Williams out

Mike Williams, Syracuse’s leading receiver, was kept out of Saturday’s loss to Rutgers after missing practice on Thursday.

Head coach Greg Robinson did not specify why Williams missed practice.

‘It’s more about Mike in the long haul and for the team, too, to understand that there’s the right way and there isn’t the right way,’ Robinson said.

Williams, a freshman, finished the season with 24 catches for 461 yards and four touchdowns. He started three games and played in 10 games.

Williams’ absence subtracted from a receiving corps that was already missing early-season star Taj Smith. No SU receiver had more than two catches in Williams’ place, although Robinson refused to use it as an excuse.

‘It had about the same impact if he would have gone out there on the first play and sprained his ankle,’ Robinson said. ‘The other guys have to step up and play.’

Leonard’s run

The most popular player at Rutgers Stadium was undoubtedly senior running back Brian Leonard, who has become the face of the Scarlet Knights’ transformation into one of the nation’s elite teams this season. Leonard, who spurned the NFL last season to return for his senior season, played his final home game on Saturday.

The crowd was chanting his name during the final drive, when Rutgers gave Leonard the ball on nine straight plays. Despite a 31-point lead, Rutgers went for it on fourth-and-1 from the SU 7-yard line with 1:14 remaining in the game in an effort to allow Leonard to break Rutgers’ scoring record.

He scored the final touchdown with eight seconds to go to raise his career scoring total to 266 points.

While some could have seen it as Rutgers running up the score, Robinson had no objection to RU head coach Greg Schiano allowing Leonard to try to reach the record.

‘I told Greg at the end of the game I didn’t have any problem with that,’ Robinson said. ‘If I was in the same position, I would have done the same thing. ‘

Jenkins hurt

SU starting defensive tackle Tony Jenkins had an injured meniscus in his knee and got arthroscopic surgery on Friday. He did not make the trip. Cornelius Campbell replaced Jenkins.

-Zach Berman, asst. sports editor

Published on November 26, 2006 at 12:00 pm