Syracuse cornerback Joe Nassib has a separated shoulder, head coach Scott Shafer said on Wednesday after the fifth day of training camp.

The fifth-year senior, the cousin of the former Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib, played in 11 games last year, primarily on special teams. Nassib is listed toward the bottom of the cornerback position on SU’s depth chart.

Shafer said the team expects to receive the MRI results pretty quickly.

“Joe’s been such a valuable teammate for a long time,” Shafer said. “I’m extremely close to him and it’s disappointing, but he’s a tough little cowboy and when they tell him he’ll be able to get back, he’ll be back three days before that.”

Walk-on Santos decides to leave team; Laguerre takes his place

Franklin Santos, a senior cornerback who made the team as a walk-on before the 2011 season, decided to leave the team, Shafer said. Santos had played cornerback and wide receiver for the Orange and appeared in two games last year after not playing at all his first two seasons.

“I think he just decided that it was his time,” Shafer said. “Difficult decision, I’m sure, for him.”

In Santos’ place, walk-on junior linebacker Hernz Laguerre, has joined the team after not being asked to come to camp early. Laguerre made a name for himself last season by reading poetry during a team-bonding exercise at Fort Drum.

Football Bowl Subdivision teams are limited to a 105-man practice roster between the start of camp and the team’s first game or the beginning of the school year, whichever comes first.

Laguerre took in his first day of practice Wednesday but needs four more days before he’s “full-go,” Shafer said.

“One of the most difficult things I’ve had to do since I’ve been here is tell Hernz Laguerre that I wasn’t going to bring him to camp early,” Shafer said. “But with one guy departing, it opens another door up for Hernz.”

Shafer raves about freshmen progress

Syracuse hauled in the nation’s 53rd-best recruiting class for this upcoming season, one of the program’s best in years.

Just five days into camp, Shafer raved during his post-practice press conference about what he’s seen from the following newcomers:

•On three-star tight end Adly Enoicy: “Adly Enoicy is one of the sharpest kids I’ve been around in a long time. He’s picked things up extremely well, been able to move from different positions — inside, outside. We’ve been pleased with him.”

•On three-star wide receiver Jamal Custis: “Jamal Custis is raw, a young guy out there. But it’s hard to teach that 6-foot-6, 235 (pounds), and he can run. I’m excited about him.”

•On three-star linebackers Jonathan Thomas, Parris Bennett, Colton Moskal and Zaire Franklin: “Tough, hard-nosed kids who learn well. That room learns extremely well.”

•On three-star safety Rodney Williams: “You guys are going to like this guy. You guys are going to like this guy.”

Shafer also name-dropped running back Ervin Phillips (twice), wide receiver Steve Ishmael and cornerback Juwan Dowels.

Additional notes

•Syracuse is taking it easy with senior nose tackle Eric Crume, who Shafer said had a small procedure done on his knee earlier in the summer to “clean things up.” Crume is receiving reduced reps at this point in training camp. “We’re being smart,” Shafer added, “trying to get his quadriceps back before we go full-go with him with too many reps.”

•Shafer said the explosive Brisly Estime will contribute to the Orange’s return game but the head coach indicated that Ritchy Desir will still be a major factor in punt returning. “We want to take good care of (Estime), too,” Shafer said. “We have to develop a couple guys, because he’s a big part of our offense… Ritchy’s stacked up a ton of hidden yards for us over the years because he catches everything and a lot of people don’t realize how important that is.”

Shafer added that against Villanova, a team that he said likes to run the punter to the right and boot it on the run, the Orange may elect to send two returners downfield in hopes of fielding the shorter punts.

Published on August 6, 2014 at 10:09 pm

Contact Phil: [email protected] | @PhilDAbb