Spring press conference takeaways: Collins named starter, defensive standouts
Head coach Fran Brown revealed many things before Syracuse's spring game Saturday, including its starting quarterback. Joe Zhao | Design Editor
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Fran Brown guaranteed four things will happen at Syracuse’s spring game on Saturday. There will be hitting. There will be pads. One team will wear white. And the other will wear orange. The second-year head coach said almost everyone is still competing for playing time and while the game will be practice-oriented, it’ll be “legit.”
Ahead of the game, Brown tipped his hand at who’d be starting at the most pivotal position on the roster.
“People still battling for positions, right?” Brown said. “Outside of Rickie (Collins), he’s the quarterback, battling for spots, everybody’s out there competing their butts off.”
Here are some takeaways from Brown’s third spring press conference:
Rickie Collins named starting QB
At SU’s first spring practice, Brown mentioned he wanted to make a quick decision regarding who’d replace Kyle McCord as his starting quarterback. On Monday, two-and-a-half weeks since then, Brown revealed his choice.
“I’m liking what I’m seeing (from Collins),” Brown said. “The players are behind him. Everybody’s behind him. So it seems like he’s going to be our quarterback. So I’m really excited and happy about him. He puts the work in daily, learning how to lead. This will be his first time under him, but he’s watched some really good players.”
Brown added the coaches were made aware of the news first before they “let it simmer in for a weekend and then moved along with it.” Brown also implied if the competition was close, they wanted to name Collins the starter to get him more reps and make him comfortable in the offense after transferring from LSU. The second-year head coach also expressed he was proud of Collins but also happy for the quarterbacks behind him, noting “they’re all working their butts off and doing a good job.”
“Somebody may want to go in the portal or not,” Brown added about the backups. “That’s just the nature of the business, and we wish them the best because they’ve done a good job. But then, in the same sense, we’re competing our butts off right now for (the) two and three spot, which will be constant competition throughout the rest of the summer and rest of spring ball.”
Having been with the Orange since their bowl game preparation, Brown also said Collins watched meetings with McCord a few times. Brown said McCord told him he was impressed with Collins’ football knowledge and that it’s clear he paid attention sitting behind Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier at LSU.
Behind Collins, Brown said redshirt freshman Jahkari Williams is “close” and he’s a “good player.”
“He could be the number two quarterback,” Brown said of Williams. “He does some good things, but he’s still young. Still has some time, and he got to sit behind Kyle once, and he dominated on scout team all year long. Now he gets a chance to truly learn all of the intricate little details and the offense and doing all those things. So it’ll be good for him.”
Duce Chestnut, Dion Wilson Jr. standing out
Unprompted, Brown mentioned two defenders who have stood out during spring practices:
“Duce Chestnut and (Dion) Tank Wilson, those two guys have done a really good job,” Brown said.
Shortly after, Brown looked directly into a TV camera and joked:
“So, Duce, don’t go out there and make me look stupid.”
Chestnut is one of Syracuse’s lone primary defensive backs, alongside Devin Grant, who’s been wearing a green medical jersey this spring while recovering from a torn MCL. Over the offseason, Alijah Clark and Clarence Lewis declared for the NFL Draft while Jayden Bellamy, Marcellus Barnes Jr. and Jaeden Gould all entered the portal.
Among players with at least 400 snaps last season, Chestnut’s 73.5 Pro Football Focus defensive grade ranked fourth on the Orange behind Bellamy (75.7), Clarence Lewis (75.4) and Fadil Diggs (74.7). After returning to SU from LSU, Chestnut played significantly more safety than previously.
In his first two seasons at Syracuse in 2021 and 2022, Chestnut played 152 snaps as a box safety, four as a free safety, one in the slot and 1,227 at cornerback. In 2024, Chestnut logged 272 snaps as a box safety, 299 as a free safety, 96 in the slot and 11 at cornerback.
Meanwhile, Wilson was added to be a key fixture in its defensive line after transferring to SU in 2024 from New Mexico State. However, the 6-foot-5, 296-pound defensive lineman only appeared in four regular-season games due to injury before playing 47 snaps in the Holiday Bowl. With Diggs declaring for the NFL Draft, Wilson could become pivotal to Syracuse’s defensive line next season.
“I’m really proud of those guys and where they’re coming and how they’re coming along,” Brown said.
Offensive line talk
Brown says he “begged” offensive lineman Mark Petry to return to the Orange to play a fifth collegiate season.
“He was going to leave, and I begged him to come back,” Brown said of Petry. “I told him, just give us one more year. Get one more run, and we’ll move you all over, and we’ll show how valuable you are to our team, and then that’ll make you even more valuable to an NFL roster.”
Throughout spring practices, Petry, who played 1,018-of-1,019 2024 snaps at right guard, has been getting reps at center. Last year J’Onre Reed (USC) and Josh Ilaoa (graduation) were SU’s only centers, but they’ve since left the program.
Additionally, Brown said, “I think he’ll start. I hope he does. But they all competing.” regarding offensive tackle Trevion Mack, who played 11 snaps last year as a redshirt freshman. The second-year head coach then noted how different the offensive line is in terms of playing time, saying SU might split playing time between players, either 50-50 or 60-40.
Brown then spoke highly of Alabama transfer Naquil Betrand, citing he’s “really good” against pass rushers. Meanwhile, he credited Da’Metrius Weatherspoon’s ability to play either tackle or guard spot because of his intelligence.
“We’re blessed to be deep on the line now,” Brown said.
However, Brown did note the Orange could be losing David Wohlabaugh Jr. to the portal.
“I ain’t got time to be sitting here and lying to nobody, he’s thinking about going into the portal because of just what would be best for him, comfort and happiness,” Brown said.
He later added it wasn’t playing-time related, saying he thinks Wohlabaugh is an NFL player — it’s just a matter of what’s best for him personally.
