Courtesy of Syracuse.com
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3)(July 30, 2010) David Tyree, a former Syracuse University receiver who went on to make one of the most memorable catches in Super Bowl history, has signed a one-day contract with the New York Giants so he can retire as a member of that team, ESPN is reporting.
Tyree became a hero for the Giants with his amazing grab that kept alive a late drive against the Patriots inSuper Bowl XLII, a game the Giants won, 17-14.
With Syracuse, Tyree had 75 catches for 1,214 yards in his career, and blocked six punts on special teams
2) (August 11, 2011) Rob Murphy, the former Syracuse University assistant coach who accepted a job as the head man at Eastern Michigan earlier this year, has hired Jake Presutti as his Director of Player Development. Presutti will also serve as the Assistant Sports Performance Coach for men’s basketball and men’s golf at EMU.
Presutti, a popular guy with players and coaches, was a walk-on who eventually earned a scholarship at SU. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at SU.
Presutti, 25, joins the EMU program after working with the NBA’s Houston Rockets as an assistant in basketball operations. His duties for the Rockets included video breakdown as well as reports on all college and international draft eligible prospects and NBA trade targets.
“Jake’s basketball experiences will add immediate value in all aspects of our program,” Murphy said. “Jake is a tireless worker who has a bright future in the coaching profession.”
Presutti worked as a support staff member in multiple national basketball trials beginning in 2007 and in 2009 he worked at the USA Basketball World University Games and the USA Basketball U-19 Trials. A good friend of Andy Rautins, Presutti also worked as the video coordinator for the Canadian Men’s National Team at the FIBA Americas in 2009.
Presutti then returned to Syracuse as a graduate men’s basketball manager in 2009-2010 while completing his M.A. His duties at Syracuse included working closely with the coaching staff on opponent scouting reports, opponent film breakdown, assisting with practice sessions and assisting in preseason and postseason strength and conditioning.
1) (July 30, 2008) Take the best offensive player out of the mix and what do you have? At Syracuse, it’s an upset tummy. Gone is junior wide receiver Mike Williams, who was suspended from school over academic issues and will not in training camp next week. Replacing Williams, who caught 14 touchdown passes last season, is daunting because, well, there is no one on campus with his skills.
As could be expected, head coach Greg Robinson believes the loss of Williams opens up opportunities for others. And he offered up this story about a similar situation during his time as defensive coordinator with the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
“What Mike was becoming last year was really, the go-to guy,” Robinson said. “That can be a real plus or sometimes, work against you where you lean towards that, depend on that.
“I remember when I came to Denver. We had two wide receivers that started for us – one was Ed McCaffrey that had been released by the New York Giants; later, was not re-signed by the San Francisco 49ers. We bring him to Denver. Mike Shanahan had been in San Francisco and signed him. We had another receiver that had been just a free agent/practice squad player the year before; one year, in Rod Smith. He hadn’t done much. He hadn’t done anything. And the two of them eventually become Pro Bowl football players.
“The point I make though is, we always had a balance in our receiving corps in Denver. We never leaned on one or the other. Really, we probably leaned more on Shannon Sharpe more than we did those two. But we also leaned on Terrell Davis.
“I think sometimes in a case like Mike’s, maybe we got out of balance in the past. We’ve got to look at it now, he’s not with us, that maybe what it’s going to help us do is to develop more of a balance throughout all of our skill positions and utilize all of the talents that can contribute to the team. Anytime there’s balance throughout the skill positions, the quarterback is happy. Now he’s got weapons.”
Asked about those weapons, Robinson said the tailback situation is better than its been in a long time. He said fullback Tony Fiammetta is on the cusp of a breakout season.
“The name that’s not mentioned is Tony Fiammetta,” Robinson said. “Quite frankly, I think he could emerge as one of the top players on our football teams. I think he’s got a career beyond Syracuse college football. I know that (offensive coordinator) Mitch Browning believes in Tony Fiammetta and is going to find a lot of different ways to utilize him.”
Robinson said tight ends Mike Owen and Ben Maljovec in conjunction with Fiammetta has stabilized a position Browning plans to utilize.
“Mitch has had success at Minnesota with his tight ends and H-back type players,” said Robinson. “He had the Mackey Award winner a couple of years ago. His other player was an All-American. He’s done a nice job of utilizing those positions as well. I think when the tight end positions can emerge and help, it’s amazing how the wide receivers positions, all of a sudden, that all works, too.”
Two players who clearly have a shot at playing their way into the mix at receiver because of the departure of Williams are freshmen Marcus Sales and Trey Fairchild. Robinson announced that Sales was the only member of the freshman class who enrolled for classes in first semester summer school. The rest came in for the second semester.
“He had an additional, really, five weeks of just being around and being acclimated,” Robinson said. “I’d like to think that he, in his own mind, he’s wanting to try and emerge. But they all think that way.”
He also was asked about Chaz Cervino, a redshirt freshman, stepping into a role at receiver.
“From day one of spring ball until the 15th practice of spring ball, there was a difference,” Robinson said. “I just see Chaz walking around campus now … Chaz, his physical stature is changing, too. He’s an interesting prospect because he was a quarterback and an athletic quarterback. He’s becoming more comfortable in what he’s doing. Also, his physical stature, he’s probably 185 pounds. I’m interested to seeing himself this fall. As I went back and watched spring practice after we were done, I really thought Chaz improved. You’d like to think that through summer, those guys go out and throw 7-on-7 three, four nights a week. I’d like to think he’s grown and developed.”
I asked Robinson if Williams had indicated plans to transfer. Robinson said Williams would have to answer that question. He mentioned that Williams has an opportunity to return to Syracuse in January. Do you think he’s coming back? Robinson declined to answer.
“It’s not for me to say or do,” Robinson said. “That’s really Mike’s decision.”
“I will say this, Mike’s a good young man. I like Mike Williams. I hope for the best for Mike Williams. If he’s back in January ’09, I’ll be as excited as I’ve ever been to work with him.”
