Football

Syracuse safety Antwan Cordy has ‘zero chance’ to play against No. 2 Clemson

Todd Michaelek | Staff Photographer

Antwan Cordy, right, used crutches on Sept. 1 against CCSU when he returned to the field after exiting in the first quarter with an injury to his right leg.

By Matthew GutierrezSenior Staff Writer

Syracuse redshirt junior safety Antwan Cordy will not play against No. 2 Clemson Friday night in the Carrier Dome, SU head coach Dino Babers said Monday morning. On Sept. 9, Cordy told Spectrum News that he had a hairline fracture and expected to be back for the Clemson matchup. That timetable has been scratched.

“Zero,” Babers said Monday morning. “Zero chance he’s out there.”

As for Cordy’s future status, Babers said, “We’re just going to see.”

Cordy, a 5-foot-8, 181-pound safety, left the season opener against Central Connecticut State in the first quarter, with SU up 14-0. He appeared to have suffered a lower right leg or foot injury after throwing himself into a scrum. He returned to the sidelines using crutches, with a brace on his right leg.

Typically, recovery time for stress fractures is a couple of months.



Toledo graduate transfer Jordan Martin has taken the bulk of snaps in Cordy’s absence. Martin ranks third on SU in solo tackles, with 15, in productive time on the field.

As a sophomore in 2015, Cordy started all 12 games at strong safety. He ranked second on the Orange with 68 total tackles and first with 12 tackles for loss. As a junior last season, he switched to free safety and in the seven full quarters he played, he made eight tackles, broke up a pass and recovered a fumble.

“Cordy’s one of the best players on our football team,” Babers said last month.

Last year, Cordy broke his left forearm in the fourth quarter of a Week 2 matchup against Louisville and missed the rest of the season.

Syracuse (3-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) kicks off against the defending national champion and second-ranked Clemson Tigers (6-0, 4-0) at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The game will air on ESPN.

Additional note from Babers’ weekly Monday press conference:

  • Last year at Clemson, Eric Dungey suffered a season-ending upper-body injury. Babers said he has “zero” concern over Dungey running the ball against Clemson Friday night and will not hold back his junior QB, who leads the team in passing and rushing.





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