Countdown to Kickoff: 2004 Award Candidates

SYRACUSE, NY – After the completion of each season, the NCAA honors individual players with postseason awards. The 2004 season features five SU student-athletes who are preseason candidates for awards, running back Walter Reyes, center Matt Tarullo, offensive tackle Adam Terry, strong safety Diamond Ferri, linebackers Kelvin Smith and Kellen Pruitt, and kicker Collin Barber. The Orange award candidates and the rest of the Syracuse team kick off the 2004 season in nine days at Purdue. The game is set for 1:30 p.m. and will be televised on ABC.

Reyes is a candidate for numerous awards, including the prestigious Heisman Trophy. He is also up for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding running back, and is one of 40 individuals listed on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. Reyes had one of the best seasons ever by a Syracuse running back last year. He broke the school records for rushing touchdowns (20), total touchdowns (21) and points (128). He also rushed for a second-best 1,347 yards last season.

Paving the way for Reyes will be offensive linemen Tarullo and Terry. Both are candidates for the Outland Trophy, which is presented to the nation’s top interior lineman. They are SU’s top returners on an offensive line that ranked 26^th nationally and third in the BIG EAST with an average of 189.4 rushing yards per game in 2003. Tarullo, who is shifting positions from guard to center, ia also a candidate for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award. He earned District I Academic All-America honors last year.

Ferri is a candidate for the Nagurski Award, presented to the best all-around defensive player. In his first season on defense, Ferri set the SU single-season record for solo tackles by a defensive back with 75. He finished second on the team overall and posted the fourth-highest season tackle total by a defensive back with 120 tackles. Former SU standout Dwight Freeney was a finalist for the award in 2001.

Barber is a candidate for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented to the nation’s best kicker. The senior kicker connected on 75% of his field goal attempts last season and was named to the All-BIG EAST second team.

All sevenplayers are All-America candidates as well. Other SU players who are preseason All-American candidates are running back Damien Rhodes, free safety Anthony Smith and defensive end James Wyche.

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

Syracuse University Athletics

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