Syracuse Football 2026: Can the Orange Bounce Back Behind Steve Angeli and a Rebuilt Roster?
After a rollercoaster two-year stretch, Syracuse heads into 2026 looking for stability-and redemption. Head coach Fran Brown made a splash in his first season, guiding the Orange to a 10-3 record, a Holiday Bowl win, and memorable upsets over ranked UNLV and Miami. But 2025 was a different story entirely.
The Orange opened strong, including a statement win over Clemson. But when starting quarterback Steve Angeli went down with an Achilles injury just four games in, the offense sputtered-and never recovered.
Syracuse dropped its final eight games, including a 70-7 blowout loss to Notre Dame, and failed to score more than 20 points in any of those contests. The final record: 3-9, with a lone conference win.
Now, Brown is tasked with regrouping. The good news?
Angeli is back. The bad news?
Almost everyone he threw to-or handed the ball off to-is not.
Offense: Angeli Returns, But Who’s Around Him?
Let’s start with the quarterback. Steve Angeli, the Notre Dame transfer, was off to a red-hot start before his season-ending injury.
In just four games, he completed nearly 63% of his passes for 1,317 yards, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt with 10 touchdowns and just two picks. His 152.3 passer rating was more than respectable.
The Orange were 3-1 during that stretch-and Angeli was the engine.
Now, he returns in 2026, but his timeline remains uncertain. Achilles injuries aren’t easy to bounce back from, especially for a quarterback who relies on pocket movement and timing.
If he’s not ready by Week 1, the Orange have a capable backup plan in Amari Odom, a transfer from Kennesaw State. Odom brings dual-threat ability and experience, throwing for over 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last season while adding 347 yards and 7 scores on the ground.
He’s not just a stopgap-he could be the future.
Up front, Angeli (or Odom) will have some continuity. Three starters return on the offensive line: left tackle Trevion Mack, center Joe Cruz, and right guard Byron Washington. That stability is critical, especially with so many new faces at the skill positions.
And there are a lot of new faces.
Gone are top rushers Yasin Willis and LeQuint Allen, who combined for 990 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Gone too are the team’s top receivers-Darrell Gill and Johntay Cook-both of whom transferred to Ole Miss.
Between them, they accounted for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Tight end Dan Villari and wideout Justus Ross-Simmons are also out the door.
In their place, Syracuse hit the portal hard. Ahmad Miller, a 1,000-yard rusher from Jackson State, steps in as the lead back. He’s a physical, downhill runner who averaged 6.3 yards per carry last season-exactly the kind of presence this offense needs to take pressure off the quarterback.
At wide receiver, the Orange added size and upside. Cole Weaver (6-5, 200 pounds) comes in from Miami (OH) after a 642-yard season, and Elijah Moore (6-4, 203 pounds) transfers from Florida State.
Moore’s sample size is small-just three catches-but his frame and pedigree give him breakout potential. Western Kentucky transfer Noah Meyers adds depth at tight end.
Bottom line: this offense will look very different in 2026. The pieces are intriguing, but cohesion will take time-and Angeli’s health could determine how fast it all comes together.
Defense: Rebuilding the Trenches, Retooling the Secondary
Defensively, Syracuse enters 2026 in a similar spot: a few key returners, but a lot of holes to fill.
The linebacker room is the heart of this defense. Gary Bryant III (57 tackles, 1 sack) and Antoine Deslauriers (54 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defended) are both back and bring leadership and production. They’ll be critical in anchoring a unit that lost all four starting defensive linemen and all three starting safeties.
At cornerback, the Orange return a solid duo in Demetres Samuels and Chris Peal. Samuels defended nine passes and picked off one last season, while Peal added seven pass breakups of his own. That kind of experience on the outside gives new defensive coordinator Vince Kehres something to build around.
Kehres, who arrives from Toledo where he earned Broyles Award recognition, has his work cut out for him. The defensive line and safety group have been almost entirely rebuilt through the portal.
On the edge, Syracuse added two proven disruptors: Tunmise Adeleye from UNLV (48 tackles, 6 sacks) and Daylan Johnson from UT Martin (54 tackles, 12 sacks). That’s a combined 18 sacks added to a pass rush that desperately needed juice.
Inside, Georgia State’s Javon Flounoy (22 tackles, 3 sacks) and Maryland’s Tommy Fontus (28 tackles, 2 sacks) bring experience and depth. It’s not just about talent-it’s about fitting into Kehres’ system quickly. The Orange don’t have the luxury of a slow start on defense this year.
Portal Power: The Make-or-Break Factor
There’s no sugarcoating it: the transfer portal will define Syracuse’s 2026 season. The Orange lost major production on both sides of the ball, but they’ve been aggressive in replacing it. Between Angeli’s return, Odom’s potential, and a retooled front seven, the ingredients are there for a bounce-back year.
But chemistry matters. Timing matters. And health-especially at quarterback-might matter most of all.
What’s Ahead: A Schedule That Doesn’t Wait
Syracuse’s 2026 slate doesn’t offer much breathing room. Matchups with Notre Dame, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Miami loom large. There are also tricky games against BYU and SMU, and conference tilts with Boston College and Navy that could swing bowl eligibility.
For Fran Brown and the Orange, the mission is clear: get back to the form that made 2024 special. And with a healthy quarterback, a reloaded roster, and a few early wins, it’s not out of reach.
But it won’t be easy. This is a team in transition-again. Whether they can turn that into triumph depends on how quickly the new pieces click into place.