At least now there’s some sort of timeline for the return of a key piece of Syracuse’s offensive puzzle, even if it is a little vague.
Earlier this week, head coach Scott Shafer confirmed that starting tight end Josh Parris will be sidelined for a period of 2-4 weeks. Parris underwent surgery Wednesday to repair what was only described as a lower-body injury.
At bare minimum, Parris will miss the opener against Villanova (Aug. 29). The earliest Parris will return is the next game against Central Michigan (Sept. 13), although that falls within the long end of the timeline. The Sept. 20 game against Maryland would appear to be a safe bet for a return if he hasn’t already.
Parris caught 13 passes for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2013. The 6-2, 252-pound redshirt sophomore would’ve entered the 2014 season as the Orange’s starting tight end.
Instead, some combination of sophomore Kendall Moore, freshman Jamal Custis and redshirt freshman Tyler Provo will attempt to hold down the job during Parris’ absence.