Syracuse Football: More players return to the Hill, pod size increases

The number of Syracuse football players now on campus for summer work-outs has climbed to about 85, according to a report.

Syracuse football is now in phase two of its on-campus summer work-outs, with roughly an additional 20 Orange players in Central New York, bringing the total number to approximately 85, per a report.

Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com writes in an article that, also as part of the team entering phase two and more players returning to the ‘Cuse campus, the squad has increased its pod size to about 20 guys from the initial maximum of 10 players.

Syracuse’s athletics department previously said in a press release that it would implement a multi-phased approach where student-athletes were first matched up in small pods based on their housing assignments.

As the football crew would reach its second and third phases, the goal is to grow the pod size, so that eventually the entire team could interact together.

When first arriving on campus, after getting tested for Covid-19, players are only supposed to have contact with others in their pod, including staff personnel.

On June 8, about 65 football players went back to the Orange campus to commence voluntary training. At that time, roughly 130 players, coaches, football staff members and athletics-department personnel had gotten tested for Covid-19. To date, Syracuse is not releasing the results of its tests nor disclosing the number of positive cases, if any.

According to a pre-season plan approved by the NCAA, later this month the Orange can conduct summer weight training, conditioning and film review, followed by walk-through practices without pads from July 23 through Aug. 5. Then, if all goes well, the ‘Cuse could begin its fall camp, which means padded practices.

Syracuse administrators are planning for reduced capacity for football games at the Carrier Dome. Given the uncertainty brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, some national commentators and writers – along with athletics-department officials and coaches around the country – have speculated that a 2020 campaign may not occur.

Multiple Power Five conference teams have unfortunately but not surprisingly reported relatively large amounts of positive Covid-19 tests by their players in recent weeks.

The Orange’s 2020 season is slated to start on Friday, Sept. 4, at Boston College. The ‘Cuse home opener, versus Colgate, may prove in jeopardy at this juncture because of guidelines issued by the Patriot League.