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Head coach Dino Babers said Monday that he “really doesn’t know yet” what the status of quarterback JaCobian Morgan will be for the Orange’s final home game of the season on Saturday against North Carolina State. 

Morgan took a big hit in the third quarter of the Orange’s 30-0 defeat to Louisville on Friday night and didn’t return to the game. He spent an extended period of time in the blue medical tent on the sideline and sat on the bench while Rex Culpepper and Dillon Markiewicz finished the game for Syracuse.

The team’s physician will evaluate the true freshman quarterback later in the day on Monday. He completed just five of his 12 pass attempts against the Cardinals after he flashed in his first career start against Boston College on Nov. 7. 

“We really push this back to as late on Monday as possible because the longer they get to heal, the better the diagnosis is,” Babers said during his weekly press conference on Zoom.

Babers won’t know Morgan’s prognosis for the week until Monday night or Tuesday. Culpepper was healthy enough to travel and play against NC State and is the presumed starter if Morgan is ruled out. 

Quarterback Tommy DeVito no longer has the boot on his foot from the lower body injury he experienced against Duke in October, but it’s also unclear whether he’d be available for either of the Orange’s two final games. 

Senior Day ceremonies postponed

The Orange’s final home game of the season typically includes a senior walk around the stadium and a parents’ ceremony before the game. Neither will occur this year, Babers said, because the Carrier Dome will be empty as it has been all season for SU. He was open to the idea of having a double ceremony in 2021 for both this class of seniors and the next. 

“I would love to see parents have an opportunity to see these guys,” Babers said. “It’s a shame they don’t get to watch them at least one time. That’s not fair.”

Some parents have traveled to road games at Clemson and Louisville, and are trying to get tickets to Notre Dame, because those three stadiums have allowed reduced capacity crowds this season. 

Babers talks safety, from the virus to injuries

Even though the Orange are 1-8 and are headed toward one of the worst seasons in program history, Babers credited his players for being one of two ACC teams to not have a game postponed due to COVID-19.

The Orange have not had a positive test in the program since the season began. Injuries have been far more impactful this season for Syracuse than COVID-19, but Babers said he’s more concerned about the latter.

Syracuse has lost numerous players to season-ending injuries already, but Babers made sure to note that none of the injuries are career-ending as far as he knows. Most of the players will be back next season or will have the option to be. Defensive backs Andre Cisco and Trill Williams are the only two players who have announced that they intend to declare for the NFL Draft, and the NCAA has granted every player an additional year of eligibility.

“When I say the word safe, I’m talking in particular about COVID-19 and the virus,” Babers said. “That’s what I’m really proud of.”

Published on November 23, 2020 at 2:10 pm

Contact Anthony: amdabbun@syr.edu | @AnthonyDabbundo