Cecil Howard wore a wide grin Monday afternoon as he answered questions from the media. He stood at ease, a far cry from the nervous freshman whose face first graced Syracuse last fall.

That freshman was shy and quiet. The new Howard, while showing no bravado or boisterousness, is talkative.

The difference?

‘The area I’ve made the biggest improvement in is one word,’ Howard said. ‘Relaxing.

“I just try to relax and go out comfortable, don’t try to make any plays by myself. There are 11 guys on the team.’

While Howard admits he still has much to learn, he’s no longer perplexed by the Paul Pasqualoni playbook or stupefied by the speed of the college game. With backup quarterback Troy Nunes injured, Howard has practiced all spring with the second-team offense.

‘Cecil is progressing very, very well,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘Confidence is growing, leadership is growing. All these things are positive.’

On Saturday at 1:30 p.m., during Syracuse’s annual spring football game, the Orange faithful receive their first opportunity to judge Howard for themselves.

‘It’s just a matter of how much you can take mentally,’ Howard said. ‘You’ve got a crowd there. Can you get all your point outs and calls done with officials on your back and time chasing you?’

Howard came to SU last fall as the No. 4 high school quarterback in the country, according to ESPN recruiting guru Tom Lemming. Howard’s rating was based more on athletic ability than passing prowess. At McKeesport High School, Howard ran an option offense, passing only 49 times his senior season and completing less than 40 percent.

If spring practice is any indication, he might not throw the ball much tomorrow. Last year, the Orangemen ran the ball on over 60 percent of their plays, and the trend has continued this spring.

Whether or not Syracuse throws the ball often, Howard knows all eyes will be fixed on his No. 7 jersey.

‘It’s in the back of my head like it would be with anybody,’ Howard said. ‘But I can’t let that be a big part of me being evaluated by coaches or the other players. I have to go out and play my game regardless and not worry about who’s in the crowd and who’s expecting what or what I’m going to do.’

On Saturday, Howard will be one of 16 players seeing his first action in a Syracuse uniform.

‘I’ve been nervous since the first week,’ said Moe Sidibe, who joined the team this spring after transferring from Vanier Prep in Quebec. ‘I’ve been stressed a couple times.’

In the spring, coaches try to achieve different objectives with the rookies and the veterans.

‘There are two main goals for the spring,’ linebackers coach Steve Dunlap said. ‘You want the younger guys to learn the game, and you want the older guys to stay healthy.’

While goal No. 1 may be in progress, No. 2 has been a complete failure.

Howard’s opportunity comes because of misfortune to another Syracuse signal caller. Last year, Nunes entered the spring game stuck in the middle of a quarterback controversy. Despite the challenge raised by then-backup R.J. Anderson, Nunes entered and left the spring game as the starter.

This year he won’t even play. Nunes had surgery this offseason to repair a chipped ulna. Nunes initially injured his left, non-throwing, wrist in eighth grade, and a hit during the 33-9 loss to Tennessee on Sept. 1 reaggravated it.

Standing alongside Nunes on the sideline tomorrow will be middle linebackers Clifton Smith and James Dumervil, who have missed all of spring practice. Christian Ferrara and Maurice McClain will also sit out due to injuries incurred during the recent three-week practice season.

The injuries have forced Syracuse coaches to change the spring game procedure. Instead of coaches drafting players onto teams, Dunlap said they will leave players in their first and second units. He was not sure which defense would face each offense.

For some, starting jobs are on the line, but for most, a spot on the travel squad may be at stake. Dunlap said the spring game is an opportunity for returning players to impress coaches and mold a reputation before the incoming freshmen cloud the picture.

‘Sure it’s a scrimmage,’ Dunlap said. ‘But I tend to think of it as a final exam. This is where we find out how far you’ve come.’

Published on April 25, 2002 at 12:00 pm