Syracuse Game Notes
Syracuse vs. Rutgers
Saturday, October 26, 2002
Carrier Dome • Syracuse, N.Y.
Senior safety Maurice McClainstarted for the Orangemen. It was his first action since suffering a broken leg in spring practice and first career start.
True freshman offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka made his first career start. Ojinnaka started at right tackle in place of sophomore Adam Terry who suffered a concussion at West Virginia. Redshirt freshman linebacker Kellen Pruitt also made his first career start.
Junior wide receiver Johnnie Morant returned his first career kickoff. Morant covered 25 yards on his first return.
Freshman running back Damien Rhodes made his first career touchdown catch in the first quarter. He also set a career high with two catches in the game.
Junior defensive end Josh Thomas forced his first career fumble in the first quarter. Thomas knocked the ball from Ryan Cubit's hands and fell on it for his second fumble recovery of the season.
Junior wide receiver Jamel Riddle moved into 6th place on the SU all-time punt return list, passing Art Monk. Riddle returned three punts to run his career total to 46. Riddle's first return of nine yards made him the sixth Orangemen to amass more than 600 career punt return yards. He ranks 6th on the Syracuse punt return yardage list with 636 career yards. Riddle also had a career-long 21-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore running back Walter Reyes had a career-long 79-yard run for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was the Orangemen's longest run from scrimmage this season, and SU's longest run since James Mungro had an 86-yard scamper versus Kentucky in 1999. Reyes finished the game with 115 yards, his third 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Rutgers' blocked field goal in the first quarter was the first time the Orangemen had a field goal blocked since the Scarlet Knights blocked two field goals and an extra point in 2000.
Junior linebacker Rich Scanlon recorded his first career sack in the second quarter. The sack went for a loss of eight yards. Unofficially, Scanlon finished the game with three sacks.
Redshirt freshman Steve Gregory had his first career fumble recovery in the third quarter.
Rutgers' 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first kickoff return for a touchdown against Syracuse since West Virginia's Shawn Terry took one back 100 yards in 2000.
The Orangemen forced a season-high six fumbles in the game season. SU recovered four fumbles for the first time since the Auburn game last season.
SU's blocked punt for a touchdown was its first since David Tyree scored versus Buffalo in 2000.
Barry Baker's 31-yard run in the fourth quarter was the longest of his career.
