Dome-Opener for the Orange Gridders is Saturday

Game Notes

The Dome opener for the 2008 football Orange is Saturday, September 6 against Akron. There will be many celebrations throughout the day for Orange fans to enjoy, including the unveiling of the 2008 Lacrosse National Championship banner, as well as a celebration of Syracuse’s 2008 Olympians and Patriotic Day. At halftime, the men’s lacrosse team and coaches will take the field as the University and the community celebrate the lacrosse program’s record 10th national title with the unveiling of the 2008 Lacrosse National Championship banner.

The football Orange will kick off against Akron at 3:30 p.m. All 2008 season and individual tickets are available online and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (888-DOMETIX). Season ticket packages begin at $100 in Touchdown Town. Adult season tickets are $205, youth/student season tickets are $115 and faculty/staff season tickets are $164. A 2008 Penn State Pack, which includes tickets for SU’s games against Penn State (Sept. 13) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 27) or Penn State and Connecticut (Nov. 15), is also available. The cost of the two-game package is $85 for adults and $40 for youth. Individual game tickets for Akron, Northeastern, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Connecticut are $36 for adults and $18 for youth (ages 12 and under). Individual game tickets for Penn State are $57 for adults and $30 for youth.

Three Orange tailbacks will continue to battle for the starting job this week in practice. Head coach Greg Robinson, who gave the starting nod to senior Curtis Brinkley for the season-opener at Northwestern, said Brinkley and sophomores Delone Carter and Doug Hogue are all in the fight. All three had carries against the Wildcats.

"Curtis, he broke out. He got out yesterday and I liked his touchdown run,” Robinson said. “It was a really good effort play on his part. He did some things in pass blocking that were very effective, too. Doug displayed his powerful roughness and we saw him catch a pass and turn it into a physical play. He also played a nice role in pass protection. Delone had two different situations where he got out. It was good to see Delone back and getting out there into open spaces."

Robinson utilized the season opener as a measuring stick for all three ball carriers.

"If one of those guys hadn't played, we wouldn't have been able to identify some of those things that were there,” Robinson said. “Two of those players were injured for most of last year and not really able to participate in the physical part of spring ball or preseason. It was hard and there wasn't really much to time to hone and say, ‘This is where we are.’ I was not displeased with any of them (against Northwestern).”

Brinkley returned to the gridiron after suffering a broken leg in the Buffalo game last season and scored Syracuse's lone touchdown of the game. Brinkley became the 29^th Syracuse player to break the 1,000-yard mark. He gained 49 yards on nine carries. The last Orange back to enter the 1,000-yard club was Damien Rhodes (2002-05).

"I've just been happy the way Curtis has gone about his work,” Robinson said. “He's made a real effort and that's why he ended up being the guy that started the game. It was really too close to call on any of them, but Curtis was the senior football player. I old all three of them that was for this game and where we go from there will be determined this week.

"I know this about Curtis. He's healthy and he can go all day. He's in much better condition just because he's been able to work so hard. I think he's stronger, also. He's always going to be a back that has that cutting ability, but I see a more powerful back. He broke that tackle out there on the goal line. I mean, that defensive lineman had his arms around his legs and he was able to pull out of that and then scored around the outside. All those things are a plus."

Robinson addressed his team after the 30-10 loss to Northwestern to switch their focus to the upcoming game against Akron.

"I tell them every Sunday that you have 24 hours to lament or you have 24 hours to celebrate,” Robinson said. “The most important thing in either case is that you must take what you can learn from the last experience and move on. That's what we have to do. This team is a very resilient football team and I'd be very disappointed and surprised if they didn't respond right out here in the next 10 minutes as we go out and work out. They will be focused to get better."

Although Syracuse has never played Akron in football, there will be some familiarity in the Dome on Saturday. Robinson and Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart worked together on the Denver Broncos staff when Brookhart served as Robinson's defensive assistant.

"He's a good friend of mine, but not this week, though,” Robinson said with a smile on his face. “I know J.D. and I know one thing – he's going to do anything he can to beat Syracuse."

Cheer on the Orange on the Quad

Join the fun on the Syracuse University Quad prior to the football contest. Pre-game activities begin at 12:30 p.m. The 2008 Orange football team Quad Walk will begin at 1:00 p.m. followed by the Syracuse University Marching Band Drum Line performance in front of Hendricks Chapel and the Marching Band Pep Rally to gets fans geared up for kickoff. In addition, members of the 2008 Lacrosse National Championship team will be on hand to sign autographs.

The band, Stroke, will play for fans on the Quad prior to the game. The group includes founder Isreal Hagan on bass and vocals, Buke Babikian on drums, Joe Beccheria on guitar and Bill Barry on keyboards and vocals. During the group’s 25 years, it has shared the stage with many music legends including Robert Cray, B.B. King and Carlos Santana. The band has won 11 Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMY’s), including Best R ‘n B Group three times (1993, 1997, 2001).

In addition to the musical entertainment, there will be children’s games and food and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Coolers and/or alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Quad.

Patriotic Day

SU will celebrate Patriotic Day with a salute to American Services prior to kickoff.

Syracuse Olympians

Syracuse men’s head basketball coach Jim Boeheim and women’s soccer head coach Phil Wheddon will be among the medalists honored in an Olympic Ceremony following the first quarter. Boeheim – an assistant on the US men’s national basketball team – won the gold in Beijing with a team that features former Orange standout Carmelo Anthony. Wheddon – who took the reigns of the Orange soccer program last spring – was the goalie coach for the US women’s national soccer team that won gold this summer.

Syracuse University Athletics

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