The shape of Syracuse’s wide receiver corps took on a new look against Wake Forest. Jeremiah Kobena’s role was nonexistent. Brisly Estime’s role was expanded. Ashton Broyld moved from H-back out to wide receiver.

SU head coach Scott Shafer pointed to several different reasons for the change during his weekly teleconference on Thursday, but work ethic was the biggest one.

“Ability alone gets you fired,” the SU head coach said. “I love that wide-receiving corps because they do compete every day in practice.”

Kobena took over as the starting wide receiver opposite Jarrod West after Adrian Flemming was ruled out for the season prior to the Northwestern game. Kobena had one 55-yard catch against Penn State when he was coming off the bench and has totaled just 124 receiving yards since taking over as the starter, and didn’t play a single snap during Saturday’s 13-0 win over Wake Forest.

“As a group, they’ve done a good job working hard and the guys that we think give us the best opportunity to win will play,” Shafer said. “It goes into the competition.”

Against Wake Forest, Broyld took many of Kobena’s snaps out wide as Estime moved into the slot to get both of the Orange’s talented H-backs on the field simultaneously.

Estime led Syracuse with 62 receiving yards and scored a touchdown on a throw from West. Kobena failed to catch a pass for the second time this season.

“He’s put his head down and worked, continually worked off the field, as well, to learn how to play the game the way we expect,” Shafer said of Estime. “We’re going to put the best guys on the field that work the hardest in a consistent manner and guys we think we can win with.”

Published on November 7, 2013 at 11:02 am

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