Syracuse is expecting a couple of familiar names to start filtering back into the lineup this week, with fifth-year wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons the most immediate possibility for Saturday’s ACC opener against California.
Head coach Fran Brown said Monday that Ross-Simmons is expected to suit up after sitting out Saturday’s season opener against New Hampshire while he works his way back into football shape.
“That wouldn’t be healthy for him to just allow him to go in and play right away,” Brown said. “Then all the other guys [are] up in here playing. His opportunity is going to come this week.”
Ross-Simmons tied Syracuse for the team lead in receiving touchdowns last season and built a strong connection with quarterback Steve Angeli over their four games together. In Saturday’s 66-3 win over the Wildcats, Angeli leaned heavily on sixth-year receiver Umari Hatcher, who finished with eight catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The rest of Syracuse’s wideouts combined for just 60 yards on seven receptions.
The Orange are also anticipating the first appearances of their two oldest running backs, Brown said, after Ju’Juan Johnson and Ahmad Miller missed the opener against New Hampshire.
Johnson’s absence was injury-related, though Brown said he could have played if Syracuse had needed him.
Their return would add another layer to the backfield rotation heading into Saturday. Tylik Hill and Shavane Anderson Jr. handled the workload against New Hampshire and combined for 192 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown said he isn’t concerned with one runner taking over as the clear lead option.
“They’ll all play,” Brown said. “Whatever it takes to win.
I could care less who it is. As long as they’ve got the Syracuse jersey on and they’re running the football.”
That group will line up against a Cal defense that was gashed for an FBS-worst 277 rushing yards in a 21-point loss to rival UCLA.
Brown also offered an update on a pair of highly regarded freshmen from Miami Northwestern High School, Calvin Russell III and Tedarius Hughes.
Russell is working back from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the spring, while Hughes is recovering from a left knee injury sustained late in fall camp.
“[Russell] should be back in the next few weeks,” Brown said. “They’ll probably come back together.
Might be a Northwestern thing where they just come back together. We’ll see how it goes.”
Syracuse had been targeting an October return for Russell after his April 1 surgery, and Brown’s timeline would put him on track for the Orange’s Oct. 3 game at Connecticut.
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