1)

4-2 (0-2)

Sterling Griffin

South Florida 70

SCHOOL

RUSH YARDS/GAME

NAME

Geno Smith

West Virginia

359.8

Isaiah Pead

Cincinnati

104

B.J. Daniels

South Florida

243

Lyle McCombs Connecticut

100.7

Ryan Nassib

Syracuse

215.7

Antwon Bailey Syracuse

92.2

Zach Collaros

Cincinnati

197.8

Darrell Scott

80.3

Ray Graham

Pittsburgh

South Florida

134.1

SCHOOL

Johnny McEntee Connecticut

PASS YARDS/GAME

172.7

PASSING

Connecticut

Ivan McCartney West Virginia 75.8

NAME

RUSHING

5-1 (1-0)

92.5

RECEIVING

Mohamed Sanu Rutgers

11West Virginia

RECEIVING YARDS/GAME

Stedman Bailey West Virginia 105.7

WEEKEND LINEUP Friday RUTGERS (5-1, 2-0) AT LOUISVILLE (2-4, 0-1), 8 P.M., ESPN2

Saturday

—Compiled by Stephen Bailey, asst. copy editor, sebail01@syr.edu

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

october 21-23, 2 011

NEWS NOTES AND

AROUND THE BIG EAST

Pasqualoni settles down recruits

Sunseri gets vote of confidence

The future of the Big East is still uncertain. With Syracuse and Pittsburgh defecting for the Atlantic Coast Conference and Texas Christian leaving before even playing a game in the conference, the Big East is searching for replacement schools.

Connecticut recruits have asked head coach Paul Pasqualoni about conference realignment, and Pasqualoni has done his best to assure the potential Huskies that the Big East has a bright future.

“What we’ve said to the prospects is that the leadership of the Big East is in great hands and that we’ll move forward here as quickly as we can,” Pasqualoni said during the Big East coaches’ teleconference Monday. “And we’ll do — the Big East conference and the leadership of the conference — we’ll do the right thing, and we’ll have a great conference with good teams, with outstanding teams.”

The Big East has targeted Air Force, Boise State, Central Florida, Houston, Southern Methodist and Navy to join the conference. The latest plan is to create a 12-team football league.

But as Pasqualoni sees it, the sooner the conference’s future is set in place, the better.

“I think it would help,” Pasqualoni said. “We would all like to know exactly what the landscape all over the country is going to be. ... I just think there’s a certain amount of comfort in knowing exactly where you stand.”

Tino Sunseri is Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback for now. Panthers head coach Todd Graham had pulled Sunseri in favor of freshman Trey Anderson for stretches of the team’s last two games.

Pittsburgh has a bye this weekend, but when Pittsburgh faces Connecticut next Wednesday, Sunseri will take all of the snaps, Graham said Monday during the Big East coaches’ teleconference.

“I think that switching the quarterbacks in and out has created more distractions than it has positives,” Graham said. “The idea is to get a spark. Trey has done a good job, has a lot of potential, is going to be a good quarterback for us in the future.

“So our focus is: Let’s get it out of Tino, let’s go to work. I think that really hurt us in the last game, just switching quarterbacks so much.”

Last year, Sunseri threw for 2,572 yards and 16 touchdowns, but this season he has just fi ve passing touchdowns to seven interceptions. Sunseri and the Panthers as a whole are currently 96th in the nation in passing offense.

“Tino, by far and away, has the biggest grasp of what we’re doing offensively from his experience in the spring and in the fall,” Graham said. “And we’ve got to get it out of him.”

—Compiled by Stephen Bailey, asst. copy editor, sebail01@syr.edu

Saturday, October 22, 2011 10:00am - 6:00pm

Featuring 50 original and independent designers from Central New York Live music and local food vendors

3 rd !

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King+King Architects 358 W. Jefferson Street suggested donation $1 www.saltcitycraftmart.com

spotlight on S.U. alumni: Debbie Urbanski of Smock

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AROUND THE NATION

HEISMAN HOPEFULS

Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

142-OF-182, 1,950 YARDS, 22 TDS, 2 INTS 72 CARRIES, 295 YARDS, 2 TDS Baylor has already lost two games in Big 12 Conference play, but it has not been because of its quarterback’s play. Some of Griffin’s best performances this season have come in defeats. In the Bears’ 55-28 loss to then-No. 21 Texas A&M a week ago, Griffin was 28-of-40 for 430 yards and three touchdowns. Griffin has thrown for three touchdowns or more in all but one game this season. His Heisman-worthy stat line is impressive, but the trophy will most likely go to a player whose team has a better record.

courtesy of isi photos

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

129-OF-181, 1,719 YARDS, 18 TDS, 3 INTS 13 CARRIES, 65 YARDS, 1 TD Luck has hit his stride in the last few games for the Cardinal. He threw for 336 yards and four touchdowns on the road against Washington State last week. A week earlier against Colorado, Luck was 26-of-33 for 370 yards and three scores. His talent and leadership have proven invaluable for Stanford, and all the recognition Luck has received has been validated.

The Cardinal has beaten each of its opponents by at least 26 points this season.

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

132 CARRIES, 912 YARDS, 15 TDS 15 RECEPTIONS, 179 YARDS, 1 TD Richardson had the best game of his career in the Crimson Tide’s 52-7 victory over Mississippi last weekend. He broke out for 183 yards and four touchdowns against the Rebels.

Richardson has topped 100 yards rushing in six of the team’s seven games this season and found his spot among Heisman-caliber running backs. With other notable tailbacks sidelined by injuries, like South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore and Oregon’s LaMichael James, Richardson can emerge as the best tailback.

GAMES WEEK

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

151-OF-199, 1,729 YARDS, 21 TDS, 4 INTS Moore is playing second fiddle to Baylor’s Robert Griffin III at this juncture of the season.

The Boise State quarterback is second in the nation in both completion percentage and touchdown passes, trailing Grffin in both of those categories. But what sets Moore apart?

He has yet to lose. Moore leads the Broncos into the Bowl Championship Series discussion yet again this year with a perfect 6-0 record. In Boise State’s first game in the Mountain West Conference, Moore threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns.

Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin

95-OF-128, 1,557 YARDS, 14 TDS, 1 INT 24 CARRIES, 182 YARDS, 2 TDS Russell Wilson is only in his first season under center for the Badgers, but he has already taken the offense to the next level. The transfer from North Carolina State has given Wisconsin a legitimate passing threat to complement its dominant rushing attack that ran for 48 touchdowns in 2010. Wilson leads the Big Ten in all major passing categories. In the Badgers’ biggest test this season against then-No. 7 Nebraska, Wilson threw for 255 yards and two scores along with one rushing touchdown in a 48-17 romp of the Huskers.

—Compiled by Andrew Tredinnick, asst. copy editor, adtredin@syr.edu

OF THE

NO. 19 AUBURN (5-2, 3-1 SEC) AT NO. 1 LOUISIANA STATE (7-0, 4-0 SEC), 3:30 P.M., CBS

NO. 4 WISCONSIN (6-0, 2-0 BIG TEN) AT NO. 15 MICHIGAN STATE (5-1, 2-0 BIG TEN), 8 P.M., ESPN

Louisiana State rose to the top of the country behind its spectacular defense this season.

The Tigers have allowed just 11.7 points per game this season — good for seventh in the nation. And they have done it against four ranked opponents, including No. 9 Oregon and No. 11 West Virginia. Even without star cornerback Tyrann Mathieu — who was among three players suspended for Saturday’s game — LSU’s defense should continue its streak of dominance as Clint Moseley makes his first career start at quarterback for Auburn. The sophomore has only nine career passing attempts, all coming this season, and he will have to make his debut in Baton Rouge, La.

Wisconsin has rolled to an undefeated start with quarterback Russell Wilson leading an offense averaging 50.2 points per game, tops in the nation. The Badgers have enjoyed playing at home in fi ve of their six games this season, so going on the road to face a ranked Michigan State team will provide a stiff challenge. The Heisman Trophy candidate Wilson leads the Badgers from the quarterback spot. He has 14 touchdowns to one interception so far. The Michigan State defense is currently ranked second in the country in total defense and is coming off a brilliant performance in stifling Denard Robinson and Michigan.

X Factor: Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn — If Auburn wants to pull the upset in Moseley’s first

but hasn’t had a breakout performance in 2011. He is completing 65.9 percent of his passes to go with eight touchdowns this season. He has only gone over the 300-yard mark once, in a loss to Notre Dame. Cousins will need to find some holes in Wisconsin’s tough defense for MSU to come out on top.

career start, Dyer needs to have a big day on the ground. The sophomore ranks third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 752 yards, behind only Alabama’s Trent Richardson and South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore. Dyer has also scored eight touchdowns. In last year’s win over LSU, he rushed for 100 yards on 15 attempts, complementing Cam Newton’s 217 yards on the ground. This year, Dyer will need to carry the load.

X Factor: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State — Cousins has been efficient for the Spartans,

NO. 22 WASHINGTON (5-1, 3-0 PAC-12) VS. NO. 7 STANFORD (6-0, 4-0 PAC-12), 8 P.M., ABC Heisman Trophy favorite Andrew Luck has Stanford off to an undefeated start right in the middle of early national championship discussions. But first, the Cardinal has to win the Pac12, and Washington has proven to be a legitimate threat through six games. The Huskies have thrived with sophomore Keith Price replacing Jake Locker at quarterback. In his first season as the starter, Price is tied for second in the nation with 21 touchdown passes. He has also taken care of the ball, throwing only four interceptions. It’s a battle between the top two quarterbacks in the Pac-12.

X Factor: Chris Polk, RB, Washington — Although Price has been a revelation for the Hus-

kies, Polk brings an important balance to the offense. He has rushed for 728 yards and three touchdowns in 2011. The junior has been a consistent option throughout his career, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Polk is on pace to break that mark again. In a game getting attention for the quarterbacks’ plays, Polk could steal the show and spoil Stanford’s national title aspirations.

NORTH CAROLINA (5-2, 1-2 ACC) AT NO. 8 CLEMSON (7-0, 4-0 ACC), NOON, ESPN

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@DOsports.

Clemson escaped College Park, Md., with a win last Saturday, erasing an 18-point deficit to beat the Terrapins 56-45. The Tigers high-scoring offense has been the key to its success all season. Quarterback Tajh Boyd leads the conference with 19 touchdown passes, and his main target, freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins, has emerged as one of the country’s most dangerous playmakers. In the comeback victory over Maryland, Watkins broke C.J. Spiller’s record for all-purpose yards in a game with 345. The freshman returned a kickoff 89 yards for a score to seal the win for Clemson. Though not as explosive, North Carolina’s offense is pretty good, too. Quarterback Bryn Renner sits atop the Atlantic Coast Conference in completion percentage (75.3 percent). And the Tar Heels have an impressive freshman of their own at running back. Giovani Bernard has rushed for 100 yards in five straight games.

X Factor: Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina — The senior wide receiver isn’t as impressed with Clemson’s Watkins as the rest of the nation. When asked who the best receiver in the conference was, Jones replied he knows he’s the top receiver. Jones is third in the conference in receiving yards behind Wake Forest’s Chris Givens and Watkins, and he is tied with Watkins for the most touchdowns with eight. Jones also called Saturday’s matchup with the Tigers a must-win game for the Tar Heels. His words could backfire, or they could motivate his team to pull the upset on the road.

—Compiled by Ryne Gery, asst. sports editor, rjgery@syr.edu

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is out for the season with a knee injury. Lattimore suffered a torn ligament and cartilage damage in his left knee after a Mississippi State player rolled on Lattimore’s leg when he was blocking last Saturday. Lattimore will wear a brace for a few weeks before undergoing surgery. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said his “worst fears were realized” in losing his star tailback. Lattimore, a Heisman Trophy candidate, was second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 818 yards and scored 10 touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks to a 6-1 start.

Louisiana State cornerback Tyrann Mathieu and running back Spencer Ware have been suspended for the team’s game against Auburn on Saturday, according to ESPN. The Associated Press reported that defensive back Tharold Simon was also suspended and that the players broke the team’s drug policy. Reports have not indicated for which drug the players tested positive, and head coach Les Miles declined to confirm the suspensions after the team practiced Wednesday. Mathieu emerged as a star this season making big plays on defense. The sophomore has forced four fumbles, recovered three and returned two for touchdowns to go with 42 tackles and two interceptions on the season. His production has even earned him some mention as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Tulane head coach Bob Toledo resigned from his position Tuesday.

Toledo has been feeling pressure all season after his team suffered multiple blowout losses. The Green Wave started 2-1 after beating Alabama-Birmingham 49-10, Tulane’s largest margin of victory in Toledo’s four-

19

—Compiled by Ryne Gery, asst. sports editor, rjgery@syr.edu

AROUND THE BIG EAST

plus years at the helm. Tulane followed that performance by getting outscored 93-33 in losses to Duke and Army. Tulane stuck with Syracuse in a 37-34 loss in week six, but another embarrassing loss to Texas-El Paso sealed his fate. Toledo finishes his tenure at Tulane with a 15-40 record, with 23 of those losses coming by 20 points or more.

Look ing for a n

ew

NEWSANDNOTES

october 21-23, 2 011

place to li v ? e

Houston quarterback Case Keenum is only 130 yards away from breaking former Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang’s career total offense record of 16,910 yards. Keenum is currently on pace to set NCAA career records for career passing yards and touchdown passes. He is leading the Football Bowl Subdivision with 2,333 yards of total offense in 2011 and will likely surpass Chang when the No. 21 Cougars take on Marshall on Saturday. The NCAA granted Keenum a medical hardship waiver in January, giving him a sixth season of eligibility. The quarterback tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in Houston’s third game of 2010 and missed the remainder of the season. With Keenum back under center this season, the Cougars are 6-0 and have their sights on an undefeated season.

Arkansas announced its plans to spend an estimated $300 million on athletic facilities, including renovations to Razorback Stadium. The major plans call for an expansion of the stadium by enclosing the north end zone. Athletic Director Jeff Long also outlined plans to build a basketball practice facility, to renovate the baseball stadium and indoor and outdoor facilities, and to build a 5,000-seat competition venue for sports and concerts. The renovations to the football stadium will cost an estimated $78 million to $95 million to add at least 5,000 seats, including field-level suites and club areas.

Upperclassmen and graduate students now have a housing option that offers more amenities, safety and conveniences.

These new luxury apartments are located right on the main campus of Syracuse University, at the corner of Comstock Avenue and Marshall Street - within short walking distance of academic buildings, the E.S. Bird Library, and off-campus boutiques and restaurants situated on Marshall Street.

Our 2 and 4-bedroom apartments are completely furnished and include: • All utilities • Cable, internet and local phone • Washer and dryer in each unit • On-site fitness center • Private gated courtyard • Entertainment lounge

Visit our website or stop by our Leasing Office to learn more!

Leasing Office 417 Comstock Avenue • Syracuse, NY 13210 315-414-2400 www.ParkPointSyracuse.com

20 o c t o b e r 2 1 - 2 3 , 2 0 1 1

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WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT FAMILY WEEKEND?

QUICK HITS POINTS PER GAME POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME

Spending quality family time with your annoying little sister.

Convincing your parents that the frat you’re joining is the most academic frat on campus.

Getting your parents to buy you more stuff.

IT’S TIME TO RESTOCK FOR THE REST OF THE SEMESTER! SHOP TARGET FOR ALL YOUR COLLEGE NEEDS.

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RUSHING YARDS GAINED PER GAME PASSING YARDS GAINED PER GAME TOTAL OFFENSIVE YARDS PER GAME RUSHING YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME PASSING YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME TOTAL YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME

40.8 21.5 123 380.5 503.5 119.8 181.3 301.2

26.7 27.3 113.2 220.3 333.5 104.3 293 397.3