Syracuse arrived at ACC Football Kickoff with the kind of honesty that usually gets a room’s attention. The Orange didn’t hide from last season’s 3-9 finish, but they also made it clear they believe this year looks different.
Fran Brown set the tone almost immediately. When asked what he learned from last season, he didn’t reach for a polished coach-speak answer.
He went straight for the punchline: “To have backup quarterbacks”. From there, Brown shifted into a more serious point about how he coaches, explaining that his approach has to change from player to player.
“Accountability will be held, but I can’t coach all three of them the same. They’re all different guys.
I have different conversations with all of them, but we can be talking about the same thing. I may be able to cuss Antoine out, because Antoine’s mental is just like crazy; but with Meech, I’m going to have a personal conversation with him and make sure he remembers his why.
With Steve, it will be something else that I’ll tell him of what you’re looking to do, does that look the way it’s supposed to look.”
Brown also pointed to the two sophomores he brought to Charlotte, Antoine Deslauriers and Demetres Samuel, Jr., as examples of how Syracuse is building its roster. Both, he said, were pursued by other schools, which gave him a chance to stress that fit matters more than ratings in the Orange family.
After Brown, the players took over, with Steve Angeli leading the way. Syracuse’s quarterback said he’s ready to play today, a line that should ease some nerves around the fan base. Angeli also said he’s become a better leader and noted that Syracuse will need to rely on his experience with so many new starters on offense.
Deslauriers and Samuel both talked about new defensive coordinator Vince Kehres and the freedom he’ll give the defense to attack the ball. Syracuse had trouble forcing turnovers last season, and the sense from the coaches and players is that this change could make a real difference.
Samuel finished with the quote of the day when he was asked whether he could lift more than Fran.
“Who’s lifting heavier? If it’s bench, he’ll probably lift heavier than me.
He got old man strength (laughter). But anything lower body, no, he can’t mess with me.”
In Other News...
Syracuse Mourns Former Quarterback And CBA Standout Chuck Zimmerman
Chuck Zimmerman, the former Syracuse quarterback who helped guide the Orange to two of the earliest bowl games in program history, has died at 90 in Jamesville. Zimmerman played for Syracuse from 1956 to 1958 and later remained part of the city he represented on the field, serving in the U.S. Army and staying active in the Syracuse community.
His time in orange included a run that helped send Syracuse to the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl, milestones that still matter in the schools football story. A burial mass is scheduled for July 21 at St. Rose of Lima Church in North Syracuse, offering one more chance for the Syracuse community to honor a player whose impact reached well beyond his college years. [Read more 🡒]
Boeheims Army Finally Has Its Coach As TBT Pressure Builds
Boeheims Army finally has its sideline set for this years run in The Basketball Tournament, a late but important development as the Syracuse-connected group prepares to open play in a best-of-3 series against Hall In. The staff now includes assistants Shaun Belbey and Pete Corasaniti, giving the team a more complete coaching structure as it tries to navigate the pressure that comes with every TBT summer.
The most interesting part is how quickly the pieces have come together around a coach with plenty of pro experience. The new lead voice comes from the Long Island Nets, where he is currently an assistant and has also spent time with other G League teams and NBA affiliates, while Belbey and Corasaniti bring their own Syracuse ties into the mix. With the bracket looming and the format leaving little room for error, Boeheims Army is trying to turn a fresh staff into an immediate edge. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Is Betting Syracuse's Defense Will Finally Have Answers
Fran Brown has spent his first offseason in charge making it clear he wants Syracuses defense to look a lot more like the units he has been around before, and the latest move shows how serious he is about that. Vince Kehres, who arrived from Toledo and was officially hired in early December 2024, brings two decades of coaching experience with him and gives Brown a fresh voice to help reshape a side of the ball that needs answers.
The change also speaks to how quickly Brown is willing to adjust when he thinks a better fit is available. Syracuse moved Elijah Robinson into a co-coordinator role, but Robinson ended up heading back to Texas A&M as a defensive line coach, leaving Brown to keep building around Kehres and the kind of structure he believes can work in the ACC. [Read more 🡒]