ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 1-6 (T-7)

Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
QB Ryan Nassib, WR Alec Lemon, WR Marcus Sales OT Justin Pugh, LB Marquis Spruill, S Shamarko Thomas

Key losses
DE Chandler Jones, DE Mikhail Marinovich, RB Antwon Bailey, TE Nick Provo, S Phillip Thomas

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Antwon Bailey (1,051 yards)
Passing: Ryan Nassib* (250-of-415 for 2,685 yards, 22 TDs, 9 INTs)
Receiving: Alec Lemon* (834 yards)
Tackles: Phillip Thomas (82)
Sacks: Chandler Jones (4.5)
Interceptions: Phillip Thomas (6)

Spring answers

1. Ryan Nassib at QB: Coach Doug Marrone hinted that he wanted some competition at quarterback, particularly with Ashton Broyld joning the team. But Nassib is the entrenched starter going into the fall. Though the offense didn't play well in the spring game, Syracuse is best served at having its most experienced offensive player taking the snaps. He will have the luxury of Marcus Sales returning. Now he needs some better protection up front.

2. Sales is back: With Lemon on the sideline because of an injury, Sales seized his opportunity to show what he can do after sitting out last season. He is listed as the starter at one of the receiver spots and had a solid spring, hoping to pick up his play from where he left off in the Pinstripe Bowl against Kansas State.

3. Inside presence: One of the more intriguing competitions in the spring was at nose tackle, after Deon Goggins was moved to defensive end in the spring. Cory Boatman is listed ahead of Eric Crume on the post-spring depth chart, although competition is expected to continue into the fall.

Fall questions

1. Injuries: Syracuse had a large number of players, particularly starters, either sit out the spring or get injured during practice. Marrone has not commented much on their availability for the fall. So now we wait and see whether Syracuse will have projected starters Alec Lemon, Justin Pugh, Marquis Spruill and Keon Lyn back in time for the start of practice.

2. Broyld's role: We saw only brief glimpses of how Syracuse plans to use the dynamic athlete during the spring. The bigger question is: What is his role going to be in the fall? He is listed at running back on the post-spring depth chart, but there should be opportunities for him as a Wildcat quarterback or to line up in the slot. Syracuse needs to use his athleticism to help improve its big plays.

3. Defensive line: Several junior college transfers are coming in the fall to help, but building depth and finding good replacements for Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich on the defensive line remain a priority. Syracuse struggled mightily up front last season, an area that should be a point of emphasis this fall.

Syracuse released its post-spring depth chart Wednesday afternoon. But before you get too excited about some of the changes, note that injured starters are not listed with the first team.

That does not mean they have been demoted. It simply means they were unable to practice for part of all of spring, so other players obviously stepped in for them.

A few observations:

• Marcus Sales is listed as one of the starting receivers, along with Jeremiah Kobena. Sales missed all of last season after he was arrested on drug-related charges. Those have been dropped. Alec Lemon, the leading returning receiver, missed the spring with a shoulder injury but is expected to be a starter once he returns.
• Ashton Broyld is listed as the No. 3 running back, behind Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley. This should be one of the better competitions going into the fall, especially if Adonis Ameen-Moore returns healthy.
• Donnie Simmons is listed at one of the defensive end spots, ahead of Deon Goggins, who moved from tackle. Brandon Sharpe is listed as the other end.
• In all, four returning starters are not listed with the first team -- Lemon, offensive tackle Justin Pugh, linebacker Marquis Spruill and cornerback Keon Lyn.

Linkin' it ...

• Cincinnati has got to get better on defense.
• The Huskies want a "blue out" on Friday night. Iowa State relishes the role of being the underdog. UConn has gotten a transfer from Penn State.
• Louisville quarterback Will Stein is red through and through -- but his father played at Kentucky and is a UK season-ticket holder. Does Charlie Strong mean it when he says the Cardinals aren't good enough to beat Kentucky or is he playing mind tricks? The top prospect in Georgia, Josh Harvey-Clemons, will visit Louisville.
• Things are working out for Hubie Graham at Pitt. Joining Graham at H-back is former backup quarterback Anthony Gonzalez, eligible to play after serving a two-game suspension.
• Rutgers freshman running back Savon Huggins is keeping his cool despite early struggles. Greg Schiano is contemplating a major shakeup on the offensive line.
• Old connections give USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin a leg up in preparing for Syracuse. Los Angeles native Deon Goggins bleeds orange.
• USF backup Claude Davis already has three sacks. The Bulls get two games for fine-tuning before Big East play begins.
• Cecil Level has been special on special teams for West Virginia. Are expectations a bit high for the offense? WVU is still searching for offensive champions.

I had a chance to catch up with Syracuse defensive coordinator Scott Shafer. Here is a little of what he had to say:

• Though Shamarko Thomas, Phillip Thomas and Keon Lyn have been out with injuries, the good news is younger players have gotten more reps. One young safety who has stood out is Durell Eskridge. “He has all the skill sets we look for at safety,” Shafer said. “He’s got the ability to play at a lot of positions, but we’re going to try to keep him at free safety so the learning curve isn’t too heavy on him. He’s done good things, but he flashes like most freshmen. He’s a great kid, works hard and is hungry to be a good player.”
• As for the prospects of Eskridge playing this season, Shafer said, “We need to get through some scrimmage situations and see how he does under the fire. Compared to a lot of freshmen, he’s on pace to be ready to play and hopefully our depth is such we get everybody healthy and he’s in a backup role. I’m starting to feel comfortable he’s putting himself in a position to be a contributor.
• At cornerback, Shafer said Ri’Shard Anderson, Kevyn Scott and Lyn are competing for the two starting spots. True freshman Brandon Reddish also has impressed. “I’m excited about his ability and skill sets as well,” Shafer said. “You can compare him to Eskridge in that he’s ahead of the learning curve compared to most freshmen. I’m looking forward to seeing more of what he can do.”
• Linebackers: Yet another true freshman has impressed here: Dyshawn Davis. He was in for spring, so that has given him a huge advantage. “We’ve put a lot on his plate but he’s got a nice attitude, good work ethic and we’re pleased with how he’s doing.”
• On why Marquis Spruill is more suited for middle linebacker: “At his prep school, he played in the box more and that’s where we really like him. He has a knack to play inside out and get to the ball. He had good speed as an outside linebacker, but as a middle linebacker he has great speed. On the outside, you can get exposed in space a little bit more. But if you have good enough speed inside, you become a fast linebacker who can run sideline to sideline. That’s exciting to me.”
• On his defensive tackles: “I’ve always felt like inside in college football, if you’re lucky you’d like to play four even five guys in a rotation. We’re going to have that. Right now Cory Boatman has done a nice job with Jay Bromley. Deon Goggins has improved immensely. He’s still a bit up and down but when he goes, he shows flashes of being a good player. We have Ollie Haney back. I’m excited about a young kid named Eric Crume. He’s a big kid, and he’s done some real nice things coming off the football. Robert Welsh has done some nice things. So we’ll have a committee of kids. If we can go in and say I’m going to get 30 snaps rather than 75, mentally through committee and rotation you can have a group by the fourth quarter that is not getting winded as much and can become a real strong group.”

We continue our look at team position rankings today, and start up with the defense. First up are the guys in the trenches, the defensive line. This has got to be one of the strongest positions from team to team in the Big East. Four different teams could probably make an argument for the No. 1 spot. There are lots of standout defensive ends and tackles in the league, but I also am judging experience, returning starters and depth here.

1. Connecticut. The Huskies have good players and depth this season, and get the nod as the top line in the league. Defensive end Jesse Joseph and defensive tackle Kendall Reyes return. Reyes turned down a shot at the NFL for one more season, and is the only first-team Big East selection on the defensive line returning to his team. Both Reyes and Joseph are defensive player of the year candidates. Five players return who started seven or more games last season, giving the Huskies plenty of experience along the line.

2. Pittsburgh. The Panthers lose defensive player of the year Jabaal Sheard and are switching to the 3-4. But they do have another candidate for that award in Brandon Lindsey. We have to count him half here, though, because he is transitioning to the new hybrid defensive end/linebacker position. Still, the Panthers have solid players in Chas Alecxih and Myles Caragein on the line, along with depth in Aaron Donald, Tyrone Ezell, Kaynin Mosley-Smith and Bryan Murphy. Even without Sheard, this is one of the strongest lines in the league.

3. West Virginia.You have got to love the tandem of Julian Miller and Bruce Irvin, who combined for 23 sacks last season. They are the best returning tandem in the league. But they are ranked here for a few reasons. First, how does Irvin transition from spot player to full-time starter? Will he be as effective as last season, when he led the league with 14 sacks? How does Miller transition to defensive tackle? Losing noseguard Chris Neild is a huge blow, too. Josh Taylor is penciled in to start, depending on what happens with Jorge Wright. Junior college transfer Shaq Rowell will be in the mix, too, with high expectations.

4. USF. The Bulls might be losing three starters, including Terrell McClain and Craig Marshall, but this unit has the potential to be even better than the group in 2010. Hopes are high for Ryne Giddins to step in at defensive end and be an immediate difference-maker. Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill are veterans inside, but if there is one question mark here it is depth at tackle. True freshman Elkino Watson could make a big impact.

5. Louisville. Three starters return, and there is potential for this group to be very productive. Defensive end Greg Scruggs is in line for a breakout season. Eight linemen have starting experience, so there is depth, though there is youth here. Players like BJ Butler, Brandon Dunn and Roy Philon have a chance to take big-time leaps, but this unit is still relatively unproven compared the ones ranked ahead.

6. Syracuse. No question the Orange have excellent defensive ends in Chandler Jones and Mikhail Marinovich. But the Orange lose their starters on the inside. Deon Goggins and Cory Boatman are penciled in to start at tackle but they are undersized. So are some of the other players who will rotate in. The line as a whole is pretty undersized when you think about it, and a big reason why Syracuse is ranked here.

7. Cincinnati. The Bearcats were solid against the run last season but struggled to get a consistent pass rush. They hope to remedy that now that Walter Stewart has moved to defensive end. Last season, the Bearcats lacked depth but that is no longer the case in 2011. The top eight players in the rotation return, and there is nice size in the middle -- especially with defensive tackle Derek Wolfe returning. Still, the Bearcats have a lot to prove this season.

8. Rutgers. Aside from nose tackle Scott Vallone, there are some questions on this defensive line, which has to show significant improvement over a unit that was so-so in 2010. Rutgers was one of the worst teams in the nation in sacks last season, with just 17. Manny Abreu moves from linebacker. How does that transition go? Justin Francis had a nice spring at end. Does that continue in 2011? Will Michigan transfer Anthony La Lota have an impact next to Vallone? There is a lot of inexperience along the entire line.

Previous rankings

• Offensive line
• Receiver
• Running back
• Tight end
• Quarterback

Chandler Jones had so much fun working with at-risk boys last summer as part of the Youth Impact Program that Syracuse hosted, he decided to help out once again.

The school announced Wednesday it is hosting the program for the second straight year, and Jones will be there next week when it begins. The program will run from July 5-29, and Syracuse football players will help with classroom work in math, language and writing, along with life skills sessions, a football chalk talk and football practice.

The group of more than 100 at-risk, inner-city boys are from sixth, seventh and eighth grade. They will get to work with players Ollie Haney, Lewellyn Coker, Dyshawn Davis, Jaston George, Deon Goggins, Prince-Tyson Gulley, Sean Hickey, Nick Lepak, Keon Lyn, Phillip Thomas, Shamarko Thomas, Jeremi Wilkes and Jones. Syracuse athletics academic coordinator Joe Fields will direct the program, and public school teachers also will help.

If there is anything Jones wants the boys to take with them, it is an emphasis on getting an education.

"Last year, I wanted to send a message to them they can't do anything without academics," Jones said in a phone interview. "I told them,'You have to stay in school. To do some football drills, you have to get that math skill right. For me to teach you the secret move I do, you have to solve this problem.'"

Jones said he wants to be a mentor because that is something he did not have growing up. "I just look at it from my own perspective," he said. "When I was a kid, I didn't have a high prestigious athlete to talk to me and show me. I had older brothers, but they weren't Division I athletes. Being in the position I'm in, I want to help them be successful."

Here is the second part of my pre-spring conversation with Syracuse coach Doug Marrone. You can read Part I here.

We talked about Marcus Sales, so let's talk about the other receivers. How much can Van Chew and Alec Lemon improve?


Doug Marrone: Both players got hurt at the end of last year. I do like Van. I told everyone that last spring and no one really jumped on that. I guess they figured I didn't know what I was talking about. He had a good year for us and he's healthy, he'll be ready to go. Alec had a real good end of the year his freshman year, and last year he was a little inconsistent. He's faster right now than he's ever been, which is exciting. He's really worked hard, and there's more competition there. When you create a lot of competition at each position, you'll get better play.

Ryan Nassib started all 13 games for you at quarterback. Is he the no-doubt leader there again this spring?


DM: That's the way we feel now, but we have to go out there and make sure everything is set. He had 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions and completed about 56 percent. We try to get our quarterbacks up to 65 completion percentage. Does he have the lead going in? Absolutely, because he has the experience. But Charley Loeb has done some nice things. John Kinder had a great bowl practice for us -- he really, really did a nice job, so where does he go now? Jonny Miller is coming off shoulder injury, so it's going to be interesting to see him because he's a very good athlete. Does someone have to play extremely well to beat out Ryan Nassib? Yes. But Ryan Nassib has some pretty good competition behind him too.

Any redshirt guys or others who didn't play last year who you're expecting to make a move this spring?


DM: Well, we didn't redshirt many guys. But I think Deon Goggins, on the inside for our defense, is one. We've moved Marquis Spruill to middle linebacker. He played well for us last year as a true freshman [at outside linebacker], but there's still going to be a learning curve for the kid. At corner, Ri'shard Anderson was going to play for us, probably be our corner when went to nickel, until he got hurt last year and he's healthy now. Keondrick Lyn, I think, is a very, very good player there as well. So it will be interesting to see them and Kevyn Scott battle. Then there's Jeremi Wilkes, too. Micah Robinson and Max Beaulieu are two defensive linemen to watch, and Ollie Haney is coming off an injury. He had a pretty good spring last year.

You moved some coaches around this offseason. Was that just to prioritize some positions that need extra coaching this year?

DM: It was. You look at it now, and we have two coaches on the D-line, so coach [Jimmy] Brumbaugh can now spend that time coaching those young inside players. We have to do that to be successful. Our ends are returning, and I really think they'll do a heck of a job, all of them. Then with our linebackers, coach [John] Anselmo is down there now with with coach [Dan] Conley. With so many spread offenses, basically one of the linebackers will have to come out of the box, and coach Anselmo knows that stuff from being a defensive backs coach. So we wanted to strategically put coaches in areas where we need to play well in order to be successful.

You also promoted Nathaniel Hackett to offensive coordinator. Was that really much of a change, since he was calling plays last year anyway?


DM: It's really not. I know I can call plays, that's not a problem. Then when coach Hackett came in the spring, he'd call a segment of practice and I would call a segment. At the end of the day, we come from the same background, and our thoughts are going the same way. my philosophy is I want to be able to manage the game, know when to call timeouts, when to punt, when to do everything. So it's very simple for me to say, 'You know what, go ahead and call the plays, and at the end of the year we'll make sure you have the title because you deserve it.' But every play goes through me, on offense, defense and special teams.

Last year, you publicly stated your goal was to get to a bowl game. What's next?


DM: We're going to go through spring and create this goal for ourselves when we start this preseason. I think it's very important to do things together with the players. Obviously, we won eight games last year and have a challenging schedule this year. What that goal actually is will be verbally communicated when we get closer to the beginning of season. We've still got a lot of time to get ourselves ready and a lot of work to do.

I've said before that the toughest thing to do is turn around a college football program. I think the second toughest thing to do is maintain it. That's the key. So we have a lot of hard work in front of us.

You definitely turned things around, and I know you had a very detailed plan when you took over. Winning eight games and a bowl your second year, how did that match up with your plan?


DM: In the beginning, every coach comes in thinking they're going to win and go to a bowl game. Those were our thoughts coming in. I let other people say where they think we are. I thought we should have been in a bowl game that first year, but we fell short in a couple games. Last year we were in a position where we could have won more football games but we didn't.

So how do we get ourselves playing at the highest level every single week, and still do all the other things that's expected of us as student-athletes -- going to class, getting high GPAs and being leaders on campus? We expect a lot of our players. So we'll sit down and break down these goals, because we have to take it to the next level.

Syracuse

Schedule: Practice starts at 5 p.m. Monday. First day in pads is Friday afternoon.

What’s new: Head coach Doug Marrone is officially his own offensive coordinator, though he recently announced that quarterbacks coach Nathaniel Hackett will call the plays on game days. Sophomore Ryan Nassib is the starting quarterback, succeeding Greg Paulus.

Sidelined: Leading rusher Delone Carter is suspended from school and must reapply to the university for the fall semester before he can return.

Key battle: The secondary is one area where the Orange are deep and experienced. Coming out of the spring, Shamarko Tomas and Max Suter were listed as co-starters at strong safety, while Phillip Thomas and Kevyn Scott were even at one of the cornerback spots.

New on the scene: Junior-college import Deon Goggins could have an immediate impact on the defensive line. Another juco, Michael Hay, is pushing for a starting job on the offensive line. Hofstra transfer Aaron Weaver could help a young receiving corps.

Breaking out: Someone needs to step up and become a major playmaker at receiver. Can sophomore Alec Lemon take that leap? Also keep an eye on defensive end Chandler Jones, who could be primed for a breakout year.

Don’t forget about: Punter Rob Long is an All-American candidate. His ability to reverse field position should not be overlooked.

All eyes on: The running back situation. With Carter out until at least the tail end of camp, and Averin Collier potentially ineligible, Antwon Bailey is the lone experienced back on the roster right now.

Quoting: "I know that there is a time clock on me from when I was hired. We have to get this team to a bowl game and back up to everyone’s expectations. There is a lot of pressure, yes, but it is something I chose and we all chose.” --Doug Marrone