H-backs Ashton Broyld and Brisly Estime have practiced this week and will be available for Syracuse’s game at Clemson on Saturday at 7 p.m., head coach Scott Shafer said during his weekly Thursday morning press conference.

Estime, a sophomore, has been battling an ankle injury and missed the Orange’s last three games. He had been posting on social media that he’d returned to the practice field.

“I’m mad at Brisly. Come on, Brisly. Don’t be posting all that,” Shafer said lightheartedly.

Broyld, a junior, is set to rejoin the Orange for the first time since SU’s home loss to Maryland on Sept. 20. Broyld left that game with what appeared to be a knee injury and was sidelined for the last four games.

Estime and Broyld restock a receiving group that didn’t have junior Ben Lewis in a 30-7 win at Wake Forest last weekend. As freshman Steve Ishmael emerges as one of AJ Long’s favorite targets and Jarrod West maintains his status as a serviceable deep threat, regaining Estime and Broyld in the same weekend gives the Orange another dimension in the passing game.

“With some of the other guys, we have some questionables and probables,” Shafer said. “We still need a couple days to see if they’re really ready to play and how they do. We got a couple guys back. Not as many as I want, but I’m excited that Brisly’s excited to be playing as well.”

After Shafer joked with a reporter for often asking injury questions, the reporter said, “They’re important guys to have back, right?”

“Tell me about it,” Shafer responded. “My livelihood depends on it.”

Published on October 23, 2014 at 11:19 am

Contact Phil: pmdabbra@syr.edu | @PhilDAbb