Every Wednesday over the summer, The Juice Online is going to highlight individual players on the 2013 Syracuse football team. This week, we’re profiling WR Jarrod West.
Syracuse cornerback Joe Nassib didn’t have a chance.
Midway through the first quarter of Syracuse football’s spring game, Jarrod West left Nassib in his wake, streaking up the left sideline and hauling in a perfectly thrown ball from QB Terrel Hunt. West did the rest, racing down the sideline for a 49-yard touchdown.
Exactly what you’d expect a No. 1 receiver to do.
“It was good,” Hunt said of the connection between him and West. “To be able to have a go-to player takes a lot off my back.”
» More SU football: Meet QB Terrel Hunt
West was the No. 3 receiver last season behind Alec Lemon and Marcus Sales. Now that the two have graduated, West will be the top threat for Syracuse’s receiving core.
West, a junior, caught 43 passes for 588 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season. The top returning receiver after that? Jeremiah Kobena, who had six receptions for 146 yards.
“I’m trying to step up and bring everybody with me,” West said. “It’s tough. We have a talented group, but no one really has experience and no one has played a lot of plays, so everyone’s starting from a fresh start.”
That start is going well so far. West finished the spring game with six receptions for 82 yards and two scores. The second came in the first quarter, hauling in a 14-yard strike.
“I think we did pretty well,” West said. “It was exciting to see a lot of different players make plays.”
» More SU football: Previewing Syracuse v. Wagner
Inside slant: West figures to have a productive year as the top returning receiver. But just how productive? With SU’s quarterback situation in flux, and no established No. 2 receiver behind him, there is plenty of uncertainty.
Vitals:
- Birthdate: May 1992
- Hometown: Bethlehem, PA
- High School: Liberty High School
- Position: Wide Receiver
- Class: Junior
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 202 lbs
Career highlights: In 2012, West played in all 13 games with eight starts. He finished 10th in the Big East with 3.3 receptions per game. West’s best game came against USF, where he set a career-high with seven receptions for 98 yards and a score. He was named to the 2011 Big East All-Academic team.
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