Gerry McNamara’s first season leading Syracuse basketball is going to come with a lot of noise, and not much of it will be quiet. The Orange are coming off two straight losing seasons, haven’t been back to the NCAA Tournament since 2021, and now enter 2026-27 with a new head coach, a new assistant staff and a roster that has been heavily rebuilt.
That’s exactly the kind of situation where preseason expectations can swing hard one way or the other. Some national and ACC observers are likely to keep Syracuse in the middle of the pack - or lower - until this group proves it can actually put wins together. But CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein is showing more faith than that.
In his recent ACC offseason breakdown, Rothstein slotted Syracuse at No. 7 in the conference preseason power rankings, which puts the Orange in the top half of the league. His full list has Duke first, followed by Virginia, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Clemson and then Syracuse.
After the Orange, Rothstein goes Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, SMU, Florida State, N.C. State, Stanford, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Boston College, California and Georgia Tech.
That No. 7 placement feels like a pretty bullish read on Syracuse considering all the turnover around the program. Still, it suggests Rothstein sees a team that can be relevant in the league race rather than just treading water.
He also put together a projected Syracuse starting five: point guard Garwey Dual, guard Aidan Tobiason, guard/wing Kiyan Anthony, power forward Sadiq White Jr. and center Luke Wilson. The four names I’d feel best about matching up with that group are Dual, Tobiason, White and Wilson.
The fifth spot is where the conversation gets interesting. I’m not as convinced about Anthony in that role; my pick would be either guard/wing Gavin Doty or forward Amarri Monroe.
Rothstein also highlighted five ACC breakout players, and White made the cut. That’s easy to understand. The Syracuse sophomore looks like a player who could take a major leap, and Rothstein’s inclusion only adds to the sense that White could be in for a big 2026-27 season.
McNamara has made it clear he wants to win now. Rothstein’s projections suggest Syracuse has at least a chance to do that, even if the road back to the NCAA Tournament still has plenty of unknowns.
In Other News...
Syracuse Is Finally Letting Jeff Nixon Run The Offense
Jeff Nixons role at Syracuse has changed in a way that could matter for how the Orange shape their offense this fall. With Dennis Thomas promoted to running backs coach, Nixon has shifted into a more traditional NFL-style offensive coordinator setup, giving him a clearer hand in directing the attack while the staff around him has been reshuffled in the offseason. Sean Ryan was brought in as quarterbacks coach and Juan Castillo as offensive line coach, adding more experience to a group that is trying to settle into a new structure.
Fran Brown has already pointed to Thomas as an important part of the programs development, both for the running backs room and on the recruiting trail. The broader question now is how much this staff reset changes the way Syracuse operates on offense, especially with Nixon in a role that should allow him to focus more fully on the big picture. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Made An Early Impression On A Versatile 2028 Prospect
Chase Kraucheunas first college offer arrived after a June trip to Syracuses Franchise Camp, where the Alexandria Township, N.J., prospect got a close look at the Orange and left with plenty to think about. The offer also came with a clear message about where Syracuse sees him best: on defense, a fitting role for a player who has spent his high school career bouncing around to multiple spots while sharpening his game.
For Syracuse, landing that early impression matters with a versatile 2028 prospect who is still building his profile and learning what kind of player he can become. Kraucheunas came away impressed by the coaching staff, the facilities and the program culture, and those are the kinds of details that can linger long after a summer camp ends, especially for a young recruit whose development is still just getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Just Framed Syracuses Biggest Camp Questions
Fall camp has only just started, but Fran Brown is already using it to clarify where Syracuse football is headed in 2026. The Orange coach spent time with reporters laying out the early shape of the roster, touching on the leadership group taking form, the work his new staff has done and the added depth he believes the program has built heading into the season.
Brown also pointed to the off-field support structure that has become part of modern roster building, including the role of One Orange Alliance and his conversations with athletic director Brian Blair about collective incentives. Between the personnel decisions and the bigger-picture budget reality, the questions around how Syracuse wants to sustain this next step may matter as much as the answers from the practice field. [Read more 🡒]