Fran Brown had a pair of notable updates for Syracuse football as the Orange get ready for their first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season.
Speaking on his weekly coach’s show, Brown said fifth-year wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons will play Saturday when Syracuse hosts California. He also said first-year receiver Calvin Russell will be tested on Friday to determine whether he can suit up against the Golden Bears.
Ross-Simmons’ path back to the field has been anything but straightforward. Over the last two months, he has gone from ineligible to eligible to ineligible and then back to eligible again. A recent court ruling granted athletes from the high school Class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility, clearing the way for his return.
The 6-foot-3 receiver has spent two seasons in Central New York and has produced 29 catches for 514 yards and seven touchdowns. He previously played at Colorado State. His return gives Syracuse more depth at a position group that leaned heavily on Umari Hatcher in the opener, when Hatcher had eight catches and no one else had more than three.
Russell’s status remains more uncertain. He was listed as questionable on the latest depth chart and was on the practice field Thursday, but Brown said Friday’s test will decide whether he is ready to play.
That would be a significant development for a player who arrived with major buzz. Russell is one of the highest-rated recruits ever to sign with Syracuse football, and he also played for the basketball team this past winter.
His spring took a hit in March, when he tore his Achilles during practice. That kind of injury usually comes with a recovery timeline of six to 12 months, which makes a possible return this soon striking. His situation has also shifted quickly because of the new “aged-based eligibility model.”
Syracuse is 1-0 after rolling past New Hampshire, 66-3, in its season opener. California comes in at 0-1 after a 45-24 loss to UCLA.
The matchup is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
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Calvin Russells recovery has taken an unexpectedly quick turn for Syracuse, with the 2026 recruit back at practice just six months after tearing his Achilles. He is now listed as questionable for the Oranges upcoming game against Cal, a notable development for a player whose timeline initially suggested a much longer road back.
Fran Brown said Russells status will be tested before kickoff, giving Syracuse a chance to see how the young talent responds in a real game-day setting. Justus Ross-Simmons is expected to be active for the ACC opener, but Russells availability still hangs in the balance, leaving the Orange to wait and see whether one of their top recruits can get back on the field sooner than anyone expected. [Read more 🡒]
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Syracuse's Cal Game Could Carry Major Recruiting Implications
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The visitors are expected to include verbal commits and scholarship offer holders from the 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 classes, which makes the game a little more than just an early conference test. For Syracuse, a showcase atmosphere against a league opponent offers a chance to make a strong impression in front of players the staff hopes will be part of the programs future, even if the full impact of that visit wont be known right away. [Read more 🡒]