It’s game week in Central New York, and Syracuse is kicking off the 2026 season with a few early surprises already baked into Fran Brown’s first weekly presser of the year.
The biggest jolt came with Monday’s release of the first depth chart. At running back, sophomore Tylik Hill was listed as RB1, with Penn State transfer Matthew Outten right behind him at RB2.
That’s a notable twist considering the preseason buzz centered on Jackson State transfer Ahmed Miller and LSU transfer Ju’Juan Johnson. Brown said Johnson will most likely not suit up against New Hampshire, while Miller is expected to play Saturday.
Quarterback, meanwhile, remains an open question behind Steve Angeli. Brown wouldn’t reveal who the No. 2 guy is going into the opener.
“Everyone will compete all week and then we will find that out on Saturday.” That leaves Malachi Nelson and Amari Odom as the most likely names in the mix when Syracuse faces New Hampshire.
There were also a couple of health-related updates on players who weren’t on the depth chart. Linebacker Gary Bryant and wide receiver Tyshawn Russell were both absent from it Monday, after dealing with knee and ankle issues, respectively. Brown confirmed both players are back at practice.
Brown also addressed Justus Ross-Simmons, who returned to practice after being part of a Texas case that currently allows him to be eligible, with a court date set for September 11th. With that situation still unsettled, Brown made his approach clear: “if we could lose him at any point, we should probably use him more and take advantage of it.”
He added that he trusts the judicial system to sort things out and said he appreciates that the NCAA does what’s best for the student athlete.
In Other News...
Syracuse May Have A New Position Strength Fans Should Notice
Fran Brown used camp to send a clear message about one of Syracuses most interesting position groups, handing standout jerseys to tight ends David Clement, Noah Meyers, Elijah Washington-Baker and Daunte Bacheyie. The recognition was less about a single headline name and more about what the staff appears to be building there: a room that can offer depth, versatility and enough reliable options to keep multiple players involved on the field.
For Clement, the nod carried extra meaning. He said he was proud of the recognition and focused on doing whatever his role requires, which fits the larger picture around the group. If the Orange can turn that kind of buy-in into production, the tight end spot could become one of the teams more useful assets as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
JJ Starlings Surprise Return Just Changed How Syracuse Fans Will Remember Him
JJ Starlings college path has taken another turn, and this one sends him closer to home. After one season at Notre Dame and three at Syracuse, the guard has committed to play his fifth season at Buffalo, giving him another chapter in a career that already has plenty of twists for Orange fans to sort through.
The extra year became possible through a temporary restraining order tied to a California lawsuit over NCAA eligibility rules, a reminder that roster movement now runs through as much legal as basketball terrain. For Syracuse, Starlings departure closes the book on a player who spent three seasons in the program, even if the final line in his college story will now be written somewhere else in New York. [Read more 🡒]
Umari Hatchers Long Road Back Could Change Syracuses WR Room
Umari Hatchers road back has been every bit as long as Syracuse fans might have feared when a significant leg injury ended his 2024 season and kept him out for most of 2025. After surgery, he briefly returned last year before the coaching staff made the call to shut him down again and protect the bigger picture, a decision that delayed his comeback but also kept the focus on getting him right for the future.
Now back with the Orange in 2026, Hatcher has already started to matter beyond just the injury storyline. He has taken on a leadership role in the receivers room, and the expectation is that he will have a much larger part in what Syracuse tries to do this season. For a position group that can always use maturity and stability, his return gives the Orange something they did not have for much of the last two years: an experienced voice who has been through the grind and is finally trending toward a real impact again. [Read more 🡒]