The Fizz caught up with¬†Philadelphia ILB Zaire Franklin and he‚Äôs excited to make his way up to Syracuse in the ’14 class. Franklin pledged SU about two weeks ago now. As each SU recruit gets plucked, the players‚Äô commitments go hand in hand with one another and a family has started to form. Through the power of social media this class is rapidly unifying via retweets and multiple mentions between Orange Nation and the players themselves.
QB commit AJ Long has helped ignite this Twitter frenzy, and has gotten some help from Franklin. The 3-star LB was a victim of Long’s Twitter powers, and has jumped on the bandwagon:
“Before I committed, he did one to me and KJ. To be honest, I probably had Syracuse as my favorite a month before I committed. But before I had Syracuse up there, add all the love on Twitter and some of the fans are hilarious. AJ and I reach out to guys all the time. I go after guys in Jersey, PA, and Maryland. The talks between AJ and I are a couple of times a week. After we’ve talked with a player, and one of us thinks we have a good chance at him, we tell each other to get fans to go blow up his Twitter page.”
This is just remarkable. The multitude of ways Twitter can be used on the recruiting front is huge. Perhaps high school recruiting has entered a completely new art form. Long is pushing for his cousin KJ Williams to go Orange, the battle has narrowed down to Syracuse and Michigan. Nassau OL Chad Mavety could land on the Hill by way of the Twitter as well. As for Franklin, the Twitter attention served as the cherry on top to his Orange decision. He’s felt welcomed and respected by the Syracuse fan base without even playing a down yet. As gifted as a player he is, Zaire says his sport of choice was actually a low priority when choosing SU:
“Football was actually one of the last things that had to do with my decision. Football is the easy part. It’s easy to decide what conference you want to play in or what defensive schemes are good. The real decision was whether I wanted to school there, and Syracuse was the one for me.”
Prioritizing school over sport is something we rarely see with high school students. At the end of the day, Franklin understands you’re committing to a school and not a team. His maturity as a high school junior is eye-popping and deserves a lot of respect. Even with the SU coaching staff, Zaire has been able to have regular conversation. He’s pumped to get to call these guys his coaches and get to work with them more closely:
“The coach I’ve probably talked to most is Coach Lea, the linebackers coach. He’s a great dude. We could talk on the phone anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes. Literally not even half of it would be about football, anything from things going on with or things about Syracuse, even his life’s travels and things he’s been going through. Coach Shafer’s my man. I love Coach Shafer. He’s hilarious. Every time I talk to him he’s telling me how when someone (an opposing team) comes to the Dome, we’re going to kick their ass. The coaches overall are just great.”
The excitement that’s built from this up and coming class starts with the coaching staff. Franklin says he loves OC George McDonald. Obviously players slowly start from the bottom up with particular coaches who have recruited them, but most of the staff has got in on individual recruits. Zaire understands SU may not be competing in the most powerful football conference next season, but is aware of the opportunity:
“Let’s be honest, the SEC is probably the best conference in the country, but other than that there’s no other conference that is better than the ACC. I mean from top to bottom, now with Syracuse and Pittsburgh. The ACC is also very dedicated to academics. Look at North Carolina and Virginia. Also playing in the ACC you get to play Florida State, Clemson, and Miami.”
When you‚Äôre slated to play the best, you have to play your best. Franklin intends to make an immediate impact as part of the linebacking core in ’14. He says it doesn‚Äôt matter how much experience one has over the other, it‚Äôs about getting out there and proving himself.
“At the end of the day, it’s either you’re good or you’re not. The best players play. I feel like most coaches have that mentality. Sophomores and freshmen are killing it because they’re the better players. I’m not afraid of competition because if you’re good enough and put in the hard work, you’ll get the recognition that you deserve and everything will turn out for the best. If I start out as a role player, it’s not the end of the world.”
Franklin could have another young linebacker by his side in Colton Moskal, who committed to SU this weekend. Turns out, Zaire and Colton envisioned a SU bond:
“I was actually trying to get Colton to commit before me. I met him at the spring game. He’s a very good player. He got some big time offers, but we always kept in contact about Syracuse being at the top. It felt good to know I have someone I know already in the linebacker core. It means a lot to me.”
Franklin and Moskal begin the list of defensive players devoted to Syracuse. Judging by his mindset and will to succeed in everything he does, Zaire has a bright future.
Posted: Brendan Glasheen
129 responses to “Syracuse Commit Zaire Franklin Discusses the Influential Orange Twitter Mafia”
Ron and Russ and others!! Just let this site be itself. Fans need to say their mind. When they are labeled they feel chastised and rightly so. So just don’t imply on this site some that some know and some don’t know.
Russ give me 5 3 star to 5 2 star and I’ll take the gamble. There are plenty more across this nation that are 3 star and higher playing in the NFL next year to a few 2 star or NR. I’ll take the gamble on the higher star and you would to 90% of the time!!
NYS has a limited # of star players!! To lose them is one thing. To not be in the running for them is another thing!! Something for the 100th time smells here!! It really started with dougie!!
Cooper story is interesting to. HCSS and staff had to know he had a grade issue. This will slow down any progress SU has made. If he can’t come don’t sign him. These are the kind of issues that have to be cut out of the program!!
Terry,Im sorry if I came off that way but really none of us knows all we need with out the others!Everyone’s knowledge or view makes Fizz what it is and yours is better than most cause of your longtime following and obvious love of Cuse athletics!But that being said your right I’d rather have the 3* than the lesser rated guy cause the odds are better he’ll pan out!!I wish someone would expose the downstate and NJ area problem with our university too but no one seems to want to expose the issue?I’ve asked Fizz to look into it several times to no avail??
I agree with you on Cooper too!What good will signing someone who isn’t eligible?We could sign some one who can help now!!
Ron,Terry sometimes a little humor or even sarcasm is necessary to lighten the mood but some of us think its an affront or attack on their intelligence or fandom but levity’s not a bad thing as Dipper can attest too!Everyone’s opinions are listened to and respected here!That’s why I don’t like SU fan . *** cause guys like Calicuse and Townie think they are the Kings of Cuse?!?!Fall in line or fall out?I have nothing to learn there except who commited and when!
i thought it ridiculous when I read that USC had offered a kid in 7th grade a scholarship,and when another school maybe UCLA did the same thing,I wondered what the hell swas going on.
Well lo and behold Syracuse has done the same thing. After this kid finished camp Scott Shafer offered quarterback Kasim Hilled a scholarship to the class of 2017. If i’m reading this right the kid will be in the 8th grade this fall playing varsity football at his school. The kid is 6’2″ and already 180 lbs.
When is all the foolishness going to end? Someone ought to tell these coaches that they can’t recruit a player that young and please let them be kids,so that they might enjoy some of the time that they will spend with their friends.
Its that frigging whole moon tonite that’s making me crazy!! Let me howl!! AROOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Ron,RU is down to 7 or 8 scholly’s!!They turned down some 6’6″ 210 WR who tried to commit yesterday and asked him to wait awhile to see how the numbers shake out?Some kid from the Philly area named Curtis I think?I guess there trying to get Canteen or Winfree?Canteen was close to committing but Mich and Tenn jumped in with late offers!And the beat goes on in this crazy recruiting game!When the heck is KJ gonna give his verbal?
Also I think TE/WR jersey guy Mike Gesicki has it down to RU and 2 others..also 6’5″ 215 and hoops star too!Southern Regional in Manasquan N.J….I think Curtis goes to Neumann-Goretti HS in Pa!?!?
Ron,these VERY EARLY OFFERS are INSANE and I don’t like em!!Let them go play with their friends and camp out in the woods and learn about the birds and bee’s!It should be outlawed to offer anyone not going into their senior HS(11/12th grade) class!
Guys Terry,unfortunately it looks according to 247 sports SU that Matt Domer RB is a heavy lean to Illinois U in the B1G?@Matt Herr OT Elkton,Md heavy RU lean and soon to commit!Check out the (247) site guys for info on all stuff SU recruiting for free!
@Russell MacEachern;
I think,(3*) 6’3″ 200 lb WR Jamal Custis out of St John Neumann HS Philadelphia PA,is the kid your talking about.
@Russell MacEachern;
This kid or should I say manchild is already 6’2″ and already 180 lbs. and is attending football camps across the country and only in the 8th grade. Maybe or,I should say,I know,he’s already outgrown his childhood friends. I still think it’s way too early though.
@Russell MacEachern;
A 6-foot-1, 180-pound rising sophomore from Peterborough, Ontario, Patrice Rene is on the summer camp circuit in the United States and starting to earn recognition. Coach Shafer offered Patice a scholarship after camp was finished.
This kid has 3 more years of high school ball left to play,should be a good catch if he decides on Syracuse.
Still think it’s way to early to start recruiting players in the 7th and 8th grades. I guess if you want to stay on top of the recruiting game,going after recruits for classes that far out, is something that has to be done.
I don’t know if Patrice Rene was a freshman and is becoming a sophomore,or already a sophomore becoming a junior this year. I guess I should have said,way to early to start recruiting players in the 7th,8th and 9th grades,in my previous post.
Ron,How many girls did we fall for when we were that age?But I guess we gotta offer or the opposition will?Don’t mean I like it tho…were in a whole new world Ron!At least we have each other who remembers the great old days or they’d be gone forever!!@Ron,again I couldn’t log in last night with “database error”?Your right his name is Custis and now I see he’s looking to maybe come here??Great cause I like his size!
Ron,I see Custis is listed between 6’4″ and 6’6″?Can you confirm?He’d be a steal for us and maybe we could piss off RU at the same time?Ha ha..If they (RU)don’t get Canteen they’ll be pissed!!
@Russell MacEachern;
Russell,Scout.com has Custis listed as 6’3″ 200 lbs.,good size for a reciever. I sure would like to see hin orange.
I just finished reading about two more recruits WR Adonis Jennings and CB Justice Davila out of Timber Lake HS Sicklerville NJ.
Got any information to share with the rest of us on these players? What part of the state is Sicklerville located in?
I don’t like recruiting the younger kids Russell and I’ve come to realize it’s something that has to be done. They want to be recognized and a scholarship offered. For some I realize it’s a necessary evil and I know by doing so it puts a lot of pressure on the kids to succeed. They all know what the end game is,and all of them want a piece of the pie.
Can’t blame them for wanting something good.
Cooper story is interesting to. HCSS and staff had to know he had a grade issue. This will slow down any progress SU has made. If he can’t come don’t sign him. These are the kind of issues that have to be cut out of the program!!
We have privacy laws protecting all high school and College students. For anyone who thinks just because a student gets offered a scholarship,that a coach from the university that offers can walk into any school in America and demand to see that students grades is in my opinion,foolish and doesn’t know about the laws protecting the rights of the students.
Cooper is going to prep school for the fall semister and will get enrolled at Syracuse in time for spring practice in 2014. I think he had good enough grades during the school year but missed a couple of questions on the SAT & ACT tests, that is all that is keeping him from enrolling in the fall of 2013.
The coach of any college wouldn’t get that information until after a recruit had taken the test. We need to get real here people,for anyone to imply,rules should be ignored/broken in order to get a recruit,needs to have their head examined.
I don’t know much about Davila but Adonis Jennings is a close friend of RU freshman 4* LB(last year) All State Quanzell Lambert and Sicklerville is in S.Jersey near Philly!I know we offered him today but he’s already narrowed it down to a couple schools I think!They do put out a couple of top recruits in Jersey every year tho so offering their kids is good business for the future!ESPN has Jennings in there top 150 but others has him a high 3* star?Who knows till he produces how good he really is?
I just finished reading an article on what the future of Syracuse Football will be in the ACC. The first thing that came to mind Russell was your prediction of them having a 6-6 overall record for 2013.
“Syracuse will be in the Atlantic division along with Boston College, Florida State, Clemson, Wake Forest, North Carolina State and (in 2014) Louisville”.
I may have exaggerated my prediction by saying a 9-4 or better record is doable this year. In a week the excitement starts to build for the syracuse Fans. Football season has rounded the corner and is headed down the road to the finish line. Can’t wait for the season to begin.
Ron,Timber Creek is a South Jersey public school power who always sends 2 or 3 guys into D1 schools every year!Must be near an Army base like Ft Dix to pump out so many kids?NT Greg Webb who moved to NC went there and now goes UNC and Quanzilla Lambert 6’2″ 240 lb HIGH 3 star all state LB #1 LBer in NJ who is a Fr at RU went their too!Adonis Jennings is a top 10 hs player in NJ!BEAST!We offered yesterday!
@Ron,depending on QB play I think we can finish honestly anywhere between 7-5 and a bowl game to 5-7 and no bowl ?If we beat Clemson the 7-5 is likely!Any winning record is a sign to the ACC to WATCH OUT!
Ron,the countdown to the season kickoff is on starting 1 July!!I start to get excited as July goes on!This heat is lousy!
I can see our Running game shocking all those southerners who think were overrated!!If we can run you know whats next!!Bombs away!Sacks for the D-line and LBers and int’s for the dbs!!
Ron,I think were 1 year away from playing like we should be playing and getting our dignity back 100&!
@Russell MacEachern;
Thanks for giving us the short history on Timber Lake HS and the players that have come out of Sicklerville NJ.
Your probably right about the program being a year away from turning the corner and bringing home some good recruits.
Coach Shafer and Coach McDonald are putting in long hours to make sure that their efforts aren’t ignored. I believe 2014 is going to be something special when all is said and done.
@Russell MacEachern;
At first I was one of the fans that didn’t like Syracuse leaving the Big East. I always thought that it was the arguement between Jake Crouthamel and Joe Piterno that kept Penn State out of the Big East.
According to an article this morning,none of that was ever true.It said the Catholic 7 were the ones who denied Penn State entry into the BIG EAST. How sad!!!!
Now Russell,as July 1st gets closer and Syracuse joins the ACC. My excitement increases exponentially each and every day.
Thanks again Russell for sharing your wisdom and insight,and especially answering my questions about the latest recruits from NJ.
Gotta go work the garden for the day,talk to later,have a good one old friend. STAY COOL IF YOU CAN.
Guys Custis is a TE I think. We’ve been on him for a while, but amped it up when we saw Klock wasn’t going to happen. He is Neumann-Goretti which is Philly area and where Rick Jackson and Scoop Jardine went, so he is well aware of SU, especially since he hoops too. Based on his Twitter feed, I think we have a good shot there. I am not as sure about Adonis Jennings, but his feed seemed receptive to the Cuse attention. The new NJ/PA push is creating some options. There is a DB from Florida, Deion Hallmon that I think wanted a Miami offer, but is supposedly between us and WVU. If I had to guess, his lean is toward us. He is supposed ot decide today. I think Eric White and staff are excited about him, and we should also hear soon on Jason Cabinda (strong lean) and Erv Phillips (strong lean). There was some LB talent up there this weekend too. O-line help is up this and next week in Marcus Applefield and Chad Mavety. Also there is Aaron Roberts that I think is leaning our way. Get these or most of these and I think we will see our class number jump considerably. Ollison is narrowing his list today. I don’t feel strongly about him coming.
@Ron The Catholic 7 never wanted to see the BE become a football conf. That is also why Miami left. That BC went too might be the oddest part, but it does show their commitment to Football. It is possible the ACC tries to drag PSU in at some point, maybe with ND if football goes full playoff between superconferences. That is why it is so important that we are not left out when that day comes. Success now means inclusion later.
@Malone;
Both post are very informative,thank you.
There’s no doubt,this week is huge for Syracuse Football. I hope we get the guys you mentioned.
When the Big East to expand I mentioned on this post,why not go after Penn State? I was mocked and people were calling me crazy and didn’t know what I was talking about. I would love to see Penn State in the ACC,joing Syracuse,Boston College and Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division would be huge,making people like you,Russell and I very,very happy. Penn State will never get the automatic bid to go play for the national championship playing in the Big 10.everything would be a whole lot easier if they joind the ACC.
The late Beno Cook once told me that Syracuse vs Penn St. didn’t happen on a Saturday Afternoon during the month of October was a crime and college football suffered because of it.
Malone.your right about inclusion which I usually won’t talk about here on this board cause as a private it was slightly possible to get left out…mainly the big state schools are the only ones “safe” and even some of them(see UConn)arent safe!64 is a tight squeeze for the smaller private type schools and some historic programs won’t have a seat when the music stops!Thats why I don’t laugh or mock teams in that position…I wouldn’t like to see that happen to anyone!Thank god were in NY and have close ties to NY/NJ’s #1 market and our presense is strong!..@Malone thanks for laying out the recruiting info!
Asalaamu AlaikumInna iliaihi wa inna iliahi rajiun. Sorry to hear of your loss. You know its shaitan that tells us to procrastinate so we have to ignore him and get on with our tasks. Alhumdullilah I did my family tree and talked to the old folks when I was a teenager and had a lot more time on my hands and before everyone started passing away. So much is online right now but the stories are what you lose. For example my great-great grandfather was friends with Wifrid Laurier. Strange stuff like that. It makes learning history at school come alive for you, you realize your ancestors made this country what it is.
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