Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said tight end Beckett Wales needs to continue to work on his consistency.

“He’s aware of that,” Shafer said during his weekly press conference Thursday.

Wales didn’t catch a ball against Maryland and only has six receptions on the season for 43 yards. Redshirt freshman Josh Parris played 57 snaps against the Terrapins, bumping the former starter Wales’ down to just 17, according to The Post-Standard. Parris only caught one pass for two yards last Saturday, but has been more involved in the offense than he was at the start of the season.

Against Wake Forest, Wales and Parris each caught one pass. The move to put both Brisly Estime and Ashton Broyld on the field together has resulted in a drop in the involvement of tight ends in the offense as a whole.

Shafer said Wales is working diligently to earn back reps this Saturday against Florida State and going forward.

“I thought his approach was good this week,” Shafer said, “the way he went after it at Tuesday’s practice and yesterday’s practice.”

Shafer’s been impressed by Parris, who he said is a good athlete and a big, strong kid. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound tight end’s work ethic, coupled with his skill set, Shafer said, make him a viable option going forward.

“He’s got really nice hands,” Shafer said. “Soft hands for a big old dog.”

Published on November 14, 2013 at 10:53 am

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass