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Syracuse’s second season under Fran Brown became a disappointment. The Orange lost quarterback Steve Angeli to an Achilles injury in Week 4 and didn’t win another game, dropping their last eight matchups. SU’s depth was severely tested and ultimately failed, as its shortcomings in the transfer portal forced underclassmen into key situations.

With 2025 in the rearview, Syracuse is already making strides toward Brown’s third season. The Orange secured their best-ever recruiting class, headlined by star wide receiver Calvin Russell.

SU also made monumental changes to its coaching staff, firing multiple assistants and losing Elijah Robinson before signing Vince Kehres as its defensive coordinator, Juan Castillo as its offensive line coach and Jeremy Hawkins as its defensive line coach. Edges coach Nick Williams also departed for Florida State.

The Orange’s next step toward upgrading is through the transfer portal. After past chaos, the NCAA smartly consolidated the portal to two weeks beginning Jan. 2. SU will have plenty of work to do.

Here are the top five position groups Syracuse must address in the transfer portal:

Defensive Line

The Orange already attempted to attack the defensive line in the transfer portal. SU brought in George Rooks Jr., David Reese and Chris Thomas last spring to boost its pass rush. They played contributing roles and fell short of filling Fadil Diggs’ production from 2024.

Syracuse tallied only 20 sacks all season — the fourth worst in the Atlantic Coast Conference — with seven coming in one game against Pitt. Kevin Jobity Jr. led the way with five sacks. But with Jobity on the way out, SU must shore up the position in the transfer portal. Reese is also out of eligibility, along with Denis Jaquez Jr. and Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff.

Rashard Perry will be key on the interior when he returns from injury, and Brown often mentions Nissi Ogbebor and Nathan Nyandoro as young, improving players. The Orange also added recruits Alexander Haskell, Jarius Rodgers, Walt Frazier and Kamron Wilson, among others, through their 2026 class.

While Syracuse certainly has young talent pouring in, it’ll need proven players to make instant changes. The Orange finished near the bottom of the conference in sacks in their two seasons under Robinson. Kehres’s Toledo defense tied for 11th in the country in sacks (35), and he could bring Malachi Davis — who tallied 5.5 sacks — as a starting point.

Backup QB

Syracuse faces a predicament in its quarterback room. Angeli will return as the starter once he’s fully healthy. His presence bodes well for SU’s hopes of revitalizing a top passing attack in the country. But the team needs a backup quarterback who can steady the squad if Angeli misses time again.

Currently, that option isn’t on the roster. Rickie Collins, Joe Filardi and Luke Carney never played remotely close to Angeli’s level after his injury, leading to Syracuse’s season-ending spiral. Incoming three-star Zaid Lott adds depth, but he shouldn’t be the primary backup.

SU will need to get creative, diving into the transfer portal to find someone with plenty of game experience, yet not someone who expects to be the starter. Brown and Co. won’t lie to the viable options, but they’ll need to frame the position as an open competition, even though Angeli holds a firm grip.

Ilyan Sarech | Design Editor

Offensive Line

SU essentially devoted its spring transfer portal to offensive-line passion projects. The Orange acquired Naquil Betrand in December, then added Austin Collins, TJ Ferguson, Kam Pringle and Zach Rice in the spring to patch the unit. Ferguson and Collins played key roles. Pringle was a depth piece. Rice redshirted after barely playing.

Collins and Ferguson are now out of eligibility, and the line needs replenishing again in the transfer portal to protect Angeli. But it must hit on those additions. Byron Washington looks like a long-term anchor at right guard. With expected returns of Trevion Mack and Da’Metrius Weatherspoon, a few additions could turn the offensive line into a strength.

Brown fired Dale Williams two days after the season and brought in Castillo, who has ties all over the sport from the last four decades. That move raises the possibility players like Rice and Pringle could reenter the transfer portal after not reaching their potential as former top recruits.

Syracuse is adding multiple three-star recruits on the offensive line, but Williams’ firing seems like Brown is hoping for a complete overhaul up front. He said after its season-ending loss to Boston College that he wants to build around the offensive line and Angeli. In today’s landscape, the only way to do that quickly is through the transfer portal.

Tight end

It’s a shame starting tight end Dan Villari played just four games with Angeli. In that stretch, Villari averaged 60 receiving yards and five receptions per game. The production proved Angeli loves to lean on his tight end in the middle of the field. With Villari headed for the professional level, it’d be wise for the Orange to invest in a proven replacement.

Of course, there are viable internal options. David Clement could return for his senior year, and Syracuse has additional freak athletes in Elijah Washington-Baker, Daunte Bacheyie and Wyatt Bowman with plenty of eligibility left. Three-star recruit Carter Bashir also signed in the recent 2026 class. Jamie Tremble could even return to tight end after mainly switching to linebacker in 2025.

Angeli won’t lack receivers. Darrell Gill Jr. is expected to return, and the additions of Russell and Amare Gough help. Johntay Cook II hasn’t announced his plans yet. But if SU wants to enhance its offense, snagging a proven tight end would help Angeli.

Linebackers

Syracuse will have to shift its personnel to match Kehres’ scheme, which features concepts of both a 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 defense. The Orange are returning starting inside linebackers Gary Bryant III and Antoine Deslauriers, who both led the team in tackling but were poor in coverage. Based on Kehres’ defense, SU should bring in a linebacker or two who can cover.

The secondary also needs help after losing Duce Chestnut and Devin Grant. Braheem Long Jr. and Cornell Perry are expected to come back, and three-star linebacker Tedarius Hughes could play immediately. The cornerback positions are all but solidified in Chris Peal and Demetres Samuel Jr.

Brown wants to emphasize tackling, and Kehres will use unique combinations to do so. By adding versatile linebackers, Deslauriers and Bryant III can improve their games with less responsibility in a three-linebacker system. Syracuse’s 4-2-5 under Robinson featured a hybrid edge rusher, which rarely worked.

Published on December 10, 2025 at 10:46 pm
Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky