Lavar Lobdell has a message for everyone who has been waiting two years to see the highly touted wide receiver live up to his hype and expectations.

‘I’m back, that’s all I have to say,’ Lobdell said. ‘My real fans know what that means. Tune in Aug. 30. Just tune in Aug. 30.’

That’s when Syracuse plays its first game against Northwestern. For the team’s sake, Lobdell, once considered a four-star recruit, better be right.

During the offseason, the Orange lost its two best wideouts and offensive weapons from last year, Mike Williams and Taj Smith, leaving Lobdell the only healthy wide receiver remaining who caught a pass last year still on the team.

Williams was deemed academically ineligible in June and likely will not return to the team. Smith chose to forgo his senior season for the NFL and signed with the Green Bay Packers in April.

Now, the Orange is relying on three inexperienced and unproven receivers to carry the load: Lobdell, Donte Davis, who missed almost all of last season with a hand injury, and senior Bruce Williams, who was converted from safety to receiver during training camp.

Granted, Syracuse’s ground game should be stronger this season with Delone Carter and Curtis Brinkley both returning from injuries. But the receiving corps, which was arguably the team’s greatest strength last year, is now one of its glaring weaknesses.

‘Some of these guys are getting chances now they otherwise wouldn’t, and I think they’re all excited for it,’ said wide receivers coach Chris White. ‘All these kids want to play, and now they actually see an opportunity to play.’

Still, it’s hard to see how this group can match the production of Mike Williams and Smith. The duo combined for 104 receptions and 1,659 yards in 2007, which amounts to 52 and 60 percent of the Orange’s totals, respectively. They also caught 15 of Syracuse’s 18 touchdown receptions.

Williams alone made 60 catches, which tied a single-season school record. He also shattered Marvin Harrison’s school record for most consecutive games with a touchdown reception with nine. In just two seasons with the program, Williams was already sixth on the Syracuse’s all-time receiving touchdowns list with 14.

Syracuse also lost tight end Jawad Nesheiwat and wide receiver Rice Moss to graduation, and running back Paul Chiara was moved to safety. Each player caught at least 12 passes last season.

Lobdell caught eight passes for 86 yards last season. Sophomore wideout Dan Sheeran had four grabs, but is on the shelf until at least midseason with a broken leg.

‘It’s been an adjustment,’ said starting quarterback Andrew Robinson. ‘… I know these guys pretty well, and I know how they run their routes, and they know how I throw the ball. So when it comes down to it, we just have to go out there and perform as a unit and perform as an offense.’

At Big East Media Day in Newport, R.I., in July, SU head coach Greg Robinson suggested perhaps his team became too reliant on Williams and Smith for their offense and would now have more freedom to spread the ball around.

The real question is to whom.

Lobdell is the obvious choice, and White said he thinks Lobdell is finally ready to meet his potential. Davis showed his freshman year he has ability, but it’s impossible to know how he will react to a major role. Marcus Sales is a true freshman considered one of the top recruits in New York state, but he hasn’t taken a single snap at the collegiate level. Robinson indicated in his press conference Sunday that Lobdell, Davis and Williams were his top three receivers for now. Sales and Van Chew are also in the mix.

Bruce Williams is the real wild card. He played receiver as a freshman in 2005 and caught four passes for 52 yards before moving to safety his sophomore season. Williams is a team captain – a veteran presence the group has been looking for – but considering he hasn’t played wideout in three years, how much he will contribute on the field is still unknown.

But no doubt he has an immediate effect on the receiving corps as a leader. The coaching staff chose to move Williams back to receiver in early August after Sheeran’s injury.

Days after Williams changed positions, he made sure the other wide receivers arrived at practice 10 or 15 minutes early to run routes and catch tennis balls, as a way to improve their hands and coordination.

‘Bruce came over and gave us a big boost mentally and physically,’ Sales said. ‘He’s an experienced guy who knows what it takes to win. He’s been giving us confidence and making sure we are going through everything hard. He gave us such a big boost when he came over in terms of motivation and confidence.’

Syracuse will likely feature a run-first offense this season under new coordinator Mitch Browning, as tailback appears to be one of the squad’s biggest strengths.

The Orange no longer has Mike Williams and Smith, and there will undoubtedly be a learning curve for the receivers that remain.

‘It’s a new season every year,’ White said. ‘Sometimes you just have to go with what you got.’

jediamon@syr.edu

Published on August 25, 2008 at 12:00 pm