Receivers Ready to Step Up if Oronde Gadsden Cannot Play at Purdue

Syracuse football's top pass catcher's status is still a question mark.

Syracuse, N.Y.-- The status is still unclear if Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II will be able to suit up against the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday night. Gadsden sustained an ankle injury on the Orange’s first drive against Western Michigan last weekend and it could be a monumental loss for Cuse moving forward.

Regardless if “OG” is able to play this weekend or not, the rest of the wide receivers are ready to fill the void. Captain WR Damien Alford couldn’t talk about Gadsden’s status but focused on how the receivers have made their presence felt already this season.

“I think we’ve stepped up when we’ve needed to make plays. It’s been a main point of emphasis since spring ball to be reliable for Garrett (Shrader) to take this offense to take this offense to the next level. Now that’s showing in games so far,” Alford said.

Shrader echoed the same message especially duering a week where Syracuse travels into a difficult Big Ten environment to play in like Purdue. During the first two games Shrader has demonstrated that trust in his receivers when they get on the field, regardless of the situation.

“It’s just a next man up mentality. We hope that we can get OG back sooner rather than later. But, we are going out business as usual and we will see when he’s ready. We’re stacked with a lot of guys who are dynamic. I think we could be a little more routine and efficient, I think that’s the biggest thing. But, we are still making plays and putting up points,” Shrader said.

A player who has been dynamic for Syracuse in the passing game so far is redshirt junior Isaiah Jones. The 6’4” 200 pound wideout can go up and win 50-50 balls like we saw last weekend, while also putting on a route running display of beauty in the slot. Jones is currently second on the team in catches (8), and yards (157), but first in receiving touchdowns (2). Putting aside his success, Jones prioritizes the relationships between his fellow receivers as a reason why they are performing well collectively.

“Me and Damein are actually roommates. With us its great we can talk about anything. Like last game for example when things didn’t go his way early on we were able to talk about it. We are able to talk with each other without getting offended and that makes us better,” Jones said.

Through the first two games of the season, just two programs in college football have a top-10 offense and defense. Syracuse is third with 56.6 points scored per game and the best defense only allowing 3.5 points per contest. With an increase in the level of opponents expected for the rest of the season, Syracuse is going to have to stay healthy if they want to remain at the top of the nation.

Kickoff between Syracuse and Purdue is slated for 7:30 p.m. in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Orange’s first road game of the year will be nationally televised on NBC and Peacock. 

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