As the hype and anticipation for the approaching college football season grows stronger every day, so does The Fizz’s coverage of all things Orange. For this week’s Fizz Fresh Take, we welcomed The Post-Standard’s Nolan Weidner onto the FizzCast.
- Listen to the FizzCast: Nolan Weidner, Post-Standard
Weidner is at practice daily and has updates on the team’s disconcerting slew of injuries.
On Phillip Thomas: “He probably feels pretty good, but it’s a fractured jaw. What I got is that they’ll see how he is this weekend, and it’ll be a game-week decision. I think he’s okay but the danger of a fractured jaw is you have to see if he can do contact.”
Prince-Tyson Gulley’s recovery from the stab wounds he recently endured? “He didn’t really look like he was sharp. He’s running fast, he’s back up to speed and everything, and he looks good because he’s worked out in the off-season and taken care of himself. But Prince always had that stop-and-start kind of stutter step, like a little kind of Antwon Bailey quickness to him. I think he’s healthy, I think he’s fine, but I think he’s not quite there yet in terms of game shape.”
Weidner also updates us on the status of Keon Lyn, and why he remains the biggest question mark of all the Orange’s injured players. Nolan identifies which young players have stepped up in the absence of the injured veterans, and made a case for playing time this year.
Team Fizz also provides first-hand observations from Saturday’s Ernie Davis Scrimmage.
- Injuries led to increased reps for some of the reserves. One guy who got an extended look on defense that stuck out was freshman cornerback Ritchy Desir. He intercepted a Charley Loeb pass early on.
- Freshman defensive tackle Eric Crume is an absolute monster of a man. He eats blocks in the middle of the d-line and could be a key cog for Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer from day one.
- Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Kobena is as fast as they come, but had the dropsies at the scrimmage, à la teammate Dorian Graham in past years. Graham is reportedly a significantly improved player this season, but was absent from the scrimmage.
- Adrian Flemming and Jarrod West should prove to be excellent additions to the receiving corps. Syracuse has much more depth at receiver compared to last year.
- Third-string quarterback John Kinder played well, while second-stringer Loeb did not.
We also hear from The Fizz’s Dave Van Moffaert on Syracuse‚Äôs recruitment of Michigan tight end Ron Thompson.¬†DVM discusses Thompson’s amazing hands and his potential as a scary pass-catching threat. ‚ÄúSugar Bear,‚Äù as the tight end is nicknamed, has narrowed his choices down to Syracuse and Maryland. Team Fizz will keep you posted as always.
Posted: Andrew Kanell
