As the annual Blue-Orange spring football game wound down, Syracuse quarterback R.J. Anderson stood grinning on the sidelines, playfully squirting teammates with a water bottle.

For the first time in a while, he had something to smile about.

Anderson, who began last season as the starter but was relegated to the sidelines in favor of the departed Troy Nunes, completed 12 of 16 passes for 149 yards against the SU defense Saturday to conclude the spring football season. The offense beat the defense, 51-34.

Since redshirt freshman Perry Patterson — who entered the spring as a contender for the starting quarterback position — will undergo surgery on his injured right knee and miss six months, Anderson’s performance was reassuring to SU coaches.

‘I like what Robin’s got done,’ head coach Paul Pasqualoni said. ‘He’s developed more confidence, and that’s the key because he’s got ability.’

Though Anderson’s day began ominously — his first pass was a short-hopped screen to tight end Joe Donnelly — he settled down and showed poise. He consistently displayed accuracy throwing to wide receivers Johnnie Morant and Rashard Williams on slants, passes that have given Anderson trouble in the past.

Though Anderson, who was named captain for next season along with linebacker Rich Scanlon and fullback Thump Belton, played well, he knows fall — not spring — will be the time to silence his doubters.

‘It was good, man, but this doesn’t count for anything,’ Anderson said. ‘You don’t want to get too excited. Last year, I probably did better, and I played terrible during the season.’

Anderson’s lack of excitement may come from knowing he put up the gaudy numbers against SU’s secondary. That unit gave up an NCAA-worst 303.8 passing yards per game last season.

On Saturday, receivers consistently found openings against SU’s secondary. Overall, quarterbacks completed 16 of 25 passes for 181 yards. Those numbers would have been worse for the defense if backup Xzavier Gaines hadn’t overthrown several open receivers.

Although the defense did little to erase last season’s nightmares, two bright spots emerged. Safety Diamond Ferri — a converted running back — supported the run, making a team-high eight tackles. Ferri also forced the game’s only turnover when he ripped the ball from Morant’s hands and recovered it himself.

Cornerback Terrell Lemon proved the spring’s most pleasant surprise. Lemon, a 5-foot-10, 152-pound redshirt freshman, stayed with Morant for most of the game. When Anderson threw a well-placed fade to the 6-foot-4 Morant, Lemon leapt and broke up the pass. Lemon’s performance likely vaulted him over Thomas Whitfield for the starting right cornerback spot.

‘The obvious concern area is the secondary,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘Terrell Lemon had a very good spring practice. He scrimmaged well today. Diamond is feeling a little more comfortable.’

Ferri wasn’t the only player in a new position who impressed. Darryl Kennedy, a senior junior-college transfer, made a strong case to leapfrog Gaines as the team’s No. 2 quarterback. Kennedy, who has switched from quarterback to fullback to safety, was moved back to quarterback last week after Patterson’s injury.

On his first snap since playing at Nassau Community College two years ago, Kennedy cut back on a broken option and picked up six yards before running over defensive tackle Justin Opalenski.

On the possession, Kennedy orchestrated the game’s first touchdown, finishing the drive by sprinting around the right end on an option and dancing just inside the pylon.

Kennedy had just one passing attempt, largely because of a sore arm that resulted from his first passing sessions in two years. But his lone toss was a perfect 50-yard strike to a streaking Williams in the end zone. The ball, however, slipped through Williams’ hands.

‘I’m a team player,’ Kennedy said. ‘Wherever Coach P puts me, that’s where I’m going to play.’

‘Considering he’s been playing a week,’ Pasqualoni said, ‘I’d say he did pretty good. He’ll make a contribution. We don’t exactly know where or how, but he’ll be a contributor some way next year.’

Kennedy’s solid play capped an effective spring practice. The secondary still needs work, and Patterson’s injury severely hindered the quarterback position. But Pasqualoni remained pleased with the spring.

‘In 15 practices, we got an awful lot done,” Pasqualoni said. “Under the context of what we’re trying to get done in the spring, it was a very good day today.’

Published on April 27, 2003 at 12:00 pm