SU Football 2016 & YES....2017 for a Major Bowl Bid

[jonvi]

Syracuse football recruiting: 2017 class (list of commitments)

Better than the last couple of years though.

 

[jonvi]

Ranking the Elite 11 quarterbacks at The Opening Finals

These are not the final rankings, but it sure is good to see DeVito getting some props. This guy has a quick release and very accurate. I think SU's gonna like this guy and Coach Babs just may make a star out of him.

@Edisto_Tiger ... It's early but good to see your boy made the cut.


BEAVERTON, Ore. – The class of 2017 has graduated from The Opening and the quarterbacks have gone through the trials of the Elite 11. It's time to evaluate their performance.


This is how 247Sports ranks the 12 quarterbacks at the Elite 11 based strictly on their performances this week and what we were able to see with our own eyes. Significantly more weight was given to 7on7 play than anything that happened on air over the first few days of work.

1. Alabama commit Tua Tagovailoa - I want this guy on my team. He had the steadiest hand of any quarterback I've ever seen at The Opening. And watching him throw the football was like watching an artist go to work. He led a last second comeback for a win early in the day on Sunday with the calm of a guy flipping a coin. He had the same demeanor in his team's blowout championship win. The kid is a winner.
2. Stanford commit Davis Mills - By Sunday afternoon, Mills looked like the top quarterback in the country. He's got all the tools to be ranked that way - size, arm, smarts. After a slow start, Mills hit his stride and looked like a thoroughbred by Sunday afternoon.
3. Georgia commit Jake Fromm - He was by far the best quarterback on Saturday. Sunday he couldn't ever find the end zone but he still showed the touch, accuracy on the short and intermediate stuff and command of the offense to keep a lofty spot on this list. When he was clicking on Saturday, his team was the best team at the event.
4. Syracuse commit Tommy DeVito - This is Dino Babers' next star pupil at quarterback.The kid has a hose and he's poised to break some records at Syracuse. He scored touchdowns on half of his drives under center and that was the best percentage of any quarterback at the event.
5. Michigan commit Dylan McCaffrey - He looks like a pro on the field. Not in terms of his size or physical traits, not even his technique. The way he processes what's in front of him is elite though. He has a glaring technical flaw that he needs to clean up but when that happens, he's going to be special for Jim Harbaugh.
6. LSU commit Myles Brennan - Brennan was on the same team as McCaffrey and the two had almost identical weekends. There were some moments on Sunday when Brennan looked like he was the best quarterback at the event. Other times his play dipped. When he eliminates those dips, LSU is going to have their answer at quarterback.
7. Oklahoma commit Chris Robison - Robison took the back seat to Tua Tagovailoa through much of the weekend, but when he got his opportunities, he was very solid. A dropped touchdown on Sunday's first game would have helped his stat line but by the weekend's end, he was the only quarterback that didn't throw a single interception.
8. Uncommitted Jack Sears - He's as good at the big throw as anybody in the Elite 11. Big, strong and athletic, Sears can really rip it and he was very productive too. By our count he scored on seven of his 15 drives under center. Had he been able to find a little bit more consistency, he has the physical tools to have been ranked even higher. Duke, USC, UCLA and Utah are his top schools.
9. Texas commit Sam Ehlinger - It was a quiet weekend for Ehlinger but when he was under center, I always felt like the offense was in good hands. Ehlinger doesn't make any throws that drop your jaw but he always makes the right throws. We tallied him with seven touchdowns on 22 drives with only two interceptions.
10. Ohio State commit Tate Martell - There were times early on Saturday that Martell looked like he was really clicking but he trailed off some late Saturday. Sunday things went downhill and he wasn't able to find the end zone. We counted three touchdowns on 11 drives for Martell with two interceptions. He just never got enough snaps to find his rhythm on Sunday.
11. Penn State commit Sean Clifford - He ended Saturday night as one of the hottest quarterbacks at the event. There were moments that he flashed that same hot hand on Sunday. Unfortunately, his mistakes were big. Despite two touchdowns on Sunday, he also threw two pick-sixes that ultimately put a nail in his team's coffin.
12. Clemson commit Hunter Johnson - It just wasn't Johnson's weekend. More specifically it just wasn't Johnson's day on Saturday. On Sunday, he scored a touchdown on the only drive under center before his team was eliminated from play. Had he been able to steal another game under center, he may have heated up and had a run similar to what Shea Patterson made last year. Instead, Johnson was forced to stand on a rough Saturday outing.
    
    
    

 

[jonvi]

Best case/worst case: Syracuse Orange

Best Case

The arrival of Dino Babers has Syracuse fans excited about the future. The bigger question, however, is just how soon that optimistic version of the future can arrive. Babers will inject some much-needed life into the offense immediately, and there’s enough talent at the skill positions -- from emerging QB Eric Dungey to versatile receivers Brisly Etime, Steve Ishmael and Ervin Philips to young tailback Jordan Fredericks -- to think there could be some immediate success that emerges from Babers’ up-tempo style. The schedule certainly isn’t accommodating, but part of the allure of Babers’ scheme is that it helps even the odds against more talented opponents, so there’s reason to believe the Orange could surprise a few favorites along the way. If the nonconference slate proves manageable and the offense is sharp enough to pick off a couple of wins as an underdog, a bowl berth isn’t entirely out of the question. But it will certainly require a lot more growth between now and the start of the season. Either way, a far more competitive Syracuse team is a reasonable expectation.

Worst case

Babers’ system isn’t meant to be complicated, so the hope is that the offense picks things up quickly. Still, it’s a complete reversal from what the Orange had been running under former coach Scott Shafer, so some early hiccups wouldn’t be unexpected. That’s a problem, however, because some of Syracuse’s most winnable games come in the early weeks of the season. Moreover, the Orange have major questions on the offensive line, which could hinder Babers’ plans. Add to that a secondary that struggled mightily last year, and even if the Orange score plenty on offense, it’s no guarantee to translate to wins. With a tough nonconference slate that includes USF and Notre Dame, combined with a top-heavy battle in the Atlantic this season, there aren’t many surefire wins on the docket. Last year’s four-win campaign cost Shafer his job, but if things don’t break right for Babers, Year 1 under his watch could potentially result in half that total.


Ouch. Only 2 wins. Damn.

 

[jonvi]

Syracuse football QB commit Tommy DeVito shines at The Opening; named to all-tournament team

Devito continues to shine.

Syracuse, N.Y. — Tommy DeVito's rise to national prominence continued this weekend.


Among 12 of the nation's best quarterbacks who made the Elite 11 Finals, the Syracuse commit went to The Opening this weekend and came away as one of the top performers. DeVito was named to the 7-on-7 all-tournament team, unofficially slotting him as the second-best quarterback behind Alabama commit Tua Tagovailoa, who was named tournament MVP.

"For physically not an imposing player, he can really spin it," one Elite 11 assistant told OregonLive.com. "Good polish and fundamentals. I really like how he attacks his throws, so he can make every throw on the field. Plus, his confidence level is high. You can tell as he walks among this group of high-level players and expects to belong."

 

[jonvi]

Stritzinger Pledges Orange

Warren (Mich.) De La Salle Collegiate's Allen Stritzinger has committed to Syracuse. The three-star prospect has picked the Orange as a running back.

The 6-foot back picked Syracuse over offers from Michigan, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Toledo, Western Michigan and others.

Stritzinger visited Syracuse back in February, and has been high on them ever since. His primary recruiter is running backs coach Mike Hart, who remained in constant contact over the subsequent months. He said he also spoke regularly with defensive line coach Vinson Reynolds.

"I love everything about Syracuse," Stritzinger said.

Speaking of coach Reynolds, his son, Eric Coley, committed to Syracuse on Saturday. Stritzinger and Coley are friends who attended the same academy in Michigan called Rising Stars.

Since Coley committed, he has been recruiting Stritzinger to join him. His efforts worked and came to fruition on Sunday.

Scout breaks down his game as follows:

Slasher who has good vision, cutback ability and a kid who runs tough and grinds out extra yardage after contact. Not necessarily built like a power back since he's a little taller and leaner, but he runs with determination and breaks arm tackles. Has shown ability to break longer runs but can still improve acceleration. Good pass catcher out of the backfield and still not out of the question that he could play defensive back in college.

Stritzinger is ranked by Scout as a cornerback and is rated the 36th best in the 2017 class. However, he will come to Syracuse as a running back, a position he was rated as a four-star prospect in previous rankings.

 

[jonvi]

Babers is recruiting well. I guess I should have titled the thread Class of 2017.

I'll have to get some stuff going on this years team.

 

[jonvi]

Good to see Estime getting preseason props. The man has some serious speed.

Syracuse football WR/PR Brisly Estime named to Hornung Award Watch List

Syracuse, N.Y. — The preseason accolades continue to roll in for Syracuse senior wide receiver/return specialist Brisly Estime.

Already listed as preseason All-ACC second team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports, Estime was one of 43 players named to the Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List on Friday. The honor is given annually to the nation's most versatile athlete.

Estime led the ACC and ranked second in the NCAA with an average of 18.1 yards per punt return last season, earning him All-ACC second-team honors. That mark was also good for sixth in a single ACC season and third in Syracuse history.

Estime became the first Orange player with multiple punt return touchdowns (two) in a season last year since Quinton Spotwood brought back four in 1997. He also returned 30 kickoffs for 665 yards.

Offensively, Estime is expected to start at inside receiver in SU first-year head coach Dino Babers' hurry-up spread offense. He caught 17 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns last season.

 

[jonvi]

Syracuse football QB commit Tommy DeVito shines at The Opening; named to all-tournament team

Devito continues to shine.

Syracuse, N.Y. — Tommy DeVito's rise to national prominence continued this weekend.


Among 12 of the nation's best quarterbacks who made the Elite 11 Finals, the Syracuse commit went to The Opening this weekend and came away as one of the top performers. DeVito was named to the 7-on-7 all-tournament team, unofficially slotting him as the second-best quarterback behind Alabama commit Tua Tagovailoa, who was named tournament MVP.

"For physically not an imposing player, he can really spin it," one Elite 11 assistant told OregonLive.com. "Good polish and fundamentals. I really like how he attacks his throws, so he can make every throw on the field. Plus, his confidence level is high. You can tell as he walks among this group of high-level players and expects to belong."

DeVito, who has already rebuffed interest from schools including Texas A&M, experienced a significant rankings boost after making the Elite 11 final roster. On June 6, 247Sports.com's composite rankings slotted him as the 77th-best pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2017 and 1,627th overall prospect in his class. Three weeks later, those numbers jumped to 26th and 615th, respectively. ESPN.com also gave DeVito a fourth star.

As the major recruiting sites update their rankings following The Opening, expect DeVito's stock to continue to rise.

The 6-foot-2, 191-pound Don Bosco (Ramsey, N.J.) Preparatory School rising senior also clocked the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.61 seconds) among quarterbacks at The Opening Finals and second-fastest short shuttle (4.06 seconds).

 

[jonvi]

This is a decent pick up. SU may be on the way back after all.

3-star Miami LB Nadarius Fagan commits to Syracuse football over LSU, Alabama


Syracuse, N.Y. — Miami linebacker Nadarius Fagan committed to Syracuse on Sunday.


The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Southridge High School rising senior chose the Orange over other finalists LSU, Nebraska, USC, Louisville and Purdue. He was also offered by Alabama.


"It was the right time because I'll be an early enrollee," Fagan said. "It was a great decision because I love drama and that's what they have."


Fagan is rated three stars and the No. 34 outside linebacker in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com's composite rankings. He becomes SU's second-highest rated pledge behind only Elite 11 quarterback Tommy DeVito.

 

[SJ76]

 

[SJ76]

 

[jonvi]

View attachment 141073

lmao....kids and crayons.

 

[jonvi]

@SJ76

2016 will give SU some fits....but things be looking up dude.

 

[douggie]

View attachment 141073

This is perfect for jonvi since he was stung by yellow jackets.

 

[jonvi]

This is perfect for jonvi since he was stung by yellow jackets.

Yeah..... @SJ76 ... sportsjunkie is on top of his game today.

 

[SJ76]

@SJ76

2016 will give SU some fits....but things be looking up dude.

No doubt. Glad we are not playing you at your place this year. Look out for the Yellow Jackets!

 

[SJ76]

Scratch that... FSU is traveling north to New York this year.

Hope that run D on tCuse is solid!

 

[jonvi]

Scratch that... FSU is traveling north to New York this year.

Hope that run D on tCuse is solid!

Ugh is all I got. But I like the new coach. Babers is landing some kids.

 

[jonvi]

3-star Florida tight end Aaron Hackett commits to Syracuse football over USF

Another nice pick up for SU.

Syracuse, N.Y. — Florida tight end Aaron Hackett verbally committed to Syracuse on Saturday, he announced on Twitter.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Venice High School prospect made his decision after taking an unofficial visit to SU this weekend. He chose the Orange over other finalist South Florida and also holds offers from Louisville, Minnesota, Kentucky, Wake Forest and Cincinnati, among others.


Hackett is rated three stars and the No. 82 tight end in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com's composite rankings. He becomes the 16th public member of Syracuse's commitment class and the first tight end — a position of need for the Orange.

 

[jonvi]

Eric Dungey leads Syracuse past No. 17 Virginia Tech, 31-17

I'm not sure if that was the sign of a team that turned things around ... or to just say Dungey was a stud and played out of his mind. I do know Dungey won't survive the rest of the ACC schedule running for 100 yards per game.

The D manned up against VT though. And that was a great thing.