The offense looked sluggish, completing just 9 of 24 passes for 84 yards. The team looked feeble, trailing by seven in the second quarter.

But with two blocked punts on special teams, Anthony Smith may have provided the brightest light in Syracuse’s gloomy, lethargic performance Saturday.

Although Syracuse won, 37-17, against Buffalo at UB Stadium, coaches and players unanimously singled out Smith, who won Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Week with his performance.

‘I’ll tell you who I’m really proud of,’ coach Paul Pasqualoni said, ‘and I don’t want to embarrass him, but that guy right over there.’

Pasqualoni was pointing to Smith, who sat in the back of the press conference, awaiting his trip to the podium.

‘Anthony Smith played a football game,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘He was hitting people, and he enjoyed it.’

With 8:53 left in the second quarter, Smith blocked the first of two punts. Then he picked up the ball in the end zone, tying the game at 10.

Just one minute later, Smith slapped his second punt of the night, giving SU the ball at the UB 1-yard line. Running back Walter Reyes scampered in for the touchdown two plays later to put SU up, 17-10.

‘We put a lot of emphasis on special teams,’ Smith said. ‘Coach (Chris) Rippon does a great job of that. We come out every week and try to make things happen.’

Said kicker Collin Barber: ‘It adds a big spark when a guy like Anthony Smith can go out there and block a punt. Coach Rippon always talks about that we want to put the fear of God in the punter and the snapper.’

Open competition

Last week, Pasqualoni made it clear – Joe Fields would be his starting quarterback Saturday.

This week, Pasqualoni left the question open.

‘We will work through the week and see how it goes through the week,’ Pasqualoni said when asked who would start. ‘But I know that they will both play.’

Fields was 2-for-6 passing for 23 yards and one interception Saturday. Patterson finished 7-for-18 with 61 yards. Neither threw a touchdown.

‘What every young, inexperienced player needs is to play and to gain that experience,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘I’ve felt that we have two quarterbacks we can put in the game and I still feel that way.’

Diamond in the rough

Three days after racking up 92 yards on two kick returns, Diamond Ferri returns to court. The strong safety is currently involved in a legal dispute that could be resolved today – but probably won’t.

Ferri is scheduled to appear in Onondaga County/City of Syracuse Criminal Courthouse at 2 p.m. today to face misdemeanor charges of assault and resisting arrest.

But, earlier this year, Ferri’s attorney, Gary Sommer, told The Daily Orange he would likely ask for one more adjournment before reaching a decision within the next four weeks.

Police arrested Ferri on May 24, after he was accused of breaking a man’s nose in a fight in Armory Square.

The police reports stated that Ferri, a 5-foot-10-inch, 218-pounder, fought with police officers and had to be physically subdued. It added that police officers hit Ferri four times with flashlights during the arrest.

Published on September 13, 2004 at 12:00 pm