Syracuse’s injury report brought a mixed bag Thursday ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Clemson, with one new starter added to the list while two key offensive pieces remain in the same uncertain spot.
Defensive end Tunmise Adeleye is the latest Orange player to land on the report, where he is listed as questionable. Adeleye, a transfer from UNLV, has been one of Syracuse’s most productive defenders this season.
He is tied with fellow transfer Keyshawn Johnson for the second-most tackles for loss on the team, with 7.5 for 45 yards, and his 5.5 sacks trail only Johnson’s six. Adeleye has also hit quarterbacks four more times this season and forced a fumble.
Quarterback Steve Angeli, dealing with a left foot issue, and center Kahlil Stewart, who is nursing an ankle injury, are still on the questionable/probable list for another week. Interior offensive lineman Matthew Hawn and defensive tackle Alexander Haskell are also listed as questionable. Haskell is one of the only true freshmen to play consistent snaps this season, along with wide receiver Calvin Russell III, kicker Shay Barker and punter Jimmy Gregg.
Backup defensive tackle Dillan Fontus is listed as probable.
There was better news for backup quarterback Malachi Nelson. For the first time since he had tightrope surgery for a high-ankle sprain, he was not ruled out on Syracuse’s first injury report of the week. Nelson has missed the Orange’s last two games and is no longer wearing a protective walking boot, though Syracuse still has him listed as doubtful.
Clemson, meanwhile, will be missing two starters on its offensive line. Left guard Elyjah Thurmon and center Harris Sewell are both out, and the Tigers are expected to replace them with a sophomore and a freshman.
The Tigers will also be without starting running back Gideon Davidson, who is averaging 5 yards per carry this season.
Wide receiver Tyler Brown, Clemson’s second-leading receiver, is questionable as well. If he can’t go, it would leave an already limited passing attack even thinner; Clemson enters Saturday with only four passing touchdowns on the season.
In Other News...
Syracuse Backcourt Depth Takes An Early Hit At The Worst Time
Syracuses backcourt rotation is already being tested before the season can really settle in. Guard Aiden Tobiason will miss the upcoming game against Central Connecticut State after suffering a hamstring strain in an exhibition, leaving the Orange to adjust without the junior transfer from Temple. He arrived with three years of eligibility remaining and was expected to be part of the group helping stabilize the perimeter.
The timing is less than ideal for a team still sorting out its depth and roles. With Tobiason sidelined, Syracuse will need other guards and wings to absorb the minutes and keep the offense moving against a matchup that now comes with a little more uncertainty than planned. For an early-season roster trying to build rhythm, even a short absence can ripple through the whole backcourt. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Has A Real Shot To Expose Clemsons Biggest Weakness
Syracuse heads into its matchup with Clemson coming off a win over SMU, and the timing could hardly be better for a program looking to make a statement. The Orange are set up to test a Tigers team that has not looked like its usual self on offense this season, while Syracuse has reasons to feel better about its own chances after showing progress on both sides of the ball.
The key for Syracuse is straightforward: pressure Clemsons quarterback and keep building on the more confident play it has gotten under center. If the Orange can turn that into another strong home performance, they would not only put Clemsons offensive issues under a brighter spotlight, but also have a chance to do something Syracuse has not done against the Tigers before - beat them in back-to-back meetings. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Now Faces A New Amarri Monroe Eligibility Fight
The Amarri Monroe eligibility case has taken another turn, with the NCAA filing an appeal in the 4th Department Appellate Division of New York State. For Syracuse, it keeps a familiar offseason-style uncertainty hanging over the basketball program, even as Monroe remains on the floor under a state court injunction that has temporarily blocked the NCAA from enforcing its eligibility rules against him.
What happens next will shape whether that protection stays in place while the lawsuit moves forward. The appeal, and any request to stay the injunction, now becomes the key issue for Syracuse and Monroe, with his eligibility status still tied to the next ruling rather than any final resolution. [Read more 🡒]