Of any unit on the Syracuse football team, the secondary might have made the biggest improvement from last season.

Don’t tell Todd Littlejohn.

Sure, as cornerbacks coach, he has helped resurrect a Syracuse secondary that allowed 304 yards a game last year, worst in the nation. SU’s secondary has surrendered 258.3 passing yards per game this season.

That doesn’t mean Littlejohn is satisfied – or even close to it.

When asked who’s been the MVP of the Syracuse secondary thus far, Littlejohn’s response showed his stance.

‘None of them,’ Littlejohn said. ‘I don’t know if we’ve done what we can do consistently. I would have expected us to be a lot further along at this point.’

The secondary will get a chance to prove itself – and satisfy Littlejohn – Saturday, when SU plays Temple at 1:30 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.

Temple employs a four-wide receiver offense that will test SU’s pass defense, which rendered 310 yards to Pittsburgh.

Last season, when the Owls beat SU, 17-16, Temple quarterback Mike McGann threw for 340 yards. McGann will not play this weekend because of an injured right elbow.

To combat Temple’s pass-happy attack, Syracuse will use its entire stable of cornerbacks – Troy Swittenburg, Thomas Whitfield, Terrell Lemon, Dante Williams and Tanard Jackson – with Swittenburg starting opposite Steve Gregory.

The idea? With all those receivers running all over the field, SU will need to mix in as many defensive backs as possible to stay fresh.

‘The likelihood is,’ Pasqualoni said, ‘with the amount of wide receivers we’ll see, and the deep balls and no-huddle, we’ll have a lot of defensive backs ready to play.’

Riddle return?

Jamel Riddle, SU’s leading receiver last season, hasn’t played a snap this year and will not play the rest of the regular season because he is academically ineligible, Pasqualoni said.

But Riddle, a senior, is only ineligible for the fall semester. If Syracuse makes a bowl – which would take place during Winter Break – there would be a ‘strong possibility’ Riddle would play in the game, Pasqualoni said.

‘The whole team was disappointed,’ said fullback Thump Belton, also Riddle’s roommate. ‘I just try to tell him to stay positive, because that’s all he can do.’

Now, a possible bowl game – with Riddle dressed in pads on the field, not sweats off it – gives Riddle a reason to stay upbeat.

Riddle, who also returned punts a year ago, has practiced with the Orangemen all season.

‘It’s motivation for us to get him one more game,’ Belton said. ‘You can tell the frustration on his face.’

Wait and see

The true test for Jameel Dumas would come at practice Monday. The inside drill – when linebackers and defensive linemen face offensive lineman at full speed – would reveal if Dumas’s injured left knee was finally healed.

The drill, though, didn’t reveal enough for Dumas to be cleared or sidelined. Whether Dumas plays or not Saturday against Temple will be a game-time decision, Pasqualoni said.

‘(Dumas) is practicing,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘He’s doing pretty good. He’s making progress.’

Dumas has been out since he injured his left knee at the end of SU’s opening game at North Carolina. Pasqualoni said Monday that he could return this week.

If he is ready, it won’t surprise the Orangemen.

‘Jameel’s one of the toughest kids on the team,’ tight end Lenny Cusumano said. ‘He’s been in the weight room, so he’ll be ready when he gets back.’

Parents Weekend

Saturday is SU’s Parents Weekend game, and Manny’s isn’t the only one happy about it. Last season, SU beat Virginia Tech, 50-42, in triple overtime on Parents Weekend.

Published on November 5, 2003 at 12:00 pm