5 players to keep an eye on Saturday

Like I just mentioned in the last post, this game SHOULDN'T be too much about how SU wins the game, as much as it should be about how it executes and fixes the early-season problems. So that means this is an important game for some individual players on the Syracuse roster.

1. Marcus Sales
This is a no-brainer. Aaron Weaver gets knocked out for the season, and we are reminded that Marcus Sales is, in fact, still on the team. He's a junior now, and if he doesn't take advantage of this opportunity, there may not be another one waiting for him. Please catch the ball, at least.

2. Charley Loeb/John Kinder
Hopefully Ryan Nassib can come out of this game with a big lead in the second half. At which point, it will be interesting to find out who gets the call. Both quarterbacks looked good in the offseason, and this should be the first opportunity for at least one of them to get some game action.



3. Backup offensive linemen
It's Maine, so any success should be taken with a carton of salt, but maybe one of the guys off the bench has some actual blocking skills. The starters certainly don't, so it's worth a shot. Expect to see some new faces up front in the second half, and maybe that's a good thing.

4. Lichtenstein
He's back ... according to the depth chart. He doesn't have the power that Krautman brings, but hopefully he can be more accurate. SU has to stop giving away points if it wants to pull of any upsets, and a good way to start is in the kicking game.

5. FRESHMEN!!!
Malcolm Cater, Bryce Hawkes, Jeremi Wilkes, The Prince (-Tyson Gulley). Expect to see all of these guys on the field with the offense and defense. Should be fun to see how the young guys handle it. There may not be a better opportunity this year ... well, until next week against Colgate.