A brief recap of all the wild things that happened in Syracuse sports this year: A grad transfer to SU became one of college football’s best receivers, a local men’s basketball legend concluded a complicated career, a men’s lacrosse junior transferred to Syracuse just to be closer to his son, a new football coach installed his famous offense and the head coach designate, one year away from supposedly taking the reigns of the men’s basketball program from Jim Boeheim, abruptly departed.

The Daily Orange has in-depth explanations for all of those stories and more. Also below: How Syracuse’s best-ever faceoff man arrived from Minnesota, why Little Moe wants to be nothing like Big Moe, what happened with high school phenom Faith Cain’s arm, a column on a newly contract-extended Jim Boeheim getting exactly what he wanted and a breakdown of baseball’s still-doubtful return to the Hill.

Now that school no longer stands in the way of your education, here’s a summer reading list of our favorite stories from the 2016-17 school year.

Father’s time: After 2 years at Denver, Brendan Bomberry realized he had to be closer to his son

By Paul Schwedelson | Senior Staff Writer

More info: One of Syracuse’s best weapons this year arrived as a junior transfer from Denver in the fall, but the reason he came to SU had nothing to do with sports. After nearly a year-and-a-half grappling with his responsibility, Brendan Bomberry moved back East to be closer with Jagger, his now-2-year-old son. Paul Schwedelson and Ally Moreo traveled with Bomberry home to Ohsweken, Ontario, after the fall semester to see the father and son reunite.

Power move: Inside Mike Hopkins departure from the only school he ever knew

By Matt Schneidman & Sam Fortier | The Daily Orange

More info: Mike Hopkins, the head coach designate, seemingly a year away from the job he’d always wanted, that he’d spent 28 years at SU as an assistant learning to do, suddenly left for the University of Washington on March 18. The Daily Orange takes you inside why he decided to ditch the plan, with reporting from Sam Fortier and Matt Schneidman, who flew to Seattle for a sit-down with Hopkins after his UW introductory press conference.

Keep the Faith: Faith Cain lost her ability to throw and a scholarship to the yips. Now, she plays first base at Syracuse.

By Matt Liberman | Staff Writer

More info: One of the best high school softball pitchers in Nebraska history lost her free ride to her dream university when she suddenly stopped being able to throw. And no one could figure out why Faith Cain’s arm simply stopped working. Matt Liberman takes you on Cain’s journey from spurned Cornhusker recruit to junior college to the practice fields where she tried to make herself a pitcher again every day, and finally to Syracuse.

Babers Offense Series

The Daily Orange Sports Staff

More info: Dino Babers does not like to take things slow. The former Baylor coach brought the Texas run-and-gun offense to the Carrier Dome, always building Syracuse’s image as faster, faster, faster. Paul Schwedelson and Chris Libonati showed readers how this offense has treated others programs that tried it, quarterbacks who played in it trying to make the NFL, and how run-pass options key the entire thing.

As he says: Moe Neal Jr. driven by his father’s mistakes

By Jon Mettus | Senior Staff Writer

More info: Big Moe and Little Moe, neither of whom are actually named Moe, are the inseparable father-and-son duo determined to be together as much as they can, yet nothing like each other at all. Moe Neal Sr. threw his own life away and now he lives through his son, Moe Neal Jr. Jon Mettus illustrates how Little Moe finds himself driven by his father’s mistakes.

Dream catcher: Amba Etta-Tawo extended his football career while the ones around him ended

By Chris Libonati | Senior Staff Writer

More info: Amba Etta-Tawo flourished in his football career while the ones around him ended. His brother suffered from a career-ending heart condition and a friend died after his mother’s ex-boyfriend shot him. Etta-Tawo never reached his potential in four years at Maryland, and Chris Libonati explains how each of those challenges developed Etta-Tawo into one of the best receivers in the country for Syracuse.

Grossman: Jim Boeheim now has exactly what he wants

By Connor Grossman | Senior Staff Writer

More info: After the NCAA sanctions in 2015, SU sent out an email indicating that long-time head coach Jim Boeheim would retire after the 2017-18 season. Boeheim felt boxed in by that email. He had, after all, criticized the Chancellor for sending it. So, after his named successor, Mike Hopkins, left for the University of Washington and ensured Boeheim would stick around, Connor Grossman argues that Boeheim had everything he wanted.

Minnesota made: Ben Williams fought out of an area not known for lacrosse and into an integral role at the center of the sport

By Sam Fortier | Sports Editor

More info: Lacrosse is growing, and perhaps nowhere does that expansion show up more clearly than in Syracuse’s all-time leader in faceoffs and ground balls. Ben Williams transferred to SU from Holy Cross, his only Division I offer out of high school, because recruiters didn’t often look to Minnesota to find lacrosse talent. Williams often searched Division I rosters, looking for Minnesotans who had made it. Sam Fortier shows you how he became one himself.

Dajuan Coleman’s career comes full circle after Carrier Dome sendoff

By Paul Schwedelson | Senior Staff Writer

More info: The former McDonald’s All-American never fully reached his potential, but Dajuan Coleman isn’t disappointed in how his career panned out. “You put Dajuan anywhere, he’s going to survive,” a friend said. “You put him in the jungle, he’s going to come out with a fur coat.” Paul Schwedelson brings you into the Carrier Dome for the local hero’s final moments wearing an Orange jersey after a complicated career.

Despite rich history, Syracuse baseball is unlikely in near future

By Matthew Gutierrez | Asst. Sports Editor

More info: If you want Syracuse to bring its baseball team back, Matthew Gutierrez has bad news. SU’s first intercollegiate sport ended quickly, 11 years after a third-place finish in the College World Series, and the outlook to bring it back has been bleak ever since. Director of Athletics John Wildhack put it this way: Only when football reaches national relevancy will Syracuse even begin to consider the feasibility of adding sports, baseball included.

Published on June 3, 2017 at 1:01 am