2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeMLAX | Brennan still ailing; status uncertain for Sunday
By Matt Gelb
Posted: 5/7/08, 7:55 PM EST Section: Sports
Jovan Miller can now appreciate Danny Brennan's job.
Before last Saturday, the freshman midfielder estimated he hadn't taken a faceoff since last summer. The athletic Miller plays the wing on the faceoff. He's there to clean up the mess that ensues at the X.
But with Brennan injured and Syracuse looking for anything that worked, Miller was thrown into the middle by the coaching staff.
"(Assistant coach Kevin Donahue) just pointed at me," Miller said. "Usually he says, 'Jovan, on the wing.' But this time, he said, 'Jovan, on the X.' I was looking at him like, what are you talking about? I was surprised. I was really surprised."
Miller could see an increased role on the faceoffs this Sunday in Syracuse's first-round NCAA tournament game against Canisius (7:30, ESPNU) if Brennan isn't ready to go. Brennan has a pulled leg muscle, among other bangs and bruises, which forced him to miss last Saturday's 12-11 loss to Colgate.
Whether or not the nation's best faceoff man will be on the field Sunday night is still up in the air.
"He did a little running (Tuesday), and our expectations right now are to have him out there and get him some runs," SU head coach John Desko said. "We'll see how the game goes and decide at that time how far along he is in the healing process."
Desko said Brennan would do some more running, hopefully with a stick, but would be limited in the Orange's Wednesday practice.
Miller said he's been practicing at the X this week more than any other time this season.
Without Brennan, Syracuse (12-2) won only 8-of-25 draws against the Raiders. Colgate controlled the ball much of the game and built up a four-goal lead. SU came back within one goal but had trouble forcing turnovers at the end of the game after Colgate won the faceoffs.
The Orange used three players at the X to replace Brennan Saturday. John Carrozza took most of the draws and went a dismal 5-of-17. Junior Jake Moulton lost both he took. And then there was Miller, inserted late in the game, who won 3-of-6.
Before last Saturday, the freshman midfielder estimated he hadn't taken a faceoff since last summer. The athletic Miller plays the wing on the faceoff. He's there to clean up the mess that ensues at the X.
But with Brennan injured and Syracuse looking for anything that worked, Miller was thrown into the middle by the coaching staff.
"(Assistant coach Kevin Donahue) just pointed at me," Miller said. "Usually he says, 'Jovan, on the wing.' But this time, he said, 'Jovan, on the X.' I was looking at him like, what are you talking about? I was surprised. I was really surprised."
Miller could see an increased role on the faceoffs this Sunday in Syracuse's first-round NCAA tournament game against Canisius (7:30, ESPNU) if Brennan isn't ready to go. Brennan has a pulled leg muscle, among other bangs and bruises, which forced him to miss last Saturday's 12-11 loss to Colgate.
Whether or not the nation's best faceoff man will be on the field Sunday night is still up in the air.
"He did a little running (Tuesday), and our expectations right now are to have him out there and get him some runs," SU head coach John Desko said. "We'll see how the game goes and decide at that time how far along he is in the healing process."
Desko said Brennan would do some more running, hopefully with a stick, but would be limited in the Orange's Wednesday practice.
Miller said he's been practicing at the X this week more than any other time this season.
Without Brennan, Syracuse (12-2) won only 8-of-25 draws against the Raiders. Colgate controlled the ball much of the game and built up a four-goal lead. SU came back within one goal but had trouble forcing turnovers at the end of the game after Colgate won the faceoffs.
The Orange used three players at the X to replace Brennan Saturday. John Carrozza took most of the draws and went a dismal 5-of-17. Junior Jake Moulton lost both he took. And then there was Miller, inserted late in the game, who won 3-of-6.
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