Scott Shafer looked up at the balcony overlooking the elaborate stage in the new wing of Destiny USA. To his right was the dance team and the Syracuse band. On all sides were balloons. It felt like a pep rally with a horde of SU fans standing in front of him and up above.

“What’s going on up there?” the head coach asked the fans overlooking him. “That’s what I want to be able to say in the (Carrier) Dome.”

The mere announcement of a “big announcement” Wednesday was enough to drum up support and excitement among fans at Destiny USA. SU Athletics’ announcement was three-fold. First, Shafer confirmed reports that Louisiana State would come to the Carrier Dome in 2015 as the first part of a home-and-home series.

Then came the jerseys. Then Syracuse announced a buy one, get one free ticket deal for its 2014 opener against Villanova.

The excitement peaked and a longtime jerseys rumor was confirmed when former players Charley Loeb, Jerome Smith and Marquis Spruill slipped onto the stage from behind a curtain in blue, white and gray jerseys, respectively.

The reviews from fans on social media were mixed, but lively. And about an hour later, Shafer and the three players returned to Manley Field House to show the current players the new look.

“They looked like little kids on Christmas Day,” Shafer said.

Loeb gave his No. 44 jersey to Dyshawn Davis. Spruill gave his jersey, Cameron Lynch’s No. 38, to its proper owner. Terrel Hunt came out with a white No. 10 jersey.

This new group of three donned the fresh look in front of the team, which “oohed and aahed” before swarming their three teammates at the first chance to touch the new jerseys.

“I seen Florida State’s new uniforms, then I seen Miami’s (Fla.) new uniforms and I’m like, ‘Oh, man. Their uniforms are nice,’” Davis said. “And then we saw our uniforms and were like, ‘Wow. Ours are just as good as theirs.’”

Syracuse and Nike have been working together for more than a year to overhaul the Orange’s look. Players had a say in some of the details, including unique phrases like “LOCK THE GATE” and “D.I.S.C.I.P.L.I.N.E.” on the inside of the backs of collars for the home and away jerseys, respectively.

“It says ‘LOCK THE GATE,’” Hunt said. “That’s something Coach Shafer lives by. When he tells you to trap them in there, we’re not letting them out of the Dome.”

But until Wednesday, they hadn’t seen the product of their input.

Only recruits had gotten to see the jerseys during recruiting visits, and Shafer joked that some committed on the spot when they saw them.

“This is about the kids. They’re the ones that put the uniforms on. They’re the ones that play and go through the physicality,” Shafer said. “If they’re fired up about them, then we’re fired up about them.”

Hunt, Davis and Lynch threw their unanimous support behind the gray jerseys as their favorite, but are excited to see the orange ones previewed on Cuse.com, as well. SU Athletics didn’t set an official date for those to be revealed.

Davis was pleased overall with the jerseys — the fact that players had a say helped — but he would like to see more accessories. The orange gloves are new, but the linebacker wants to see cleats that match all the different jersey styles. White ones to go with the white jerseys, gray to go with gray and so on.

But for the first time, the Orange isn’t falling behind on jerseys. Nike gave them a unique look with all their fancily named technology. They’re made of a “four-way stretch fabric,” the collars feature “Flywire” technology and the helmets are matte.

Syracuse won’t wear them in the Spring Game on Saturday, but when the season opens in August, the Orange will be part of an increasing trend in college football.

“It’s more excitement,” Lynch said. “It sparks some energy for the season. It gets us rolling. It’s good for recruiting and things like that.”

Published on April 16, 2014 at 7:32 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2