Spring Break
The Daily OrangeHis other half
Former teammates Delone Carter and Tyrell Sutton will be on opposite sidelines Saturday
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 8/26/08, 10:55 PM EST Section: Sports
"Their styles are not drastically different," said Hoban head coach Ralph Orsini. "They run a lot the same way. Delone runs with power. He has a lot of shiftiness. Tyrell's the same way. They're individuals that if you don't hit them properly on defense, they'll run you over."
Orsini wanted to expand his offense to include both of them. He studied how Wake Forest, for one, used multiple backs, and hoped to shift to a double slot formation at times. He wanted both available as weapons. Sutton would still be the bellwether. Carter would be a dangerous understudy.
But Orsini never got the chance. He walked into his office one day in the winter after Carter's sophomore year and Robert White, Carter's step-father, was there.
Carter's family had decided to move. It was a difficult time for their son, one that still frustrates his parents, White and April Carter-White, five years later. White shakes his head when he talks about it.
Other Hoban students would spit slurs at him, White said. They tried to draw him in to fights, tried to bring him down, he said. So his parents decided it was best for their son to transfer to Copley High.
"It was a growing experience," Carter said. "Just realizing what's in the real world, and knowing I'd have to deal with certain things and overcome obstacles."
Sutton understood. And Carter now had a chance to make his mark somewhere else. His own mark, not one always compared to the back who ran before him.
On his own for the first time, Carter gashed defenses for 2,503 yards and 28 touchdowns. But Sutton topped him, winning Mr. Football and ending his career as Ohio's all-time leading rusher.
Carter did his best to catch up the next season, ringing up 2,788 yards, 49 touchdowns, and yes, a Mr. Football trophy to match his old teammate. Sutton might not have been able to top that, but his 1,474 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman in the Big Ten was nothing to sneeze at. They would call each other on Saturday nights to brag about their stats, tossing mind-boggling numbers back and forth with ease.
Then things slowed down. The numbers got smaller. Sutton couldn't out-do his freshman year, hitting 1,000 yards on the nose. Carter led the 4-8 Orange in rushing as a freshman in 2006, but only scored four touchdowns - all of them against Wyoming.
The next year brought little relief. Sutton sprained his ankle in the 2007 season-opener and limped through half a season. And Carter? He dislocated his right hip and missed the whole season.
So now each finds himself at a career crossroads. Both need this season to prove something, as Carter returns from a potentially career-threatening injury and Sutton tries to prove his worth to NFL scouts.
The road back starts Saturday - against each other.
"When it comes to game time, we're definitely going to speak and talk," Sutton said. "But we both know it's business."
ramccull@syr.edu
Orsini wanted to expand his offense to include both of them. He studied how Wake Forest, for one, used multiple backs, and hoped to shift to a double slot formation at times. He wanted both available as weapons. Sutton would still be the bellwether. Carter would be a dangerous understudy.
But Orsini never got the chance. He walked into his office one day in the winter after Carter's sophomore year and Robert White, Carter's step-father, was there.
Carter's family had decided to move. It was a difficult time for their son, one that still frustrates his parents, White and April Carter-White, five years later. White shakes his head when he talks about it.
Other Hoban students would spit slurs at him, White said. They tried to draw him in to fights, tried to bring him down, he said. So his parents decided it was best for their son to transfer to Copley High.
"It was a growing experience," Carter said. "Just realizing what's in the real world, and knowing I'd have to deal with certain things and overcome obstacles."
Sutton understood. And Carter now had a chance to make his mark somewhere else. His own mark, not one always compared to the back who ran before him.
On his own for the first time, Carter gashed defenses for 2,503 yards and 28 touchdowns. But Sutton topped him, winning Mr. Football and ending his career as Ohio's all-time leading rusher.
Carter did his best to catch up the next season, ringing up 2,788 yards, 49 touchdowns, and yes, a Mr. Football trophy to match his old teammate. Sutton might not have been able to top that, but his 1,474 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman in the Big Ten was nothing to sneeze at. They would call each other on Saturday nights to brag about their stats, tossing mind-boggling numbers back and forth with ease.
Then things slowed down. The numbers got smaller. Sutton couldn't out-do his freshman year, hitting 1,000 yards on the nose. Carter led the 4-8 Orange in rushing as a freshman in 2006, but only scored four touchdowns - all of them against Wyoming.
The next year brought little relief. Sutton sprained his ankle in the 2007 season-opener and limped through half a season. And Carter? He dislocated his right hip and missed the whole season.
So now each finds himself at a career crossroads. Both need this season to prove something, as Carter returns from a potentially career-threatening injury and Sutton tries to prove his worth to NFL scouts.
The road back starts Saturday - against each other.
"When it comes to game time, we're definitely going to speak and talk," Sutton said. "But we both know it's business."
ramccull@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Former Hoban teammate of Carter
posted 10/10/08 @ 2:53 PM EST
There was a issue with a individual saying racist comments to Carter, and Carter kicked the crap out of him. I am a white person, and the fooball team always respected him and had his back. (Continued…)
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