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in June and was accepted to Syracuse’s
Whitman School of Management where he is pursuing a degree in
entrepreneurship. As a senior, Novak kicked field goals of 39, 38, 38
and 36 yards and added 13 extra points for the Mustangs with three
kicks providing the winning margin over Phoenix, Jordan-Elbridge and
Solvay last season. Ironically, the first field goal of his senior year was
a 38 yard kick in the Carrier Dome to beat JE 17-14 in a Kickoff Classic
game. He was an Arcaro all-star selection, all-league and
all-cnyhsfootball kicker and was ranked by ESPN’s 2007 Recruit
Tracker as the # 26 kicker in the country.
Marcellus graduate, Ryan Novak, made the Syracuse University football
team recently as a walk-on place kicker. Novak was one of three walk-
ons (and the only freshman) that the Orange took following their game
against the University of Washington. Marcellus head coach Joe Goss
believes Ryan is the first Mustang football player to make the Syracuse
roster and the first Bowl Division (formerly division 1-A) football player
from Marcellus in recent memory.
Despite the interest and offers, Novak’s dream was to play for his hometown
team. He accepted an invitation from head coach Greg Robinson earlier this
year to walk-on in September and was excited when director of football
operations, Desmond Robinson, gave him the news on Labor Day that he
had made the Syracuse roster. Novak will wear jersey # 38. As a college
freshman, the hard working Mustang-turned-Orange is not bothered by the
challenge of earning playing time noting that his job is to continue to improve,
learn the system and be ready when it is his turn to contribute. For now, he’s
enjoying the experience and says his new teammates are awesome and that
the team is focused on turning things around this season.
To stay sharp through the winter, Novak kicked at the Ultimate Goal
indoor soccer facility and elevated his overall athleticism with the
coaches at Strength-in-Motion. He was offered scholarships to the
University of Albany and North Carolina A&T and was extended
preferred walk-on status at several Bowl Division programs including
Northwestern University as well as being recruited by top division 3
schools like Rochester, St. John Fisher and Ithaca. Novak attended
camps/competitions at Syracuse, Michigan, Virginia and Lehigh
universities and the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio.
His kicking coach, Paul Woodside, was an all-American place kicker
at West Virginia University and has worked with Novak for the past 18
months.