syracuse football

George McDonald said he was "blindsided" on Saturday when Scott Shafer told him that he'd been demoted from offensive coordinator to wide receivers coach.

"If I would’ve known I would only get 18 games to be offensive coordinator, I would have stayed at the University of Arkansas," McDonald said.  "I would have never came here."

When Syracuse University officials put the word out that game day Friday for the big Atlantic Coast Conference 2014 opener against Louisville was going to be marked by an Orange Out, I had hopes for something pretty cool in this city of ours.

Syracuse's offense will have a new quarterback this week, after Terrel Hunt fractured his fibula against Louisville.

When Syracuse hosts No. 1 Florida State on Saturday, the offense will have a new coordinator, as well.

Syracuse quarterback Terrel Hunt will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a fractured fibula, coach Scott Shafer announced on Monday.

Hunt needed to be helped off the field after getting hit twice during the fourth quarter of Syracuse's 28-6 loss to Louisville.  He initially waved off SU training staff, but struggled to put weight on his left leg.  

Terrel Hunt held his arms up in disbelief.  His last-ditch spike attempt at the end of the first half left no time on the clock to run a play from the Louisville 2-yard line. 

It left the struggling quarterback with a frustrated feeling. 

And once again, it left the Orange (2-3, 0-1 ACC) without any points in the red zone.  

“It wasn’t good enough,” Scott Shafer said on his team’s performance. “It wasn’t good enough to get it done. So we have to go back to work and try to get it better. It’s so simple it’s hard to comprehend, but it the God’s honest truth.”

Notre Dame’s perfect red zone play this season explains why the Irish have started the season 3-0.  Syracuse’s struggles in that department explain why the Orange has not.

SU was hoping for an undefeated matchup at MetLife on Saturday night, but a series of miscues and mistakes cost Syracuse in its 34-20 loss last week.  Instead, the Orange gets a chance at redemption when it takes on No. 8 Notre Dame at 8 p.m.

A national audience will be watching when Syracuse takes on Notre Dame on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium. And Dontae Strickland, the highest rated player in Syracuse’s incoming freshman class, will be watching as well. 

Syracuse’s journey to New Jersey won’t only be a business trip, but a recruiting one, too.  Strickland, a South Brunswick, N.J. native, will be at the game along with several other players Syracuse is targeting.