Syracuse opened up practice for the first time of the spring on Tuesday and the numbers on both sidelines were slim.

On the defensive side, the Orange was without two major contributors in the secondary. The offense was missing a handful of promising young playmakers.

Cornerbacks Wayne Morgan, Brandon Reddish and Joe Nassib, wide receiver Corey Cooper, running back Devante McFarlane and guard Seamus Shanley all missed SU’s first open practice of the spring due to a variety of injuries. Cornerback Chauncey Scissum and running back Prince-Tyson Gulley also missed time during practice due to injuries sustained during the session.

“Our limbs are in pretty good shape for the most part, just banged up,” head coach Scott Shafer said.

The laundry list of injuries accompanies the series of concussions that ended guard Kyle Knapp’s career earlier this spring.

The injuries in the secondary were the most glaring during practice, as Syracuse’s offense was able to score a handful of long touchdowns. Morgan watched from the sideline with a large brace on his right knee and a significant limp, but Shafer said there’s nothing structurally wrong with the knee and that it’s just a bruise. Reddish also missed the practice due to a lower-body injury.

The critical injuries on the offensive side were to Cooper and McFarlane. Cooper sat out the practice due to an ankle injury, he said, but he’s hopeful that he will be able to play in the Spring Game.

Shafer didn’t give specifics on the severity of McFarlane’s injury when he was asked — he said “he’s been out for a few days” — but he is optimistic that the running back will return for the end of spring practice.

Neither Scissum’s injury nor Gulley’s are being viewed as significant. Shafer said Gulley, who is the top running back on the depth chart, tweaked his back and was held out for precautionary reasons.

Published on April 8, 2014 at 8:11 pm

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