'Cuse Spring Practice Report: March 22

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange football team came back refreshed from spring break and held a brisk one-hour and 45-minute workout Tuesday morning at the Ensley Athletic Center in helmets and shorts.

With two weeks left in spring ball, head coach Dino Babers and his staff and starting to put together the depth charts that will serve as the templates for fall camp.

"The depth charts are being made," Babers said. "They're not going to be solidified. We are going to let them [the players] run and they are either going to stay in that group or move up or move down. I told the team the coaches don't set the depth charts. It has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with them."

As the auditions continued Tuesday, there were a number of notable performances. During seven-on-seven work, tight end Josh Parris made a nice one-handed grab over the middle. Receiver Brisly Estime had a long touchdown, catching a pass down the seam and taking it all the way to the end zone. Jamal Custis also had a productive day, using his 6-5 frame to defeat one-on-one coverage and catch several deep balls down the sideline.

The defense had its moments as well. Linebacker Troy Henderson made a diving interception on a deflected pass. Coordinator Brian Ward's unit also disrupted multiple plays with well-timed blitzes.

During the special teams period, the Orange worked on punting for the first time this spring with redshirt freshman Sterling Hofrichter taking most of the reps along with kicker Cole Murphy. Those two, along with walk-on Alex Grossman, are competing to fill the void left by All-ACC performer Riley Dixon, who finished third in school history in career punting average (42.6).

The Orange have five more practices leading up to the 2016 Syracuse Football Spring Scrimmage on Saturday, April 2 at the Carrier Dome. Start time for the scrimmage is 11 a.m. and admission is free. All lower-level gates (A, B, C, D, E, F) open at 10 a.m.

Syracuse will hold a 'Select-A-Seat' event that day. Fans will have the opportunity to walk the Dome and choose the best available seat locations for 2016 season tickets. A sampling of available seats will be marked in each section and members of the Carrier Dome Box Office staff will be on hand to assist with the selection process and answer any questions.

Following the scrimmage, fans will be invited on the field for selfies with their favorite Syracuse players and coaches. In addition, kids in eighth grade or younger will have the opportunity to participate in a free clinic conducted by a group of Syracuse football alumni. Former players expected to be in attendance for the clinic include Chandler Jones, Jay Bromley, Jameel McClain, Rob Long and Delone Carter.

The 2016 season gets underway Friday, Sept. 2 at home against Colgate. This year's schedule features six home dates, including conference games against Louisville, Virginia Tech, NC State and Florida State.

Season tickets are on sale now online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Tickets start at $99 ($16.50 per game) with lower-level seats in the end zones available for as little as $125.

NOTES: Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sean Lewis broke the team down to end practice … Assistant AD for Major Gifts and former Orange defensive back Jason Poles stopped by to watch practice.

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Syracuse University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Jamal Custis

Riley Dixon

Brisly Estime

Alex Grossman

Troy Henderson

Sterling Hofrichter

Cole Murphy

Josh Parris

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