SYRACUSE - Walter Reyes shrugged at the question: Would he give up his No. 39 and wear Syracuse's famed No. 44 if coach Paul Pasqualoni offers?

"It's going to be a hard decision," said Reyes, who enters his senior year at Syracuse with the chance to become the first running back in school history to have three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. "When I first came here I always said I wanted to make a number for myself, even though 39 also was worn by the great Larry Csonka.

But when you talk about No. 44, it's the most prestigious number in Syracuse history, so that's a lot of pressure."

Indeed. Jim Brown, Floyd Little, and Ernie Davis, the only Syracuse player to win the Heisman Trophy (1961), each wore it with great distinction. Nobody has donned it since Rob Konrad in 1998.

Reyes seems equal to the challenge if it's presented.

Reyes, who runs low and uses his impressive power, acceleration, cutting ability and breakaway speed to befuddle defenders, is coming off one of the most productive seasons in Syracuse history.

In 2003, he ran for 1,347 yards (the second-best total in school history behind Joe Morris's 1,372 yards in 1979) and a school-record 20 touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. And this year he's being promoted by the university for the Heisman Trophy as the Orange prepare to open the season at No. 24 Purdue on Sunday.

"It's a great preseason honor, but we still have 11 games to play, so you can't get too caught up in the preseason stuff," said the 5-foot-10, 213-pound Reyes, who struck a Heisman pose for the Carrier Dome fans after rushing for 241 yards and four TDs last season against Central Florida. "When I first heard about it in July, that's when I thought about it. Now, I don't even think about it when I'm practicing."

He does when he uses his cell phone.

"When I flip it open, I have the Heisman Trophy as my screen. So maybe I lied," Reyes said, laughing.

Reyes, who ran for five touchdowns in a season-ending victory over Notre Dame last December, also was the Orange's second-leading receiver with 38 catches for 375 yards and one touchdown. His 1,732 all-purpose yards were the third-highest total in school history.

Reyes already holds the Syracuse career rushing touchdown mark with 38. He also ranks seventh all-time with 2,621 career rushing yards but needs just 314 yards to move past Csonka into second place. Morris, the only other Syracuse back to have three 1,000-yard seasons, sits atop the list with 4,299 yards.

Reyes' success has not led to as many wins as he would like over the past two seasons. Syracuse struggled to 4-8 two years ago and finished at 6-6 last fall, the two worst seasons in the 14-year tenure of Pasqualoni.

Pasqualoni is counting heavily on both Reyes and his backfield partner, Damien Rhodes, to lead the Orange back this season. As for the hype over the Heisman, that will remain low-key if it doesn't quickly disappear.

"We're not going to give it more priority than we should," Pasqualoni said. "I'd love him to win the Heisman, but I think the most important thing is if the team wins and has great success. As long as we keep winning, then that (Heisman talk) will keep going. If we don't win, then that goes out the window."

Reyes is keenly aware of his accomplishments and what his legacy will be when he leaves Syracuse. He harbors no illusions about where he fits in among his predecessors, though.

"Even if I, as far as yards and touchdowns, pass them, when I leave here I still think Ernie Davis, Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, and Joe Morris are ahead of me," Reyes said. "I just have so much respect for those guys."