4 key points to look for during Syracuse’s spring football game
The Orange host their annual spring game Saturday, five months after Syracuse’s nightmarish season concluded. Leonardo Eriman | Daily Orange File Photo
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Saturday brings a fresh start. Five months after ending a nightmarish season, Syracuse hosts its annual spring game in the JMA Wireless Dome. Some of SU’s top players and coaches from last year have departed, but head coach Fran Brown has reloaded, and he’s bullish on the squad he’s assembled.
The Orange were injury-riddled in 2025, and their season practically ended on Sept. 20, the moment Steve Angeli went down against Clemson. SU lost its next eight games and finished last in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Brown partially blamed himself for the ordeal. His backups weren’t experienced, and he and his coaches weren’t always on the same page. This year, he’s confident he’s ironed out those kinks. Saturday is his first chance to prove it.
“We’re gonna compete,” Brown said on April 1. “We like contact. I’m gonna make sure guys are hitting. There’s a lot of details that we’re still fixing up, so we can go out and be extremely physical but be able to take care of each other.”
Here are four key points to watch for in Syracuse’s spring game:
The next QB carousel
When Angeli got hurt, everything the Orange were building came to a screeching halt. Rickie Collins, Joe Filardi and Luke Carney flashed promise at times, but none of them could secure SU’s starting spot.
SU’s lackluster depth was the most glaring issue behind its season-ending skid. So, Syracuse replenished its quarterback room with three transfers, recruited Zaid Lott and retained Angeli, Filardi and Rich Belin.
Although Angeli is steadily progressing after his Achilles injury, per Brown, he won’t be active Saturday. Brown’s biggest goal in the transfer portal was to add experience. He’s seemingly hit the mark, with five of his seven QBs starting games at the Division I level last year.
Amari Odom, who Brown called a “freak athlete,” threw for over 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns as Kennesaw State’s 2025 starter, leading the Owls to a bowl game. Malachi Nelson, a former top recruit, threw for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns despite starting sparingly at UTEP.
As for the rest of the quarterback room, Danny Lauter was Georgetown’s starter in 2024, but he started just three games in 2025. Belin redshirted his freshman year with the Orange, and Lott was a three-star recruit from North Carolina. With new quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan, Syracuse will look to show off its improved depth under center Saturday.
Passing to who?
Syracuse’s inconsistent quarterback carousel led to a drop-off in receiving production. Now, many of its pass-catchers have left the program. Johntay Cook II and Darrell Gill Jr. both departed for Ole Miss, while Justus Ross-Simmons and Dan Villari are off to the NFL. So, who will those aforementioned new quarterbacks throw to?
Well, wide receivers coach Josh Gattis has been impressed with SU’s depth thus far in spring camp. Two-way phenom Demetres Samuel Jr., who spent most of his freshman season on defense, could see an increased role in the air attack. Gattis has noticed Samuel’s maturity, a crucial trait in a relatively inexperienced receiver room.
Umari Hatcher is another seasoned veteran returning to the Orange. Hatcher tore his ACL in November 2024 and entered the transfer portal on Dec. 26, 2025. But after withdrawing his name on Jan. 8, it seems Brown and Hatcher have reconciled.
Many questions surround the rest of the receiving room. Brown said rising sophomore Darien Williams is “making a big play every day,” and SU’s head coach added that Tyshawn Russell and Darius “Boobie” Johnson keep getting better.
“Really, really excited about the depth and the direction of that room,” Gattis said. “Those guys have made plays all spring that have really impressed the coaching staff.”
The main setback is Calvin Russell’s torn Achilles. The five-star recruit will miss a good chunk of the 2026 campaign, but his rehab has already begun. He’s been spotted participating in drills while wearing full pads on a scooter.
1st look at Kehres-led defense
Just when it seemed Syracuse’s offense was the problem last season, the defense found a way to cast a much larger shadow. The Orange’s defense was the worst among Power Four schools and seventh-worst in Division I, allowing 34.9 points per game.
Most of the remnants have left, including defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson. Replacing him is Vince Kehres, who led one of the nation’s top-ranked defenses last season at Toledo. Kehres also brought along safety Amare Snowden and linebacker Chris D’Appolonia from the Rockets, bolstering SU’s front seven and secondary after losing Derek McDonald and Duce Chestnut.
Despite their brief experience practicing in Kehres’ scheme, many Syracuse returners have already expressed excitement for what’s next. Samuel said Kehres’ system is more friendly and “lets them play (their) game,” while star linebacker Antoine Deslauriers said he’s gained a lot of knowledge since Kehres was hired in December.
“We’re running a defense that I’m pretty comfortable with,” Kehres said. “Now it’s a matter of getting the players on board with that.”
Toledo excelled defensively across the board last season. The Rockets’ 13.3 points allowed per game ranked fourth in Division I, and their 254.3 yards allowed finished second. They also ranked top-10 in passing and rushing yards allowed per game and had six contests in which they held opponents to single-digit points.
On Saturday, Kehres will get his first chance to turn the Orange’s defensive fortunes around.
Backfield battle
Syracuse’s running back room has the talent to succeed, Brown said, but it’s largely unproven. The Orange have six running backs listed on their current roster, but only three of them appeared in a game for SU last year.
Ahmad Miller and Ju’Juan Johnson headline the group. Miller, a Memphis, Tennessee, native, was the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s lone 1,000-yard rusher in 2025, finishing with 1,035 yards on 163 carries (6.3 yards per carry) at Jackson State.
If Miller isn’t SU’s Week 1 starter, Johnson is the Orange’s next best option. Johnson spent two seasons at LSU, where he was buried on the depth chart behind Caden Durham and Harlem Berry. Syracuse gives the junior — who rushed for just 169 yards with the Tigers — an opportunity to compete for a secure role.
Tylik Hill, Malachi Coleman and Davion Kerr — the Orange’s three familiar faces — didn’t make much of an impact in 2025. Hill received the most playing time last year, but only had 129 yards on 24 carries. Coleman finished with 31 rushing yards on nine carries. Kerr rushed five times for -3 yards. Shavane Anderson Jr., an incoming freshman, is the sixth rostered halfback.
Since Brown took over, the Orange’s offensive identity has been their air attack. Kyle McCord led the nation in passing in 2024, and Angeli was atop the country until he got injured.
This season, however, with Angeli recovering and the rest of its signal-callers uncertain, SU may rely more on its backfield. Saturday’s usage could be a telltale sign.
