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Last year, Oronde Gadsden II exploded onto the national scene. He recorded more receiving yards than any other tight end in the country, and earned first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors.

Yet, as Gadsden returns for his third season, head coach Dino Babers says he still “has to be better.”

Last year, Gadsden benefited from playing alongside an elite running back in Sean Tucker, and saw favorable coverages. Now, Tucker is off to the NFL, and Gadsden is no longer an unknown commodity. The challenge this fall will be whether Gadsden can match last season’s numbers even with the extra attention — like double team and triple teams — he’ll receive. Finding a solution to that begins this spring.

“This year, he’ll be the focal point,” said Gadsden’s father, Oronde. “Teams are going to know where No. 19 is this year.”

Syracuse’s quarterbacks — specifically Justin Lamson and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who has been filling in for the injured Garrett Shrader — have certainly known where Gadsden has been during practices. It’s been clear he’s still the team’s top receiving option. Gadsden’s still listed as a tight end, and SU has used him inside and outside this spring, requiring him to block, go in motion and catch passes. The hope is that he’ll continue to improve, and become an even more valuable weapon.

“He was first-team All-ACC, and without hesitation he has to be better because people are going to find ways to stop him,” Babers said. “If he stays the same he won’t be as effective … So he’s got to have immense growth, and he’s working on that. He’s doing it. All of last week, he got better.”

The main thing Gadsden said he’s trying to improve is his blocking. Before last season, he had only played as an outside receiver, and just had to block defensive backs. As a tight end, he has to block bigger, more physical linebackers, which led him to try gaining weight this offseason.

Another area to improve is handling bracket coverage — a type of double team where a receiver is sandwiched by defenders. It’s something Gadsden repeatedly expressed frustration with last season after some of his quieter games. Oronde, a former NFL wide receiver, said Gadsden has to move more, since standing still leads to easy brackets. And Gadsden, Oronde said, is ready to handle brackets now.

Over spring break, Gadsden worked out at his high school field, American Heritage in FLorida, with a number of local current and former NFL players. While Gadsden spent two days working with his dad, he spent several others working with current pros including Patrick Surtain II (Broncos cornerback), Tyson Campbell (Jaguars cornerback), Isaiah McKenzie (Colts wide receiver), Khalil Herbert (Bears running back) and Anthony Schwartz (Browns wide receiver), along with former ones in Asante Samuel and Sony Michel.

Gadsden said he talked to the players to try and get tips, especially McKenzie, a slot receiver who worked with him on inside work — like getting and staying low on the goal line and running routes out of the slot.

Gadsden noted that he has to become more of a “film rat” as he enters next season. Gadsden said he watches film of NFL receivers like Davante Adams, Keenan Allen and Cooper Kupp, because like him, they aren’t the fastest players, but they still find ways to get open. Oronde said they’ve also watched lots of film of tight ends Travis Kelce and Darren Waller as they continue to embrace the position move.

Once Gadsden gets home in May, the plan is for him to focus solely on tight end work, his dad said. The two have been splitting between tight end and wide receiver work, but that will likely change.

For now, though, Gadsden’s teammates are just excited to have him as an offensive threat — regardless of his exact position.

“Whenever I’m getting blitzed or pressured and he’s coming across the middle, I know I can get it to him because he’s not scared of that traffic and getting hit while catching the ball,” Del Rio-Wilson said. “It’s definitely good having someone like that on our side.”

Offense struggles Tuesday

Babers and Del Rio-Wilson admitted SU’s offense didn’t have a great start to Tuesday’s practice. In a full-team, two-minute drill that began at the one-yard line, the defense forced two safeties, with Jeremiah Wilson easily reading a screen and tackling Isaiah Jones in the end zone, and Kevon Darton later getting to Del Rio-Wilson in the pocket. Only one drive moved upfield but ended with a fourth down stop. On third down, Trebor Pena ran out of bounds instead of extending the ball for a first down, something Babers objected to.

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson running the same drill, but Kevon Darton gets through for another safety: pic.twitter.com/DoRtSwgTb7

— Connor Smith (@csmith17_) March 28, 2023

The offense had started practice well, going 3-for-3 on three different plays from inside the five-yard line, and successfully converting on a 2-point attempt when Del Rio-Wilson hit Allen over the middle.

Moments later, though, Del Rio-Wilson looked for Damien Alford on a fade route, but the pass landed well out of bounds, leading Babers to ask the duo why the incompletion was so far off.

During a skeleton drill, both Lamson and Del Rio-Wilson showed signs of rustiness, with several incompletions and interceptions. Eventually, Babers walked toward the offense’s sideline and motioned his finger several times. First-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck and the quarterbacks formed a circle, where a frustrated Babers told them he had “enough of that sh*t.”

“They need to make sure they can feel me,” Babers explained after practice. “There’s certain things that I’m rooted in. I’ve got a lot of flexibility in me, and there are certain things you don’t bend on as a father, as a grandfather, as a coach. They need to understand exactly what those things are, that there’s no gray with them.”

Del Rio-Wilson said the offense started with less energy than usual, but had a conversation in the middle of practice and picked it up afterwards.

Impact of new dietician already felt

Syracuse hired Tori Brown as its director of performance nutrition in the offseason, a move it hopes will lead to fewer injuries. Brown had worked as West Virginia’s sports dietician last year, and previously interned at Pitt.

Brown’s emphasis is keeping players healthy and helping them avoid injuries, Alford said. Players have been told to hydrate well, what meals to eat and avoid, what supplements to take and how to achieve their body mass and weight goals.

While Gadsden admitted he hasn’t talked to the dietician as much as he should, Del Rio-Wilson said he and other teammates are a big fan of what Brown’s done for the team — and the difference has already been noticeable.

“I would say everybody looks a little bit more healthy with Tori here,” Del Rio-Wilson said. “Some players are coming out full speed, no holding back, with Tori putting nutrients and vitamins in our body. So it’s definitely helping.”

Other notes

Shrader ditched the large, robotic-like arm brace he wore last week for a much simpler one that stretched from his right hand to elbow. Babers said he doesn’t know what Shrader’s timetable to return is, but is confident he’ll be back by August. The decision for Shrader’s exact return is up to the team’s trainers and doctors, Babers said. Lamson, worth noting, is also still wearing a brace on his right leg after missing all of last season with an injury.

Linebacker Stefon Thompson, who sustained a season-ending injury in week one against Louisville last season, is also supposed to be back by August, Babers said, but the coach isn’t aware of Thompson’s exact status in the rehab process. Babers noted that Thompson hasn’t taken on a coaching role like Shrader has, instead focusing on his academics and rehab.

Babers also said former quarterback JaCobian Morgan and defensive back Rob Hanna — both of whom weren’t on the team’s spring roster but have combined for 36 appearances at SU over the past three seasons — are “working on their academics” and wished them the best.

Published on March 28, 2023 at 6:32 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_