Countdown to Kickoff: Honors for the Orange
8/19/2004 9:42:01 AM | Football
In 1959 SU won its first National Championship in the sport of football. Head coach Ben Scwartzwalder was declared National Coach of the Year after leading Syracuse to a victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl and an undefeated season. Two years later, Ernie Davis won the most prestigious award in college football – the Heisman Trophy. Davis, the only Syracuse player to win the award, was the first African-American to do so.
In Syracuse’s next undefeated season – 1987 – quarterback Don McPherson won numerous awards after leading SU to an 11-0-1 record. He won the Golden Helmet College Player of the Year and the Maxwell Award, both recognizing the most outstanding player in collegiate football. He also earned the Davey O’Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Award, presented to the most outstanding collegiate quarterback. Head coach Dick MacPherson was selected as the National Coach of the Year.
In addition to national awards, Orange standouts have been recognized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and BIG EAST. Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, Bill Hurley, Joe Morris, Tim Green, and McPherson were all selected as ECAC Players of the Year. SU’s current head coach Paul Pasqualoni is a three-time ECAC Coach of the Year.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb was three-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Three Syracuse players have won BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors, including Dwight Freeney in 2001. When Kevin Johnson was named BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year in 1998, he was the fifth Syracuse player to bring home that honor.
Syracuse begins the season on Sunday, September 5 at Purdue. The game kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ABC. SU then plays at Buffalo on September 11 at 6:00 p.m. The Orange kicks off the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, September 18 against Cincinnati at 12:00 p.m. SU will also host Rutgers (Oct. 2 at 12:00 p.m.), Florida State (Oct. 9), Connecticut (Oct. 30) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 6).
For ticket information and prices, call the Carrier Dome box office at 1-888-DOMETIX. Tickets are available at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), by telephone (888-DOMETIX) or on the Internet www.dometix.com.
