Syracuse football head coach Greg Robinson will stay with the spark.

On Tuesday, he announced SU will stick with Joe Fields as the Orange’s starting quarterback when it faces South Florida on Saturday. To a smaller-than-usual press gathering, Robinson explained he will keep the quarterback rotation but that Fields did enough against Cincinnati on Oct. 29 to keep the starting role.

‘Both quarterbacks did a good job and competed well,’ Robinson said. ‘I thought that it looked good and quite frankly; I think that Joe has worked hard all season and he sat back in less of a role. I thought it was fair to let him have a chance to get into the fray. I say let’s continue doing it.’

Fields shared time with Perry Patterson before hurting his right hand in the fourth quarter of SU’s 22-16 loss to the Bearcats. Fields completed 5-of-9 passes and quarterbacked two of the Orange’s three scoring drives.

‘Joe played better because I think he was more involved than he has been in the past,’ Robinson said.

Patterson was 7-for-9 for 154 yards against Cincinnati. He drove the Orange 51 yards in its final drive before stalling and he found running back Damien Rhodes for SU’s other touchdown, a 70-yard screen in the second quarter.

Neither quarterback threw an interception in the game.

‘In basketball, they say it isn’t who starts, it’s who finishes. I don’t know, that sounds like a pretty good little clich,’ Robinson said. ‘So, my feeling is that both of them available and playing with us is a good thing.’

Jackson on track

Robinson said cornerback Tanard Jackson practiced Sunday and will likely be back against the Bulls. Robinson said the junior slightly dislocated his left shoulder in the first quarter of the Cincinnati game.

Robinson did not elaborate on what kind of role Jackson will play against South Florida. Junior Marcus Clayton replaced him against the Bearcats.

‘We haven’t gotten to that,’ Robinson said. ‘It’s really more of just watching the rest of the week and seeing how he’s doing.’

Clayton shared the team lead with 10 tackles against the Bearcats.

Bulls on the run

Robinson was complimentary of the Bulls offense, led by senior running back Andre Hall. Robinson said USF possesses the best offensive line the Orange has seen this season.

‘On a little 5-yard slant pass against Pittsburgh, (Hall) took it 70 yards for a touchdown, outran their whole defense,’ Robinson said. ‘Not only is he a 205-pound back that’s very durable and tough, but he’s got excellent speed as well.’

Robinson said he was not surprised by the Bulls, who were picked last in the Big East conference at the start of the season.

‘Back in August, when people were telling me what this was picked and that was picked, I told you, ‘Hey, I’m not a prognosticator,” Robinson said. ‘All I know is this, (from) what I see on film, they’re a good football team.’

This and that …

SU running back Curtis Brinkley went home to see his father, who is sick with cancer, over the weekend. He was supposed to return to the Orange on Tuesday. … Robinson said there may be a change in punt returners. Though he wouldn’t specify, freshman Bruce Williams is a candidate, he said.

Published on November 8, 2005 at 12:00 pm