Sophomore wide receiver Kyle Foster will miss the 2012 season with a lower-body injury, Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday at Big East football media day.

The 6-foot-3, 207-pound Foster was one of 14 players who sat out the annual spring game. Foster played in seven games last season mostly on kickoff coverage, making seven tackles.

Marrone was impressed by Foster both last season and the early part of the spring. The wide receiver was expected to play a larger role in the Orange’s offense this season, but now he won’t be a factor until at least 2013.

“I’m disappointed in that because we were trying to get him involved last year in the offense, and he’s a big, talented kid,” Marrone said. “But we’re not going to be able to talk about him until next year.”

As a senior at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Mich., Foster caught 40 passes for 511 yards and scored six touchdowns. Both Rivals and Scout.com rated him a two-star recruit coming out of high school.

While Foster’s loss is disappointing for Marrone and Syracuse, the head coach said he still isn’t overly concerned considering his team’s depth.

Alec Lemon is returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him in the spring. Marcus Sales will be back with the team after missing last year due to suspension. Sophomore Jarrod West will also be ready for training camp after suffering a wrist injury in the spring.

Said Marrone: “To have someone like Alec Lemon back is big, and Sales being back helps.”

Published on August 1, 2012 at 5:43 pm