Football Guide 2018

DEFENSIVE t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r ac u s e , n e w yor k

PUSH FOOTBALL GUIDE 2018

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THE LONG ROAD

THE JUMP

MAN OF FAITH

Once a three-star recruit committed to Texas A&M, junior college transfer Alton Robinson looks to lead SU’s defense in sacks for the second staight year.

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A growth spurt before his seinor season in high school led Evan Foster to SU. His next leap forward will determine his final two seasons with the Orange.

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After leading all freshmen in tackles, Kielan Whitner’s playing time dwindled. With help from his religion, Whitner has earned his way back into a starting role.

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Dear readers, It’s known that the Orange wants to be the new fast — that Dino Babers’ offense has the ability to score against prominent teams in the Carrier Dome. But what’s unknown might decide the fate of Syracuse football in 2018. On the outside of the defensive line is a former three-star recruit who just wants to play football after facing charges that could’ve sent him to prison. Further back is a linebacker who leans on faith to guide him through an up-and-down career.

And deep back in the defense lurks the man who’s physical jumps led him to SU, and may push him beyond. Meet the faces of Syracuse’s defense, a forgotten bunch morphing into a new formation to lift a troubled team to the bowl game that’s eluded it.

Thanks for reading, Josh Schafer, Sports Editor

PHOTOS BY PAUL SCHLESINGER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Redemption After once facing up to 20 years in prison, Alton Robinson is now gearing up to lead Syracuse’s defense

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By Matt Liberman

W staff writer

hen Alton Robinson left for school the morning of Feb. 16, 2016, he anticipated a normal day. He had committed to Texas A&M nearly two weeks prior. He just had to stay out of trouble.

But instead of finishing school that day, he was escorted from Judson (Texas) High School at about 10:20 a.m. and charged with second-degree robbery. One of Texas’ brightest young stars was facing 20 years in prison after police said he stole his girlfriend’s cellphone.

“It’s just a tragedy because he was everyone’s darling in San Antonio,” Judson head football coach Sean McAuliffe said. “Everyone was making him out to be a monster.”

Robinson’s college football career nearly ended before it began. Had there been no charges, Robinson would likely be finishing up his third training camp at Texas A&M this fall.

Instead, he was uprooted and forced across the country to a school he never thought about, to escape his past.

When he arrived on the Syracuse University campus during August 2017, there was no guarantee that he would ever step foot in the Carrier Dome to play football. He’d bet on an open promise, something that had failed him many times before.

“Adversity is going to come. You’ve got to play through it,” Robinson said. “Can’t nobody stop you but yourself.”

I

n high school, daily jogs along the perimeter of Judson field were necessary to limit Robinson from pounding his teammates.

“Don’t hit the quarterback today. We’re down to one,’” McAuliffe recalled saying one practice.

“But coach, that’s how we play football,” Robinson replied.

“Yeah, Friday night you get to hit everybody. But don’t hit that guy.”

“Coach, let me just hit him once.”

“No, you’re coming and standing over here with me.”

During high school, Robinson developed from a lanky outside linebacker into one of the top defensive ends in San Antonio. By fall 2014, Robinson had evolved into a chiseled, grown man. McAuliffe, who coached Johnny Manziel in high school, called Robinson likely the best practice player he had ever seen.

Robinson’s drive and build attracted college attention by the end of his sophomore year. Within a year offers flooded in, especially after his performance in the San Antonio regional final.

Judson was set to face Ronald Reagan (Texas) High School, a state powerhouse and heavy favorite. Reagan was led by then-sophomore Kellen Mond, a current Texas A&M quarterback and the No. 3 ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2017.

After one half, Robinson had four sacks, four knockdowns and Mond had to change jerseys because Robinson had torn the first to shreds.

“It was definitely a trophy game of mine,” Robinson said, “walking around with my letterman on, getting a pat on the back and congratulations. It was an awesome experience.

Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Robinson’s performance put him on the map, McAuliffe said, leading to inquiries from programs such as Texas A&M. He had the physical tools, the mentality, and now, the popularity. Wherever Robinson wound up, McAuliffe said, everyone expected he would have a good chance at getting drafted into the NFL. But no one anticipated Robinson’s future, which would force him to rebuild.

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head of the 2015 regional final against Smithson Valley (Texas) High School, Robinson waited across the field for his opponents. Robinson stood by McAuliffe’s side donning a pair of slides, his game socks, his game pants, no shirt, and a pink bathroom robe — his lucky robe.

“Here’s this legendary coach, and his kids are walking in like Stormtroopers from Star

Wars,” McAuliffe said. “And here I am standing next to this freak in a pink friggin’ bathrobe, and all these dudes are looking at him like, ‘That can’t be him.’”

Three hours and three sacks later, Robinson greeted Smithson Valley at the exit as the team boarded the bus in defeat, a pink bathrobe draped around his body, looking at a standing ovation from the crowd.

That game was on Dec. 5, 2015. Within two

months Robinson committed to Texas A&M. “I felt like I was on top of the world,” Robinson said. “Just like right now, sitting here with you, I had about 20 other guys around me. I felt like a superstar.”

Then came Feb. 16. Robinson was escorted out of Judson High School and charged with second-degree robbery and later arraigned on a $20,000 bond.

On Feb. 9, police said Robinson, 17 at the

time, stole his ex-girlfriend’s purse and her cellphone, according to a Bexar County (Texas) arrest report. A struggle over the purse injured Robinson’s ex-girlfriend’s knee, the report stated. After police said Robinson pushed the woman down, she ran after Robinson, who dropped the purse but kept the cellphone, according to the report. Robinson allegedly committed a similar crime in May 2015, stealing his

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ALTON ROBINSON arrived on campus just weeks before Syracuse’s first game of the 2017 season. The junior college transfer went on to lead Syracuse in sacks with five. todd michalek staff photographer

same ex-girlfriend’s purse and pushing her into a bush after she chased him, per multiple media outlets’ reports, at the time.

The woman was not identified by name in Robinson’s arrest report.

If found guilty of second-degree robbery, Robinson could have faced up to 20 years in prison.

When asked what happened on Feb. 9, Robinson said: “All I got to say is I can only control what I can control. I can’t control what somebody else says.”

Despite the possible 20-year sentence, those around Robinson weren’t too worried.

He had returned his ex-girlfriend’s phone the night after the incident, McAuliffe said.

Robinson also showed up to school the next day, he added.

In coming months, Robinson spoke often on the phone with then-Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin about the upcoming fall season. The two had a great relationship, Robinson said, cracking jokes with each other whenever they talked. Each time Robinson hung up the phone, he felt confident that he would suit up for the Aggies.

That’s why Robinson thought he was being punked when Sumlin called a week before fall camp. Robinson had just finished up his housing assignment for the fall. The university’s housing site was still open on Robinson’s computer when Sumlin called.

This time, when Robinson hung up the phone, rather than feeling confident, Robinson was left blindsided. His scholarship had been rescinded.

“It went from, ‘He’s our guy, he’s our

We said, ‘You know what, you need a fresh start.

Get out of the state.

Go play your butt off, keep a low profile, and good things are going to happen for you. It’s a little off the time table, but at the end of the day, you’re going to end up getting what you want.

SEAN MCAULIFFE

judson high school head coach

guy,’” McAuliffe said, “to all of a sudden, ‘He was dropped.’”

According to The Houston Chronicle, Robinson’s offer was rescinded due to legal issues related to his arrest.

Sumlin did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

McAuliffe and his staff called every coach they could. Several small Division I schools reached out with interest, but ultimately the consensus on all sides was that junior college was the better route for Robinson.

“We said, ‘You know what, you need a fresh start. Get out of the state,’” McAuliffe said. “Go play your butt off, keep a low profile, and good things are going to happen for you. It’s a little off the time table, but at the end of the day, you’re going to end up getting what you want.”

In July 2017, all charges against Robinson were dismissed due to an uncooperative witness, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Robinson’s reputation in San Antonio was tarnished, but his record remained clean, said his lawyer, Philip Perez.

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he football mantra at Judson is: “Put the ball down and let’s play.” For Robinson, it’s his lifestyle. Football was his escape from the rest of the world, and he just needed a chance to play.

“I just wanted someone to give me a helmet and pads,” Robinson said. “I can get cleats.”

Within weeks of losing his scholarship, Robinson recorded two-and-a-half sacks in his first game for Northeastern Oklahoma

A&M College (NEO) and finally felt comfortable again. NEO was the perfect fit for Robinson. Moving out of Texas gave him a fresh start. No one in Oklahoma knew who he was.

Robinson’s situation was unlike anything members of that coaching staff had experienced, NEO head coach Zach Allen said. In the past, one or two players had similar incidents, but not nearly as high-profile as Robinson’s.

The players recognized that.

“What we told Alton was, ‘Look, you would rather the people that are going to be important to your life and your decision (hear) the story from you,’” said Allen who was the defensive coordinator while Robinson attended NEO, “rather than sitting on their phone or computer and Googling it.”

Robinson explained his situation. His teammates listened.

Robinson enrolled at NEO and began practicing just a week before the season opener on Sept. 3, 2016. That season, without a training camp, Robinson finished third in the NJCAA with 14 sacks while exceeding his academic requirements and maintaining a clean record of no off-the-field incidents. He led a defensive line unit that sent five players to Division I. As Robinson’s year progressed, several teams reached out with interest. Oklahoma State was one of the premier programs that seriously considered adding Robinson. He was approved to play at OSU by the Big 12 Conference, McAuliffe said, but the OSU Board of Directors didn’t approve him.

Several other schools followed OSU’s pattern, leaving Robinson wondering when he would get a chance. But Syracuse and new head coach Dino Babers were different.

Syracuse was the “ugly duckling,” Robinson said. The program wasn’t as prestigious as OSU or Texas A&M, but it was the best fit.

Still, Robinson needed approval by the SU administration.

“You’ve got to have a coach willing to go stick his neck out to the administration and say, ‘Hey this kid made a mistake, but he can learn from it. He can not only help our football program but he can help our school.’ Not everyone was willing to do that,” Allen said.

Babers was.

Robinson packed his things and moved east ahead of the 2017 season, unsure if he would ever be allowed to play. As Syracuse ran through its training camp, Robinson sat cooped up in a room in Aspen Heights — where many Syracuse football players live — waiting for a call. Unable to practice with the team, Robinson reviewed 2016 game film and took notes, sometimes for 20 hours a day.

“It just kind of felt like everyone was turning their backs on me,” Robinson said. “But one of (Babers’) key things is faith, belief without evidence, so I just kept believing.”

On Aug. 20, 2017 — 11 days before SU kicked off its season against Central Connecticut State — Robinson was added to the Syracuse roster. Last year, Robinson led the Orange with five sacks and led all defensive linemen with 30 tackles, solidifying his place in Division I. “We felt like he was one of those guys that deserved a second chance based off of what he was doing (on the field) and how he was doing academically,” Babers said.

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n Aug. 23, 45 minutes after the final practice of training camp ended, only Robinson remained on the field. He attacked a dummy in full pads. Blood trickled down his leg from a cut opened during practice. Over and over, from the left and right sides, he practiced different moves, working on his hand positioning, footwork, explosiveness and finishing.

It was to make up for lost training camps, he said.

Robinson stays long after practice every day, no matter what.

“I don’t come out here to get watched,” Robinson said. “This is going to get me to where I want to go, and it’s going to get the team to where we want to go.

That night in February forever changed his life. He knows some people will never look at him the same. He doesn’t know exactly what people think about him now.

But he doesn’t care. He said he can only control himself.

“When life knocks you down, you just got to get back up, no matter how tough it gets,” Robinson said. “Put the ball down and let’s play.” mdliberm@syr.edu

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Growing up

By Andrew Graham

E

senior staff writer

van Foster checked into fall camp for his senior season at West Bloomfield (Michigan) High School in what seemed to be a brand new body. The summer before, he grew three inches taller and added roughly 30 pounds.

The fast, skinny kid came back a grown man.

“Very rarely do you see a kid transform from his junior year to senior year in a manner that Evan did,” Ron Bellamy, Foster’s high school coach, said.

Foster’s late-stage recruitment resulted from a physical change between his junior and senior years in high school, spurred mostly by a rapid growth spurt. As the junior strong safety prepares for his second season as a starter at Syracuse, he senses the next progression is coming. It’s a leap that will boost SU and potentially take Foster where he’s always wanted: the National Football League.

“I know one of Evan’s goals since he was a little boy has been to play in the NFL,” Bellamy said. “And you know, Evan knows he’s scratching that surface. He’s not there yet, by no means.”

By all accounts, the four Foster brothers — Brian, 27; Aaron, 25; Nicholas, 23; and Evan, 20 — are a close-knit family. Growing up, the four hurtled around outside, said their mother, Marva, except when they were inside bouncing on the furniture. Marva saw fingerprints on the ceiling and caught on.

With the camaraderie came the smack talk, and naturally, Aaron said, Foster made an easy target for the three older brothers. Ribbing rarely became malicious, but when Foster asked for a Corvette for Christmas, he did not hear the end of it.

“Everybody threw that out the picture,” Foster said, laughing.

Foster is a self-proclaimed quiet person, and Aaron attributes his brother’s taciturn style to the flack he took from his three older brothers. There’s always a chance the next thing Foster says will be rushed, and the older three brothers will pounce. He needs to be deliberate when he speaks.

“When you’re the youngest brother of four,” Aaron said, “you can’t speak first and react later.”

But Foster’s bond with Aaron is particularly strong. A successful safety at WBHS and Bowling Green State University, Aaron provided the blueprint for Foster to follow.

Early in Foster’s high school career, he seemed a run-of-the-mill player.

But he was always compared to his older brother. During a mid-October bye week in college, Aaron drove north

Evan Foster’s physical transformation brought him to SU — he hopes another brings him to the NFL through Toledo, Ohio, and back to the Detroit suburbs to watch a then-sophomore Foster play in a Thursday night junior varsity game.

“I’m telling you,” Aaron said, “he had like three or four missed tackles for touchdowns. Like bad. Like, ‘Who is this kid? Who is his brother? He can’t be Aaron’s brother.’”

Bellamy, who caught passes from Tom Brady at Michigan, trusted that Foster would eventually arrive.

Aaron was a late bloomer, too. Bellamy saw the coverage skills and noted Foster was “twitchier” than Aaron, referring to his ability to change direction and explosiveness.

Still, at about 5-foot-9-inches tall and 175 pounds at the conclusion of his junior season, Foster wasn’t a likely candidate for a Division I offer.

His growth spurt hit early in the summer. Starting to look the part of a Division I safety, Foster got his first offer from Eastern Michigan early in June 2015.

“Low and behold,” Bellamy said, “he transformed himself into a hell of a high school football player.”

At a camp later in June, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Foster worked out with Nick Monroe — who coached Aaron for four years — then the safeties coach at Bowling Green under Dino Babers.

On a sweltering day where Foster felt he underperformed, Monroe walked away impressed by his athleticism. A mix of defensive back drills — backpedaling, breaking on the ball, clearing hips — and a combine-style workout showed Monroe everything he needed to see. The offer came days later on June 29, and Foster committed that day.

Bellamy recalled telling Babers not to overlook Foster.

“You have the steal of the 2016 recruiting class,” Bellamy remembered saying.

“Yeah, he’s a really good player,” Babers replied.

“No, no. You don’t get it coach,” Bellamy said. “You got the steal of the class.”

After playing his entire senior season committed to Bowling Green, on Dec. 7, 2015, Foster’s recruitment took a turn. Babers left BGSU for Syracuse and took Monroe with him.

Foster followed suit, decommitting that day.

Foster’s attachment to playing for Monroe trumped his pledge to Bowling Green, mostly because of Monroe’s relationship with Aaron.

Marva and Darryl, Foster’s father, liked Bowling Green not just because of the familiarity, but also the geography.

They didn’t want their youngest as far away as Syracuse.

Ultimately, because of Aaron’s prior experience with Monroe, they trusted their son would be taken care of. On Jan. 25, 2016, he committed to Syracuse.

“That was everything,” Darryl said.

“It wasn’t even Dino. It was coach Monroe. I basically all but told him, ‘He’s yours now. He is your responsibility.’”

During his growth spurt in high school, Foster didn’t notice a sudden change because, to him, the differences were subtle. At SU, he didn’t get instantly better after his sophomore year but learned from mistakes through the season, spring ball and now fall camp.

When the improvements converge,

SAFETY SIMILARITIES Evan Foster’s measurables compare favorably to those of former Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was drafted 11th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft MINKAH FITZPATRICK

EVAN FOSTER

40-YARD DASH (S)

4.46

4.43

BENCH PRESS REPS

14

15

the jump happens.

Foster’s stature is ideal for an NFL prospect — 6-foot, 223 pounds — and his combine numbers are catching up, Bellamy and Aaron said. Foster ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds 15 times over the summer, Bellamy said. Minkah Fitzpatrick, a safety from Alabama who went 11th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, ran a 4.46 and hit 14 reps on the bench press at the NFL Combine. “(Evan) needs to understand that his body is going to be what fuels the good play,” Aaron said.

“Whether it’s getting more rest,” Aaron continued, “drinking more water, stretching or getting more treatment. Getting in that ice tub after practice. Maybe just taking a nap.”

When Foster came back for his senior year of high school, Bellamy and his staff decided to work him with the linebackers.

As Jabrill Peppers popularized the “viper”, a hybrid safety-linebacker, position at Michigan Stadium 37 miles to the northeast, Foster played a similar role for West Bloomfield.

“I have three kids on my football team like that right now,” Bellamy said.

“I tell Evan, we call it the ‘Evan Foster.’ I got (a) linebacker whose name is Lance Dixon, 2019. He just committed to Penn State, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, runs a 4.4. Well guess who that is? It’s Evan Foster.”

The Orange transitions to a 4-2-5 defense this season, removing the third linebacker from the field — meaning Evan will have to play with more physicality, Bellamy said.

Foster views it as a matter of confidence. It’s less about his ability to play physically, he said, but his comfort level getting downhill and making plays near the line of scrimmage. He wasn’t sure of himself last season. But after a year of being pushed harder than ever by Monroe, Foster feels he’s there.

“Being able to mess up and hone in on my mistakes and understand what I’m doing wrong and just allows me — really it’s a mind thing,” Foster said, “and it allows your feet to do the job.”

After building up and surging forward in 2015, Foster seems primed for the same in 2018. Bellamy, Aaron and Darryl agree that when the mental, physical and psychological traits come into focus, Foster will skip forward once more.

Only this time, Foster needs to leap.

“Yeah you’re playing, you’re making plays,” Bellamy said. “But are the scouts stopping your film? And rewinding and watching it again? And rewinding it? And watching it again?

“The moment that happens, that’s the moment you become a first-round draft pick.” aegraham@syr.edu @A_E_Graham

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4-2-5 Defense

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE

In July, Syracuse’s preseason media guide announced a shift in its base defensive formation. After two years playing a 4-3, the Orange will now primarily run a 4-2-5 defense, per the media guide. Made famous by Gary Patterson at TCU, the alignment commonly known as a “nickel defense” is one solution to covering pass-heavy offenses. While Syracuse will still play the 4-3, namely against run-heavy teams such as Western Michigan in Week 1, the Orange plans on spreading out.

Scoop Bradshaw | 18 CORNERBACK Height: 5’11’’ Weight: 181 lbs.

Andre Cisco | 19 FREE SAFETY Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 199 lbs.

Kendall Coleman | 55 DEFENSIVE END Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 266 lbs.

Nickelback Cornerback Coverages can shift significantly in this formation, leading to several movements among the secondary

“The nickelback, you can really do anything you want. You can bait the quarterback you can make a lot more plays.” – Antwan Cordy, redshirt senior defensive back

Antwan Cordy | 8 NICKELBACK Height: 5’8’’ Weight: 177 lbs.

Evan Foster | 14 STRONG SAFETY Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 223 lbs.

Christopher Frederick | 3 CORNERBACK Height: 5’11’’ Weight: 194 lbs.

Ryan Guthrie | 41 MIDDLE LINEBACKER Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 224 lbs.

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

Alton Robinson | 94 DEFENSIVE END Height: 6’4’’ Weight: 249 lbs.

Chris Slayton | 95 DEFENSIVE TACKLE Height: 6’4’’ Weight: 309 lbs.

Kielan Whitner |25 WEAK SIDE LINEBACKER Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 215 lbs.

McKinley Williams | 98 NOSE TACKLE Height: 6’4’’ Weight: 295 lbs.

Defensive end “Stout up the middle, make sure nothing comes through, protecting in that A gap.” – Chris Elmore, sophomore defensive tackle and fullback

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Free safety In a traditional Cover 2 defense, both safeties would play deep, covering half of the field, while the corners cover the flats

Strong safety In other situations, both safeties could roll down, putting eight players in the box and morphing into a more traditional 4-4 defense with safeties serving as outside linebackers When Syracsue shifts from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5 defesne, it drops a linebacker and adds a nickelback

Weak side linebacker “I’m still down in a fit which is a usual thing you’d do at safety.”

– Kielan Whitner senior linebacker on his shift down to Will (or weak side) linebacker

Cornerback If the defense shifted the safeties down, the nickelback could move up and play a one-high safety role.

That would provide many coverage options, including Cover 3

Middle linebacker The middle linebackers will play similar responsibilities of a four-man linebacker front, often stopping runs between guards and tackles (B and C gaps) and covering intermediate passes

Defensive tackle

Nose tackle

Defensive end

Similar to many defensive fronts, the tackles shift techniques.

Often, featuring a one technique (between the center and guard) and a three technique (between the guard and the tackle)

Much like a defensive end in other formations, these players are expected to rush both inside and outside the tackle depending on various blitzing schemes

In the two linebacker look, ends won’t have as much inside help to force run plays toward, but they get more support containing outside plays

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Three players to know Ravian Pierce

Eric Dungey

Scoop Bradshaw

6’3 244 LBS. SENIOR TIGHT END

6’4 226 LBS. SENIOR QUARTERBACK

5’11 181 LBS. JUNIOR DEFENSIVE BACK

4

2017 touchdowns

8

2,495

Career passes defended

2017 passing yards

Redshirt seniors Seniors

Syracuse has players on its roster from 23 states and provinces across North America, and the District of Columbia

Redshirt juniors

Juniors Florida New York New Jersey Pennsylvania California Michigan Illinois Georgia Maryland Washington, D.C. Ohio

15 15 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 4

Freshmen

Freshmen lead all SU football classes with 26 players on the 2018 roster Redshirt freshmen Redshirt juniors

Connecticut Texas Rhode Island Massachusetts Indiana Wisconsin

4 4 3 2 2 2

Oregon North Carolina Mississippi Ontario, Canada Quebec, Canada New Hampshire

1 1 1 1 1 1

Freshmen: 26 = 24.7% Redshirt freshmen: 16 = 15.2% Sophomores: 8 = .07% Redshirt sophomores: 12 = 11.4%

23,900 Total weight of football team in pounds

Which is about the same as: 8.8 versions of the 2017 Syracuse basketball roster Nearly four baby blue whales 4,877 Oranges 3,465,500 pennies 80 refrigerators

Sophomores

Juniors: 16 = 15.2% Redshirt juniors: 11 = 10.4% Seniors: 10 = 9.5% Redshirt seniors: 6 = 5%

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Faithfully Kielan Whitner relies on religion throughout circuitous path to a starting role at Syracuse

By Josh Schafer

T

sports editor

wo gold chains hang from Kielan Whitner’s neck. One dangles a block letter 25 his father gave him, and a cross. The other, resting further down his torso, carries a Miraculous Medal formerly worn by Whitner’s great-grandfather.

The back of the medal displays an “M” merged with a cross, surrounded by stars, which represents the 12 apostles. On the front is an image of the Virgin Mary bordered by a message inscribed: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

The self-proclaimed “mama’s boy” is a regular at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Syracuse.

A senior at Syracuse, Whitner has had the same friends since grade school, and he’s never removed the rastafarian colored friendship bracelet on his left wrist, given to him on a mission trip in Haiti in summer 2015.

In Whitner’s freshman season at SU in 2015, he led all freshmen with 33 tackles.

He entered 2016 fall camp as the starting strong safety, but finished the year with only three starts. In 2017, he switched positions to outside linebacker before moving back to safety in a supplemental role, tallying eight tackles on the season.

This year, the senior is slotted as the starting weakside linebacker, his third position in four years.

“You want to be that guy,” Whitner said.

“Just, you know, being able to stay the course and contribute as much as I could to this team without trying to be selfish.”

At the start of high school, Whitner and a group of friends agreed to attend Mountain View (Georgia) High School together.

Built in 2009, the high school was new to Class 6A football.

Mountain View wouldn’t see a winning season in its first seven years. Former-head coach Tim Hardy left just months after naming Whitner a varsity starter during his freshman season. When his coach left, his friends followed suit.

Whitner stayed.

A two-star recruit, schools told him he wasn’t fast enough. Coaches valued other recruits more. He was undersized. Whitner committed to Appalachian State and finished his high school career without a single winning season.

But then came the Syracuse offer which changed the course of his career. To attend a Power Five school, that he had always dreamed of, Whitner had to decommit.

“When he had to call people and let them down, people that he didn’t want to let down, people that he genuinely liked and people that were very good to us ... when he did that, that was rough,” said Whitner’s mother, Lisa. “He just wanted to go into his room and be by himself.”

Whitner saw his first extended action of his college career against South Florida in a 45-24 loss. Then a true-freshman, he made several errors, including a personal foul call that all but solidified the outcome.

The performance prompted an apology from

Whitner on Twitter.

After the game, Whitner found himself in what he called a tough place. Fans bombarded him on Twitter. Media dissected his errors. He turned to the Bible and found his favorite passage. Book 2 of Corinthians 12:8-10 reads:

I just feel like in everything I do in my life, it’s most important if I focus on what God wants to in that situation rather than my own personal gain.

KIELAN WHITNER senior linebacker

My power is made perfect in weakness “I just felt like you go through tough times, and that’s when you find, like, who you are as a person, and really build your strength through those tough times,” Whitner said.

Less than a month later, Whitner registered a career-high nine tackles and forced a fumble against Louisville in a 41-17 loss.

Syracuse finished the 2015 season 4-8. Scott Shafer was fired, resulting in more than half of Whitner’s freshman class leaving the program before their senior season.

Whitner stayed.

“At the end of the day you have to realize this is a business … they have to do what’s best for them and their family,” Whitner

said. “I love coach Shafe and was sad to see him go. But at the same time, I was going to do everything in my power to be a guy for coach Babers and what they wanted a Syracuse football player to be.”

Last year, Whitner observed senior linebackers Paris Bennett and Zaire Franklin.

He hopes to mimic Bennett’s quick feet while also channeling the disruptive nature of Franklin in opposing backfields.

His experience at multiple spots on the defense only helps when understanding his new position, Whitner said. He compared his role as a linebacker to that of a strong safety rolling down into the box.

“He’s very, very intelligent and he cares,” head coach Dino Babers said. “The way he prepares and stuff, the things he does off the field, makes him a better him on the field.”

Babers declined to name the starting linebackers during his last press conference of the preseason, leaving no clear indication that Whitner won the position battle.

Regardless, Whitner is in a better place now. In his Twitter bio, he links to a different Bible passage. Matthew 6:33 reads: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“All this adversity, there’s not really anything I can do worrying about it or anything like that, so I’ve been at a good place,” Whitner said. “I just feel like in everything I do in my life, it’s most important if I focus on what God wants to in that situation rather than my own personal gain.” jlschafe@syr.edu | @Schafer_44

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football

SU to stick with 4-3 defense against run-heavy WMU senior staff writer

Syracuse spent the spring, summer and fall camp installing the 4-2-5 as its base defense.

Then, on Monday, the Week 1 depth chart dropped and SU listed three starting linebackers. The Orange will be playing a 4-3 against Western Michigan on Friday.

“This is a good test, this is a team that likes to run the football, linebackers need to be right, they need to be gap conscious,” head coach Dino Babers said at Monday’s press conference.

The reason behind SU’s change is simple: The Orange expect the Broncos to run the ball frequently. That’s enough for Syracuse to play three linebackers, foregoing a nickel back in the name of a stout run defense.

Despite the unexpected look, players are confident the personnel differences don’t cost them in coverage, and are ready to play whatever defense the opponent dictates.

“You gotta be ready for anything,” starting linebacker Ryan Guthrie said. “You’ve got to be ready for the run, you’ve got to stop the run.

Then they’re going to pass the ball, you’ve got to be ready for that too.

“There’s different ways that we’re going to do that, whether it’s 4-3, 4-2.”

The change from the 4-2-5 to a 4-3 is straightforward. Freshman Andre Cisco gives way to Antwan Cordy at free safety.

With Cisco on the bench and Cordy out of the nickel slot, Kielan Whitner occupies what used to be the nickel, but as a strong side linebacker. “(Jonathan Thomas) and Cordy, they look

like a very different type of player,” Whitner said of the former outside linebacker Thomas and current defensive back Cordy.

“But the assignments aren’t changing much.

It’s just matchups.”

In the nickel, Cordy sometimes plays the robber role, isolating his assignment on the quarterback’s eyes and trying to bait an interception. But he also has the roving freedom to drop into the box and meet a running back in the hole or swing wide to meet a rolling quarterback.

“The nickel back,” Cordy said, “you can really do anything you want. You can bait the quarterback. You can make a lot more plays.”

Whitner added that when a team has a

quicker receiver in the slot, that would call for a 4-2-5 defense rather than a 4-3.

Whatever advantage is lost by dropping the fifth defensive back is made up for by the linebacker’s ability to make run fills.

Inserting Whitner gains SU four inches in height and just shy of 40 pounds, per the players’ team bios.

Still, teammates were quick to point out specifically that Cordy can hit and Whitner, a converted safety, can still cover.

“Kielan is an extremely talented guy,” defensive end Kendall Coleman said. “That’s why we’re able to move him around as much as we do. He’s got the ability to play safety, he can play linebacker. Honestly, if you moved him 2016 122 out of 128 FBS Teams

2017 105 out of 129 FBS Teams

RANK

By Andrew Graham

2015 Rank 98 of 127 FBS Teams

YARD WORKED Syracuse’s defense has failed to make any significant improvements in stopping opposing offenses the past three years

SEASON

down to defensive end I’m sure he wouldn’t do that bad.”

Whitner’s abilities in the box are what SU opts for on Friday. The Broncos rushed for more than 2500 yards as a team in 2017 — now-graduated running back Jarvion Franklin eclipsed 1000 yards.

The decision to play in the 4-3 wasn’t announced to the team, Coleman said. He found out when the depth chart dropped, too.

It’s not that Babers is playing coy, either.

The defense worked on installing the 4-2-5 in camp Coleman said, but still practiced the 4-3 frequently. It’s ultimately about having the ability to be flexible to an opponent’s strengths, which can mean frequent shifts.

“We’ve been practicing everything through camp,” Guthrie said, “so we’re ready for anything the game plan will throw at us.”

Even in a base 4-3, Syracuse will likely show the 4-2-5, or nickel, look from time to time on Friday — especially on third-and-long and other passing downs.

In the spring, Babers said SU started installing the 4-2-5 as a base defense to create better matchups with the Atlantic Coast Conference’s spread offenses. Western Michigan plays a pro-style attack, but if the Broncos run four or five wide receivers on the field, the Orange can easily flip to the 4-2-5.

The goal for SU is versatility, both among the 11 players on the field and the alignments of those players. On Friday, that flexibility dictates fielding three linebackers.

“They’re going to try to run the ball,” Whitner said. “And we’ve got to stop the run.” aegraham@syr.edu | @A_E_Graham

ANDREW ARMSTRONG will start at outside linebacker in the 4-3 this season. Last year he played in all 12 games, and tallied 13 tackles. He will join Kielan Whitner and Andrew Guthrie in the linebacking core on Friday night against Western Michigan to open the Orange’s 2018 season. todd michalek staff photographer

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Beat writers predict the Orange to make 1st bowl game since 2013 The Daily Orange Sports Staff

Andrew Graham ‘Bowl me over’

Record: 6-6 MVP: Eric Dungey X-Factor: Wide receivers I’ll start by saying this: Syracuse will, or at least should, play in a bowl game this season.

That is, of course, predicated on quarterback Eric Dungey playing the entire season for the first time in his career. If he does, the biggest question is which receiver takes charge.

There are options on the roster, but no one has been able to step up as a No. 1 option. If and when that happens, this offense, behind an experienced offensive line, could catch fire. Even still, in a brutal Atlantic Coast Conference, SU will still need to scrap for six wins and beat one of Boston College, Louisville or North Carolina State to get there.

None of those teams are easy outs, but with the Wolfpack and Cardinals coming to the Dome, I expect the Orange can sneak a win and play a 13th game.

Matt Liberman ‘Bowling for soup’

Record: 6-6 MVP: Eric Dungey X-Factor: Offensive Line The losses at wide receiver and linebacker from last year’s group are so deafening that they have silenced the fact that both sides of the trenches have improved from last season, the secondary is deeper than it’s been in a long time, the running backs have another year under their belt and Eric Dungey is back and healthy again. With all that said, this is a team that has the ceiling to win eight games, but also a floor that could produce just four wins. A Dino Babers’ coached offense with Dungey at its helm

Syracuse defensive players scramble for a loose ball in a game against Central Connecticut State at the Carrier Dome in September 2017. The Orange defeated the Blue Devils 50-7. todd michalek staff photgrapher

has potential to light up a scoreboard as the team averaged 27.4 points per game last season. The wide receiver corps will come to fruition, as it should on any team that passes the ball so often must. The season will be won or lost with the offensive line. Can that line compete with defenses like Clemson to keep Dungey healthy and allow for growth in the running game? With a veteran group this year, I believe they can, and it will make the difference in making a bowl.

SKYTOP

Josh Schafer

‘Bowling green again’ Record: 6-6 MVP: Eric Dungey X-Factor: Defense Syracuse hasn’t won a game in November under Dino Babers. When that finally changes this season, SU can make it back to a bowl game. Looking at the Orange’s schedule, it will likely have five wins in the first two months of the season. That’s

before it plays Wake Forest on the road on Nov. 3 for its sixth. In the last two seasons, Syracuse has improved in scoring both offensively (25.7 in 2016 to 27.4 in 2017) and defensively (38.6 in 2016 to 32.2 in 2017). In 2016, Syracuse upset a thenNo.17 Virginia Tech. In 2017, SU beat then-No. 2 Clemson and played then-No. 8 Miami within eight points. The team has improved from Year 1 to Year 2 and there’s no debating that. With a healthy Eric Dungey, the Orange makes a bowl game, just not one you’ve heard of.

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