SYRACUSE -- Syracuse head basketball coach Jim Boeheim announced after the Orange's 92 -56 win over Manhattan that freshman guard Trevor Cooney will redshirt the 2011-2012 season. By redshirting, Cooney will still have four years of academic eligibility at the start of next year. Cooney will still be able to practice with the SU team this year but won't be able to play in any games.
Boeheim said Cooney was ready to play right now but the deep Orange bench means it would have been hard to find minutes for him this season. Cooney would likely have been the fifth guard behind Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche, Dion Waiters and freshman Michael Carter-Williams. Boeheim said he still has high expectations for Cooney and noted that former SU players Otis Hill, Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins all starred after they took redshirt years.
Cooney said the decision was hard since he wanted to play but said he would turn his attention to practice. Cooney said the worst thing he could do would be to take a year off and that he planned to treat every practice as his game day so he would be better prepared for next season.
