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When Chris Elmore fell to the ground in the first half of Syracuse’s season opener against Louisville, he said he saw his whole career — all five-plus years of it — flash before his eyes. Everything hit him at once.

“It was just a surreal moment,” Elmore said. “It was like I was frozen for a second, I felt like I was on the ground longer than I was.”

Elmore returned to the sideline for the second half in street clothes with a brace on his left leg and crutches under both his arms. He was later diagnosed with a torn ACL, a devastating blow for Syracuse’s swiss army knife, who has played fullback, tight end and offensive line over his career. Still, he had the opportunity to redshirt again and play a seventh season for the Orange.

But he announced Tuesday morning that he won’t be returning to Syracuse next season, opting to try and become an NFL fullback once his injury rehab is complete several months from now. It was a decision he said he made back around the second or third week of Syracuse’s season, and he participated in SU’s senior day festivities last Saturday.

“I just feel like it’s time for a new environment,” Elmore said. “I love this program with everything. But I feel like it’s my body telling me it’s time for a change.”

From 2017-21, Elmore appeared in 52 games at three different positions, and was SU’s starting fullback coming into the season. In 2020, he moved to offensive guard amid the pandemic and a series of injuries to the unit. As a junior, he even recorded snaps on the defensive line. Head coach Dino Babers called him the “heartbeat” of Syracuse’s team last year.

SU turned to players like Oronde Gadsden II, Max Mang and Wes Hoeh to take Elmore’s place this season. Gadsden has become the Orange’s top receiver while playing a hybrid role as a slot target and blocker. Hoeh moved from offensive line to fullback, and Mang received more snaps. But replacing Elmore’s skill and versatility was still a challenge.

“He’s definitely a guy that you don’t realize what you have until he’s gone,” Garrett Shrader said of Elmore. “Especially now, we could use him more than ever…he’ll definitely be missed next year.”

Recovering from a torn ACL usually takes 8-9 months, meaning Elmore still has a long road in front of him. He isn’t using crutches anymore, and said his recovery is going faster than expected. Elmore’s looking forward to running a 40-yard dash and bench pressing at SU’s pro day in the spring. He said all of his rehab has taken place at Syracuse, on a strict schedule with staff that knows him the best.

Elmore wants to try and make it in the NFL, XFL or CFL, then coach at the collegiate level if that doesn’t work out. He wants to be a fullback since that’s been his primary position, but is willing to play at other positions if asked. Elmore’s pro training will take place in Chicago, Boston or Florida, where his cousin has trainers.

His departure leaves Syracuse without one of its most prominent faces. Elmore, known by his nickname “Rhino,” kept his final message for the community simple.

“Rhino loves y’all,” Elmore said. “No hard feelings with me going, but all good things come to an end.”

Trying to get the offense rolling again

After opening the first half of the season as one of the ACC’s most improved offenses under first-year coordinator Robert Anae, Syracuse has recorded just 12 points — with no touchdowns — over the past two weeks.

Shrader’s injury, which forced Carlos Del Rio-Wilson into action and limited his running ability, has been part of the problem. So has a lack of production from Sean Tucker and Oronde Gadsden II, the two other members of what Babers called the Orange’s “three-pronged attack” that their offense is built around. Tucker hasn’t recorded 20 carries or 100 rushing yards since Oct. 1, and Gadsden had just one catch against Florida State. For Syracuse’s offense to get back on track, Babers said Shrader needs to get back to full strength, and other players need to pick up his weaknesses if he can’t do so.

Babers dodged a question Monday when asked if he would get more involved in offensive play calling to help fix the woes, saying Anae called “perfect plays” for six games. Adding another running back (like freshman LeQuint Allen) into the ground game isn’t an answer, either, since Tucker is so “special.”

Shrader said his injury limited SU, which was unable to run read options — allowing extra defenders to be in the box to stop Tucker — and couldn’t throw the ball as well since its pass and run sets look the same. He couldn’t scramble and extend plays as well, either.

But Shrader said he’s made significant strides health-wise this week, allowing him to do more in practice and help Syracuse get back to the offense that averaged 36 points through its first six games. He attributed the improvements to taking more time off and not practicing as much. Team trainer Brandon Hall has been key in his recovery, too. Babers didn’t rule out if Shrader could get back to 100% before the end of the regular season when asked Monday.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” Shrader said. “I think this is our week to get back on track, and I really do mean that sincerely. Just because I feel like I’m healthy, and able to go out and do some stuff I haven’t been able to do. So it’ll be fun.”

Shrader’s injury and insight into Saturday’s starting QB decision

Information about Shrader’s injury has been kept to a minimum. The first clear signs came after the Clemson loss, when he was visibly limping and put limited weight on his right foot. Against Notre Dame, his right ankle was heavily taped, and his mobility significantly restricted. Shrader wouldn’t specify the exact issue when asked Saturday, and the only thing Babers has ruled out is a head injury.

Shrader practiced leading up to the Florida State contest, splitting No. 1 reps with Del Rio-Wilson, sources said. Despite not feeling 100%, Shrader felt good enough to play Saturday. Gadsden said he found out right before the game that Shrader would start.

Shrader said his injury wasn’t a huge consideration when creating a game plan ahead of Florida State, but was critical before playing Notre Dame since he “really couldn’t move around.” He added he was plenty capable of doing enough against the Seminoles, though. The quarterback finished 6-of-16 passing for 65 yards, and his 10 rushing attempts totaled -2 yards. Watching the film from the loss didn’t change if Babers thought Shrader should’ve played at all against FSU, the coach said.

Other notes

-Freshman wide receiver Dom Foster announced via Twitter Monday that he will enter the transfer portal in December. Foster was suspended for a violation of team rules before SU’s season opener against Louisville. He said he redshirted this year, and will have four years of eligibility remaining.

-Offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron accepted an invite to the 2023 Senior Bowl Wednesday, the bowl announced Wednesday. Bergeron, who has one year of eligibility remaining, hasn’t officially declared for the draft, though players who participate in the Senior Bowl can’t return to college. Bergeron would be the first player from his hometown to be drafted, and scouts have said he’s a likely top-100 pick.

-Wide receiver Syair Torrence, the younger brother of Syracuse basketball guard Symir, committed to Syracuse Wednesday afternoon. Torrence is the first player committed to Syracuse’s 2024 class, and was unranked according to ESPN and 247Sports. He also had an offer from Buffalo. Torrence, a standout at Christian Brothers Academy, was a first-team All-State selection last season. He caught 32 passes for over 600 yards this year.

-Defensive coordinator Tony White is one of 51 nominees for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach. The award’s 15 semi finalists will be announced Nov. 22. White’s defense ranks third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in points per game.

-Former Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey was selected by the D.C. Defenders in Tuesday’s XFL Draft. Dungey was previously a part of the XFL in 2020 before the league suspended operations. He is SU’s all-time passing yards leader, and helped the Orange to a 10-3 season in 2018.

Published on November 16, 2022 at 8:02 pm

Contact Connor: [email protected] | @csmith17_