Orange season grades: Special teams improve, D-line collapses
SU’s coaching staff took a step back while its defensive line lacked production. Our beat writer grades each position group’s performance. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse’s second season under Fran Brown flipped a 10-win season into just three, marking the largest victory drop-off between two seasons in program history. The Orange collapsed after the season-ending injury to Steve Angeli and finished on an eight-game losing streak, producing an overall minus-177 point differential.
Here are position-group grades from SU’s 2025 season:
Quarterback: C
After transferring from Notre Dame and winning the starting job in fall camp, Angeli ended the season as Syracuse’s leading passer with 1,317 yards. The problem? Angeli only played two full games, while playing most of the Colgate win and three quarters against Clemson before his Achilles tear.
The Orange showed a clear inability to replace Angeli’s production through LSU transfer Rickie Collins. He tallied a horrid 6:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio and was moved in and out of the lineup multiple times before a permanent benching in the final two games. Collins finished with 275 fewer passing yards than Angeli despite 25 more attempts.
Syracuse experimented with true freshmen Luke Carney and mainly Joe Filardi, but no one came close to Angeli’s abilities. The offense was initially flying high, similar to SU’s 2024 squad. Suddenly, it collapsed to one of the worst in the country.
Running back: C-
There are plenty of factors that play into the success of a running back. But in Yasin Willis’ first crack at replacing LeQuint Allen Jr. as the next running back in SU’s storied lineage, he faltered. Willis finished the year with 558 rushing yards, the worst mark for an SU starting running back since Sean Tucker’s 674 in 2020.
The Orange tallied 100 or more rushing yards in 9-of-12 games, but no runner ever eclipsed the threshold themself in a game. Will Nixon mixed in plays in the passing game and freshman Tylik Hill impressed in a limited role. In the end, a 3.4 yards per attempt metric encapsulates Syracuse’s running deficiencies.
Receiver/Tight End: C+
Early on, Syracuse’s pass catchers were playing extraordinarily, and the whole world knew it. The unit’s high-flying plays earned national attention multiple times with “You Got Mossed.” Then, the Orange fell back to earth as Angeli’s season ended.
Three pass catchers in 2024 eclipsed 900 receiving yards. Zero eclipsed 600 in 2025. SU pass catchers recorded 100 receiving yards or more just three times, all by separate players in separate games. Dan Villari starred early, but his production dropped off heavily once Angeli went down.
This unit was arguably the most talented and deep on the roster. If Johntay Cook returns, the addition of Calvin Russell and Amare Gough could make SU one of the best receiving groups in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It just couldn’t pick up the pieces of a broken system by itself this season.
Offensive line: D+
The Orange went all in on the spring transfer portal to build their offensive line. The additions of Austin Collins and TJ Ferguson gave veteran presences. But clear misses on former top recruits Kam Pringle and Zach Rice limited Syracuse’s depth, punishing it throughout the year.
SU ranked 121st in the country in pass blocking and 95th in run blocking, per Pro Football Focus, and an injury to Collins limited the unit further. The Orange allowed the third-most sacks in the ACC.
A bright spot for Syracuse on the offensive line was the development of true freshman Byron Washington, who played the latter half of the year as SU’s starting right guard. Building around Washington for the future would be smart. Obviously, Brown agrees with this analysis, firing offensive line coach Dale Williams.
Defensive line: D
The late transfer of Maraad Watson to Texas was always going to hurt Syracuse’s defensive line in 2025. Though, the Orange turned into one of the worst defensive lines in the country. SU finished with 20 sacks — less than half of Oklahoma’s nation-leading tally — and allowed the second-most rushing yards in the ACC.
Syracuse’s only game as a competent pass rush came in its loss to Pitt. SU recorded seven sacks and Kevin Jobity Jr. notched three himself. Jobity Jr.’s team-high five sacks on the year doubled his past production in a season. Cal transfer David Reese brought some edge rush but not nearly enough. Mixed with the subtraction of Watson and injury to Rashard Perry, this position group turned in another poor season.
Linebackers: C
The signs of Antoine Deslauriers’ rise started before the season, when his ripped physique stood out and he earned first team reps alongside Gary Bryant III. Once Derek McDonald went down for the season with a hip injury, Deslauriers played nearly every snap the rest of the year. He established his role for SU’s future.
Bryant III and Deslauriers led the team in tackles with 60 apiece. The duo had a tall task to replace Marlowe Wax and Justin Barron’s 2024 production, but held it down for the most part. Bryant III, however, struggled mightily in coverage with a 38.3 grade, the worst mark on the defense.
Secondary: B-
Despite dealing with lingering injuries to veteran safeties Duce Chestnut and Devin Grant, SU’s secondary was a strength of the squad from start to finish. Brown’s acquisition of Chris Peal in the transfer portal through their Georgia ties was a clear hit. The cornerback didn’t record an interception but ranked as Syracuse’s best defender by far, per PFF, grading at 83.6 with 36 receptions allowed on 57 targets.
Demetres Samuel Jr. went through learning curves but played the most snaps of any defender for the Orange. The cornerback duo is expected to return next season. While Grant and Chestnut underperformed, mostly due to injury, Grant had a big game against Clemson. Add further development of Braheem Long Jr. and Cornell Perry, and the unit could be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
Special teams: B+
While many of Syracuse’s position groups earned stellar scores a year ago, its special teams unit earned the worst. A coaching change from James Vollono to Ricky Brumfield ignited SU’s special teams as a strength throughout the season.
Jack Stonehouse continued his reign as one of the country’s top punters, punting for 46.5 yards per kick on 60 total attempts. Iowa transfer Tripp Woody solidified the kicking game with a perfect extra point mark and 12-for-14 field goal line. Jadyn Oh even contributed on kickoffs, converting a perfect onside kick against Clemson.
The Orange never established a kick or punt returning advantage once Malachi James went down with injury, and the usage of two long snappers was absurd but worked. There were no real blunders, but Brumfield was let go Monday, ushering in four coordinators in four years.
Coaching: C-
Brown took a steep step down in his second season helming Syracuse, exposing key deficiencies in his philosophies. The injury to Angeli derailed SU’s entire season and, when Rickie Collins struggled, Brown handled the quarterback situation extremely poorly.
Flip-flopping Filardi in and out while nearly burning Carney’s redshirt added to the embarrassment for the Orange. Starting Filardi against Bill Belichick and on the road versus No. 9 Notre Dame turned in expected blunders. Mixed with clear defensive issues, Brown and his staff were never able to find a cure to any of the issues despite having two months to make repairs.
Brown is now tasked with making monumental changes to right his wrongs, entering a pivotal third season.
