Coaching veteran Greg Robinson hosted his first SU media day as a head coach.
Countdown to Kickoff: A to Z
8/12/2005 8:28:32 AM | Football
August 12: E is for Experience
There are many new faces on the Syracuse sideline this football season, but that does not mean there is a lack of experience. Head coach Greg Robinson headlines a group of Orange coaches and players ready to show that their experience and leadership will lead to success this season. Be part of the growing excitement every day leading up to SU’s first game (Sept. 4 vs. West Virginia) with our Countdown to Kickoff: A to Z.
Robinson has been involved with coaching during the past 30 years. Although this is his first stint as head coach, Robinson has been an integral part of winning teams in both the NFL and college football. In the NFL, Robinson has been a member of the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs coaching staffs. He has seven postseason victories, including two Super Bowls. Robinson has had just as much success at the college level. He has been a part of eight bowl victories in eight appearances, including four Rose Bowl titles.
"The right word for me is ‘proud’," Robinson said recently at SU's media day. "I’ve waited a long time, long time. I’ve prepared a long time. The day I decided to be a football coach I wanted to be a head football coach. I’ve waited 30 years and it’s now my time. It’s a good feeling, and it’s great to be out here today even with all of you. But, I’m very proud to be the head football coach at Syracuse."
"The right word for me is ‘proud’," Robinson said recently at SU's media day. "I’ve waited a long time, long time. I’ve prepared a long time. The day I decided to be a football coach I wanted to be a head football coach. I’ve waited 30 years and it’s now my time. It’s a good feeling, and it’s great to be out here today even with all of you. But, I’m very proud to be the head football coach at Syracuse."
Major Applewhite begins his first year as quarterbacks coach after spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant with Texas. Prior to his G.A. duties, Applewhite was a starting quarterback for the Longhorns. He graduated with a 22-8 record as a starter and set school records for passing yards (8,353), TD passes (60), total offense (8,059), completions (611) and attempts (1,065) from 1998 to 2001. The Longhorns team captain in 2001 and 2001 Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP, Applewhite was the Big 12 co-Offensive Player of the Year in 1999 and earned the league freshman of the year honors in 1998.
Defensive line coach Tim Cross begins his first season at Syracuse after spending the last five years as assistant strength coach at Texas. Prior to his duties at Texas, Cross was head coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, Colorado. He led his team to four consecutive league titles and had a 42-game conference winning streak. Cross coached two future first-round draft picks during his time at Thomas Jefferson. Daniel Graham played tight end at the University of Colorado and was the 21st pick of the 2002 draft by the New England Patriots. Andre Woolfolk played cornerback at the University of Oklahoma and was chosen by the Tennessee Titans with the 28th pick in the 2003 draft.
Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Brian Pariani’s experience includes three Super Bowl titles, one with San Francisco and two with Denver. He has spent the last ten seasons with as tight ends coach with the Denver where he coached Shannon Sharpe to four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1995-98) and three straight first-team All-NFL selections (1996-98). Pariani also mentored Dwayne Carswell to a Pro Bowl selection in 2001.
Desmond Robinson will begin his first season at Syracuse as running backs coach. Robinson owns coaching experience at the professional level with NFL Europe and in the intercollegiate ranks at Notre Dame, West Virginia, Tulane, Dartmouth, Connecticut and Pittsburgh. He has helped lead his team to the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and the Independence Bowl.
Linebackers coach Steve Russ begins his first season at Syracuse after spending the last five seasons with Ohio University. Prior to his time at Ohio, Russ was a linebacker with the Denver Broncos where he won two Super Bowl championships in 1997 and 1998.
Cornerback and secondary coach Jim Salgado comes to Syracuse from Northeastern, where he served as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach in 2004. Salgado is an 11-year collegiate coaching veteran.
Safeties and nickel back coach Scott Spencer is another coach coming from Texas. As graduate assistant for defense, Spencer worked directly with Greg Robinson last season. He also served as video assistant at Texas from 2001 to 2003.
Wide Receiver coach and recruiting coordinator Chris White will begin his eighth season with Syracuse. It will be his first season as wide receivers coach and his second as recruiting coordinator. White has served as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator in the past.
Bob Wylie will begin his first season at Syracuse as offensive line coach. Wylie is a 32-year veteran of coaching. He has served roles at the collegiate level with Brown, Holy Cross, Ohio, Colorado State and Cincinnati and in the NFL with the New York Jets, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Chicago and Arizona.
In addition to the experience in the coaching staff, the Orange returns many players from last season’s BIG EAST championship team. Syracuse boasts 14 returning starters, including nine on the defensive side.
Four All-BIG EAST Second Team selections are also returning. Senior running back Damien Rhodes highlights the list of returnees. Rhodes is a pre-season Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award candidate. Rhodes currently ranks seventh on the Orange’s all-time all-purpose yards per game list (100.2) and eighth on the SU career all-purpose yards per play list (6.9). His 810 career kick return yards are the ninth-highest total by an SU player.
James Wyche returns for his senior season at the defensive end position. Wyche ranks eighth on SU’s all-time tackles by a down lineman list with 145. He is also seventh on SU’s all-time tackles for a loss list with 23.5 for a loss of 94 yards. Wyche is a preseason Chuck Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award candidate.
Senior safety Anthony Smith returns after earning All-BIG East honors last season. Smith ranks eighth on SU’s all-time tackles by a defensive back list with 222. His five career blocked punts ties him for first all-time by a Syracuse player. Smith is a preseason Thorpe Award candidate.
Junior punter Brendan Carney is also back after another outstanding year. Carney has earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors in each of his first two seasons at Syracuse. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt last season, the fifth-highest single-season average in school history. Carney ranks second on the SU all-time punting average list (43.1).
Syracuse opens the 2005 season on Sunday, September 4 against West Virginia. The game kicks off at 1:30 and will be televised nationally on ABC.
Thursday, June 25
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, June 18
Friday, June 12
