Smith Named 2005 SU Football MVP

Senior free safety Anthony Smith (Hubbard, Ohio) earned the 2005 Syracuse University football Bill Horr Most Valuable Player Award at the annual team banquet on Saturday at Manley Field House. SU head coach Greg Robinson recognized the entire senior class for their commitment and leadership during his first year leading the Orange program and Syracuse graduates Floyd Little and Keith Downing paid tribute to the Syracuse tradition and the future of Orange football.

Smith, a 2005 first-team All-BIG EAST selection, had six interceptions, which ties for second in the nation, and 14 passes defended, which ties for 12th nationally. He ranks third on the Orange’s all-time interceptions list with 14. His six picks this year is the most by an SU defender since 1995 and his season total is tied for third in a single season in Orange history. Smith was SU’s third-leading tackler with 71 stops. He also had three sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one blocked kick. Smith will play in the 57th annual Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on January 28, 2006.

Running back Damien Rhodes (Manlius, N.Y.) won the Mark Hoffman Award for most outstanding back for leading the Orange in rushing with 900 yards on 219 carries. The senior closed his SU career with 2,461 rushing yards, which is the ninth best total in Syracuse history. His 24 rushing touchdowns is seventh on SU’s career record list. In addition, he gained 3,972 all-purpose yards, which is fifth all-time at SU. Rhodes set the record for receiving yards by a running back with 701 yards on 59 receptions.

Defensive end James Wyche (Roosevelt, N.Y.) earned the Tim Green Award for most outstanding defensive lineman. A 2005 SU senior co-captain, Wyche finished his Orange career ranked fifth on the career tackles by a down lineman list with 203. His 30.0 career tackles for a loss is tied for sixth at SU. Wyche forced four fumbles this season, and his .36 per game average ranks 11th nationally. For the second-straight season, Wyche led the down lineman in tackles with 58. He will play in the East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio, Texas on January 21, 2006.

All-BIG EAST First Team honoree Ryan LaCasse (Stoughton, Mass.) won the Ben Schwartzwalder Award winner, given to the team’s exemplary football player. The senior defensive end closed his SU career with two sacks in his final game, increasing his career total to 16.5, which ties for 10th on Syracuse’s career sacks record list. His nine sacks in 2005 led the Orange and is tied for 10th on SU’s single-season record list. LaCasse had 52 tackles, including 12 for a loss of yards, three forced fumbles and one interception in 2005.

Offensive guard Steve Franklin (Dover, Del.) and linebacker Kellen Pruitt (Clinton, Md.) shared the Duffy Daugherty Award for player’s player, coaches player. A 2005 senior co-captain, Franklin was one of 16 players to start all 11 games in 2005. Franklin played 35 games during his three-year SU career, starting 34. Pruitt, who also started all 11 games in 2005, closed his SU career with a season-high 10 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble at Louisville, had 56 tackles on the season.

Cornerback Steve Gregory (Staten Island, N.Y.) won the Pat Miller Award, presented to the outstanding athlete, student and citizen. Gregory returned to the cornerback position for his season season after starting at receiver as a junior and recorded 53 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and blocked one kick. In three seasons as a cornerback, Gregory tallied 168 tackles, six interceptions, 33 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He finished his career ranked second on the career blocked kicks ledger (five) and third all-time in passes defended (40).

The Coach Mac Award for intensity, focus, effort and attitude was awarded to offensive tackle Quinn Ojinnaka (Seabrook, Md.) and defensive tackle Kader Drame (New Haven, Conn.). A two-year starter, Ojinnaka played in 44 games, including a streak of 39 in a row dating back to his freshman year. He was the first true freshman offensive lineman to start since Blake Bednarz in 1986. Ojinnaka will play in the Las Vegas All-American Classic on January 14, 2006. Drame, who along with Ojinnaka was one of five true freshmen to play in 2002, started 23 of the 39 games he played for SU. He recorded 78 career tackles, including eight for a loss of yards, had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He also has seven pass breakups and one blocked kick.

Tight end Joe Kowalewski (Solvay, N.Y.) earned the Ray Martino Award for loyalty, enthusiasm and perseverance. The senior, who closed his career with a streak of 11 consecutive games with a reception, caught 31 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensive end Tommy Harris (Daytona Beach, Fla.) won the Joe Alexander Award for excellence in football, scholarship and citizenship. Harris, who earned his undergraduate degree in information management and technology in the Spring of 2005 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in information studies, closed his SU career with 64 tackles, including four for a loss, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He had a personal-best 45 tackles in 2005.

Junior punter Brendan Carney (Valley Forge, Pa.) was named the Joe Szombathy Special Teams Award winner for outstanding performance. A 2005 All-BIG EAST First Team selection, led the BIG EAST and ranked 23rd nationally with a 42.6 yards per punt average. He set Syracuse single-season records for punting yards (3,491) and punts (82). He is third all-time in total punting yards at SU (8,513 yards). His career-long 71-yard punt at Florida State was the third longest punt in school history and was the first boot of more than 70 yards since 1996 when Sean Reali had a 70-yard punt against Virginia Tech.

In addition to the award winners, seniors Cory Brooks (Manalapan, N.J.), Eugene Brown (Gardena, CA), Christopher Calderon (Ozone Park, N.J.), Kurt Falke (Industry, Texas), Kevin Kopko (Collegeville, Pa.), DeAndre LaCaille (Los Angeles, Calif.), Joe Neumann (Ganado, Texas), Justin Opalenski (Providence, R.I.), Alex Shor (Panama City, Fla.) and Thomas Whitfield (Windsor, Ontario), along with senior managers Pete Ramiccio, Rick Oster and A.J. Mitchell were recognized for their contributions to the program.

The senior defensive linemen include Brooks, who posted 15 tackles in 35 games, Brown, who registered three tackles in eight games, and Opalenski, who made the team as a walk-on during the Fall of 2002. The senior cornerbacks are LaCaille, who recorded 43 tackles in 28 games during his three-year career at SU, Whitfield, who had 77 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery in 46 games for the Orange, and Calderon, who made the team as a walk-on. At offensive tackle, Falke played in 15 games, starting seven, during his two years at SU. As a tight end, Shor played in 27 games and had 10 catches for 114 yards. The senior long snappers include Neumann, who recorded eight tackles in 23 games during his two years with the Orange, and Kopko, who made the team as a walk-on in the Fall of 2002.

Syracuse University Athletics

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