Syracuse head football coach Greg Robinson elaborated yesterday on personnel changes he alluded to Sunday.

Robinson said freshman Nick Chestnut will join freshman Bruce Williams on the depth chart at wide receiver as backups to Tim Lane and Rice Moss.

Chestnut, who was a defensive back and special teams gunner to start the season, leads SU with two receiving touchdowns on his only two receptions this season.

‘With the receiving corps, I don’t see two starters,’ Robinson said. ‘I see four starters because it’s a constant rotation. I felt like we lost Bruce Williams in the mix (vs. Connecticut) and we need to make sure that he is in the flow because Bruce has brought a consistency since day one.’

Robinson said he plans changes on the offensive line as well but would not say specifically what starter may be replaced. He is still waiting to see whether or not left tackle Kurt Falke will be available for Saturday’s game against Rutgers.

Robinson said he was pleased with the improvements made my sophomore Carroll Madison in Falke’s absence. Falke is recovering from a torn medial collateral ligament and strained mid-left foot.

Madison is listed on SU’s roster as a center and has played guard as well.

‘Carroll has played well enough to play and to continue to play,’ Robinson said. ‘With that in mind, where is he going to play? I don’t know that right now. Those are some things that are an issue. I know that the offensive line knows that there will be some changes made.’

Joe-Ko to return

Syracuse tight end Joe Kowalewski will likely return to the lineup Saturday against Rutgers, Robinson said. Kowalewski missed the last two weeks with a mild shoulder separation.

Kowalewski has the third most receptions and the third most receiving yards for the Orange this season with one touchdown. He dressed last week for SU’s game against Connecticut but did not play.

‘It wasn’t 100 percent,’ Robinson said. ‘We brought him with us because he practiced all week whereas the week before we didn’t bring him with us because he really needed to be back rehabbing. I wanted him to be in the flow of things.’

Kowalewski said he was between 70 and 80 percent Tuesday but that he was improving everyday. The hardest part of the injury was watching from the sideline during his senior year.

‘It’s still bothering me a little bit, but I think it’s time to get back out there,’ Kowalewski said. ‘It’s killing me sitting here, I gotta get out there.’

Harris out

Senior weak-side linebacker Tommy Harris will not start Saturday’s game. Robinson said Harris has been limited this week in practice because of a pulled abdominal muscle. In his place will be junior linebacker Jerry Mackey.

‘We’ve tried to rest (Harris) since Friday night but we know for sure he’s not going to be practicing,’ Robinson said. ‘I want to make sure we get that going and we’re going to have to get Luke Cain to back up Jerry right now.’

Mackey started at middle linebacker last season but lost his job when Kelvin Smith moved to the middle and Mackey had offseason shoulder surgery. Mackey led SU with 106 tackles in 2004.

This and that…

The review process has begun at Florida Atlantic for a domed stadium in the spirit of SU’s Carrier Dome on the Boca Raton campus. … Syracuse has won nine straight games against Rutgers at home. … SU defensive end Ryan LaCasse is tied for fourth in the nation with 1.2 sacks per game. … The Kansas City Star reported that Kansas City Chiefs and former Syracuse offensive lineman Kevin Sampson, hospitalized on Friday prior to the SU-UConn game due to dizziness and shortness of breath, was excepted to released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Published on October 11, 2005 at 12:00 pm