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Offense wins scrimmage 134-95[/h3] [h4]Posted by
Donnie Webb/The Post-Standard April 18, 2009 3:58PM[/h4]
Syracuse, NY -- The score suggests a video game shootout. Instead, it was mostly mundane. The Syracuse University football team wrapped up its first spring practice under new head coach Doug Marrone on Saturday at the Carrier Dome with a controlled scrimmage.
An appreciative crowd of 5,184 attended the practice, which ended with the Orange football team gathered in the end zone singing the school alma mater with the pep band. It was an unexpected touch, even for the players. Center Jim McKenzie said singing the song with his fellow students gave him a feeling of unity.
"You could see there was a difference in terms of attendance," said McKenzie. "The enthusiasm was very different than previous spring balls that I've been a part of. I think the fact it was very close to game-like situations, I think the crowd really got into it. That's something Doug Marrone brought to this program ever since he came here.
"When we all got together with the band and everything, that was the first feeling of a unified team that I've felt in a long time here at Syracuse. It's something that's really special and it's something we embrace."
A few statistics to pass along:
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• Tailback Delone Carter rushed 14 times ffor 53 yards and two touchdowns.
• Starting quarterback Ryan Nassib completed 17-of-25 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked five times.
• Backup quarterback Cameron Dantley was 15-of-24 passing for 175 yards with two touchdowns. Neither quarterback threw an interception.
• Sophomore receiver Marcs Sales of CBA had 10 catches for 100 yards. He also had a couple of drops.
•: Mike Williams, Van Chew, Averin Collier and Mike Owens all had touchdown catches.
• Defensive end Zary Stewart recovered a fumble and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Linebacker Parker Cantey forced the fumble that Stewart recovered when he stripped tight end Cody Catalina after he'd made a reception.
• While praising the defense for making that play, Marrone lit into his offfense for its failure to run down Stewart and make a tackle.
• Austin Wallis was 2-of-2 on field goal attempts. His kicks were from 25 and 35 yards.
• Free safety Mike Holmes was the leading tackler with 10. Cornerback Kevyn Scott and walk-on cornerback George Mayes had eight tackles each.
• Offense was whistled for 10 penalties for 80 yards, which clearly angered Marrone. At one point, you could hear Marrone from the press box yelling at his players, "are you (kidding) me?"
• Offense did play much, much better in the third-down situational area. This came after the team went to the locker room for a brief halftime in which Marrone read them the riot act. Asked what he told the Orange, Marrone said, "bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep."
With spring over, Marrone said there's no one thing that jumps out on his to-do list for fixing up by the time the Orange returns in August for preseason camp. Marrone said the his team is a phase behind where it should be coming out of spring practice. He wishes the players - with what they know now - were just coming back to school in January to get started on winter conditioning.
"Honestly, there are too many things to start listing," Marrone said, "from a standpoint of just our basic fundamentals, from a standpoint of how we manage the football game, from a standpoint of being in better condition, being more competitive ... I could go on for a long period of time. We have a long way to go. But there are some signs and we have done some things well."
