Frank Ordoñez /The Post-Standard
Posted: Mike Couzens
As finals wrap up (mercifully) here on The Hill and the spring semester ends, it’s impossible not to imagine what the football team will look like this summer and into the fall.
It‚Äôs either that or dissect the lacrosse game against St. John‚Äôs on Saturday. We’re guessing the headline ‚ÄúLacrosse in Queens‚Äù intrigues just about nobody except an old man looking for his Buick.
So congrats to Mike Williams and Art Jones, and hello to Charley Loeb, Ryan Nassib and (hopefully) Delone Carter.
We know things have been dicey personnel wise since Doug Marrone took over, but the numbers will start to build again come the summer in Syracuse.
That leaves some questions to be answered.
Who is the quarterback?
Ryan Nassib should have the edge because of experience and his being named starter in least years spring practice. However, Charley Loeb, or “Preppy”, seems to be a popular guy in the coaching offices. Loeb gets the nickname because he now has the same haircut as Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
Who’s the go-to guy?
Last year it was obvious with Mike Williams on the team. Now, not so much. There were nice moments from Alec Lemon as a freshman, but beyond that we didn’t see much else. Remember, the offense will be different this year. No more spread. Forget the no huddle. It could mean a shorter passing game. Does that open things up for a tight end to emerge? Nick Provo was solid before he went down with an injury last year and the team also adds Jose Cruz from Hofstra at that spot.
Does the defense keep up last year’s pace?
The run defense last year was stellar and one of the top units in the country. The pass defense was atrocious. Have the young players in that secondary improved enough to be left alone in one-on-one coverage? Is there a sufficient amount of players to replace Art Jones in the middle of the defensive line?
The weather is nice, putting us in summer football mode. Let’s see if Coach Marrone can answer these three questions before year number two.
