in the • september 25–26, 2015
huddlesyracuse vs. louisiana state
2 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
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Can’t touch thisLeonard Fournette is the best running back Scott Shafer has faced in 26 years, he said. The Orange will be tasked with containing him when it hosts LSU. See page 5
Nomadic Running back Calvinaugh Jones has found stability at Division II Concord after a series of moves over the course of his life. He had 1,734 rushing yards in 2014. See page 6
september 25-26, 2015 3 dailyorange.com [email protected]
By Sam Blumsports editor
Richard Mahoney sat a few rows up at the 50-yard line in the Carrier Dome to watch his son Zack play in a game they
never expected him to appear in. So too did Zack’s mother, brother, sister,
aunt, uncle and three cousins, all of whom made the trip from LaGrange, Illinois. Rich-ard wasn’t sure what it meant when he saw Zack put the headset on following Eric Dun-gey’s injury. And he wasn’t sure what it meant when he took it off to start warming up with Austin Wilson.
A few days before, Zack had told his dad that he had gotten a few more reps in practice. He thought maybe Zack would get in for a play or two. He couldn’t imagine that his son would be leading the game-winning drive.
“It was past exciting,” Richard said. Mahoney started the season as the fifth-
string quarterback. When he wasn’t taking limited reps in training camp, he was with special teams holding kicks.
Now, a week after leading a game-winning overtime drive, he’ll be tasked with the star-ter’s role when Syracuse (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) hosts No. 8 Louisiana State (2-0, 2-0 Southeastern) at noon in the Carrier Dome on Saturday.
Four years ago, Mahoney was the quar-terback that couldn’t win the starting job as a junior at Lyons Township (Illinois) High School. The last time he started a football game, it was against Lindenwood-Bellville JV. As recently as the spring, SU head coach Scott Shafer struggled to remember his name. Now, Mahoney’s starting under center against the eighth-best team in the country.
“Coming in as a walk-on transfer, you don’t expect to start,” Mahoney said. “But you’ve got to prepare yourself every week that you can go in whenever. I like to think I’ve pre-pared myself.”
In high school, Mahoney didn’t do the “little things” it took to be a starter, his coach Kurt Weinberg said. His first two years he played on the offense with the long-term intention of moving to QB. As his plans began to come to fruition, a lack of understanding defenses and film study kept him from playing.
But when he started to do the things that were asked of him, it took only one high school season to garner FCS scholarship offers — ones that he spurned to make his name at the JUCO level.
When only FCS schools offered him fol-lowing his prolific 2014 season in which he threw for 1,943 yards for the College of
DuPage, he once again turned away scholar-
ship money, this time for the chance to walk on at Syracuse.
“He came in and sat down with me,” see mahoney page 4
ZACK MAHONEY was a fifth-stringer at the start of the season but will now start under center when Syracuse takes on No. 8 LSU Saturday. The College of DuPage JUCO transfer won the job over Austin Wilson and AJ Long after leading SU to a win over Central Michigan and impressing in practice this week. logan reidsma photo editor
THE OFFICERWalk-on sophomore QB Zack Mahoney
gets chance to start against LSU
Coming in as a walk-on transfer, you don’t expect to start. But you’ve got to prepare yourself every week that you can go in whenever. I like to think I’ve prepared myself.Zack Mahoneysu quarterback
4 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
DuPage head coach Matt Foster said. “And he just basically said, ‘This is where I think I belong. I can compete and play and excel at a high level.’”
When Mahoney was redshirting for DuPage in 2013, the team played in the Carrier Dome Bowl in Syracuse. It was the first time he’d been to the campus. During the team’s down-time over their two-day stay, he grew a famil-iarity with a school that he knew he wanted to go to when the opportunity arose more than a year later.
When Mahoney got to Syracuse, he didn’t stand out. Following a spring practice, Shafer wanted to tell Mahoney he’d done a good job, but forgot his name, paused, and just called him “Officer” — a reference to a nickname he’d
been given. In a media scrum on Sept. 8, offensive coor-
dinator Tim Lester was listing off the Syracuse quarterbacks. He had addressed Dungey, then mentioned Austin Wilson and AJ Long.
“And uh, and…oh shoot, what’s his name,” Lester said, before a reporter chimed in to remind of Mahoney’s name.
Two weeks later, the first time Lester opened his mouth, it was to tell everyone that Mahoney was “the guy.” With two quar-terbacks down, and two more less capable of running Syracuse’s offense, Mahoney rose from “scout team player of the week, every week” to starter in the midst of SU’s 3-0 start to the season.
“ We’re truly living the next-man-in,” Lester said. “…He proved he could handle the situation. He didn’t freak out. The ball wasn’t going end over end. I was proud of the way he did that.”
Lester knew that when Dungey got hurt, he wanted Mahoney to be the guy.
He said he put Wilson in first to help ease him in. Then when Mahoney played on the third drive, he called some plays that didn’t involve airing it out. By the time he started overtime, Lester said he treated it like a nor-mal drive.
Mahoney provides what Wilson and Long do not. Mahoney can run the ball, which Wil-son struggles to do.
He has the ability to throw downfield, which Long has been inconsistent with since return-ing from a hand injury over the summer.
Mahoney said if someone had told him a year ago that he’d be starting against LSU, it “wouldn’t be a good thing.” But for a player that’s spent the past four years proving he can
play the position, it’s a reality he’s accepting with confidence.
“ T here’s no ti me for ner ves,” Ma honey sa id . “ You’ve ju st got to prepa re. A nd w it h a l l t he prepa ration, t here’s no ti me for ner ves.”
[email protected] | @SamBlum3
from page 3
mahoney
ZACK MAHONEY went 4-of-4 passing against CMU with 19 yards and the pitch to Jordan Fredericks that won SU the game. In the past, offensive coordinator Tim Lester and head coach Scott Shafer have forgotten Mahoney’s first name. logan reidsma photo editor
He proved he could handle the situation. He didn’t freak out. The ball wasn’t going end over end. I was proud of the way he did that.
Tim Lestersu offensive coordinator on zack mahoney
september 25-26, 2015 5 dailyorange.com [email protected]
By Matt Schneidmanasst. sports editor
Once Leonard Fournette got to the 17-yard line, it was all over. His right shoulder lowered into the chest of
Auburn defensive back Blake Countess, drop-ping him to the grass and leaving two out-stretched arms flailing inches behind Four-nette’s left foot.
The LSU sophomore running back pranced into the end zone, pounding his chest twice.
That was Fournette’s most recent cake-walk, in a 24-point trouncing of Auburn. His 228 rushing yards on 19 attempts were topped off by three touchdowns, a week after he ran for 159 yards on 28 carries against Mississippi State to go along with another trio of scores.
Next up is Syracuse. Head coach Scott Shafer compared Fournette to NFL great Ea rl Ca mpbell. Defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough to the college version of
Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson. Defen-sive line coach Tim Daoust to former Boston College running back and Heisman con-tender Andre Williams.
Fournette, standing at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, is a 20-year-old freight train with legs, barreling downfield with no regard for anyone between him and the end zone. The Orange’s youthful defense will be charged with getting a body in the way, halting the combina-tion of 4.35-second 40-yard dash speed, brute strength and shiftiness that will be coming its way when No. 8 LSU (2-0, 2-0 Southeastern) visits Syracuse (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) at noon on Saturday.
“You like games like this,” sophomore linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “You like playing against the No. 1 running back in the nation.”
Against Auburn last week, Fournette aver-aged 5.11 yards per carry before any form of contact, per an ESPN film review.
The Tigers’ offensive line that paved the way for a harmless first burst stands, from left to right, 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, 6-foot-5 and 303 pounds, 6-foot-7 and 309 pounds, 6-foot-5 and 327 pounds and 6-foot-6 and 329 pounds.
“That offensive line is as good as I’ve seen in years,” Daoust said.
This week in practice, SU freshman hybrid Tyrone Perkins, who missed his entire senior year of high school with a torn ACL, has been mimicking Fournette. Redshirt freshman
walk-on Keaton Darney, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive tackle, has been playing the role of scout team tailback.
Perkins weighs 22 pounds less than Four-nette, but may be a more accurate representa-tion of what the Orange will actually see, or see run by, in the Carrier Dome.
“He’s probably around 230 but he runs like he’s about 175,” said Cyril Crutchfield, Four-nette’s high school coach. “He’s quick, he has real good feet, he’s shifty.”
With a bald head and thick black beard wrapping from his left ear to right, Fournette
may look more along the lines of how he plays. Crutchfield says he’s a man among boys, the best he’s ever coached or watched in his 20 years on the sideline and it’s not close.
In a high school game against national powerhouse John Curtis (Louisiana) High School, Fournette had almost 30 carries for over 200 yards, including the tocuhdown to set up a game-winning two-point conver-sion. The other team knew the play every time, Crutchfield said, but could do nothing about it.
BY THE NUMBERS
LEONARD FOURNETTE has already run for six touchdowns in LSU’s first two games this season, both against SEC opponents. He’s a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore and leads a Tigers’ offense that put up 45 points against Auburn last week. Next up for Fournette is the young Syracuse defense. courtesy of lsu athletics
3Fournette is tied for third in the nation in rushing touchdowns despite only playing two games
8.2Fournette has averaged 8.2 yards per carry on his 47 rushes
this year
0The number of times Fournette was touched in the backfield
against AU last weekend
5.11Yards per carry until Fournette was touched by an Auburn
defender last weekend
see fournette page 10
LSU running back Leonard Fournette brings dangerous arsenal into Syracuse game
He’s probably around 230 but he runs like he’s about 175. He’s quick, he has real good feet, he’s shifty.Cyril Crutchfieldfournette’s high school coach
FREIGHTTRAIN
6 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
By Sam Fortierasst. web editor
Calvinaugh Jones stepped out of the car he’d been in for 16 hours and dropped his duffel full of clothes onto the curb.
He and his brother-in-law, Eric Jackson, had left West Virginia at 2 a.m. and driven to Dallas, Jones’ new home for the next 12 weeks.
Jones shook hands with Clode Tatum, Jack-son’s old army buddy, and walked into the house. Jones swapped chores and paid rent for the opportunity to train alongside established NFL running backs at the Michael Johnson Performance Center in McKinney, Texas.
Jones, a senior at Division II Concord Uni-versity in Athens, West Virginia, is coming off a first-team All-American season in 2014 when he rushed for 1,734 yards. At the end of the season, he decided to move from Maryland to Texas in hopes of becoming better, maybe NFL material, and he took the lessons from his childhood with him. This season, Jones has 208 all-purpose yards in three games. Jones never lived in one place longer than two years, which made finding friends difficult but focus-ing on football easier. While Texas felt foreign, the journey was familiar.
“When he got out of school when he was young-er, we just packed up and moved,” his mother Regina Jones said. “I was like a gypsy mom.”
Jones moved 12 times before high school, mostly within Wisconsin and Minnesota. As a seventh grader in Minnesota, Jones ran well in a rec league and coaches from a local pow-erhouse high school program noticed. Jones imagined success there, but was disappointed when the family moved again.
His father, Calvin Jones, inherited a house
in Macon, Georgia after Calvinaugh’s grand-mother died. The Jones’ arrived too late for Calvinaugh to start football. When the family miscalculated how much the house would cost,
they sold it and moved again. He began his high school career in Maryland and became an all-conference running back.
“I keep moving, but football is my con-stant,” Jones said.
Jones escaped loneliness in Texas through football. He trained five days per week, usually 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., working on upper body two days, lower body two days and taking a lighter day with yoga. He played in seven-on-sevens late Monday nights with Ronnie Braxton, who also trains NFL Pro Bowlers.
He had one friend from Concord he saw occasionally. He learned independence and that people would come in and out of his life when he moved so much, he said. In seventh grade, when a friend started smoking mar-ijuana, Jones disassociated himself, Calvin Jones said, because he didn’t want to hurt his chances with football.
“I have good friends, but I wouldn’t say I made lifelong friends because of the moving,” Jones said. “It helped me a little (not to be close with anyone) because I just focused on football.”
Jones didn’t know many people in Texas, but he knew the men ahead of him in running back drills at the performance center. Jones watched how NFL players like Darren McFad-den, Jerry Hughes and Knile Davis trained. How Ameer Abdullah pumped his arms even while running slow and how he kept his feet shoulder-width for balance and quick cuts. Jones, who wanted to improve his pass-catch-ing, took note of how quickly the NFL guys turned their heads after completing a route.
Jones was the only collegiate player to line up for reps with pros, his trainer Drew Cuffee said. Players from Baylor and Football Championship Series schools also trained there. Cuffee praised Jones’ receptiveness and consistency. Jones didn’t miss one work out all summer.
When Jackson returned to Texas, he noticed defined biceps, thicker legs and bulkier shoulders. Jones’ body fat slimmed from 12 percent to seven.
Jones knows the NFL is a longshot, espe-cially for a Division II athlete. However, Cuf-fee, a former Division II defensive back at Abilene Christian, had five teammates make the NFL, one of whom started 128 games in an eight-year career.
“I can see the difference between NFL tal-ent and not NFL talent,” Cuffee said. “(Jones) has the potential to get there. He’s put himself in a position.”
This spring, Jones will try to turn pro, but his success is far from guaranteed.
Only one thing is for sure. If a professional chance presents itself, no matter where it is, he’ll take it.
He won’t mind [email protected]
race
RB Calvinaugh Jones finds stability at Division II Concord
CALVINAUGH JONES (RIGHT) changed homes 12 times before high school. He made one more move from West Virginia to Dallas to improve at football and was a Division II first-team All-American last season. courtesy of concord athletics
I have good friends, but I wouldn’t say I made lifelong friends because of the moving. It helped me a little (not to be close with anyone) because I just focused on football.Calvinaugh Jonesconcord running back
september 25-26, 2015 7 dailyorange.com [email protected]
By Chris Libonatiasst. copy editor
As Eric Dungey was dragged down from behind, Central Michigan defensive lineman Mitch Stanitzek dropped his helmet and fore-arm into Dungey’s helmet and neck.
Dungey lay on the turf face down, limp after being bent backward and hitting the ground.
Fans yelled, “Throw him out! Throw him out!” before referees ejected Stanitzek for tar-geting. As Stanitzek left the field, fans booed him. The Mid-American Conference did not suspend the defensive end later in the week.
The targeting rule that sent Stanitzek from the game was initially introduced in 2008, but didn’t develop into its current form until 2013. The rule comes into focus on plays like the one on Saturday, and is still emphasized to players by coaches and officials.
The NCAA cleaned the rule up before last season after it was largely criticized in 2013. Yet through two weeks in 2015, there were 19 targeting ejections, up from 14 in the first two weeks in 2014. Despite the changes, there is still a gray area in the call.
“You can tell if you’re a player, a coach or an official, if somebody’s taking a cheap shot as a
player,” David Cutcliffe, Duke’s head coach and a member of the NCAA football rules commit-tee said. “If that occurs, I think an ejection is appropriate. I think there are other penalties that fall under the category of unsportsman-like, that it just kind of happened, bang bang.”
From the time Dungey released the ball to the time Stanitzek drilled him took less than half a second. Stanitzek told the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun his head-to-head hit was unintentional.
But the NCAA also finds itself at a cross-roads of safety and entertainment, with one big hit potentially injuring a player’s spine, head or neck. The rule was initially created to protect players’ safety, specifically on violent helmet-to-helmet collisions.
Prior to 2013, players who hit above the shoulders were assessed a 15-yard pen-alty and nothing more. Now those players, depending on a review, could be ejected and suspended. Before last season, the ejection could be overturned during the review and the 15-yard penalty could be upheld. Now, both have to be upheld or overturned during the review process.
“I think the way they’ve set the rule where they can review it, look at it and see it and fix the penalty, I think is good,” said Jimbo Fisher, Florida State’s head coach, who also had a play-er thrown out for targeting this season.
What officials looked for included four “key elements.” They look to see if the tackler goes beyond making a usual tackle, used the crown of his helmet, hit the head or neck area and whether the hit was on a defenseless player.
With a spike in targeting calls, Fisher said maybe it’s time to refocus on fundamentals. When the rule was fixed to include an ejection in 2013, Fisher said he made sure he taught tackling, aiming points and not leading with the crown of the helmet.
“We talk about not targeting helmet-to-hel-met, understanding that we need to be, when we’re making those hits, conscious of where
our contact is being made,” SU head coach Scott Shafer said. “The game and the rules have creat-ed a sense of needing to coach technique.”
SU brings a referee in every season for the team to give players a heads up to what officials are looking for, Orange linebacker Zaire Frank-lin said. In that meeting, Franklin said the referee makes sure to stress the targeting rule.
For now, all coaches can do is emphasize correct tackling techniques and players can listen to referees’ suggestions.
“You can get kicked out of the game if you’re in the wrong place,” Franklin said. “We defi-nitely talk about targeting all the time and just talk about playing hard … but also playing smart and realizing one head-to-head hit and you’re out of the game and then you’re not helping anybody.”
[email protected] | @ChrisLibonati
Targeting ejections on the rise despite rule clarification
ERIC DUNGEY will miss Syracuse’s game on Saturday after he was the victim of a targeting penalty in the first half of SU’s 30-27 overtime win over Central Michigan. Despite a recent rule clarification and harsher punishments to help limit targeting, it has been called more in 2015 than in 2014. logan reidsma photo editor
I think the way they’ve set the rule where they can review it, look at it and see it and fix the penalty, I think is good.Jimbo Fisherflorida state head coach
19Through two weeks of the 2015 season, there were 19
ejections due to targeting.
JORDAN FREDERICKS
photo by logan reidsma photo editor
POSTER SERIES
JORDAN FREDERICKSRB 5’10’’ 208 LB #22 INWOOD, NEW YORK
10 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
His intangibles trump the predictability of most play calls, often forcing linebackers or the secondary into a mass number of tackles, or missed ones, after the defensive line is penetrated.
“They are going to come downhill and really challenge who you are up front,” Shafer
said. “We want to try and contain their best player and be aware of all the others on the offensive side.”
To counter Fournette, Franklin said all the Orange can do is gang tackle.
The sophomore has talked to elder defen-sive players Luke Arciniega and Wayne Mor-gan to get an idea of how Williams ran against SU in 2013, when he was held to a season-low 29 rushing yards before leaving with a shoul-
der injury in the third quarter.But the LSU back is a different animal. “ We’ve been preaching f ly ing to the
ball since I showed up here in June last year,” Franklin said. “If he could break 11 tackles at the same time, then he can just go through.”
Crutchfield says the best way to stop Four-nette is kryptonite. Tigers’ head coach Les Miles says teams who can keep the ball do best.
Shafer says he’s the best running back he’s faced in 26 years of coaching.
For now, Syracuse has hope the formula it’ll unveil Saturday will work, but like most teams, that’s all it may materialize to be.
“He’s a special player,” Bullough said. “You better bring the big-boy pads and go out there and give it to him.”
[email protected]@matt_schneidman
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Syracuse (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) is set to take on No. 8 Louisiana State (2-0, 2-0 South-eastern) at noon in the Carrier Dome in the Orange’s most anticipated matchup of the sea-son. Follow along with SU-LSU coverage at dailyorange.com or on Twitter @DOSports.
To learn more about the Tigers, The Daily Orange spoke with Ross Dellenger, an LSU beat writer for The Advocate.
The Daily Orange: Is it even possible to stop Heisman hopeful running back Leonard Fournette?Ross Dellenger: Well, (LSU head coach) Les Miles was asked about it on a teleconference on Wednesday and said the key to slowing him down is basically for the opponent’s offense to keep the ball, so for him to be on the sideline. And there’s probably a little truth to that … I don’t know if the best defense in the nation could hold down Leonard Fournette under
70 or 80 yards. Maybe they hold him to 100 or something … Even if they put eight, nine, even 10 in the box, they found a way to at least get Leonard Fournette a little bit of space and that’s really all he needs.The D.O.: What have you learned about quar-terback Brandon Harris after winning the starting job in training camp?R.D.: We don’t know too much about him, but through two games this year, it’s pretty clear the coaches are easing him along. He’s only completed 21 passes of 31 attempts, so he’s averaging about 15 attempts per game. They’re handing the ball off a lot and more so than using Brandon’s arm, they have really used Brandon’s feet. He almost has as many rushing yards, 114, as as many passing yards, 145. So we all kind of know how talented he is and in some nonconference games last year, he showed his arm; he’s really got a rocket, he’s kind of a gun-slinger … He’s got the talent but the coaches have been easing him in. I think this could be the game, against Syracuse, when they might let him throw downfield.
The D.O.: LSU’s leading tackler, Deion Jones, is suspended for the first half for targeting last week. How big of a factor will that have on the game?R.D.: He’s so fast and he has that reckless abandon, he’ll hit anybody. It is going to be tough to replace somebody like him in the first half … They don’t sub very often. (LSU’s start-ing linebackers) get about 95 percent of the snaps in the game. So bringing somebody else in, you’re looking at somebody who doesn’t have a ton of experience, specifically this year through the first two games … That’s some-thing that if I’m Syracuse, I’m going to exploit. Deion is the guy that runs from sideline to sideline, so if you can get to the edges against a backup in the game, you probably should take advantage of it.The D.O.: Who else should Syracuse fans have on their radar?R.D.: There’s another running back, his name’s Derrius Guice. He’s a true freshman, he was a (four-star) guy according to most recruiting services. So he’s really talented. He
had (six) carries for (55) yards and two of the carries included about five broken tackles. So he’s a guy you’re going to see a lot, especially because if the game does get out of hand, they’ll probably sit Leonard and he’ll proba-bly be the guy.The D.O.: What’s the one area that Syracuse would have to capitalize on to have a chance?R.D.: Certainly in the first half, if you don’t have your lead tackler, that’s something to take advantage of. Deion Jones covers a lot, the slot guy a lot, sometimes a fourth wide receiver. The best thing to do, especially against an LSU defense without Deion, is to spread them out with three-, four-, five-receiver sets and throw the ball and trying to get matchups with that backup weak-side linebacker in the game. I think that’s what Syracuse has to do. If they’re able to move the ball, keep Leonard Fournette off the field … and exploit LSU not having its leading tackler in the first half, that’s the way to go.
[email protected]@pschweds
Q&A with LSU football writer Ross Dellenger of The Advocate
from page 5
fournette
september 25-26, 2015 11 dailyorange.com [email protected]
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous School/Club)1 Danny Etling QB 6-3 226 Jr. Terre Haute, Ind. (South Vigo HS/Purdue)1 Donte Jackson DB 5-11 167 Fr. Metairie, La. (Riverdale HS)2 Trey LaForge QB 6-3 194 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Jesuit HS)2 Kevin Toliver II CB 6-2 196 Fr. Jacksonville, Fla. (Trinity Christian)3 Tyron Johnson WR 6-1 189 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Warren Easton HS)4 Nick Brossette RB 6-0 218 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (University HS)5 Derrius Guice RB 5-11 222 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (Catholic HS)6 Brandon Harris QB 6-3 206 So. Bossier City, La. (Parkway HS)7 Leonard Fournette RB 6-1 230 So. New Orleans, La. (Saint Augustine HS)8 Trey Quinn WR 6-0 197 So. Lake Charles, La. (Barbe HS)9 John Diarse WR 6-1 209 So. Monroe, La. (Neville HS)10 Anthony Jennings QB 6-2 216 Jr. Marietta, Ga. (Marietta HS)11 Brandon Bergeron QB 6-2 200 Jr. Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More HS/Highland CC)11 Lamar Louis LB 5-11 232 Sr. Breaux Bridge, La. (Breaux Bridge HS)12 Micah Dickens CB 5-9 186 So. Dry Prong, La. (Grant HS)12 Justin McMillan QB 6-2 193 Fr. Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill HS)13 Jake Clise QB 6-2 209 So. Baltimore, Md. (Loyola Blakefield HS)13 Dwayne Thomas DB 6-0 186 Jr. New Orleans, La. (O.P. Walker HS)14 Trent Domingue PK/P 6-2 170 Jr. Mandeville, La. (St. Paul’s HS)14 Caleb Lewis QB 6-4 211 Fr. Lakeland, Fla. (Victory Christian Academy)14 Lionel Williams S 6-0 201 So. Chesterfield, Va. (Lloyd C. Byrd HS)15 Malachi Dupre WR 6-3 190 So. New Orleans, La. (John Curtis HS)16 Brad Kragthorpe QB 6-0 202 Sr. Tulsa, Okla. (Holland Hall HS/Idaho St.)17 Xavier Lewis CB 6-0 193 Fr. LaPlace, La. (East St. John HS)17 Tiger Scheyd QB 6-0 179 Fr. Miramar Beach, Fla. (Fort Walton Beach HS)18 Tre’Davious White CB 5-11 191 Jr. Shreveport, La. (Green Oaks HS)19 Derrick Dillon WR 5-11 178 Fr. Franklinton, La. (Pine HS)21 Deven Hammond DB 5-9 181 Fr. Port Allen, La. (Port Allen HS)22 Ronnie Feist LB 6-1 234 Jr. Edgard, La. (West St. John HS)22 Miquel James WR 5-9 165 So. Kentwood, La. (Jewell Sumner HS)23 Corey Thompson S 6-2 221 Jr. Missouri City, Texas (Lawrence Elkins HS)24 Ed Paris CB 6-1 210 So. Arlington, Texas (Mansfield Timberview HS)25 Reshaud Henry RB 5-8 191 So. Ponchatoula, La. (Ponchatoula HS)25 T.J. Lemoine DB 5-10 180 Fr. Monroe, La. (Neville HS)26 John Battle S 6-1 194 So. Hallandale, Fla. (Hallandale HS)27 Lanard Fournette RB 5-10 187 Fr. New Orleans, La. (St. Augustine HS)27 Brandon Surtain DB 5-8 181 Jr. Baton Rouge, La. (McKinley HS)28 Jalen Mills S 6-0 196 Sr. DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto HS)29 Rickey Jefferson S 6-0 206 Jr. St. Rose, La. (Destrehan HS)30 Michael Ostrom WR 6-0 180 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (St. Michael The Archangel HS)31 Josh Growden P 6-2 197 Fr. Sydney, Australia (Clare HS)31 Bennett Schiro FB 5-11 214 So. New Orleans, La. (Jesuit HS)32 Leyton Lavigne DB 5-10 177 Fr. Ponchatoula, La. (St. Paul’s HS)32 Tony Upchurch FB 6-1 241 Fr. Pearland, Texas (Glenda Dawson HS)33 Jamal Adams S 6-1 211 So. Carrollton, Texas (Hebron HS)33 Trey Gallman FB 6-1 256 Fr. Prairieville, La. (Dutchtown HS)34 Darrel Williams RB 6-0 232 So. Marrero, La. (John Ehret HS)35 Jack Gonsoulin PK 5-9 165 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (Catholic HS)35 Devin Voorhies LB 6-1 216 So. Woodville, Miss. (Wilkinson County HS)36 Cameron Gamble PK 5-10 197 So. Flower Mound, Texas (Flower Mound HS)38 Jamie Keehn P 6-5 231 Sr. Gracemere, Queensland, Australia (The Rock Hampton GS)39 Lenny Breda WR 5-9 181 So. Lake Charles, La. (St. Louis Catholic HS)39 Russell Gage CB 6-0 182 So. Baton Rouge, La. (Redemptorist HS)40 Duke Riley LB 6-0 227 Jr. Buras, La. (John Curtis HS)41 David Ducre FB 6-0 238 Fr. Slidell, La. (Lakeshore HS)41 Abraham Wallace DB 6-0 196 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (Dumham School)42 Colby Delahoussaye PK 5-9 182 Jr. New Iberia, La. (New Iberia HS)43 Tommy LeBeau S 6-0 191 Sr. Monroe, La. (Ouachita Parish HS)43 Foster Moreau TE 6-5 261 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Jesuit HS)44 John David Moore FB 6-4 235 So. Ruston, La. (Ruston HS)45 Deion Jones LB 6-1 227 Sr. New Orleans, La. (Jesuit HS)45 Josh Tharp TE 6-4 246 So. Erin, Tenn. (Houston County HS)46 Tashawn Bower DE 6-5 240 Jr. Somerville, N.J. (Immaculata HS)47 Bry’Kiethon Mouton FB 6-1 255 Fr. Lafayette, La. (Acadiana HS)48 Donnie Alexander LB 6-1 215 So. New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr HS)48 Ronnie Lamarque FB 6-1 212 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Newman HS)49 Arden Key DE 6-6 231 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (Hapeville Charter Academy)50 Reid Ferguson SNP 6-2 244 Sr. Buford, Ga. (Buford HS)50 Christian Pittman LB 5-11 206 Sr. New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin HS)51 Jonathan Rucker LB 6-0 236 So. Ponchatoula, La. (Ponchatoula HS)52 Kendell Beckwith LB 6-2 252 Jr. Clinton, La. (East Feliciana HS)53 Blake Ferguson SNP 6-3 221 Fr. Buford, Ga. (Buford HS)53 Grant Leger LB 6-2 225 Sr. Metairie, La. (Jesuit HS)54 Eman Haynes DE 6-2 216 So. Covington, La. (Northlake Christian HS)54 Rory Luke OL 6-4 284 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin HS)55 Roshon Cody OL 5-10 249 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (Tara HS)55 Cole Miller LB 6-2 220 So. Shreveport, La. (Captain Shreve HS/Nicholls)57 Davon Godchaux DT 6-4 293 So. Plaquemine, La. (Plaquemine HS)57 Cody Townsend OL 6-1 288 Jr. Marrero, La. (John Ehret HS)58 Jibrail Abdul-Aziz OL 6-1 281 So. Baton Rouge, La. (Broadmoor HS)58 Sione Teuhema DE 6-4 251 So. Keller, Texas (Keller HS)59 John Ballis SNP 6-1 215 Jr. Houston, Texas (Episcopal HS/Kentucky)59 Jordan Harper DE 6-3 231 Jr. New Orleans, La. (Archbishop Rummel HS)60 Marcus Roberts DL 5-11 282 Jr. Baton Rouge, La. (McKinley HS)61 Alex Cheramie OL 6-0 280 So. Cypress, Texas (Cypress Ranch HS)62 Hunter Burns LB 6-0 222 So. Wilmer, Ala. (Mary G. Montgomery HS/Baton Rouge CC)62 Justin Mikush OL 6-4 348 Fr. Tomball, Texas (Klein Oak HS)63 K.J. Malone OG 6-4 298 So. Ruston, La. (Cedar Creek HS) 64 William Clapp C 6-5 303 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin HS)65 Jerald Hawkins OT 6-6 305 Jr. Baldwin, La. (West St. Mary HS)66 Toby Weathersby OT 6-5 292 Fr. Houston, Texas (Westfield HS)67 Jevonte Domond OT 6-5 298 Jr. Glendale, Ariz. (Maricopa HS/Glendale CC)68 Chidi Okeke OL 6-6 311 Fr. Anambra, Nigeria (Faith Baptist Christian Academy)69 Turner Simmers OL 6-4 274 Fr. Prairieville, La. (St. Amant HS)70 George Brown Jr. OT 6-7 283 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio (Winton Woods HS)72 Andy Dodd C 6-4 319 So. Lindale, Ga. (Pepperell HS)73 Adrian Magee OG 6-4 324 Fr. Franklinton, La. (Franklinton HS)74 Vadal Alexander OT 6-6 329 Sr. Buford, Ga. (Buford HS)75 Maea Teuhema OG 6-5 327 Fr. Keller, Texas (Keller HS)76 Josh Boutte OG 6-5 342 Jr. New Iberia, La. (Westgate HS)77 Ethan Pocic OG/C 6-7 309 Jr. Lemont, Ill. (Lemont HS)78 Garrett Brumfield OG 6-3 294 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. (University HS)81 Colin Jeter TE 6-7 244 Jr. Longview, Texas (Longview HS/Kilgore College)82 D.J. Chark WR 6-3 186 So. Alexandria, La. (Alexandria HS)83 Travin Dural WR 6-2 203 Jr. Breaux Bridge, La. (Breaux Bridge HS)85 Dillon Gordon TE 6-5 308 Sr. Edgard, La. (John Curtis HS)86 Jazz Ferguson WR 6-5 215 Fr. St. Francisville, La. (West Feliciana HS)87 Kevin Spears WR 6-2 207 So. New Orleans, La. (Holy Cross HS)88 Jacory Washington TE 6-6 228 Fr. Westlake, La. (Westlake HS)89 DeSean Smith TE 6-5 243 Jr. Lake Charles, La. (Barbe HS)90 Rob Snyder TE 5-11 211 Sr. Cleveland, Ohio (Shaker Heights HS)91 Christian LaCouture DT 6-5 307 Jr. Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest HS)92 Lewis Neal DE 6-2 264 Jr. Wilson, N.C. (James B. Hunt HS)93 M.J. Patterson DE 6-3 223 So. Winnfield, La. (Winnfield HS)94 Isaiah Washington DE 6-4 241 Fr. New Orleans, La. (Karr HS)95 Quentin Thomas DT 6-4 313 Sr. Breaux Bridge, La. (Breaux Bridge HS)96 Mickey Johnson DT 6-1 329 Sr. Covington, La. (St. Paul’s HS)97 Frank Herron DT 6-4 289 So. Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis Central HS)98 Deondre Clark DE 6-4 253 So. Oklahoma City, Okla. (Douglass HS)99 Greg Gilmore DT 6-4 313 So. Hope Mills, N.C. (South View HS)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (High School/Previous School/Club)
1 Julian Whigham CB 6-1 200 Sr. West Palm Beach, Fla./ Dwyer
2 Eric Dungey QB 6-3 202 Fr. Lake Oswego, Ore. / Lakeridge
2 Wayne Morgan CB 5-11 190 Jr. Brooklyn, N.Y. / Erasmus Hall
3 Ervin Philips RB 5-11 181 So. West Haven, Conn./West Haven
4 Zaire Franklin LB 6-0 230 So. Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College
4 AJ Long QB 6-0 181 So. Bethlehem, Pa. / Friendship Christian (Tenn.)
5 Luke Arciniega DE 6-4 243 Jr. Sparks, Nev. / Spanish Springs
5 Austin Wilson QB 6-3 217 So. Camp Hill, Pa. / East Pennsboro
6 Rodney Williams S 5-10 196 R-Fr. Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill West
7 Troy Green WR 6-1 180 So. Skaneateles, N.Y. / Skaneateles
7 Oliver Vigille LB 6-2 235 Sr. Miami, Fla. / Miami Central
8 Antwan Cordy S 5-8 175 So. Homestead, Fla. / South Dade
8 Steve Ishmael WR 6-2 203 So. Miami, Fla. / North MIami Beach
9 Brisly Estime WR 5-9 178 Jr. Delray Beach, Fla. / Atlantic Community
10 Sterling Hofrichter K/P 5-9 178 Fr. Valrico, Fla. / Armwood
10 Terrel Hunt QB 6-3 238 Sr. Rosedale, N.Y. / Christ the King
11 Trey Dunkelberger TE 6-5 238 So. Shillington, Pa. / Governor Mifflin
11 Corey Winfield CB 6-1 181 So. St. Louis, Mo. / Riverview Gardens
12 Ryan Norton K 5-11 188 Sr. Garden City, N.Y. / Garden City
13 Ron Thompson DE 6-3 255 Jr. Southfield, Mich. / Southfield
14 Kenterius Womack WR 6-1 170 Fr. Luverne, Ala. / Luverne
15 Juwan Dowels CB 5-10 177 R-Fr. Sunrise, Fla. / American Heritage School
16 Zack Mahoney QB 6-2 192 So. LaGrange, Ill. / Lyons Township
17 Jamal Custis WR 6-5 224 So. Philadelphia, Pa. / Neumann-Goretti
18 Dontae Strickland RB 5-11 194 Fr. Dayton, N.J. / South Brunswick
19 Daivon Ellison S 5-8 168 Fr. Linden, N.J. / Don Bosco Prep
20 Cordell Hudson CB 5-11 182 R-Fr. Largo, Fla. / Largo
21 Chauncey Scissum S 6-2 207 So. West Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta
22 Jordan Fredericks RB 5-10 208 Fr. Inwood, N.Y. / Lawrence
23 Jonathan Thomas LB 6-1 214 So. Lawrenceville, Ga. / Collins Hill
24 Shyheim Cullen LB 6-0 209 Fr. Lowell, Mass. / Lowell
25 Kielan Whitner S 6-0 196 Fr. Lawrenceville, Ga. / Mountain View
26 Tyrone Perkins HB 6-0 208 Fr. Glen Head, N.Y. / Friends Academy
27 George Morris RB 6-0 192 Jr. Lawrenceville, Ga. / Central Gwinnett
28 Christopher Fredrick S 5-11 173 Fr. Conley, Ga. / Cedar Grove
29 Devante McFarlane RB 6-0 199 Jr. Wheatley Heights, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills West
30 Parris Bennett LB 6-0 216 So. Detroit, Mich. / University of Detroit Jesuit
31 Kyle Kleinberg LB 6-0 223 Fr. Armonk, N.Y. / Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)
33 Marqez Hodge LB 5-11 221 Jr. Miami, Fla. / Miami Central
34 Jacob Hill RB 5-6 165 Fr. Detroit, Mich. / Detroit County Day
35 Eric Jackson CB 5-9 170 Sr. Inglewood, Calif. / Pacific Palisades
37 Ted Taylor LB 6-1 193 Jr. Riviera Beach, Fla. / Dwyer/Dodge City Community College
39 Troy Henderson LB 5-11 225 Fr. Cleveland, Ohio / St. Edward
41 Eric Anthony S 6-0 196 Jr. Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker
42 Jacob Green TE 6-1 250 Sr. Seattle, Wash. / Seattle Prep
42 Joe Stanard S 5-10 199 Jr. Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker
43 Terrell Drayton LB 5-11 215 So. Rosedale, N.Y. / Townsend Harris
46 PJ Batten TE 6-3 234 So. Miami, Fla. / Dade Christian
47 Matt Keller LS 5-11 217 Fr. Willow Street, Pa. / Penn Manor
48 Cole Murphy K 6-3 188 So. Castaic, Calif. / Valencia
49 Alryk Perry LB 6-1 221 So. Columbus, Ala. / Glenwood School
50 John Raymon DT 6-5 308 Sr. Richboro, Pa. / Council Rock North
51 Donnie Simmons DE 6-2 264 Sr. White Plains, N.Y. / Archbishop Stepinac
52 Kayton Samuels NT 6-0 300 R-Fr. Ellenwood, Ga. / Arabia Mountain
53 Lucas Albrecht DE 6-2 260 Sr. Hudson Falls, N.Y. / Hudson Falls
53 Nathan Hines LS 6-6 245 So. Catonsville, Md. / Catonsville
54 Tyler Cross DT 6-2 283 Fr. Douglassville, Ga. / Northview
55 Rob Trudo C 6-4 301 Sr. Farrell, Pa. / Farrell
56 Kenny Carter DE 6-4 257 Fr. Plainfield, N.J. / Plainfield
57 Omari Palmer OT 6-3 305 Jr. Coram, N.Y. / Longwood
58 Donnie Foster C 6-3 310 So. Savannah, Ga. / IMG Academy (Fla.)
58 Hernz Laguerre LB 6-1 230 Sr. Spring Valley, N.Y. / Spring Valley
59 Aaron Roberts OG 6-4 280 R-Fr. Chicago, Ill. / De La Salle Institute
60 Cody Conway OT 6-6 281 Fr. Plainfield, Ill. / Plainfield North
61 Samuel Clausman OG 6-3 317 Fr. Pembroke Pines, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas
62 Andrejas Duerig C 6-3 297 Fr. Lowell, Ind. / Mount Carmel
63 Evan Adams OG 6-6 314 Fr. Norwalk, Conn. / Norwalk
63 Rony Charles NT 6-2 312 Sr. Medford, Mass. / St. Clement
64 Colin Byrne OT 6-5 303 Fr. Coral Springs, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas
65 Jamar McGloster OT 6-7 319 So. Hillside, N.J. / Saint Anthony
67 Michael Lasker OT 6-5 295 Sr. Corona, Calif. / Santiago
68 Nick Robinson OG 6-6 302 Sr. Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker
69 Keith Mitsuuchi LS 5-10 223 Sr. Torrance, Calif. / South Torrance
71 Alex Hayes OG 6-2 279 So. Ellenwood, Ga. / Tucker
72 Steven Clark NT 6-2 303 Fr. Arab, Ala. / Brindlee Mountain
72 Ivan Foy OT 6-5 280 Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y. / Fort Hamilton
73 Jon Burton OT 6-8 304 So. Spotsylvania, Va. / Courtland
74 Seamus Shanley OG 6-1 281 Sr. Syracuse, N.Y. / West Genesee
75 Denzel Ward OT 6-8 325 R-Fr. Chicago, Ill. / Neal F. Simeon
76 Keaton Darney OT 6-3 280 R-Fr. Los Angeles, Calif. / Loyola
78 Jason Emerich C 6-3 273 Jr. New Ringgold, Pa. / Blue Mountain
79 Anthony Giudice DT 6-1 273 Fr. Monroe Township, N.J. / Avon Old Farms (Conn.)
79 Taylor Hindy OG 6-4 312 Jr. West Hills, Calif. / Chaminade Prep
80 Tyler Provo TE 6-2 223 So. West Palm Beach, Fla. / American Heritage School
82 Alvin Cornelius WR 6-1 183 Jr. Staten Island, N.Y. / Tottenville
83 Sean Avant WR 5-10 207 So. Miramar, Fla. / Miramar
84 Ben Lewis HB 6-2 213 Jr. Middletown, Md. / Middletown
85 Nesean Crofford WR 5-10 178 Fr. Alpharetta, Ga. / Alpharetta
86 Adly Enoicy WR 6-5 226 R-Fr. Delray Beach, Fla. / Atlantic Community
87 Kendall Moore TE 6-5 245 Jr. Chicago, Ill. / Neal F. Simeon
88 Clay Austin WR 5-9 164 So. Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep
89 Josh Parris TE 6-4 246 Jr. Stone Mountain, Ga. / Stephenson
90 Cameron MacPherson TE 6-3 248 Jr. Syracuse, N.Y. / Christian Brothers Academy
92 Riley Dixon P 6-5 219 Sr. Blossvale, N.Y. / Christian Brothers Academy
93 Qaadir Sheppard DE 6-3 247 Fr. Bronx, N.Y. / Iona Prep
95 Chris Slayton DT 6-4 288 R-Fr. University Park, Ill. / Crete Monee
97 Amir Ealey DE 6-3 237 Fr. Coatesville, Pa. / Coatesville
99 Jake Pickard DE 6-5 244 Fr. Short Hills, N.J. / Millburn
SYRACUSE ROSTER LSU ROSTER
PLAY. LIVE. LEARN.
LEASING OFFICE IN MARSHALL SQUARE MALL
TEXT �BLVD404� TO 47464 FOR MORE INFO
315.338.4060 � WWW.BLVD404.C0M
september 25-26, 2015 13 dailyorange.com [email protected]
Time machine: Michael Vick unstoppable against SU in 2000Editor’s note: The article below is a republished story from The Daily Orange’s preview of Syracuse-Virginia Tech, high-lighting Michael Vick’s return to Syracuse on Oct. 21, 2000.
Right now, in the college town of Blacksburg, Va., there resides a quarterback among the city’s 39,050 residents who should remind Syr-acuse football fans of Donovan McNabb.
Like McNabb, he’s athletic enough to war-rant consideration from a sport he doesn’t specialize in.
Like McNabb, he’s at his best when impro-vising on college football’s stage, truly a man among some very big boys.
And like McNabb, Virginia Tech’s all-every-thing quarterback, Michael Vick, was drawn to Syracuse in the recruiting process.
But Vick doesn’t like comparisons. He doesn’t like cold weather, either. He doesn’t like being far away from his mom, who lives in Newport News, Va.
He never wanted to be the next Donovan
McNabb. So while Syracuse struggles to find a
replacement for its best quarterback ever, the would-be heir to the Salt City throne is wear-ing Orange — mixed with maroon — while taking snaps for the No. 2 Hokies.
“I was real close to coming to Syracuse, but in the end it came to me wanting to be my own person,” said Vick, who will visit the Carrier Dome on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tilt.
“I wanted to be the first Michael Vick.”Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer has
a new affection for the white, flaky substance that piles high on Central New York roads after watching Vick take the Hokies to the national championship game last season, where they lost, 46-29, to Florida State.
“Whatever words you want to put int here, they wouldn’t be strong enough,” Beamer said. explaining his happiness with Vick’s decision. “With us, you’ve got the best player in the country and you put that with a good football team. I can tell you for sure, I’m glad Michael Vick’s on our side.”
And Beamer’s not stretching. Most analysts agree Vick is the best player in college football. They only disagree if that sentence should end in “ever.”
Last season, Vick finished No. 1 in the nation in passing efficiency, at a 180.4 clip. He accounted for 2,425 yards of total offense and averaged 9.3 yards per play, breaking a VT record.
Despite modest statistics by his standards this season, Vick led Virginia Tech to a 6-0 record and completed 55 for 107 passes. He’s rushed for 541 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns while passing for another seven. He remains the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.
Most important, and Big East coaches agree on this one, Vick is the focal point for opposing defenses, and he presents a problem no coach can answer or stop.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have a clue,” West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen said. “If I knew that, I would write a book and make a lot of money selling it. I don’t know if there is
anything you can do. You just hope it doesn’t happen too often.”
“They have the best player in the country touching the ball 60 to 70 times a game. That’s scary.”
“He’s the best football playerI’ve seen in 22 years in football,” Temple head coach Bobby Wallace said.
Like a broken record, the list goes on.“Looking at him, I think he’s the best I’ve
ever seen,” Boston College head coach Tom O’Brien said. Syracuse probably wished the best player O’Brien has ever seen was on the field last Saturday, when Troy Nunes threw four interceptions in a 20-13 loss.
The same holds true for last season when Vick threw for a mere 135 yards and a touch-down and the Hokies stuck bamboozled Syra-cuse, 62-0, in Blacksburg.
Then there’s the matter if Saturday, when Vick leads the Hokies into battle against a reeling 3-3 Syracuse squad. See dailyorange.com for the remainder of the story.
14 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Saturday, Sept. 26 Louisiana State Noon
BYE
Saturday, Oct. 10 at South Florida TBA
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Virginia TBA
Saturday, Oct. 24 Pittsburgh TBA
Saturday, Oct. 31 at Florida State TBA
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Louisville TBA
Saturday, Nov. 14 Clemson TBA
Saturday, Nov. 21 North Carolina State TBA
Saturday, Nov. 28 Boston College TBA
syracuse football schedule
september 25-26, 2015 15 dailyorange.com [email protected]
Around the nation: UCLA-Arizona tops weekend slateBy Justin Mattinglynews editor
No. 22 BYU (2-1) at Michigan (2-1) – NoonAfter starting the season with two miraculous wins, BYU lost to then-No. 10 UCLA, 24-23, for its first loss of the season. The Cougars will need freshman quarterback Tanner Mangum to stay poised on Saturday as they travel to the Big House to face a Michigan team that’s allowed 236.7 yards a game this season. The Wolverines are 6.5-point favorites.
No. 24 Oklahoma State (3-0) at Texas (1-2) – 3:30 p.m.Through three games this season, Texas has allowed more than 512 yards a game on aver-age. That comes after finishing 10th in defen-sive efficiency last season and the Longhorns are giving up the second-most passing yards per game in the Big 12. Oklahoma State quar-terback Mason Rudolph comes into Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium with a com-pletion percentage around 70 and a passer efficiency of 173.4, good for 12th in the nation. The Cowboys are 3-point favorites.
Western Michigan (1-2) at No. 1 Ohio State (3-0) – 3:30 p.m.After uncertainty over who would be the start-ing quarterback for Ohio State this week, Car-dale Jones will remain the starter, head coach Urban Meyer told reporters. Jones is coming off a rough game last week against Northern Illinois in which he threw two interceptions, completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes and was eventually replaced by backup J.T. Barrett. The Buckeyes are 31.5-point favorites for the game at Ohio Stadium.
No. 3 TCU (3-0) at Texas Tech (3-0) – 4:45 p.m.The Horned Frogs looks to put off-the-field issues behind them for Saturday’s road game
against Texas Tech. Two TCU players were arrested Monday on felony robbery charges and the players have been suspended from the team. The two offenses both average around 50 points per game and TCU scored a school-record 82 points last year against the Red Raiders. The Horned Frogs are 6.5-point favorites for the game, which features an over/under of 80.5.
No. 9 UCLA (3-0) at No. 16 Arizona (3-0) – 8 p.m.Anu Solomon will try to extend his strong start to the season as he leads No. 16 Arizona against No. 9 UCLA in Tucson, Arizona. Solomon has thrown 10 touchdowns with no interceptions. The Bruins are coming off a tight 24-23 win over then-No. 19 BYU, while the Wildcats put up a school-record 77 points in a win over Northern Arizona last week. UCLA is a 3-point favorite in the game.
No. 18 Utah (3-0) at No. 13 Oregon (2-1) – 8:30 p.m.Oregon, which lost 31-28 to Michigan State two weeks ago, will host the Utah Utes, who have matched their highest ranking since 2010, at Autzen Stadium. The starting running backs for each team — Royce Freeman and Devon-tae Booker — are both in the top five in the Pacific-12 in rush yards per game this season. Oregon is a 12-point favorite in the game and is top 10 in the country with an average of 50 points a game.
No. 19 USC (2-1) at Arizona State (2-1) – 10:30 p.m.Coming off a 10-point loss to No. 21 Stanford, USC will play its first road game of the season on Saturday as it travels to Sun Devil Stadium to take on Arizona State. The game could be decided with USC quarterback Cody Kessler in the pocket. The Trojans are 5.5-point favorites for the game.
[email protected] | @jmattingly306
Follow @DOsports for updates
16 september 25-26, 2015 dailyorange.com [email protected]
PREGAME PLAYBOOKkey players
they said it
beat writer predictionsacc standings
That offensive line is as good as I’ve seen in years.Tim Daoustsu defensive line coach
Syracuse has defeated 11 opponents ranked in the AP Top 10 since the poll
was first released in 1934.
11
In the 1989 Hall of fame Bowl, the No. 17 Orange took down the No. 16 Tigers on New Year’s Day in front of 51, 112. Former SU running back Robert Drummond won game MVP after running for 122 yards and two tocuhdowns.
208
MARQEZ HODGEl in e b ac k e rHT: 5’11” WGHT: 221 YEAR: JUNIOR
hodge-podgeHodge ranks 11th on the team in total tackles while the other two starting linebackers are first and second. A unit defined by youth has been led by its two youngest players, soph-omores Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett. But with Leonard Fournette likely to break through SU’s D-line, Hodge will need to round out the second line of defense.
syracuse
ZACK MAHONEYq ua r t e r b ac kHT: 6’2” WGHT: 192 YEAR: SOPHOMORE
new sheriffThe walk-on quarterback, once a fifth-string-er for SU, will start against the No. 8 team in the country. He completed all four of his passes for 19 yards against Central Michigan, even leading the game-winning drive in over-time. But this is a whole different animal.
LEONARD FOURNETTEr u n n in g b ac kHT: 6’1” WGHT: 230 YEAR: SOPHOMORE
watch out The Tigers’ running back has 387 yards and six touchdowns through two games. His com-bination of speed, size and strength poses the toughest threat Scott Shafer says he’s faced in 26 years. The Orange will have its hands full with the leading Heisman Trophy contender.
BRANDON HARRISq ua r t e r b ac kHT: 6’3” WGHT: 206 YEAR: SOPHOMORE
dual threatThe LSU quarterback hasn’t thrown the ball much – just 31 times in two games – but he’s completed 21 of those passes. Harris hasn’t thrown an interception yet this season, but his one passing touchdown clearly shows who the Tigers run their offense through.
lsu
stats to know
Mahoney will start against LSU, but the experience is limited for the
once-fifth-stringer
passing yards from zack
mahoney
passing yards from others
LSU RB Leonard Fournette has accounted for 48 percent of the
Tigers’ 822 total yards
yards from elsewhere
last time they played
SYRACUSE LSU
syracuse 23lsu 10
jan. 2, 1989
RUSHING YARDS FIRST DOWNS
36
24
14
Teams who can keep the ball do best.
Les Mileslsu head coach on stopping fournette
I think in my 26 years as a coach, this kid is the most talented tailback I have gone against. I think he is special.Scott Shafersu head coach on leonard fournette
You like games like this. You like playing against the No. 1 running back in the nation.
Zaire Franklinsu linebacker
JESSE DOUGHERTY (2-1)lsu 49, syracuse 10
Meow
Syracuse scratches for
a touchdown and field
goal once LSU pumps the
brakes, but it’s way too
late. Leonard Fournette
does a few Leonard Fournette things and,
well, that’s a wrap.
SAM BLUM (3-0)lsu 35, syracuse 7
Gold standard
Syracuse’s imperfectly
perfect start to the season
has a reality check with a
blowout loss to Louisiana
State. Syracuse’s defense
will keep it close for the first half, but it will
be Tigers fans drinking the Dome dry by
game’s end.
MATT SCHNEIDMAN (3-0)lsu 42, syracuse 10
Untamed
A once-fifth-stringer now
starting for Syracuse plus
the best running back in
the country playing for
LSU equals nothing good
for the Orange. Fournette will be relaxing
on the sideline well before this game is over
and the Tigers prove SU can’t take down a
big boy just yet.
PAUL SCHWEDELSON (3-0)
lsu 42, syracuse 3
LS-Phew
The only successful thing
that can come out of this
game for Syracuse is
that its remaining quar-
terbacks stay healthy,
providing a silver lining to a game that will
otherwise be out of control.
yards from fournette
Number of points Syracuse scored when it beat then-
No. 8 Virginia Tech in 2002. That was SU’s last victory over an AP Top 10 team.
The Orange’s all-time win-ning percentage against
teams from Louisiana. SU has only faced the Tigers
and Tulane.
50 .818by the numbers
Clemson 3-0 (1-0)
Florida State 3-0 (1-0)
Syracuse 3-0 (1-0)
NC State 3-0
Boston College 2-1 (0-1)
Wake Forest 2-1 (0-1)
Louisville 0-3 (0-1)
ACC Atlantic standings (conference record):