Syracuse Football

Big things were expected out of Syracuse dual-threat quarterback Terrel Hunt in 2015, but his senior campaign is over before it ever really got started after undergoing surgery on a torn Achilles tendon suffered on Sept. 5. 

Continue for updates.

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Hunt to Apply for Medical Redshirt

Tuesday, Sept. 8

Orange head coach Scott Shafer told reporters Hunt underwent surgery on his injured Achilles, and would be applying for a sixth year of eligibility, per Nate Mink of Syracuse.com.

"I'm not sure how quickly they'll act on it, but we're doing our due diligence to make sure that anything that we can do we will do," Shafer said, according to Mink. "It'll just be a wait and see with the NCAA. So the ball will be in their court, really."

According to Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com on Sept. 5, Shafer revealed after the contest that his star signal-caller suffered an Achilles injury in the first quarter while rolling out of the pocket:

He just cut really hard and that Achilles just popped on him. They said it was an Achilles injury and it's not good. ... Keep your prayers out there for Terrel. Tough deal, tough deal. ... Terrel's deal is not good so please keep your thoughts and prayers out there for his family. He'll be OK. He's got a bunch of brothers who love him and will take good care of him.

Non-contact injuries often make for scary situations, and it appears as though Hunt's case is no different. The injury is especially disconcerting since the Rosedale, New York, native missed seven games last season with a broken leg.

The fact that Hunt got injured so quickly after returning to competitive action doesn't sit well with Bailey in particular:

Walking out of the Dome, I can't help but feel bad for Terrel Hunt. Guy went through a lot to get back. Would hate to see it end this way.

— Stephen Bailey (@Stephen_Bailey1) September 5, 2015

Hunt looked like a star in the making in 2013, as he topped 2,000 total yards and scored 17 touchdowns, but he never reached his full potential due almost entirely to injuries.

Freshman Eric Dungey stepped in for Hunt on Friday night and looked excellent, but there may be some growing pains when the level of competition increases, especially in ACC play.

Without Hunt's veteran presence under center, the 2015 season may be a long and difficult one for an Orange team that is looking to make its mark in a power conference.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Updates from Friday, Oct. 31

Syracuse released a statement on the investigation on Friday, according to Chris Carlson of Syracuse.com:

"Earlier today, Syracuse University concluded a hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions. The hearing completes a cooperative process stemming from the University's self-report of potential NCAA violations.

"None of the potential violations involve current-student athletes. The issues regarding men's basketball and football occurred years ago, with the exception of certain issues in basketball occurring between 2010 and early 2012. Since first self-reporting to the NCAA in 2007, the University, in partnership with the Department of Athletics, has implemented a series of best practices, reformed and strengthened existing policies and procedures, and realigned and improved a range of student-athlete support services.

"The University is fully committed to ensuring compliance with all NCAA regulations and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and responsibility. With this significant step in the process complete, we look forward to reviewing the Committee's findings and resolving this matter."

Original Text

Syracuse's football program is reportedly being investigated as part of an investigation into improprieties after the NCAA's look into the basketball program over the last few years raised some questions.

According to Nate Mink of The Syracuse Post-Standard, it's not yet clear if the football team will be subject to penalties or sanctions and if there are other programs involved:

The information shows that the NCAA inquiry that has swirled around the basketball team for two years is more involved, and that the football team is part of the investigation and potentially exposed to penalties. It's unclear if other teams are involved.

The time period being examined is not known.

Per Chris Carlson of The Syracuse Post-Standard, officials from the school "have been invited to an NCAA hearing at the end of the month as part of a multi-year inquiry into the SU athletic department."

...It will serve as one of the final steps before determining whether the school has committed NCAA violations and if it will be punished.

Emily James, a spokesperson for the NCAA, said she can't comment on specific or possible cases, but when investigations necessitate hearings, they involve at least one Level I or Level II violation.

Former Syracuse football head coach Doug Marrone, now in the same position with the Buffalo Bills, told Mink that "there's nothing that I know about that we did that wasn't either punished or put forth." He also says that if there was any kind of mistake made that it was always reported. 

Current head coach Scott Shafer did not return Mink's request for a comment. 

In March 2013, Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported that Syracuse's basketball program had "been under NCAA investigation for a period of years.” Jim Boeheim is quoted in the piece from a media session prior to his team's NCAA Tournament game. "Same story they had last year at this time."

The Syracuse Post-Standard reported the investigation was looking into "the handling of Fab Melo’s academic eligibility and a 2007 alleged sexual assault case involving three players," Boeheim said. "I guess that's annual. I guess next year we'll get it again."

Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports noted that the NCAA's investigation into Syracuse has been going on for a long time for potentially violating an internal drug policy:

Syracuse was under investigation for a LONG time. NCAA was looking into this http://t.co/pbLR3M7NHR Not sure if it will be part of hearing

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 17, 2014

Syracuse did take action to help make sure its student-athletes remain academically eligible, per The Syracuse Post-Standard, most notably by replacing the person in charge of academic oversight.

It's almost surprising how long the NCAA has been looking into Syracuse's athletic department. There appears to be progress on that front with the upcoming hearing, though these potential findings with the football program could mean more eyeballs. 

With the 2013 college football season rapidly approaching, fans are craving any and every taste of what is to come in what should be an invigorating year.  As we inch closer to the action kicking off on August 29, I'll release schedule analysis for a new ACC school every other day.  For now, let's take a look at the Syracuse Orange:

Outlook

Aug. 31 - vs. Penn  St. (Meadowlands)

Sept. 7 - at Northwestern

Sept. 14 - Wagner

Sept. 21 - Tulane

Sept. 28 - Open

Oct. 5 - Clemson

Oct. 12 - at N.C. State

Oct. 19 - at Georgia Tech

Oct. 26 - Open

Nov. 2 - Wake Forest

Nov. 9 - at Maryland

Nov. 16 - at Florida State

Nov. 23 - Pittsburgh

Nov. 30 - Boston College

Schedule obtained from the official website of Syracuse athletics

The Orange enjoy six true home games this season, a neutral-site showdown and five matchups on the road.  While the ideal schedule would include more home games, the non-conference schedule is less challenging than it was a season ago when they faced three FBS opponents.

While championship contenders would prefer to play their most difficult games in the comfort of their own stadium, it may not be the worst thing that the Orange travel to both Florida State and Georgia Tech; it's unlikely Syracuse would win those games anyway.

When December rolls around, 'Cuse won't be playing for a conference title, but that doesn't mean head coach Scott Shafer's squad has nothing to play for.

Best-Case Scenario

Shafer's familiarity with the program and experience coaching under former Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone makes for a smooth transition, while his energetic personality injects confidence and motivation into this team.

Drew Allen wins the quarterback battle and becomes the undisputed starter heading into the season, and the Orange establish a passing game strong enough to balance an already solid rushing attack.  On defense, Micah Robinson and Robert Welsh step up to cancel out some of the losses in D-line personnel, and the front seven turns out to be better than expected.

Syracuse claims victory over three of its non-conference foes and defeats everyone but Clemson in the Carrier Dome.  Stealing road wins against N.C. State and Maryland, Shafer bursts onto the scene in the ACC with eight regular-season wins in Year 1.

Worst-Case Scenario

Ryan Nassib meant everything to this team, and early season losses make it tough for the players and fans to buy into Shafer.  Not-so-quiet grumblings over athletic director Daryl Gross' decision to hire from within fill the Carrier Dome and grow louder as the season progresses.

Neither Drew Allen nor Terrel Hunt can convincingly win the QB battle, and Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley fail to get things going out of the backfield when the quarterbacks can't open it up through the air.

The defense is missing too many parts, and Syracuse's first year in the ACC is a failure.  The Orange lose every game on the road and are unable to create a real home-field advantage.  The season ends as a 2-10 disaster, looking like a snapshot of the Greg Robinson years.

Bottom Line

'Cuse is not an ACC title contender.  Plain and simple.  The Orange are light years behind Clemson and Florida State, but they're not far behind the others in the Atlantic Division.  With home games against Wake Forest, Pittsburgh and Boston College, Syracuse could definitely put together a decent record.  If those home games become losses, however, this could be a long year in Central New York.

Follow me on Twitter at @MarkCCarroll

Syracuse strong safety Shamarko Thomas' 2013 NFL combine performance may be forever remembered for his epic face plant. The fact of the matter is, Thomas left scouts with much more to think about rather than how well he eats dirt.

Let's break down how Thomas actually fared at the combine.

With blazing speed, overpowering strength and limitless leaping ability, Thomas put on a show for the scouts, general managers and coaches in attendance. He did so by ranking in the top five by position in four of the five drills he performed.

That includes the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and broad jump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlE3PrHJz4

So let's go down to it.

How did Thomas fare in each individual event? Furthermore, how much has he improved his draft stock as a result of his execution?

Most importantly, where might he go?

40-Yard Dash: 4.42 Seconds

Thomas obliterated the field of safeties, completing his 40-yard dash in a time of 4.42 seconds. That was the fastest time posted by any safety at the combine.

This was a display of what Thomas is all about on the football field.

The former Syracuse Orange standout attacks the ball at blazing speeds and collides with receivers and running backs with reckless abandon. This is what makes Thomas such an intriguing prospect.

With his burning speed proven at the combine, we could see this strong safety move up many draft boards. Fortunately for Thomas, speed isn't all he has to offer.

It's far from it.

Bench Press: 28 Reps

After leading all safeties in the 40-yard dash, Thomas was at it again with the bench press. He performed 28 reps and fell just four short of the position's all time record.

More importantly, Thomas led all safeties—again.

This is what scouts needed to see from Thomas, as he proved that he is much more than just a fast runner. Thomas is a powerful player that possesses a rare combination of brute force and open field speed.

Once again, Thomas wasn't finished.

Vertical Jump: 40.5 Inches

You may think I'm making this up, but I'm not. During the vertical jump, Thomas again topped his position.

Thomas and LSU's Eric Reid tied for first at their position with respective 40.5-inch verticals.

This offers hope for scouts in attendance that they have found a capable defender when facing the pass. With speed, strength and vertical leaping ability, Thomas has proven that he can handle anything thrown his way from a physical perspective.

If you still don't believe it, check the final workout.

Broad Jump: 133.0 inches

For once, Thomas did not finish first at his position during a combine drill. Instead, he finished in second.

Thomas's 11'1" broad jump was right behind Eric Reid of LSU and Earl Wolff of North Carolina State. Reid and Wolff tied for first at 11'2"—just one inch further than Thomas.

In case you aren't getting the picture, Thomas proved to be one of the most physically gifted players in this draft class. While he may not have established himself as the best player at his position, Thomas went a long way towards defining his upside.

Scouts, general managers and coaches have taken notice of Thomas—and not because of a face plant.

All statistics and information provided by NFL.com.

On Monday afternoon, Syracuse University released its 2013 football schedule marking its maiden voyage into a brave new pigskin world, Atlantic Coast Conference style.

Thus continues Syracuse’s interesting, if not exciting, offseason that began with the departure of head coach Doug Marrone (and a majority of the staff), the whirlwind promotion of defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to replace Marrone and Shafer’s mad scramble to not only fill out his staff but hang onto previously committed recruits while kicking the tires for new ones.

If that wasn’t enough to wet whistles across upstate New York, the university also announced plans to build a long-sought-for, much-anticipated football indoor practice facility. That’s right, ACC brethren, it’s on!

So now that who will be coaching the Orange, who will be playing for the Orange, and where they’ll be practicing in the future has been settled, let’s take a look at who the Orange will actually be playing against. Home games are in CAPS.

PENN STATE – Saturday, August 31 (at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ)

Yeah, right, a “home” game (teeth grinding). It’s not as if fans want to see programs like Penn State (or USC last season) actually play in the Carrier Dome (waiting for sarcasm to drip dry). But that’s a topic for another day.

The Orange and Nittany Lions will renew their rivalry to open the season. These two teams last played in the 2009 season at Happy Valley. Penn State comes off an 8-4 season and will provide a stiff test for whoever replaces departing QB Ryan Nassib under center for Syracuse.

At Northwestern – Saturday, September 7

These two teams played last season in the Dome and provided the fans with a real barn burner.

After trailing by a score of 35-13 in the third quarter, Nassib rallied the Orange with four straight touchdowns to take a 41-35 lead with under three minutes to play.

The Wildcats scored the game-winning touchdown though with 0:44 left in regulation for an exciting 42-41 triumph.

If Syracuse can win its first two games of the year, it will have to be considered a real threat to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Wait, Big Ten???

WAGNER – Saturday, September 14

Syracuse welcomes an FCS squad to the Carrier Dome “home” opener. Yes, an FCS squad. Really brings out the “meh” in all of us. 

But, beware. SU struggled to put away Stony Brook, 28-17, last season in the Dome. And with the new SU QB playing his first home game and only his third game as a starter, stranger things have happened. Expect a healthy dose of Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley in this one.

TULANE – Saturday, September 21

The Green Wave last squared off with Syracuse in 2011 at the Superdome in New Orleans. Ross Krautman kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to break a 34-34 tie and allow the Orange to escape with a win.

Tulane finished the season last year with a miserable 2-10 record, so this one should be a win. Again, expect a healthy dose of Mr. Smith and Mr. Gulley

CLEMSON – Saturday, October 5

And so it begins. 

Nothing like throwing down to start ACC play with one of the conference’s heavies.

The Tigers finished 11-2 on the year including a victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Starting QB and Heisman contender Tajh Boyd returns for his senior season. Boyd will provide the Syracuse
defense with its stiffest test to date.

An interesting side note to the game is will true-freshman and Brooklyn-native Ebenezer Ogundeko make Clemson’s travel squad and will he play in the game? Syracuse fans certainly remember how Ogundeko spurned the Orange for the Tigers in a fierce, recruiting battle between the two schools.

If Syracuse can prevail in this one, they’ll officially be cooking with gas.

At NC State – Saturday, October 12

First ACC road game finds the Wolfpack, much like Syracuse, breaking in a new coach.

Dave Doeren take over for the fired Tom O’Brien. And, like Syracuse, Doeren will have to break in a new QB as senior Mike Glennon is off to the NFL.

Coach Shafer will hope to have the same success against NC State’s football team as Syracuse’s basketball team has had against the Wolfpack hoopsters (2-0 in a home-and-home) over the past few seasons.

At Georgia Tech – Saturday, October 19

Back-to-back road games for the Orange finds them traveling to a state where they had decent recruiting success during Marrone’s tenure. Five Georgia players graced Syracuse’s roster last season. Shafer will be looking for big impacts from two of those recruits this upcoming year, redshirt freshmen George Morris III and Josh Parris.

WAKE FOREST – Saturday, November 2

These two teams played two out-of-conference games over the past seven seasons. The Demon Deacons emerged with a 20-10 home win in 2006, while the Orange returned the favor, 36-29 in overtime, to open their 2011 season.

Wake finished 5-7 last year (3-5, ACC) by dropping four of its last five. The average margin of defeat was 33 points. This game falls into the must-win category if SU wants to get back to a bowl game.

At Maryland – Saturday, November 9

The Terrapins struggled last year. Randy Edsall’s clubs closed the year on a 6-game losing streak after losing multiple quarterbacks to injury.

But Edsall has a stud WR in Stefon Diggs and a potential start in RB Wes Brown, who only played in seven games a year ago. Diggs averaged 15.7 YPC and scored six touchdowns with a long of 66 yards.

Both players will be true-sophomores next season and will be relied on to make plays for the Terps.

At Florida State – Saturday, November 16

The ACC has a two-headed monster in terms of college football’s elite. Clemson is the first. The Seminoles are the second.

FSU has the tall-task of replacing senior QB E.J. Manuel. But this is Florida State. They simply reload. 

Though they aren’t the powerhouse they used to be under former coach Bobby Bowden, they are not to be taken lightly. Jimbo Fisher’s team possesses an embarrassment of riches in the speed department. Even the popcorn vendors at Doak Campbell are some of the fastest in the nation.
Kidding. But seriously, would that shock you if it was true?

Syracuse will be a heavy underdog in this one but with 11 Florida natives on its roster last year, it will be important to make a good impression if Shafer hopes to continue to mine the talent-rich state for recruits.

PITTSBURGH – Saturday, November 23

Hey, don’t I know you?

Much like Syracuse, Pittsburgh will be making its ACC debut next season. This is a critical game for a couple of reasons.

Prior to its thrilling 14-13 win in the Dome this year, Syracuse had dropped seven-straight games against the Panthers. Shafer will look to re-establish Syracuse’s winning ways against this not-so-stranger in a strange land.

The other reason this grudge match should have an asterisk next to it on the calendar can be summed up in one word. Recruiting.

These two teams harvest a lot of the same areas for recruits, especially Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Both states have a plethora of talent. Winning games on the field will help win recruiting battles off the field.

BOSTON COLLEGE – Saturday, November 30

Hey, don’t I know you? – Part II

Former Big East foe BC is now current ACC foe BC. And the two schools will be ending their seasons against one another for the foreseeable future.

Like with Pitt, Syracuse and BC compete in a lot of the same recruiting grounds, so on-field results will matter.

The Eagles suffered through a dreadful season (2-10, 1-7 ACC), which resulted in Frank Spaziani’s dismissal. Former Syracuse assistant Steve Addazio was hired to right the ship and his son, Louie, promptly transferred from the Orange to play for his father.

With Doug Marrone leaving his job as head coach of Syracuse to take over the NFL's Buffalo Bills, the Orange have reportedly identified his replacement: Scott Shafer. 

CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman tweeted out the news. 

BREAKING: Syracuse will hire Scott Shafer as its new head coach, source tells CBS: cbsprt.co/VzQSOL

— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) January 8, 2013

This move makes a ton of sense, as it gives the rising Orange continuity. Shafer, 46, has been on the staff for four years, and he was the defensive coordinator last season.

Promoting Shafer will help steady the recruiting class that was built under the guidance of Marrone. It will also make keeping the existing staff in place an easier task, and that is something that needed to be a priority for the Orange. 

Syracuse will be moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013, and it will do so with a nice sense of momentum. 

Marrone led the Orange to an 8-5 record last season, which put him at 25-25 for his four-year run as Orange head coach.

While that is a modest record, it is far better than what Syracuse was getting previously. In the seven years preceding Marrone, the Orange went 26-57.

Given this, it easy to see why Marrone got the call to the NFL, and why Syracuse is reported to be hiring from within. 

Still, this move is not without risk. Shafer has no head-coaching experience, and he will be thrown right into the fire with this promotion. While the familiarity with the program, players and everything else will make the transition easier, some people are just better suited to be coordinators, rather than the head man. 

Syracuse better hope that Shafer does not fall into that category. 

School: Syracuse

Position: Quarterback

Year: Senior

Height/Weight: 6'2"/229

Big Board (as of 1/1/13): CBS (52), My Rank (50)

Background

Nassib played for Malvern Prep in Pennsylvania, and was only the 82nd-ranked quarterback coming out of high school. After Greg Paulus was named the starter over Nassib during his redshirt freshman year, he only played limited minutes in eight games.

But Nassib has started ever since, and is now Syracuse's career leader in passing yards and completions, and is second in passing touchdowns. 

Arm Strength/Accuracy

Nassib has a live arm, and can both drive a short throw into a tight spot and air it out on deep routes. His downfield accuracy needs some improvement, however, it's tough to get a good gauge for it because his receivers are sub-par for the most part.  

His accuracy is very solid, and he throws windows open instead of waiting for them to develop. He is often a step ahead of his receivers, who aren't very good and often can't handle the timing throws, especially when he puts some zip on the throw.

He is a bit of a fastball thrower, although he is capable of making touch passes, he seems to prefer to try and throw a bullet instead of being patient and use some finesse.   

Footwork/Mechanics

Nassib's footwork and throwing mechanics are both fundamentally sound. He can drop back from under center or out of the shotgun with ease, and is strong on his feet, but doesn't quite "feel" or manipulate the pocket at an elite level yet.

When he has a good pocket, his motion is very clean, but it can unnecessarily break down at times. Although he is actually pretty good at throwing from different arm slots when adjusting to pressure, he sometimes is too reliant on it and misses otherwise easy throws.

Athleticism

Nassib isn't exactly light on his feet, but he is deceptively strong and athletic. He can extend plays by stepping up in the pocket or breaking out of arm tackles and rolling out. He is a very good thrower when running to his right, he loses no velocity and trusts his arm.

Syracuse runs a number of designed draws for him, and while he never breaks a huge gain, is always consistent in finding a hole and picking up yards.  

Intangibles

Nassib is a tough, smart, competitive kid. Over the five games I scouted him (Missouri, Northwestern, USC, Louisville, and Rutgers), I was impressed with his strength and leadership.

He really stepped up against Louisville and Rutgers, both ranked teams when Syracuse played them. He also led an incredible wining drive against Missouri, and finished his career with a win in the Pinstripe Bowl, dominating Geno Smith and West Virginia 38-14.

Nassib has suffered no major injuries in college, and I saw him take a number of big hits and bounce right back up to lead his team. He has also been a Big East All-Academic Team selection every year since his redshirt freshman season in 2009. 

Projection

It's tough to predict where quarterbacks will be taken because it's so reliant on the decisions of teams and how one team's choice may affect another's.

But I think Nassib will be the fifth quarterback taken, probably in the third round, although I wouldn't be surprised if he was the third quarterback taken, somewhere in the second round. He has a good arm and great mental makeup, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as a solid NFL starter one day. 

The Syracuse Orange (7-5) have a considerable challenge at Yankee Stadium Saturday in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl trying to slow down the high-powered West Virginia (7-5) passing game.

West Virginia averages 518 yards per game on offense and 42 points per game. Gino Smith completes over 71 percent of his passes and has thrown 40 touchdowns with just six interceptions in 2012. As a team, the Mountaineers are motivated by having lost the past two years to Syracuse before leaving the Big East for the flat plains of the Big 12. Last year in the Orange Bowl, Smith and team got hot in the second quarter demolishing Clemson.

Syracuse's defense is led by Shamarko Thomas at safety and Siriki Diabate at linebacker. They will need to stop the potent West Virginia passing game, which has produced numbers resembling basketball scores. Thomas is the leading tackler on the team with 84 of which 60 were solos. Some coaches will say this is a concern when a player in the secondary is the leading tackler on defense. Diabate is tied with weak-side linebacker Dyshawn Davis with 67 tackles on the season. 

Head coach Doug Marrone's offensive team have their own answer at quarterback with senior Ryan Nassib, who has led Syracuse to a school record of 5,681 yards gained in 2012.  This is shy of WVU's 6,222 yards gained on the season, but 473 average yards gained per game is an impressive offense.  Like their opponent, Syracuse likes to throw the ball, with Nassib completing 63 percent of his throws for a school season record  24 touchdowns. The West Chester, Pa., native has set Syracuse records for most passing yards in a season this year with 3,619, most passing yards in a career with 9,060 and most completions in a career with 780 so far; that's 232 yards more than Donovan McNabb.

At the press conference Wednesday, the Syracuse players were excited about the opportunity to play at Yankee Stadium in New York, where they are expected to draw strong support from alumni and fellow students.

Quarterback Ryan Nassib commented (video) about the importance of the game to the Orange seniors. "Personally, it is my last game with the Orange so I want to make sure I go out on the right note, and for all the other seniors, and the all the other guys, and for the younger guys, to leave them a good basis for next year. This is the game you are going to remember."

Nassib had just nine interceptions this year while completing 283 passes. I asked about how he avoids turnovers: "A lot of it is has to do with decision making, making throws, hitting my spots and not forcing balls. Earlier in the season, I had a tendency to force balls, wish I had back, smarter decision-making."

The key for Syracuse against West Virginia according to Nassib is "To play our game."

Shamarko Thomas (video) has a lot of responsibility in the Orange defense. In our talk at the press conversation, the All-Big East player described the strongest part of his game: "Making tackles, attacking the ball, making big time hits. As a safety, you like to stop the run, come up with the big hits, but I like to make plays on the ball."

Thomas, who seems bigger than his program size of 5'10" and 206 pounds, commented on how Syracuse was able to turn the season around, winning five of their last six games including wins over Louisville and Missouri.

"Just trying to be a leader. We had a lot of young cats on defense. If I showed him how to make plays and go out and have fun, they will do the same."

About playing West Virginia, a team Syracuse has beaten the past two season, Thomas said the key for his defensive team is "consistency on tackles. They are the type of offense that tries to dump off screens and make you miss tackles, so just being consistent on tackles."

Imagine if you grew up in the Bronx and your last collegiate game will be in your backyard at the new Yankee Stadium. That's the thrill that Diabate described (video), having the opportunity to play in the Pinstripe Bowl. "I am still living a dream, getting a chance to play in Yankee Stadium. I am going to be the happiest kid."

Diabate added thoughts on preparing for West Virginia and Gino Smith: "We need to work our game plan and keep on doing what we did during the season—the little things that got us to this point, running to the ball, making good tackles."

The Syracuse defense is not big, with just nose tackle Jay Bromley at 290 pounds and defensive end Deon Goggins at 274 pounds. Diabate is a playmaker at 5'10" and 216 pounds—a player who depends on quickness and heart. He commented about the challenge of playing West Virginia coming off an impressive offensive season:

We love that challenge. This is what you play the game for. You want to play the best. We want to take out the top person. That is what we are here to do—focus on our game plan. We give them all the respect, but if we play our best game, we will be fine.

This game has the potential to end up with a score resembling the Big East basketball games these two used to play at the Carrier Dome, Morgantown and Madison Square Garden 20 minutes down the subway line from Yankee Stadium. The key is for the Syracuse defense to keep their team in the game long enough for Nassib to do his magic.

This game will be won by the team with a defense left standing on the field borrowed from Jeter, A-Rod, Cano, Sabathia, Rivera and all the legendary Yankees.

Ken Kraetzer covers Army football during the season for WVOX in New Rochelle, N.Y., and Sons of the American Legion Radio.

You won't find the Syracuse Orange (3-4) and South Florida Bulls (2-5) in any of the Top 25 rankings around college football, but plenty of eyes will be on Raymond James Stadium when the two Big East foes get together on Saturday night.

It's homecoming for the Bulls, and being the homecoming opponent is certain to annoy a Syracuse squad coming off a 40-10 rout of Connecticut last week.

South Florida is still looking for it's first conference win but feeling confident after almost pulling off the upset on No. 16 Louisville on the road this past Saturday, falling 27-25 on a Cardinals touchdown with under two minutes remaining.

Here's everything you need to know heading into Saturday's Big East showdown.

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

When: Saturday, October 27 at 7 p.m. ET

Watch: Big East Network 

Live Stream: ESPN3

Listen: Syracuse IMG Sports Network, 98.7 FM The Fan (South Florida)

Betting Line: South Florida (-7.5) via Vegas Insider

Key Storyline

In 2011, South Florida traveled to Syracuse with a 0-4 record in Big East play, and they walked out of the Carrier Dome with a 37-17 victory.

With the Bulls staring at an 0-3 conference record so far in 2012, Skip Holtz is certainly hoping that history repeats itself Saturday night in Tampa.

Who Might Not Play For Syracuse (via USA Today)

WR Jeremiah Kobena (Wrist), Questionable for Saturday

Who Might Not Play For South Florida (via Tampa Bay Times)

Minor injuries for USF RB Demetris Murray (ankle) and DE Tevin Mims (groin) but Holtz said both should be fine for Syracuse on Saturday.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 22, 2012

BCS/Top-25 Implications

There's nothing to see here as far as the Top 25 or BCS is concerned, as the closest either team will get to the rankings in 2012 is by reading about them on B/R.

What They're Saying

South Florida coach Skip Holtz is concerned about his team's ability to contain Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib, who is completing over 65 percent of his passes and averaging more than 300 yards per game through the air. (h/t Tampa Bay Times)

USF's Skip Holtz says his pass defense isn't what it needs to be, especially with Syracuse up next (309 pass yds/gm).tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/co…

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 22, 2012

Key Player for Syracuse: Ryan Nassib, QB

Syracuse's senior signal-caller has quietly put together an excellent season for the Orange, throwing for 2,159 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He leads the Big East in both passing yardage and total offense with 2,250 yards from scrimmage.

Nassib is a pocket passer in every sense of the word, but he's got the poise and arm strength to find open receivers and stretch the field. Syracuse's offense starts—and stops—based on how Nassib is throwing the ball on any given day.

Key Player For South Florida: B.J. Daniels, QB

B.J. Daniels threw three second-half touchdown passes against Lousiville last week, the last one putting South Florida ahead 25-21 with just over three minutes remaining, but the Bulls are a better team when he's not throwing the ball 38 times a game.

He's a threat to take off and run, having carried the ball 82 times for 277 yards and four touchdowns, and that dual-threat ability makes him a dangerous player whenever he's on the field.

If South Florida is going to win on Saturday night, it's going to be because Daniels put together a complete game, both through the air and on the ground.

Key Matchup: Ryan Nassib vs. South Florida's Pass Defense

South Florida's pass defense struggled against Teddy Bridgewater and Louisville last week, and Bridgewater only attempted 25 passes on the day.

Nassib is going to throw more often than Bridgewater did, not good news for a defense that is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete nearly 70 percent of their passes for almost 11 yards a completion—and a unit that has yet to intercept a pass in 2012.

On the Hot Seat

Since starting 2011 with a 5-2 record and looking like things were headed in the right direction, Doug Marrone has watched Syracuse go 3-9, including seven losses in a row between the end of last year and the beginning of 2012.

Skip Holtz took the reins at South Florida in 2010 when the Bulls were coming off of four consecutive seasons with at least eight wins.

After going 8-5 in 2010, the Bulls have gone 7-12 under his guidance, including their 2-5 record thus far in 2012.

Both coaches enter this game in need of a win, Holtz more than Marrone.

Prediction

Neither team is very good, but Ryan Nassib's ability to pick apart South Florida's secondary will be the difference in what promises to be a hard-fought contest on both sides.

B.J. Daniels will keep things close for awhile, but Nassib and the Orange will prove to be more than the Bulls can handle, ruining their homecoming.

Syracuse 35, South Florida 28