Alec Lemon — Meet the 2012 Syracuse football team

lemon
Lemon

Every Tuesday over the summer, we’re going to highlight individual players on the 2012-13 Syracuse football team. This week, we’re profiling Wide Receiver Alec Lemon.

Last season, Marcus Sales, Van Chew and Alec Lemon, three experienced receivers, were set to carry the offensive load through the air.

The plan changed after the suspension of Sales, leaving the pressure on Chew, Lemon and Dorian Graham, who had been used sparingly in his first three seasons.

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Lemon stepped up and caught more receptions than any other player on the team, setting a single-season record for catches with 68. His 834 yards was the ninth most in a season at SU.

He was named to the All Big East Second Team, but Syracuse scored just 24.2 points per game, 84th in the NCAA.

“It’s a team game, I’m not even worried about the stats,” Lemon said following Syracuse’s 37-17 loss on Nov. 11. “I am just trying to put up points for our team to win and when we don’t win, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t really count.”

This season, Sales is back and should take some of the pressure off Lemon. But Sales is unproven after a year layoff, and Lemon will once again need to step up as a key receiver in the offense.

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Inside Slant: Alec Lemon sat out of the spring football game with a shoulder injury. He has the potential to have a great season if the injury doesn’t affect him. He was one of the top receivers in the league last season and with Sales back in the picture, he will be able to stretch his legs and exploit single coverage. His speed is his strongest asset and he even showed that he has an arm, throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass on a trick play last season. After an inconsistent 2010 season, he bounced back last year, showing he could be the go-to guy.

Vitals:

  • Birthdate: July 1991
  • Hometown: Crofton, MD
  • High School: Arundel Senior
  • Position: Wide Receiver
  • Class: Senior
  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 202 lbs

Career Highlights: Lemon ranks fifth all time in career receptions at SU (129) and is 12th with 1,526 career yards. In his three years at SU, Lemon has caught 129 passes for 1,526 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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