Sophomore receiver Mike Williams has found the endzone for the Orange in each of the past five games.
The Wide Receiving Weapons
10/21/2007 6:31:25 PM | Football
Read head coach Greg Robinson's press conference transcript
When sophomore quarterback Andrew Robinson goes under center he has a number of wide receiver weapons at his disposal. Sophomore Mike Williams has already hauled in team-leading 29 catches for 473 yards, while junior Taj Smith has caught 27 passes for a team-high 498 yards. Other receivers making an impact are senior Rice Moss, sophomore Lavar Lodbell and true freshman Da'Mon Merkerson.
When sophomore quarterback Andrew Robinson goes under center he has a number of wide receiver weapons at his disposal. Sophomore Mike Williams has already hauled in team-leading 29 catches for 473 yards, while junior Taj Smith has caught 27 passes for a team-high 498 yards. Other receivers making an impact are senior Rice Moss, sophomore Lavar Lodbell and true freshman Da'Mon Merkerson.
"They (Taj Smith and Mike Williams) blocked well and they caught the ball well and that's about all we ask them to do," said head coach Greg Robinson about the receivers performance against Buffalo. "Those two players have been good for a couple of years for us and it's good to see them both stepping up at the same time. Rice Moss made a couple of plays that were important and Lavar Lobdell early in the first series makes a catch that's important. We're getting more consistency out of our receivers and we just have to keep working."
The duo of Williams and Smith became the first Orange receivers to eclipse 100 yard in the same game since Marvin Harrison and Shelby Hill achieved the feat in 1993. Both players rank in the top 85 nationally in total receiving yards. Smith is 76th and Williams is 85th, making SU one of 16 teams in the country, and one of two in the BIG EAST, with two players in the top 85. Both receivers are on SU's career receiving yards per game record list, with Smith ranked fifth (60.4) and Williams at eighth (51.9)
In the Orange's 20-12 win against Buffalo, Williams had a career-high seven receptions and 113 yards. He also had a touchdown catch for the fifth straight game, equaling an Orange record. Williams' six touchdown receptions ties for 10th on SU's single-season list and he is tied for ninth on the school's career list with 10 in two seasons.
Against Buffalo Smith was a deep ball threat, making catches of 60 and 40 yards. He added a 13-yard reception to bring his game total to 113. He is averaging 18.4 yards per catch this season and 18.6 yards during his career.
Moss, the veteran of the receiving corps, made two receptions for 21 yards against Buffalo. He has at least one reception in 28-of-32 career games and is averaging 16.6 yards per catch this season.
Lobdell has played in every game this season and has hauled in four catches for 44 yards and Merkerson has caught six passes for 78 yards. Merkerson scored his first career touchdown when he caught a 43-yard pass from Robinson at Louisville.
The receivers and the rest of the Orange squad are off this week and will return to the field on Saturday, Nov. 3 when SU travels to Pittsburgh.
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