SYRACUSE -- Signing day had a very different feel Wednesday for Syracuse University football than it has in a long while.
Coming off that Pinstripe Bowl victory just over a month ago, head coach Doug Marrone's program is seemingly on the rise, and a bright future is expected from the recruiting class of 2011. While there was some disappointment on the day, like missing out on star defensive tackle recruit Kevin McReynolds who signed to play at UCLA (according to the Washington Post), Marrone was far from disappointed overall.
The Orange did sign a number of talented players who are very close to being four-star recruits according to a number of recruiting experts. They include running back Adonis Ameen-Moore, who was Colorado's top offensive player according to the Denver Post. He played his high school football with Orange quarterback Jonny Miller, rushed for over 6,000 yards and 83 touchdowns.
As far as quarterbacks go, you may already recognize the name Ashton Broyld. He helped to beat Baldwinsville in the state semifinal this past year, leading Rochester's Rush-Henrietta to the Class AA state title. He's 6'4" tall and 225 pounds, and passed for almost 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns in his senior season. He also ran for more than 1,500 yards.
Broyld played against Baldwinsville in that state semifinal, and 6'6", 285 pound offensive lineman Nick Robinson played for that Bees team. Robinson also signed with the Orange today, along with five other big offensive linemen.
Another dual-threat quarterback, Terrel Hunt, is also in the QB competition for SU. He's a 6'3", 186 pound athlete who passed for 1,289 yards and 10 touchdowns in his senior year. He also rushed for 1,218 yards and 14 TDs.
A full roundup of today's signings is available below.
On the heels of this recruiting class, I recall how SU basketball head coach Jim Boeheim once famously expressed that Syracuse is a football town with a great basketball team. What do you think about that statement? Feel free to take part in our poll, and leave a comment on this topic below.
More on signing day from the Associated Press:
Fresh from Syracuse's first bowl victory in nearly a decade, Orange coach Doug Marrone is expected to sign 28 players as he continues rebuilding the program.
Marrone, who grew up in the Bronx, has made the metropolitan New York City area a recruiting target, and this class shows he's making nice strides. It has 10 players from the region, including speedy wideout Jeremiah Kobena, the New York Daily News Bronx-Manhattan player of the year in 2009.
With the departure of star tailback Delone Carter, the Orange landed Adonis Ameen-Moore of Denver, a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com.
Kobena is among seven players already enrolled. The others are: tight end Louie Addazio of Gainesville, Fla., whose father, Steve, once coached at Syracuse; cornerback Jaston George, of Chesapeake, Va; and three junior college transfers - linebackers Dyshawn Davis, of Woodbury, N.J., and Siriki Diabate, of the Bronx, and offensive lineman Lou Alexander, of Palmdale, Calif.
Syracuse defeated Kansas State, 36-34, on Dec. 30 in the Pinstripe Bowl.
The 2011 National Letter of Intent Signees for the Syracuse Orange, in alphabetical order, with name, position, height, weight, high school or junior college, and hometown:
Louie Addazio, te, 6-3, 225, Buchholz HS, Gainesville, Fla.
Lou Alexander, ol, 6-3, 310, College of the Canyons, Palmdale, Calif.
Adonis Ameen-Moore, rb, 5-11, 225, Mullen HS, Denver.
Ashton Broyld, qb, 6-4, 225, Rush-Henrietta HS, Rochester, N.Y.
Eric Crume, dt, 6-2, 305, Detroit Central HS, Detroit.
Kristofer Curtis, ol, 6-4, 293, Fayette County HS, Fayetteville, Ga.
DeFarrel Davis, wr, 6-2, 185, Nassau Community College, Melvindale, Mich.
Dyshawn Davis, lb-s, 6-1, 200, Milford Academy, Woodbury, N.J.
Ritchy Desir, cb, 6-0, 175, North Miami Beach HS, Miami.
Siriki Diabate, lb, 6-0, 215, Nassau Community College, Bronx, N.Y.
Durell Eskridge, s-wr, 6-3, 195, Miami Central HS, Miami.
Jonathan Fisher, k, 6-2, 205, Oakfield-Alabama HS, Oakfield, Ala.
Kyle Foster, wr, 6-3, 205, Pioneer HS, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Ivan Foy, ol, 6-5, 295, Fort Hamilton HS, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jaston George, db, 5-11, 162, Oscar Smith HS, Chesapeake, Va.
Keenan Hale, wr, 6-3, 187, McCallie School, Conyers, Ga.
Terrel Hunt, qb, 6-3, 186, Christ the King HS, Queens, N.Y.
Jeremiah Kobena, wr, 6-0, 185, Cardinal Hayes HS, Bronx, N.Y.
Cameron Lynch, lb, 5-11, 220, Brookwood HS, Snellville, Ga.
Shutang Mungwa, s, 6-1, 190, Bergan Catholic, Oradell, N.J.
Brandon Reddish, cb-wr, 5-11, 182, Fort Hamilton HS, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nick Robinson, ol, 6-6, 285, Baldwinsville HS, Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Sam Rodgers, ls, 6-2, 215, Mercersburg Academy, State College, Pa.
Donnie Simmons, lb-de, 6-2, 225, Archbishop Stepinac HS, White Plains, N.Y.
Ryan Sloan, ol-dl, 6-4, 310, Bellport HS, Brookhaven, N.Y.
Tyree Smallwood, cb-rb, 5-11,173, Cornwall HS, New Windsor, N.Y.
Rob Trudo, ol, 6-4, 275, Farrell Area Senior HS, Farrell, Pa.
Oliver Vigille, lb, 6-2, 205, Miami Central HS, Miami.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
