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The Daily OrangeWide open at wide receiver
With its top two receivers gone, SU has a void in its passing game. The question is, who's going to step up?
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 8/26/08, 12:34 AM EST Section: Sports
Lobdell caught eight passes for 86 yards last season. Sophomore wideout Dan Sheeran had four grabs, but is on the shelf until at least midseason with a broken leg.
"It's been an adjustment," said starting quarterback Andrew Robinson. "… I know these guys pretty well, and I know how they run their routes, and they know how I throw the ball. So when it comes down to it, we just have to go out there and perform as a unit and perform as an offense."
At Big East Media Day in Newport, R.I., in July, SU head coach Greg Robinson suggested perhaps his team became too reliant on Williams and Smith for their offense and would now have more freedom to spread the ball around.
The real question is to whom.
Lobdell is the obvious choice, and White said he thinks Lobdell is finally ready to meet his potential. Davis showed his freshman year he has ability, but it's impossible to know how he will react to a major role. Marcus Sales is a true freshman considered one of the top recruits in New York state, but he hasn't taken a single snap at the collegiate level. Robinson indicated in his press conference Sunday that Lobdell, Davis and Williams were his top three receivers for now. Sales and Van Chew are also in the mix.
Bruce Williams is the real wild card. He played receiver as a freshman in 2005 and caught four passes for 52 yards before moving to safety his sophomore season. Williams is a team captain - a veteran presence the group has been looking for - but considering he hasn't played wideout in three years, how much he will contribute on the field is still unknown.
But no doubt he has an immediate effect on the receiving corps as a leader. The coaching staff chose to move Williams back to receiver in early August after Sheeran's injury.
Days after Williams changed positions, he made sure the other wide receivers arrived at practice 10 or 15 minutes early to run routes and catch tennis balls, as a way to improve their hands and coordination.
"Bruce came over and gave us a big boost mentally and physically," Sales said. "He's an experienced guy who knows what it takes to win. He's been giving us confidence and making sure we are going through everything hard. He gave us such a big boost when he came over in terms of motivation and confidence."
Syracuse will likely feature a run-first offense this season under new coordinator Mitch Browning, as tailback appears to be one of the squad's biggest strengths.
The Orange no longer has Mike Williams and Smith, and there will undoubtedly be a learning curve for the receivers that remain.
"It's a new season every year," White said. "Sometimes you just have to go with what you got."
jediamon@syr.edu
"It's been an adjustment," said starting quarterback Andrew Robinson. "… I know these guys pretty well, and I know how they run their routes, and they know how I throw the ball. So when it comes down to it, we just have to go out there and perform as a unit and perform as an offense."
At Big East Media Day in Newport, R.I., in July, SU head coach Greg Robinson suggested perhaps his team became too reliant on Williams and Smith for their offense and would now have more freedom to spread the ball around.
The real question is to whom.
Lobdell is the obvious choice, and White said he thinks Lobdell is finally ready to meet his potential. Davis showed his freshman year he has ability, but it's impossible to know how he will react to a major role. Marcus Sales is a true freshman considered one of the top recruits in New York state, but he hasn't taken a single snap at the collegiate level. Robinson indicated in his press conference Sunday that Lobdell, Davis and Williams were his top three receivers for now. Sales and Van Chew are also in the mix.
Bruce Williams is the real wild card. He played receiver as a freshman in 2005 and caught four passes for 52 yards before moving to safety his sophomore season. Williams is a team captain - a veteran presence the group has been looking for - but considering he hasn't played wideout in three years, how much he will contribute on the field is still unknown.
But no doubt he has an immediate effect on the receiving corps as a leader. The coaching staff chose to move Williams back to receiver in early August after Sheeran's injury.
Days after Williams changed positions, he made sure the other wide receivers arrived at practice 10 or 15 minutes early to run routes and catch tennis balls, as a way to improve their hands and coordination.
"Bruce came over and gave us a big boost mentally and physically," Sales said. "He's an experienced guy who knows what it takes to win. He's been giving us confidence and making sure we are going through everything hard. He gave us such a big boost when he came over in terms of motivation and confidence."
Syracuse will likely feature a run-first offense this season under new coordinator Mitch Browning, as tailback appears to be one of the squad's biggest strengths.
The Orange no longer has Mike Williams and Smith, and there will undoubtedly be a learning curve for the receivers that remain.
"It's a new season every year," White said. "Sometimes you just have to go with what you got."
jediamon@syr.edu
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