Syracuse offensive lineman Kyle Knapp was back at practice on Saturday after missing much of the last two weeks with a head injury, his high school coach Mick Enders told The Daily Orange on Friday.

Enders said Knapp did not call the injury a concussion, and that it was suffered while practicing as a personal protector on the punt team.

Knapp, a redshirt freshman currently listed as the second-string left tackle, did not practice with the Orange at Fort Drum, N.Y., from Aug. 13-16, and was at practice Aug. 19-21 out of pads. All practices since through Syracuse’s season opener against Penn State on Aug. 31 have been closed to the media.

“It seemed like he was doing really well until the head injury,” Enders said. “He seemed really upbeat and positive until the head injury.”

Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said Knapp participated in contact drills Saturday and “made some good blocks.” Knapp was previously listed as having an “upper-body injury.”

On Friday, he tweeted that he is “ready to go” for when the Orange opens its season against Penn State on Aug. 31. Shafer confirmed that he will play unless the coaching staff decides otherwise.

Been a great productive day so far!

— Kyle Knapp (@Knapp_Cuse) August 23, 2013

@rwrate yes sir ready to go!!

— Kyle Knapp (@Knapp_Cuse) August 23, 2013

Shafer also said that kicker Ross Krautman is back practicing and looked good Saturday, but Tyler Marona has not returned to practice. The defensive end has missed the past two weeks with an upper-body injury.

Published on August 24, 2013 at 12:00 pm

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