The news that Derek Hines has left the football team only reinforces the urgent need at linebacker for the ‘Cuse.
If Penn State is Linebacker U., Syracuse is Linebacker Community College right now.
The Orange has lost five linebackers (including walk-ons) Parker Cantey, Hines, Mike Mele, Kwaku Boah and Brandon Card in the Marrone Cleansing.
Let’s not forget the fact that Hines was listed at first on the depth chart coming into camp.
So it has become clear that this year’s team will have trouble filling reliable spots at linebacker; but what is the situation in 2-3 years?
Ladies and gentlemen, it appears as if the big guy saw this coming.
So far, Marrone has 12 verbal commits for the upcoming class and three of them are listed as LBs. Two of them, Malcom Carter andMiles Davis, are listed at three stars by Rivals.
So there are two sides to this purging.
Yes, a lot of people at a critical position have left. But how much worse could it be? The team was pretty awful at linebacker last year, lost it’s senior starter in Jake Flaherty and had a transfer like Hines penciled in as a starter before Marrone even saw him play.
This could end up working as a worthy concession in the hopes of getting recruits up on campus.
“Hey (insert four-star running back here), you can see we have some needs at the position. But we have a great coach in Scott Shafer (to be seen), and you can see the field on day one.”
I would buy it. And it seems Davis and Carter already have. One can only hope that this can turn an new leaf over for the position of linebacker, which hasn’t been the staple of a ‘Cuse defense in some time.
