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Football Recruiting

Syracuse football recruiting: C/O 2016 commit Noel Brouse discusses LSU game

Courtesy of Noel Brouse

Class of 2016 offensive lineman Noel Brouse visited SU for the second consecutive week when the Orange faced LSU.

By Paul SchwedelsonSenior Staff Writer

When Class of 2016 offensive tackle Noel Brouse visited Syracuse last week for SU’s game against Central Michigan, he was one of 27,949 in the crowd. The game didn’t have much juice as the Orange barely beat a team from a mid-major conference in overtime.

Brouse enjoyed the visit, and his trip to Varsity Pizza, but the environment at the game was lackluster.

So when he returned to SU for its game against Louisiana State one week later, that’s when Brouse felt “100 percent” comfortable with his verbal commitment to Syracuse.

“It was a cool experience to see, like wow LSU is a powerhouse team out there and Syracuse hung with them,” Brouse said. “So I think it was definitely a good experience for recruits like me to see that we can compete with anyone out there.”

Scheduling top-tier teams like Louisiana State has pros and cons. An easier nonconference game improves the Orange’s chances at bowl eligibility. But an energized crowd and national attention because of the opponent also has its benefits.



The game was broadcast on ESPN to a national audience and recruits in Florida and Georgia were tweeting about the game. Inside the Carrier Dome, 43,101 fans accounted for what will likely be SU’s largest crowd of the season.

Before the LSU game, Brouse received a letter in the mail from head coach Scott Shafer inviting him to a game for the second week in a row. Shafer mentioned that he wanted to get as many recruits there as possible, Brouse said.

While losing to LSU by just 10 points resonates with recruits, Brouse said it’s just one game and its ramifications shouldn’t be overblown.

“I think it’s more of a gradual thing,” Brouse said. “… the more success they have, the more recruits will see that the program’s rising and it’ll be different from here on out.”

With games scheduled against LSU, Notre Dame and Wisconsin over the next several years, Syracuse is continuing the strategy of having one big-time nonconference opponent each year.

That means more opportunities to woo recruits.

“I definitely noticed a difference with the intensity of all the fans as well as the intensity in all of the players,” Brouse said, comparing the Central Michigan and LSU games. “It was a (better) atmosphere.

“It’s just so cool to have games where you’re the underdog going against top teams in the country.”





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