Several players who signed with the Syracuse football team yesterday, National Letter of Intent Signing Day, could soon become household names.

But the most well-known recruit for Central New Yorkers right now is one Syracuse didn’t get.

Mike Hart of Onondaga High School signed with Michigan, making official what had been known for months: that Syracuse would miss out on the best recruit New York had to offer.

Hart broke the national high school touchdown record, scoring 209 times in his high school career. He also finished his career with more rushing yards than any other running back in New York history. And he’s taking those records out of SU’s backyard.

But it’s not because the Orangemen didn’t try.

‘I would say this about that recruiting process: We were the ones that evaluated (Hart) first,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘We were the ones that offered him first and probably didn’t hurt his recruiting. I’ll put it like that. We didn’t hurt his recruiting.’

Syracuse also lost out on six other in-state recruits rated higher than its top New York recruit. Four signed with Penn State.

‘Anytime that happens, you don’t feel good about it,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘It’s something that we’re continually talking about it. Personally, I feel that I have to do a better job of somehow convincing those kids that Syracuse is the state school. Syracuse is not the state school, but we have to get in the mood that Syracuse is the state school. But that’s something that’s gone on for a long time. Kids in the state of New York have always liked Penn State.’

Despite its shortcomings, Syracuse landed eight recruits from New York, more than any other state. Pasqualoni seemed most excited about Corey Chavers, a 6-foot-5, 247-pound offensive tackle from Jamesville. Tom Ferron, a tight end from Clyde and the No. 7 prospect in the state, according to SuperPrep, is SU’s top-rated New Yorker.

Pasqualoni is already trying to make sure there will be more in-state products on next year’s Signing Day. Syracuse has already made three offers to high schoolers in the New York City area, Pasqualoni said.

For Pasqualoni, securing players from New York isn’t only a matter of quality, it’s a matter of pride.

‘If you could have a roster of New York state kids,’ Pasqualoni said, ‘and play all these teams that we’re going to play, it adds to football in the state of New York and I think it helps football in the state of New York.’

Published on February 4, 2004 at 12:00 pm