With Syracuse football training camp less than a month away, The Daily Orange beat writers, Chris Libonati, Jon Mettus and Matt Schneidman, will analyze one of the top 10 preseason storylines, top 10 position battles or reveal one of 10 player files each day. Check out dailyorange.com and follow along here to countdown to camp.

Position: Inside Receiver
Year: Junior
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 176

Why he’s key for SU:  The position tailor-made for Ervin Philips no longer exists. He embodied the hybrid role in Tim Lester’s offense, but Dino Babers reverted back to the traditional roles of running back and wide receiver instead of combining the two into one.

The 5-foot-11 Philips is listed as a starting wide receiver and is more than likely to be there when the season starts. His burst of speed and game-changing ability, if he stays healthy (he missed four games in 2015 due to injury), can give a revamped Orange offense what it needs to take the next step. Philips averaged 5.7 yards per carry on 41 attempts, good for 234 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

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MORE PRESEASON COVERAGE:

• Syracuse football position battle to watch, No. 8: Jonathan Thomas vs. Ted Taylor
• Syracuse football preseason storylines, No. 8: Running back depth
• Syracuse football preseason player file No. 9: Parris Bennett
• Syracuse football position battle to watch, No. 9: 2nd outside receiver
• Syracuse football preseason storylines, No. 9: How players adjust to revamped conditioning

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He also caught the second most passes for scores (five) behind Steve Ishmael, proving to be the most versatile offensive weapon in the Orange’s 2015 arsenal. This year, it’s unclear whether Philips’ will be able to showcase his range of talents both on the ground and in the air, but he’ll likely be one of Eric Dungey’s primary targets while the running backs handle the ground duties.

That might bode well for Philips, a junior, since the sophomore signal-caller has vowed to be more of a pocket passer in 2016. Steve Ishmael is the team’s primary deep threat and Brisly Estime has darted downfield more often that Philips since he played wideout last year as well, so we might see Philips in the flat or creeping into the second level more than he’s streaking downfield.

Either way, a sped-up offense figures to cater to his speed no matter where he gets the ball. He scored an average of one touchdown per game, and that was while sharing the backfield with three players who were positionally considered running backs.

This time, with a more refined duty and system tailor-made to him rather than an experimental position, look for Philips to get in the end zone at least 10 times if he can stay on the field.

Read more about Ervin Philips: 

• Syracuse’s Ervin Philips steps into newly created ‘hybrid’ role in Tim Lester’s new offense
• Shafer discusses freshman running back Philips’ involvement on special teams, offense
• Philips forcing way into backfield after hurdling versatility, academic difficulty
• Freshman running back Philips impresses in 3rd-quarter outburst
• Shafer discusses Philips’ potential as kick returner, likens freshman to sophomore Estime

Published on July 21, 2016 at 6:02 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman