Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer was full of optimism during Saturday's football media day at Manley Field House, but he did have one piece of bad news to report.
Senior kicker Ross Krautman [9] will miss the entire 2014 season because of a lingering hip injury, Shafer announced during his opening press conference.
The SU coaching staff was hopeful that surgery and rehabilitation would help alleviate the hip ailment that sidelined Krautman for the final 11 games of 2013. But after meeting with doctors and Shafer, the senior decided to sit out this season.
"We were really hopeful he was going to make it back," Shafer said. "He'll be missed. He really will. More as a person than anything as far as the way I look at it."
Krautman finishes with 49 career field goals, tying him for third in program history. His best season came in 2010, when he connected on all but one of his 19 attempts.
Shafer also thanked Krautman for his commitment to the program, calling him "one of my favorite kids on the team."
Teammate Sean Hickey was quick to point out that Krautman will still be a major part of the Orange this season, but it won't be the same.
"To see a friend and someone I've been here with a long time go is tough," Hickey said. "He's always a funny guy. It's just going to be sad not seeing him there as a player."
The most likely replacement for Krautman is junior Ryan Norton [10], who connected on 10 field goal attempts last season.
