Penn State Preview: This Week's Coverage Leading Up to the Season Opener

Coach Shafer's Press Conference (8/29/13)

A chance to go to the Meadowlands and see Penn State come running out and see our Syracuse boys come running out is what it is all about. For me, it's a dream come true," Shafer said earlier today. "There are going to be highs and lows and ugly things and pretty things but at the end of the day that's the fight that we all love as coaches and players. It's the grind and the fight that you love. Saturday will be a great challenge and a great opportunity for us to see what we can do against a good football team and we're going to know a heck of a lot about ourselves after that game."

Check out this week's media coverage leading up to Saturday:

• SUathletics.com - Excitement Builds for Season Opener | Syracuse Kicks Off Season at MetLife
• Syracuse.com - The Syracuse football team is about to take on its obstacles or its challenge
• Syracuse.com - Syracuse wide receiver Quinta Funderburk remains amystery, buried on depth chart
• DailyOrange.com - On the run: Smith brings diverse background to Syracuse
• DailyOrange.com - True grit: Shafer implements ‘hard-nosed’culture at Syracuse in 1st year
• PennLive.com - Pittsburgh-bred Syracuse OL Sean Hickey has endured thanks to Steelers surgeon 
• PennLive.com - Syracuse RB Jerome Smith learned value of patience from his grade-school sister
• Scout.com - George Morris Ready to Make an Impact
• Scout.com - Flemming Confident in Receiving Corps

Macky MacPherson Named SU Male Scholar Athlete of the Week

Senior center Macky MacPherson (Syracuse, N.Y.) of the football team and senior defender Rachel Blum (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) of the women's soccer team are the Syracuse University Scholar-Athletes of the Week for Aug. 26, 2013.

MacPherson was placed on the 2013 Rimington Award Watch List, which is presented to the nation's best center. As the starting center for the past two seasons, MacPherson has blocked for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. He earned 2012 Capital One Academic All-District honors, is a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection and has been a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll five times. MacPherson, a team captain, is majoring in geography in the College of Arts and Sciences.

To read the full article visit SUathletics.com

Coach Shafer Praises Leadership

Orange head coach Scott Shafer will lead the squad in the 2013 season-opener against Penn State at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, August 31 (3:30 p.m., ABC), but in his mind the senior class is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to leadership. The squad boasts 24 seniors, 11 on the offense, 11 on the defense and two on special teams.

"I love our senior class and I love our captains," Shafer said in his weekly exclusive Orange All Access Interview. "I've seen our captains really take the team over and our senior class has helped them with it. There is strength in numbers and we have a really large senior class. It's a group of kids that's really committed to find ways to win games. That's probably the one thing that excites me the most about this team."

To read the full article, visit SUathletics.com.

Orange All Access provides exclusive interviews with Coach Shafer every Monday during game weeks.

Shafer Preparing for Coaching Debut

Coach Shafer's Press Conference

Syracuse leader Scott Shafer makes his head coaching debut on Saturday, August 31 when the Orange takes the field against Penn State at MetLife Stadium (3:30 p.m., ABC).  With the focus on his first game as Syracuse's head coach, the veteran gridiron mentor reflected on his most vivid first experience as a coach in addition to other memorable moments in his career.

My first college job was a graduate assistant position for Bill Mallory at Indiana," Shafer said. "We opened up the season against a real good Notre Dame team and the head coach there was Lou Holtz. When I looked at those two guys, both from Ohio, where I am from, and coaching at the higest level, what I remember the most was during pre-game warmups Coach Holtz yelled at me for being on the wrong part of the field. I remember thinking, getting kind of pissed at him, thinking, alright we are in someone's backyard now and it's on. All the stuff I read about him went down the drain and I realized that it's on.

Read the full article on SUathletics.com.

Eight Days Until MetLife!

There are just eight more days until the season opener against Penn State on August 31 at MetLife Stadium! The team has been preparing for its first opponent for the last few days and is now finished with preseason camp.

The home opener against Wagner is in just three weeks on September 14 so get your tickets soon! The 'Cuse Kids Club is offering youth tickets free of charge for every adult ticket purchased. Call 1-888-DOMETIX to reserve your seats.

SU Holds First Practice in the Dome

Coach Shafer's Press Conference

 

The SU football team headed to the other side of campus for its first practice in the Carrier Dome this season. Coach Shafer formatted the practice as a mock-game, giving the team a variety of situations they may face this season.

Good practice in the Dome today,” Coach Shafer said. “It was good because it was really hot. What we did was we had a mock-game today. We tried to throw as many situations as we could at the kids. We had a lot of personnel changes and made up injuries. We were trying to create a mock-game and I think they did pretty good with it.

Read the full story on SUathletics.com here.

Two Days Left Until End of Preseason Camp

Coach Shafer's Comments Following Practice

Preseason camp is winding down with just two more days until the SU football team begins its preparations for Penn State. The Orange will begin regular season practices on Thursday.

The next two or three days are important,” Coach Shafer said. “We’re going to mimic a Tuesday and Wednesday regular season practice, which are the hardest days of the week. Then we will start moving forward and get into mock-situations where we think about everything and anything that could come up and then we will start to taper off with some of the contact.

Check out the full coverage of today's practice:

• SUathletics.com - Camp Winds Down, Penn State on the Horizon
• Daily Orange - Syracuse Names Four Captains for 2013

SU Holds Intra-Squad Scrimmage at Fort Drum

Coach Shafer's Post-Scrimmage Comments

Scrimmage Highlights 

The SU football team is nearing the end of its trip to Fort Drum, capping off practices with an intra-squad scrimmage. Military personnel and their families were able to watch the practice and scrimmage and participated in an autograph session with the players.

Before the Orange took the field, the team set up drill stations for the Fort Drum Mountaineers, the Pop Warner league on post. The children of the soldiers were instructed by the coaches and players in all positions.

It was a great time, the little kids all starry-eyed,” Macky MacPherson said. “It was a great time. They’re all giving a lot of effort. They’re ages 5-12, so those are the glory days of football. That was just a great time for everyone involved, and us included. I was laughing my butt off

Read more coverage:

• Syracuse.com - Thank You From a Fort Drum Mom
• YNN.com - Syracuse Football Hosts Youth Clinic

Football Coverage Update

Come back later in the day for a recap of the intra-squad scrimmage on Fort Drum for the military personnel and their families!


In the meantime...check out some of the coverage of SU football for the day:

• Syracuse.com - Macky MacPherson Follows Grandfather as Leader of Syracuse Football
• CNYcentral.com - Orange Football Takes Part in Drills at Fort Drum
• Syracuse.com - Darius Kelly Feeling at Home on Fort Drum

SU Finishes Second Day at Fort Drum

Small Group Leadership Challenge

Practice Footage

Player Interviews

Heavy Artillery Demonstration

The skies cleared for another afternoon of practice at Fort Drum for the SU football team. Half of the squad participated in small group leadership activities in the rain earlier in the day. The rest of the team took part in a heavy artillary demonstration.

Tomorrow evening the team will hold a clinic for children of the personnel on post before holding an inter-squad scrimmage for the military families. The scrimmage will be complete with an announcer, spirit squad and Otto. 

Read the full coverage of the day:

• SUathletics.com - SU Takes on Leadership Challenge
• Syracuse.com - Syracuse Football Players Complete Army Leadership Activities
• YNN.com - SU Football Challenged Mentally As Well As Physically

The Orange Participate in Leadership Challenges

The SU football team spent the morning doing leadership challenges, taking instruction from a group of about 50 soldiers. The Orange were in teams of 10-12 student-athletes and participated in five different exercises that taught the groups how to work together to accomplish a goal.

Read the full coverage of the morning:

• SUathletics.com - SU Takes on Leadership Challenges at Fort Drum
• Syracuse.com - SU Football Players Complete Small Unit Leadership Activities
• Syracuse.com - Jeremi Wilkes, Ivan Foy Lead Trust Exercise

Day One Recap of Fort Drum

Coach Shafer's Press Conference

Player's Reaction to Lunch with Soldiers

The SU football team held its first day of preseason camp at Fort Drum today. Due to the rain the Orange did not participate in the Military Physical Training with the soldiers this morning but had a sunny afternoon of practice.

The team made the most of the morning, taking a long lunch to interact with soldiers and bond as a team before gearing up for practice later in the day. Fans of SU and personnel on post came out to watch the Orange practice at Sligh Field.

"The best thing about the day was having 30 military personnel come join us at lunch," Shafer said. "It was great to see our kids and their kids immerse themselves together and share some time together."

Read the full coverage of the first day:

• SUathletics.com - Fort Drum Fosters Togetherness
• Syracuse.com - Syracuse Walk-on Hernz Laguerre Delivers Poem

Gulley & Smith Featured on ACC Digital Network

SU's Prince-Tyson Gulley and Jerome Smith tied for No. 15 on the ACC Digital Network's Top 25 Players to Watch List, a new preseason football feature. The running back duo kicked off the second week of the ACCDN's features on players from around the league. Check out the video below.

Gulley & Smith Feature on ACCDN

Video from Fort Drum Arrival Day

Team Arrives at Fort Drum

Coach Shafer on Being at Fort Drum

Orange Heading Back to Fort Drum

The Orange got off to an early start on Monday morning, practicing at 10 a.m. to get ready to leave for Fort Drum in the afternoon. The team will stay at the military post from Monday evening until Friday afternoon. This is the second year in a row the Orange is practicing at Fort Drum and engaging in military activities with the soldiers.

"There are multiple reasons we go to Fort Drum," Coach Shafer said. "First and foremost it's to get away, to be alone. There's no cell service, we're not going to have the internet and a lot of the luxuries the kids have on a day-to-day basis are going to be taken away from them and the coaches. There will be fewer distractions. The other reason we're going to Fort Drum is to be around the world's greatest military, and one of the greatest divisions in the military, the 10th Mountain Division."

Read the full coverage on the team's trip to Fort Drum:

• SUathletics.com - Football Gets Ready for Week at Fort Drum
• Syracuse.com - Syracuse football team heading back to Fort Drum...

Orange to Fort Drum on Monday!

Be sure to check back for updates as SU football heads to Fort Drum on Monday to train for the week!

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SUathletics.com Social Media Page

Fanfest a Success

The Orange football team enjoyed its first practice in full pads in front of nearly 2,500 fans at Manley Field House on Friday. Fans enjoyed the action on the field, which culminated in an offense vs. defense controlled scrimmage.

After practice the players and coaches met with the fans for autographs and photos, and even demonstrated some skills while playing with the kids that came out for the event.

Check out the links from Fanfest:

• Fanfest Recap - SUathletics.com
• Photo Gallery
• Purchase Tickets

Coach Shafer's Press Conference

Fanfest Highlights

Day 4 of Camp in the Books

The 2013 Orange football team was back at it on Thursday as it prepares for its season. Check out the video below to get a feel for the sights and sounds of practice with the Orange!

Eskridge on journey to provide for family

Syracuse.com's Nate Mink has a moving story on sophomore safety Durell Eskridge and all he overcame in his childhood, including being homeless. The Miami native is one of the leading contenders for Shamarko Thomas' old starting position. Mink's story sheds light on some of the experiences and challenge's Eskridge has overcome and how it motivates him as he seeks to provide a better life for his family. Check out the story below:

"I had to watch my mom cry, and she always stressed that she wanted to work but nobody was hiring," Eskridge said. "Just seeing that look on her face, seeing how upset she used to be because she wanted a better life for us, I think something just clicked around my junior year that I just gotta do this for my mom."

Syracuse.com - Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge, homeless for parts of youth, on journey to provide for his family 

Coach Shafer Press Conference - 8/7/13

Watch Coach Shafer's press conference following day 3 of preseason camp on Wednesday:

SU Football Runs in the Family

Football is a family affair at Syracuse where the tradition of excellence is passed down from generation to generation. The Orange program includes multiple coaches and student-athletes who were born and bred around the sport. These examples include senior center Macky MacPherson and newcomer Troy Green.

Check out the story below from SUathletics.com on Orange family connections:

• SUathletics.com - SU Football is a Family Affair

Preseason Camp Day 2: Sights & Sounds

The Orange took the field for Day 2 of Preseason Camp 2013 on Tuesday. Under beautiful sunny skies, the team worked out in helmets. Check out the video below to get a feel for what it was like at practice!

 

Orange Takes the Field for First Practice

The Syracuse Orange 2013 football season got underway on Monday with the first official practice of the season under first-year head coach Scott Shafer. Watch highlights from opening day of preseason camp below and see what Coach Shafer had to say about it!

Day One Highlights

Coach Shafer's Press Conference

Orange Meets with Media

Syracuse football's 2013 preseason camp kicked off on Sunday as head coach Scott Shafer and student-athletes met with the media. Follow all the action of preseason camp with our new blog. Use it as your one-stop shop for all things SU football this preseason!

"I'm looking forward to getting out there, everyone is going to be excited on day one," Shafer said. "Coaches, players, managers, everyone included, is going to be ready to go but we're going to set the tone, focus in on our initial objectives which are to work extremely hard and prove daily and start to gel as a team."

Check out the links and videos below from Sunday's media opportunity.

• SUathletics.com - Football Kicks Off 2013 Preseason Camp
• SUathletics.com - Preseason Depth Chart
• SUathletics.com - 2013 Football Season Preview

Coach Shafer Opening Press Conference

Players Begin Camp