Lavar Lobdell didn’t want Bruce Williams to leave the wide receivers and join the defensive backs this week. But the move did have at least one perk he wasn’t expecting.

‘Now I get to take shots at him in practice again,’ said Lobdell, a junior wideout. ‘It’s back to the way I like it.’

Still, Williams’ switch to the defense leaves Syracuse with a decision to make about how to handle the third receiver spot, Saturday, against No. 17 Penn State (3:30 p.m., ABC). So far this season, Williams has been the Orange’s primary slot receiver with Lobdell and Donte Davis outside.

Although the defense has struggled through two games and will likely benefit from another veteran presence in the secondary, the wide receivers – not a particularly deep or successful unit to begin with – are left even shallower.

‘It affects us depth wise, but we have young guys that are going to have to step in and play,’ said SU offensive coordinator Mitch Browning. ‘Those guys are prepared to go, so we’ll be okay. It’ll be the same guys lined up there: Donte Davis, Lavar and a group of guys in the slot.’

The obvious choice to fill the void is true freshman Marcus Sales, who came to Syracuse considered the top high school recruit in New York state, according to Scout.com. Sales played in both games this year and made an eight-yard catch against Northwestern on Aug. 30. Fellow freshman Van Chew, who made an eight-yard catch against Akron last Saturday, will also see more snaps. Redshirt freshman Chaz Cervino, who does not have a reception yet, rounds out the group likely to play more against the Nittany Lions.

Browning would not discuss specifics about how he plans to shuffle the young receivers on Saturday and downplayed the loss of Williams.

‘There will be a group of guys who play there,’ Browning said. ‘It’ll be the same. The same guys who get reps and play. On any time, you play receivers by committee. That’s the nature of the position.’

Hopefully for the Orange, Browning is right. At the very least, the wideouts don’t seem too upset to see a familiar face lining up opposite them in practice again.

‘He’s been joking around with the receivers, ‘Oh, I’m going to hit you all,’ this and that,’ Davis said. ‘Lots of fun things going on between Bruce and the receivers. He likes it, I guess.’

Fatherly advice

The last time Syracuse played Penn State, most of the Orange players were toddlers. For Jake Flaherty, the SU-PSU rivalry means a little bit more.

Flaherty’s father, Todd, played linebacker for Syracuse in 1969 and made sure to instill the importance of Saturday’s game in his son. In 1969, the Orangemen fell to the Nittany Lions, 15-14, at Archbold Stadium.

Syracuse defensive end Jared Kimmel’s father, Jamie, played for SU from 1980-84. During his tenure, the Orangemen lost to Penn State all four times the teams met.

‘I was talking to my dad, and he said to me, ‘You’ll remember this game for the rest of your life,” Flaherty said. ‘And I’m sure I will, so that’s cool, and I’m looking forward to it.’

Honorary Captains

In honor of the world premiere of the Ernie Davis biopic, ‘The Express,’ Friday, Syracuse announced actors Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown and former SU All-American Floyd Little will be honorary captains for Saturday’s game.

Quaid plays former Orangemen head coach Ben Schwartzwalder in the film, and Brown plays Davis. Little holds the Syracuse record for touchdowns (46), having played for SU from 1964-66.

jediamon@syr.edu

Published on September 11, 2008 at 12:00 pm