Syracuse University Football Post Game Notes
Syracuse at Northwestern
Ryan Field
Evanston, Illinois
August, 30, 2008
Last time Syracuse had a kicker as a captain was Nate Trout in 1999. Senior kicker Patrick Shadle is one of the four captains on the 2008 squad.
Northwestern won the toss and deferred.
Six players made their first career start, including sophomore guard Ryan Bartholomew, sophomore wide receiver Donte Davis, sophomore linebacker Derrell Smith, sophomore free safety Randy McKinnon, senior kickoff specialist Niko Rechul and sophomore defensive end Jared Kimmel.
Eight players made their Orange debut, including quarterback Cody Catalina, as a member of the kick return team, redshirt freshman safety Kevyn Scott, junior long snapper Max Leo, senior center Dalton Phillips, redshirt freshman defensive end Lamar Middleton, freshman cornerback Dorian Graham, freshmen wide receivers Marcus Sales and Van Chew, and Rechul.
Senior strong safety A. J. Brown tallied a career-best 11 tackles (five solo, six assisted).
Senior free safety Paul Chiara recorded a career-high five tackles (three solo, two assisted).
Senior defensive end Vincenzo Giruzzi registered a career-best nine tackles (four solo, five assisted).
McKinnon recorded a career-high eight tackles (four solo, four assisted).
Derrell Smith registered his first seven tackles (four solo, three assisted) of his career.
Sophomore defensive tackle Anthony Perkins tallied a career-best four tackles (two solo, two assisted).
Middleton recorded the first two tackles (one solo, one assisted) of his career.
Kevyn Scott registered the first tackle of his career.
Wide receiver Marcus Sales was the first true freshman on the field for the Orange and cornerback Dorian Graham was the second. Sales made the first catch of his career, an eight-yard grab early in the fourth quarter. Graham made his debut on a Syracuse kickoff.
Davis made his first reception (eight yards on Syracuse’s first drive) since 2006.
Syracuse’s first drive of 10 plays for 63 yards resulted in a 36-yard field goal by Shadle. Senior running back Curtis Brinkley carried the ball five times for 36 yards on the drive. The field goal was Shadle’s 27th make field goal. He is now eighth on SU’s field goals made record list. Tim Vesling (1985-87) is seventh with 28. Brinkley scored Syracuse’s first touchdown of the season on a two-yard run early in the third quarter.
Brown recorded the sixth interception of his career when he intercepted a pass on Northwestern’s opening drive.
Junior wide receiver Daniel Bailey registered his first career rush, a two-yard carry on a reverse.
Sophomore punter Rob Long’s 72-yard punt in the first quarter is tied for the third longest in SU history. Sean Reali punted one 73 yards vs. Clemson (1/1/95) and Long also booted a punt 73 yards vs. South Florida (10/10/07) .
Syracuse held Northwestern scoreless in the first quarter. It marked the first time Syracuse has shutout an opponent since it held Pittsburgh scoreless on November 3, 2007.
Freshman defensive end Mikhail Marinovich was the third true freshman in the game, and the first on defense. Marinovich made his debut in the second quarter.
Senior wide receiver Bruce Williams made his first catch (a six-yard reception in the second quarter) since 2005. Williams played safety for the Orange in 2006 and 2007 after starting his career as a wide receiver as a true freshman.
Vincenzo Giruzzi tallied his first career sack in the second quarter and recorded his first career fumble on the first play from scrimmage in the second half.
