CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Syracuse senior receiver and punt returner Jamel Riddle did not play Saturday in Syracuse’s 49-47 win at North Carolina due to academic issues.

Riddle missed the first two weeks of preseason, completing classes at Onondaga Community College in order to become eligible for the season. Riddle started practicing with SU on the first day of classes and was expected to play Saturday.

‘He should play,’ SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said last Monday. ‘Hopefully, he makes a lot of big plays.’

True freshman Marcus Clayton replaced Riddle returning punts against the Tar Heels and returned two punts for a total of 10 yards. His longest return was nine yards.

Injuries

Seems playing North Carolina is hazardous to Josh Thomas’s health.

Thomas, a senior defensive end who injured his foot last year against the Tar Heels, hurt his left leg early in the first quarter Saturday. He left and returned for a play, then left the contest for good.

Julian Pollard replaced Thomas and made four tackles. He also recovered a fumble and returned it 36 yards.

Senior outside linebacker Jameel Dumas injured his left leg in overtime and had to be helped off the field. After the game, Dumas sported a brace that covered nearly the entire leg and carried crutches. His replacement, Kelvin Smith, made the game-saving tackle in the third overtime.

In the fourth quarter, strong safety Diamond Ferri grabbed his left shoulder after stripping a touchdown from UNC tight end John Dunn and falling to the ground. He left but reentered the game.

‘I’m always worried,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘I think Diamond will recover. I think Jameel will recover. We have to get these other, younger guys ready to play if they can’t play.’

Pasqualoni couldn’t comment on the severity of any of the injuries because he had yet to speak with team trainer Tim Neal.

Kicking it

After a preseason-long competition, Collin Barber emerged the winner of SU’s kicking battle – sort of.

Barber kicked field goals and extra points, while Justin Sujansky handled kickoff duties. Barber made 2 of 3 field goals, hitting a 32-yard kick in the third quarter and 37-yarder with 27 seconds left in regulation. He missed a 36-yard try wide left that would have won the game in the second overtime.

Sujansky consistently boomed kickoffs between the 5- and 10-yard lines.

Freshman punter Brendan Carney debuted with four punts, averaging 36.8 yards. He pinned his second attempt at the UNC 14 yard line.

Flag day

The Tar Heels didn’t need any help moving the ball Saturday.

The Orangemen were flagged for 10 penalties totaling 112 yards. Officials called Syracuse for four personal fouls, each resulting in 15 yards and a Carolina first down.

On UNC’s second possession of the game, Thomas face-masked Willie Parker and was called for a 15-yard penalty. Five plays later that same drive, SU defensive end James Wyche was caught in a heated exchange after the whistle and flagged with a personal foul.

‘That killed us,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘We have a lot of guys trying very hard, overdoing it.’

‘The one thing that happened today was mental breakdowns,’ Louis Gachelin said. ‘The penalties killed us.’

This and that

UNC’s starting tight end Bobby Blizzard did not play because he was sick. Ironically, Blizzard adorned the cover of the Tar Heels’ game day program. His replacement, Dunn, caught the game’s first touchdown. … Sophomore Quinn Ojinnaka, usually a reserve offensive lineman, played tight end on some goal-line situations. He wore No. 99 when he lined up as an end, a departure from his normal 69. … The overtime was the first in Kenan Stadium history. … Syracuse is 3-3 all-time in overtime games.

Published on September 7, 2003 at 12:00 pm