Scott Shafer

Syracuse football: Late turnovers cost Orange important victory
By Julia Morris
November 3, 2014 - 9:54pm
After surrendering a second-half lead against N.C. State, SU must now win all of its remaining games to qualify for a bowl.

With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Syracuse quarterback AJ Long was intercepted by N.C. State defensive end Pharoah McKever.  

McKever, who played wide receiver last year before switching to the defense in 2014, returned the interception for an 82-yard touchdown that put the Wolfpack ahead for good. 

“I really never ran that far in a long time, so when I got that ball my intention was to just go, go, go,” McKever said. 

Football: Orange squanders golden opportunity against Clemson
By Emily Dick
October 28, 2014 - 4:34pm
SU's defense forces four turnovers, but the offense fails to reach the end zone in a 10-point defeat.

Few people expected Syracuse to handle the pressure of a big-time road game, especially not the team’s first trip to “Death Valley” against the No. 21 Clemson Tigers.

Surrounded by fireworks, balloons and 80,031 screaming Tigers fans, the Orange walked into an electric Memorial Stadium. It was the largest crowd to witness a Syracuse football game since 2009, when the Orange played at Penn State (106,387).

But after a hard-fought 16-6 loss to the Tigers, the mood in the Orange locker room was extremely somber.

Syracuse football: Orange proves demonic for Wake Forest offense in victory
By Jessica Eley
October 20, 2014 - 5:28pm
A pair of defensive touchdowns propels SU to its first conference victory.

More than 25,000 fans were sprinkled in the stands on a sunny afternoon at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C., to see two Atlantic Coast Conference teams battle for their first conference victory this season. 

Instead, they witnessed a Syracuse blowout. 

The Orange (3-4) scored two defensive touchdowns and piled up 199 rushing yards to rout Wake Forest, 30-7. 

Syracuse football: Long and Ishmael's breakout game not enough against Florida State
By Tyler Piccotti
October 11, 2014 - 8:32pm
The freshmen connected for two touchdowns to help the Orange build offensive momentum for the rest of the season.

Right now, Syracuse simply does not have the firepower needed on either side of the ball to compete for Atlantic Coast Conference championships or be a nationally-recognized threat.

But Saturday afternoon, quarterback AJ Long and wide receiver Steve Ishmael showed the No. 1-ranked team in the country the Orange could reach that level fairly soon.

SU football notes: Quarterback Terrel Hunt to miss 4-6 weeks
By Tyler Piccotti
October 6, 2014 - 2:42pm
Additionally, Scott Shafer is making significant changes to his staff.

Syracuse will face the No. 1 team in the country Saturday, but it will have to do so without one of its best offensive weapons.

Quarterback Terrel Hunt, who left during the fourth quarter of Friday's loss to Louisville, has a fractured fibula in his left leg and will miss 4-6 weeks according to a press release from Syracuse Athletics.

Hunt leads the Orange with six rushing touchdowns this season and has also thrown for 983 yards.

Syracuse football: offense hits new low in loss to Louisville
By Julia Morris
October 4, 2014 - 5:35pm
The Orange musters only 255 offensive yards, coughs up two turnovers in sluggish performance.