Familiar Territory: 1 year after losing the starting position, Nassib is back atop SU’s depth chart
Stepping under center with the first-team offense, Ryan Nassib remembered just how good this felt. As Syracuse opened spring practice March 22, Nassib’s name sat atop the depth chart at quarterback. But the sophomore wasn’t taking anything for granted.
‘This year, I have a whole year under my belt,’ Nassib said. ‘I’ve been through a lot with the season. I’ve learned a lot and am executing a lot differently out on the field.’
And once the 11-on-11 scrimmaging began on opening day, Nassib started solidifying his hold on the position that was taken from him before the start of last season.
In just the first series of action, Nassib took a snap, side-stepped two rushing defenders in the backfield and unleashed a spiral downfield for a perfect 40-yard connection with wide receiver Alec Lemon.
Despite drawing chest bumps and high-fives from the rest of the offense — and a raving chorus from the onlooking coaching staff — SU’s 6-foot-3 quarterback remained poised following the play. No high-fives, no clapping. Nothing. Instead of celebrating, Nassib did exactly what coaches have told him all his life and acted like he had been there before. A large part of his reaction was because, in reality, he had been.
Anointed the starting quarterback in spring practice last spring before losing the job to one-year transfer Greg Paulus once Paulus arrived to campus in August 2009, Nassib still took most of his reps with the first-team offense last March. But a year later, this go-around feels different. Completely different.
‘Last year was night and day compared to this year,’ Nassib said. ‘I came in last spring not knowing much, never really competing in practice, didn’t know any of the game situation.’
One year ago, Paulus transferred in for one season, and Nassib’s hold on the position disappeared. Once the fall rolled around, Paulus had entrenched himself as the starting quarterback. Nassib played in nine games, with varying results, and ultimately made as much as he could of his first year on the field.
The difference this year, head coach Doug Marrone said, is ‘incredible.’
In hindsight, Nassib said he now views last year’s situation as a good thing, a ‘learning experience.’ Though he obviously would have loved starting, he said the experience allowed him to step back and see what was going on out on the field, ultimately improving his game moving forward. And it is also what has given him the resolve to go out and ‘earn’ the job that has already been given to him.
He knows all too well there are no guarantees when the fall rolls around.
‘He obviously understood the situation last year, and he just worked hard all season knowing that he would have his chance again,’ center Ryan Bartholomew said. ‘And he’s going to make sure this time nobody can take it away from him.
‘You can tell in the way he prepares and the way he knows the offense.’
Nassib has been looking forward to the start of spring practice ever since a 56-31, season-ending blowout loss to Connecticut on Nov. 28. With Paulus’ eligibility exhausted, the reigns to the offense are once again in Nassib’s hands.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be competition. Marrone didn’t recruit Nassib. But he did recruit second-string quarterback Charley Loeb and two of SU’s top recruits for this fall, John Kinder and Jonny Miller. And Nassib knows that.
So instead of using the short offseason to relax, he instead used it to study up on the playbook, learn the nuances of a newly installed offense and increase his physical preparation, knowing he had to make the most of spring ball. This time, that hold on the position wasn’t going to be lost.
‘Every spring there’s going to be pressure, there’s always going to be someone competing for the position you’re competing for,’ Nassib said. ‘And no matter who it is, there’s always going to be pressure. It’s always in the back of your mind. So you’ve always got to play your best because you know the other guy is going to play their best.’
Like he did in the fall, Nassib still has Paulus in his ear, serving as what he refers to as a ‘positive reinforcement.’ And even more importantly, he has Marrone tutoring him on the nuances of the newly installed offense. That is what Nassib views as the most valuable benefit of having his head coach as his offensive coordinator.
And that, he believes, will make him a better quarterback when the fall rolls around.
Starting middle linebacker Derrell Smith has known Nassib can play since his true freshman year. He still recalls Nassib ‘torching’ the starting defense as the scout team quarterback. But after a year under his belt, and some successful in-game experience in tote, Smith is seeing even more this spring.
‘He’s a big leader now,’ Smith said. ‘He’s honestly a true leader for us now. When we need a play, we feel like we can look to him and say, ‘Ryan, we need a touchdown,’ and he’ll do it. He’s just got that swagger to him this year.’
Linebackers leading defense
Led by Smith, Syracuse returns its core group of linebackers from last season. And during the first week of spring practice, the chemistry of the unit is already showing.
Following a Smith interception that was run back for a touchdown on March 24, the defense swarmed the middle linebacker and the chest bumps started. As did the noise.
‘We’re out there knowing everything is on us,’ linebacker Ryan Gillum said. ‘Just being around each other and playing together, we have fun all the time, yelling and screaming and getting to the ball. We’re having a lot of fun.’
Each time one of the linebackers would get an interception, a big block or a fumble recovery, the chirping started. Smith said that after a year playing together, and a year in the current defensive scheme, they’re just out there having fun.
‘Now it’s more like a competitive nature, so we pretty much compete against each other,’ Smith said. ‘After a play we come up like, ‘Yeah, I got that tackle,’ or, ‘Yeah, I got that sack.’ We just go out there and play rather than thinking too much.’
Marrone likes what he sees with this group. He said the competitive nature and intensity out on the field has been good for the team, and he’s looking forward to what could be a strong season for the unit.
‘They’re all players that have a chance to have honors after the season,’ Marrone said. ‘I just think they’re getting better and better and they feel more comfortable, obviously, than they were a year ago. We’re looking for very productive play out of those positions.’
