Game Notes
Head Coach Greg Robinson's Press Conference Transcript
Saturday marks the renewal of the Syracuse-Penn State rivalry in the Carrier Dome. The Orange and the Nittany Lions will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on ABC television. While the Syracuse and Penn State series dates back to 1922, the teams have not squared off on the gridiron since 1990. Syracuse has played PSU more than any other team in its 118 years of intercollegiate football. The world premiere of the movie, "The Express," which tells the life story of Syracuse legend Ernie Davis, the firs African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
"It's obviously going to be a very exciting weekend with "The Express" premiere and Penn State coming to town," said head coach Greg Robinson during Syracuse's preseason camp. "Since January, I've been hearing from alumni and they have such a feel for Penn State and there's been many a battle. I know the feeling and I can feel it brewing. I think it's exciting and exciting for the team to be able to play games like that. Having a team come to the Dome like that is great."
Prior to the game, a sculpture of Ernie Davis will be dedicated on the edge of the Syracuse University Quad. The Orange team will walk by the statue on its 'Quad Walk' at 1:15 p.m.
The premiere of "The Express" will take place on Friday, Sept. 12, at the historic Landmark Theatre, a grand movie palace in downtown Syracuse frequented by Davis and his teammates during their days at Syracuse University. The film stars Rob Brown ("Finding Forrester") as Davis and Dennis Quaid ("The Rookie") as Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Gary Fleder ("Runaway Jury") directed the poignant biopic, which opens nationally in theaters on Oct. 10.
Quaid, Brown and other cast members and celebrities will arrive at a special "Orange Carpet" entry in classic convertible automobiles. Following the screening, guests will make their way down the Connective Corridor to the Onondaga County War Memorial for a gala theme party with entertainment of the late 1950s era.
The premiere is the centerpiece of a weekend-long community celebration of the life of Ernie Davis and others who have built the Syracuse legacy of "Breaking Boundaries."
When the game begins, junior defensive tackle Arthur Jones will look to continue his disruption of opposing backfields. In his first two games this year, Jones has four tackles for loss, which ranks 13th nationally and leads The BIG EAST Conference. The Endicott, N.Y. native has registered 22.5 tackles for loss in his career, tying him for ninth all-time on the SU record list with Josh Thomas and Rich Scanlon.
On the offensive side of the ball, the tailback tandem of Curtis Brinkley and Delone Carter and senior quarterback Cameron Dantley will lead the way. Brinkley gained a career-best 143 yards on 21 carries and scored a touchdown against Akron. He is averaging 96.0 rushing yards per game, which is tied for 32nd nationally and ranks second in the BIG EAST. Brinkley and Carter, who is averaging 61.0 rushing yards per game, are among the top eigth ball carriers in the league.
Dantley performed well in his first start of the 2008 season, completing 13-of-20 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns.
"I thought that Cam did a great job," said head coach Greg Robinson. "I thought he made some excellent plays, a couple times under duress. He made a bad decision on the bootleg, unfortunately. All-in-all, I think he did a very good job. He also did a good job at the line of scrimmage, controlling the clock."
All 2008 season and individual tickets are available online and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (888-DOMETIX). Season ticket packages begin at $100 in Touchdown Town. Adult season tickets are $205, youth/student season tickets are $115 and faculty/staff season tickets are $164. A 2008 Penn State Pack, which includes tickets for SU's games against Penn State (Sept. 13) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 27) or Penn State and Connecticut (Nov. 15), is also available. The cost of the two-game package is $85 for adults and $40 for youth. Individual game tickets for Akron, Northeastern, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Connecticut are $36 for adults and $18 for youth (ages 12 and under). Individual game tickets for Penn State are $57 for adults and $30 for youth
Statue Dedication
A specially commissioned statue of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis will be unveiled and dedicated at 1:00 p.m. on the edge of the SU Quad. The SU football team will walk by the statue during its "Quad Walk".
Cheer on the Orange on the Quad
Pre-game activities on the Syracuse University Quad begin at 12:30 p.m. The 2008 Orange football team Quad Walk will begin at 1:15 p.m. followed by the Syracuse University Marching Band Drum Line performance in front of Hendricks Chapel and the Marching Band Pep Rally to gets fans geared up for kickoff.
The Cornell Gunter Coasters will entertain the crowd on the Quad prior to the football game. Known as the supreme comedians of rock and roll, the band is named for its West Coast origin and was originally known as "The Robins." In 1958 they recorded two big hits, "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown". The Coasters were the first vocal group to be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. The late Cornell Gunter was a member of that esteemed ensemble.
In addition to the musical entertainment, there will be children's games and food and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Coolers and/or alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Quad.
2008 Courage Award Honors Mitchell
The 2008 Ernie Davis Courage Award, presented in the memory of Ernie Davis, will recognize Bobby Mitchell, a former NFL halfback and flanker who played for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins … A 1983 Pro Footbal Hall of Fame inductee, Mitchell accompanied Ernie Davis' casket back to Elmira and he remained close to Ernie's mother, Marie Fleming. Mitchell has hosted a golf tournament in Davis' memory for many years in Washington, D.C., and is a strong supporter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Star-Studded Celebration in Honor of Davis
A a star-studded tribute to the life of Ernie Davis will be the halftime feature.