This season has supplied plenty of frustration for Delone Carter.

First, there was Syracuse’s three-man running back rotation, which forced Carter to cede a bulk of the carries to Curtis Brinkley and Doug Hogue the first two weeks. Carter carried 19 times in those contests.

Then, there was Carter’s pulled hamstring, suffered in the first quarter of Syracuse blowout loss to Penn State. This, three games into what was supposed to be Carter’s redeem season, after a dislocated hip cost Carter all of last year.

‘I already know from my hip injury that it’s always something,’ Carter said. ‘…I’ve never had a hamstring injury before, so I don’t know (what to expect).’

Two games and a bye week later, the seemingly sideline-bound sophomore will likely play Saturday, when Syracuse travels to West Virginia. Carter admitted he still isn’t 100 percent, but said he’s ‘been doing everything’ in practice in hopes of picking up some of the momentum he built early this season.

‘I believe he is,’ head coach Greg Robinson said when asked if Carter would be ready to play. ‘I’ll see him at practice today. He practiced on Sunday, and I thought he did a good job.’

Producing hasn’t been a problem for Carter when he gets the ball. The Ohio native has averaged 6.6 yards per carry this season, including a 77-yard, second-half performance week two against Akron.

The problem, of course, has been getting Carter on the field.

The tailback’s persistent health problems have played a role in that. So has Syracuse’s stacked backfield. Brinkley especially has sparkled in his senior season. He’s run for more than 100 yards in three of the last four games. ‘He has gotten a chance to get in a rhythm,’ Carter said. ‘I’d say this is the best I’ve seen him.’

Carter’s return presents a challenge for the Orange coaching staff, which once again has to appease three tailbacks (Robinson said Hogue, who hurt his ankle against Pittsburgh, is healthy). Carter expressed discontent after carrying six times against Northwestern. The next week vs. Akron, Carter didn’t play until the second half.

Robinson wouldn’t reveal Tuesday whether Syracuse would return to its three-back system. ‘I don’t know,’ Robinson said. ‘I don’t know that.’

Regardless, establishing the run will be vital against West Virginia’s spread offense, led by quarterback Pat White. Syracuse will need to run the ball and control the clock in order to keep the Mountaineers on the sidelines. The Orange wasn’t able to do that against Pittsburgh, when it was dominated in time of possession by a nearly two-to-one margin.

‘Curtis and Doug have done a great job, but we know Delone is that different kind of back,’ said junior quarterback Cameron Dantley.

It remains a mystery just how well Carter’s ailing hamstrings will respond. Hamstring injuries in particular can linger and nag. Carter would prefer not to contemplate that scenario.

‘I don’t want to think that it’s going to be that way, because if I think that, that’s probably how’s it’s going to be,’ Carter said. ‘So I just try to stay positive.’

Positive for Syracuse would be seeing Carter carve out a consistent presence in the Orange backfield the rest of the season. In the short run? A touchdown or two Saturday wouldn’t hurt. The sophomore hasn’t found the endzone since he did it four times in a double-overtime victory over Wyoming Sept. 30, 2006.

Said Carter: ‘I don’t expect to go home from West Virginia without one.’

Williams speaks out

Saturday will be senior safety Bruce Williams’ fourth and final shot at West Virginia. Considering the Mountaineers scuffles this year, it also might be SU’s best chance for an upset. Williams certainly was talking like it.

‘Yeah, clearly they’re beatable,’ Williams said. ‘They’re not even ranked in the Top 25.’

Indeed, West Virginia’s vaunted spread offense has looked more pedestrian this year. The Mountaineers have averaged 23.2 points per game (they scored three in a loss to East Carolina). Still, early betting lines have Syracuse rated around a 24-point underdog, something Williams said he paid no attention to.

‘Colorado beat West Virginia, and they were supposed to lose by a couple touchdowns,’ Williams said. ‘So I don’t pay attention to that and we believe we’re going to go out there and win.’

Shadle goes home

Saturday will be a homecoming for SU senior kicker Pat Shadle, a Morgantown, W.Va., native.

The Mountaineer faithful are known as some of the most fanatical fans in college football, and are quick to hassle opposing players. Shadle hasn’t been immune to the abuse in the past.

‘All the comments were about being big and being heavy, and I don’t fit into that category anymore,’ quipped Shadle, who lost around 35 pounds in the offseason. ‘So I’m looking forward to going down there and avoiding that.’

jsclayto@syr.edu

Published on October 7, 2008 at 12:00 pm