Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said linebacker Dyshawn Davis continued treatment on his ankle early Wednesday morning. Davis practiced on Tuesday and Shafer said he “ran around pretty good.”

“He’s done a nice job staying up on the treatment,” Shafer said.

Davis suffered a high right ankle sprain in the first half of Syracuse’s win over North Carolina State. He didn’t return to that game and missed the following week’s 56-0 loss at Georgia Tech.

If he plays, Davis will likely make life more difficult for Wake Forest’s offense. Demon Deacon head coach Jim Grobe said the Syracuse defense likes to blitz frequently, which may create problems for Wake Forest’s pass-heavy offense.

“They give you problems from a defensive standpoint,” Grobe said. “They pressure you from a lot of different areas.”

Grobe said Syracuse likes to mix up its coverages. Against Georgia Tech, the Orange played in a 3-4 defense, starting Marqez Hodge. Hodge finished with 12 tackles in his first career start. With defensive tackle John Raymon out for the season, Zian Jones will likely see more time for the Orange.

Having Davis back would be crucial for SU as it looks to exploit and fluster Wake Forest. Davis is a critical component of the blitzing scheme. He has 16 solo tackles, 2.5 for a loss, on the season.

Everything Shafer has said has hinted at the fact that Davis will play Saturday.

Said Shafer: “We’re ramping him up each day and looking forward to getting him back on the field.”

Published on October 31, 2013 at 1:19 am

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass