It hurt so much, Damien Rhodes sat alone and cried.

Growing up in Syracuse, he had attended most SU football home games since he was 8 years old. As a player, he’d never missed a road game.

But as his teammates went on the road to Pittsburgh last year, he couldn’t be there. That nagging ankle injury kept him at home, by himself. His roommate, Perry Patterson, was with the team. Even his parents were gone, also in Pittsburgh.

Perhaps Saturday, Rhodes took a large step in easing the pain that last season caused him. The junior tailback had 192 all-purpose yards to go along with a 68-yard touchdown catch as SU defeated Cincinnati, 19-7, in front of 32,893 fans at the Carrier Dome.

‘It was tough (last year),’ Rhodes said. ‘Being out there and watching the team win, knowing you couldn’t do anything to help them win. I watched them lose, knowing I couldn’t do anything to help them win. It was a tough spot to be in.’

But Rhodes did plenty against the Bearcats (1-2). He rushed for 82 yards as part of a re-energized Syracuse running attack that victimized Cincinnati for 192 rushing yards.

Largely forgotten with the preseason hype surrounding Walter Reyes, Rhodes reminded the Carrier Dome crowd that he, too, could carry the Orange offense.

From the opening kickoff, Rhodes showed it was his day. SU (2-1) tried a little trickery as Diamond Ferri received the kickoff and handed off to Rhodes on the right side of the field. The junior swept left and darted up the sideline to the Syracuse 37-yard line.

Then, late in the first quarter and with SU’s offense struggling at its own five-yard line, Rhodes sprinted through the right side of SU’s offensive line before outrunning a slew of Bearcat defenders. Although a Patterson interception ended the drive, Rhodes’ big run clearly sparked SU’s ground game.

Though SU led for the whole game, the Bearcats closed to within 10-7 late in the third quarter. A pair of fourth-down conversions led to a two-yard touchdown pass from Gino Guidugli to Brent Celek.

But just two plays later, Patterson found his wide-open roommate for a 68-yard touchdown strike and a 17-7 lead.

Rhodes got free when the play matched him against a slower Cincinnati linebacker, who Rhodes easily beat downfield.

‘I wouldn’t want one of our linebackers to have to run 100 yards with Damien either,’ SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said.

Though Rhodes helped seal the win, he was only one half of SU’s running back combination. Walter Reyes, who rushed for a combined 92 yards in Syracuse’s first two games, finally broke out with a 117-yard effort.

Rhodes’ and Reyes’ big days can be largely credited to improved blocking. The offensive line put much of the blame on itself for Reyes’ slow start. But, as Pasqualoni pointed out leading up to the game, much of the blocking responsibility falls on receivers and tight ends as well.

On Saturday, apparently all the blocking came together, as both Rhodes and Reyes broke long runs.

‘As a whole, everyone did their job,’ Rhodes said. ‘I think the line itself did a great job blocking, and the receivers and fullbacks did a great job on the perimeter.’

For Rhodes, who says his role is to come in and provide ‘a spark,’ this marked his second straight strong performance. He led SU with 85 rushing yards last week against Buffalo. With Reyes apparently emerging from his slump against the Bearcats, the duo showed a glimpse of the problems it could cause opponents.

‘It helps our team and hurts the defense,’ Rhodes said. ‘(The defense) got tired. I think we’re the best tailback combo in the country.’

It’s a combo that showed a glimpse of promise in 2002, but was abruptly cut in half last season. But Rhodes is back. The pesky ankle injuries that held him out of eight games are in the past.

And if he continues to play like he has the past two Saturdays, he’ll be celebrating rather than crying during games this season.

‘Damien’s been able to pick up the slack,’ wide receiver Andre Fontenette said. ‘If we have people who can make plays whether they’re supposed to or not, that’s what we need – playmakers. If we keep on doing that, we’re going to be a successful team throughout the year.’

Published on September 19, 2004 at 12:00 pm