SYRACUSE -- It's the Christmas Day of recruiting pundits from around the country.
National Signing Day is the first day prospects can sign with their college or university of choice. Our friends at CuseConfidential.com tell us that along with quantity, there's plenty of quality with this class.
Syracuse received some late suprises when junior college defensive tackle Deon Goggins chose Syracuse University over late offers from both USC and Oklahoma, which is quite the coup for Doug Marrone and his staff. The other late suprise came when Malcolm re-pledged his services to Syracuse. He originally chose the Orange but then flipped for Rutgers, but SUAthletics.com is reporting that he has sent his Letter of Intent in to Syracuse.
There are several additional prospects that chose the Orange over other major programs. Defensive lineman Max Beaulieu chose Syracuse over Tennessee, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Wisconsin to name a few. Defensive back Jeremi Wilkes chose Syracuse over Florida State as well. Beaulieu started classes at SU last month along with his high school teammate Brice Hawkes. Both attended University School in Florida. Their former head coach there, Roger Harriott, is the Orange's new running backs coach.
"I'm excited about recruiting as far as how we went out and re-established our foundation,” Marrone said in a statement to the media. “That's going to develop the relationship for years to come. I'm more excited about what our players are doing here to get themselves ready for Spring practice when it comes down to actually taking the field and playing football. I have a better sense of what our players here can do and to watch them and how they interacting with each other, how they're communicating, how they're going after it in the weight room, how they're going after the running and how they're going after academics – I feel like we've made great strides."
Syracuse begins Spring practice on Monday, March 22 and the annual Spring Game is scheduled for Saturday, April 17.
CuseConfidential.com the full commitment list, which we have a link to below. Also below is a link to SUAthletics.com's Letter of Intent page, where the University is updating which student-athletes have sent in their letters of intent as they come in.
More on SU's recruiting class from John Kekis of the Associated Press:
Syracuse's recruiting class was expected to reach 30 as head football coach Doug Marrone continues to reshape the team he inherited just over a year ago.
Marrone already has welcomed seven new players who enrolled in January. Among the signees on Wednesday is freshman defensive end Max Beaulieu of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who chose the Orange over offers from Tennessee, South Carolina, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Florida and Purdue.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Beaulieu, who had 12 tackles for loss and five sacks as a high school senior, will be a welcome addition with the graduation of standout nose tackle Arthur Jones. Beaulieu started classes last month along with his high school teammate, linebacker Brice Hawkes. Both attended University School in Florida, and their former head coach there, Roger Harriott, is the Orange's new running backs coach.
A year ago, after two months on the job, Marrone announced a modest class of 14 signees - most of them leftovers not chosen by other schools - and said he was extremely satisfied with the class despite the short amount of time he had to recruit.
Marrone, a native of the Bronx, hired Nassau Community College head coach John Anselmo with the intention of re-establishing a recruiting base in the New York City metro area, and that shows in this year's class.
Of the 28 players listed at midday as committed to signing with the Orange, 10 were from the metropolitan New York area. But New Jersey, a prime source of talent for the Orange before Rutgers coach Greg Schiano transformed the Scarlet Knights into a bona fide Big East contender, produced just two of those signees - placekicker Ross Krautman of Ramapo High School and linebacker Marquis Spruill of Fork Union Military Academy.
All told, the new players hail from nine states. Besides the metro New York contingent, there were five players from Florida, four from Pennsylvania, three from Ohio, two from California, and one each from Texas, Georgia, Delaware and upstate New York.
Marrone also said he had to do a better job of evaluating players in the state. Apparently, not many from upstate fit the bill. Only offensive lineman Macky MacPherson of Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse was on the list.
The new group includes six linebackers, three wideouts, five offensive linemen, three tight ends, three running backs, three defensive linemen, three defensive backs, one quarterback and one placekicker.
Among the newcomers are five transfers: tight end Jose Cruz, who started his career at Akron, transferred to Hofstra in 2009 and enrolled at Syracuse in January after the Long Island school eliminated its football program; wideout Aaron Weaver, another transfer from Hofstra; California-born offensive lineman Lou Alexander of the College of the Canyons; and defensive back Olando Fisher and offensive lineman Michael Hay, both from Nassau Community College on Long Island.
Marrone, who was offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints before accepting the job at his alma mater, will perform those duties for the Orange in 2010. He fired his first coordinator, Rob Spence, after the 2009 season.
Marrone still faces an uphill task. Syracuse has not had a winning season since 2001. Greg Robinson was fired in November 2008 and left with a 10-37 record in four seasons, fielding one of the worst teams in the nation both offensively and defensively in his final year.
Marrone's first team went 4-8 with former Duke point guard Greg Paulus at quarterback. Paulus, who set a school record for completion percentage, has used up his college athletic eligibility. Ryan Nassib, the backup last season, has the most experience heading into spring ball.
The 2010 National Letter of Intent Signees for the Syracuse Orange, in alphabetical order, with name, position, height, weight, high school or junior college, and hometown:
Lou Alexander, ol, 6-4, 300, College of the Canyons, Palmdale, Calif.
Max Beaulieu, dl, 6-4, 245, University HS, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Malcolm Cater, lb, 6-1, 215, Riverhead HS, N.Y.
Lewellyn Coker, lb, 6-1, 210, Warren G. Harding HS, Warren, Ohio
Charlie Copa, te, 6-6, 255, Westlake HS, Austin, Texas
Jose Cruz , te, 6-4, 250, Hofstra University, Johnstown, Pa.
Dayshawn Davis, wr, 6-3, 190, Woodbury HS, N.J.
Myles Davis, lb, 6-2, 216, Penn Hills HS, Pittsburgh
Olando Fisher, db, 5-11, 210, Nassau CC, Peachtree City, Ga.
Adrian Flemming, wr, 6-3, 195, Broad Run HS, Ashburn, Va.
Deon Goggins, dl, 6-3, 280, Cerritos CC, Los Angeles
Prince-Tyson Gulley, rb, 5-9, 185, Garfield HS, Akron, Ohio
Brice Hawkes, lb, 6-3, 210, University HS, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Michael Hay, ol, 6-6, 290, Nassau CC, College Point, N.Y.
Sean Hickey, ol, 6-6, 280, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, Pa.
John Kinder, qb, 6-3, 190, Lawrence HS, Inwood, N.Y.
Jeremiah Kobena, wr, 6-0, 190, Cardinal Hayes HS, New York City
Ross Krautman, pk, 5-9, 180, Ramapo HS, Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Keon Lyn, db, 6-1, 195, Miramar (HS), Fla.
Macky MacPherson, ol, 6-2, 265, Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse
Jonny Miller, qb, 6-3, 207, Mullen HS, Castle Rock, Colo.
Steven Rene, wr, 5-9, 170, Canarsie HS, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Micah Robinson, dl, 6-4, 250, John Adams HS, Cleveland
Jerome Smith, rb, 6-0, 210, Pencader Charter, Bear, Del.
Marquis Spruill, lb, 6-2, 225, Fork Union Military Academy, Hillside, N.J.
Dom Timbers, rb, 5-10, 190, Woodland Hills HS, North Braddock, Pa.
Mario Tull, lb, 6-2, 210, Xaverian HS, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Beckett Wales, te, 6-3, 220, Venice (HS), Fla.
Aaron Weaver, wr, 6-2, 210, Hofstra University, Freeport, N.Y.
Robert Welsh, dl, 6-3, 260, Saint Anthony's HS, Bay Shore, N.Y.
Jeremi Wilkes, db, 5-11, 175, Tampa Catholic HS, Tampa, Fla.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
