'Cuse Camp Clips ... with Delone Carter

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     Sophomore Delone Carter is looking forward to returning to the field for the 2008 season after sitting out 2007 due to a hip injury. The Copley, Ohio, native exploded on the scene as a true freshman when he led the Orange with 156 rushes for 713 yards. His efforts earned him Sporting News Freshman All-America honors. Read more about Carter in this edition of 'Cuse Camp Clips below.

     As Carter and his teammates prepare for the upcoming season, Syracuse Football continues to gain national headlines with the Hall of Fame inductions of Art Monk in to the Pro Hall and Don McPherson in the College Hall and the premiere of 'The Express,' the life story of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis.

     Prior to the team's practice on Thursday, former standout fullback and team captain Kyle Johnson spoke with the team and then watched the session from the sidelines. Midway through the practice, McPherson came out to support the squad.

     "We talk about it all the time here about how we stand on the shoulders of those before us. We have so many representatives in that group," said head coach Greg Robinson. "There are so many people who have been through the program and have meant so much to the program. We just enjoyed the Hall of Fame induction of Art Monk the night before training camp started. Now, today, we had Kyle Johnson speak to the team. What a great message he has. He's a guy who graduated from Newhouse and just recently obtained his MBA from the Whitman School of Business, and he played for a number of years in professional football. On top of that, he was a two-time captain here at Syracuse. He is just another in the long line of tremendous people who have come through our program. Kyle is a great representative of this program and one I hope many of our players will try and emulate. It was great to have him talk to the football team today."

     On the field, the Orange has 16 days to prepare for the season-opener at Northwestern (Aug. 30, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2). Season and individual tickets are available online and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX). Fans who have ordered 2008 season tickets should watch their mailboxes as tickets will be mailed this week.

     Prior to the opener, all Orange football fans will have an opportunity to see the team in action on Monday, August 18 at the annual Fanfest. There will also be activities for the whole family, including an autograph session at the end of practice from 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the football team will take the field at 5:45 p.m. Admission is free.

The event at the Les Vielbig Track (next to Coyne Field and the Schwartzwalder and Katz football practice fields) will feature Otto and the Orange cheerleaders, inflatable “jumpies” for kids, retail tables featuring Syracuse merchandise and food vendors. Orange fans can pick up their annual poster, schedule card and team roster before the first game, along with gathering membership information for the ‘Cuse Kids Club. Season tickets and individual game tickets will be available for purchase.

'Cuse Camp Clips ... with Delone Carter
What does the great running back tradition at Syracuse mean to you as one of this year's featured running backs?

It means a lot to me. With Ernie Davis, Jim Brown and Floyd Little, it's personally just an honor to be part of this program and to be able to carry on that tradition.

What are your impressions of Ernie Davis?

I actually didn't really know Ernie Davis' whole story until I came to Syracuse. Just hearing his whole story is very deep and touching. He means a lot to me.

Do you have any plans to go see The Express?

Absolutely. You know the coaches are going to have all of us go see that!

How excited are you to be back to full strength after last season?

I'm just ready to get through this camp and be the best we can become before the season starts so we can try to dominate. I feel like we're a whole new team this year and I feel like we're all just ready to go.

How do you feel the team is stacking up in camp right now as you guys close in on the halfway point?

Normally, at this point, a team would be getting tired and dragging, but we're keeping our focus and we keep on chugging through, no matter what. If we have a tweak here or a tweak there, it's all about that mental focus and getting through it.

Who in your life has given you the most valuable ‘life lesson’?

There are a lot of people. My whole family, really. From my grandfather who just passed away to my mother, my grandmother, my father … all of them have taught me something important.

Five years after graduating from Syracuse I will be …

Hopefully in the NFL, but, after that, I really would like to involve myself with the youth and act as a mentor for kids. I'd love to open up something for young children coming from poverty.

Advice to first-year teammates?

Learn your plays and your fundamentals, because that's what will get you far. Talent can't carry you as far as the fundamentals and your focus.

Other than football, what sport do you think you could dominate at Syracuse?
Either basketball or track

Are you a clean freak or is your apartment messy?
I like to be clean…I get it from my Momma.

What's your favorite routine in the weight room?
I don't know! Ever since my injury, I like to run and stretch more than lift.

What's the best meal in the cafeteria at Manley?
Chicken sandwich

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