There is less than a month until the Syracuse Football season starts and SU fans have no clue how the quarterback battle is shaking out. Dino Babers and company are keeping that information close to the chest, like always. On one side, you have the incumbent but challenged Tommy DeVito. On the other, you have the Mississippi State transfer with a lot of questions Garrett Shrader.
Despite not knowing who will win the QB1 battle, we did learn about the frontrunners’ relationship when they spoke to the media on Thursday. They were both respectful, but to say they are best friends seems like a stretch.
“Uh, I mean, just kind of… I mean we are two different people totally,” Shrader said. “[I’ve] been in North Carolina, Mississippi and he’s more of a New York guy, but he’s a good guy. We get along pretty well.”
Shrader is more of a soft spoken, reserved guy, but you could tell he wasn’t thrilled to talk about his relationship with DeVito. From fumbling over his words at the beginning, which he didn’t do with other answers, to the look on his face, you could tell they aren’t best friends.
DeVito was the same way when he was asked about Shrader. The first word that came out of his mouth to describe his fellow teammate was “different.”
“I would compare it to me and Dungey’s relationship,” DeVito said. “He’s all the way over on the west coast, I’m all the way in Jersey. So, it’s like two completely different lives. The thing we come together most with is football… Being on the field, being in the facilities, camp is a long day. We are together all the time, so that is kind of where our relationship is.”
Hearing that DeVito and Shrader have a relationship on the field is a good sign for Syracuse fans. They won’t be playing together, as one guy will win the spot, but not having a friendly quarterback room would hurt the team.
The only relationship that they need is on the field; it would just be nice to hear the two leaders of the team are close off the gridiron too.
Shrader, DeVito and the rest of Syracuse start the 2021 season Saturday, Sept. 4 at Ohio.
