Syracuse University head football coach Doug Marrone welcomes six new student-athletes to the Orange program this spring. Freshmen Louis Addazio and Jaston George earned their high school diplomas early, while Jeremiah Kobena and Dyshawn Davis both played at Milford Academy last season. A pair of junior college transfers, Lou Alexander and Siriki Diabate, complete out the group.
SYRACUSE -- A tight end, Addazio joins the Orange out of Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Fla., where his father, Steve, spent the previous five seasons as a member of the University of Florida coaching staff. Primarily a blocking tight end, Addazio played in two games during his senior season, recording an eight-yard touchdown catch before being sidelined by a shoulder injury. He had four catches for 60 yards and recorded 18 pancake blocks during his junior season to earn Gainesville Sun honorable mention all-area accolades.
George, a cornerback from Chesapeake, Va., graduated from Oscar F. Smith High School in December. A two-year starter at defensive back, he recorded 36 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions as a senior. He earned first team All-Tidewater and first-team All-Southeastern District honors in 2010 after rushing for 500 yards rushing and scoring 11 touchdowns as a running back and kick returner.
Kobena, a wide receiver, originally signed with the Orange as a member of the 2010 class and attended Milford Academy in 2010. The 2009 Daily News Bronx/Manhattan Player of the Year, Kobena earned 2009 New York Daily News and New York Post All-City honors. As a senior, he led the CHSFL AA with 1,798 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns, including 725 yards rushing on 82 carries and 460 receiving yards. The all-state selection was chosen for the 2009 Long Island Classic and the 2010 New York State All-Star game.
Davis, a defensive back, also signed with Syracuse last February and attended Milford Academy for the fall semester. He had 35 tackles, including 24 solo stops and 13.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns. In 2009, Davis led Woodbury to an 11-1 record, the Colonial Conference Patriot Division title and the South Jersey Group 1 title as a senior captain. As a senior, he had 80 receptions for 800 yards and seven touchdowns en route to earning 2009 All-South Jersey First Team honors. He caught 199 passes for 1,400 yards during his high school career.
Alexander, an offensive lineman from Palmdale, Calif., also signed with the Orange as a member of the 2010 class out of the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. In 2009, he started for a Canyons offensive line that allowed the team to produce 325.1 yards of offense per game.
Diabate, a linebacker who was born in the Ivory Coast and went to high school in the Bronx, N.Y., joins SU out of Nassau Community College where he garnered 2010 Northeast Football Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. He led the NFC with 92 total tackles, including a conference-best 72 solo stops, 36 tackles for loss, two interceptions and a pair of defensive touchdowns in 2010.
Courtesy: SU Athletics
