MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — There was one condition when Scott Shafer and the Syracuse coaching staff decided to put freshman Ervin Philips in the back of the kick-return unit.

The Orange would still have to work Philips into the offense. After the running back returned a kick in the first quarter against Central Michigan on Saturday, he reappeared in an offensive package that allowed him to not just stay on the field, but lead Syracuse to a touchdown.

“We try and put packages together for them and whoever gets hot we stay with that package,” offensive coordinator George McDonald said of the five SU running backs who carried the ball in the game.

“(Philips) got in there, he probably played less than 20 plays, but he got in there in his package and he really did a nice job maximizing his opportunities.”

Philips carried the ball seven times for 50 yards in a 15-play touchdown drive in the third quarter of Syracuse’s (2-0) 40-3 win over Central Michigan (2-1) at Kelly/Shorts Stadium Saturday. Senior Adonis Ameen-Moore led SU with 106 yards on nine carries, but it was the freshman who danced around the Chippewas’ defense, illustrating the true depth of the Orange backfield.

With SU’s fast-paced attack forcing CMU’s hand for two quarters and change, Philips’ speed and shiftiness proved too much for a tired defense to handle. That kind of “closer” role is usually reserved for a power possession-savvy back, but the Orange may have one with a slightly fleeter foot.

“He’s a scat back and you know he can drop his feet in the grass and come out of it really fast,” Shafer said of Philips. “I think the offense was afraid I was going to move him to corner if he didn’t get the opportunity to run the ball. That’s a joke.”

Before Philips entered the game, most of Syracuse’s rushing success came from quarterback Terrel Hunt. Then Philips carried on the first four plays of the Orange’s third third-quarter possession, collecting 1, 9, 12 and 4 yards, respectively.

Shafer has been discussing the freshman class’ talent since the start of camp and Philips’ has been ingrained in the front of that conversation. Even with two seniors and two juniors seemingly ahead of him, Shafer has continually said that Philips’ playmaking ability will get him on the field.

Saturday was his first real chance to either hedge expectations or live up to them, and he accomplished the latter.

“They told me that the time is going to come, when the opportunity presents itself you have to go get it,” Philips said. “So when I got in there I just tried to do the best I could and what the coaches told me.”

After a 12-yard rush by Philips brought Syracuse to the Central Michigan 10-yard line, Philips ran 9 yards before he was wrapped up from behind. He reached the football out just short of the end zone and Hunt ran the ball in on the next play to give the Orange a 26-3 lead.

It seemed like Philips had earned the last carry of the drive, but the freshman will have to wait at least one more week for his first career score.

“Man, that was heartbreaking,” Philips said. “I thought I was in but it’s all right, we scored on that drive.”

Published on September 15, 2014 at 12:10 am

Contact Jesse: jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse