Syracuse football heads into Friday’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte with plenty of attention pointed at the quarterback room, and for good reason. Fran Brown will speak in front of national media for the third time in his career at the league’s annual event, and the biggest question hanging over the Orange is simple: what exactly is the status of Steve Angeli?
Angeli is one of three Syracuse players scheduled to represent the program, alongside linebacker Antoine Deslauriers and defensive back Demetres Samuel Jr. He played in only four games last season after suffering an Achilles injury, but he appears to be in line to open this fall as the team’s starting signal caller. That makes his availability and recovery the obvious headline in Charlotte, especially with Syracuse set to open the regular season against New Hampshire in Week One.
Deslauriers brings a notable story of his own. In 2025, he became the first true Syracuse freshman ever to lead the team in total tackles in a season. The Canadian native also picked up preseason recognition from this national media outlet earlier this month.
Samuel gives Syracuse another experienced face for the event. He played in all 12 games last season, finishing with 31 tackles, one interception and nine pass breakups. He also saw time on offense, recording 10 receiving yards, and could be used in more dual-threat ways this season.
Brown’s media session could also bring another one of his trademark phrases or team-wide themes. Last year, he used “DART” as a season-long message, with the acronym standing for “Detailed, Accountable, Relentless and Tough.” In 2024, he delivered the memorable line about being so frustrated after losses that he would not shower afterward, and “Winners get washed” became a widely used phrase around the double-digit-win Orange.
ACC Football Kickoff began Wednesday and runs through Friday in Charlotte, with all 17 conference teams taking part. Each school is scheduled to go through press conferences with coaches and student-athletes, and Syracuse has its media turn on Friday.
The event has already featured discussion around the league’s adjusted tiebreaker, which is designed to help send the two best teams in the conference to the championship game and, likely, a College Football Playoff berth. That change also ties into the ACC’s new scheduling setup, which begins to take partial effect in 2026. Some schools will play eight conference games and others nine, creating a scenario where a 6-3 team could finish ahead of a 6-2 team if the resume is stronger.
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The timing lands alongside a busy ACC week, with Fran Brown set to speak at the leagues kickoff event and Syracuse players also on the schedule. The conference also unveiled new tiebreaker rules for its uneven-schedule setup, a change that could loom large later in the year if the Orange find themselves in a crowded race and need every edge they can get. [Read more 🡒]
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For Syracuse, the immediate interest is less about the headline and more about the depth chart. Steve Angeli is the likely starter for 2026, which makes the backup job a meaningful one, especially in a sport where one injury can change everything in a hurry. Nelson is expected to be in that mix, and the competition around him will tell the Orange plenty about how comfortable the staff feels with its quarterback room heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]