Steel Beams Go Up for Indoor Practice Facility

Syracuse's new indoor practice facility is literally off the ground. Steel beams began to go into place at the construction site on Wednesday, as the foundation is almost complete. Senior associate athletics director/facility operations Pete Sala provided an update on the project as local media were invited to come see the progress at the site. Sala says Dec. 1 is the target date for construction to be complete on the facility that will be a "game-changer" for Syracuse athletics, benefitting all Orange programs.

Renderings

Major points from the construction update:

• Target date of Dec. 1 for construction to be completed
• Construction of steel beams will take approximately eight weeks
• Shell of the facility and interior work will commence in November
• FieldTurf has already been purchased and will be delivered in November
• Floor space will be 405 x 215 feet, exactly the same as the Carrier Dome
• Ceiling will be 45 feet high at eves and 65 feet high in the center
• Outside is designed to aesthetically match the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center
• "Plaza 44" will be located in front of the building, featuring three statues
• Front of facility will have team rooms to be used by the soccer stadium

Orange Build Relationships at Fort Drum

Fostering relationships was the theme for the Orange on Tuesday when the team spent its first full day at Fort Drum, with Syracuse meeting new faces of the 2nd Brigade Combat team – the team's host this year – and looking forward to rekindling relationships with troops from previous visits.

Syracuse had its first interactions with members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team during a morning workout and lunch prior to the team's first practice on post.

Col. David Doyle -- the unit's commander -- formally welcomed head coach Scott Shafer and the Orange to Fort Drum following practice.

"On behalf of Major General Townsend and the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, it's my honor to welcome the Syracuse football team here to our installation as they prepare for their upcoming season," Doyle said. "We've had a long relationship with the Syracuse football team thanks to coach's efforts and the unit that previously handled this responsibility just came back from Afghanistan and we're very fortunate to have accepted this role on their behalf.

"Our unit is working in close conjunction with them as they prepare for their season that's coming up. Our soldiers are interacting with them, we've got some outstanding leader development opportunities ahead of us, where the coaching staff is going to speak with our leaders and I think at the end of the day this relationship will continue to strengthen and we'll see more opportunities for the soldiers, student-athletes and the Syracuse coaching staff to continue to work with the North Country community."

With a large portion of the week dedicated to the Orange developing relationships with the troops, Shafer expressed his excitement that some of the soldiers that the team had previously interacted with coming back to post.

"I just want to say thanks so much to the Colonel and to General Townsend for having us back. It's exciting to hear that the troops are coming back. I know we had a big deployment after we were here last year so it's great to hear that they're coming back and hopefully we can rekindle some of those relationships. I can't even begin to tell you how much we appreciate not only being here, but the comradery between the troops. This morning we had a great opportunity with some of your men and women and it was a great opportunity for us to mingle."

Shafer reiterated the importance of the Orange's trip to Fort Drum and the lessons that the student-athletes learn from their time on post.

"It's easy to feel sorry for yourself when you're in two-a-days, and I'd imagine the troops have those moments of weakness when they're in boot camp," Shafer said. "But for our guys to sit across from the troops and realize 'hey, he's 21, I'm 21. He's up in the mountains of Afghanistan so I can go out and play football."

The Orange will continue their preseason camp at Fort Drum on Wednesday, with another joint activity with the 2^nd Brigade Combat Team in the morning.

Training With America's Best

When Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Performance Will Hicks assembled the Orange for a workout Tuesday morning, his audience was much larger than normal.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division joined the Syracuse student-athletes for a morning workout on the second day of Cuse's week at Fort Drum.

The group went through a lengthy workout, with the soldiers mixed in between each player.

"What we do we think is real, real serious, but it's not as close to being as serious as what these guys do," Hicks said. "So for us to be able to [workout together] and for them to have a little fun with it and get away from what they actually do and enjoy being 18 to 23-year-old young men, I think that was just as important as anything we did in the workout.

"Every day when we get to walk outside and do what we want to do, someone else had to give up something for it. The fact that we're here and they're extending it to us is great."

At the conclusion of the workout, senior linebacker Dyshawn Davis led the team and soldiers together in the Orange's pre-practice chant.

"It was funny because our guys don't get that loud in practice and then we come here and get a chance to work out with these guys and everyone gets loud and excited," Davis said. "I felt it and it felt good to have the soldiers in there jumping around as well. It was a great experience."

The Orange and 2nd Brigade then sat down for lunch before the student-athletes hit the field for an afternoon practice.

Top Links from Aug. 12 on the Orange:
Cuse.com: Photo Gallery from Today's Training Session

Hale and Enoicy to Have Surgery

Syracuse wide receivers Keenan Hale (Conyers, Ga.) and Adly Enoicy (Delray Beach, Fla.) are scheduled for surgery. Both Hale and Enoicy sustained lower body injuries. They will be evaluated throughout the rehabilitation process. Their status will be determined prior to the start of the regular season.

Hale, a senior, missed the 2013 season due to a lower body injury suffered during 2013 Spring practice. He has not played in any games at Syracuse. Enoicy is a freshman who joined the program in July.

Orange Arrive at Fort Drum

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