The 2006 Orange Wide Receivers
Countdown to Kickoff: Wide Receivers
8/25/2006 4:04:15 PM | Football
Countdown To Kickoff
Position Previews: Wide Receivers
The receiving corps returns its top two producers in senior Tim Lane and junior Rice Moss. Both players stepped into the starting lineup last season and turned in career-years. Lane, who had been limited to special teams work in his first two seasons, led the Orange with 27 receptions for 341 yards. He scored his first-career touchdown against Pittsburgh and hauled in a 44-yard catch against Buffalo for his career-long. Moss made 26 catches for a team-high 359 yards.
Two of the Orange’s top receivers from 2005 are switching to the defensive backfield for this season. Sophomores Nick Chestnut, who had a team-high three receiving touchdowns, and Bruce Williams both saw action in every game as freshmen, but are out of the mix of Orange passing targets. This leaves room for new players to help put a charge into the passing attack. Junior Taj Smith is in his first year with the Orange after transferring from Bakersfield Community College. In 2005, Smith caught a school-record 53 passes for 960 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his two years at Bakersfield, Smith tied the school record with 95 catches and ranked second in yards (1,670) and touchdowns (16). Redshirt freshman Lavar Lobdell returns after missing the final nine games of 2005 with an injury. Fellow redshirt freshmen Jeremy Horne and Daniel Bailey will be looking to make their mark in the passing game. Junior Max Meisel, who joined the Orange as a walk-on prior to the 2005 season, caught two passes for 23 yards in the 2006 Spring Game; prompting his teammates to carry him off the field. A trio of freshmen, Mike Williams, Donte Davis, and Dan Sheeran will also battle for playing time.
Wide receivers coach Chris White likes what he has seen out of the group so far this training camp, saying they approach everyday with a “business-like approach”. “Every player brings something different,” White said. “Time Lane has shown outstanding leadership as a senior and Rice Moss has been very consistent. Taj Smith and Jeremy Horne contribute greatly to the vertical passing game. They add a dimension of speed to the group. Lavar Lobdell is healthy and we are very happy with his progression. Mike Williams was a great basketball player in high school and he can go up and get the ball.”
Wide Receivers
12 Rice Moss (6-2, 201, Jr.)
2 Taj Smith (6-1, 184, Jr.)
16 Jeremy Horne (6-2, 184, RF)
15 Max Meisel (5-4, 149, Jr.)
81 Tim Lane (6-2, 206, Sr.)
11 Lavar Lobdell (6-3, 201, RF)
87 Daniel Bailey (5-7, 165, RF)
1 Mike Williams (6-2, 205, Fr.)
32 Donte Davis (6-0, 185, Fr.)
In 7 days, Syracuse will take the field. Visit suathletics.com regularly for 'Countdown to Kickoff' to get an inside look at the 2006 season as the excitement builds. Season and individual game tickets are available via the internet and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX). To purchase tickets via the internet, click here.
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