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Orange Fizz

Got One! Syracuse’s Heated Hunt for a Quarterback Lands PA’s Austin Wilson

Source: Orange Fizz by D.A.

Penn Live

Look at this. Doug Marrone and the Syracuse Orange were not going to sleep until they landed a highly regarded quarterback prospect. And Sunday night, Austin Wilson of East Pennsboro, PA committed to SU.

“I was up there Friday, and I just knew. The whole day I was up there I was quietly looking around at everything. I loved the campus. On the trip home I was talking with my family and they also had a good feeling about it. I knew that night I was going to commit.”

This makes the offers to both DeShone Kizer and A.J. Long very interesting. Kizer and Long are both a year younger than Wilson, who will be a senior in the fall. Kizer already has elite size and natural gifts, and will soon be sifting through offers from some of the biggest programs. Long has a scholarship from UCLA as well as Syracuse, and the hunt for him expects to heat up this fall as well.

But Wilson liked that he would take priority in this class.

“And they made it clear I was their No. 1 guy. That was important to me. I didn’t want to be some back-up recruit.”

Wonder what this means for SU’s interest in Connecticut standout Tim Boyle who is considering the Orange, Pitt, UConn and Florida. Interestingly, Wilson also said that he contacted the Orange first. The coaching staff admitted it had never heard of Wilson, but then watched his tape and became very interested. The only other offer Wilson had was from Eastern Michigan.

So SU kills two birds with one stone. The program adds a big (6’3″ 205 lbs.) talented QB recruit who has great arm strength and accuracy on the long ball. He can step in and compete for the starter’s role next year with Broyld, Kinder and co. It also allows the Orange to stay hot on Long and Kizer for the next class. And Wilson’s verbal is non-binding. If SU can land Boyle, then Wilson may decide he’d rather sign elsewhere.

Looks like a good deal all around for Marrone, as the Orange continue to make this spring very interesting.

Posted: D.A.

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Orange Fizz

Coach Tells Fizz Top QB Tim Boyle Considering Syracuse & Florida Equally

Source: Orange Fizz by D.A.

Middletown Press

Stop us if you’ve heard this story before: Syracuse is one of the earliest schools recruiting a top-ranked quarterback. The question is whether that will be enough to once again beat away a blue-chip program like Florida. Connecticut’s best passer in the Class of ’13 is Tim Boyle. He has won two straight state titles at Xavier HS (Middletown, CT), and is the consensus best squad in the Nutmeg State again this upcoming season.

A year ago, SU offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett saw Boyle play. It didn’t take long for an Orange offer to follow. Since then, scholarships have arrived from Boston College and UConn. More recently, Pitt extended a letter to Boyle. Finally, the Gators sat down at the table with an offer of their own.

The Orange is also early to the party on Class of ’14 signal caller A.J. Long, who has an offer from UCLA as well. And SU has offered DeShone Kizer, another elite junior-to-be quarterback, who has garnered interest from Ohio State. The future under center for Doug Marrone is murky at best, so Syracuse has gone full guns ablaze at some of the nation’s most intriguing prospects as early as possible.

An offer from a top BCS school like the Gators would seem to be the trump card for a Connecticut kid, but Boyle’s coach Sean Marinan tells The Fizz all his offers are on an even playing field.

“At this point, he’s considering Syracuse, Boston College, Florida, and Pittsburgh fairly equally.”

Of course, that may change. But the proximity to home might help the Orange. And a career in the ACC at SU might sway him away from his home-state Huskies. SU has already made plenty of rumblings this spring with some key pickups like Quinta Funderburk. A Boyle commitment would be enormous for stability at the position.

The Orange has at least one remarkably talented quarterback in “Syracuse Slash” Ashton Broyld. But he’s barely taken any snaps under center. At 6’4’ 215 lbs., Boyle has got the potential to add some serious size to an already big frame, which is important for a pocket passer who will face quick, physical defenses at the next level. Marinan recognizes his QB has big-time potential written all over him.

“Number one would be his work ethic. There’s not a lot he can’t do from the quarterback position as far as making all the different kinds of throws. That’s a big asset to find a kid who can step up and make those big time throws.”

ESPN, Scout and Rivals all give Boyle 3-stars, but that rating may be misleading for a kid who has played in the shadow of older, more experienced teammates. It’s hard to own the spotlight when there are only so many snaps to go around at the best football school in the state.

“We’ve had a very strong senior presence as far as leadership goes. [Boyle] never really got the opportunity to step forward, nor did he have to. So, he’s just beginning to do that now.”

But it’ll be all Boyle this year at Xavier. Entering his senior season, TB will have the reins of the offense. Marinan thinks he’s fully loaded physically, and colleges will start to notice when he tears up the gridiron this year.

“There’s no question of his athletic ability at the next level. He’s throwing the ball very well. If anything, he’ll need to get used to the speed of the game, which is to be expected of any young quarterback. Physically, though, he’ll be good. He’s got nice velocity. TYhe ball gets there in a hurry, which is nice. He’s really everything you look for physically.”

When Boyle does start taking regular snaps this year, Marinan thinks the offers will start pouring in.

“If he played in Ohio, I think he’d have about 50 offers by now. He can make every throw that there is. He’s probably a little underrated right now. I take my hat off to Coach Hackett who recognized that a year ago. I think there are going to be some more offers that are going to fall pretty quickly.”

If and when the competition for Boyle becomes a multi-horse race, Orange Nation can only hope TB remembers Syracuse, which recognized his natural talent from day one.

Posted: Jake Moskowitz

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Syracuse Orange: Laurie Fine Lawsuit May Shed Light on ESPN's Journalistic Style

Source: Bleacher Report NCAAB

ESPN, the self-described “Worldwide leader in sports,” yesterday found itself served with a lawsuit regarding one its most sensational stories of the past year.

Last October, following hard on the heels of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse allegations, ESPN aired a report that accused then-Syracuse men’s basketball assistant Bernie Fine of years of sexual abuse of young men connected with the basketball program.

One of the main pieces of evidence used to give credence to the allegations against Fine was a secret audio tape of his wife, Laurie Fine, that purported to be a conversation between her and one of Fine’s accusers.

In it, Mrs. Fine appeared to implicate her husband in the alleged abuse and acknowledge that she suspected the activity was taking place.

On Wednesday, Mrs. Fine announced (news via Syracuse Post-Standard) that she had filed a lawsuit charging that ESPN had libeled her and sullied her reputation. Her most explosive allegation was that ESPN had selectively edited the tape recording used in its report to cast both her and her husband in a negative light.

The allegations against Fine and ESPN’s reportage have bothered me from the very beginning. The story seemed designed to piggyback on the Sandusky story to create a sense of hysteria about the allegations of sexual abuse; a sort of sports version of the sex abuse fever that swept the nation in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s.

After the Sandusky story broke, ESPN aired a raft of stories focusing on abuse allegations, while simultaneously fending off questions about the timing of the Fine story. When it was learned that ESPN had the allegations years in advance, yet had done nothing to really investigate them, it brought quite a bit of public disapproval their way.

What is most disturbing about this particular story in my view is the recklessness ESPN exhibited in covering the initial allegations.

ESPN seemed desperate to turn the allegations against Fine into a scandal that could possibly be the undoing of Jim Boeheim’s tenure as Syracuse head coach.

Very little vetting was done of the accusers at the time, two of whom have recanted their allegations against Fine. Instead, ESPN ran story after story that presumed the men were being honest in their allegations and seemingly designed to hasten Boeheim’s departure.

Very little credence was given to Bernie Fine’s protestations of innocence. Instead, ESPN turned to the now-disputed audio tape and interviews with “witnesses” who witnessed nothing as a means to bolster the media case against Bernie Fine.

It was as if ESPN had developed tunnel vision in its reporting, refusing to notice any evidence or testimony that disputed the belief that Fine was guilty as charged.

The way the Fine case was handled, coupled with the sudden moralistic prattling that the network did in rushing to condemn Joe Paterno for Jerry Sandusky’s alleged crimes, serves, in my opinion, to discredit ESPN as a credible journalistic source.

In this story and many others, ESPN looked more interested in creating a story than in reporting one.

Sitting on the Fine allegations for years, then ignoring the credibility issues with the accusers is not exactly a ringing endorsement of the network’s journalistic integrity.

Even if the Fine lawsuit lacks credibility, as ESPN’s legal mouthpieces pronounced, it may very well shine a much-needed light on what look to be some of ESPN’s shadier journalistic practices.

Maybe this dose of sunshine will disinfect the ESPN newsroom and force it to clean up its act.

Read more Syracuse Basketball news on BleacherReport.com

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Orange Fizz

That’s My Bro: Tyler Provo Follows Brother Nick’s Footsteps to Syracuse

Source: Orange Fizz by D.A.

Nation of Orange

Doug Marrone always had high praise for standout Nick Provo, who developed into one of the best pass-catching tight ends Syracuse has had. Now the head coach gets to bring another Provo through the SU program.

The Orange solidifies its first verbal commitment for the Class of 2013, as Tyler Provo has decided to follow his older brother’s footsteps and play at Syracuse.

Rivals gives Tyler a three-star rating, and has him as the No. 2 fullback/ TE prospect in the nation. The Delray Beach, FL native received offers from Louisville, Boston College, Central Florida and Florida International.

Obviously Ty has some large shoes to fill. Nick posted some astounding stats, and holds the Orange single-season reception and career reception records. It was a double-victory to spotlight Nick in the Orange offense. Not only did it produce big results, but maybe it enticed Tyler to want to be part of it.

It’s quickly becoming a stacked position for the Orange. In February, Joshua Harris and the highly sought-after Ron “SugarBear” Thompson signed with SU. The current Fizz offensive depth chart had Thompson as the 2nd string TE after the Spring Game.

What triggered Thompson to wear the Orange was his close relationship with Tyrone Wheatley. But much of Ty’s attraction to SU came from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Some were critical of Hackett after some believed Chad Kelly only looked at SU as a “courtesy.” But in this case Hackett landed a talented pass-catcher for the Orange.

It’s already been an active spring for Syracuse football. The Orange landed transfer Quinta Fuderburke, and SU has offers out to both Class of ’14 QBs DeShone Kizer and A.J. Long. Marrone has been looking to add big-play offensive threats, like Ashton Broyld. Alongside side Sugar Bear, the Orange would add another TE piece.

Provo’s father Sam told Syracuse.com that his son is used in numerous ways for American Heritage High School:

“He does a lot of H-back for us, but we’ll also go I-formation, and then we’ll put him at fullback. He has a reputation as a blocking-type tight end, but we use him all over the field.”

When Marrone was offensive coordinator in New Orleans he enjoyed a roster of versatile offensive threats. Provo presents another one that can play as a blocking fullback but also spread out the offense and catch some passes like his brother.

Tyler told Syracuse.com he doesn’t just want to be in the backfield:

“I think I’m more of a tight end. And I like the way the Syracuse offense uses the tight end. I just don’t want to be known as a fullback.”

Often Ryan Nassib’s favorite target was the older Provo, with a record-setting 51 receptions. But Ty should not be surprised if Marrone decides to take advantage of his fullback ability. SU has tried to recruit offensive talent that can make the playbook versatile.

The bottom line is there’s been a positive buzz around the additions for this team. With the versatility Tyler adds, and some familiarity with the system because of his brother, the next Provo could be the next piece of a diverse offensive puzzle for the Orange.

Posted: Brendan Glasheen

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