Syracuse starting quarterback Andrew Robinson has a cracked left rib that could force him to miss Saturday’s game against South Florida.

The extent of the injury was revealed during an MRI Monday. Robinson was removed from last Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh at halftime because of what was then described as a back muscle injury.

Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson would make no determination Tuesday if Andrew would be able to start Saturday’s game against South Florida (noon, TW 26). Instead, he will be revaluated on a day-to-day basis.

‘It’s really a matter of just working to see where we are with Andrew as the week progresses,’ Greg Robinson said. ‘I want to see what he’s comfortable with. That’s what the name of the game is.’

Andrew Robinson said after the game Saturday he thought the injury occurred in the weight room last Monday, but now acknowledges that it may have first happened from a hit in either the Rutgers or Buffalo game.

Robinson said the injury hurts him whenever he tries moving his left (non-throwing) arm. That includes follow-throughs, dropping back to pass and whenever he runs the ball.

‘It’s always frustrating when you have an injury like this, it being like a nagging injury that you just want it to heal and just be 100 percent,’ Robinson said. ‘Obviously, an injury like this takes time and rest. I wouldn’t say that I’m the most patient person in the world when it comes to getting back on the field and being competitive.

‘The No. 1 thing I have to do is just be smart about it and not try to push it too hard too fast, or else I could be out even longer than I have to be.’

Robinson was 4-for-9 for 46 yards during the first half at Pitt. His backup, Cameron Dantley, nearly led Syracuse back with a 15-of-28, 189-yard and two-touchdown performance.

Robinson said Tuesday he felt ‘decent,’ or at least better than he did after the Saturday’s game. It’s too early to tell, he said, whether doctors will let him wear a flak jacket or any other padding to protect the ribs.

‘We can pad it, but it’s still a matter of comfort and how much pain goes along with it and how that affects the way that you play,’ Robinson said. ‘We haven’t really put a timetable on it. It could be a couple of days. …It could be longer than that.’

The only other two quarterbacks on the roster are true freshmen Cody Catalina and David Legree, both of whom could redshirt this season if they do not appear in a game. When asked whether he would consider using the freshmen or former quarterback Joe Fields in an emergency situation, Greg Robinson said ‘all of the above.’

Fields laughed when asked if he could potentially play at quarterback, a position he hasn’t seen action at since Nov. 12, 2005, against USF.

‘I think Coach is messing with you,’ Fields said to a group of media members. ‘… I don’t see that happening.’

Meanwhile, Andrew Robinson will continue to rest – really, the only treatment for his injury. It’s something he’s never had to deal with before.

Said Robinson: ‘I never missed a game or a practice in my entire life, so this is something a little bit foreign to me.’

Constant reminder

As Mike Williams sat down in front of four TV cameras and a handful of reporters, his cell phone rang.

‘It’s my mom,’ he said, sheepishly.

Everyone laughed. But then Williams, who broke the Syracuse school record with his sixth game in a row catching a touchdown pass, kept talking about his mom.

That’s because she keeps calling him.

‘My mom talks about it every day,’ Williams said. ‘She knew who had the record before.’

Those players were Marvin Harrison, Tommy Kane and Rob Moore, who all previously held the mark. Williams caught the record-breaking touchdown with 1:46 left in the game to put Syracuse within three against Pitt.

Williams caught eight balls for 81 yards. His longest catch was for a mere 16 yards, which Williams says is a sign that teams are starting to realize his talent and big-play capabilities.

‘I started noticing other teams (preparing for me) because Pittsburgh corners, they press a lot of people. They weren’t pressing me in the game. They were off me the whole game,’ Williams said. ‘So the coach said, ‘They’re scared of you, so we’re going to start working you on shorter routes now.”

It’s possible that Williams’ season will not end after Syracuse’s final game. The sophomore said he plans to walk onto the basketball team – an idea he has tossed around for a while. Syracuse men’s basketball assistant coach Mike Hopkins told Williams his future was in the NFL and that he should consider not playing basketball, but Monday, Williams heard another perspective.

‘(SU head coach Jim) Boeheim told me yesterday, ‘Do what I want to do.’ I came to a conclusion to myself I wasn’t going to play and then talking to Boeheim (Monday), he told me he wanted me out there, so that makes you want to play,’ Williams said. ‘So that’s what I’m going to do, if I can get my grades better.’

Published on November 6, 2007 at 12:00 pm