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SU football has toiled through three dismal seasons. Can this be the year it turns it around?
By Tyler Dunne
Posted: 8/25/08, 12:39 AM EST Section: Sports
Brian Proctor only bought tickets to one football game this year.
Like many SU students, Proctor learned the drill. As a freshman, he decked himself out in orange for multiple home games - beaming with optimism. But the buzz quickly faded, his interest quickly waned and attending football games became a chore.
Now he buys tickets for other reasons.
"I just got tickets to the Penn State game. I'll see how well they do and maybe buy some more tickets," said Proctor, a junior sports management major who lives 30 minutes from Happy Valley, Pa. "I'm kind of scared to watch them play Penn State because I'm a huge Penn State fan."
Over the past three seasons, Syracuse has gone 7-28. The average home attendance has fallen by more than 8,500 fans since 2004, slipping to a 22-year low last season (35,009). But heading into a new season produces optimism by default.
After an offseason gone haywire, though, it's more of a curtailed, wait-and-see optimism. De facto excitement that could gain a head of steam.
"I've noticed the past couple years that the number of fans that have shown up has really dwindled," Proctor said. "I think that if we get a couple wins under our belt, you'll see more than just freshmen in the crowd."
For the second straight year, the Orange enters the season without its top returning offensive weapon. Last year it was the injured Delone Carter, who's back. This year, wide receiver Mike Williams was suspended by the university for academic reasons. For salt in the wound, Brandon Gilbeaux was also deemed ineligible for the same reason and has since transferred to the University of Delaware.
The future is also in peril. The school's dwindling recruiting power took a big blow when four-star rated cornerback Darrick Scott de-committed from Syracuse this summer in favor of Central Michigan. The Orange currently has the fewest recruits (four) of any Big East school for the 2009 season, according to Scout.com.
Like many SU students, Proctor learned the drill. As a freshman, he decked himself out in orange for multiple home games - beaming with optimism. But the buzz quickly faded, his interest quickly waned and attending football games became a chore.
Now he buys tickets for other reasons.
"I just got tickets to the Penn State game. I'll see how well they do and maybe buy some more tickets," said Proctor, a junior sports management major who lives 30 minutes from Happy Valley, Pa. "I'm kind of scared to watch them play Penn State because I'm a huge Penn State fan."
Over the past three seasons, Syracuse has gone 7-28. The average home attendance has fallen by more than 8,500 fans since 2004, slipping to a 22-year low last season (35,009). But heading into a new season produces optimism by default.
After an offseason gone haywire, though, it's more of a curtailed, wait-and-see optimism. De facto excitement that could gain a head of steam.
"I've noticed the past couple years that the number of fans that have shown up has really dwindled," Proctor said. "I think that if we get a couple wins under our belt, you'll see more than just freshmen in the crowd."
For the second straight year, the Orange enters the season without its top returning offensive weapon. Last year it was the injured Delone Carter, who's back. This year, wide receiver Mike Williams was suspended by the university for academic reasons. For salt in the wound, Brandon Gilbeaux was also deemed ineligible for the same reason and has since transferred to the University of Delaware.
The future is also in peril. The school's dwindling recruiting power took a big blow when four-star rated cornerback Darrick Scott de-committed from Syracuse this summer in favor of Central Michigan. The Orange currently has the fewest recruits (four) of any Big East school for the 2009 season, according to Scout.com.
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