Syracuse’s offseason portal exodus sent 20 players elsewhere, and the second half of that group is already producing a mixed bag of results in new colors.
A few former Orange have barely gotten on the field. Thomas, now with Memphis, has yet to play a snap in 2026 on the defensive line.
Emmanuel Ross made his way to UConn after seeing healthy action for Syracuse in 2025, but four games into the season he still hasn’t logged a reception, with the Huskies set to face Syracuse in Week 5. Miller, meanwhile, has not appeared in a game for the Governors.
Others have found limited but real roles. The sophomore defensive back at Penn State has only shown up once, coming in the Nittany Lions’ second game against Temple and finishing with one combined tackle. Singleton has had a bit more run at safety for the Bulldogs, appearing in the first three games and putting up seven total tackles, including five solo stops, plus a pass deflection before sitting out the fourth game against Mizzou.
At linebacker, McDonald has been active early for North Carolina. The sixth-year player appeared in the Tar Heels’ first three games, piling up 24 tackles, 10 of them solo, along with a pass deflection, but hasn’t played since.
Carney’s path at Houston has been more of a depth-chart grind. He is buried behind starter Conner Weigman and backup Keisean Henderson for the 20th-ranked Cougars, though he did see action in the second game of the season against Southern University. Carney didn’t attempt a pass, but he did log four carries for 23 yards and a touchdown.
There’s been a much bigger role for Collins at Kennesaw State. Named QB1 for the Owls, the junior has started 1-3 and thrown for 749 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while completing 68.1% of his passes. He’s also been a factor on the ground, adding 185 rushing yards on 40 attempts with three scores.
Williams has been busy at Southwest Mississippi C.C. as a sophomore quarterback. He has played in four games and started two, throwing for 839 yards on 71 completions with three touchdowns. The Bears are 1-3 to open 2026.
On the line, Strangle is holding down the long-snapping job for Alabama. The fifth-year player is the starter for the 7th ranked Crimson Tide, who have gone 8-8 on field goal attempts and 22-22 on extra points through four games.
Willis had been one of the more promising running back pieces at Kansas. Through three games, he posted 27 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns, making him the team’s second-leading rusher. His season now appears in jeopardy, though, as he is doubtful to return because of an undisclosed injury.
In Other News...
Syracuse Enters October With One Roster Question Looming Large
Syracuse is getting close to the start of its exhibition season, with the Orange set to face UConn on Oct. 13, and there is a real sense that this month will offer the first clearer look at where the program stands under first-year coach Gerry McNamara. The former Syracuse guard arrives after a successful season at Siena, but the bigger questions around this roster go beyond the sideline, with player development and team buy-in already forming the backdrop to the early weeks of practice.
Amid all of that, one roster issue still hangs over the Orange: the eligibility status of transfer Amarri Monroe. Syracuse is waiting for NCAA clarity on whether Monroe will be available, and until that is settled, it leaves McNamara and his staff trying to map out the rotation without a full answer at a key point in the preseason. For a team trying to establish its identity in October, that uncertainty matters. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Landed A Recruit Built For McNamaras Rebuild
Syracuse added a major piece to its long-range rebuild when Moussa Kamissoko, the 6-foot-7 forward from the Bronx, committed to the Orange. A consensus Top 20 recruit in the 2027 class, Kamissoko arrives with the kind of profile that instantly raises the ceiling of a program trying to reestablish itself on the national recruiting map. He is also the No. 1 player in New York for his class, giving Syracuse a homegrown centerpiece to build around.
For a program that has been searching for a talent of this caliber, the commitment carries real weight. Kamissokos game is built on length, athleticism and competitiveness, with a reputation for excelling in transition on both ends and rebounding well beyond what his slender frame might suggest. Syracuse has not landed a recruit ranked this highly since Carmelo Anthony, which makes this commitment feel less like another addition and more like a marker for where the Orange hope to go next. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Needs An Answer Fast Before ACC Play Starts
Syracuse heads into its matchup with UConn needing more than just a win. At 1-2, the Orange are trying to steady themselves before ACC play begins, and the quarterback situation has become part of the urgency. Steve Angeli has been confirmed as the starter for the game, giving Syracuse a clearer answer at the most important spot on the field, at least for now.
UConn arrives at 2-2 with a new look of its own under head coach Jason Candle and quarterback Kalieb Osborne, setting up a game that carries more weight than a typical nonconference meeting. For Syracuse, the focus is on showing cleaner play and more consistency before the schedule tightens, because once league games start, there is a lot less room to sort things out on the fly. [Read more 🡒]