Syracuse RB Yasin Willis Announces Plans to Transfer, Leaving Big Void in Orange Backfield
Syracuse is about to feel the loss of one of its most important offensive pieces. Starting running back Yasin Willis announced Tuesday that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, making him the first established starter from the Orange to declare for a move this offseason.
Willis made the news public on social media, signaling a major shift in the Orange’s backfield plans heading into 2026. The sophomore’s departure adds to a growing list of exits from the program-he’s the 18th Syracuse player to announce intentions to transfer this offseason-and his exit hits especially hard given his role in the offense.
The Orange have now seen three running backs depart this offseason. Jaden Hart announced his plans just a day earlier, and Malachi James has also left the program.
That leaves Syracuse with a thin depth chart at one of the most physical and punishing positions in the game. As it stands, the only scholarship backs remaining are Will Nixon-who’s more of a pass-catching weapon than a between-the-tackles runner-and second-year players Tylik Hill and Malachi Coleman, who are still developing.
Translation: Syracuse is almost certainly going to have to look to the transfer portal to find a starting-caliber back. And fast.
Willis, listed at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, brought a physicality to the position that the Orange leaned on when they could. He led the team with 558 rushing yards on 129 carries this past season, scoring four touchdowns-all of them coming in the first two games.
But the offense struggled to establish the run consistently, and that limited his overall production. In fact, Syracuse didn’t have a single 100-yard rushing performance from any player all season, something that hadn’t happened since 2007.
Still, when Willis was on the field, he made an impact. He earned the fifth-highest Pro Football Focus grade among Syracuse offensive players who logged at least 100 snaps. That’s no small feat, especially in a system that didn’t always feature the run game prominently.
Part of the challenge was game flow-the Orange often found themselves trailing early, which forced them to abandon the ground game. And when the offense did shift into pass mode, Willis wasn’t always the ideal fit.
He struggled as a receiver, and that limited his role in Jeff Nixon’s pass-heavy scheme. Compounding matters, Willis missed three games due to a pair of concussions, which further disrupted his rhythm.
Still, head coach Fran Brown was a vocal supporter of Willis throughout the season, calling him the team’s best offensive player early in the year and repeatedly saying he wanted to get him more involved. That praise wasn’t just coach-speak-Willis showed flashes of being a true workhorse back when given the opportunity.
Willis came to Syracuse as a three-star recruit ranked No. 525 nationally in the Class of 2024, flipping his commitment from Pittsburgh after Brown took over the program. He held offers from Michigan, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Pitt, so it’s clear that he was highly thought of coming out of high school. A Newark, New Jersey native, Willis brought a tough, no-nonsense running style that fit well with the physical identity Brown is trying to build.
Interestingly, just last month Willis had publicly stated his intention to return to Syracuse, even talking about the importance of hitting the ground running this offseason. But plans change quickly in today’s college football landscape, especially with the transfer portal offering players more flexibility than ever.
While players can’t officially enter the portal until January 2, they’re allowed to announce their intentions ahead of time. And that’s exactly what Willis has done.
Now, the Orange are left with a major hole in the backfield-and a big decision to make in the coming weeks. Whether through the portal or internal development, Syracuse needs answers at running back. Because come spring ball, there’s going to be a lot of attention on who’s lining up behind center.