Tim Lester’s offense won’t face a defense anything like what was thrown at it last Friday against Division I-AA Rhode Island. To open Atlantic Coast Conference play, the Syracuse offensive coordinator will game plan for a stingy Wake Forest defense.

At this week’s media opportunity, Lester discussed several topics on the offensive front, including injured quarterback Terrel Hunt, new quarterback Eric Dungey, the supporting cast for the freshman signal-caller and the Demon Deacons defense.

On Hunt’s injury

“With Hunt, you just feel bad for the kid. You don’t even think about it as a coach. You’re just trying to help him mentally through a rough time. He’s been through pretty much two years taken away, it becomes a lot less about X’s and O’s and about how he’s feeling and trying to keep his head up and he’s been doing a good job.

I’ve talked to him a lot on the phone and just trying to keep him upbeat. I know he wants to get back and get around the guys soon and he’ll be back.”

On dynamic between Hunt and Dungey during Dungey’s visit

“They hit it off. You don’t know that in recruiting, you don’t know when two guys are going to hit it off. It’s like Kenterius (Womack) and Steve Ishmael that hit it off too. Maybe it’s the same position. They’re definitely from two opposite sides of the country. They definitely hit it off and they’ve been helping each other and now they’re going to continue to do it.”

On difference between last year’s youth at QB and this year’s

“The biggest difference is the amount of players we have around them. That’s the biggest difference. It is a little bit different in the spread compared to what we’re doing. In the spread, it was 100 percent quarterback driven, the quarterback made the decision between run and pass on every single play. Whereas here, I can just hand the ball off.

I just think of (Ben) Roethlisberger when he was a rookie, just keeping handing it to (Jerome) Bettis. Just keep handing him the ball and we’ll use you when we need you to take some shots, kind of a la Michigan State. They can hand it and hand it and hand it. You’re still going to need your quarterback to make plays but it’s not an every play thing.”

On WFU’s defense

“They’re great. They’re all returning. They had that one corner that got drafted in the second or third round, I’m glad he’s gone. But they’re all back. I watched them late last year and they were a different team from the first one to the last one.

Man, just the new coach, they’ve gotten better and better and better and better and they’re all back again. I think it’s like 19 of 22 starters. They’re going to be disciplined, they’re going to be sound and we’re going to have to earn every yard we get.”

Published on September 10, 2015 at 3:09 pm

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