At first it was tough for Brisly Estime to leave his newborn son, Jordayn, behind in Florida. Coming to Syracuse from southern Florida was a long way.

And a new position on the field didn’t make it any easier. One more unfamiliar in name than in practice. Still, Estime had to learn it, all while balancing it with the life of a freshman college football player.

“It’s probably the hardest thing to do in the world,” fellow H-back Ashton Broyld said.

In his first game, against Penn State, Estime dropped the only pass sent his way. He snared three passes in the second half against Northwestern when the game was out of reach, and came just inches along the sideline from breaking for the first touchdown of his career.

A year ago, Broyld was in a similar position. He was the ultratalented freshman playmaker with sky-high expectations and no true position. He bumbled his way through 2012, typically lining up in the backfield and struggling to produce on a consistent basis.

He’s one of the Orange’s stars now, and the team’s leading receiver. When SU faced Football Championship Subdivision school Stony Brook a year ago, Broyld provided a glimpse into the dazzling weapon he would become in 2013. Estime’s already given a peek into his future, but when Syracuse hosts FCS opponent Wagner at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the Carrier Dome, the stage will be Estime’s to showcase himself like Broyld did a year ago.

“I think Brisly did a pretty good job last week, right?” offensive coordinator George McDonald said. “I think he’s proved he’s able to take the next step.”

The plan, as outlined by both McDonald and head coach Scott Shafer, was to bring him along slowly. Broyld struggled with the stark transition in 2012 without a truly defined position.

Both have the H-back tag upon them this year, but it’s even simpler than that — both have exclusively played in the slot. They can still carry the ball on occasion in jet sweep and end around-type plays, but they line up in the same place every snap.

Both quarterback Terrel Hunt and guard Rob Trudo said that Syracuse would streamline the playbook against the Seahawks. Even from Week 1 to Week 2 it was simplified, and Estime reaped the benefits.

“The biggest thing that I don’t want to do is try to give those guys too much and then they can’t execute and use their abilities on Saturday,” McDonald said.

Estime’s talent was apparent from a time even before McDonald arrived in Syracuse. When McDonald was the wide receivers coach at Miami, Fla., Estime came to a camp and immediately caught the assistant’s eye.

He was just a two-star recruit, but one of the fastest kids in the state. If he got the ball in his hand, then he could make plays.

“I kind of knew his skill set and knew how we could use him once I got here,” McDonald said.

At first it was tricky. Estime wasn’t a true wide receiver, so they tried him at H-back and on punt returns. Like with Broyld a year ago, there were mistakes and growing pains. Estime, though, had Broyld to lean on. He was thrown into a similar situation as a freshman and told Estime what to expect.

“Make plays and when Coach yells at you just look at it like you’ve got to make the next play,” Estime said, “you’ve got to catch the ball.”

Then there was also the difficulty of leaving his son in Delray Beach, Fla., and starting a new experience.

At first it was “bad” he said, but he’s getting used to it. He still tries to talk to him on the phone or Facetime every day.

“It motivates me to keep working hard,” Estime said.

In two games, he’s already become a piece in a thin wide receivers corps. McDonald already views him as consistent, but now he’ll have a chance to become even more involved.

Shafer said he sees “marked improvement” every day. Not only have there been major strides from training camp to Week 1, but also from Week 1 to Week 2.

With injuries and underachieving, Syracuse needs help at wide receiver. One day, McDonald said, Estime will be a very good football player. That day could come soon.

“He’s starting to feel comfortable in the offense and I think everybody is the same,” McDonald said. “When we recruit these guys we want them to be instant stars and sometimes they are, and sometimes it’s just a maturation process.

“I think he’s right on track.”

Published on September 12, 2013 at 1:08 am

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2