Training Camp Day 10: Shipping Out

The Orange are shipping out today.

At the conclusion of Monday's morning practice, Syracuse packed up and moved its training camp to Fort Drum for the week. It's the third year in a row that the Orange have spent a portion of its training camp at Fort Drum.

The student-athletes will get opportunities to interact with the troops while on post in addition to regular training camp activities.

"What I look forward to most is the opportunity for our players to look across the table at the real warriors and the real heroes in our society – especially up there at Fort Drum with that mountain division," said head coach Scott Shafer. "They're a group of men and women that really go out there and kick ass for our country. I can't wait to get up there and pay respect to those men and women who put it on the line every day."

The Orange will be broken into groups of six or seven student-athletes with each group being assigned to one-of-12 sergeants who will be overseeing their activities throughout the team's stay

"The coaches will not have bed check, the coaches will not have breakfast check and the coaches will not coddle them," Shafer said. "The sergeants in charge of them will handle that and I had that last year and I thought it was a great thing."

For Shafer, the military holds strong ties to his family and the opportunity for the student-athletes to get that interaction with the members of the armed forces is something that he enjoys.

"I had two grandfathers who were in World War II, an uncle who was an airborne ranger who was killed in Vietnam on his third tour. He was actually killed in Laos and we didn't find out until 20-years later how he really died, and then my cousin Todd was killed in Iraq," Shafer said. "For me this is the right thing, giving back."

The team will be up at Fort Drum from Monday afternoon through Friday.

It's the third year Cuse has spent a portion of its camp at Fort Drum. The Orange have carried the 10^th Mountain Division flag onto the field with them each game for the last two seasons after getting the opportunity to spend time with members of the division each preseason.

Top Stories from Aug. 11 on the Orange:
Orange Fizz: History Says Hunt Will Have an Excellent Year
Cuse Nation: 10 Things we Learned Through 10 Days of Camp
Syracuse.com: Three Freshmen Cornerbacks are Vying for Playing Time Early in Camp
Daily Orange: Fort Drum Trip Holds Greater Meaning for Shafer

Orange Put on a Show at Fan Fest

For more than 1,500 fans, Syracuse's Fan Fest was a day filled with activities,highlighted by a scrimmage that saw the Orange run more than 70 plays.

"I'm excited that we had a packed house here at the Soccer Stadium," said head coach Scott Shafer. "It's great to see the community out and I can't wait to get to that Villanova game and get you fans out there and start having a blast this fall."

The Cuse offense took on the defense in a number of scenarios and there were no shortage of exciting plays for those in attendance, including a deep ball from senior quarterback Terrel Hunt to senior wide receiver Jarrod West on the very first play to get the action underway.

"Jarrod West made some nice plays to start things off for us," Shafer said. "I was pleased with the way (senior running back) Adonis (Ameen-Moore) ran the ball. I thought (sophomore wide receiver Sean) Avant made a nice play in the corner there with a touchdown, that was good. (Freshman wide receiver) Steve Ishmael made a hell of a catch down the sideline, so it was good to see some plays being made.

"I also thought Terrel (Hunt) did a good job running the offense, he couldn't have had too many interceptions."

Shafer also praised the play of a number of defenders for their play on Saturday.

"(Junior safety Durell) Eskridge made a lot of tackles again and I think (senior linebackers) Dyshawn (Davis) and (Cameron) Lynch were making plays," Shafer said. "It's hard to see the inside guys but I think (Ron) Thompson has been doing a nice job. We're playing Ron at both end and tackle because we're a little bit banged up inside but I've been pleased with his growth and his improvement, but most of all his effort."

Following the scrimmage, the student-athletes and coach Shafer signed autographs for the fans.

Top Articles from Aug. 9 on the Orange:
Cuse.com: Fan Fest Photo Gallery
Orange Fizz: Festive Offense: Shafer Praises Fast Paced Attack and Wideouts
Nunes Magician: Coaches Praise Ervin Phillips, Prince-Tyson Gulley Still the Man
Cuse Nation: Fan Fest Photo Gallery
Cuse Confidential: Fan Support Huge for Shafer
ESPN ACC Blog: Hunt Ranked 10th-Most Explosive Player in the ACC
Syracuse.com: Six Observations from Fan Fest
Daily Orange: Winfield Welcomes Transition to Corner
Daily Orange: Shafer Expresses Happiness with Fan Fest Turnout
TWC News: SU Faithful Show Up for Fan Fest

Training Camp Day 6: Turning Up the Pressure

Head coach Scott Shafer is turning up the pressure on the Orange. With one-full week of camp completed, Shafer gave his student-athletes a timetable on when he'd like to have the depth chart take form.

"I'd like to come out of Fort Drum feeling strong about what our two-deep is starting to look like," Shafer said. "Knowing that it's not solidified, but getting it narrowed down a little bit. I told the kids in the meeting today that when we get to Saturday evening, it would be like cut day in the NFL. (smiling) We won't cut anyone, but we will make decisions to see who's in the two-deep and we will put a little pressure on them to see how they play under pressure and I'm looking forward to it."

The Orange will host a Fan Fest on Saturday beginning at 3 pm with the team scrimmaging beginning at 4:30 pm.

Inside the Meeting Room:

In an effort to show fans what it's like to be a Division I football student-athlete, quarterbacks coach Tim Lester and running backs coach DeAndre Smith take you inside their respective meeting rooms.

Top Articles from Aug. 8 on the Orange:

Cuse.com: Eskridge to be featured on 'Havoline Football Saturdays'
Syracuse.com: Transition to Cornerback 'Comes Easy' for Winfield
Syracuse.com: Entire Team Passes 2014 Conditioning Test
Syracuse.com: Ervin Phillips' Stock is Rising

Fan Fest Is This Saturday

All 'Cuse football fans are invited to watch the team in its preparations during the annual Syracuse football Fan Fest on Saturday, August 9! The event kicks off at 3 pm at the SU Soccer Stadium, located on the East Colvin Street side of Manley Field House. The Orange will take the field for practice at 4:30, followed by an autograph session. The Orange will sign the new 2014 Syracuse Football schedule poster.

"I can't wait to see the fans and can't wait to see the kids," said Orange head coach Scott Shafer. "We've had a great group of young kids running around these last few years and I always look forward to seeing them and I know our kids do as well. It's a nice break in the action for our kids to see who they're going to be playing for – the people and the kids of the community. That's who we play for.

"We're going to have a light practice in the morning so the kids are freshened up and we'll liven it up a bit over in the soccer stadium. They've got it lined, I saw it driving in this morning and I was juiced up because I know we're going to do some tackling on Saturday -- (smiling) hopefully not too many missed tackles -- but we're going to do some blocking and tackling and that'll be a blast for the kids."

Admission is free and complementary parking is available in Manley North and South lots.   

The Fan Fest will feature food and refreshments, including complimentary Pepsi and Perry's ice cream (while supplies last),  prizes, various activities on the Wohl Lacrosse Field, including appearances by Orange student-athletes and Otto, inflatable bouncers for kids, a merchandise trailer, and much more.

Tickets for the 2014 season will be available at Fan Fest. Any fan who purchases a Cuse three-game pack will earn purchase priority over the general public for the Orange men's basketball game against Duke.

Syracuse opens the season at home Friday, Aug. 29 against Villanova. Season tickets for 2014, which start at $99, and the three-game package that includes Villanova, Florida State and a third home game in the Dome of the fan's choice ($125 per package) are available now online (www.Cuse.com), by phone (888-DOMETIX), at Destiny USA kiosks and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). In addition, discounted group tickets (20+), with prices as low as $10 each, are available for all home games by calling the Ticket Sales office (443-3212).

Tickets for the 'Syracuse Section' for the 2014 New York's College Classic vs. Notre Dame at MetLife Stadium are on sale now, starting at $80, via www.NYCollegeClassic.com, phone (888-DOMETIX, Option Zero), or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

For complete coverage of Syracuse and Syracuse football, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Football) and Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseFootball). Check out exclusive videos on Orange All-Access and behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram (syracuseathletics).

Highlights from Day 6 of Training Camp

Scott Shafer Press Conference:

Top Stories from Aug. 7 on the Orange:

CuseNation Blog: Daoust Breaks Down the Defensive Line

Cuse Confidential: Hunt Leads Syracuse

Syracuse.com: Measurables: Hickey, Estime and Reddish Top the Charts

Daily Orange: Palmer Impresses Offensive Line Coach Adam

Training Camp Day 5: Full Go

The hitting commenced today for the Orange during the first practice session in full pads.

The addition of full pads allowed the coaches to get their first look at live football. Head coach Scott Shafer noted the play of a pair of Syracuse upper-classmen and, as he promised he would do earlier in camp, he talked about some of the squad's newcomers.

"Had a couple skill guys make some plays today, (junior wide receiver) Ashton Broyld made a play in traffic across the middle that was real nice to see. (Junior safety Durell) Eskridge had a couple of real nice interceptions and I was real pleased with the tempo with which we went about our kicking game and into the team period. All-in-all it was a pretty good day's work.

"We had some freshmen do some good things ...
"I'm excited about (running back) Ervin Phillips, I've been very impressed with him. Very few missed assignments for him, especially for a young guy."
"I think (wide receiver) Steve Ishmael has a chance to be a very good player."
"(Wide receiver) Adly Enoicy is one of the sharpest kids I've been around in a long time. He's picked things up really well and is able to move from different positions – inside or outside. I've been real pleased with him."
"(Wide receiver) Jamal Custis is a raw, young guy out there. But it's hard to teach that 6-foot-6, 235 lbs. and he can run, so I'm excited about him."
"On the defensive side, I like our freshmen linebackers – JT (Jonathan Thompson) has made some good plays, Parris Bennett is going to be a good football player."
"(Linebackers) Colton Moskal and Zaire Franklin are just what I thought they'd be – tough, hard-nosed kids who learn well. That whole (linebackers) room learns extremely well."
"The young DBs in general, Rodney Williams, you guys are going to like this guy. Juwan (Dowels) did some nice things."

NOTES FROM PRACTICE:
Winfield moving to defense
Coach Shafer announced that redshirt freshman Corey Winfield is changing sides of the ball, moving from wide receiver to cornerback. He commended the 6-1 St. Louis natives unselfishness in making the move and anticipates him making an impact for the defense.

"The other thing we're doing is we're playing (sophomore) Corey Winfield at corner now," Shafer said. "I think he's too good of an athlete to be a backup or a backup to a backup. I like his length – he's got close to a 40-inch vertical jump – I like his athleticism, and I've had good success (switching wide receivers to cornerback)."

Ishmael settling in
Freshman wide receiver Steve Ishmael says he is getting comfortable with the playbook. He also mentioned Jeremiah Kobena as a veteran that has taken the Miami product under his wing and mentored him.

"He has been real firm on me, telling me to get extra reps when I can," Ishmael said.

Eskridge making plays
All-ACC safety Durell Eskridge led by example on the team's first day in full pads, making two interceptions in practice. The Orange's leader in tackles and interceptions from last season described the plays as ones where her took advantage of his 6-4 length, going up and picking off a pass on a receiver that was trying to go over top of him and the other coming in man coverage where he "attacked the ball at its highest point."

Laguerre on the field
Junior walk-on linebacker Hernz Laguerre practiced for the first time this training camp. Senior wide receiver Franklin Santos chose to pursue opportunities outside of football, which opened up a spot on the 105-man training camp roster.

"He was out there today getting practice number one," Shafer said. "He'll have to go through five before he's full-go. You're saddened with one guy leaving, but you're excited with Hernz having the opportunity to be back in."

Top Articles from Aug. 6 on the Orange:
CuseTV: Durell Eskridge Interview
CuseTV: Terrel Hunt Interview
Orange Fizz: Running Backs and Linebackers Have Most Depth
CuseNation: Ishmael Learning from the Vets
Syracuse.com: 'The Sky is the Limit' for West in 2014
Daily Orange: Eskridge Stands Out on Day 5

Training Camp Day 4: Inside the Tight End and Offensive Line Meeting Rooms

Offensive line coach Joe Adam and tight ends coach Bobby Acosta talk about what it's like inside their respective meeting rooms.

More from Day 4 of Training Camp:

Day 4 Practice Highlights:

Coach Shafer's Press Conference: 

Top Articles from Aug. 5 on the Orange

CuseConfidential.com: Davis Embraces Leadership Role

CuseNation: Reed Sees Depth in the Secondary

Syracuse.com: Prince-Tyson Gulley's Goal is Matching Workload from 2012 Season

Daily Orange: Coach Smith Hopeful Ameen-Moore Can Provide Downhill Running

CuseNation: Acosta Likes Potential of Tight Ends

Training Camp Day 3: Protecting the Orange

When the Orange took the field for day three of preseason camp, the team wore shoulder pads for the first time. The addition of shoulder pads also means protective headgear on top of the student-athlete's helmets in the hopes of protecting them from concussions.

The Orange began wearing the Guardian Caps in spring practice and donned them for the first time this preseason Monday.

"I just feel like it's better to be safe than sorry," said head coach Scott Shafer. "You don't hear that cracking of the helmets in practice, which I'd imagine has to be a good thing."

The Guardian Cap is a removable soft shell layer that covers the exterior of a student-athlete's helmet. It is designed to reduce the impact the head takes.

"We're in an era where you have to be careful and have to protect the player's head," said head equipment manager Kyle Fetterly. "This piece does a very good job of that and that's something we're conscious of."

Senior linebacker Dyshawn Davis echoed Shafer's sentiments, hoping that the padding will help keep the Orange on the field.

"Protection and safety are always first," Davis said. "We've had a lot of guys go down in the past with concussions, the pads are protecting us so if that can help us prevent injuries while playing this game then I'm all for it."

According to senior wide receiver Jarrod West, the protective padding has no effect on the student-athlete's abilities in practice, only limiting the feeling to the head when making contact.

"It definitely takes the shock off and it doesn't do anything [to you]," West said. "It doesn't get in my vision when I'm catching balls or anything like that."

Top Articles from Aug. 4 on the Orange:
Cuse.com: Hunt Among ACC's Top-25 to Watch
Syracuse.com: Ryan Norton 'I want to be as good as I can be for myself and for this team'
Time Warner Cable News: Orange Roster Features Plenty of Wide Receiver Depth
Orange Fizz: Estime is SU's Most Exciting Player
ESPN.com ACC Blog: Eskridge a Breakout Candidate in 2014